Alyssa is 5!!

I still can't believe that she is 5. Time has gone so fast. She has been excited to turn 5 since she could talk. She knows that when she is 5 she gets to go to school. We have registered for kindergarten and she is so excited! This year I learned from my mistake of last years birthday party. Last year I let her invite anyone she wanted. Everyone came and there were 15 kids! It was crazy. This year I told her she could invite 5 people. It was perfect. Much more enjoyable (for me at least). It was a FROZEN themed party (of course). We pinned the nose on Olaf (I made him and am proud), pained ice crystal snow flakes, had a piñata, and cake. It turned out perfect.

Kate loved the bubbles!

Piñata fun

I found this idea on pinterest. You mix epsom salt and hot water together and then paint the solution on the paper and it turns into crystals when it is dry. 

Kate's Kidneys

Kate has been suffering from a kidney infection since Christmas. At first we thought it was a UTI. But every time she stopped antibiotics the infection would come back. After the 3rd time the Dr ordered an US and a VCUG. The US showed a severe kidney infection on her right kidney and a mild infection on her left. The VCUG is a test where they put a catheter in her, injected dye into her bladder and watch to see if the dye stays in the bladder or goes up to her kidneys. It is not suppose to go up the ureters to the kidneys. Kate's does. This is called vesiculouretral reflux. Untreated this can lead to kidney damage, scarring and kidney failure. We were referred to primary children urology. About 50% of kids with Grade 3 reflux (kate's grade) will grow out of it on their own. The other 50% require surgery to fix this. If we can keep infection out of the kidney then we can protect it and wait to see if she will grow out. For now Kate is on a daily antibiotic to prevent the growth of infection. If she gets an infection while on the prophylactic antibiotic then she will have to have the surgery soon. If she doesn't get any infections while on it then she is going to have a test in a year to see if the reflux is gone or still there. She has been on the prophylactic antibiotics for 3 weeks. I have tested her urine twice in that time thinking the infection was back. She complains of pain when she pees and holding her stomach. So far both those urine cultures were negative. For now it is a waiting game to see what will happen. Poor girl has been through to much in her short 2 years. But I keep telling my self at least this is curable unlike other terrible things that kids can get (i.e cancer, diabetes)

Before getting the ultrasound

Before any test were done

A pretend fish tank in the lobby of primary childrens radiology 

Kate turns two!!!

I can't believe Kate is two! She is definitely acting two already but I still feel like it was yesterday that I had her. This last year went by especially fast. She is a wonderful, feisty girl. When she was a baby my mom nicknamed her Kate the Great. She was such an easy baby. I thought she was going to be mellow. Little did I know that she was going to have a strong personality later. ;) She is the opposite of Alyssa. She is shy. She doesn't like to be cuddled. She has slept in her own bed since Day 1. She LOVES babies and asks to call the baby everyday (Noelle's Baby Miles). She is very loud when she wants something(screams). She has the cutest funniest pouty face and pouts a lot. She is becoming braver everyday. Today she jumped in the pit at gymnastics all by her self over and over and loved it.
She has been sick way too much for her age and will most likely require her second surgery in her lifetime soon. (more to come on that later). She is talking more and more everyday. Her little voice melts my heart. She learned to say ME or MINE early on (she has an older sister that takes everything away from her )
I'm so glad she is ours.

LOVE HER!

A new baby crib. She loves putting her baby nigh nigh

New TOMS

A baby bottle and diapers

Her favorite and only movie she will watch (Despicable me 2)

She blew them out by her self!

Gymnastics

Alyssa is on a little gymnastics team. She is doing very well and has a lot of fun. I signed Kate up for a parent and tot class during Alyssa's class. She loves it. She is very timid and I think it is good for her. Now when we say time to go to gymnastics, Kate screams, "ME"

Baby Miles

Me and my mom went to visit Noelle after she had her baby. Due to a huge snow storm (blizzard) in Boston we had to delay our trip a few days. He was 2 1/2 weeks when we meet him. He is a darling baby! I'm sad we don't live close enough to see each other often. Kate is obsessed with seeing pictures of Miles and calling him on FaceTime. I took some newborn pictures while I was there.

Christmas

At least its not quite a month since Christmas. I have been editing a lot of photo shoots and have been slacking on my blog.
Here is our Christmas in pictures

Visiting Santas Reindeer

Kates stocking is not quite done thus she gets a generic one

Kate was sick with a UTI and felt terrible

She gets excited about everything. I love it!

Love them!

My grandma came for christmas morning. It was so fun to have her there. 

We are mean parents. =) All Alyssa wanted for Christmas was a power wheel jeep. She opened the rest of her presents and started crying because she didn't get the jeep. Then we found one tiny box hidden under the tree. It was a scavenger hunt to find one last present. 

She was so excited!

Our tree was 13 feet tall this year. We have 20 foot celings so we need a big tree!