Keeper of the Cheerios » Parenting & Family

It’s Been Four Years..

Miranda — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:44:10 +0000

I remember the day of my son’s birth like it was yesterday.. it was truthfully one of the most terrifying days of my life. What should have been one of the most amazing memories of my son is actually one that still has the ability to make my heart sink in my chest.

My pregnancy with him was scary. It was extremely high risk yet we went into it knowing there were risks. I’d suffered numerous miscarriages before becoming pregnant with him but before having him we’d learned that I have anticardiolipin antibodies which had caused blood clots to form around the placentas of our other babies making it impossible for them to survive. So with Ethan we had hope.. and LOTS of Lovenox injections. Early on I’d experienced a subchorionic hemorrhage (the placenta had started to tear away from the uterine wall in a small section- it was fairly small) which made the rest of the pregnancy a lot more scary but with lots of bed rest we made it through.

July 19th, 2006 I’d gone to bed feeling a little off and was starting to have mild regular contractions. The next morning I woke up and headed over to the doctor’s office to see what was going on thinking that for the millionth time I’d just be sent to the hospital to be given medication to stop the contractions since that had become something that happened almost weekly from 27 weeks on thanks to a car accident we were in. Instead the doctor decided to break my water based on the fact that technically I was close enough to my due date and my body was already in labor so it seemed like the safest thing to do for all involved.

After a day spent in labor I gave birth to Ethan that evening.. everything seemed okay but then they placed him on my chest and he was limp and lifeless and turning blue. I screamed at the nurses and they scooped him up and began working on him and the next thing I knew our room had every nurse on the floor running in and the on-call pediatrician was making her way over to our small 5 lb. 1 oz. baby and they wheeled him out while she began chest compressions on him. And just as quickly as everyone had swarmed our room they were gone along with my husband who followed our son. And just like that I was alone. I couldn’t move from the bed since I’d had an epidural, I had no idea if my son was alive or what was happening. In that moment I lost it.. I cried and I prayed and I cried some more.

But God was with me and my son that day. After they got Ethan stable he was placed under an oxygen tent and a nurse had to monitor him that entire night but he did well. I was able to hold him for the first time the next morning and finally look into the face of my sweet baby boy.

Every birthday since that scary day in 2006 you can bet that I’m the world’s most grateful mother. Life is precious and each moment that we get to share with our children is a huge blessing. Ethan has been a blessing since day one and I can’t imagine our life without him. He cracks us up with his impromptu dancing and his honest answers and melts our hearts when he smiles and asks to “cuggle” (aka “cuddle”) and read him stories at night. He loves Diego and all things Toy Story. His favorite things to say include ”I WIN!”, ”No!”, and “Hug?” Since finding out that he needed hearing aids last year he’s made a year of progress in just 6 months.. He’s a little fighter through and through. He’s also quite the hand full and a bit of a walking accident but he owns my heart.

I can’t believe it’s been 4 years already. Time has gone by way too fast. Happy birthday to my sweet and funny 4 year old!

Minivan driving moms & dads- you’re going to LOVE this video!

Miranda — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:33:47 +0000

I am totally loving the Toyota Sienna youtube channel with the hilarious “Sienna family.” As a minivan driving mom I was laughing hysterically all the way through their new Swagger Wagon song video. Watch the video below:

***I have no connection with Toyota, I just really thought these were some great videos and wanted to share them with you.

Tips For Traveling With Babies and Toddlers

Miranda — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 03:49:25 +0000

We received some really great tips from our readers on how to travel with babies and toddlers in our Marriott Makes Traveling with Tots Easy contest and I want to share some of these helpful tips with you.

Our winner was Tiffany of The Dudley Family, who said, “I have quite a bit of experience traveling with little ones, as I have 3 little ones myself (4 and under). Whether flying or driving, I always pack lots of snacks and water (juice makes for more trips to the potty!). Special or unique snacks, ones they don’t get on a regular basis at home. Same goes for activities. I buy new, inexpensive things that they don’t have at home to keep them entertained. New color books, crayons, color wonder books, reading books, dry erase crayons (w/ drawing boards made out of poster board and contact paper), lots of stickers, magnetic paper dolls, black paper & colored chalk, etc. And of course, the portable DVD player and a couple new DVD’s to add to their collection. Those things definitely kept my kids entertained on our last 15 hour road trip we took and helped at the hotel as well!”

While we weren’t able to choose more than one winner for the contest I thought you’d find some of these other tips extremely helpful for parents traveling with small children.

