Yea! A New Doctor

As many of you know, I have never been very comfortable with Dans Dr. that has been treating him for his CTC lymphoma. I have just a a gut feeling that she has not been proactive enough. I kept telling Dan after apt. that I just wanted him to go get another outlook! Unfortunately, Dan has come out of "remission" wtih a very active form right now which has prompted me to get on the ball and get someone new! I am so excited that a Dr. at Siteman Cancer Center has agreed to take Dans "case." We shoudl get to schedule our apt. in a few days, and see her within a week or so! YEA! Eveyone keep your fingers crossed and prayers coming that this is the help we have needed!

Please Get Together!

Today Dan and I went a new route with trying to get pregnant. Most of you know we have been trying for about 15 months. Yes, Cole was a one try baby, so we have been shocked at how long it has taken. We have "tried" so to speak our hardest but have been unsuccessful. Well, today we did our first IUI. It stands for something like inter-uterine insimination, or something like that. Basically, we took the "little phelps" as Barney said on How I Met Your Mother, and put them right into the cervix, so they just have to like bump into the egg! I had a few ultrasounds this week to check the size of the follicle, then a shot to ovulate then the "procedure" today. I feel great! Little crampy still but nothing like this morning! SO, keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers. We should find out the night before Thanksgiving if we have another baby to be thankful for! Thanks for all your good wishes so far! I have wonderful friends and family!

NKOTB

So sad it has come and gone! After 15 years I got to see the NKOTB! I have to say, Monica and I were spoiled last time in Dallas at age 13 getting to get on Joeys bus, and chase the limo as they left, but at age 31...it was still a great time...although Monica wasnt there!
I mean, talk about going back in time! They were so good and there is just something about how freakin good they can dance! They sang all the old stuff and the new also! IT was 2 hours of great old fun! They could still belt out Cover Girl and Please DOnt Go Girl, just like they used too! There were 6 of us with seats together and about 12 more all separated. We got upgraded to awesome seats with a great view! What a great time!

Into trouble

I had forgotten to post this on Sunday. I was exhausted from the weekend and Dan had jsut gotten off of his 24 hour shift, and it was nap time for all....except one! I had laid on the couch, Cole on his pallet and Dan in the bed. I only slept about 20 minutes and I got up to check on Cole. I could hear him singing. I walked in the bathroom to find COle sitting in the sink making a big soapy bubble mess! Thank god I found him before he sudsed up the entire bathroom!

Welcome Back New Kids

Yes, We are dorks and are excited about New kids concert here Monday night! So to celebrate, Kristy had a new kids pre party! A group of girls got together and had dinner and cookie cake...hence the picture...and watched old new kids VHS tapes and got refreshed for the show! Now, as I am very excited...I must say, Its no Poison! Monday is Heathers Birthday and thats what she wanted to do, so Monday night...Its new kids or bust! A crowd of 30 year old moms! ha! It would make it even more real if I could have Monica with me as that is who I went with in 7th grade! Yes.Let us brag, we did get to go on Joeys tour bus!

Happy First Birthday Gabe

Happy Birthday Gabe!


Team Effort!


Floor it Papa!


Strike!


Coles favorite game!

Coles cousin Gabe turned 1, so they had a great party at the Incredible Pizza Buffet. That place is insanely huge! They have tons of different party rooms, a huge buffet and and arcade the size of Dave and Busters with a go kart track, bumper cars and a mini bowling alley! NUTS! Cole had a blast. We took papa with us since gigi was working. He rode the go karts with cole and some simulator games! We had a blast! Thank Gabe and Happy Birthday!

Baby Dean

On Saturday, I had the busiest day! I attended a doctors apt. first thing, then a birthday party for Coles cousin Gabe, then a baby shower for Kim and Baby Payton, then New Kids On the Block pre-party! i was so beat last ngiht! Anyways...Kim is due in about 10 weeks with her first baby! Kim looks awesome! If only I can contain my apetite like her the next time! ha! Anyways, Heather through Kim a fabulous shower and we had a great time! Thanks Heather! In the picture, Kim and Laura are both pregnant in the middle, then Heather and I on the outside. We are old High school buddies!

Marching to the Beat of Our Own Drummer!

