2011 Year in Review

This year was relatively quiet compared to last year, which is fine by us.  We made a ton of good memories, and it has been so fun to watch Quinn learn and grow.  She has changed from a little baby to a toddler in 12 months... it is so cool!   It is amazing how much we all love that little girl.  She is bright, silly, and fun.  She is the center of our world, and we wouldn't have it any other way.  We will always remember 2011 fondly, and with great gratitude for all the exciting things we got to do with our healthy little Quinn.  

January: Quinn weaned off oxygen during the day.  She became stronger and more playful.  We did lots of fun activities inside, despite being on house arrest. 

February:  We went on walks on nice days.  Quinn started rolling and sitting.  She left the house to get her photos taken. Dalan had a birthday.

March:  Tubie went in, and we could see Quinn's face without her NG tube all the time. We celebrated St. Patrick's Day, and Quinn went pantless a lot of the time. 

April:  Tubie came out, and her button went in.  She started crawling, and calling her binkie her, "guy-guy."  We got off house arrest and got to visit with friends, and go to the farm and the zoo!  The Easter Bunny came!

May:  Quinn turned one!!!!  We were one of the top family fundraising teams in Utah for the March of Dimes!  We went on more outings, and we said good bye to the oxygen tanks completely.  

June:  I am on summer vacation and celebrate my 32nd birthday!  Quinn hangs out in her diaper while at home, and we get to go on even more outings!

July:  We start doing more and more activities, like the aquarium, Lagoon, parades, fairs, planetarium, etc..  We celebrate the 4th of July.  Quinn starts standing on her own!

August:  We went to San Fransisco, and Quinn goes on her first plane, boat, and train.  We go on lots of activities.  Quinn gets her first ear infections.  I go back to work.  We find out VaRonica and Nathan are having a baby!  We celebrate Quinn's Due Date Day!

September:  More activities, like the zoo and Oktoberfest.  Quinn and Odessa are blessed by the Reverend Nghia.  Quinn starts walking.

October:  We celebrate Halloween, and go on fall activities.  We enjoy the nice weather.  We go on drives.  Dalan and I celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. We cheer on the Utes!

November:  It gets colder, and our activities slow down.  Quinn turns 18 months old.  We celebrate Thanksgiving. 

December:  Christmas time!  Quinn meets Santa.  Quinn hosts a party.  Dalan and I get ready for all the Christmas festivities.  Raul causes mischief.  Santa comes!  Time with spent with family.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Sneak Peak and a Review

My mom won a free photo shoot from FotoFly! ( See past photo with them here and here.)They are in the process of expanding to Thanksgiving Point, and doing outdoor photos, and they were in need of some "test" photos of the new space. We were excited to be able to get family photos. However, they named the dates, and times, and they were very limited, so it ended up just being Dalan, Quinn, and me in the photos as nobody else was able to make it. Patti did come along for the photos, but refused to be in any of the pictures.

The photos turned our wonderfully, however, I was far less impressed with the Fotofly experience in the great outdoors. It is likely because the outdoor studio thing is new to them, but they were less patient with us than in studio, but expected us to be more patient with them. The pictures were suppose to ready the following Monday, but were not ready until Thursday. I know they were free, but we did rearrange our schedules to be there, and froze to get outdoor photos, but it seemed their attitude was, well, there are 1,000 other people (the number who entered the contest) who would trade places with you, so you are not that important. I would do indoor studio photos with them again, but I am sticking to Lazy Day Photography (See past photos with them here.) for our outdoor photos. The quality was the same, and they are so much more fun!

However, I am totally impressed with the photos, and so grateful that my mom let us have her winnings. We got Quinn's 18 month photos, and family photos for free! We are so lucky! I have already put together our Christmas cards with my very most favorites, so you can't see those yet. But here are some of my other favorites.

