Libby's surgery

All in all the day went really well. We tried to capture the whole day in pictures, so I will describe the whole thing. Libby woke up and was not allowed to eat, so she had a juice pop and crushed ice for breakfast. She thought it was really cool to eat the ice with the spoon. She never complained about being hungry-which I think is a miracle in and of itself.

We got to Pittsburgh around 11:40 and got all checked in. The wait was manageable. We were brought back to a play room and Libby was really happy. She was even happier when Pappy arrived to be a much needed distraction. Her favorites were the little car and a game she played with Pappy where they fed animals weird foods. (aka the elephant eats ice cream?)

The anesthesia team was running a bit late so Libby wasn't called for until 2:00. Funny thing is that around 1:55 she curled up on my lap and fell asleep. When the anesthesiologist saw he got Corey garbed up to take her to the OR. Corey grabbed Libby and took her back, they threw a blanket over her and administered the gas under the blanket. She never woke up to know she was being put under! What an awesome answer to prayer.

Then we waited. Corey read a book and listened to music. Rick and I took a nap in a pair of recliners (he has the ability to fall asleep ANYWHERE). Ate snacks. Anything to make the time pass faster. All in all Libby was in surgery for right around 5 hours. It was the longest 5 hours of my life. My mom and dad arrived around 6:30 and gave us a chance to go get some dinner. Right before we were going to eat, Dr. Deeney arrived to tell us he was all done. He was happy with how everything had gone. The left leg was almost straight and the right could get there with therapy. He said they put casts on her (hot pink) and they would see her in 2 weeks. While I was going with dad to get dinner, someone came back to get Corey and mom to see Libby. I wish I could say it was a pleasant reunion, but she was confused and agitated. Mom only stayed long enough to give her a hug and then she waited to get me.

The rest of the evening was spent settling Libby down. She would fall asleep for a moment and then wake up crying. The only thing that calmed her down was when I talked or sang to her. So we had in depth conversations about all the fun things we are going to do. It was a long night with very little sleep. Between nurses taking blood pressure and Libby waking up, we maybe got 2 hours of sleep. An Aside: Around 4:00 am, the nurse came in to administer some more pain meds since Libby was complaining about pain a bit. Since she was awake the nurse decided to go ahead and do a blood drawl-finger stick. So she pricked Libby's finger and then squeezed the blood out. Tears were just running down Libby's face, but when the nurse was done, Libby turned to her and said "Thank you." It was so pitiful.

The next morning was better. Libby was aware of her surroundings, able to drink some juice and eat a few bites of food. She took a nice long nap and watched some of her favorite TV shows. After lunch we were discharged (Hooray!) The ride home was fine. Once we got here, Libby went to sleep in her own bed and so did her mommy and daddy. She didn't wake up until 5:00 pm.

She had some visitors-Pawpaw came to say hello. And then Meme and Pappy came to visit and bring Joe back. (P.S. Thank you Meme for taking care of Joe so that he didn't have to suffer through a super long day in a hospital. He was MUCH happier playing with you).

All in all, things are ok. Libby is frustrated and whiny sometimes, but she is also sweet and determined. She has already figured out that she can army crawl and roll. She can get out of chairs and bed-and we'll have to make sure that she doesn't start trying to walk since she isn't allowed to bear weight on her feet.

We've appreciated all the concern and prayers that you have poured out on us. Libby is a special little girl and I am excited to see all that God can do through her!

Surgery Rescheduled for Wednesday

It has been a stressful couple of days here in the Bozic house. We went to bed on Sunday as ready as we could be to get up at 4 a.m. and take Libby to Pittsburgh for her surgery. But at midnight my phone rang and it was our Doc calling to say he had been called into the OR because of a car accident. He was unsure how long he would be there and he was not comfortable operating on Libby after being up all night. He said that his nurse or secretary would call us later to set up a new time for this week.

We called his office and when we talked to his secretary she said he didn't have any available OR time until August. But she said she would talk to him about it and would call us back. So we spent the whole day waiting for a phone call. Finally she called and said that there was OR time available Wednesday at 1:30. So our doc cancelled all his appointments for Wednesday afternoon and penciled us into that time slot. Beth (the sect) made sure to tell us that it is RARE for extra OR time to be available so thanks for all your prayers!

We'll drop Joe off with his MeMe and head up to Pittsburgh around 9:45 on Wednesday! Keep praying!

