Monkey Heart

Slowly but surely. Nick was so gracious to upload the pictures for me so that I could just add the text, but as you can tell it has taken me awhile to get to it. Sorry- I know you have been at the edge of your chair waiting on our our holiday updates.

For documentation and your reading enjoyment (click to enlarge), here is the CT results that I was given at the surgeon's follow up appointment.

To sum it up-the Diverticulum of Kommerell has not grown so we are good to go for now another 2 years when we rescan using an MRA rather than a CT angiogram due to my allergy to iodine. When I asked him the likelihood to have corrective surgery he estimate was 20-25%. The surgery would be very invasive with a 6 week recovery period that involves not returning to work due to my occupation....BUT, we don't have to worry about that for now!!!

So in order to keep this monkey heart of mine in working conditions my blood pressure must be under control. Because it was 150 over 90 at the appointment (I think it was a mixture of my high strung personality, the white coat syndrome, & because it took him forever to tell me the results)-Dr. Platt has me on daily blood pressure medicine and wants me to monitor my blood pressure at least twice weekly to ensure it is below 130 over 80 so that he can regulate my medication. I promise this time to follow through with his prescription to monitor...Thanks for all the good thoughts and keep them coming so this monkey heart will keep on ticking.

Riding the Rails

I had planned to make a list of 25 Must Do Activities for the month of December leading up to Christmas but seeing as I didn't have time to make the list, you can assume correctly that I didn't get to do all of the activities with our family that I would have liked to.

But since we were able to reschedule Jack's dentist appointment for the 4th when Nick had to stay at home anyway because Jack's school was closed, the boys were able to come to the heart surgeon's with me to get my results. Since we were already in the city and so close to Northpark, I had the idea to stop in for the Trains exhibit they run during the holiday season. I didn't have either camera with me (I know...defeated the purpose of getting the small digital for Christmas) I had to take pics with my cell phone.

The conductor hat was not a hit with Jack but he enjoyed looking at the trains. I enjoyed looking at the scenes, not so much the trains or the heat or the cost to get in....but glad I got to experience it...next time I said he can go with just Daddy or actually, I said he can go when he can buy the tickets himself. Can you tell how impressed I was with it?!?

Not sure I remember the part when Jack was willing to put the hat on (I'm sure I bribed him for photo purposes), but you can tell by his face that he too wasn't overly impressed. But it was a nice way to spend time together after he was so well behaved at the doctor's with me. I think the trip to Starbucks for reduced fat cinnamon coffee cake and coffee was the hit of the day for us all!

Holiday Loot!

Slowly but surely I'm getting the remainder of the holiday posts up. Most mommy blogs I follow they didn't post many holiday pictures for the very reason that I should have accepted....time and moving into the new year...but you know that isn't Jennifer.

This year Jack asked for very little. And as expected got a whole bunch.

We filled the tupperware we carried all out loot for others with on the drive home. And needed a laundry basket for the overflow....and beyond for the over, overflow.

Jack's new puppies (to go with the water bowl that Santa got him for his black and white puppy that he already had).

An entire wardrobe.

Godfather and Godfather junior.

Daddy's wardrobe.

Mama's wardrobe.

Jack was "Born to Read"-He LOVES his books!

Nick said we needed to get some more friends to be able to use all our new Red Stick themed coasters. And we (Nick and I & Jack after coffee with Papa) need to use the caffeine tools less and the water bottle holder more this New Year.

Serious loot huh?!?

To further his brillentness (is that a word?)!

And I am typing this blog post on our new computer from Papa and Bebe!

And pictures this year and beyond will be taken with either my Cannon using my new lens (I can finally attempt some of the photography skills I learned at the workshop)-Thanks Nick and Jack for my Christmas/Birthday gift and the Olympus Sure Tough Camera from Nana and Gramps that will be carried with me at all times. It is indestructible (according to the manufacturer). This camera is supposed to hold up through 6 ft drops, the flash has a metal cover, there is no lens that comes out so damage isn't done when dropped (which is what broke our old daily camera), it can be frozen and be in hot air, plus go underwater 10 ft. -Thanks Nana and Gramps!

My first attempt with the new lens to capture Nick in focus with the rest blurred...Give me time...I promise to take one safe picture anytime we have the big camera to capture the moment but from there no dummy mode for me.

Another attempt....getting better RIGHT?!?!

Thank you everyone for the fantastic holiday gifts. They weren't needed but are much appreciated and will keep our little man entertained until he can come back to Lousiana to play!

Texas White Christmas

The Relle Clan missed the snow in Texas on Christmas Eve and Day....but it snowed the day we drove home and although it wasn't snowing when we arrived...there was still some snow on the ground. So we bundled up Jack in his now regular "hobo attire" and headed outside for some wintery fun!

"Um, Dad am I going to have to help you rake up all this snow?"
"Whatcha doing Dad?"

"Oh I know he didn't. Someone call CPS!"

"Child abuse or not, this is kinda fun...Do it again Dad!"

"Let me try to catch it this time instead of getting spanked in the belly with it."

"Look there is my name. Pretty cool but I'm wet, cold, and haven't gone to the bathroom since Shreveport....can we go inside?"