Wow...can you believe that it is almost to the end of 2021! I am almost 12 years old and ready to go!! I will admit, I am a bit nervous about tomorrow and the not so distant future. For the past 11 1/2 years I have been on the "wait and see" diagnosis with my Ebstine's Anomaly condition. Well, we are done waiting and ready to see what it means to have my heart adjusted to what many would consider "normal". Tomorrow I will have a procedure where they will test out my heart and so a little work to prepare me for the big surgery. This round will be an outpatient process, which I am very relieved about. I'll fill you in on the next (and hopefully last) procedure when the time comes up. I will keep you posted on the process!

As one of my favorite characters say..."TTFN...Ta Ta For Now!"

Moving and Shaking

Well a lot has happened the past week or so. We met my new cardiologist. He seems nice and knowledgeable, I think I'll go and see him again. It was a very long day at the doctors office mainly due to the newness of me visiting them. By the way I heard him talk to Mommy and Daddy (I was pretending to sleep so they would talk more) I am doing well, hence continuing to do well. The diagnosis sounds very similar to what Dr.J has been saying down in GA. My right atria is still enlarged due to the ventricular regurgitation. We are to "wait and see" which was the continuing diagnosis from all the previous doctors. So, we'll wait and see :)

Life has been quite fun filled for me lately. I have gotten a new toy that I like to stand and move around. It makes noises and colors. I am moving around very much that Mommy and Daddy are now having to chase me a bit more. I have a lot of fun with Taag and Ripley. The other day I followed Ripley up the stairs. Mommy and Daddy were around me when I did this being my first time, but I made it to the first flight all by myself. Yesterday was a special event too. I went to my first volleyball game. We only got to see 3 of the potentially 5 games due to it being so late but it was really cool. One of Daddy's students plays for the team, she is a setter just like Daddy and Auntie A use to be. I was dancing and clapping the whole game. It was so exciting that I fell asleep about a quarter of the walk home. I hope to go again to watch again.

Well, we are gonna go hang with Mommy today, it is her birthday so we are doing all the things that she wants to do today.

Talk soon.

X-rays and Stairs

Hey All! Just wanted to let you know that we'll be going to see a new cardiologist soon. We are all excited to see what they will say. We do miss Dr.J but it is a bit of a drive to go see him. We had to go visit the hospital here in IL to get a new x-ray of my heart. Mommy was quite nervous but once we got there I think she cooled off a little bit. Daddy has been to this hospital already so he was quite normal. It was really cool. I got to talk to the nurse while Mommy and Daddy did all the paperwork. She was really nice. When it was time to go get my x-ray they came and got all of us and brought us to the x-ray room. They told Mommy and Daddy that they did not have to come with but they wanted to be there with me. I think Mommy came just to make sure that I was good and Daddy to watch the process and get a first hand look at the pictures. There were a lot of people in the room so I smiled at all of them. I like to do that because I always get a smile as a response usually followed by an "awwww" or "she is so cute" and that if fun! So they put me in something that was like my bouncy seat, raised my hands and enclosed me in a force shield of some sort. It was almost invisible but I was reaching for the sky (with some help from a nurse with a heavy shirt on, something called lead) and smiling all the way. It was really fun, I didn't cry or anything. Daddy had full faith in my x-ray abilities.

After that we came home and Mommy and Daddy were smiling and saying they were so proud of how I acted at the hospital. We got to play all over the house. I even decided to try the steps to go upstairs. I made it up one and felt that it was a good time to stop. I'll work on the other stairs later as I continue to get stronger and faster.

I hope you all have a great weekend and I'll be tossing some more info your way soon.

M, G and S Rock!

Wow, what a week. We had some visitors this week and they were so much fun to watch and play with. From the most northern part of the Mommy's side of the family, M, G, S and Auntie J came to visit us here in IL. They arrived earlier this week and we have been running around and playing ever since. I am sad that they will be leaving soon but I understand. Their Daddy could not come with due to his work. I know it would be hard to have my Daddy gone for such a long time but I do know that they will be really excited to see their Daddy.

