UPDATE

First - Jon passed the comp exam! This means he is ready for the step one and the next phase of our lives. We are mere weeks away. YAY!

Rissie's knee is seemingly back to normal. Her demeanor is so much happier - we hardly see that little scowl of hers anymore! :)

Lauren turned four! She has been declaring at every opportunity what a big girl she is now.

Gma Lee and A. DeAnna made her this cute cake.

Later U. Andrew lifted the girls up high with his leg. They loved it. (This is the same uncle that L. calls Mr. Incredible! :)
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Yesterday we finally took her to the ice to try out her new skates. By the end of the session, she was off on her own.

Rissie's little boots were so cutte. She hardly used them though, most of the time she was pushed around on the big cone...and who can blame her?

Her hair was coming undone. Here is Rissie with A. Carillisa.

And this is the cone ride for Rissie - thanks to Alli and Aunt C.

What a fun day!

Check the sidebar for more fun updates that aren't going to be posted.

Rissie's Arthritis

So here is the update on Rissie's knee. We left Miami early so we could have her looked at thoroughly since this is where our insurance is. After examining her they found she has juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), which is the same thing as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) they have just changed the name.
Yesterday was a big day for her. We took her to the rapid treatment unit (RTU) at Primary Children's where she was put under complete anesthisia and after draining her knee of the excess fluid they injected it with a steroid that will stop the cells at the end of her bones (at that joint) from producing too much lubricant thereby reducing the swelling and making it more comfortable for her to move around.
It's been a heartbreak to see her wobble around and sometimes even crawl. On occasion her knee just wouldn't work for her and she would tumble to the ground. :( She is such a brave girl though. It hasn't dampened her spirits at all and she has made due the best she can.

Rissie's turn in the ER

Saturday we noticed Rissie limping a little and she pointed to her knee and said owey. That's when Jon found that her left knee was twice the size of her right and warm to the touch. I couldn't think of her getting hurt in the last little while to account for anything like this. Rissie is a tough little cookie, but surely she would have complained about this. So it remained a mystery.
We elevated and iced it. Then gave her some anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen I think) and waited.
Monday Jon took his first final and asked the professor, who happens to be a pediatrician, what she thought. She agreed that we should get it looked at. So we took her into the Miami Children's Hosptial, which, we learned, is one of the top ten in the nation. That's comforting.

We spent six hours waiting for the diagnosis.

and waiting...

and laughing...

and waiting some more.

They poked her and poked her and ultimately gave her an IV in case she was admitted, then gave her an X-ray and an ultrasound. Originally they (the ER and infectious disease doctors) suspected that she had reactive arthritis because of her having been sick the last two weeks (a bad cough, but nothing that slowed her down.) The radiologist found what he referred to as "junk" in the pocket of swelling in her knee that he didn't like. But, because she was walking on it and it wasn't red he ruled out septic arthritis, which her blood work later confirmed.

Her ER doctor still thinks that it is just reactive arthritis but can't know for sure without further observation. He sent us home for a few days and instructions to keep her loaded on Motrin. Theoretically this should be enough. If this doesn't help, she'll have to see a rheumetologist and there is a good chance that she has juvenile rheumetoid arthritis. We are praying that the Motrin is enough!!

The Curse of the Glasses

"I'd like to make a toast to all the glasses in our apartment. May you stand tall and never fall!"

I've stopped counting the glasses that have broken since we have lived in this apartment (approx. 10 weeks). You might suspect that is just something to expect when you have two little eaters or drinkers in this case...and a baby, but she doesn't count yet. No, I am sorry to say that this tally doesn't include even ONE broken by our children. It's become a joke between Jon and I now and they KEEP BREAKING. I am not sure what to blame it on, or why if we are really so clumsy, it's only happening in THIS apartment.
Perhaps it is our unfamiliarity with the goblets that came with the house. Or the platform bed that we aren't used to - I can count THREE that I've nocked of my nightstand with my pillow! I have started using dixie cups just so we can keep our deposit. My favorite to date is the glass that broke because when getting loaded into the dishwasher, "it wouldn't fit where I wanted it." I could only laugh at that. It was probably the seventh or eighth to break and how can you scold your husband for doing the dishes?!
Ironically enough, my little Rissie broke the arm off my eyeglasses last week. Ha ha, I am writing this post with them dangling on the right side. (Don't panic for me, I wear contacts everyday. I just haven't put them in yet :)

