Saturday Fun

The girls and I discovered a new website Activity TV. It is full of instructional videos on a ton of different topics. The girls have done Yoga, learned to make a paper airplane and Story watched a video on how to make soft pretzels. We made them on Saturday. She worked hard kneading the dough.

She took break from kneading for a cute little pose!

I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but they were GOOD!

Sisters were too busy playing in the hose to help.

They filled up the chair to take a 'bath.'

Later in the afternoon there was a wasp in the house, so big sister had to protect everyone while Daddy took care of it.

We didn't do anything too exciting, but a typical day at home means a lot these days!

Empty Cabinet on the Entertainment Center=Fun Times!

We had our entertainment center in the bedroom, but just recently moved it back into the living room. The cabinet part was empty, so Lyric and Cadence found a use for it=-)

They had the cabinet doors closed and scared me when I came into the room.

One Month Ago Today--Stuff I Don't Want to Forget

My Dearest Little Story Bell,

We found out on month ago today, you have leukemia. You had been sick for a few weeks. Daddy had taken you to the doctor a few weeks before and they said you had a virus, but you weren't getting better. We found a pediatrician online near our house. She was wonderful! She had never seen us before, but she acted like she had been your doctor since birth. She told us she thought you had pneumonia and wanted to check your hemoglobin levels because you looked pale. They pricked your finger and got some blood. The nurse came back and did it a second time because she said it had an air bubble, but I think she was double checking because it was so low. The doctor came in and told us your hemoglobin was 4 and 10 was normal. She told us she was sending us to Vanderbilt for more testing. She said your hemoglobin could be low because of the pneumonia, because you were anemic or it could be leukemia. It scared us when she said leukemia, but we just wanted to get to Vanderbilt to have more tests. When we were leaving the office they told us we didn't have to pay. That's when we got really scared! I remember thinking, 'No, you take our money! It's going to be okay! My baby isn't that sick!' You and I had to go to the restroom on the way out and I was shaking and started to cry because I didn't know what was going to happen.

The drive to Vanderbilt was LONG! We had to go through the lunch rush traffic and it seemed like it took us forever to get there. I don't remember a whole lot about the day. They did a chest x-ray, gave you an IV and took your blood for testing. A doctor, we have no idea who she was eventually came in and told us that it did not appear that you had leukemia because your white blood count wasn't elevated. We were relieved, but still scared to death as we waited for the hematology team to come and speak to us about your blood tests.

When Dr. Allison came in I was standing near the bed and Daddy was sitting nearby in a chair. I really don't remember what she told us, but I remember her saying leukemia. I was shocked! I just remember staring at her. I could feel Daddy's presence next to me and I remember wanting to look at him because I knew he was feeling the same thing I was, but I couldn't take my eyes off the doctor. I know I called all of the grandparents, but I don't remember talking to anyone but Grammy. I remember before I told her I reminded her that she was taking care of your sisters, so she had to keep it together.

At some point, a child life educator came in and tried to talk to you. I remember her saying, "Story, my job is to make your life normal." I thought, 'What is she talking about your life is normal!'

The walk to the elevator and the ride up are all a big blur! I do remember getting off on the sixth floor and seeing a little boy about 10 walking down the hall. He was bald and pushing an IV. There was also a little girl about 3 pushing a baby stroller, she was bald. I just remember thinking, 'These are our people. We are now part of this crowd.' Later that day or maybe the next day the doctor came in. As she was examining you I remember looking at her name tag

and seeing Oncology/Hematology under her name tag and thinking, 'Oncology means cancer!'

That first night in the hospital was rough! The nurses had to give you three bags of blood so they were in constantly checking vitals and changing bags. I couldn't sleep at all! I would dose off and then they would come in and I would wake up. I would then lay there thinking about the day and what all had happened. By the time I would dose off again, the nurses would be back.

Daddy and I had to keep our sense of humor during all of this! The first time we took you down to the OR for one of your procedures we had a big laugh. We talked with the anesthesiologist and the other staff about exactly what was going to happen to you. They told us what they were going to do to you, when they would call us back to see you and that they were going to take good care of you. We walked with them down the hall. They turned left to take you to the OR and we turned right to go to the waiting room. Daddy and I grabbed a bite to eat and then sat in the waiting room. They have a big screen TV with all of the patients' names in the OR and their status (Jim-recovery; Sam-OR, Sue-holding). We were really nervous, so at one point Daddy got up to check the board for your name. It said Story-OR. Daddy practically came running back over to where I was sitting, "Story's in the OR! That board says she is in the OR!" I just looked at him..., "Honey, where did you think she was?" We both burst out laughing!

Another day in the OR waiting room we had another laugh. There is a lady who calls the patients name when they are ready for the family to go back to recovery. She then walks you back to recovery. We were waiting for you to be finished with one of your procedures. When we heard,"Story." We jumped and walked over to the podium. When we got there she was gone so we waited a couple of minutes. She came back and saw us standing there and looked at us like, 'What?' We said, "You called Story." She said, "Yes," and looked at again like, 'What?' We again said, "Story." She said, "Yes, Story." The poor woman had just walked the 'Story' Family back, so she didn't know what these two crazy people in front of her wanted! She finally realized we thought she was calling us and said, "There is a Story Family." We said, "Oh, okay. You are going to call out Cox, not Story." We went back to our seats and laughed at the fact that we were so ready to hear our name called we would have walked over for anything close!

