Christmas Card....Blog

MAY YOUR DAYS BE MERRY AND BRIGHT!

I really had good intentions of creating a Christmas card and sending it all of our family and friends. But what I have learned this year...three kids is a big change and sometimes you have to let go of the little things!
So, in lieu of a Christmas card...I figured I could send this out to many more people if I wrote a blog!
In the 11 days since this month has begun...the Pillstrom's have been super busy!


We decorated the Christmas tree.

Each kid hung up his or her ornament.

This one says "Lynleigh, born in our hearts 2010." It's hard to believe that this time last year we were still up to our eye balls with paper work! And here we are getting ready to celebrate our sweet girl's first Christmas!
By the way...I'm sure you can tell that she's not really hanging up her ornament but instead a tag that I had already taken off the tree!

We had yet another snow day here in the south! I know! Repent! Snow...in the south...in December! It never happens! But I couldn't resist trying to get another picture of her in the snow. So this time...I chunked her out right in the middle of it!

Yeah...she hated it! She just stood there looking at me in near tears, silently begging me to help her out of this monstrosity!

So like the good mother I am, I took a few more pictures and THEN I helped her out of the snow!

This weekend was warmer (50 degrees) so I thought it would be a great day for the park! We have cooped up in the house for so long.

We bundled up and hoped that it wouldn't be too muddy.

Well, it was and despite what it looks like...she didn't really care for the park!

She really liked walking up and down the steps on the slide and I actually got the three of them to stop long enough to take a picture. Brady said this would make a great Christmas card pic but I thought showing my kids behind bars wasn't sending the right message!

So, I held little girl while the boys horsed around. I made them run a few laps just to get rid of some energy and then we went to lunch.

It's been a great month so far and with this being our last week of school....I foresee much more "fun" with the whole clan!

First Thang's Giving

If anyone ever loved a holiday it was probably not as much as Miss Thang


loved this one! You know this girl LOVES to eat...well, Thanksgiving was right up her ally!


But before the eating could begin, she had to dress up in her newest Miss Thang outfit!

Each year, my mom and step dad come to town all the way from Texas.

Once they arrive, we hang out at my aunt's house! Usually, we "plan" to eat around 2pm but that never happens! This year, we had plenty of time to make lego trucks,

take a quick nap,

and have a special visit from a native American (not my step dad who really is native American).


After Lynleigh got a quick hour and a half nap, her favorite part of the day arrived!

It was like food over load...and what ended up over loaded was her diaper at the end of the day! Don't worry, I didn't take a picture.

But we did learn that Lynleigh is a food conartist! She would beg anyone and everyone for food which meant she ate way too much! She had 4...yes 4 dirty diapers by the end of the day!

At the end of round one, the kids decided to rest and watch a movie. The boys ended up watching all of Cars 2 but Lynleigh found it more entertaining to climb on and off the bed until I got tired of that game and she ended up playing outside with my aunt.



Our weekend also included Black Friday shopping on Thursday night and a visit with Santa on Saturday!

Saturday night, we decided to try to take a cute family photo.


This one of the kids was amazing! I love that they all smiled at exactly the same time! That never happens!

Add Tony and me to the mix and well, you can hear the circus music already!

We did finally get a cute picture, however, we couldn't make a circle with our heads to save our lives! I ended up crying I was laughing so hard and a big headache where Lynleigh kept banging her big head on mine!

Oh the memories! I can't wait until Christmas! We will be decorating tomorrow so that should be fun with a two year old! She has no idea how much she has made this holiday the best one EVER!!!!!!!

Two Months

Wow! Can you believe we have been a family of five for two full months? Yesterday marked the two month anniversary of our Gotcha day! It seems like yesterday we were in China waiting for our sweet girl to walk in the room! And then again it also seems like she's been here forever!
Who knew how fast time would fly?

Sorry I don't have anymore pictures that this one. I had misplaced (well put it in my backpack and forgot) our camera. But I couldn't wait for you to see this one of all of us! She just fits right in! We have to send pictures to China and I was so happy that she didn't look miserable in a picture with us!

Miss Thang is getting braver each day! Today, we went to Lowe's and she actually walked through the store for a few aisles! Those of you who know us well, know that she ALWAYS wants to be carried! She also walked some at a craft fair today! She's so brave!

She loves playing with her brothers! We try to go outside anytime we can. Tonight, she wanted to wrestle with the boys so she would run up...hit one of them (usually Kaden)...laugh...and run off! She's such a thug!

I'm interested to see how she responds to Thanksgiving! You know that girl loves to eat! Now that I found our camera, I'm sure I will have plenty to blog about after Thursday!

The End Has Come

I can't believe that I have been off of work for seven weeks! In that time, we have traveled half way around the world, added a tiny, person to the family, and started having tea parties! Boy has life around here changed!

One thing that hasn't changed is how much time we spend outside! Like her brother, this girl


loves to be outside! It's ashame that it's cold today! Thankfully it will warm back up this weekend so that she can chase this guy...

and of course...this guy (who also happens to be the love of her life)! People keep asking me how are the boys with her and does she like them. Well, they think she hung the moon and will do anything for her!

