A great month!

I can't believe it has been another month! We are finally getting into a routine, and today our daytime nurse started! So I will now have time to spend building my agency and still be flexible enough to be with Bella as much as I need to.

She and Dax are doing well. They are learning to play together with only mild attitude - they both like to push the other out of their way. Dax is crawling like a champ, and nearly walking. He will walk all over the house with a toy to push, just not sure he wants to go it alone yet!

Bella is almost crawling, she had a great session of Physical Therapy today - even got on her hand and knees all by herself. Maybe Dax being a toy thief will be good for her.

I just hope it is not the death of us - how on earth will we keep up with two mobile kids at once?

We also have decided to switch pulmonologists, we really liked Dr. Copenhaver who has more than one office and seems to be very open to "pushing" Bella as much as she can be to get that trach out.

We had a great swallow study at Plano Pediatrics. She does have mild aspiration on "residual" when she is not trying to swallow, but we have methods to work on it to help now.

And her MRI was clear. We will have another in 3 months - and every 3 months following for awhile.

Both are growing like weeds - Dax is 25+ pounds and Bella is about 21 now. She is a little behind in height, not quite on the chart yet, but her weight and head size are great. She may just be petite like mommy.

Have a great day everyone and we will post more soon.

Lots of Love

David, Lisa, Dax and Bella

Hmmm - I don't really want that passy, but I don't think Dax needs it either...

Bella loves to steal it from him just to see if he will try to take it back.

Just got done swinging - we really like it, but sometimes daddy forgets that we are still kind of little and zooming to the moon is a little scary. Don't even try to do the slide with Dax now, the fourth of July waterslide incident has him scared for life!

Playing on our own. As you can see we are very deprived and neglected kids...

please someone buy us some toys!

Splish Splash - one of our favorite songs and things to do! We can even try it together sometimes - as long as daddy is home to help.

uh -oh busted! I can stand when I really want to....

Well we have been home for a month, and what a month! We did make it in time for the twins birthday - or should I say birthdays! We had 2 small parties but you would never know it by all the gifts they received! We are very excited to let you all know that Bella is doing much better at home. She is talking a lot, eating a little and trying to figure out how Dax is able to move around and she can't. But we are working on it - she has physical therapy twice a week and speech therapy for eating twice a week. Next week we have a swallow function test, this will help us know what Bella can safely eat, and how we can move forward with her therapy. Dax is not walking just yet, but we think it will be any day now... he pulls up on everything, but just won't take the chance to let go and see what happens. Below are some recent photos, I am sure we will have more to share soon - hope you are all doing well and thank you for your continued prayers and help!

Love David, Lisa, Dax and Bella

Bella visits Daddy at work.
Dax may be a soccer player and baseball player!

Bella smiling at Ms. Lee for therapy.

Our new swingset going up!

Bella and Mommy & Daddy opening presents

Dax gets another ball!

Time for cake!

I don't like this hat!

I like to make the horn honk

Our Anniversary Night out - George Strait was GREAT!

Hmm - Spaghetti o's are pretty good!

Bella before we came home - going for a walk around the hospital - she can't go outside on ozone days so we were limited to our floor unless a nurse could go with us.

This is one of Dax's Favorite toys... he also loves to give you this look when he wants something and you are busy or say no.

Bella's first hair bow - again, just before we came home. Amazing to see how well she was doing there, but wait til you see her now! She has more cheeks than Dax ever did!

Dax Learns to Crawl - FORWARD NOW!!

Well after a month of going backwards or twisiting on his belly - Dax FINALLY did it... he is crawling everywhere.

First, Dax wants to blow you a kiss... and yes, he will Cry for Food - Aunt Janet got this for him and it is one of the few things he cries for! He is such a good baby - unless he is tired or hungry he almost never cries... he even made it through ear infections and RSV without being fussy.

My new Throne - and toy box! Thanks Nana!!! (Bella has one too - we will get a picture as soon as she is home!)

Dax's second mode of transportation - ELMO! He loves to play on his plane. Uncle Jeff and Aunt Brenda got this for me when I had my first sleepover without Mommy or Daddy.

And here it is! He is on the move and loving every minute of it. He can squeeze between the couch and table to get out of the living room -even with the gate. It is soon cute to look down and see him coming right to us - at least for now!

Bella after Brain Surgery

There are so many pictures we are happy to show family and close friends from Bella's surgery and recovery, but we didn't want to publish too many on the blog. We want to be sure you all know we appreciate all the loving thoughts, prayers and help during this tremendously difficult time.

While it has been hard to understand why it happened, we are a much stronger and grateful family because of it.

Below are a few photos from well after surgery that we want to share so you can see how well she is doing. We still have a long way to go, but each day gives hope for a full recovery!

God Bless and Love to you all! David, Lisa, Dax and Bella

This is Bella at Therapy. She has really gained a lot of strength back - but again, still has a way to go... it looks more like play in this photo, but getting her to do something other than lay down or sit in one place is a challenge right now...

