Piano Prodigy

Well as you can see, Annalise is already learning her fingerings on the piano and is soon on her way to becoming a professional pianist. It is really fun to have her sitting up so well now, she can do a lot of things that she couldn't do before.....like play the piano. Maybe not Fur Elise, but I am sure with practice it will come.

Well I am very relieved to say that our Relief Society Birthday program is over (as of last night). I got the opportunity to sing several songs for the program, and it is nice to be done. However, it was a very nice program that a member of the church wrote about the Ten Virgins and their individual stories. It is times like this that I know that music can be a powerful tool to feel the spirit....lots of thanks to Lindsay for being an awesome pianist!

This weekend is going to be a busy one, but very fun. We are going down to Maryland to be with Kevin's family, and his mom is flying in, so we get to spend Easter with her, and Aunts and Uncles. Annalise is all prepared with her Easter eggs:

While we are down there we are also going to the temple with the youth, so there will be no dull moments.

Well I hope you all have a lovely weekend, especially this Sunday as we think of our Savior and the sacrifice he has made for us. I am grateful for Him everyday as I go about everyday and make my stupid mistakes, but I know that I can be forgiven for them because of Him. Happy Easter :)

I will leave you with a video of Annalise playing with her new favorite toy:

6 Months and counting!!!!!

It has been an amazing 6 months since Annalise was born. I was just thinking back today to when she first came into this world. I haven't been able to write much about it yet, but I am finally the point where I can. So for those of you who want to hear our story, here it is. Annalise was due on August 17, 2007 (on mom and dads fifth anniverary), but two weeks later she still had not come. So despite my wishes we had to have our baby at the hospital rather than at the Birth Center. When we went into the hospital we were so excited to find out if we were going to have a boy or girl (although Kevin already knew it was going to be a girl.....his dreams told him so), they prepared me to be induced the next morning by getting me ready with some cervidil (http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birthplan/intervention/induction/cervidil.html ) which put me right into labor. After a short 10 hours she came out so beautiful and big. I got to hold her on my chest while Kevin cut the cord, but after a minute or so she wasn't breathing right so they took her away to try to help her breath. Then the nurses said that they were sending her down to the NICU to try to figure out what was wrong. I don't remember much from this day, but a little later I got to go down and see her attached to all of the tubes and ventilator and other machines that beeped a lot.

I was told she had CDH (congenital diaphramatic hernia, http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/cdh/learn_more.asp), but I didn't even know what that was. We went back upstairs to get situated in a recovery room, and then they said they were going to transfer her over to Saint Christophers Hospital so we should come down to say goodbye. Needless to say, that was really hard. She was stableized and brought over to the NICU at St. Chris' where she spent the night while mom and dad stayed in Bryn Mawr Hospital to recover. It was hard to see her hooked up to all of the medicines and moniters when we finally got to see her the next morning. But she was so beautifl. We were not allowed to touch her, or talk very loud, because she was too sensitive to be around much stimulation. After five days she had surgery to repair her diaphragm, and it took longer than expected because she had two holes instead of one. After that she did very well and she came home after three weeks of being in the NICU. Annalise did have some feeding problems, and still struggles with reflux, but now, six months later she is a healthy happy baby. I am so grateful for her strength and the blessings she brings to our family.

Here is a video that Kevins uncle made that I love. Happy 6 months Annalise!!