Move to Fort Wayne

Seriously, I have to be better at taking pictures of big events like this. Things were just too busy I guess. Sunday, we packed up the moving truck and drove it, and our new car to Fort Wayne Indiana. We lucked out for the summer, and we found a furnished apartment right across the street from Gord’s law firm. That made moving so  much easier. We only had to bring pots and pans, dishes, towels, Jack’s crib, our clothes, you know, those kinds of things.

I was so glad to have the extra help of my mom, dad, and Adam. They helped a ton this weekend. Thank heavens for family.


Once we got settled in, we walked over to the park across the street (which is the lawn right behind Gordy's law office) and played a little frisbee and catch. Adam and Gordy lost a ball in the bushes. It was never found. 

Jack had such a fun time with his Gramma and Grandpa on this visit. This boy really loves his grandparents. He is so, so blessed to have two sets of grandparents who love him so much. They are his special buddies, and when they are around, I might as well not even exist. haha  My mom and dad went home a couple of days ago, but he still asks about them. It’s kind of sad and kind of cute all at the same time.

In the meantime we have just been running errands and getting things set up here in our apartment. We haven’t had the internet since Sunday, so that makes some things really difficult. If you want to try an interesting experiment, try going without the internet for a few days. We have had no tv, no music, no way to look up directions in a new city, or find out the number to our utility company. It’s seriously amazing how dependent I am on the internet. It has been nice though, spending so much quality time together as a family.

So far we have just been exploring the city downtown. It’s fun to be right downtown, where there is a certain energy, and life. There is lots to see and do, especially during the summertime. The city of Fort Wayne does lots of festivals, like the BBQ festival, the German festival, Greek festival, and Three Rivers festival. We’re excited to check all of those out. It seems like every week there is something scheduled in the city. Oh! And I found out that every Thursday, there is lunch on the square (same square where Gordy works and only half a block from our apartment) with live music, so Gordy, Jack, and I are planning on meeting up for a picnic lunch on Thursdays on the lawn outside his work building.

This morning we went for a walk down by the river at Head Waters Park. The weather was AMAZING, and the park was gorgeous.

I think that this is going to be a really fun summer… if only I can get used to the traffic noises on the street below us. Every time a car alarm goes off, or an ambulance or loud car drives by I wake up. Jack seems to enjoy the extra noise though, and I often catch him at the window trying to see the “motorcycles” or saying “beep, beep, beep” when he hears a car alarm. Cutie pie.

Did I mention that we live right on top of a Chinese restaurant, a Jimmy John's, and right across the street from an Italian Pizzeria and a Pub? Nice. 

Well, Jack just woke up from a three and a half hour nap (score) and it’s time for us to go check out the famous Fort Wayne Zoo. 

Mother's Day

Gordy and Adam got in late Saturday night, after we were all asleep. Gordy went to Utah for his Grandmother’s funeral, and Adam helped Gordy drive back to Bloomington from Utah. When I woke up Sunday morning, I was so happy to see Gordy after our separation of a few days, that was present enough for me. But Gordy, as cute as he is, wrote me a sweet message in our book, and brought me outside to show me my Mother’s day present, a NEW CAR! So exciting, and probably the only time in my life that I’ll get a new car for Mother’s day… Gordy even put a big candle on the hood of the car, because he said he didn’t have time to make a giant bow for it. Haha. He is the best…

My parents were in town to help us with the move, so it was really nice for me to be able to spend Mother’s day with my entire family, even though we were moving…

A Case for the Medical Textbooks

So lately, Jack has been looking like some weird case from a medical textbook. He developed this rash and it started on just his leg, then spread to his arm, and tummy. We took him into the pediatrician before we left Bloomington, and he told us that it was just a contact rash. He prescribed some hydro cortisone cream, and sent us on our merry way.

Little did we know that the rash would get worse. Now, it has spread to his right leg, right arm, bum, both feet, and both hands. It is so pathetic looking. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be bothering Jack. He doesn’t scratch at it or anything…. We just hope it goes away soon. 

Second Level II Ultrasound

Gordy went to Utah to attend the funeral services for his grandmother who passed away. So, because all of our friends were busy moving/getting their summers started my mom and dad decided to come for a short visit to help me with Jack and to help me pack while Gordy was gone in Utah.

