Mr. Link

Our little man is still keeping us busy. He starting walking/running at 13 months and hasn't stopped since! He is now 15 months old! I was just recently looking at pictures from Christmas time and Link looked like a baby then. He looks and acts so much older now! Besides 'mama' and 'dada' and a bunch of babbling all day long, he's not way into talking. He loves to give high fives, show us his tongue, give us kisses, play peek-a-boo, wave to himself in the mirror, and get thrown in the air by daddy. He has a love/hate relationship with the vacuum. He is fascinated by it when it is not on and he plays with it and tears it apart but when it gets turn on, the tears start coming. He LOVES to turn the lights off and on and would do it all day if we let him. He has been playing with plastic Easter eggs this week and thinks they are the greatest thing ever! He fell down the stairs for the first time last week and since then has been MUCH better at climbing down backwards. He still tries to see where he is going so it's kinda backwards and sideways at the same time. We have a bunch of puzzles and he used to just throw all the pieces off the board but now he is trying to put them in the right places! He still loves the outside and is fascinated with animals (I don't know where that came from). It's so fun to see his little personality come out. Here are some pictures for your enjoyment.


When he gets tired he will rest his head on whatever he is near- the couch, the floor, you, etc. It is so dang cute!





He sucks on his toes sometimes in the car when he gets bored. What can you do...

Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has just released a new rendition of the motion picture "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration" and it is available online. They used a lot of footage from the original with more narrating and explanations. You can watch it at this website.

Lucas

One of my favorite quotes is by Neal A Maxwell, An apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He said:

‘The new star of Bethlehem would have had to be placed in it’s precise orbit long long before it shown so precisely. By reflecting such careful divine design, it underscored what the Lord has said, ‘All things must come to pass in their time.’ His planning and precision pertain not only to astrophysical orbits but to human orbits as well. Each of us has a personalized plan. Like the Christmas star, each of us, if faithful, has an obtained orbit, a priesthood path, as we pass through this second estate.’

This quote teaches that the events that happen in our lives do not happen by chance. The Lord is in charge and He will allow events to happen in our lives that will bring about the most personal growth. This quote also teaches that ‘human orbits’ do not happen by chance. People are placed into our lives for a reason- to teach us, to strengthen us, to help us grow. Russ, Lincoln, and I were blessed to be acquainted with a little guy, along with his parents, who taught us all of these things plus countless others. His name was Lucas. When Lincoln was at Primary Children’s Medical Center for the first month of his life, Lucas was there for his Glenn Surgery. Lucas was the happiest baby I’ve ever met. I always loved walking by his crib because he was always smiling and flirting with all the nurses. He had endured so much in his life and yet was giving and sharing happiness with those around him. To me, as a parent of another little heart baby, he taught me to hope. Hope for Lucas, hope for Lincoln, hope for all the other children with physical ailments. His parents were examples of strength, service, testimony, and happiness. Through all of the medical appointments and ups and downs they were strong. They had so much faith in the Lord that they KNEW what the Lord wanted would be the best for all of them and that they would be able to endure it. Even while living at Primarys, they were always looking for ways to serve others and to brighten the days of those around them. They exemplify what Elder Neal A Maxwell said, “Empathy during agony is a portion of divinity.” Along with their son, they always had a smile on their faces. Russ ran into his parents this past weekend and learned that Lucas “peacefully left this mortal life on Wednesday, March 9^th” at 21 months old. I am grateful that Lucas and his incredible parents crossed our ‘human orbit’. I am grateful for the knowledge that we have of the Plan of Salvation and that Lucas and his family “are sealed by the Lord’s holy priesthood to become an eternal family.” Keep these wonderful people in your prayers. If you would like to help, they asked to “please consider donating to Intermountain Healing Hearts, an organization that has provided tremendous support to us and other families affected by congenital heart defects.”

PHOTO SHOOT

So... I was BORED the other day and I didn't want to do dishes, scrub the floor, etc. so instead I took the sheet of my bed and dressed Link up and did a PHOTO SHOOT! Russ thought I was crazy when I told him about it... you probably think I'm crazy too! But anyway, here are the pictures from our Snowy Day Photo Shoot!

What I have been up to (by Lincoln)

(Written by Lincoln)

Now that I am ONE I am such a big boy! I like to stay busy... and keep my mom busy!! Here's a sneak peek of some pictures of things I have been up to lately.

I have been playing and playing...

and reading (Do you like the 99 cent sticker? Mommy and Grandma are classy and shop clearance!).

I played with my cousin (okay- not really with him but next to him!).

I found daddy's wallet and I was so excited!

I took everything out of it! I'll keep this card for me (or mommy!).

