Happy Birthday...

So our big boy is turning Six!!! Where does the time go? Tomorrow (2/6, the actual big day) is also the 100th day of school, so there will be a bunch of activities to go along with our cupcake feast! Yesterday, Sunday, Zach and his buddies had a blast at Chuck E. Cheese, playing games and dancing. Afterwards, a group came back to the house for lunch and the kids ran free in the basement, again having a blast! The best part was spending time with friends and family that we haven't been able to see much lately.

There is nothing like getting everyone together around the kitchen table and eating and talking and eating some more and talking some more. At one point, just after finishing the main meal, the conversation digressed into an in depth discussion of diaper changing - who had cloth diapers, who used a diaper service and who, unfortunately was the diaper service. We have it easy these days gals! Disposable diapers and zip-top bags rule!!!

So this is just a post to say things are going well. Sophie had a CT scan last Wednesday that was thankfully clear - except for what is expected to be residual scarring from the surgery. Our LAST scheduled cycle of chemo is next week. Then we will need to monitor her blood counts, and continue to check her weight weekly. A few weeks later we will have another MIBG scan that will let us know if the chemo has done its job and removed all traces of the cancer. We're knocking on wood, hopping over cracks, and keeping positive thoughts that all will be well soon in the oncology department soon. once we clear that hurdle, we'll focus more on making sure that the neurological issues are in check. We will start physical and occupational therapy this week, and will have a developmental assessment next week to see if she's on target. We will also begin scheduling time to go back to Illinois to see the Opsoclonus-Myoclonus specialist to see Sophie's progress with treatment.

This coming weekend, Mom will get some much needed away time and attend a Creative Memories convention. Wow, two days without cooking or cleaning, or changing diapers. I see a spoiled Mom in the future.

Whew! We're busy as usual (and tired :), but smiling! We hope you're smiling too! I know I keep promising pictures - these are from Christmas-time, the family shot is from Christmas eve at our home away from home, GUH C53; Zach and Sophie in the grass is actually the day we cut down our Christmas tree - it was about 68 degrees; the last "I'm too cool" is just a bonus from some fun time at the hospital. We'll get more recent shots on the blog once they get out of the camera!