”For driving, my best tip is to pack an overnight bag that my son will use just for the night we stay in a hotel (en route to visit people). I have an overnight bag, too. It takes more effort and planning, but I can keep all of our big bags in the trunk AND I don’t have to carry them in!” -Amy of ClickClackMom
“Always pack a bag with at least one diaper, a ziploc with wipes, a small water bottle, entertainment and most important…patience. Traveling with kids can be really stressful, try and not let it get to you.” – Steph
“My best tip has to do with that most dreaded of all questions, “How much longer until we get there?” When my son was very young, he did not quite grasp the concept of time. To answer his question of how much longer, we used his favorite TV shows as a measurement of time. If we had 30 minutes more, we told him it would be 1 Barney, or if it was an hour, it would be 2 Barneys!” – Annette D.
“Bring a backpack full of games, books, snacks and other activities to keep them all busy.” – Gianna
“My best tip is to be flexible. With toddlers you never know when an extra stop will be needed or a sightseeing trip will need to be cut short. So you need to stay flexible and not stress when the unexpected happens.” -Anne of Upstate Ramblings
“Being prepared is KEY!! …A portable DVD player is always good, yummy healthy snacks that keep them busy and something new (a new toy or game) and something old (a blanket or doll that they like to sleep with)” – Moms Best Bets

Disclosure: I was working in partnership with Marriott and Global Influence -a Resourceful Mommy Media network – to cover the Marriott Tots Travel Too program and have received a stipend.

Shine On Now With the American Girl Charity Campaign!

Miranda — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:44:12 +0000

As the mother of a big-hearted little girl I know that girls are capable of doing some really great things at home, in their communities and even around the world. It’s because of this that I’m so excited to be a Parent Partner for American Girl and share with you this amazing new program they’ve just launched.

This Summer from July 13th through July 31st you and your daughter can log on to http://www.shineonnow.com/to sign up to become an American Girl Ambassador. By doing so she’ll receive a downloadable kit that includes an official American Girl Ambassador Certificate, a sign-up sheet to help inspire others to get involved, fundraising tips to help make a difference at home and around the world. It’s free and REALLY easy to do!

Starting July 13th and going throughout July 31st your daughter will be able to return to http://www.shineonnow.com/and donate her stars that she’s earned (up to 100 stars a day). By doing so American Girl will donate up to $1 million dollars for food, clothing, books, dolls, and money to four charities that are truly amazing; including Kids In Distressed Situations, The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org), and Save The Children.

Check out this video from American Girl to learn more about Shine on Now:

Be sure to check back on July 13th! We’ll be giving a way an American Girl Doll in July and I don’t want you and your daughter to miss it!

Disclosure: As a thank you for my time I am being sent American Girl products and have been given the chance to donate 1,000 stars (equivalent to $1,000) towards the four charities I mentioned previously. However, all opinions expressed here are my own and based on my own experiences.

Do you “pick” your child’s friends?

Bust Summer Time Boredom With These 11 Budget-Friendly Tips!

Miranda — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:07:59 +0000

My kids always look forward to Summer time. They enjoy the long break from school and being able to enjoy time outdoors and the extra sleep they get in the mornings. But eventually the excitement of summer wears off and with all the extra down time in the day us moms eventually start to hear “I’m bored!” and “There’s nothing to do! (insert whine here).”

Did you know that if you don’t encourage imaginative play and stimulate your children’s minds throughout the summer they can lose up to 60% of what they’ve learned throughout the school year? Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose Schools, has come up with these 11 awesome tips that are friendly on the wallet and fun for the kids as they encourage your children to use their imagination.

1.   Boredom Buster Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family “Boredom Buster Jar.” They’ll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a “neat” idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone’s ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.

2.  Bring Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important waysto keep young minds engaged during the summer.Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. For example, in the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, children create a make-believe town in the desert out of rocks, boxes, and their imaginations. Read the book with your children and then challenge them to create their own town with materials they find in the backyard.

3.   Art Start Box: You’ll need to gather basic art supplies-child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there’s always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it’s fun for children to know that the Art Start Box is just for them. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.

4.  Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out. They are the directors, actors, and producers. They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family’s favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay. You’ll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.

5. Family Dance Party: Crank up the music and encourage your entire family to boogie down. Dancing gives children a great outlet for self-expression through their own motion and helps build self-esteem. It also enhances motor and coordination development by incorporating skills like jumping, landing and leaping. Dancing is a great activity that can involve the whole family and doesn’t take very much preparation.

6.  Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures–from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house- some chairs, cushions, blankets, and of course adult supervision.

7. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh.

8.  Make a Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer.   Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion. They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.

9.   Play the Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.

10.    Have a Camp Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might even decide to spend the night!

11.    Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.

If you like these tips and want to read more from Dr. Mary Zurn you can find her website at www.drzandme.com.

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a gift card in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange has taken place.

Please Vote For Ethan in the Ronzoni Smart Taste Photo Contest

Miranda — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:37:37 +0000

Last week I tested the new Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta out on my children. I served them the brand we normally buy and then I served them the Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti pasta. They LOVED IT and had no idea that they were eating the healthier option out of the two pastas.

Last week you helped me pick your favorite picture from our Ronzoni Smart Taste Challenge and here was the one that received most of your votes:

Ethan is EXTREMELY excited to see his pasta-eating picture on the Ronzoni Smart Taste bloggers challenge page and he is pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

We’re competing against 50 other bloggers who also participated in the Ronzoni Smart Taste challenge. There are some great photos but the one with the most votes will win a $500 gift card and tons of Ronzoni pasta.

If we win I will be using the gift card to buy Ethan clothing and shoes for his second year of preschool… and probably using part of it to help pay for some of his speech therapy as well (each session is kinda spendy!) This is one prize we could definitely use and maybe I’m just partial but Ethan’s pretty darn cute eating his yummy Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta and I’m in love with this black and white photo of him.

YOU COULD WIN JUST FOR VOTING! Every day that you vote you’ll be entered to win one of twelve $25 gift cards from Ronzoni!

To vote you will have to register but it’s quick and easy and the info is only asked for one time (and it’s necessary in case you win one of the $25 gift cards!) After registration each day that you return to vote you’ll only have to sign in with your email to cast your vote so it really does get easier, I promise!

Here’s how to vote for Ethan:

Head on over to http://ronzonismarttaste.newworldpasta.com/blogger/
Click on the photo you wish to vote for (preferably Ethan’s cute photo) :p
Fill in your info if it’s your first time voting OR just your email if you’re already registered and “vote”!
You can vote EVERY day!

I greatly appreciate your votes and Ethan does too! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to vote for him. It really does mean a lot to us.

I wrote this review while participating in the Ronzoni Smart Taste Challenge through Mom Central. I received pasta for review purposes and I’ve a received a gift card as a thank you for taking the time to participate.

My Thoughts on Motherhood

Miranda — Sun, 09 May 2010 07:13:21 +0000

I begin my day every day at 6:30 a.m. if not earlier. I never get vacation days and I certainly don’t get sick days. I clean vomit (unless my husband is around and then I make him), snot, and other disgusting things I never imagined myself coming close to. I often go to the store clothed in child-stained shirts. I feel like a taxi driver, the maid, a nurse, and quite frankly completely underpaid. I’m the butt-wiper, the laundry lady, the chef, the entertainer, the teacher, the receiver of dirty looks, and the list goes on. I enjoy long nap times, bed time, and headache medication… I’m just like every other mom. Strangely enough I think this is the best job ever. Thankfully the good outweighs the bad more often than not.

Motherhood really is such a rewarding job. I’m showered with sticky hugs and slobbery kisses a billion times a day. I’m told “I wub you mommy” by my three year old at least 20 times a day and my nine year old often tells me “I’m glad you’re my mom” or “you’re a good mom” when she’s not giving me dirty looks of course. I get to hear my children laughing, singing, playing, and learning and it’s awesome. They’re happy and healthy and I love them more than life itself. I live for giggles, tickles, belly laughs, rocking my youngest to sleep at night, story time, and I melt when they smile at me. I remember vividly the first time I got to hold each of them, their funny little first smiles, their silly first laughs, their clumsy first steps. I spend a lot of time wishing the day would go by faster but in the end I always wish time would slow down or that I had just a little more time to enjoy them being this young.

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” – Lin Yutang

What is your favorite mommy moment?

Our Easter Miracle; An Update On My Dad

Miranda — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:05:08 +0000

So this post is a little bit late but we were blessed with an Easter miracle.

My dad was released from the long term acute care facility two days before Easter and allowed to go home!

As most of you know the doctors told us he would be there at least 4-6 weeks after his long and terrifying stay in the ICU and that he would probably require additional hospitalization as well. He amazed the doctors with his sudden turn around, amazed the respiratory therapists, and left the physical therapists in amazement. With that being said his recovery will still be long and it’s definitely an uphill battle BUT he’s beaten the cruddy odds he was given and he’s going to LIVE! Saying that leaves me so overwhelmed with happy emotions that I’m left with happy tears. It’s just such a relief to know that he’s going to make it and that we don’t have to watch him suffer so badly anymore.