I love my daddy! I am officially a Daddy's boy! I get so excited whenever I see him! He loves me too (sometimes I think more than mommy... but don't tell her that!).

I found my wipes and I can open them now! I like to take all the wipes out of the container and then put all of them into my mouth and suck out the chemicals!

We were going to go outside so mommy tried this hat on me. I look happy in this picture but it was really tight and I was grumpy and just wanted it off!

And mommy let me drive the car!! Okay... just kidding! But I love to play with the steering wheel when we are parked. I can't wait for the day I can really drive (mommy can!)

I've been up to a lot more lately but that's all the pictures that mommy and daddy have download. Hopefully they will download more soon! I'm walking better but I still get a little scared and prefer to crawl long distances. I now have three teeth and ALL of my top teeth want to come in which isn't very fun! I love to destroy and take apart and empty everything but just recently I decided I could put some things back on the shelf or bowls or toys. I like giving high fives and clapping for myself when I do something cool! I love mommy and daddy and strangers sometimes make me scream and cry! But most of all I like to stay BUSY BUSY BUSY!!

Belated Birthday

I know Link's birthday was more than a month ago but I am so behind on blogging so I'll try to catch up starting with Link's birthday festivities...

Link's birthday was on Sunday so Saturday night we went to my mom's house.

Link's cousins helped him blow out his candle...

Then Link devoured a chocolate cupcake!

Then the next day we went to Russ's parents' house and had another birthday party!

After heating up the bumbo...

Link attacked another chocolate cupcake!

Happy Birthday Kiddo!

Watch me grow!

I know this is a little late! Lincoln is now 13 months but I wanted to post all of his monthly pictures til he turned one so here they are!! It's incredible how fast they grow! I keep thinking Lincoln is still a baby but I recently visited some friends with newborns and they were so tiny compared to our little guy!

1 month


2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

9 months (he turned 8 months in the middle of our BT Shunt hospital stay so no picture)

10 months

11 months

One year...

My little boy is ONE YEARS OLD. I don’t even know where to begin…

Over a year ago after Lincoln was diagnosed with a heart defect, I felt strange having baby showers and getting things I didn’t know if I would use. I didn’t want to put up a crib or get his room ready in case we didn’t use it. When people who where ignorant of his diagnosis would ask ‘are you excited?’ I never knew what to answer. I literally did not know if I would bring a baby home from the hospital, let alone be celebrating his one year birthday. But he made it! He is now one years old. He is strong, smart, and healthy and I didn’t know that I could love an individual as much as I love him! Here is his year in review…

January 16, 2010: Lincoln was born and passed through the window into the NICU.

He was then transported to Primary Children's Medical center ICU and we were able to go visit and hold him for the first time.

January 18, 2010: Lincoln’s first Catheter surgery to open his pulmonary valve. The surgery was successful but he acquired a blood clot that had to be watched carefully and treated with medication.

For the next 2 weeks Link went on and off of Prostaglandin to see if he needed the BT Shunt…

February 2: BT Shunt

February 7: Take Lincoln HOME!

Thursday April 25- Friday April 26: Lincoln’s LONG Dr.’s apt- He went in to get an upper GI done for acid reflux and Russ got his oxygen stats checked and they were in the 50's so they put oxygen on him and he stayed in the PICU over night. He was a completely different baby with oxygen and we were happy to take it home with us.

April 30^th: 2^nd Heart Catheter Surgery to figure out why Lincoln's oxygen stats were too low and if he needed the Glenn at that time. Found that with oxygen, he would be fine to wait.

August 2: 3^rd Heart Catheter Surgery- to prepare for the Glenn Surgery

September 14: Glenn Surgery: This was a miracle surgery! I remember blogging about how I didn't think Link needed this surgery because he was so energetic and happy. But I was amazed at how everything has worked better since this surgery. He has been a better eater, has digested everything better, has been more energetic and been even happier than he was before the surgery.

September 29: Goodbye Oxygen!!

January 2011
I've had a lot of mixed feelings at Lincoln's birthday but the overriding feeling that I've felt is GRATITUDE. I am so grateful for the doctors, nurses, and surgeons that have worked with Lincoln. I am grateful for the medical advances that have made his life possible. I am grateful for the many many prayers that have been offered in Lincoln's behalf. I am grateful for all the prayers that Heavenly Father has answered. I am grateful for Russ and the support and love that he has provided to Lincoln and to me throughout Link's life. But most of all, I am grateful for Lincoln. I am grateful that I was able to bring my baby home from the hospital. I am grateful that I have been able to continue to bring him home after all his hospital stays. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to see his smiling face every morning. I am grateful that he is a healthy busy boy that I get to try to keep up with everyday. I am grateful for how strong he is and for all that he has taught me this past year. Happy Birthday Lincoln!