Descartes, "I think, therefore I am...a poodle."

About 10 wks old. Now you can see his pretty face. :)
He really LOVES that bear.

Kiera's Playhouse (or Thank God for craigslist!)

I mostly wanted to post these pics as a Thank You to the woman who sold me this playhouse on craigslist. Kiera LOVES it, and it makes it so easy for her to play outside.

She is obsessed with opening and closing the shutters. What a nice day yesterday.

New Year 2009 pics

Waiting New Year's Eve for Daddy to come home from work. We were going to go play at the restaurant, but Kiera wasn't feeling well.

Fell asleep before Daddy came home.

First Wagon Ride. Jan 2009

Kiera loved going forward and backward on the driveway with Grandma.

"Do it Again!"

Kiera and Uncle Chris. "Gee, that guy looks an awful lot like my Daddy."

Daddy and Chris at Independence Grill.

Kiera's Great Expectations Day!

Wow! Today marks one year at home for my 2 1/2 yr old! What a year! She's come down on her ventilator rate to 14 from 26, and today her 02 is at 2 1/2 liters. We've only had to re-admit her to the hospital 6 times this year. 3 were pneumonias, 2 were surgery or procedure related, and 1 was that first night home when we called paramedics and Kiera was blue and not moving....incidentally worst night following our best day. Thus, the title of this entry is explained. Our first day home was the very best day, and our first night was an absolutely horrible nightmare of a night. When I look at her happy and playing today, I can't believe that I ever saw her the way she was that night. So, I can't help having such a bizarre reaction to this anniversary. I totally can't believe we have gotten through a whole year of mostly interrupted nights and a whole year of carrying the heavy ventilator up and down the stairs twice a day and a whole year of going through an equipment checklist in my head before getting in the car and a WHOLE YEAR of bagging and trouble shooting and overcoming ridiculous scenarios that one only sees in medical TV dramas.

We look forward to what our new year will bring: Fewer hospitalizations, we hope. Potential weaning from the ventilator to CPAP in the spring. Maybe a 3rd birthday not on the ventilator? Kiera walking without the aid or support of furniture? Maybe Kiera talking, laughing out loud, or eating?

We are so thankful to have had the strength to persevere this long and to have had a chance to experience all the good things Kiera has brought to our lives. Every morning she kisses each of us and then makes mommy and daddy kiss at the top of the stairs before we go down, and every night she does the same at the bottom of the stairs before we go up to bed. What a kid!