My mom came first on Wednesday, so that she could be with me to help with Jack at my doctor’s appointment in Indianapolis. Man, oh man, I was so glad to have her help. In the past two weeks alone we have had ELEVEN doctor’s appointments. We’ve had doctors coming out of our ears…

Anyway, mom was there to help me with Jack, which was great… especially when Jack started to have a mild panic attack when the ultra sound technician put the wand on my belly.

 We started the ultrasound anyway, and right away- surprise, surprise, baby number two is STILL a boy (he’s never been very modest).  

I reminded the technician that we were there to check on the baby’s choroid plexus cyst (a cyst, located in his brain, which consists of spinal fluid. And was found during the first level two ultrasound). She did a through scan of his brain and could not find the cyst anywhere. She then brought in the doctor who checked for it. She was also unable to find the cyst…. Which means… that the cyst DISAPPEARED! Good news for us! I was really happy to get that news, even though the cyst was benign and would not have caused any problems whatsoever. It’s still a teensy bit scary to think about a cyst being in your baby’s brain. As you may recall from School House Rock, the brain, the brain is the center of the chain…. And that’s something you just don’t want to mess with.

We were then able to get some of the fun ultrasound pictures done, like the baby’s profile shots. Those are the cutest don’t you think? When you can see their little noses and lips. Darling. We tried to get a shot of his face using the 3D ultrasound, but it didn’t really work out. This is the second time we’ve tried and both times he hides his face… I guess he wants his big reveal to be a surprise. Haha.

After the ultrasound, my mom, Jack, and I had to kill some time waiting for dad’s plane to land. Mom took us shopping at the mall in downtown Indy. I had such a fun time. It’s been way too long since I’ve been shopping with my mom.

Then it was off to the air port to pick up dad, and then lunch at Shapiro’s Deli. Then another hour drive home.

It was quite the busy day, and with all of that going on, plus getting ready to move, I completely and totally spaced my last OB appointment in Bloomington. I felt like such a dum-dum. I was supposed to get my results from my glucose screening, and my doctor was going to be out of town for the entire following week. Bummer.

…but the lady at the front desk did tell me that my results were high and that Dr. Crooke wanted me to go to a dietary clinic, which, by the way, she says is only offered on Fridays and it is too late to register you for this week’s class. Bummer again. I’m moving this weekend. Thanks for making me worry and then not giving me any real actual information, front desk lady. You are the best (sike).

So anywho, I might or might not have gestational diabetes. I guess at this point no one really knows….? Least of all me. So, until I can get in to see my new doctor at the end of this month, I’m just trying to do what the google tells me… a diet of low sugar, low carbs, and high in protein. It’s also weird to have to eat every two hours… oh well. 

Gramma Jacque

This past Sunday, Gordy's Gramma passed away after being afflicted with Alzheimer's for several years. Aside from occasional visits, I didn't know her well, because by the time I joined the family, Alzheimer's had robbed Gramma Jacque of her ability to speak.

She was the sort of woman though, that you could feel her spirit just by sitting with her, and I'm glad that I at least had that opportunity a few times.


What I do know about Gramma Jacque is this: She was the kind of woman I aspire to be. I’ve heard story after story about her, and not a one of them negative. If you knew her, you loved her. That’s just the way it was. Gramma Jacque was a social butterfly. Every where she went she ran into someone she knew, and she always had to say hello…  I think about how many times I have seen someone I know in the grocery store and pretended not to see them, just so I could avoid an awkward conversation or because I was in a hurry… This was not Gramma’s way. She was a friend to everyone and always took the time to catch up and chat when she saw an old acquaintance. I’m so glad that she passed this quality down to Gordy. Hopefully I can learn to be more like them.

I’ve also heard stories of her legendary Sunday dinners. She would spend hours preparing elaborate Sunday meals, while also setting an immaculate table, complete with center pieces, and china, and all… and the family would sit and chat over these spectacular dinners for HOURS! Quite the feat when you consider she had FIVE boys and a daughter to boot! It takes a miracle worker to get that many boys to sit still for that long, wouldn’t you agree?

Even though I never had the privilege of having a conversation with Gramma Jacque before her disease stole away her ability to communicate, I feel like I have learned a lot from her example and the type of life she lived. I hope that I can be as good of a friend as she was, I hope that I can serve other’s as she did, and I pray that I can love and take care of my family the way she always has.