Our first vacation since kids

Corey and I have done all sorts of things these last 3 years of parenting, but going away for a week is not one of them. In fact the last vacation we took was after we graduated from college-so we were due. And in January we shared these thoughts with some friends who felt the same way. So our trip to the Dominican Republic was born. Four couples (the Burdettes, Iliffs, Mercers and us) journeyed south and had a great time. There were days of clouds and some sun, it rained pretty much everyday, but rarely hindered our morning pursuit of the pool or beach. We ate great food and went to bed early. In general, it was a relaxed week with no agenda and lots of laughs. I will spare you pic after pic, but you can go to our picasa web album and see them (thanks Ash for the idea).

http://picasaweb.google.com/colebozic/PuntaCana?feat=directlink

Meanwhile, our kiddos were being wonderfully cared for by both sets of grandparents. Of course Joe started really walking while we were gone and Libby seems to have doubled her vocabulary. That's what you get for leaving them for 6 days. Our reception when the kids woke up Saturday was less than exuberant, but throughout the day we got longer hugs and more fearful expressions when we would leave a room-you could almost hear Libby or Joe asking "are you coming back soon?"

Now we are gearing up for Libby's surgery. It is happening Monday morning and we need all your prayers. I'll let you know how we are doing when we get home on Tuesday.

Mothers Day belated

Mother's Day was different than in years past. Last year we celebrated our mothers with a big lunch that everyone attended. The year before we were in Tennessee and celebrated with our great friends Scott and Danie (the year before that I think I was on bed rest with Libby). This year was much more low key. Corey and I are going on vacation this year, so I fully expected that to cover mothers day and possibly my birthday as well, but Corey was extremely thoughtful and got me a few small things that I have been wanting-one of which was a subscription to Cooking Light magazine (hooray!). Unfortunately Corey had to work all weekend, but it allowed me to spend the whole day with my mom which was really fun.

The whole gang (Me and Libby and Joe) headed over early and got there in time to read with PawPaw and make cookies with Gramma. Libby was not a very good roller so she made pancakes instead. She loved making cookies-I think we have a little chef on our hands! She did not like the dough on her hands at first, but after a bit she dug right in to "help" mom get them all baked. She was much less interested in eating them than I thought she would be though.

Rob came by for a few minutes to wish mom a Happy Mother's Day. Joe couldn't get enough of Rob's hat. Besides the drool, I love this pic of the two of them!

Later in the day my grandma (mom's mom) came over and we enjoyed hanging out with the kids and eating a great dinner. Joe adores my grandma and she couldn't resist picking him up whenever he came over to her. Despite her 87 years and arthritis she would get a hold of all 27 pounds of Joe and cuddle him for a minute or two until he wanted down. I'm sure she was sore the next day, but she wouldn't complain.

After dinner and bath time, the kids entertained us all with some dancing. They were so full of energy, I didn't think they would ever want to go to bed, but the day did indeed come to an end. It was a low-key mother's day, but I loved it just the same.

A pic of me and Joe-Libby is much less compliant in taking pictures these days. Joe still humors me!

A fun and crazy week!

Last weekend we made a much needed trip to Knoxville to visit our friends Scott and Danielle. It was so fun to hang out without any kids or any agenda! We played Wii; we jammed-ok I listened while they jammed; we played dominos and ate good food. It was great.

Corey and Scotty being all musical.

Corey and Danielle being silly.



Scott and our friend Bart who joined a jam session on Saturday.

Our kids were with all kinds of people-thank you to all our babysitters-especially my momma who kept them both nights we were gone! They were angels-at least so I heard.

Coming back, we've been cleaning house and staying indoors due to LOTS of rain. Libby and Joe are as great as ever. Joe took some steps over the weekend-5 or 6 at the most. He gets too excited to go very far, but he is on his way (my life will be so chaotic when he really gets moving). Here are some pics to show you how cute they are.

Libby likes building forts with whatever materials are available to her. And she wants us to sit in them not matter how small they are. Joe who seems to be flying toward me. He is such a HAM!

Cows and Sheeps and Chicks Oh My!

I do realize that sheeps is incorrect, but that is what Libby kept saying at the WVU Farm yesterday. Shawna and I (being brave parents) loaded all 4 kids into her van and headed to WVU Farm yesterday to participate in Kids Week. A guide took us around and we got to see and pet all the animals. Libby was in heaven, Elliott loved all the tractors Addi and Joe were content in the stroller. It was absolutely a great trip! Here is a play by play:


First we saw the cows. Libby got to pet a calf that was only a few days old. She was so gentle. The bigger dairy cows were next. Libby wanted to say "Hi" to all of them. At one point she reached out to touch one and it looked up at her and Elliott-I think it spooked him a bit and he wasn't really interested in touching any of the big animals after that. Libby however was persistent in her need to pet and talk to all the cows.

