CHD Families Picnic

Last Sunday, after eating the delicious Embassy breakfast, going to church, and getting in another hour or so in the pool, we checked out of our room and headed to the Parkville YMCA where the CHD Families annual picnic was being held.  Our family has never been able to make it to the picnic, but I'm so glad we could this year!

 They had a photo booth set up, but our crew just wasn't quite fast enough to get the props on in the 4 seconds alotted. . . So this is the best we could do.

It was such a gorgeous day; the kids had lots of fun playing on all of the play equipment.

 When I say kids, I mean ALL of the kids.

 I was so glad we were able to meet up with Amanda and her family, a friend of mine that I actually met as she was one of Dr. Singhal's nurse practitioners.  Amanda and her husband had triplets just a couple of months after Violet was born, and one of her precious little ones had more challenges that any person should ever have to face (including a CHD).  Lydia just went to be with Jesus about a month ago and we hadn't seen their family since the funeral.  It was great to be able to visit with them in a much more casual environment.  I'm sad I didn't think to get any pictures of my kiddos playing with her other two. . .

KU was playing North Carolina that afternoon to go to the Final Four, so of course the Dwyers had to represent!

 We had a delicious lunch, catered by Abuelo's Mexican restaurant at Zona Rosa.  Abuelo's donated all of the food for the event, which was oh-so generous, so if you are ever in the area, please eat at Abuelo's!

After lunch, the kids played inside a bit (bad mom forgot sunscreen, and I was afraid they would get sunburned if we stayed outside ALL afternoon).  Oliver was excited to get to hold Baby Brycen again.  Doesn't he look so handsome in his little tie??

 

While Oliver was busy with the baby, Calvin was busy shooting hoops with Daddy.

 They had a silent auction with lots of really cool CHD items, including two gorgeous quilts that families had made with their children's name and CHD.  Maybe someday when I take up sewing, I'll make blocks for my 2 special kiddos. . .

The picnic was so much fun!  We had fun catching up with our friends, enjoyed some great food, and the kids played hard.  We will definitely try to make it again next year!

Family Night at the Embassy

For Christmas each year, we get my Dad a family night out at the Embassy Suites (and it's a gift we all enjoy, of course!).  The past several years, our tradition has included eating a late lunch at Mimi's Cafe, and it is always SO YUMMY!

 With full and satisfied bellies, these kids are ready to. . .

. . . Hit the pool!!  Without a doubt, swimming is the kids' favorite reason for staying at a hotel.

This was our 5th Family Night Out.  To show how much we've grown in 5 years compare the above picture to the kiddos from the original trip.  Yes, Sydney was certainly in the minority being the only girl back in those days (there was also a Baby Oliver, not pictured, so the score was 4 to 1! Now it's all even up. . . well until next September, that is).  And look how cute Tyler & Calvin are!

Back to 2012:  Oliver having fun with grandpa & Brynnie. . .

 . . . and Violet had fun with EVERYBODY!  She has been doing aquatic therapy during her physical therapy sessions the past few weeks, and it is really paying off.  She is so much more comfortable in the water now, and actually seems to enjoy it!

 

(I don't have any individual pics of Calvin; I guess that is because he is such a good little swimmer these days, I don't have to keep my eyes glued to him like the others. Sorry, Calvin!) 

Baby Kyla also tried out the water for a bit.

Our crew definitely has a way of taking over a pool!

 Heading back to our rooms. . .

 1 -2 - 3 - Sa-wing!

 The Manager's Reception is a close second to the pool when it comes to favorites at the Embassy Suites.  Look at all of those Shirley Temples!

 The bartender was generous enough to just give the kids big cups full of cherries so they wouldn't run out!

While most of the kids were all still enjoying their snacks and drinks, Oliver and Violet begged Russ to take them on the elevator. Not going anywhere in particular, just up and down.  Look closely and you'll see Violet in the middle and Oliver on the right.  They loved waving at everyone down below.

 We watched basketball, enjoyed some chocolate fondue and other snacks we'd brought from home, and all found a comfy bed for the night.  With 17 people and 3 rooms, the ultimate sleeping arrangements always end up pretty interesting.  No, Violet didn't sleep here, but it probably would have worked!

 And there just must be something about these TV cabinets.  While looking through the old pictures of our Embassy nights, I found this one of Calvin & Tyler from when they were almost the exact age of Violet now.  I've always had monkeys in my family!

