Happy 10th Birthday Blake!!!

 My sweet Blake is 10 today.  A day filled with JOY in remembering Blake and deep sadness in missing Blake.  Birthdays are so important in our family.  We always choose a theme and make a big deal about the party-games, cake, gifts, etc.  It is difficult to celebrate Blake's birthdays and long to have a big celebration with him and all of his friends.  Here are his first 5 Birthdays...

1st Birthday

1 -1/2 Birthday

2

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday

5th Birthday

 Celebrating Blake's 10th Birthday in Heaven.  We made star shaped sugar cookies and frosted them blue for Blake.

Happy 10th Birthday Blake!!!  We all love you and miss you so much!

I HATE March 11th (I know, hate is a strong word, but it's true!)

This is Blake at 1- 1/2 years old.  He is doing so well.  Starting to stand on his own, walking with help, laughing and his face is filled with a beautiful smile.

Then March 11th came...Blake had a  hour and a half seizure that just wouldn't stop.  I was picking Daniel up from school and we were rushed to the hospital via ambulance, begged God for it to stop and it just wouldn't stop.  It was terrifying.  Finally it stopped, but from that point Blake slowly lost all of his abilities.  There is nothing worse than watching your child go backwards.  We tried everything.  Here is Blake and I in a Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber trying to heal his brain.

Sadly, this is Blake 2-1/2 months later at his 2nd birthday.  I had so many plans for a fun party for Blake, but he couldn't even hold his head up.  Devastating.

That is why I HATE March 11th.  It was one of the worst days of my life.  Oh how I long to see his beautiful smile again.  Thank goodness I have so many beautiful photos of Blake smiling.

Happy 5 1/2 Birthday Brielle! & Happy 1st Birthday Lucy!!!

Brielle is SO excited to be 5 1/2!!!  The 1/2 is soooo important to her.  :)  Someday she will wish she was younger, but for now we are enjoying her enthusiasm for her birthdays.  Our family tradition is to save a piece of cake from their birthday and to wear our 1/2 a birthday hat that I made 16 years ago for Daniel's first 1/2 birthday.

Lucy turned one on Feb. 22!  She LOVED her birthday cake!!!  It was a special recipe of salmon, chicken, kibble and yogurt!  Lucy is such a sweet and loving puppy.  She loves to snuggle, go for walks, play tug a war, and greet everyone with lots of kisses.  I never thought I'd be a dog owner, but Lucy (and Riley) have completely changed that.

Happy New Year!

Brielle making Grandma Willy's sugar cookies.  She is gotten so good at it that she does most of it all by herself.  The boys also helped make the Christmas cookies this year.  They got to choose two things each that they wanted to make.  Daniel's favorite is fudge, Drew's is caramel rolls, Brielle's is sugar cookies, Greg's is the shortbread rolls and  I love the Kuchen. 

The kids visited our very special Santa.  We thought he was going to 'retire' so this was a bonus year with the BEST Santa.  Santa has been our special Santa for many years and it all started when he showed the most beautiful love for Blake.  He took extra time with him, laid his hand on his head and bowed as if in prayer.  It was beautiful cuz Santa is right next to God.  ;) 

We were able to get Grandma out of the nursing home for a few hours for Christmas.  It was great we could all be together.

Brielle got Just Dance Kids- Wii  and she loves dancing and singing along.  She even talked Drew into joining her! 

Would you believe I woke up in the middle of the night to get this photo of what Santa left?  Brielle and Drew were up at 4:30 AM!!

Brielle has worn her Hello Kitty PJ's most every day since Christmas! (except for when they are in the wash!)

 Brielle was up till 1 am ringing in the new year!

 Dennis made us some AMAZING Lava flows!  A favorite drink from Hawaii.

 Lucy ringing in the new year!

Happy 2011!!!!