Mommy and Auntie J got a lot of stuff cleaned out so there is more house and less boxes. We are moving into the house and it is almost done. Daddy had to work this week but that is okay. He really likes his job just like Mommy liking being with me all the time. I guess this weekend we'll be going and seeing some new friends. I am looking forward to that, it will help me get my mind off of missing M, G and S.

I'll let you know how the weekend goes. And I want to toss a huge shout out to Mac-Lee-Roy, it is her birthday today and I wanted to know that I miss her squeaking whenever she came to see me. Another shout out to Uncle S for letting M, G, S and Auntie J to come and visit this week! Both of you rock!!!

Fun With Dogs

I have been having a great time with Grammy and Peepaw. They are fun to play, sing and chill with. We went over to Grammy's friends house for dinner the other day. It was a lot of fun to hang and hear the stories of Grammy. One of the most enjoyable things was playing with their dog. Sure it was nothing like T or R but dogs are just cool to play with. So I was being held for most of the time but finally Daddy let me crawl on the floor. Grammy's friends dog (we'll call her Mop) was curious on who this little human was. I am sure of it because we are the same size. So there we were...eye to eye, with about 3 feet between us. All was quiet so I felt I would make the first move. I shouted out..."SUP!!!!!" (in dog language that I have learned from T and R of course) and all of a sudden Mop ran like the wind. She disappeared and would not come near me the rest of the evening. Apparently I am the Alpha female in that house :) I look forward to seeing Mop again as well as Grammy's friends.

Today we went for a few walks with Mommy, Daddy, Grammy and Peepaw. The walks are fun although the wind was a little blustery. The temperature is beautiful here. Mommy is a little worried. It is so beautiful she is worried of the chill that will come with the winter. All good though, that is why we have warm clothes.

We'll time to sneak back to bed before Mommy and Daddy find me up.

All's Well

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to touch base to see how you are doing. All is going well here in IL. Daddy is working hard at his new job. Mommy is hanging with me and we are learning lots of things as I grow and develop. I'm learning many things like how to wave my hands when I am done eating, crawling and getting up on my hands and knees to learn the next movement and eating lots and lots of foods. I really like watching the dogs play and run around (usually when I am chasing them). One of my favorite things is when Daddy comes home. He is usually quiet when he comes in, I think to make sure he doesn't wake me from my naps, but when I see him I get really excited with smiles and my body jumps all over the place. I actually do that when Mommy is out of my sight for a while too.

Other than that not much else thus far. I am planning on seeing some new doctors in the next week or so. I am excited for that. I'll fill you in on the details when that happens.

Always Seems Tired

I don't know if it is the Illinois air but I am quite the tired being lately. I try to take naps but I just don't like to sleep. It is a lot of fun to have Mommy around playing with me all day which helps in me not wanting to leave her by herself to nap. Daddy believes it may be the onset of potential allergies, especially since he has had them for a long time. I know Daddy will be bummed if I had allergies, he does not like them and doesn't want me to have that bad experience. Time will tell.

On the lighter note Daddy has finished his first week of teaching at his new school. He seemed to really enjoy himself this week. I believe that he always is happy when he walks in the door he sees me. I know that I get really excited and jump around with smiles on my face whenever he gets home. Usually when he walks in he tries to work his way around the dogs to get to me for a little kiss, then he'll give Mommy one if she is close by. Today Daddy and I got to hang around for a bit so Mommy can get a rest and some things done. We watch a bit of my favorite video then crawled around the floor. I even tried to climb up and over him a few times. I'm getting closer on that one.

Mommy is still adjusting to being with me all the time. I know that I am a full time job and that Mommy is the best for this position! So...all in all, life is good.

Have a great weekend and we'll be in touch!