February 14th is CHD Awareness Day! (Congenital Heart Defects)

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Mary Clare’s CHD, has a reported prevalence of 0.2 per 1,000 live births. Although HLHS is rare, CHDs are the #1 birth defect in America, with 1 out of every 125 children born with some sort of heart defect.

Everyday we are amazed at all of the people who inquire about Mary Clare and our family! I would love for you to “sign” this entry so that one day we can show her just how many people knew her and learned more about CHDs because of her life! Don’t worry, you don’t have to write anything, just go into comments and type your name and location! That’s all! Thanks!

OKAY, don’t be shy….we noticed that 85 unique visitors viewed the site today, which is actually pretty low, yet NOBODY “signed.” Mel promises not to sell your email addresses, or worse, start emailing you! 😉

Big girl cup for big girl, Mary Clare

It’s hard to believe that McCanless completely dropped her bottle and refused anything but her sippy cup at 10 months, but looking back, I realized that I started giving her a sippy cup to “play” with pretty early. So, today McCanless and I picked out a brand new pink and purple sippy cup with handles just for Mary Clare. (guess who chose those colors?)

Well, that and the fact that Mary Clare now goes completely nuts when she sees a sippy cup because a certain big sister was giving her sips of juice from her sippy cup without telling mommy. I was beginning to wonder why she would kick and cry and pitch fits as I fixed cups of juice for McCanless… I’m only hoping that Mary Clare will learn to like the watered down version of apple juice after tasting the real thing! We’ll see!

Happy 7 month birthday, Mary Clare!

Update on Emerson…

I spoke to Erica yesterday, and other than the occasional “normal” baby worries (ear infections, not quite sleeping through the night, etc) little Emerson is doing great! We have been able to see them occasionally at clinic when our visits overlap, and it is so nice to watch the girls grow so quickly! We can’t wait for the day they can play together and compare “war stories” and “battle scars!” Emerson will have her heart catheterization on February 7 and her second surgery, the Glenn, within the month following. I know all too well how scary that is for them and pray that all goes well. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they face the upcoming month. I know little Emerson will be strong and will be a heart rock star just like our sweet Mary Clare! I’m hoping she’ll beat our 5 day record short stay after surgery!

Pucker-up Buttercup!

Welcome Home, Daddy!

Whew! Mel is home after a week in Orlando at the PGA Golf Expo for Pennington and Bailes. Although I’m accustomed to him working A LOT at the funeral home, it is always nice to have a helping hand in the evenings and especially have adult conversation after long days with the girls. Mel got home on Saturday night and went straight to his “real” work at the funeral home on Sunday morning…welcome home!

The “girl’s team” made it and we actually had lots of fun while Daddy was away. We went roller skating on Thursday night and although it was hard juggling Mary Clare when big girl, McCanless refused the toddler skates and had to have “real skates,” I did have lots of help from other understanding moms that were willing to hold Mary Clare. We ended up having the real skates tightened and away she went socializing with a few school pals and scooting along all night bobbing her head to Hannah Montanna. As luck would have it, McCanless didn’t have school on Wednesday, so we took off to Florence to have lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, a long play date and a bit of shopping! I thought I’d never be able to take both girls shopping like that, especially alone, (McCanless WAS NOT a good baby shopper…Mary Clare, I discovered, is a fabulous shopper!)

I took the girls to lunch often and we cooked together a few nights. Mary Clare saw her first snow and even learned a new trick. (see above) Other than Nonnie watching the girls on Monday and Wednesday for my aerobics class at the Y, the girls and I just had each other day and night! It was a fun week, but we are definitely glad daddy is home! Now, we just have to figure out how to get McCanless back out of the habit of sleeping in our bed….I couldn’t sleep alone last week!

Snow in South Carolina!

Although it took more time to bundle up my girls than it actually snowed, they both enjoyed seeing it for a few moments. As soon as we walked outside, however, it turned into rain, which disappointed McCanless tremendously! Mel was out of town, and it was hard to hold Mary Clare in her marshmallow get-up AND take photos, so I didn’t get much. But here they are…Mary Clare’s first snow, and the first snow that McCanless may remember!

I couldn’t hold her outside and take a photo, so I thought this would work, but you can’t see the snow!

Miss Piggy

Just an update…

Mary Clare is now going to see her cardiologist every 4 weeks and everything looks great! The only thing I’ve been concerned about lately is getting Mary Clare’s 6 month well-check and shots and McCanless’ 4 year well check and shots! It seems that I live at Dr. Morphis’s office lately, and every time I go for well checks, they have: A) an ear infection B) sinus infection C) some sort of respiratory infection D) a combination of the above!

Between all of the sick visits, flu-shots, RSV vaccines monthly, re-checks, attempts at usual vaccines for both girls and MUSC visits, my head is spinning. I even had to buy a small calendar to keep up with it all! Thank goodness it isn’t much, just the typical baby/child winter stuffies and sticks.

McCanless is now 43″ tall and 42 lbs which places her at the 90% weight and 95% for height. Miss Priss loves school, mostly because of her friends. She can write her name when she feels inclined to do so, never to show off for mommy. Her latest phrase I’m trying to break is, “HELLOOO, Mom….and continuing to give me a ‘you are so dumb’ look as she tells me what I apparently already should know. Did I mention she is only 4? She really is a big help with Mary Clare and continues to amaze me everyday with her wit and charm along with her sassy moods. I’m hoping we’ll get these out of the way now and she will be such a respectful, gracious teenager….right?!