It pains me to say it but I was really mad at God (and the entire universe to put it lightly) when my dad started to get worse after being hospitalized with pneumonia. I didn’t understand what God’s plan was in all of this. To be honest I still really don’t.. I mean, my dad was suffering so badly, struggling to live while being poked and prodded by so many specialists it was ridiculous. He was scared and said his goodbyes to us and we left that hospital ICU with heavy hearts after he was intubated. But in everything, even in all of the pain, I felt like God was still there… still holding us.. and still watching over my dad. I just prayed that God would let his suffering end quickly whatever road that might be and that if he lived through it that He would help him heal quickly.. and God did just that. That in itself leaves me in awe because according to the doctors they didn’t expect him to live. I’m also left in awe over the amazing support you have all provided for my family during this time. The amount of people that have prayed for my dad and for my family has really left us humbled. Saying thank you just doesn’t feel like enough. Your love for us has helped restore my faith and for that I wish I could give you all a huge bear hug!

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (NIV) Ecclesiastes 4:12

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (King James Bible) Matthew 18:20

My dad is currently resting and recovering in his own bed, eating on his own, and is extremely happy to not have nurses poking and prodding him every 5 minutes. He was lonely so I think being home is great for his morale. He still has a central line in “just in case” and he also has the feeding tube in still which will be removed within the next few weeks. He’s still in a lot of pain though and coughing like crazy as expected when recovering from ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) which in my dad’s case was caused by his severe pneumonia. The doctor isn’t quite sure yet of when my dad will be back to somewhat normal health or when he’ll be able to return to work but they do expect him to eventually. It’s still just a waiting game but so far so good. His lungs just need a lot of time to heal and that’s a slow process and leaves him feeling tired and sore and not able to talk much without coughing. He still has quite a ways to go but there’s a light at the end of this tunnel now.

Update On My Dad; A Horribly Slow & Painful Recovery

Miranda — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:03:26 +0000

As most of you know my dad has been in the hospital almost one month and he’s still fighting for his life every day. He developed pneumonia quickly after a cold that everyone in the family had and it quickly and unexpectedly progressed from there. He was admitted into his local hospital and was holding his own until suddenly he just wasn’t anymore and his stats began to drop and panic set in for the doctors, the nurses, and of course our family. His doctors realized at that point that they definitely had to move him to the ICU in a huge hospital about 2.5 hours away from where they live so that he could be monitored more closely and in the same hospital as his numerous specialists. Things didn’t really improve after being transferred to the ICU although he managed to still hold his own he was given a 50/50 chance of living at that point, the doctors were doing everything they could to keep my dad stabilized but something once again went wrong when suddenly my dad experienced a massive drop in his already struggling oxygen levels and it dropped dangerously low making him forget who he was and where he was. The doctor was called and within 30 minutes my dad was intubated.

During the process of intubating my dad and doing a bronchoscopy to help remove excess fluids from his lungs they found that he had developed ARDS, also known as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. ARDS occurs when there is inflammation in the lungs that make it difficult for the lungs to function properly and they become stiff. It’s a form of lung failure caused by his severe pneumonia and it’s often fatal. However my dad is at the very beginning of an extremely long recovery now unless something goes horribly wrong and he develops a secondary infection or organ failure. This week the doctors operated on his lungs and inserted a drain, inserted a feeding tube, and did a tracheotomy which is supposed to be less damaging to the vocal cords and make things a little bit easier on my dad. Assuming all goes well he’s expected to move into a long-term acute facility within the next few days where he’ll have more access to respiratory therapists that will be working with him on a frequent basis as well as physical therapists. He’s expected to be in that part of the hospital another 4-6 weeks before being moved to a regular hospital room requiring more hospitalization time. Keep in mind that my dad has already been in the hospital about 23 days altogether. After the hospital stay is all over he’ll also have a very long recovery at home which will still involve doctor’s visits, therapists, and so on. It’s a long journey back to any kind of normalcy.