The "sheeps" came next. And there were lots of them to pet and look at. Some had been sheared already, but some were really wooly (and really dirty-not the fluffy white things on TV). Libby loved the sheep. She talked to them and called for them-making kissy noises like we do for cats and dogs. She did not want to move on, but the next building housed the new born sheep. We weren't able to pet any of them, but Libby was fascinated. Elliott and Libby stood by the fence mesmerized.

We walked down the hill and saw more cows. Libby acted like we hadn't just seen cows with her enthusiasm. Every stall brought shouts of "That's a big Cow!" or "Hi Cow-Come here". At the end of this little area was a place where the kids could play. There were cut outs of pigs and cows, a peach tree with velcro peaches, stufed chickens with eggs inside and wooden cows to milk. There were also some baby goats and a bunny to pet. Elliott really liked milking the cows-Libby loved the peach tree. They both petted the goats and talked to the bunny before we moved on the chicks and ducks.

The chicks and ducks were cute but hard for the kids to see because the walls were so high on the pens. But we held them up so they could see. Libby liked patting the horse. And then as we walked out, Elliott's dreams came true. He got to sit on a John Deere tractor. He was in hog heaven! I wasn't sure we would ever be able to leave. But we did and we got home, fed the kids and put them all down for a nap. WHAT A FUN DAY! Hope you enjoy the pics.

Always changing

Libby and Joe playing with the curtains. Libby and Joe both think this game is really fun. Libby hides Joe in the curtain and then lets him out and says "Peek-a-boo."

I have few pictures this week, but heaps of stories! Libby is as always hilarious. She has a very active imagination and retains a ridiculous amount of information. She loves to play with her baby dolls and makes Corey and I hold them and say hi and feed them etc. Recently Joe got an inflatable penguin and Libby loves it too. She holds its fin and walks around with him. She reads books to him while he sits on her "wap." She has also started speaking Spanish. She loves Dora and Diego so the other day she was walking up the steps and started counting them in Spanish. She also says "Help, Help, Ayudame, Ayudame" whenever she wants us to help her. We've also been teaching her her full name- Libby Grace Bozic (pronounced Bibby Grace Mozic). The other day I asked her what her name was and she said it. Then I asked her what my name was. She thought for a second and then said "Mommy. Mommy Grace Mozic." I love her!

Libby trying on Gramma Candy's boots

Joe is also growing and changing. He can now wave and high five (and he understands when you ask him to do said tasks). He has taken a couple of steps-but is still content to crawl. He hits his head on everything (Corey says there is a magnet in his head that is attracted to sharp corners). He is happiest when he is with Libby-even when she is being the bossy second mom. She mothers him and any other child within her grasp. We visited Shawna and Elliott and Addi the other day and the kids played outside. Joe loved the grass (he has finally come around) and Elliott was ALL over the place. But when Libby decided she wanted to go inside she started yelling to Elliott "Elliott come down here please." And then "No, no Elliott don't run dat way, come here. Come see Bibby." Luckily Joe doesn't mind being mothered a little extra. I'm sure he will someday.

April pictures (Easter, Dad's Bday etc)

Since I have been bad about pictures lately, I snapped about a hundred in the last few days. I will spare sharing all of them, but I will show the best!

This month was kicked off by my dad's birthday on April 1. Since Libby is a little older, she helped with EVERYTHING. We made PawPaw a card, we wrapped his present, we made the cake (Libby ate the icing mostly). Libby loves birthdays and since we didn't have birthday hats, she made her own with the wrapping paper. It is self-adhering paper, so we made hats and bracelets. It was a really fun gathering. However, Libby refused to sing Happy Birthday until 2 days later and she got upset when PawPaw was taking the card home-must not have sunk in that we were making it FOR him.

We have also been trying some new foods lately. Joe had some egg yolks scrambled and Libby had a bowl of cheerios with milk in it. She was so proud of herself-she kept saying she was eating cereal like Mommy. Joe also is eating toast, pancakes and steamed veggies cut up. Libby LOVES PB and J roll-ups and pickles.

Easter was fun and hilarious as always. The kids got new outfits courtesy of their MeMe-who can't resist a party dress! Lucky for Joe she is also gaga over little boy clothes now too. So Libby and Joe put on their Sunday best and I snapped some shots of them. Then Sami woke up and we got some pictures of her too. It was the first holiday that Casey and I did not buy the girls matching outfits, but lo and behold Casey bought Sami a coordinating dress! The photo shoot did not go smoothly though. Neither child would smile at the same time. Then Sami kept trying to sleep. We tried getting them to kiss or hug, but the photos mostly look like Sami is attacking Libby. I kept taking pictures because they got funnier and funnier!