Bella on her "trach collar" time with no ventillator. She is happy for a few minutes at a time... then gets a little restless and fussy. But each smile like this makes it worth the wait for the next one!




See what I mean!

Oops - this was actually before surgery, but it is cute so I left it in. They have therapy dogs who come to the hospital a few times a month. This is either Jordan or Bella! Yes the dog is Bella too - and she loved getting to see a puppy. We hope to be able to take her down to see them next time they are here since she can get off the ventillator for a few hours at a time now.

Bella and Daddy - this is from the 2 days they did EEG testing to make sure her breathing spells were not seizures caused by something else. We also did another MRI this same time frame that was all clear. She will have another in August to check again... then every 3 months after for awhile.

Dax at Play and Bella's Trip to the Zoo: Before Brain Surgery

Dax Hard at Play at home.... Who knew the jumpers could provide so much fun for him?? Her nearly jumps to the moon!

Bath time has become one of Dax's favorites times of day. He loves to chew on the his letters while he splashes enough water to save a forrest... then of course he loves to have me sing "Rubber ducky" when he grabs it and throws it at me!

Bella the day after we found out about the tumor. We got a 4 hour pass and took her to the Zoo. Just her Daddy and Mommy. She was a little too young to understand, but she did like the birds, petting zoo and the bigg plastic cow!

Bella and Mommy after the Zoo... (that is a feeding tube on her face)

Ahhh - the big cow... this was more exciting than any of the "real" animals!

Little Angel Bella and her Daddy... her first special day without Dax - it was nice, but would have been better to go without the medical equpiment...

Big update!

I know it has been some time, but as most of you know, Bella became very Ill in December and we are still working on figuring out what is going on.

We are back at Cook Children's, we have been here since Wednesday and this is the first chance I have had to answer e-mail. She is down to only 12 pounds, and still getting sick at least once a day without anti nausea meds and an IV. We have had numerous test, most are normal, some slightly abnormal, so we are waiting for the metabolic doctor to return tomorrow to let us know what that means. We also have to face putting her to sleep so they can get enough blood/plasma to run the rest of her test. Some of the blood/plasma needs to be sent to Mayo Clinic to be tested, and will take a few weeks to get back. When she can keep her food down, and eat at least 20 oz of formula in 24 hours, with weight gain of any kind, then we get to go home. That could be tomorrow, or a week or more...

The good news is, between blood draws and vomiting, she is pretty happy and gives us lots of love and hope for answers this time. The Doctors are being much more thorough, and we are working with peds, GI, renal, neuro, and metabolic together. So if there is anything known to man wrong with her, they should find it this time!

Just to let you know how Dax is perfect as all other little boys his age. About 22 pounds, and has one tooth with a second ready to emerge any day. He is such a happy baby, it is hard to be away from him, but we have lots of help taking care of him while we are at the hospital. David was here most of the time with me, but will go back to work tomorrow.

There are several new photos below, mostly from the last month, I left my camera on an airplane a little while back, so we lost a lot of photos...

Thanks to you all for your prayers, help and support the last few months! I will keep you posted as I can on the progress.

Love David, Lisa, Dax and Bella

The other day I jokingly put my diet coke straw to Dax's mouth, he got a huge mouthful before I knew what happened! So, I decided a sippy cup with straw was a great thing since he won't hold a bottle. He LOVED it!

Dax is tired at the hospital, but mommy missed him so much I didn't want to put him down.

Aunt Brenda visits at our second visit to Cook's. AND Dax went home with her for his first sleepover without mommy or daddy. He had a great time and even got a new toy! Elmo's airplane.

Thanks Aunt Brenda and Uncle Jeff!

Daddy's little man... his first real ball cap...

I am sure many more will follow, but isn't this one just the cutest!

Playing music for my daddy here -

Uncle Jeff and Aunt Brenda gave these to us and we just love them!

Bella loves to play patty cake and blow raspberries!

Bella loves to play with her feet, she can pull both socks off at one time!

Dax finally finds his feet! I guess that means his belly is either a little smaller,
or his arms are a little longer. Now, how does Bella get them in her mouth?

Bellas first trip in the Red Wagon. She did okay, but the elevator made her a little sick.

Grandma and Grandpa visit Bella

Bella at Cooks the first visit. She has a new baby to keep her company - From nana.

Dax is all ready for bed. He is pretty easy to put to bed now, and sleeps most nights until you wake him in the morning. Sometimes he loses his passy and needs a little help.

Dax must have spit up here. Duke loves the kids, but loves

when they spit up or drop their puffs more... snack time!

This looks like more fun when brother does it...

maybe when I get a little bigger I can make it work like he does...

Who me? From the looks of this, I may be in real trouble when

he gets old enough to talk his way out of whatever he did!

He is sooo ticklish it is great. Sometimes you just have to look at him and laugh a little to make him laugh until he can barely stop.

Daddy's little girl!