I am surprised by how much we have learned about leukemia in such a short period of time. When you were first diagnosed I wasn't even sure how to spell leukemia. I also had no idea what chemo actually was! I didn't know that you could sleep while your mom chatted with a nurse that was injecting chemo into your body.

We found out today Lyric is a bone marrow match which is very exciting! But we also found out that they may want to go straight to the bone marrow transplant which we were not expecting!

This has been a wild roller coaster ride the last month, but Miss Story Bell I can't think of a better companion to be riding with. You are amazing! You just accept things for what they are and go with the flow! Not one time in the three and a half weeks that we were at the hospital did you ask to go out of the room. One time you asked when we were going home, but other than that you just knew we had to be there and that is how it was. One the day of your procedures, I think there were four now, I can only remember one day you asking for food and saying you were hungry. The other days you just knew you couldn't have food, so you didn't even bring it up. I know being cooped up in the hospital and being away from Daddy and sisters was hard, but I did enjoy our time together. It was nice to spend time with you and have nothing else that I needed to be doing on my mind.

I know all of this is FAR from being over Baby Girl, but know I will be by your side the whole time!

Love,

Mom

Earth Day Celebration

The city was having an Earth Day Celebration in Centennial Park yesterday. We decided to check it out. The girls had to have a snow cone as soon as we got out of the car.

We saw the Parthenon in the distance. It was very cool, made you feel like you were in Greece.

Story could hear the live music in the distance and she was digging it!

A festival is not complete without roasted corn! These two little vultures didn't want to share with me:-( Next time, I'm getting my own!

We sat near the back and listened to Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek for a while. The girls play Daddy's violin, so they enjoyed watching her play the fiddle.

When they got bored with the music we headed over to check out the Parthenon. The girls LOVED running around it!

Lyric and Cadence posed for a picture, but Story wasn't interested in it.

Daddy jumped in this one, but Story still wasn't interested! (BTW- that is not my purse he is holding, it happens to be the six year old's)

We headed back over to the music. Daddy was VERY excited about seeing Bela Fleck (in case you didn't know, like me, he is one of the best banjo players in the world).

Lyric enjoyed watching this chick hula hoop we have about 47 pictures of her to prove it.

Cadence danced and danced to the banjo. She is a banjo player herself, you know?

We had a corn on the cob, but a festival really isn't complete without funnel cake!

Lyric stuffed her face.

Cadence stuffed her face and nose-not really just a little powdered sugar.

Story gobbled it up!

Sweet sisters took a break from the dancing to pose with a hug.

Cadence needed a better view of the band.

We enjoyed our first festival in Nashville!

Although, we did get lost on our way home. Cadence called Grammy and Mimi J, "We lost and can't find our home!"

We did eventually find our way home before anyone lost it too bad in the backseat.

Discovery Center-FUN

Murfreesboro's Discovery Center was having a free family night this week. We hadn't been yet, so we decided to check it out. It was the coolest place! We definitely plan to go back.

Lyric loved watching the turtles swim around.

Lyric and Story tried out the fireman outfits and played in the firetruck.

They also made some rubbings. Lyric did a turkey with footprints and Story did a squirrel.

Story loved this crane! She spent a lot of time working.

Cadence liked it, too!

Story's legs didn't reach the pedals, but she enjoyed riding this Penny-Farthing (aka-bicycle with the huge wheel).

They worked a little with the digger.

Story, the little problem solver, had a pretty big pattern going with the gears.

It even worked!

Cadence and Lyric got to pet the snake.

The big girls LOVED the slide, but Cadence wouldn't do it without mama.

Lyric found a giraffe to take a ride on.

Cadence spent some time in the kitchen. She was yelling at me, "I eating right now!"

She checked out the birds.

Lyric and Cadence spent some time being mechanics.

They were very intrigued with this simple machine.

They had to turn a wheel and push on some levers to keep the ball moving.

I wanted to get all three girls in the tree house, but I had to settle with just two.

Cadence did a little laundry.

After we played inside we decided to walk around outside. They have a beautiful trail along a spring. The trees are so much taller than what we had in Texas.

The girls were all too happy to pose.

We saw this cool bird, not sure what he was.

This place is only about 20 miles from our house, so I am sure we will be back!

Lyric's New Do

I trimmed the back of Lyric's hair today.

When I was done she said, "I want my haircut where you can see my earrings."

I said, "What do you mean? Where you can see your earrings?"

She said, "You know, like Grammy's."

For those of you who have never met Grammy she has REALLY short hair. We decided to go to the computer and find a picture. She picked this picture of Alyssa Milano.

When she picked it I said, "Lyric, I don't know how I feel about that. It is really short!"

Devon overheard me and said, "What does it matter how you feel it is her hair."

So we did it.

It is SO cute on her. It's like her little face was made for that cut. She has gotten a ton of compliments.

Yes, that is red marker on her lips. I've got to get that girl some lipstick:-)

We Moved!

I haven't updated the blog in FOREVER! Things have been pretty busy around here. We are no longer living in the Austin area. As of the first of this month, we are now living in Nashville! It has been pretty crazy trying to get all settled in, but we are excited to be here and everyone is adjusting well.