Circus!

We had promised the girls for Christmas two years ago that we would take them to the circus. Well, that first year we couldn't find a circus near us. So when in the second year I found cheap circus tickets for a circus 15-20 minutes from us I jumped on them and bought four tickets six months early!

Then Erik's grandfather passed away and the funeral was being held that same weekend. And the girls and I had been sick and didn't want to get anyone else sick. So, Erik went to the funeral and the girls and I took Mia's best friend Charlotte to the circus.

We attended the Barnum and Bailey Ringling Brothers Circus Musical Spectacular Zing Zang Zoom! There was elephants, zebras, tigers, acrobats, trapeze, dancers, singing, magic, and so much more. We had a great time!

They opened up the floor of the circus an hour early so you could meet some of the people in the circus and see some of the acts pretty close. With so many people crowding a round some of the things we were able to see better from our seats, we were in the 6th row! Good cheap seats, that's a great deal!

The girls decided that they want to run away to the circus. Charlotte wants to be one of the dancers because "they are in the show alot but the don't have to do any dangerous stunts." Emma wants to work with the animals, especially the elephants, because she loves animals. And Mia is having a tough time deciding, she likes all the acrobatic stuff, like the cirque de soleil inspired stunts, but she also likes the dancing, and the ringmaster!

Here are a few pictures that turned out okay. I will be having Erik show me how to put together a video, because we shot a ton of video!

Waiting somewhat patiently in line in the blistering heat!

Sitting in their seats waiting for the show to start

Smiling pretty with the clown

Part of the opening act.

An Update On Emma's Leg

When Emma was 8 months old the doctors discovered that there was something wrong with the bone in her lower left leg. At first they had no idea what is was and they ran a zillion tests on her. (okay, maybe I am exaggerating just a little bit--but it's not by much)

They had her admitted to the hospital that afternoon and she stayed in the hospital for 8 days. Keep in mind that we had Mia also who was only 19 months old, and she didn't understand why mommy, daddy, and Emma were never around. Thank goodness that she was able to stay at Mammy and Grandpa's while we were at the hospital. Erik would go to work while I was at the hospital with Emma, he would come to the hospital to see us, and then one of us would go pick up Mia take her home to sleep, and then drop her off in the morning, and the cycle would start all over again!

They wanted to keep her in the hospital longer but we were just waiting for test results and she was getting sick being around all the sick kids in the hospital and I had Mia to take care of, so I convinced the doctors to let us go home and that we would come back for whatever else they needed.

While she was in the hospital she had her first bone biopsy. Her biopsy was performed by the best orthopedic doctor at Loma Linda, Dr. Shook. The reason we got him to perform the biopsy was because he was the doctor on call the day she needed her biopsy done.

Anyway, they finally figured out that it was Melanoticneoectodermal tumor of infancy. (Don't mind my spelling of it, just sound it out phonetically! And I'm sure there's suppose to be spaces or hyphens in it as well. Erik knew how to spell it correctly, I don't think I ever knew how to spell it.)

They then did a second biopsy within two months to double check and make sure they were correct in the diagnosis. They were. But because of having the biopsies done so close together she had to have her leg in a cast, just when she was starting to stand and take her first few steps. Melanoticneoectodermal tumor of infancy is a very rare bone disease that has only been seen in a handful of cases, and she was the first to ever have it in the lower leg. It is usually a fast growing tumor that if not operated on immediately and the whole bone removed ends up killing the child by squishing major organs.

Their recommendation to us was amputate her leg. Stop it before it could spread. They sent us to UCLA and allover for 2nd and 3rd opinions. Contacted the Mayo clinic, everything. So, we said okay if this will save her life go ahead and amputate her leg.

Many prayers and much fasting was offered up on this sweet little baby girl's behalf. Her name was on so many temple prayer rolls. Through one of the many Priesthood blessings that she received during this time she was told that she would be able to have full use of both her legs. Talk about WOW!

We went to her doctor's appointment when we were suppose to set up the date for the amputation the doctor surprised us by saying that there was another option. Which was to wait and keep a very close eye on her and here leg. We had to go back weekly, then every other week, then once a month, then every two months, then every four months, then every six months. Until finally we are on yearly visits. The bone has started to self-correct itself, if I remember correctly the technical term is "reorganizing itself."

Well, we just had our yearly visit and all is looking well, it is looking better and better each time we go. Her first x-rays looked as if her bone had been wrapped in gauze and a dog had chewed on it. This last x-ray shows the bone almost completely smooth! Both legs are growing at pretty much the same pace, they both have the same basic bone mass and muscle mass, she doesn't limp or favor her leg, and there is no pain whatsoever!