Not Impressed

We took Quinn to Cabela's for one of her activities. It is free, and it has fish, and some non-living animals there. I thought it was worth a try. Quinn was not so impressed. She liked the fish tanks, and the giant polar bear, but other than that, she had no interest in the taxidermy animals. She just wanted to stare and wave at the other kiddos that were there. I would not even mention it, but I got some cute photos. Plus, it will be good to remember when planning next summer activities that Quinn prefers her animals alive and moving.

Check-up

Quinn had her 12 month well child check-up today.
It went really well!

Highlights:

* Her weight, height, and head are all back in about the 5% for her adjusted age. The doctor was very pleased.
* We also had some information off her pulse-ox machine downloaded and sent to our doctor a few weeks ago, but it was put in her file without him seeing it on accident. He read it today, and decided based on that and the information from us, that Quinn no longer needs oxygen. Or her pulse-ox machine. We are done. I am very excited, but a little nervous about not knowing if she is breathing all night long. It has been a pain and inaccurate, but some reassurance at the same time. Wish us luck.
* Quinn is hitting all her milestones for her adjusted age, and a good majority of them for her real age too!
* Quinn's iron levels were great! I was a little worried. She used to be very, very (scarily) anemic due to all her transfusions and whatnot, but not anymore!
* We are going to get to transition her off her very expensive formula that is free of cow's milk protein, and try her on a soy formula. And work toward giving her yogurt and cheese in a few months.
* She got four shots, and cried, but calmed right down. I was a little worried we would have a repeat of when she had her button for her g tube put in, but rather she slept the whole way home!
* The doctor asked if we celebrated Quinn's FIRST birthday with a bottle of champagne, and jokingly asked if Quinn drank it all herself or shared it with us. He later offered to buy us a bottle of champagne to celebrate her weaning off of oxygen. I am seriously considering buying a bottle, and billing his office. Ha, ha!

Favorite Moments of 2010

Here are my favorite moments month by month from 2010

*January: Trip to Vegas



*February: End of my first trimester/Announcing Pregnancy



*March: Good bye hair



*April: It's a girl



*May: Meeting Quinn Ava



* June: Holding our baby



* July: Quinn is off the ventilator/ into a crib/ wearing her own clothes



*August: Due date celebration


*September: Eyes maturing/ROP decreasing


*October: She's home!


*November: Solids/More time on room air



*December: Christmas!

Favorite TV shows of 2010

(In no particular order...)

1. Amazing Race
2. Dexter
3. How I Met Your Mother
4. Glee
5. Parenthood
6. Modern Family
7. Glory Daze
8. 16 and Pregnant
9. Teen Mom
10. Real World/Road Rules Challenge
11. The Office
12. Big Bang Theory
13. Always Sunny in Philadelphia
14. Entourage
15. Californication

(Quinn staring at the TV)


(There is my cute focused on mom, not the TV, girl!)

Favorite Jams of 2010

My favorite jams from this year have included:

1. Nothin' On You by B.O.B and Bruno Mars
2. The High Road by Broken Bells
3. Dream On as sung by NPH and Mr. Schuester


Quinn's favorite jams have included:

(The girl loves Top 40 music....she is a wiggleman, and needs music she can dance to...)

1. Forget You by Cee Lo Green (but we listen to the unedited version. Good thing Quinn doesn't know English yet.)
2. California Gurls by Katy Perry
3. Single Ladies by Beyonce (an oldie, but a goodie)

Quinn's favorite things!!!!

Quinn loves this vibrating bird. As soon as you get it out, she opens her mouth, so you can put its foot in her mouth (the whole process is similar to catching a fish...), then you pull the string, and it vibrates. Quinn will smile and giggle. She will also put the rump or the beak in her mouth, if nobody can help with the insertion of the foot.


Quinn loves her new baby doll. My mom gave it to her as part of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Quinn loves to hug her, and give her kisses (or try to eat her face off...you decide.)



Quinn also loves books and reading. She likes to look at the pictures, and touch the pages. She is a good listener, and is loving all the Christmas stories.