Our little scooter

So I (Jon) decided to video her while she is in the learning to crawl process. I know I am mean for not rewarding her for reaching the goal. I reward her in the end after the camera is turned off with a big ole daddy hug.
The pants are for protection not fashion (says Becky)

Life is Good

I am happy this morning, and for no particular reason. I have moments when I am sad or angry for no reason too, but that moment is not now.. and I don't like to dwell on those anyway. Sometimes there are good reasons to complain, but MOSTLY I think that complaining is an expression of ingratitude. So if you hear me complaining - STOP me - or if you think our life is always grand rest assured it's not.

Jon has finished his ER or EM as they call it now (Emergency Medicine) rotation. He really liked it - and I really like that the overnight rotations are done for a little while. He has a big test tomorrow. Then finals in December. Hopefully he'll take SMLE or Step One by the end of January and we'll be on our way to finishing the next phase of rotations. The Step One is the big test that helps determine how competitive he is for a good residency.

Daddy's FHE Lesson

Joke of the day: What time is it when your camera slips to the bottom of the jacuzzi?
Answer: Time to get a new camera.

Unfortunately, that joke is not very funny. I'll tell you what it is though. Expensive. We were lucky to get the pictures out of it though. That picture you see of Lauren at the top is from a resurrected SD card.

Speaking of Lauren, I have to tell you, that girl cracks me up...all the time! She has gotten into watching Food Network with me, (usually during Anna's evening feeding and I watch Rachel Rays 30min Meals - LOVE it. fyi). Anyway, she has totally picked up on the cook show phrases and uses them throughout the day with absolute authority. Everything is FANTASTIC, she'll say. Or she'll insist on tasting this and that, which is always "terribly delicious". Her puzzle pieces are frequently on the shelf under the TV - baking. Gone are the days of me preparing a meal without a little helper. I've had to alter a few techniques so I can keep her occupied. Too fun.

Oh, one more thing I'll mention is that Lauren named her doll Kleese. Not bad eh? Get this, when I asked her about it she said it's for her Aunt Kleesa... aka Carillisa. Made me smile.



Rissie is gaining words everyday - YAY. And Anna, is now starting rice cereal. She likes it- YAY again. She is also starting to crawl, which totally blows my mind. What has happened to my little baby? I hate that my precious darlings are growing up right before my eyes. My heart totally goes out to mom's of little ones that have to work...and those that don't have to and still do I just can't relate - I can't imagine ANYTHING being worth what they miss.


I hope you are all doing well and in the words of The Mask, "Smile. It makes you Feel good."

What a fun Halloween! This is the first time the girls have been able to collect candy. I loved hearing L. say "Trick or Treat" and then R. with her little "Day do" (thank you.) We went to the trunk or treat at the chapel that the Primary decorated so cute. The achievement girls were in charge of the booths and the missionaries did the costume parade.

Here is a quick little video of them before heading out. I couldn't edit the video on this laptop so just ignore to two goofs at the end. :)

Kenny's Wedding Today

My little brother, Kenny, is getting married today - in a half an hour actually and I am at home on the couch. I can't get over how weird that feels. Weird may not be the right word because I've already shed a few tears, but I am not sad. I AM sad that I can't share in this most important day for him (almost) but mostly I am just thinking of my brother and feeling all of the love that I have for him on this exciting day for him. I say almost because he isn't getting sealed until Tuesday (they are just jumping through visa hoops). He is marrying a darling girl from Brazil named Jamile who will be leaving her world behind when her visa comes through. So his getting married down there is a small sacrifice when you compare the two. I am excited to meet her and have her be a part of our family. Bringing two worlds together into one takes a lot of adjusting - I don't envy the challenge that is ahead for them, but from what I've heard and observed they both have what it takes to make the other person their best - and most of all they are, of course, totally in love.

Congratulations Kenny and Jamile
and Best Wishes for the journey ahead.