The doctors are amazed and call her the girl with the miracle leg. They want to write up a paper or two documenting her case so hopefully in the future it will help other families with children with the same thing. UCLA wants to do tests on her original 2 biopsies and see if they can discover something that will help others.

But best of all, she still has both her legs!!!! Now I just have to keep in mind whenever she's running all over the place, climbing and getting into everything that I prayed for her to keep her leg.

We know that it is through the faith, prayers, and priesthood blessings that she is a healthy almost 7 year old girl running around on both legs today! Thank you to everyone who was there for us during that trying time!

Emma's leg today with her scars from the biopsies.

The following pages are from her baby book!

Beach Trip In June

Okay, I fought with the computer enough! And now it is listening to me, somebody should have told the computer it was fighting a losing battle! ;)

Anyway, back at the beginning of June we were graced by a visit from one of my brothers, Kent!

While he was visiting we took a trip to Huntington Beach with Erik's family and had some fun just hanging out with each other, the sand, and the water!

I am going to have Erik put together one of his famous videos when he gets a free minute but for right now here are a few pictures to whet your appetite for the video!

Kent and Mia riding the waves!

Erik and Emma flying a kite

Some of the cousins hard at work

PS If you want a quick, cheap, and easy trick to get sand out of all crevices without hurting use baby powder! That's my tip of the day. And the bonus is that you end up smelling baby powder fresh and your skin feels really soft!

Stupid Computer!!!

Okay, this is just a rant! But I am seriously ready to throw the computer across the room. I'm not sure that will fix the problem but I KNOW I will feel better!

As some of you know, we have been having some problems with our computer lately. We had to reinstall Windows and the guy who "backed up" our files, lost our files and gave us someone else's! Can you say frustratingly annoying? Because I can!

Anyway, every time we get the computer back it runs slower and slower. Shouldn't it run faster since it has like nothing on it?

I have just spent the last hour trying to get pictures to upload to the blog so I can post about some of the fun we have had the last month. And guess what they still haven't uploaded!

I am going to see if Erik can figure this out for me. The computer always works better for him than me. Like the time I tried to print something, and I spent a good hour trying to get it to print. Unhooking and rehooking up the cables, checking to make sure the paper was right, the print cartridge, everything you can think of. I tell him to see if he can fix it and low and behold it prints for him! Aaaaahhhhh!

Hopefully you will get to hear and see some of our adventures soon!

Free Comic Book Day 2009

Well, it's that time of year again, where our girls dress up, get free stuff, and get their picture taken a lot.

Yes, this weekend was Free Comic Book day, and once again the fine folks at 4 Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga showed us a good time. Not only was Wolverine there with a giant sentinel to take pictures, but tons of other superheroes and Star Wars characters were on hand.

This year, the girls met a few creators as well, including Amy Wolfram, who writes some of their favorite cartoons and who wrote the new Barbie movie, Barbie and the Three Musketeers, and the very talented Todd Nauck who draws, among other things, the very characters the girls were dressed as.

Of course, no Free Comic Book Day would be complete without a visit with Kirk Kushin, who saved Emma from the collapsing bounce house two years ago--he's a genuinely nice guy, and this year he gave Emma a signed copy of his new graphic novel, Super Teen*Topia. Emma couldn't have been more excited, and won't let anybody else read it until she finishes it.

Afterwards, we went down and met Andy and Nikki at Hogi Yogi and spent the rest of the day with them. It couldn't have been more fun.

But hey, all this reading probably feels like homework. Here's the video and the pics.

Quick Little Video

Thought I'd post this, since I made it. Just re-familiarizing myself with my video editing software for a project I'm working on.

Back In Business- The California ScienCenter

Hey, folks. Sorry we've been out, but the computer was in the shop.

Here's the adventure we'd been meaning to blog when the computer first went down.

We took the girls down to the California Science Center in LA--they'd been once before when Uncle Ian and Aunt Angela were in town, and this was their first time back.



This is the truck outside that, believe it or not, the girls are lifting up by pulling on that rope. Yay, science.



This was the giant climbing wall. Yes, my girls are awesome.



Last time we went, the "special exhibit" was about Superheros. That was for Daddy. This time, it was about CSI. That was for Mommy. The girls had a great time, though, looking for clues, analyzing evidence, playing with the black light, and ultimately solving the mystery.



This was an exhibit about "Finding The Perfect Sized Sunglasses For You." Or it was a 3-D movie about fish. I'm a little fuzzy on the details now.

All in all, good times.

Coming soon--pictures of the March Daddy/Daughter Mommy/Daughter dates.