happy love kids

Brendan LOVES riding his bike. He has outgrown it (he has had it since he was 3!) but they aren't exactly cheap so we keep using it. He has been able to pedal on his own since the PERCS surgery. I have been searching on line for a used one....craigslist, equipment exchange sites, etc. They are not easy to find especially the exact style we need. We need to be able to push, steer and brake for him when needed. I was not having any luck. They were either already sold or didn't have the parent handle. I was feeling discouraged and trying to figure out a way to make his current bike last longer. On one random Saturday my husband stopped in a local bike shop (not your typical bike shop....a man and his brother have a hobby and work out of their mother's garage fixing and selling bikes)to ask a question about a bike he is trying to build. While talking to the gentleman my husband notices a tandem handicap accessible bike and why did he happen to notice this among a ton of bikes ...

Two years ago in April I set a goal. I wanted to make it two full years with ZERO surgeries. This was after Brendan had 3 surgeries in a row which was hard on everyone. PERCS was his last surgery and I am still thankful we did this for him. He is still benefiting from it. I can't even believe it has been two years already. That time flew by. Brendan and I discussed this today after I realized we made it the full two years and we both agreed we should try for one more surgery free year. We had his cardiologist appointment today. I have been dreading this since I made the appointment but it went slightly better than I had imagined. I couldn't sleep last night thinking about everything Brendan has been through and what more he will have to endure in the future. Two years ago he had his Atrial Septal Defect closed and for some miracle the umbrella device worked and he DID NOT need open heart surgery. I was shocked because we went in not knowing if it would work and he needed the la...

My HUSBAND! Seriously he is amazing. He throws Brendan into the air on a trampoline nearly giving himself a heart attack, he has carrie him up 4 flights of stairs so he could ride down water slides, he does his best to help include Brendan with everything we do even if it is difficult and exhausting. Now they are bonding with 'garage' time. He lets him help build a trailer and his gas bike. Brendan absolutely loves it. He doesn't really do much but he feels very special going out there with him. It is great guy time. He can't wait to go out with him and for those of you who really know Brendan he is a MAMA's BOY! He doesn't really like not being around me and he has been willingly ditching me for 'D' (he calls him D for short because he couldn't always say Derek due to his speech delay). I love seeing and listening to them together. Brendan is always progressing and I can't believe how mature he is getting. He is a young boy who loves cars, truck...

We finally got a family picture. It wasn't easy with 6 people but I think it came it pretty good considering. The kids all still believe in the Easter Bunny. I am not sure how we got so lucky seeing Brendan is already 10 but they still have the spirit. I love that they still believe in everything because I found out very young. I just feel bad for Drew being so much younger. I feel that having so many older siblings it will be ruined for him at a young age. I just hope they all help play along as he grows older. Life has been busy as usual. I finally filed my taxes today and we are hardly getting anything back which is a bummer since we are so poor right now. I was hoping for a nice refund to help pay off our older van. We hardly make anything since we opened our business but it as our little adventure and I really enjoy it. I can handle being poor for now since it means we get to be together as a family so much more than before. I get to take my baby to work everyday and wat...