I really could have sworn that I updated after Christmas, but I guess time is flying faster then I thought. 

Things have been so wonderful around here lately.  At the end of December, I got a promotion.  I work for a non-profit law firm, and needless to say, the opportunity to advance is slim to none.  I have been here for almost six years.  I was doing intake, and as much community education in our city as I could.  I was always tethered to the office and that wasn't fun nor was it using my talents to their full potential.  After working with my boss and our board, my new position was finally approved.  I am now the paralegal and case handler for our elder law project, community outreach, fundraising, and social media. It sounds like a lot but I'm so excited for it. Most of the stuff I have been doing for almost 2 years now, but now I will be getting paid for it. :-) 

We have decided to sell our house in the next year, and upgrade to a bigger house.  We have talked more about TTC again, and there is no doubt that we will need a bigger house.  We have 3 bedrooms but one bedroom is in the basement and my hubby currently uses it as a mancave.  And I need a bigger kitchen!  I have been doing lots more cooking in the past few years so I want to have more room to do that.  

We were going to list the house this summer, but the city decided to re-do our road, boulevards, sidewalks, sewers, the whole she-bang.  The best part?  Because our road was damaged in the 2012 flood, we will not be assessed!  I am so pumped about that, especially since my husband and I own four lots!

We will wait until road construction is done and then list the house. 

Sully is growing like a weed!  Most of his shirts are 3T but he can still fit into some 18 month pants.  He has a skinny waist and a long torso.  He is continuing to amaze us with how smart he is.  Some of his new things:

          

                 * Spelling some words:  Mama, Sully, Dad

                 * Doing his ABC's

                 * Speaking in full sentences 99% of the time.  My favorite is: May I have all the fruit snacks please? Hahah

                 

Every day he shocks me at how much he is learning.  He still is showing zero interest in the potty training department.  My mom is coming from Florida next week to stay with us for 10 days.  I think we are going to tackle some potty training then.  I am taking those 10 days off from work so I am hoping we can get a little jump on it. 

On Sunday we had a party for all the heart families in our area.  There were about 50 of us there and it was so fun!  We were at the Children's museum.  Famous Dave's catered the event and my friend who owns a bakery donated a beautiful cake.  The kids ran together, and played together and had a great time!

It was such a good time!   I can't wait to do it again! The museum was fun too and we are going to get a membership so we can bring Sully there to play more. 

There was a million things I wanted to write, but that will have to do. I will leave you with tons of pictures!

Christmas morning

Sully calls B dubbs the "Buffalo Bird Store."

     

This kid cracks me up!

So handsome!

Robert surprised me with a citrine wedding band (Sully's birthstone) for Christmas.  I love it!

Pins for the heart party!

Sully is too cute!

Have a great week everyone!!  If you're still out there.. hahah!

Two

Wow, I really haven't posted since July?!  I swear, I am in the fastest time warp of my life.  Excuse me while I get my bearings.

One week ago, something super awesome happened.  Sullivan turned 2.  Yep, I have a two year old.  I really can't explain how awesome he his.  He continues to amaze us with how incredibly smart he is.  It shocks me sometimes.  Here are some things he is currently doing:

* Speaking in full sentences almost all the time.
* Using consistent manners (please, thank you, excuse me)
* Counting backwards and forwards from 10
* Do his ABCs

And pretty much a billion other things but those are the ones that shock the heck outta me because he is only 2.  He is loving and caring and handsome and funny.  I always ask him, "Who's my best friend?"  and he yells, "MEEEEEEE!"  Gawd, I love that kid!

The most important thing happened in September.  Sully had a follow up with his cardiologist in Minneapolis.  Sully's next valve surgery was always slated for age 3-4.  Well, Sully had an echo done and they found out that Sully is continuing to defy odds and his valve is functioning so well, that they are pushing back the surgery to THIRD GRADE!  That means Sully will be 8 or 9!  WOW!  I was so excited, that I threw up!  Haha!

In other good news, Sully's pal Colten, who if you remember from my last posts, has surprised us all and has been home for 2 months!  He has a trach and a feeding tube, but it is our hopes they they are temporary!  He is smiley and sweet and catching up on everything!  He spent the first 7 months of his life in the hospital!  Can you believe that?!
I have been horrible about the blog and that really bums me out.  You can follow me on Instagram and get your fill of Sully cuteness.  My user name is MamaOfSullyJames.

I have been reading the blogs every day and I'm really glad I got around to posting!  I miss you guys!  I will leave you with a catch up photo dump!

Happy Birthday, Baby Bear!



