Mr. Fearless

Nicholas has a new trick.

1) Fling pillow off of loveseat.
2) Dive head first over the arm of the love seat
3) Stop diving when in 'headstand' position
4) Fling legs over and flop onto back
5) Repeat. A lot.

Then mommy has a heart attack.

He has also tried to do this over the back side of the loveseat, but we usually stop him in time. He did actually fall over the back tonight, and he hit the floor pretty hard. We hope he learned his lesson.

Daniel meets a Mini Cooper

Daniel has a "thing" for Mini Coopers. He received the Matchbox version in his Easter basket and has been pointing them out on the roads ever since. Today, Daniel came with me to a haircut appointment and we decided to go on a little adventure. OK, a surprise adventure. When I pulled into the Mini dealership, I think he was confused. (He's never been to a car lot you know). Then I convinced him we could get out of the cars and go inside and look. He got very excited about the red Cooper above. And don't you LOVE the little lean and crossed feet?

Once inside, we saw this pre-owned blue one, but he refused to get in. So we went up to the new Mini area to see if we could get a brochure. I did get him to sit with me inside a new tricked out S convertible. Then we went back downstairs and he was all over the blue one. I think he turned every knob and pushed every lever - everything but the horn.

Talk about some pure joy!
We told Daddy we made a deposit... Daddy thought it was pretty cute that he sat at the table when we got home and looked through his "Mini Cooper Book." (I can't find that photo- must be on the other camera).

Mommy's little motor head...

Happy Heart Day!

OK, one day early.

"Heart Day" is the anniversary of Daniel's Tetrology of Fallot repair surgery. I figure, if you have open heart surgery, you should get to celebrate that day annually. Especially if your surgery takes place before your first birthday. It also just so happens that Daniel's annual visit to see Dr. Charlie Baker, his pediatric cardiologist, usually happens in July. And yes, I am dorky enough to "shoot for" having the checkup on heart day if we can. Dr. B is out tomorrow.

My other odd 'tradition' is that I have a photo of Daniel on the exam table, usually with a stethoscope and sometimes with a doctor (yeah, he sometimes takes the stethoscopes to play with) at every visit. So, above is little Scooter and Dr. B.

Daniel's latest "thing" is to tell us that his heart is blue. We figure it's because his favorite color is blue, and that the most prominent veins you see in your arm and such tend to be blue. Dr. B thought that was interesting and let Daniel know that his heart is now just like everyone else's. Sweet!

There was also a pedatrician doing her cardiac rotation with CHC (Children's Heart Clinic) and she got to listen to Daniel too. Little Daniel is generally a very patient patient. He has had lots of students and other doctors and nurses check him out.

The exam went well. Last year Daniel also was treated to an echocardiogram. They skipped that this year, but will probably do one next year, so Daniel will get to bring his own movie to watch while he has his echo. He doesn't need any special meds or treatments or even observation, which is always what we hope for. He still has a bit of a murmur, but Dr. B wasn't sure if that is the leaky aortic valve which we know Daniel has (he didn't think it was, but it could have been) or a little leftover VSD (ventricular septal defect - hole between ventricles) from the patching (but I thought last year's echo showed that as closed). So, all in all, no surprises! YAY! Oh, and more good news, Daniel is now 36 and ONE EIGHTH inches tall! That has to be taller than when he met Dr. Ainslie (the pediatric endocrinologist), so that makes me happy. Still (technically) just under two inches before he can 'legally' move to a Graco Booster in the car. We won't mention that he sometimes gets to sit in a booster in the Maxima...

Happy Heart Day little Scooter!

Tomorrow we will celebrate with cupcakes at school and maybe even a heart cake at home. We'll see how mommy feels. There is also a movie in the park (hotel for dogs) and activities, but again, we'll see how mommy feels.

My favorite number

This morning, Abby was cuddling in bed with Nathan and Daniel was in his "nest" (my snoogle pillow) and Abby was singing:

"My favorite number is... cheese" (repeat, over and over)

"Abby, what number is cheese"
"It's the one between 100 and 99. I mean, 99 and 100."
"Really, I hadn't heard that."
"Yeah, it's the silly number - cheese."

I was unaware that dairy products could also be numbers.

Happy Lee Resolution & Independence Days

I wanted to check my memory, so I did a little research.

According to Wikipedia (which knows everything, right? (ha ha, kidding!), the Lee resolution was the act of the Second Continental Congress which declared the 13 colonies to be independent of the British Empire. The resolution was approved on July 2, 1776. The text of the document formalizing the action, the Declaration of Independence is what was approved on July 4, 1776.

So why isn't July 2nd the "big day" we Americans celebrate? Simple really - the colonies were at war in 1777 and no one remembered the anniversary of July 2. They realized it on the 3rd, so opted to celebrate the 4th and the Declaration instead. (How many husbands of the world would like to allow their wedding anniversary date to slide around like that?!). And really, how many "average Americans" would really understand the passage of the actual resolution on 7/2, vs. that beautiful, script July 4, 1776 we see on the Declaration?

Here's an amusing snippit from the Wikipedia entry, which I have also seen elsewhere, which makes me believe the whole "oops, we forgot the big anniversary so we'll make a new one...." This is from a letter John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3:

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

So, how did you celebrate?
The Minnesota Battans hosted the whole Franta clan from Nebraska for a few days. There were trips to MOA, Fawn-Doe-Rosa, Winehaven Winery, Eichten's Cheese and work on the fabulous new beagle-proof fence. There was a small incident regarding fireworks and some very sad little cousins, but in general it was a great weekend. Photos and more of the tale coming soon.

Just mark your calendars for next year - Celebrate Lee Resolution Day (people will think you're silly, but isn't that what life is all about?!)