An Article

I saw this article linked through a blog of another mommy of a baby born with congenital heart defects.  Since Marsi's birth and subsequent diagnoses and surgery I have become a researcher in what could have caused the heart defect she was born with and what to do with trying to diagnose things with any future children we may have.  I know why it took so long to diagnose Marsi with her PDA.  She was THRIVING!!  Who checks for heart conditions when a baby is reaching every milestone even if they have a murmur?  Not many people at all.  I know that I wasn't worried.  Well, hindsight is 20/20 and if future children have any symptoms Marsi had, I know what I am going to ask for.  One of the first things that I will ask for is a foot O2 reading. This article explains why.  Marsi was monitored for O2 while in the hospital, so it may not have worked for her, but it is a very good starting point for a lot of CHD patients.  Even if me asking for it makes doctors think about it or know about it.  All I know is that God helps you through things that you are given.  I was given a precious little girl with a heart defect.  If I can help one other person, it is completely worth the emotions that I have gone through with this.  I love my little girl more than anything and I would hate to see a family lose a child when non invasive testing can root out a majority of moderate, unknown at birth, CHDs.

Professional Pictures

When Marsi and I got back from Missouri, my cousin Maggie McBride took new pictures.  I think they are adorable.  Maggie is incredibly talented and Marsi is a great model.

For Father's Day, I wanted to make a photo collage for Endrit.  So, I went out and bought a D and an A, some paint and asked Maggie to take these pictures.  I LOVE them.  There are 2 sets.

Strawberries and Bananas

For my first review, I did a little bit of market research.  Knowing that freeze dried Strawberries and Bananas were pretty much the only product that are marketed towards toddlers as finger foods, I wanted to do a comparison.  I bet you can guess which ones are from Mother Earth Products and which are Gerber.  The ones on the left that look like the sliced fruit is the Mother Earth Products and the little pieces on the right are the Gerber.

I bought the Gerber product a few days ago.  Marsi loves the taste of them but finds it hard to pick  up the tiny pieces.  They break up SO small that it is even hard for me to pick them up and Marsi has always liked to munch on larger pieces so we end up putting 2-3 pieces of Gerber product in her mouth at a time and she would get really frustrated that she couldn't feed herself with the small pieces.  Just to add, she does excelent with self feeding puffs which are pretty small, so it isn't that she doesn't have the skills.

With the larger pieces with the Mother Earth Products, Marsi was easily able to pick them up.  I did find that it was better if I broke the pieces in half.  But, better to have to break them up than have too small of pieces!!!  She always liked the taste of the freeze dried fruits, so she loved to be able to sit and self feed her snack.

Of course, I also eat the things that Marsi eats.  As far as taste goes, the bananas are very similar in taste between the 2 brands.  They taste excellent!  Freeze dried foods truly keep their shape, texture, and taste.

With the strawberries, there is a distinct difference!  Mother Earth Products strawberries are by far better.  I don't know if it is the size of the product or if the strawberries themselves are of better quality.  I think it is the quality that is different.  If you can see from the picture, the chunks of Gerber strawberries are very light in color as if they were freeze dried before they were ripe.  The Mother Earth Products strawberries are all very rich in color and flavor.

All in all, I am very, very impressed with these 2 products and am excited to try many other products!

Mother Earth Products

My uncle Theodore Pope is the owner and operator of Mother Earth Products.  In all honesty, I have never really been a fan of dehydrated foods (banana and apple chips included!) I was SO happy to see that he not only has dehydrated foods (which are wonderful for cooking, not so much for my snacking taste) but also has freeze dried fruits and freeze dried veggies which are lighter and easier for snacking!  Another food storage item that I didn't know about until he opened this business is TVP or textured vegetable protein. I will be doing a review of these products in the future.  I hope that Marsi likes the freeze dried fruits and veggies because these would be SO much healthier than the snacks that are currently being given out for babies and children.  Why eat wheat puffs that are manufactured when you can have fruit and veggies that last a long time in the diaper bag?

Here are links to the store:

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New Venture

I got bit by the crafty bug.  I got sick of buying wipes so, I decided to make a few dozen cloth wipes to use with the cloth diapers.  As I was doing that, I got an idea to make another baby carrier.  I have wanted a Mei Tei for a while.  I just hadn't had the energy or the time to make one.  Well, this last week I bit the bullet and made one for myself.

The straps around the back were way too short so I had to patch things together to make it long enough.  Other than that, I really like the carrier!  I think Marsi likes it too.

When I posted the picture online, a friend of mine asked if I would make one for her.  I was having fun, and with the 4 day weekend coming up, I decided to take it on.  It turned out HORRIBLE!!!  The pocket was placed on wrong and I forgot to cut off some fabric because it was 60 inches wide instead of 45 inches.  I ended up freaking out, getting upset with Endrit trying to help and demanding that he go to his parent's house and get the seam ripper.

After ripping things apart, taking the excess fabric off and sewing it back together again, I love it!  I am SO excited to send this off to my friend.  

I think that Marsi also approves. 

Next on my list, shopping cart cover!

7 years ago...

I married my best friend.  

Our life changed beautifully in the last year of our marriage welcoming Marsi into our hearts and home.

There were some things that I knew I was signing up for, and others that have been surprises.

I knew I signed up for Endrit to get his PhD.

  

I didn't know that Endrit would become the best stay at home Dad for a few months while I went back to work.

He is still my best friend, my confidant and the man I want to be with the rest of my life and into the eternities.

Swimming

Marsi swam for the first time on Saturday.  She absolutely loved it!  She loved floating on her little life jacket.  She even learned to kick and move her arms so she could move around by herself.  It was really fun to see her smile and splash around.  Just another experience for the baby!  We love giving her experiences.  She seems to take them all in stride. 
She is army crawling like a champ and getting up on hands and knees.  She will be full on crawling before we know it.  Sheesh that baby grows up so fast!