Catch Up Time

I can't believe it's November, and I haven't posted an update since May!  Hopefully you took our silence as things are going well.  I'm going to try and cram the past five months into a brief update, here goes nothing!

Summer - We had a great summer enjoying living in a beach town.  We went to the beach, enjoyed our local festivals, and had friends visit.

Enjoying the beach

Fourth of July Parade

Down for the riverfront music series

At Stokes Homestead Farm with the Armintrouts & Beckers

We also had another big milestone at the end of summer with Sloan's big brother. Drake started preschool this year.  It was a bit of an adjustment for all of us, but now Drake loves it, Sloan gets a bit more 1:1 time, and mom and dad have gotten our new morning routine down pat.

Fall - We had a great fall too...got out to play in the leaves, spent time with our good friends Aunt Tine, Uncle Zac & Hudson, and got all dolled up for Halloween.

Geared up for our Sunday football day with Daddy

Three little piggies in a blanket

Corn Maze

Leaves

Our owl and minion

Health Update - We had a cardio check up in Sept and all checked out well.  We're scheduled to head to UofM in December for her thorough check up.  I assume during this appointment we'll begin to discuss scheduling of her next surgery.

Age: 22 mo
Height: 2'9"
Weight: 28lbs
Personality: One word, spit fire!  She doesn't take anything from anyone, and doesn't hesitate to let you know what she wants.

I promise to not let so much time past before my next post.  Hopefully I'll have another good health update after our UofM visit in December.

Slacker

Yup, that pretty much sums it up in one word.  I've been a big slacker getting up regular posts.  I could sit here and give you plenty of excuses why, but why waste time on that when we are here to hear about Sloan!  So here goes the updates....

16 Months Old (well in 5 days she will be)
Sloan is sixteen months and growing and developing right in line.

Height: 2 feet 7 inches (96% percentile)
Weight: 24 lbs 10 oz (88% percentile)
Milestones: She's walking (well more like running) like a pro, climbing on anything she can lift her leg over, makes funny faces on cue, is growing her vocabulary on a daily basis, continues to love baby dolls and books, and has a newly grown love for her paci and being outside.  She's a normal 1 year old, curious, tests her limits with mom & dad and is into everything.

Our next cardio appointment is in June at UofM.  We'll have an echo so will be able to get a good idea of how things are looking.  From the outside, she looks and acts just like any other kiddo.  And we couldn't be happier about that.

Proudly wearing her Michigan shirt from Aunt Agatha & Uncle Jack

Easter 2014
We were lucky enough to get to spend Easter with both sets of grandparents, and the kids really scored as they had double the egg hunts!  Sloan also received an amazing Easter basket from her Aunt Lori's coworker.  It put the basket from Kyle and I to shame!  We're so lucky with how many supporters Sloan has.  She really has touched many people's lives, and she has no idea.  Another great story I'll be able to share with her as she gets older!

Getting ready to paint Easter eggs

Egg hunt 1

Egg hunt 2

Brother getting eggs too

Enjoying Spring
We've been trying to get outside as much as possible to enjoy the nice days.  Sloan LOVES being outside.  She will look outside the window and ask to go out until we take her out.  When we bring her in she's cries to go back out.  Needless to say, we spend a lot of time outside, which is great.  They kids get their energy out and we get to enjoy the nicer weather.

All dressed up and ready for our own Kentucky Derby party

Enjoying downtown South Haven

First bike ride with two in the cart

One of Drake's proudest moments, driving the bobcat with Uncle Zac

Sloan's Gowns
We were able to send off our first shipment of Sloan's gowns from all the wonderful fabric donations from family & friends.  They turned out amazing, and I am excited about our future deliveries.  Two of the gowns have already been delivered and worn by a new little one starting off their CHD journey.

First batch of gowns heading off to Mended Little Hearts of West Michigan

Sloan cheering on her new heart buddy on the East Coast.  This little lady has  a combination of defects that will require three surgeries like Sloan.  She ROCKED her first surgery and was out 1 week later.  Please keep her, and her parents who though I have not been able to meet have become friends and hold a special place in my heart, in your prayers as they continue with their heart journey

Florida or Bust!