Anyway, Gramma Jacque will be sorely missed by our family, but we know she is so happy now, and that makes us happy too. Heaven must be rejoicing to have such a beloved  and happy spirit join the concourses of angels. 

Jack, 18 Months

Golly. It blows my mind that a year ago today, Jack was having his open heart surgery. How in the world could that have been an entire year ago?!?! I mean, I know so much has happened in that span of time, but it certainly doesn't seem like a year has gone by. I guess time does pass by quickly when you are a parent. It's strange and sad and rewarding all at the same time. So bizarre.  I mean, just look at what can change in the course of a year. This is a picture of Jack today, and the other picture was taken after Jack came out of surgery (on his 6 month birthday).

I still cry when I look at pictures from his surgery. I probably always will too... It's just amazing to me how healthy he is today, even after all he's been through. You would never, ever know that he had any kind of health issues at all. Truth be told, you can barely even see is surgical scar. We are truly blessed.



His 18 month stats were:
Weight..... 22 lbs 6oz (10th percentile)
Height...... 32 in. (50th percentile)
Head ........ 50 cm (95th percentile)

Jack is the funniest kid. He still loves to laugh, and will laugh at any joke you tell him.

He has zero inhibitions. He says "Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi..." at the top of his lungs to EVERYONE, and he'll say it as many times as it takes to get them to respond. Usually by the time they notice Jack is talking to them he's yelling, "Bye, bye, bye, bye" as we walk away, going about our other errands. Old folks drool over Jack, and he revels in their attention. He's a shameless flirt too. On more than one occasion I've caught him blown kisses, and telling women in the grocery store " I nee new" (which means I need you). This picture demonstrates what I'm talking about... our neighbors happened to pull up in the parking lot while we were taking pictures and Jack needed to say "Hi".

Jack is smart, as smart as they come. Every day he shocks us by saying a word we had no idea that he knew... just in the last few days we've heard: shirt, pillow, and computer. Every day it's a new one. He also likes to pretend to spell (even though he doesn't know his letters yet). When he sees a sign or a book or anything with letters on it, he'll say something like "E, e, i, a, u".

Jack is incredibly sweet. He loves to cuddle. Lately, he's been giving these incredibly cute hugs where he'll pat you on the back the entire time. It would melt anyone's heart, I'm sure. When he is feeling silly, he likes to give silly kisses where he opens his mouth big and wide and rubs his slobber all over your face. It actually is pretty funny, just picture that movie about the dog called, Beethoven.

Jack loves to play. I would say lately he has two favorite games. The first is "scary" or scaring you by being a "dino". He sticks his arms out in front of him and says "RAWR, RAWR!". That is when you are supposed to either 1) run away yelling, "Oh no! Please don't get me!" or 2) act completely surprised. Usually either reaction is pretty good with Jack. The game also works in reverse. Jack loves to pretend to be scared (his scared face is super adorable) and he loves to be chased. His other all time favorite game is sort of his version of hide and go seek. Jack will walk into another room (sometimes hiding, and sometimes not) and yell "where are youuuuuuu?" until he finds you.

Jack is obsessed with balls, pens, and phones these days. He calls phones "hellos", and pens "nines".

jack's favorite books are "Where the Wild Things Are", his picture Book of Mormon, "Mr. Brown can Moo can You?", "Goodnight Moon", and "Spots Big Book of Learning". He has an entire shelf full of books and he ALWAYS chooses one of those to read.

Jack likes to carry things and tells us how "hebby" (heavy) they are.

Jack is a great eater and will usually eat anything we put in front of him. His favorite food is still "noonuls" or noodles. He's getting better at using a fork and spoon, although he hasn't perfected that skill quite yet. He usually refuses to drink from a sippy, preferring a regular cup so he can feel "big"... and it's always water. This kid can really drink a lot of water.

We've finally stopped putting him down with a bottle of milk. Next thing to go will be his "binkie". That transition might not go as smoothly as eliminating milk before bed time did.

Jack is a BIG helper. He ALWAYS wants to be a part of whatever I am doing. If I'm cooking he wants to stir the pot, and he doesn't mind telling me so. If I'm cleaning, you better believe he's following me around the house squirting me with his water spray bottle and wiping things down with a rag. He loves to help sweep, and he LOVES to vacuum. His favorite is when I chase him with the vacuum cleaner.

