Happy Birthday, Piper!

She's THREE! "3" When did that happen? I was just remembering her delivery this morning, thinking "WOW, we've come such a long way!" Piper is a miracle to me...and I know all mom's say "oh I love my child", but if there were words to express the deep, meaningful love I have for my child, well...then I'd be a millionaire. She's my best buddy...we've been through so much together and it's amazing to me to see her growing up, fighting the way she does, and just being the best kid you could hope for. Her Cystic Fibrosis does NOT slow her down. She's on the move...she's happy and when she's sick like she is now, you'd never know it for the smile on her face! I absolutely LIVE to see that little face in the morning, knowing that every moment is a blessing! It's bitter sweet for me...to see her reach another birthday. I beam with pride that she is growing and becoming a little lady, but I cry inside that every year we add a candle, is just one year closer to, well...one year harder on her lungs. BUT...I love her and I honestly wouldn't change a thing! She splashes so much color into my life. She takes an ordinary day and makes it extraordinary...she's made my life magnificent in a world that can otherwise seem rather mediocre. I thank God for her...I thank him outloud and I thank God that I was blessed with a child with CF. Is that odd? Is it strange that I feel like a part of some secret society? I get to know how precious life is...I get to see the AMAZING gifts that we are afforded everyday of our lives, that which can be so easily overlooked. I get to see the love and the selflessness of families that live with this wretched disease on a regular basis and I begin to think to myself..."yes...this was meant for 'us'" .I love you Piper--from the bottom of this heart of mine!! You make it all...well..."extraordinary".

*photo's are from her birthday outing today! That second picture...I just fell in love with it! It's dark and deep and speaks volumes about how I feel about Piper. She had an absolute BLAST! That first picture of the pink van, well that sucker shoots BUBBLES out from the back NON-STOP! She freaked when she saw it! Her favorite gift of the day...and now my carpet is soapy lol...but it was well worth it! Love seeing that smile!

Would you like a spot of tea?

We moved her tea table into the living room yesterday, right in a little nook by the window. It's her own little "space" and she loves pouring tea for everyone and looking out the window. Just a few pictures from today's tea party-palooza!

I love having a little girl!

Because of moments like this....

How do you spell fun? T-H-O-M-A-S of course!

Today was the greatest day of Piper's life! haha...or so she says. We spent the "day out with Thomas" the train and I gotta say...it was pretty darn cool. We got to actually ride Thomas for 25 minutes and then Piper got to meet her idol, Sir Topham Hat. When she saw him she yelled "Toppa Hat" and ran across the world to get to him. We waited in line and finally she got her turn to "meet" the man behind Thomas. She was so smitten with him, it was quite adorable. The last picture on here was just too sweet. He was waving at her while she hugged his GINORMOUS body haha, it just filled me with joy seeing her this "in heaven". She and Livi had a grand old time...the hay picture was hilarious. They got in a GIANT hay fight, in their hair, their diapers, falling over, knocking each other down...it was a riot, we all had tears of laughter streaming down our faces. Too cute! This is a definite recommendation from me if you know a kiddo that loves Thomas!

"The Masterpiece"

This is Jonny's architectural masterpiece...designed for Piper, who will later, like a Tazmanian Devil, run by, destroy it and run away cackling madly! haha...but it sure is "purdy"

Making headway with Manual Mode :-)

I've made an effort all week to shoot "EVERYTHING" in full manual mode...especially Piper, because she is the biggest challenge of all. Such a little ball of energy and impossible to slow down, so I thought, if I can shoot her in manual and accomplish it, then hooray for me! She is great practice. I took her on a little walk today and shot the whole thing in manual and everything seemed to finally fall into place...and it's so fun, that I don't want to switch back to Aperture priority! The pictures are so crisp! Anyway, I just thought the black and white was a beautiful picture of her...hair "wispy" in the wind and in deep thought! My pretty girl...and of course, those gorgeous flowers in the 2nd picture! Man, I'm so glad to be back in Florida!

I believe...

Isn't this cute? My mom got this for me while she was in Ohio visiting Todd :-)

Today's Outing

It was windy and cold, but it was beautiful out...and by cold I mean like 73 degrees with wind hahaha...we're from Florida, what do you expect?

If looks could kill

If looks could kill, I'd be a dead duck :-) Piper giving mommy the scary eyeball over her sippy cup!

Do you see that beautiful number?

That number is music to my eyes! That number is...our auction profits for Piper's Birthday Auction to Benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation...and we're still not done! I'll be sure to tally and post our points after the CF Walk the first week in May. We're hoping to hit $5,000 :-) Thanks to all of you who made such a huge impact on our family...it speaks volumes about your character and we just love you so, so much!

Reality

So...she's sick :-( I dread it and I dread it and as it should, it happens. Funny thing is--you're never quite prepared. I go day to day, looking at her play, healthy as can be and it's as if the words "Cystic Fibrosis" don't even exist to us. She's a normal, healthy little girl...she plays like other children, she fusses like other children, she "is" the same as every other child, until...I hear that cough and my stomach twists inside. I am over-run with memories of sitting in the doctor's office, hearing her diagnosis and being told all of the horrific things to expect, the things that can and WILL happen and I find myself crumpled down in my seat, my eyes filled with tears realizing that my little girl doesn't just have a cold...she's got a cold AND she's got CF...and the two just don't mesh well. I sat down today, going through the barrage of medication, treatment, therapies and I thought to myself...WOW--this is ALOT! I don't think I ever really stopped, in all of her 3 years, to realize how much she goes through on a daily basis. Funniest part is...I don't know any different. This is our life. So, I photographed it...this is it...the items Piper knows by heart, not by choice, but by necessity. But, I thank God daily that every item in this picture is available to us...that I can even photograph all of these items, because they keep her healthy and they keep her safe in my arms...even if for only a little while.

Daddy's Girl

This is Michael (Val's Hubby) and their beautiful little girl, Makenna! She was awesome...and photographed so well! I just loved this picture...

A new face for my blog

Well, I decided I'd had it with my blog and it's less-than-grandiose appearance, so I spent all day yesterday cleaning it up and giving it a new "face". I actually made an effort to create a banner...it's the first time I've played with one, but I think it's not too bad for what I was going for. So--if you're checking back in here and you notice it looks different...it does and that's why haha :-)

A face even a mother could love...

Look at this baby! Her name is Agatha (Aggie) and she is such a push-over...especially for belly rubs. Her face makes me laugh...having someone like her around, how could you not just feel better? She belongs to Jonny's parents--a real cutie!

Livi-kins...

We got to see Miss Olivia (a.k.a. Liverswurth) this morning in Ocala for about an hour or two. She kept asking me where Piper was...too sweet. This little girl is such a firecracker :-) She had me laughing at her antics...silly girl!

Sweetie Face

Little Miss Eva and her awesome mommy Nikki let me hang out with them yesterday in Sarasota at this great little park right on the water! She was cuter than cute...and such a sweet little girl! It's so funny, her mommy and I have known each other since 3rd grade...when we were kids and now look at us, chasing our own around. My, my...how times does fly!