Dylan's Latest Echo

Early in May, Dylan had his routine echo cardiogram.  It had been scheduled as a sedated echo, but we were able to try it unsedated.  I was very happy when he held perfectly still and let them get all of the pictures they wanted of his heart.  He was happy watching the television shows they had in the small room, and would occasionally turn his head to look at the screen showing his heart.  Granted, I think a big part of his holding so still was that his Grandma Jamie bribed him ahead of time.  Told him that if he held really still and let them give the echo that she would buy him a box of blocks.  He loves blocks so it was the kind of bribe that really worked for him.

His echo went well.  He obviously still has quite the leaky pulmonary valve (seeing as he doesn't really have a pulmonary valve), but his heart is doing well.  Well enough, in fact, that we don't have to take him back for another year!  That's the longest he has ever gone between cardiology appointments.  I'm hoping that means that surgery will still be a few years away (last year his cardiologist said that his heart cath postponed surgery a "couple of years" so I've always kind of figured it would be sometime before he starts kindergarten).

Dylan has really grown up over the last year and a half.  He used to be quite afraid of adults other than his dad and me.  But he now seems basically over it.  Still gets a little shy at times, but will actually talk to adults when they ask him questions (well, most of the time) and goes to his class at church without issue.  He's even excited about going to preschool in the fall.

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

Today is Alyssa's 7th birthday.  We had a birthday party for her yesterday.  It was a hot day so we made it a water party where we had water balloons, squirt guns, and a slip 'n slide.  Well, we also had a pinata, but we always have one of those.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Even Russ, who at the very end started to pick up kids and swing them and then let go so they would slide quickly along the slip 'n slide.

I made her a cake with some horses made out of fondant.  I was actually pretty happy with that one.  Needed to take more time when I painted the food coloring onto the horses, but I was still happy with them.  Not so happy that I had to make the feet after they accidentally got melted, but was glad it wasn't more.

Happy birthday, Alyssa!