Jack is terrified of doctors. I think he might have a little post traumatic stress from all of the poking and prodding he's been through in his life.

Jack is very strong willed. If he gets some idea in his head, he will not stop until the mission is accomplished. I'll be honest, there are times when this really tries my patience, but he's getting better at listening, and I'm trying my best to learn to be calm in these situations.

I think that Jack knows that his Lolly and Pop are on a mission. Lately, he has been talking about his Lolly a lot. Every woman with light hair gets called Lolly, and all of his pretend phone conversations are with Lolly too.

Jack is an incredible person. We are so lucky to have him in our family and to be blessed to watch him grow.

Hasta la Vista 2L

Last week Gordy finished up his 2L year! Man, we just can't believe how quickly this school year went by... I guess that's what happens when you stay busy!

Finals week(s) was a bust for us. Jack and I both got sick, and stayed sick for two weeks. The entire time we were keeping our fingers crossed that our sick germs wouldn't find their way over to Gordy. Being sick during finals week for a law student is like the kiss of death. Anyway, it turns out that Gordy stayed healthy, and for that we were really grateful. Meanwhile, Jack and I went through three entire boxes of Kleenex in less than a week. Lovely.

Anyway, this year has been a real roller coaster for us. We were really excited to start off this school year, because we were settled in Bloomington, and we had a pretty good idea of what law school was all about after completing the first year. Little did we know that 2L comes with stresses all its own, the main one being finding a summer internship.

A few things stand out about this past school year. The first, is that we had an incredibly long and gorgeous fall and a very short and mild winter. That means lots of park time with Jack and friends, lots of walks, and lots of just enjoying the beautiful weather. I mean really and truly, the weather was AMAZING for that half of the school year, which put me in such high spirits. Looking back, it seems like our first semester of 2L year was also consumed with trying to get interviews, sending out resumes, and applying for jobs. That's all anyone talked about. EVER. I guess that's because that was what everyone was most worried about. We were really blessed to have found an internship with a wonderful law firm in Ft. Wayne this summer and we are excited to be moving there this week (YAY for new adventures!).

There was really only one big thing that stands out about the second semester of 2L year and that was finding out that we are expecting our second baby, a little boy who will be due in August. This means that I spent the entire second semester sick as a dog. So, I guess that's why that was the only thing that stands out about that semester.... but talking about that would be like beating a dead horse at this point. I'm just so grateful to have a husband who not only balanced the stresses of working multiple jobs on campus, finishing his regular class work, and participating in law journal, but also was able to help pick up all my slack at home. This was major... I'm talkin' dishes, cleaning, taking over baby duty so I couls crash as soon as he walked in the door... everything. I've decided that he's pretty much Super Man.

Anywho, it was a year filled with a little bit of stress but a LOT of blessings, and we made it through... that's the important part of the story. Now we're excited to see what next school year holds in store for us. I think we both pretty much have a "bring it on" attitude after what we've been through. One thing for sure is that we will be adjusting to being a family of four and I'm sure that will come with challenges, tears, giggles, and smiles uniquely fit to our family.

Since Gord has finished classes, and he still has a few weeks before his internship begins, we have just been living the easy life. Every day we just hang out together, run errands together, clean the house together, play with Jack, go on my ultra-slow turtle paced pregnancy exercise walks together, and we've had like ten doctors appointments in the last week and scheduled for this week.... you get the picture, we do everything together, and after getting through yet another year of law school, it's been pure bliss.

We've been able to do some fun little things too, like meet up with the Castellanos at the park, play outside in the water, and go out for ice cream with the Castellanos. 

 Those confused looks are totally classic for these two. 

It's always so fun for Jack and EE to get together. You might not be able to tell from the pictures, but they get so excited to see each other. Jack literally jumps up and down and squeals as soon as Ethan is in is line of sight. These two are quite the pair. They are really funny to watch because they make each other laugh and giggle by doing silly things and making funny noises at each other.

... and sometimes during the summertime, you accidentally match your dad (like perfectly), and that's okay because then you get to take a picture making a goof ball smile while saying "cheeeeeeeese" as loud as you possibly can. 

It sure has been fun hanging out as a family this past week and a half, but heading into a CRAZY week. My parents are coming to help us move up to Fort Wayne in a couple of days, but before that can happen we have to pack (still) and go to like 10.4 billion more doctor's appointments. Wish us luck!