LOGAN

UPDATE:
Logan was found to have cancer and will start chemotherapy tomorrow (Spt. 23rd).

As most of you know Logan has had a medical emergency and what was supposed to be a minor procedure on some sort of fluid filled cyst (hydrocele) was in fact a tumor, so a minor medical procedure turned into a very serious and very damaging surgery. While he is going through an extremely painful and difficult recovery we are awaiting the results of biopsies and blood panels to find out what we are dealing with. I have tried to call or email everyone who knows Logan or who I know would want to pray or send good thoughts to Logan but I am sure I missed some people. I don't want to put too many details here so if I missed you I am sorry. Please email or call me. For now we have decided to concentrate on good things and think good thoughts (MUCH easier said than done)! So, here are photos from Logan's second birthday, which we celebrated last week (9/4) as well as some other current photos and photos from Logan's first birthday and from his actual birth day!

Logan's 2nd Birthday -






Logan did not want to wear his hat (neither did Grammy, Grandpa or Uncle Jeremy so Sierra wore all of the extra hats...all three kids opened presents together and Samantha seemed to think they were hers...Logan was afraid of the cake being on fire so cousin Sierra and Dad (whom he now calls John John) blew out the candles. He was not averse to eating cake though!


"huh???"

The sandbox is soooooo much fun!





Because of antibiotics Logan takes for his kidney defect he has to wear a sun suit and hat - he does not like the hat!



FIRST BIRTHDAY - LAST YEAR:

First birthday with our family only and then the big blowout bday with relatives from both sides.





NEWBORN LOGAN:


Sierra was thrilled when Logan was born and he will always hold a special place in her heart. My sister and I are very close and Sierra is very, very close to her as well and Logan is her first cousin (on my side of the family) and only the second baby in our family (Sierra was the first) so he is OUR baby!

Disneyland and American Girl...

We took a quick three day trip down to Disneyland and, of course, we stopped at the American Girl store on the way home. Both Sierra and Samantha had a great time. Sierra and her friend (we went with friends) had a great time going on the rides while Samantha had a great time running around, looking at things and spending lots of time with Mama (her favorite thing to do these days!). Sierra was also excited to take Samantha on several "baby rides" since Samantha had never been on any rides before. At the AG store Sierra had her own money - she's been saving for over a year - so it was a struggle for her to decide what to buy and what to wait to buy until next year! She got some cute stuff and we got two of her dolls fixed up with fancy hairstyles and clean faces! Enjoy the photos and if you haven't seen it yet take a look at the last post where Sierra wrote about Samantha's 6 month anniversary in our family.

THE DRIVE:

Heading out and then FINALLy arriving - driving with a baby sure adds time to the drive time!

DAY ONE:

Two breakfasts for Samantha - one at the hotel and one at Disneyland (she wouldn't eat at the hotel because she's VERY picky but she loved the Disney breakfast!).



Samantha's first ride with Jei Jei and friend Elizabeth...playing with the water ball...meeting Cruella DeVille and just having FUN!!!


Sierra's favorite ride is Autotopia...second fav is Pirates and third is Indiana Jones!


Running from the Indiana Jones Ball of Doom - Samantha thought this was very strange and very funny and wanted to do it again and again!


Rainforest Cafe dessert...as soon as Samantha heard us order dessert she quit eating her dinner!

DAY TWO:

California Adventure...even Samantha has some of the California songs memorized now (ironically we listened to some on the drive because the only CD's we could find were the oldies!),


Samantha & Sierra on the bug ride at CA Adventure A Bug's Life


Sierra and Samantha in front of Mickey at Disneyland in their matching Disney shirts! First Samantha had a tantrum and then she smiled pretty for the camera!




Waiting for and then watching and then waving to the parade! The wait was a bit difficult but once the parade arrived they were all happy!

The three princesses in front of the Castle - I've been to this castle in real life in Germany. The one there is much prettier and much bigger!!


Sierra and Samantha's on Samantha's favorite ride of the day - Casey the train.


The last of Disneyland for 2008!!

DAY THREE:

Lunch at the Farmer's Market across the street from the AG store.


Sierra, and Samantha, deciding what to buy and what to put back...Samantha then having a tantrum on the floor because Jei Jei wouldn't give her the boxes to open!


This is what daddy did at the AG store. He tried to keep up with Samantha but alas she out-ran and out-smarted him all afternoon!


It's over...Sierra chose well and will have lots of fun new things for her AG to play with and to keep Samantha from getting her hands on!


Now for the drive home...which took 9&1/2 hours, instead of the normal 6&1/2! Samantha couldn't/wouldn't sleep and she gets very upset if she can't see Mama and since Mama was driving for the first few hours (and she faces backwards) well, lets just say it was a rough trip, especially for Jei Jei who sat with her and comforted and tried to entertain her!! We got home at 2AM - Samantha finally fell asleep at 10:00 after J and I switched and I sat in the back with her. Sierra finally fell asleep at midnight. The drive, as usual, was the worst part of the trip! I took these photos because I realized that after making this drive hundreds of time, beginning as an infant and heading from SoCal to visit relatives in NoCal, I've never taken any photos. Most of the drive is orchards, vineyards, crops, cows but I ended up with two photos of grass!