Last month we took the kids and headed down to Florida for some much needed sun!  It was our first vacation as a family.  We rented a house in Clearwater Beach with my sister Vicki and her family and my parents (mimi & poppi).  And we were lucky that nana and poppi were in Florida at the same time so we were able to see them as well.  The kids did really well the drive down and back and I think they enjoyed the warm weather too!

Our first day here, the sun felt so good!

Sloan loved the pool

Drake had the best time playing with dad and Aiden in the pool

We took full advantage of the warm weather
and took lots of stroller rides

Our water bug Drake and his new goggles...he didn't quite understand that he
could open his eyes with them on in the water

Beach babe!

Daddy, Drake & Sloan 

Drake did a lot of digging in the sand & making
sand castles

Poppi, daddy, Drake, Aiden, Aunt Vicki, Uncle Peter and
I took a pirate boat cruise

Giving their best pirate face

My little pirate

Drake had the best time playing with the other kids

Music time on the boat

Sibling love

Enjoying the beach on our last day

As for a cardio update, we went to UofM this past Monday and received a good report!  They said we'll be back in June for a full check up (including echo) and that we should start thinking/planning for Sloan's 3rd stage surgery to be next summer.  We are looking forward to a full year (hopefully) without any surgeries or procedures!  

We also had a check up with the neurodevelopmental team at UofM.  It was the second part of a study we signed up for when Sloan was born to monitor the development of children with congenital heart defects.  Sloan did great in her assessment and they advised us that at this time they do not feel that she needs any additional therapy (occupational or physical).  She's right on track!  And, she actually scored above average in communication skills - shocked right?!?!  Haha, we have always told you...she's a talker!

Sloan's 13 month stats:

• Height: 31.5 in (2 feet, 7 1/2 in)
• Weight: 22 lb 12 oz
• Oxygen levels: She was in the low 90s (slightly high for her, typically she's in the high 80's, but it isn't of any concern)
• Medicine: she's still on 1/2 an aspirin a day and on enalapril twice a day (for heart function) and that's it!
• Milestones: Sloan's started to take a few steps on her own!  She looks a bit like Frankenstein right now, but before we know it she'll have this walking thing down pat

As always, so patient during a full day of
appointments at UofM

Happy First Birthday Sweet Sloan

We officially have a one year old, well we have now for almost 2 weeks but I am again behind in posting.  We celebrated Sloan's first year with family and friends on January 25th - one day before her actual birthday.  The weather wasn't on our side that day so it prohibited some guests from making it, but we still had an wonderful turn out and were surrounded by love for Sloan that day.

We also had the honor of working with a fantastic organization, Icing Smiles, and local baker, Cakes by Liz J, who worked together to create an amazing birthday cake for Sloan's celebration.  We are beyond grateful for the time, effort and love Liz put into Sloan's cake and for the program Icing Smiles has in place.  They helped to create such a special thing for our family and are now part of Sloan's story.

• You can read more about Icing Smiles here: http://www.icingsmiles.org/
• You can see Liz's beautiful cakes and find her contact information here: https://www.facebook.com/cakesbylizj

I may have gone a little overboard with photos, but here are pictures from the party...hope you enjoy!

Hot air balloon party favors

Drake & Sloan in the hot air balloon

Our amazing hot air balloon cake from our "Sugar Angel", Cakes by Liz J

The sweets station

Party hats

 

Memory table

 

Hot air balloons

Sloan's Heart of Hope Gown donation station.  Guests brought
fabric that will be used to make a hospital gown for other families
that have children undergoing heart surgery at Helen DeVos Children's
and Mott's Children's Hospitals

Sloan and her friend Mia - would you believe Mia is 2!?
Sloan looks double her size, Mia is such a little peanut. 

First time having cake

Loved opening my gifts with help from my friends!