Mary Clare is 15 lbs 1 oz and 27 inches long (25% for weight and 50% for height). She is sitting up very well now and reaching and grabbing everything in front of her. She loves to coo and “talk” out loud, and even attempts to sing with McCanless. (sounds more like a high pitch squeal) She loves to play in her crib with her toys around her and is so easy to put to bed. (so far-fingers crossed) She is sleeping through the night, FINALLY, and is such a good baby!

My Little Calendar Girl

Mary Clare is a star, but we all already knew that. Now, however, she really is a famous! If you are in need of a new calendar for this year, go to www.littlehearts.org! (under products) Mary Clare’s picture is featured on the June month, along with other “heart babies.” I sent in her picture at the end of the summer for one of the organizations fund raisers.

In case you were wondering, safety scissors do cut hair.

I’m not one to talk on the phone much, but when an old friend, whom I’ve known since 3rd grade called the other day, I gladly took several minutes to catch up and talk baby. She is expecting, and I being the ever observant, always conscious, keeping my eyes on my precious children 24-7 parent that I am, I had much advice for her.

I was holding Mary Clare taking laps around the house, chatting away, keeping an eye on McCanless and checking on her every few minutes. Apparently, one eye is not enough and I should know that by now. When I heard her, but couldn’t find her, my heart skipped a beat, but I knew she was somewhere because I heard her. She had been playing in my make-up (the make-up that I allow her to use, powder, brushes, etc.) As any mom will tell you, quiet, independent play once in a while is usually a good thing.

As I searched her playroom, I spotted the head of her “fix up” doll. The one all we girls grew up with. The bust with long flowing hair that comes with brushes and make-up. My first inclination that something may have gone awry was the freshly cut mow hawk on the doll.

“Bets, I’ll talk to you later.”

What came next was as close as I’ll ever be to staring in a movie. I wanted to cry, but I was able to muster up somewhat of a smile. My baby girl had chopped off one entire side of her hair. Have you ever seen a mullet? McCanless had half of one. What could I do? Inside I was screaming, but I simply smiled and began the lesson that I probably should have taught months ago when the Easter bunny brought McCanless her first pair of scissors.

What a gift!!

A very special lady that lives on Daufuskie buys toys, big toys, for all of the kids on Daufuskie Island every Christmas. This year because we were at MUSC with Mary Clare and McCanless was on Daufuskie with Mimi and Bapa, McCanless was also given her very own special, very generous Christmas gift, a Dora the Explorer 4-wheeler! She has had so much fun with it! As you can see below, she not only loves to drive it, she loves posing with it! Thank you so very much Mrs. SC! (Can you believe that? Her initials are the same as Santa Claus!)

Yes, make-up on her face and in heels, she even makes riding a 4-wheeler prissy!

LMP 4th Birthday Round 4- School Party!!

McCanless was also the Terrific Kid on Monday, so we had to make a poster all about her. The questions I asked her and we displayed were:

What are your favorite foods? “Butter, Fish Sticks, and Dough” (cookie, I’m assuming)

What is your favorite book? Fancy Nancy

What do you love most in the world? My silky

What are your favorite colors? Pink and Purple

We also added lots of cute photos, and some not so cute, exhibiting her true self! I’ll have to post a photo of the end product, but for now it is proudly displayed in the hall of First Baptist Kindergarten. Believe it or not, McCanless was the first Terrific Kid!! (Okay, so the teacher awards them based on birthday proximity and/or alphabetical order, a very fair and equal process, but I didn’t tell McCanless that!)

LMP 4th Birthday Round 3-Party at FunDayGo!

Yes, those blurs are my sisters sliding down…

LMP 4th Birthday Round 2-Los Tres with the Family!

LMP 4th Birthday Round 1…ice-skating with Mommy and Daddy!

First Pickle for Mary Clare and First Market Shopping trip for McCanless

Other than a few licks of icing or a taste of sweet tea on her passy, Mary Clare has never enjoyed big people cuisine until our most recent trip to Charleston. We gave her a pickle to suck on and she loved it! She almost sucked it clean. She screamed when I took it away from her!

Last week, she had a clinic visit, and since McCanless was out of school, we all took a family trip down. McCanless enjoyed meeting Mary Clare’s cardiologist and seeing what the fuss was all about. Mary Clare’s visit went well, and all looks great! She is a whopping 14 lbs 8 oz and 27 inches long!

We had lunch and planned to visit the market and let McCanless shop a bit. Unfortunately, it was the only day in SC that it was below 70 this month…well below! Only two vendors were open it was so cold. She still managed to get a pink ring, bracelet and pashmina out of it.

Back to Nonnie’s, back in PJ’s and back to the table!

By Christmas night, we all were stuffed and tired, but what a wonderful Christmas!

McCanless received ice skates for Christmas from Pop and is obsessed with ice skating these days. Unfortunately, the ice skating rink was closed and it has been in the 70’s around here lately, so chances of Prestwood freezing over are pretty slim, so she resorts to “pretend” skating… She floats around and twirls everywhere!

Christmas Lunch at Grandmother’s house (Redfearn Family)

Breakfast at Nonnie’s House!

Of course, McCanless had to change into her new pj’s!

Thanks, Sissy and Uncle Kurt! We love the scarf, bib and outfits you sent!

Christmas Morning!!

Christmas Eve night…Waiting on Santa!!!

Thanks for the pink bubble gum machine, Aunt Liz!! We all love it!

McCanless made Reindeer food at school! According to her, reindeer land on porches, which is why she felt it necessary to dump the entire contents of her bag right on the porch floor. When I told her to scatter it, she began to toss it everywhere!

We also made cookies for Santa. On Christmas morning, McCanless was thrilled to discover that Santa had eaten the entire plate, except for one with a big bite out of it!