Playing "guys" with Daddy



Two Year Pics













Mickey Mouse Pumpkin!  Good carving, Mama!



Playing in your jammies and a fedora... the usual.. :-)



My little Ninja Turtle



Daddy and "Raphael"



My best friend



Fall fun at the Apple Orchard!



I love you!



Sully and his cardiologist celebrating the awesome news!



Sully and Grandma on the wheeler!



My pal!



Well, I guess that sums us up!  I hope to connect more and hope you find me on instagram!
Let's chat soon!
Much love and we miss you all!

Courtney, Robert, and Sully!

Colten update

I have guarded good news. I just spoke to Colten's mom, and the bleeding has slowed way down and his labs are looking good. He isn't out of the woods yet, but this is definitely the direction we wanna go in. 

Thanks for everything ladies. This kid and his family are so awesome. I just want them to be able to bring their son home. 

Love always, 

CourtneyAnna 

Colten

I haven't blogged in two months and some time soon, when the world stops being so insane, I will apologize and update. For now, I need prayers for a very good friend of mine. 

Her son is a heart warrior like Sully. Baby Colten had had 6 open heart surgeries since he was born in February. He is only 5 months old and had never even been home. As of today, he and his parents have been at Children'a Minneapolis, the same hospital we were at, for 154 days. Can you imagine?! 

Colten had open heart surgery #6 yesterday. Things were going miraculously well and then in the evening, things took a turn. Colten started bleeding profusely from his chest tubes and he had to be put on ECMO (life support heart and lung machine.) 

Things are critical. He just got his 3rd chest tube placed. This boy is so strong and his parents are amazing. They need all the prayers and good vibes they can get. I'm asking everyone to pray and send good thoughts to Colten and his family. 

You can read his story here: 

Www.caringbridge.org/visit/coltenrobertson 

Thank you guys. And I've still been reading the blogs and I'm so excited for Heather and Katharine to have their babies!!

Miss you all! I will write soon. Sully is perfect! :)

CourtneyAnna 

Almost 2 months Courtney?? Really?!

I can't really believe it's been since the end of March since I wrote last.  I swear, time just escapes me and I look for ways to slow it down.
There has been nothing earth shattering going on here; just lots of fun, day to day things.

Sully is the smartest boy ever.  I'm pretty sure of that.  He will be 18 months old tomorrow.. yep, I have a year and a half year old boy.  See, this is what I mean about time.  I swear, I was just hurling my brains out, sweating like a beached whale from pregnancy, and now I have an 18 month old.  WOW.

Sully is running all over the place and talking so much.  The doctors say he has the vocabulary of a 2 1/2 year old.. maybe it's because I yak non-stop too.  His favorite thing is to swing open the bathroom door and say, 'Whattaya doin'?"  Well, thank goodness I have no dignity anymore. 
He is also counting to five, starting to do his ABCs, and he is a dancing machine.  Any time there is music, he is shakin' his fanny.  I love it.
He loves to help me make dinner, play trucks, yell at our cat, and color.  He is getting pretty good with a spoon and fork too.  He still makes a mess, but it isn't as disastrous and before. :-)

Robert and I are doing great too.  Work is busy as ever.  The snow has FINALLY melted and our yard looks vile.  We hire out the first yard clean up so it looks like I'm gonna have to call that guy.  I can't stand and unkempt yard.  We got new living room furniture, which I'm in love with.  I hated our old couch and never sat on it, so I'm beyond thrilled to have a new couch and chair, in the color I want, and it is so comfy.  Sully likes it too.  We're gearing up for a fun filled summer.  My parents are back for the summer so there will be many weekend spent with them, riding the golf cart, swimming, shopping, grilling, playing... I'm really looking forward to it.

We're still doing a lot with Project Heart to Heart.  It has actually gotten pretty big and we are looking to file a 5013c on it and make it legit.  We are helping with a benefit for a little boy from our area who is on the same floor Sully was.  He is 3 months old and has had FIVE open heart surgeries and they just put a pacemaker in last week.  He has been in the hospital since birth.  It just breaks my heart.  Cardiac mamas, man, we are tough as nails.  The good news is that they took him off the ventilator this weekend after he had been on for 3 weeks, and he smiled at his mama.  It was a nice moment.  I've been helping get silent auction items and I have been pretty successful!  Cross your fingers that the benefit goes smoothly!

Like I said, nothing earth shattering, but like is amazing. I hope you ladies had an amazing Mother's Day.  I know I did.  I'm so lucky every day that God chose me to be Sully's mom.  How cool is that?  I must've done something right to get that distinction. :-)
I will end this post with a photobomb of how cute my Mr. is.
Have a great week!



