Library Time

Keith has Tuesdays off school and since he studied all weekend we decided to take the girls to the city Library today for a "fun" family outing. Bekah has been once with Keith so she was really excited to go. We got there around 10:45 and stayed for an hour. Bekah found the same book she got last time (an airplane book) but Keith found some other new ones for her to try and Sadie....well she had a poop (I got to take care of that) and then wanted to be held. Keith was also looking for a book for school (that way he will have one less book to buy...I came up with that idea...yay me :) and it took a while to find. So he had Sadie and I ended up strolling Bekah around in Sadies carseat throughout the Library - trying to keep her quiet. Then when we were ready to go Sadie was ready to eat (of coarse) and Bekah was ready to run around. We all had a good time but we were exhaused by the end of it and ready for lunch and naps!

Right now Bekah is on an evening walk with Grammy and Grandpa and Sadie is relaxing in Keiths arms. I'm waiting for 8:00 to roll around because I like watching Biggest Loser with my little bro. Josh (while eating popcorn and icecream :) I know - I'm terrible but I look forward to it every week and I did get some skinny cow icecream sandwiches for tonight! I've heard that you can lose your appetite during chemo.....this still hasn't happened to me yet....oh well. I'll let you know how chemo. goes tomorrow.

Little Updates

Keith's first day of school picture. :)
(Bekah's doll Sally is in his bag but he didn't actually take her to class)

He is on campus right now enjoying his first week of school - he's taking 17 units this quarter and has a lot of work ahead of him but he's actually looking forward to it. I'm so glad that he is pursuing a career that he will thrive in and enjoy! He's going to make such a great teacher and I'm so proud of him!

Bekah is still not potty trained but we are trying to encourage her by offering m&m treats....and book reading time. She is loving her play dates every week and is learning new words everyday! I love watching her grow into a little girl. We have our special time together in the mornings snuggling while watching cartoons and in the evenings she finds me resting in bed and brings books in to read before she goes to bed. I love those special moments with her.

Sadie is gowing so much. Every time I pick her up I'm shocked at how big she feels. She loves sucking her thumb and is sleeping in her crib really well these days. She's learning to be a little more independent - she likes spending time in her bouncer hitting the toys that hang in front of her and on her floor play mat (especially when Bekah is not around). She is defanetly a daddy's girl and she looks forward to her midnight feeding with him each night :).

Well - it's Thursday afternoon and I never got the chills and fever side effect...thank the Lord! I'm still really tired and my body is achy but I can handle that. My hair is still shedding and I kept waking up last night wondering if it had fallen out yet - I was getting so frustrated with myself I almost just shaved it on the spot so that I wouldn't think about it anymore. Don't worry I didn't but is was a thought :).

Tomorrow is Friday and my sister Katie and her husband Rob are coming into town for the weekend and I'm really looking forward to seeing them!

A Day Early

I went in for my weekly Dr. Malone appointment and blood draw today and ended up getting my chemo. treatment also (I was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon but the nurses were trying to save me an extra trip in). I guess it was a good thing since I had already started dreading this weeks dose.....it's the drugs that gave me severe chills and a high 104 degree fever. They gave me some extra drugs to help with the severity of the reaction and some antibiotics since I'm still sick with a cold...so in a few days I should be feeling good.....although I may be bald :/. I was told that around week four is when you start losing your hair and I've already noticed a bit of shedding. Oh well - I have always said that if I was a boy I'd shave my head and now I will probably get to do it as a girl. I also told Keith that he was going to get to shave his head with me - that way if we are walking around town people won't know who the cancer patient is :).

Well - I'm half way done...at least with chemo. YAY!!!

Also I'd just like to share with everyone that I'm ready for some cooler weather! I want to be able to snuggle up under a blanket with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and read a book, or be able to wear jeans and a sweatshirt on the days I feel like hiding my post prego. tummy pudge, or lay in bed and listen to the rain. My mom put out her Autumn decorations today and it reminds me that fall is just around the corner.

Grammy and her girls!

I am so thankful for my mom!!! She is the most amazing grammy to my girls. From sunrise to well past sunset she is busy filling my shoes loving, nurturing and instructing my little ones. She's the most selfless and giving person I know and I'm so very thankful I'm her daughter. I pray that once life is back to "normal" and Keith and I are on our own again I will be able to love my girls as well as my mom has. Thanks mom for all you do!!!

A Family Affair

After my second dose this week of Chemo I was given 4 shots to take home that are supposed to help boost my white blood cell count. The nurse instructed my mom on how to give an injection but she felt more comfortable having my younger sister (who is a medical assistant) show her how to give it before trying herself....so yesterday evening Kacey came over and gave me my first injection. I decided to take a picture from my viewpoint right before Kacey stuck me in the belly. It was actually pretty funny watching everyone shuffle around not wanting to miss any of the excitement.....

Chemo: Dose 3

This week Cara got one bonus day of chemo. She got her normal dose on Thursday, three different drugs that actually didn't hit her too badly. Then on Friday she went in again for an additional dose, and this one has left her extremely exhausted with bouts of nausea. She's been laying around pretty much all day sleeping and watching Grey's Anatomy season 4. Over the next few days, her immune system will take a hit, so we have to give her a shot every day to boost her white blood cell counts. So far though, her white and red blood cell counts have been phenomenal--she even managed to kick that cold she had early this week! So, at the beginning of the third week we have so much to praise God for and much to pray for. We definitely wanted to thank all those who watched Bekah and brought meals this last week!

The other big news is that Sadie has slept through the night 3 times this past week! I was shocked in such a good way when I woke up wednesday morning and realized that I hadn't fed Sadie the previous night. God knew that we needed a sound sleeper the second time around. On the Bekah news front, she has decided that it is far better to go pee-pee in her diaper rather than in her toilet. We keep on attempting to bribe and coax her to use her big girl potty--but she's not interested in such foolery.

Growing up

Yesterday Bekah went pee-pee on the potty for the first time! She's been interested in it for a while now but had never been successful in past attempts. Lately she's been taking her diaper off when we put her in her crib for nap time and she's always quick to tell us when she has a dirty diaper so we knew she was getting close to that special time of needing to be potty trained.

Keith went out and picked up some "pee-pee" treats (m&m's) so that we would be ready for the next time she wanted to try and as luck would have it she's not interested anymore. Oh well....I guess I'll just use the treats for me :).

As far as updates go: I'm still sick (I guess I over did it cleaning on Sunday because Monday I started getting a head cold and it's now traveling down into my chest). I have my next chemo treatment tomorrow and one on Friday also because one of the drugs has to be split up into two days. Keith and my mom took Sadie to Sears yesterday to get some pictures taken (I've been wanting a picture of my sweet little Sadie to hang next to Bekah's pictues in my room...seeing their faces on my bedroom wall helps me get through the hard moments in life right now). I think Sadie liked the photo shoot because she slept through the night last night...I guess she wants to make sure she's getting plenty of beauty rest. Bekah is off to another play date this morning and is excited to see her friend Caedra again (she played at Caedra's house yesterday and had a great time!) And Keith....well he's still his wonderful self. I'm so glad God blessed me with such a loving husband and daddy for the girls. He starts back at Cal Poly next week to get his teaching credential (he already has his BA in communication studies and he wants to be a high school English teacher). I hope we can survive without him while he's at school.

Well I think that's what's new with us. Hope you have a great Wednesday....the week is half way over!