My dad is very ill and this healing process is ridiculously slow.. it’s hard to watch and has been absolutely terrifying with all of the ups and downs. It’s hard to see someone you love suffering so much and struggling this way yet having to be strong so they don’t see the fear in your eyes. It’s been traumatizing for me and my sister but has been even harder on our two younger siblings that still live at home (my youngest brother is 6 and my younger sister is 18 but still in high school and has a couple health issues of her own which require a specialist) and it’s been emotionally exhausting for my mother as well as she tries to keep things together and manage a household while worrying about my dad… she also worries about their financial future as the enormous medical bills are already beginning to roll in and the soon-to-be major cut-backs in their paychecks while taking in short term disability. Soon after their troubles really set in they’ll be considered long-term disability at which point the checks will become even less and they’ll lose their medical insurance unless they pay the enormous costs up front and my dad will officially be out of a job which he’s worked at for a really long time. Considering how much medical care my dad will still need for the months and years ahead of him this is extremely damaging financially for them. This all combined with the constant travel expenses for my mom to go be with my dad has been extremely overwhelming for her but my dad needs her too and doesn’t like to be alone.

My sister and I are arranging a fundraiser dinner to help cover medical expenses, living expenses, and travel expenses over this next few months as a way to help them. While the dinner will be held in their hometown we’re also going to be holding a fundraising raffle and the grand price will be a brand new laptop (graciously donated to our cause by my dad’s workplace) which will be open to everyone including all of you if you’re interested. I’ll let you know when we have all the details situated and we’re ready to accept entries.

In the meantime many of you have asked me and my sister how you can help. First and foremost my dad needs prayers and lots of it. He has a long and hard journey ahead of him and it’s not going to be easy at all. Pray for him and pray for his doctors, that they’ll be able to make the best decisions that can help my dad pull through this and that they can help heal him. For those of you who want to help my parents financially (even if it’s just one dollar) my sister and I have set up a Chipped In fundraiser account as well.

I want to thank all of you who’ve been praying for us throughout this extremely difficult month. Your thoughts, your prayers, and your outpouring of caring and love have all been such a huge blessing to me and my family.

TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE {for March 23rd}: My dad has been slowly weaned off the sedatives and is more alert now. He’s in pain and on tons of medications but is once again holding his own.. not getting worse (although not getting much better). However, he’s communicating with the nurses by writing on a board even though his hands are swollen which make it difficult and he’s using some facial expressions (smiling, silently laughing). He’s unable to speak with the tracheotomy. He’s spending more time awake and today he was able to watch a little television. Tomorrow the doctors have decided to move him to the long-term care facility where he’ll have just as much care as he does in the ICU where he’s at only now he’ll begin the slow process of being weaned off the oxygen and trying to breathe on his own without the machine doing it for him. He’ll have lots of respiratory therapy from here on out. Please keep praying for him! This is the most encouraging news we’ve had in such a long time but it doesn’t take much to have a set back or have it turn and go the other direction as far as getting worse goes. I get to go and visit with him next Wednesday or Thursday and I’m really excited to finally get to see him again and to have him be more awake and doing a tad bit better.

A Letter To My Potty Training Three Year Old

Miranda — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:30:19 +0000

Dear Monkey,

I must say that I’m really sorry you became allergic to diapers and developed the worst contact dermatitis rash I’ve ever seen in my life. I think you must have the world’s worst luck. Seriously, WHO becomes allergic to diapers?! In spite of everything, you’re doing an amazing job using the potty like a big boy even though we were kinda forced into this adventure at a time that wasn’t very convenient and I was really concerned that this would be hard on you but you’re handling this like a pro. I find it entertaining that you refuse to use your super cute frog potty and will only use your spider-man potty seat. I find it even more entertaining how sometimes you insist I sing the spider man song to you while you’re sitting there waiting. I really was not put on this earth solely to entertain you and I do have other things to do.

You’re making the process fairly painless and I’m shocked that all I had to do was buy a couple bags of chocolate candies to bribe you.. and I thought you were going to be tough to potty train? Boy was I wrong! One day you’ll realize that you got the cruddy end of the deal when you learn that after a year of begging your sister to use the potty I bribed her with a Barbie Jeep and all you got was some lousy chocolate each time you went and a bubble gun toy for not having accidents this week at school. I’m really proud of you and I promise to get you a super cool Power Wheels jeep one day too.

I realize that accidents are bound to happen and of course you’ve had a few and I’m totally okay with that. What I’m not okay with is becoming the target of your pee stream. It wasn’t nearly as funny as you seemed to think it was. I did however really appreciate your humor the first night you had to wear a cloth trainer diaper to bed. It was big and bulky and it made you walk so funny that you looked like a little ape and your silly little monkey noises paired with that crazy dance made me giggle. You looked so uncomfortable yet you made the best of it. I think it’s nearly impossible for one to be depressed when you’re around. You’re a wonderful child and you never cease to amaze me.

Love,

Mommy