I swear we have had more fun this week playing pretend things with Cole than ever before!He loves the Upside Down Show in noggin. So there was a recent episode with a marching band. Well, Cole had to get out his old baby drum that came with all the instruments and assign us all a part. Well, along the way I picked up his train whistle, and Dan joined us with his duck call and it got way out of hand. Cole was drumming to some ruckus, then I started in with the train whistle, and Dan then made up some crazy duck call beat and we marched around the house, and I truly thought I might pee my pants! The best part was I had taught cole how true rockers can twirl their drumsticks, so he was doing it! Dan taught him to say "God bless and goodnight" to end the show! The best is all on video but heres a few pics of little drummer boy!

The Pirate Takes Over St. Johns

In the waiting room at the dr. office!

I had a doctors apt. on saturday morning, so naturally, Cole slept in his pirate gear, woke early ready to play and then, yes...for the first time as a mom, I had to take my chld somewhere dressed up....not on Halloween! But really, he looks so cute I dont even care! There was another boy in the waiting room and cole gave him some of his "getup" and they played together in the waiting room! Its was hysterical!

Better Pirate

Sailing away on his ship!


The real pirate!


Captain Hook!


Slaughtering captain stinky!

SO if you read a couple of blogs ago, you will have seen our pretend play of the pirates. Since then the obsession has increased, and we have moved on to bigger and better pirate things. No longer are we wearing homemade paper eye patches, but now we have a real patch, hat, hook arm, jewels, sword and telescope! HIs imagination gets better everyday and we are becoming professional pirates by the minute! We have been assigned pirate names as well! I am now "pirate bones", the dog is "captain stinky" and dan is "captain toot" (go figure) and cole of course is "captain hook!"

Prayer Warriors

I am asking for your prayers! I have a friend of a friend of a friend, who recently asked for prayers. The email went out explaining that 31 year old Stephanie had been diagnosed with CTC lymphoma, and within 3 months now, has made peace with God, her husband and 2 kids (3 and 8 months, and is waiting for healing or to go be with the lord. A friend of the family has set up a blog for her that they update daily. I have become "addicted" to checking on her daily and praying for her more often than that. She was sent to the MAYO clinic in minnesota due to the rarity of this type of lymphoma called Gamma Delta. Unfortunately, chemo and drug therapy have not helped and she is slipping away. I pray that you will add her to your prayer list or thought each day to give her peace and comfort and to lift up her husband to endure it all! I will try to add her link to my blog so you can read her story.
What has really drawn her to me, is that CTC lymphoma is also what my Dan has. Dan has been blessed that his is slightly different and grows at a much slower speed. Instead of being CTC lymphoma GD, his is CTC lymphoma MF. Hers is a much more aggressive form and is taking her life entirely too soon!

Imagination

Cole has really gotten in to pretend play...which is the coolest thing ever! Pirats are his big thing right now. We talk in pirate voice so much that my throat is actually raw! Tonight, we had our swords and hooks adn made a ship with pillows. Hank the dog was the bad guy trying to take our gold.We had no eye pathces, so we made some and colored them, and used curly ribbon to tie them on our faces. COle is now using terms like "matey", ahoy, walk the plank and his name is captain hook! We had a ball tonight! Here are some pics of us! Excuse my loks...i was in my bedtime gear!

Surprise Cole..Its Thomas!

The Bertinos with Sir Toppem Hat


LEts get washed!


THeres Thomas pulling the train!


The Ghetto!


COle ready for the surprise!

On Saturday, we surprised Cole and took him to see the "real" Thomas the Tank Engine! Cole was super excited when we pulled up to the track and there was Thomas on the rails! They had all kinds of tents set up (not as nice as I'd thought) so the kids could play trains, see Sir Toppem' Hat, get
washed" like a train..etc. The highlight was riding on a train pulled by THomas. For me, the highlight was the tour through the ghetto to get there! I mean...the ghetto of East St. Louis...yes for those not in Missouri, it was ranked #3 most violent citites or something!
Anyways...we had a ball...for those of you who watch John and KAte Plus Eight...they definately had an upgraded tour!

Halloween

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! We had a great time! THis was our first year to stay in our neighborhood since my sister and her family have moved out of state! It was kind of weird, but fun! Cole was "a happy skeleton!" Yes, he did emphasize the word happy! He did about 30 houses! I got teary eyed at the first house when i watched him run to the door alone, knock and say "trick or treat", and "thank you." I am one who savors the moment each day, so I get teary eyed a lot when it comes to him, but it just seems like yesterday my little peacock could barely get up the steps to knock! We had a great time, and theres nothing more rewarding than seeing your child happy and full of life!