Happy 3rd Birthday Taylor Lorraine

This year Taylor had quite a celebration.  It started out with the Toson tradition of a decorated door leading down a present trail to the special breakfast table and then took us to the Nick Hotel where she got to have a special birthday party with Sponge Bob, sleep in a Dora room with her BFF Ana, have a party with Dora and a special breakfast.  Then, we had a day Cocoa Beach body boarding and last, but not least, a special party play group with all her new little friends here.  It was truly the birthday that never ended!  Thank you everyone for all the amazing gifts!!!!! 

Art by Ana

Ana is really into computers lately.  Ours has a nifty little camera built right in, which we typically use to video chat with Nani and Gagi, but Ana took it to new levels and created this ALL ON HER OWN.   Truthfully, she was messing with the computer for awhile a few days ago and I finally got a chance to look around and see what she did.  There is a whole line of these "self portraits" but this is BY FAR my favorite!  I have NO IDEA how she did this, but I'm thinking of getting it printed really big on canvas and displaying it.....

Danskin Orlando Triathlon

For those of you who didn't believe........ PROOF that I did it!!!!

http://www.asiorders.com/go.asp?55157337

Taylor Update- Day 2

Tay is dong great, but we're still here for at least another 24 hours.  When we saw Dt.Kotan this AM there was no change, and Taylor had spiked a low grade fever.  So, in his words, "we'll see what she looks like tomorrow and maybe next day...we just see".

Basically they're waiting for (1) signs that the infection is responding to the antibiotic, and (2) they can get enough "drainage" to obtain a sample for culturing.  

The VERY GOOD news is that just about an hour ago the nurse was able to drain the wound a little.  There is still a lot of hardness and swelling (AKA puss trapped), but the drainage is a good sign.  They got a great sample and have sent the culture off to test for what strand of MRSA we're dealing with, and to see which antibiotics will work best!  Also good news is that there have been no new follicular flair ups (I don't even know if that's a word phrase, but it has a ring to it, doesn't it).

Taylor's hanging in there like a champ and is enjoying her round the clock videos, visits by Ana, and sweet get well gifts and treats from family and friends!  THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

Get well balloon and bunny from Nani and Gagi...  man they're good!!  We also got to video chat with them, which really helped lift poor bored Tay's spirits!

Big sister has been able to pop in with daddy and try to entertain Taylor for awhile.  And never fear, Ana's having a blast with Daddy- she saw "Up", has been going for lots of bike rides, and having a lot of daddy/Ana pool time!!!!!

Coloring away..... I feel kinda bad, the hospital has a ton of toys to share, but whatever we use we have to keep because we're "CONTAMINATED"....................

Taylor update

Thank you everyone....... we'll see how tonight and tomorrow AM go. Right now they are again treating her, in ISOLATION (aka I can't leave the room AT ALL), for an MRSA infection that has gone systemic (meaning it's spread throughout her body) with IV antibiotics. The infection is still spreading- so here we sit and wait. Surgery doesn't seem to be in the cards right now, but last time this happened day 3 (which is what tomorrow will be) brought that on, so I'm not too hopeful. The odd thing about it all this time around is that she is getting random spots all over her body (folliculitis) that they say is the original infection site spreading..... no one I know that seems to know anything about med. seems to have heard of that, and I can't find it on the internet at all ( GASP ;) ) !!!!!!!! But really, Taylor is doing AMAZING. Aside from the hour that they dug around all her veins in attempt to locate a blood source (SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! WE CAME TO A CHILDREN'S WARD TO AVOID JUST THAT) she's been in good spirits and is sleeping away peacefully..... don't you LOVE Benadryl????

Taylor is back in her gown...

A hospital gown that is. She has another MRSA infection on her bum and
is being treated with IV antibiotics. Hopefully we caught it early
enough this time. As of now it looks like we did and no incisions
will be needed.

Disney Part III-Animal Kingdon

A nice sunny day en route to the Jungle..... Ana's FAVORITE PARK!

The Bongos..... the park had certain percussion set ups throughout and each time the girls stayed and played for quite sometime.  Perhaps it's time to get rid of that dining room table and replace it with some drums!

Dinoland USA- CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, it's no wonder this is Ana's favorite park.... a whole section dedicated to her favorite prehistoric friends!!!! They rode the triceratops spin, excavated wooly mammoth bones, play in a bone graveyard and got their faces painted!!!!

And or course they got to meet more characters (still Taylor's FAVORITE PART).  Ana was shy at first, but as you can see, she has warmed up!

It's' hard to even take them seriously!!!  I think Taylor forget periodically about her face bc passer bys would make comments and she'd stare blankly until we reminded her she was a tiger, then she'd laugh so proudly!

The safari attraction.  This one was also a FAVORITE and you get to obtain a fast pass to miss the line (A HUGE MOMMY bonus).  On this attraction you ride through African geography and see real animal life.  There is also a little side story about a poacher, and catching it....... needless to say, Ana is now also obsessed with animal rights!  Our little green girl, makes a mom proud :)
Still a little shy.....