Easter also brought Easter baskets-or in this case Easter back packs. Gramma Candy filled each bag with fun goodies for the little kids. Libby loves it. Also in the realm of goodies was a tunnel for the kids to crawl through. It was a big hit with kids of all ages, including my brother Rob who got "stuck". Libby and Sami thought it was HILARIOUS!Just a pretty picture of Claire and Libby to end the very long post. Two of the prettiest girls in the whole world in my opinion!

Joe's 9 month doctor visit

Just an update after our doctors appointment today.

Joe weighed 24 pounds 10 ounces = 95th percentile
Joe measured 29 inches long = 75th percentile

He is right on track and even ahead in some of his gross motor skills. And Tony was pleased with his growth and disposition-Joe has come a long way from the fussy, spit uppy baby that he once was.

I'll post later with new pics etc.

The New Things

There are new things everyday around here. Here are this weeks highlights. Joe has successfully moved from bottle to sippy cup for all but one feeding. He can only use the straw cups right now, but he does great and enjoys it. The only feeding left is the one before bed and it's Corey and I who are holding onto it more than Joe. Joe has also started walking behind wheeled toys. Video footage to prove it below.

Libby has come into herself and her twoness. Her vocabulary is ever expanding and more and more sentences are coming out intelligibly. She is a great eater-trying everything I make from lentils to vegetarian chili-mac. The spicier the better for this child! She loves to brush her teeth and have mommy make her hair pretty. I like to french braid it on each side-adorable! She loves to play outside and be with her friends. Last week Shawna and I took all the kids to a little park near our house. There wasn't much play equipment, but there were swings and a slide. The slide was high and steep, but our daredevil kids were unfazed. They must have gone down it 100 times. Joe and Addy watched from the grass where they sat for 45 minutes without moving. Libby also cannot decide if she likes Joe or not. Some days she plays with him nicely-giving him toys and letting him chase her. Other days she lashes out at him if he even gets near her. The other day I heard him making noise and walked into the room to find Libby sitting on him saying "Go Joe, I wanna ride." She's a hoot and a handful!

Libby pretend sleeping on the coffee table-she even snores!

More to come as they grow and change (Joe goes for his 9 month appointment April 6).

Pictures as promised

I know that I have been really bad about posting-I wish I could say that I am really busy, but the truth is I just use my time a little differently now that there are two little rascals moving about the house. When Joe goes down for the first nap, I exercise and shower while Libby plays (or exercises with me). Then the lunch preparation begins. When both kids are down in the afternoon, I have quiet time and I watch TV-or sleep-or read-or do anything that is nearly impossible to do with the kids awake. The afternoon is when the kids need a lot of mommy-initiated play. Then dinner, baths, etc. By the time they go to bed I just want to sit down and hang out with Corey! It means there is not a lot of time for blogging, but I still want to record their lives and share it with all of you so please forgive me if they are sporadic. Libby's rendition of "Mary had a Little Lamb"

Information Only (no pics sorry!)

We have had a really uneventful week. The kids got colds again so we have been wiping noses and fighting through meals for most of the week. The kids are great despite the snot. They have started playing "together" sometimes. Libby will run away and Joe will chase her. But Libby quickly tires of Joe's immaturity and goes and plays by herself. She is still singing everything. Her newest song is "Mary had a little Lamb" which comes out more like "Mary had a doodoo lamb.." We are constantly asking her to sing songs and she usually obliges unless there are strangers around-she can be a little shy.

I weighed them both yesterday and Libby was 24 pounds and Joe was 23.5. She is already competitive! Also accomplished this week was the booking of the surgery. She is scheduled for June 1. It looks like we will only have to stay for 1 night and then of course go back for checkups etc. UPMC is moving into their new hospital at the beginning of May so we will get to be in it (hopefully it is nicer than the old one).

Other than that we have been hanging out with friends and catching up on housework. We did leave our kids overnight with their MeMe and Pappy on Saturday and enjoyed a night out with the Allens. Sunday morning, Pappy heard Libby and thought she was knocking on the door upstairs but when he came out of his room she was knocking on the grandfather clock in the hallway. She is hysterical sometimes!

Corey has some time off later in the week, so I will try to take some pics and post for all of you who don't get to see our kids on a regular basis.