Bella and Her Daddy

"Where's my daddy?" is the first question Isabella asks me every morning when she wakes up. She knows he's at work, but she has to ask the question anyways. Weekends really throw her, though, because her daddy gets her up. "Why you not at work daddy?" is her question. "Because I stayed home to be with you, my Bella," he says!

Check out these pics of Bella with her daddy.

That's Our Bella

Just a few pics of our crazy girl, being, yep, crazy! (And check out how much she's gumming her tongue. She's finally getting some big girl teeth.)

Pump It Up

Back in November - yes, that's how behind I am - we celebrated cousin Kelsey’s birthday at Pump It Up. The kids had a blast running around and jumping on all the huge inflatables. And the dads had a great time fighting each other in the enclosed Bouncer. The party was great!

We're Back!

Everyone is feeling much better! Super huge thanks to my mom and dad for watching "us" as I mended. And now, finally, some pictures!

Isabella loves animals. So for Christmas, her Aunt TT and Uncle Keith brought her the movie, The Jungle Book. She dances to the songs and especially loves the scenes with the elephants.

Her Grandma Sue and Papa Al got her a book about The Jungle Book with felt figures so she could tell the story herself. It' a wonderful, educational toy that she loves to play with. She makes up her own version of the story and plays with the felt board as she talks about the adventures of the characters.

I encourage every parent to purchase these kinds of toys for their children. Not only does the felt book get her away from the beloved television version of The Jungle Book, but it also encourages her to talk as she tells her story in her ever-developing vocabulary.

"I think The Jungle Book and The Lion King characters should all play together."

"Mom, can I stay up late and play?"

"Can I see through all this hair?"

Cleveland's Got Sole

Many of you know that Kevin is a shoe collector. He collects rare Nikes and Player Edition shoes wore by players, mostly Lebron James. Some of these shoes are worth more than $1,000 a pair since only a few exist in the world.

Well, he's taking his love for shoes and turning it into a sneaker expo to benefit charity.

Cleveland's Got Sole Sneaker Show will raise money for the Finish Line Youth Foundation which funds Cleveland-area athletic programs. The show will feature collectors' displays of rare shoes. The show will also have a raffle to win game-worn shoes from Cleveland Browns' players Josh Cribbs and Braylon Edwards and some rare Lebron shoes that collector's want to get their hands on. Raffle tickets are only $5 each (these shoes are worth upwards of $500-$750 each).

If you'd like to a donation, send a check payable to Finish Line Youth Foundation to our home. Kevin has worked really hard to pull this event together. I can't wait to seeke the finished project. It will be impressive!

On the mend - again

Thanks to lots of needed rest, I'm starting to regain my strength. I'm hoping by this time nest week I'll be back 100%.

I visited with my primary care doctor yesterday for nearly an hour to go over all the lab results, doctor consult reports and medications. She was very thorough and answered every question I threw at her, even the "So what's wrong with me?"

She was very straightforward and said they don't know and that they may never know what virus caused me to get so sick on top of the pneumonia. I had more blood work done and will meet with her again next Friday to see what new things develop.

Thanks again for your continued calls and messages. I love getting online and reading all your blog messages so keep them coming.

I've not been one for taking pictures lately but Isabella is doing SO well. She's got one heck of an imagination - I think she's going to be a fantasy writer when she grows up. Her latest of tall tales include caring for a guinea pig and a raccoon that live in her pockets!

I'm Out!

After 11 days in Akron General, I'm out! The doctor's released me last night to the care of my father (which I thought was pretty funny - obviously they don't think I can take care of myself yet.)

I'm still pretty sick. One nurse told me that for each day spent in the hospital, you should spend at least two days in bed at home. "You come to the hospital it get medicine, not to get well," he said.

Still very weak, wheezing and exhausted with each breath, I'm taking it easy at my mom's for a about a week.

I'm back online which is wonderful, even though I had more than 100 messages from just one client to answer.

Thank you for all of your cards, calls and flowers. They all brightened the deary days.

So what's wrong you may ask? What's not wrong is a better start.

About a month ago, I started coughing, went to the doctor's and was told it was bronchitis. Ten days of meds didn't make me better and the diagnosis moved to pneumonia. Ten more days of meds. I saw the doctor on Jan. 18. I was feeling a little better, still coughing though. She decided to see how I did without new meds.

I felt good all weekend and thought I was getting over the pneumonia. Felt good Monday until 4 p.m. when I crashed. Fever spiked to 105 degrees, couldn't breathe, ached all over. Kevin took me to the ER.

The pneumonia was back. But something else was wreaking havoc throughout my blood. And no one could figure it out. I had a team of eight doctors working for more than a week to figure out what was making me so sick.

The determination: Pneumonia, acute bronchitis with complications from asthma, an atypical bacterial infection and an undetermined viral pathogen causing fluid to collect around my heart. I'm on antibiotics, antivirals, steroids, inhalers, antacids, etc. I take pills eight times a day and I'm always sick to my stomach.

I go back for new blood work Monday to see if my ever-rising white cell count has started to fall.

Again, thanks for checking in! I'll keep you all posted!