Nani and the girls watching one of the 2 VERY cool shows at Animal Kingdom: NEMO the Musical and The Lion King.  Nemo is INCREDIBLE.  It even wins Tony Awards!

WHAT A DAY!!!  We opened a closed the park again :) :) :)

Disney Part II- Hollywood Studios

Here is Tay waiting patiently in line.  Lucky for us the lines were never too long.  15 minutes was about Taylor's threshold!

Toy Story Ride with interactive shooting game- VERY FUN and I WON!!!!!!!!

This was one of the few days daddy got to join us and we had a blast.  It was the day before the race, so it also was our only short day with a nap for the girls. We got there right at opening ( 8am) and stayed until 2ish.  One of the benefits of staying on the grounds is that you get to open the park an hour early, therefore beat the crowds- this proved VERY beneficial as we were able to get in all the girls favorites before lunch.  

THe day:

Playhouse Disney live Show

Ariel Show

Toy Story ride/game

LIghtning McQueen

Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground

Indiana Jones Show (for Gagi)

Storytime with Belle Show

(Melissa and Jeff- Ana talked about you ALL DAY and really wished you were still there- it's amazing how much she remembers about you guys all on her own!!!!!!)

IT WAS A GREAT DAY! 

In the evening the guys took the little ones down to downtown Disney for dinner while mom and I prepared for the race.  Our resort was just down a channel of water from Downtown Disney so the gang was able to take a riverboat there.  MORE FUN (of course there are no pictures- dads were in charge!)

DISNEY Part I- Old Key West Villa

The first day we got into our villa and enjoyed the pool, water slide and all, while we awaited daddy's arrival.  The girls LOVED this water slide and would run back over and over and over again.  Even little Tay!!!!  The entire pool- staff and swimmers- were vocally amazed at how strong of swimmers we had.  Often the poor little girl life guards would stand on point waiting to jump and save one or the other of them, but up they'd pop from some new water trick.  Silly little girls!

Enjoying Playhouse Disney Live

Taylor loved, loved, loved, loved all the characters.  She'd stand in line as long as it took for the next hug and high five.  Here she is with Donald!  It truly was the highlight of her trip!!!!!!!

We have about 200 pictures of Disney and 7 full days to share, so as I sort them through the stories will unfold for you all.  Here is the beginning......

My parents took the girls and I on the vacation that dreams are made of- 1 full week in Disney.  We got a 2 bedroom villa on the grounds and did everything true princesses dream of.

The week started with a triatholon for mom and I, and while the girls grudgingly got up early to cheer us on, I know they were proud of us... I know I AM. It was an exciting memory for mom and I to share and all for a good cause- Breast Cancer, making the UNBEARABLY disgusting lake a little more bearable (it's amazing how quickly inland lake become intolerable when living by the sea)

Anyway we started with the tri and kept the momentum going as we opened and closed each park, every day!!!!!

THANK YOU MOM AND PAUL for the week of our lives!

Stay tuned for MANY MANY MANY more.................

New Floors

We've changed the floors, teh bathrooms, the lights, the colors.....

FROM THIS..............

TO THIS...........

(next on the list are the window treatments... they too came with the house and MUST GO!)

(OH... and we need a new TV, look how little and cute this one looks now!!)

OK, so you've all been quite patient with us about seeing the home redecorating...... we've made some serious progress and even the girls are happy.  Here are a few shots AT LAST!

Amy's, not so green, thumb

Well..... for those of you who were lucky enough to be tagged on my "things about me" list on facebook got preview to this............................

It is true- I CANNOT KEEP PLANTER FLOWERS ALIVE.  I've given up.  Now, hanging in the poor baskets place is emptiness.  Which, I promise you, is MUCH prettier than it's previous tenants!

Ana and Taylor have tried to help.  They water for me, they remind me, they talk nice to the plants, but no luck!

Catch & Release

Taylor and Nina cuddling on the boat.

Ana driving the boat with Papa.

The Girls 1st Fishing experience.....

Call me anti-American.  Call me what you will.  But, I have a inherent lack of understanding for this sport.  Now don't get me wrong.  I love the outdoors.  I love to boat.  I love to be with family relaxing and spending the day bonding over just about anything.  

However, I also happen to really love life, and have a hard time seeing the excitement in dangling a little treat out for some poor innocent fish soul excited to find his/her meal only to be gruesomely hooked, reeled and gawked at and then thrown back in, mouth gaping open where OUR hook, for PURE SPORT, leaves its mark........  

I don't know.  It just seems a bit barbaric.  Like I said, "call me crazy!"

At any rate, we had a great day!  The girls thought of themselves as big kids and really enjoyed this sport that I can't understand.  And, no, I didn't ruin the day for them by sharing my views so don't worry.........

Does this mean what I think it means..............??????

Welcome to the Graduate Admissions status web site, Amy.

Your application to the University of South Florida is as follows:

Term: Fall 2009

College: Education

Major: Curriculum and Instruction Special Education (click here to visit your program)

Your current application status: Referred - Graduate Doctoral Program, 

please contact the program directly for more information.

MOMMY'S GOT HER GROOVE ON

Easter 2009- Ft. Myers

Grandpa Bobby

September 28, 1926 - May 1, 2009