 I'm so blessed to have such wonderful family and I love the memories we make each year on our Family Nights Out!!

Spa Shiki

For our birthdays each year, my mom takes us girls to get massages.  We've tried on two separate occasions to get the 4 of us down to Lake Ozark and the fabulous Spa Shiki, but so far we've been unsuccessful. . . Until this past weekend.  After the last couple of months, we were all SO ready for a good spa day!  We left Thursday afternoon once Violet was out of therapy and drove straight through to our favorite restaurant at Lake Ozark: Baxter's.  We got there with 10 minutes left in their happy hour, and quickly ordered!

Yes, my mom and sisters took full advantage of the nicely-priced martinis during happy hour and each ordered two.  And Yes, that is my virgin strawberry daiquiri on the end.  Nice to always have a DD around!

 After dinner, we did a little shopping and headed back to our hotel to watch some of the basketball games. Then the next morning, it was time to RE-LAX!  We hung out in the saltwater whirlpool. . .

 . . . the steamroom (you'll just have to take my word on this one; it's really quite comical trying to take a picture in a steam room!). . .

 . . . and the sauna.

 While the other ladies were enjoying the steam room and sauna, I abided by doctor's orders and spent some nice time relaxing in this zen-like area instead.

 As part of our spa day, we were spoiled with a delicious lunch.  With everything being so health-conscious at the spa, I think my broiled salmon meal only had 200 calories or something.  Thank goodness I had eaten about 2000 calories during my Denny's breakfast a few hours earlier!!

After lunch, we each had our massages and enjoyed the amenities at the spa for a couple more hours.  We had such a wonderful, relaxing time on our girls trip to Spa Shiki.  Thanks, Mom -- This is a birthday gift I definitely look forward to!

Final Four, Here We Come!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, GO KU!!

Guess where our KU Jayhawks will be heading this weekend??

 Rock Chalk, baby!  After a couple of rough games leading to the Elite 8, our boys really showed up to play North Carolina yesterday!  What a fun game!!

 Today, Thomas Robinson was the only unanimous selection to the men's basketball All-American team -- Way to go, T-Rob!  And Congrats to Coach Self!

I love it that Calvin's teacher, Ms. Minshull is as big of a KU fan as we are -- Look at the coloring pages he brought home today!

 

No, the Dwyer clan won't be making the trip to the Big Easy, but you can bet we'll be cheering just as loud from Jayhawk country!

Good luck in the Final Four, Hawks!!

A Sweet Little Lemon

I got a call late last week from my OB, saying that the perinatalogist wanted to do a level 2 ultrasound this week, and then again at around the 20 week mark.  So we scheduled it for Monday, and what a treat this was!  I've never had a sonogram at this point in a pregnancy and I was expecting it to look similar to the 8-9 week pictures we've had (meaning we wouldn't see much more than a little "bean", and if we were lucky the bean might be kicking).  To my surprise, we could see an entire little lemon-sized human in there!  It was surreal to look down at my belly, showing no signs of anything going on, and then look at the monitor and see this:

 

We could already count all 10 fingers and 10 toes!  We could see the four heart chambers just pumping away, as well as the aorta and pulmonary artery.  The doctor was able to say with relative confidence that these vessels were carrying blood in the intended directions, i.e. no heart condition like Oliver's.  (This can be confirmed at the next ultrasound.)  How cool is that?!?  We could see the ventricles in the baby's brain and the corpus collosum separating the two hemispheres of the brain.   And look at that cute little face looking straight at us!

 

It was funny as the doctor was trying to get some specific measurements and the baby wasn't really cooperating.  In attempts to wake the baby up to get some movement, he kept jumping the wand around my belly, back and forth, up and down.  Check out how our lemon drop has one little hand just sitting on the forehead, like "Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm trying to relax in here?"

 

In case you're wondering, No, they couldn't tell anything about the gender (after all, it's only a 14 week ultrasound), but said we should be able to tell at the next one.  Now I just have to convince Russ to let me find out!

14 weeks: Probably my last "skinny" belly shot. . .

 

Just so amazing to know that, while I don't see much. . .

 

. . . God is busy at work, knitting this precious little miracle together.

 Next (and most likely, final) ultrasound: May 8.  Can't wait!