She, on the other hand, tolerates Kaden (unless he has food) and thinks Brady is the greatest thing in the world! However, she doesn't like either one of them in the morning!

One thing she does like is riding in the dump truck! It cracks me up because I used to do the same thing when I was little!

She also loves to chase the boys down the street! I hope this isn't a sign of the future! Thankfully, we live in a cove so playing in the street is ok!


Yesterday, we went for her one week post op check up! She left there all smiles! She got the arm restraints off and the doctor said that she's doing great! She can eat anything she wants and can drink out of a sippy cup. Her future holds a few more surgeries but he is very optimistic about that! He said that her mouth had a spot that he couldn't get closed this time so he put in a bonding agent that would fill in wit scar tissue. It's pulled apart a little but it's still closed. He will probably want to touch that up in a year or so. She will also need a bone graft when she's about 6 or 7 and possible need a touch up on her nose. It will all depend on how she grows! I have no doubt that God will repair what HE wants and will allow the doctor to do the rest!

So, what will I miss when I go back to work?
This

of course! What will I not miss?

You guessed it! BTW, she's smiling because we are watching Tangled! She brings me the remote for the DVD player...she knows the difference...and points to the tv and yells! Then she laughs every time the horse comes on! I hope she can survive the day at the sitter without her best friends from the movie!

I'll leave you today with a cool picture we took the other day outside! I love our five people family and thought it's only been this way a few weeks...it seems like forever!

Seriously, She Gave Me A Rat!

All Hallow's Eve started off with a BANG!


A friend came over so we could hang!

A tea party set for not one, but two...

and she's still not sure about sharing her toys...who knew?
So, after our visit, it was time for a nap.
We ran a few errands,
Then it was time for some scarin'!

Two ninjas...ohhhh so scary (yeah right)!



How about a princess and fairy to top off the night.

It's amazing I was able to get a picture of all four,
Then it was time to head out the door!

A trick and a treat...

And some candy to boot,
Brady, the ninja cracked us up...what a hoot!
We thought one house would be where it's at...
Brady said, "I don't know why, but she gave me a rat!"
The girls headed home and the boys kept on treating...
We came home to find that the dads had been eating (candy!)
Despite the cool temps, and the scary house that was lame...
All Hallows Eve, like every night, ended the same!
Two boys and a girl are all fast asleep,
Hey, look is that candy?
SHHH! I'll just take a peek!


The End!

Operation Smile Complete!

First, let me start by saying Thank You for all of your prayers! We have been truly blessed by the outpouring of support from our friends, family, and even people we haven't met during this process!

Operation Smile started like any other day! We arrived at the hospital at 8:45 as requested and started the pre-op process. Sign in, change clothes...and start the wait!


We waited and we waited...

And we walked and we waited...

And she played....

And we waited some more! I was really worried about her because she hadn't had anything to eat since 6 the night before. But Lynleigh was a trooper and made it until surgery time without much fuss! At 2:30 it was finally her turn! Apparently, the child before her had some complications that took longer than expected. I took the opportunity to rock her for a nap and pray for the child who was in surgery during that time! She had a great nap...as did I...and then it was time to take her in!

As you know, Lynleigh is not fond of strangers! So, the nurse dressed me up...

and allowed me to escort her back. I stayed until she was nice and asleep and then off to get some lunch for all of us while we waited!

Surgery took about 2 and 1/2 hours and we finally got the call to meet her in recovery. I'm so thankful that Tony was with me because after seeing her with blood in her mouth, I almost fainted! Tony stepped up and took care of her while I lamely sat to the side with a wet rag and a cup of apple juice!

We got back to our room and all settled in and everyone left around 8:30. Thus began a long night of beeping machines and a very upset and confused baby girl!

Day two started off rough but slowly got better as the day went on. We were told we would leave that afternoon because she was doing really well. I went to pick up the boys and started to have a panic attack. Tony called about the same time to tell me we weren't leaving and that she had started bleeding! It wasn't bad and all I could think was thank you Jesus! I was not ready to go home yet.

The highlight of the day was a couple of yahoos coming to visit!

The nurse gave us a wagon and we went to explore!

We painted, played bingo, picked out a new toy, and some of us had cake! (Not Lynleigh, she is still on liquids!) And then our visitors went home.


Night two was so much better! She slept which meant that I slept! It was great! And then today, we got the good news! We were getting to go home and Lynleigh was more than happy to hop back into the wagon and wave bye bye to all in her path!

It was a long two days but we were taken care of by some wonderful nurses and staff! I couldn't have asked for a better experience with surgery number one! She will need more but we won't know how many until she starts to grow!


We had so many visitors (some who came with Coke Zero in hand!) and even one of the most amazing lunches and desserts ever (Thanks Aunt Judi)! Our friends Sarita, Christa, Amanda, and Josh spent many, many hours by our sides praying with us and just being a source of encouragement!

And then, we packed up and said good bye with a smile that will make your heart melt!

Operation smile phase one is now complete. Our sweet baby girl is safe at home and sleeping in her daddy's arms while I blog! All is well with the world!!!