Good news to report!!!

Hi Everyone -
It finally looks like the "health" of our family is taking a positive turn.
Let's start with the Grandparents...
1)  Grandma Hart is making some great progress!  They did a swallow test last Friday (8-20), and she passed it so she has been eating "real" food!  She has had chicken, lasagna, sherbert, ice cream, peas, corn, and other stuff too.  Definitely a very positive sign!  They cap off her trach tube when she is sitting in a chair which allows her to visit and speak with everyone. 
2)  Mawma is getting some of her spunk back.  :-)  She's definitely had more energy over the past few weeks - either that, or she is just trying to get things done up before she has her sugery.  She's been making salsa and canning it. 
Her surgery is going to be September 13th, so please keep her in your thoughts on that day!
3)  Pawpa had his colonoscopy on Friday.  Everything looks good (which was a relief to all of us).  They did see some patches that could possibly turn into diverticulitis, which may be part of what has been causing his pain.  But for now, he is on the mend!

The kids...
Lincoln (Right) - we had his post op appointment today with the urologist.  He is up to 17 1/2 pounds in weight.  The doctor cleared him, so no more appointments for Lincoln!  His incisions look great, and as he grows, I think they will be hard to even see.  Modern medicine is amazing!

Jackson (Left) - we had another follow-up for Jackson's helmet this morning.  Another big improvement in measurement!  We started with a 20 mm difference in measurement, and 3 weeks ago it was down to a 15 mm difference.  Today, it is down to a 9 mm difference!  Our goal is to have a 0-3 mm difference, so this is great improvement!  Please hope he keeps growing and doesn't have to wear his helmet too long!  Next check up is in 2 1/2 weeks.

Busy time...
So, last time I mentioned we had a great weekend at Mawma and Pawpa's, but I forgot to mention that the boys went to their first parade!  It was Edon Days weekend, so we were able to attend the annual parade.  The boys were (thankfully) a bit young yet to be chasing after the candy, but we still had a great afternoon with family (including Great Aunt Shirley and Great Uncle Larry).  Lincoln didn't really like all the fire sirens, but Jackson was unphased by them. 

Last weekend (8/13-8/15) we enjoyed a weekend at home entertaining some friends.  Friday night, my friend Jennie watched the boys so that Brian and I could have a night out at the Red's game with the Brocki's.  I do love my boys, but it was very refreshing to have a night out with adults!  The game was hot, but the beer was cold, and the Red's won - so a GREAT night!  It was also Firework's Friday which is always a wonderful treat!  Thanks to Jennie for watching the boys!

The Brocki's stayed with us through the weekend, and it was wonderful having them around.  Their 20 year old daughter Jamie became Jackson's girlfriend really quickly - he loved when she would carry him around!  We had a great Saturday playing Wii, resting (Mommy got a nap), and topped it off with dinner out - including margaritas!

Sunday we had to say goodbye to our friends, but look forward to seeing them on a future trip to Toledo.  The rest of the afternoon we ran a few errands, and went to visit Grandma Hart.  The boys and I got to hear her talk for the first time in months - and she tried to make up for it!  We laughed a bit about how much she was talking, but it really was a wonderful sound to hear after all this time.

Last week was pretty quiet for us.  The only major thing was Jackson's therapy on Wednesday.  Still making progress, but doing his therapy is getting harder and harder, as he wants to be on the move constantly!  We just keep trying and working on it each day.

This past weekend was a pretty quiet weekend.  No where to go, no guests in town.  Saturday morning I was able to sneak out of the house for about an hour and a half.  I went to the bank, and stopped and got some clothes for the boys.  They are growing out of their 6 month clothes, so time for some bigger ones!  After shopping for a bit, I had to go home and save daddy.  The boys have been pretty fussy lately waiting for their first teeth to come in, and they weren't taking it easy on daddy.  I helped finish feeding the boys, and gave daddy a break so he could get a few things done around the house. 

In the afternoon, the boys had their first exposure to "meat" baby food.  Vegetables with chicken.  Jackson couldn't get enough of it...Lincoln didn't really care much for it. 

Saturday afternoon, Brian went to visit his mom, and the boys and I went to run a few more errands.   After dinner Saturday night, we were all beat, and went to bed early.

Sunday morning we all went to church, and met some really nice people after mass.  A woman and her family came to introduce themselves.  They are a family of 6 - 2 older girls, then a set of twins that were one boy and one girl.  Their son had to wear a helmet like Jackson - and she wanted to show us how good her son's head looks now.  It was great to find someone who understands, and to see that many years later, the effects of the helmet were still in tact.  We are going to have such a handsome young man when Jackson gets his helmet off!

After church, we finally went and bought high chairs for the boys.  We've been feeding them in their bouncers, but that is getting more and more challenging, as the boys are getting really good at getting out of their bouncers (check out the pictures to the right).  Hopefully, the high chairs will contain them a bit more, and also be easier on our backs!

After lunch (the boys got to try Maccaroni and cheese), it was off to visit Grandma Hart again for the afternoon.  She looks forward to our Sunday visits, and we are pretty sure that all the nurses/workers at the Drake know who our boys are!  She's a pretty proud Grandma!

Well, that's all for now.  Will write more again later.  Hope everyone enjoys the week and the final days of August!

Love,
Kate, Brian, Lincoln and Jackson