Monster and I on Mother's Day!



"Painting"



Apparently, Sully is bringing the beer...




Takin' a cruise!



Cupcakes are good...




Fun on the farm!



Good morning!


(Funny note: The pics above were taken after I got the new iPhone 5.  The quality is amazing. The pics below were still taken with my Droid 3.. I didn't notice how bad the Droid pics were until I saw them next to each other!  So glad we upgraded!)



Sully "Planking" Hahahaha!



Sully's Easter basket



Dropping our donations off at Ronald McDonald House!



Family pic after dropping donations off at Children's Hospital.

Courtney

Medical Updates and More!

Morning!  I really thought that I had posted prior to this, but I guess I haven't!  I have wonderful news to share.

On Tuesday March 12, we had Sully's big cardiac check up.  I didn't sleep for the nights leading up to it and I was pingy all morning.  I had to have Robert drive.  We were checked in and we waited for our names to be called.  Sully's cardiologist was just getting in as we were in the waiting room and he stopped by to sneak in a quick hug.  He was so excited to see Sully!

We had the echocardiogram first, and then we would talk to Dr. V.  There was a patient that was running late so everyone was behind.  When the echo tech came in, I recognized her as one of my regulars when I waitressed during summers in my younger days.  We were both glad to see each other. Luckily I had downloaded "The Lorax" to my Nook for Sully so we fired that up so he would lay down for the echo.  As she started to move the wand around on this chest, I could see her start to make weird faces.  Now, this of course made me incredibly paranoid.  Her face kept looking strange, and then she got up and said that she had to check with Dr. V.  I was in near panic mode, and bracing for the worst.  She came back in and said Dr. V wanted a few more pictures.
Afterwards, my anxiety level rising, Sully was toddling around the halls in his diaper and flirting with all the nurses.  He ran into an office, and when I went to get him, I realized he had found Dr. V's office!  Dr. V picked him up and sat him on his lap and said, "All right Sully, let's review this echo, huh?"  We chit chatted for a few minutes while he reviewed the echo images and then said to Sully, 'Well, let's go tell your parents the good news."
We walked down to the room where Robert was waiting, and that's when we heard the news I have been praying that we would hear.
The reason why the tech was looking to funny is because in the report she got prior to doing the echo, it told her to check on Sully's TR Gradient.  Essentially, Sully has some leaks and the TR Gradient measures the severity of the leaks.  Well, Sully's leaks have miraculously closed up, as has the hole in the top of his heart.  There is really no explanation, it has just happened. :-)  The tech couldn't find them and was confused.
Also, we were able to STOP THE MEDICATION!  For the first time in his entire life, Sully is on ZERO meds.  Nada, nothing.  In fact, Sully is doing such amazing things, and the surgeries haven't seemed to phase him, they want to use his findings to show other parents that a normal life can happen!  CHDs are not the end all of a life.  Sully is basically in the 1% of outcomes.  He is the exception to the norm, but I already knew that. :-)  With the exception on more surgeries to replace the valve when he outgrows them, we are completely "normal."  I can't even believe it.
Dr. V hugged us and told us what an amazing job we are doing. I was able to keep myself composed until we got out to the car, and then I totally lost it.  I have been praying about this and dreaming about this, and now it is finally a reality.  I called our parents and they all cried too.  Sully is our little miracle.
Here is a pic of Sully and Dr. V:



Buh Bye medication!



How amazing is that!!???!?!?!?

And for me and my odd belly mass; after a CT scan, and about a billion doctors appointments, we discovered that the mass is a mass of scar tissue from my previous abdominal surgeries.  I guess it is rare that the tissue forms a mass, so lo and behold, it happens to me.  Long story short, there isn't anything I can do about except for maybe more surgery, but then it would lead to more scar tissue, thus making it moot.  Oh well.  At least it isn't something worse!

Also, we are bringing the donations to Ronald McDonald House this weekend!  I'm so excited!  The inaugural event for Project Heart to Heart was great!  I'm so proud of our family, friends, and community.  When I get a final total, I will let you guys know!  Here is a news story that ran in the paper this weekend:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/262163/group/Budgeteer/

I will leave you with some adorable pics of my favorite, healthy boy!

Picking out desserts with his buddy!  (Sully is in the gray)



Getting caught attempting to scale the baby gate..



Playing with his new manly kitchen:



Walking with his Daddy in the snow like a big boy:



Being silly with Bailey cat:




My favorite Easter bunny:



Happy Monday!
Courtney