Firsts and some great news

So at the end of June Quinn hosted his first party so I figured I should post pictures for posterity sake. Most of his friends from daycare came, along with the moms and his teachers. It was a great time, although this summer has been unseasonably cool. But that didn't stop the kids.

Well it didn't stop most of them anyway......

The teens on the other hand, decided in true teen form to sit this one out :)

Sitting pretty.

Cousin Mary made it too. This was the day after her baby brother was born so her grandma brought her over until she could go visit Joey.

This was only two months ago, but Quinn looks a lot younger to me. I think it's all that hair.

Making herself a better target!!!!!

So for the good news. I can't believe it took me this long to post this. The last cardiac appointment we had was brimming with good news. At this point along with the cardiac caths we've been having as routine maintenance for Quinn's arteries we have also know we had two more open chest surgeries to come. One to take out the stents that have been put in over the last two years. The other to place a valve in his main pulmonary artery. Well, his last procedure went so well that his cardiologist has started to talk about breaking up his stents. At this point the only way to remove stents is to surgically cut them out. I've been praying for the cardiology world to find a better way to remove them. Well, that prayer was answered in a different form. Breaking up the stents means the stents can actually stay in his body for the rest of his life without causing problems. Meaning they will never have to be removed. The doctor will stick a catheter up through his vein and dilate a balloon inside of each stent to break them open. This will keep the too small stents that are unable to be expanded any more from causing problems as he grows. The stents are currently embedded in the artery so there is no danger from leaving them in his body once they are broken up. If after those stents are broken the arteries are having trouble staying dilated they just place another larger stent over top of the old one. So, if they are able to break the stents, NO SURGERY for that. The next bit of news, which we were somewhat expecting, but it was such a relief to hear. Apparently they've been placing heart valves in Europe via a catheter process for a couple of years and that process is now approved in the US. So, NO SURGERY for that either. And to top it all of, apparently Quinn's conduction is improving. He's always had an erratic heart beat, but the doctor told us that his EKG shows and improvement since after his last procedure.

You can imagine, I floated out of the doctors office on cloud 9. Quinn and I had a little celebration. We got some donuts and smoothies. I very very very rarely give him fast food due to those tiny arteries of his, so why I would celebrate by trying to clog them I can't tell you. But he loved it, so what can you do. Once in a while won't hurt.

So on to our second first. Quinn got invited to his first birthday party for a none relative and there was tons of fun to be had. His friend Tory turned 3 with a John Deer themed party.

Thus the pinata.

I need to get him a sandbox.

He really likes them.

He thought he would try out the slid. Sorry Quinn, I put a stop to that, but nice try.

The latest use for a snorkel.

Quinn loves Erica, and luckily she seems to really like him too.

And I leave you with the boys having fun.

How can you help but smile at this.

The Zoo

Quinn spent a lot of our Zoo visit here on my shoulders. He seemed to like it and it allowed him to see over fences and rails. It's funny, you would think when they are constructing zoo's they would think about all of the small people coming to visit and make exhibits easy to see through from way down low. Oh well, we made up for it.

Quinn liked this water wall.

Speaking of water. The path through this Zoo basically makes a figure eight, with a bathroom at the top and the bottom of the eight. Well, we get to the middle of the zoo and Quinn announces he has to pee. So of course I panicked since I knew there wasn't really a bathroom nearby. I'm looking around trying to figure out what the heck to do when I hear a dad behind me say, "Good luck. You're half way between both bathrooms." As he's saying this I look down at Quinn and realize his pants are already down to his knees. So I look around again, locate the nearest patch of woods and move him that way so he can at least pee in the dirt and not in the middle of the exhibit. I have to admit. I'm actually relieved he pulled his pants down. I didn't want him to pee his pants, but I didn't have the nerve to let him pee at the side of the exhibit. So, problem solved. Thanks Quinn.

Here we are with the elephants.

I have no idea what this is anymore.

The barn area. Quinn actually go to feed this goat. I was so busy watching to make sure he didn't get his fingers chewed off, I didn't take a picture. How ridiculous.

Mila and Auntie Meha came with us too.

Too cute.

All of the cousins in one place!!!!!

Wow, so Dans sister is in town visiting with her daughter, so once or twice a week we have all of the cousins in the same place. It's been wonderful.

We actually have a couple of pictures with all five of them. But I have to scan them and I'm having some problems with that. So here are the four of them.

And here is our newest addition, Joey.

Hello beautiful.

My little characters.

They are all such fish. I swear these kids could live in the water.

Sorry Kristin, I couldn't help put this picture up. I just think it's too cute. I can't tell if he's trying to push her out or help her in.

Mommy Meha and Mila. It's been sooooo wonderful having them all around. Maybe someday Mel will convince Drew to move here.

Poor neglected blog

OK, so back on July 25th the place Quinn goes to for gym and music had a Christmas in July.

Here he is making a Christmas ornament that proceeded to explode once it sat in the heat a little too long. Luckily it was in a bag. Can you imagine red and green paint all over your car!!

What celebration would be complete without cookie decorating.

Can you see the concentration.

Sprinkles anyone.

Yummmmmm!

I thought maybe he'd be a little nervous to go on the pony, but he went on about 3 times and loved it each time.

Moon bounce anyone.

Oh yeah, and what celebration would be complete without a mechanical polar bear that can hold two adults.

Music, Mayhem, and Parties

Wholly tan Quinn Lee. I just wanted to show off his tan a little bit. He got that even with the 50 billion plus sun block I had on him. He and Mary tan like no one's business.


So , this Summer in an effort to keep very very busy I enrolled Quinn in a gym class and a music class thanks to my mom and my dad. So, here's my mom with the boy at music classes.

We sing songs and play instruments and work on rhythm and movement.

Quinn really loves the microphone ..... even when we are supposed to be working with the blocks.

OK, on to the gym class. So this is what I call mayhem.

It's a great class. The teacher is wonderful and most of the time the kids participate. However, when they don't they scatter to the four corners of the world and chaos ensues for a while.

Now they are participating......

Now they aren't, and where did the vest come from?

Jumping away.

This past weekend was Maki's birthday, so here are some photos of the kids swimming
and playing

and swimming

and more swimming.

Did I mention all the kids had fun.

and wrestling

Here's more of gym class mayhem. Enjoy the random flopping.

Dans Great Adventure

"Pet"

I told Quinn I needed to get him a helmet before he could ride his bike. We were at walm*rt today and he saw this one. So here he is. My little spiderman.

Very proud and happy and as it turns out, smarter than his mommy. I was trying to get the zip tie off of the knee pads and was having a lot of trouble, as I was trying to do it with out scissors. Quinn comes over and says to me, just open them. Well, duh. The zip cord was only holding the pads together by looping around the straps. So, I unvelcroed two straps and, vuala. Smarty pants.

Here is the newest addition to our house.

Quinn has named him "Pet". So here is our bearded dragon Pet.

I thought this was cute. Enjoy.