Aunt Sher-Bear Comes to Visit!

Aunt Sher-Bear came to visit this weekend! Yay!

On Friday, Sarah, Sheri and I went to Mr Bones Pumpkin Patch in West Hollywood. It was hot but fun! Sarah even got a little heart painted on her cheek! Afterwards we went to Sprinkles to pickup some cupcakes - we LOVE their red velvet - YUM!! After we got the cupcakes, we went to have an early dinner at the Saddle Ranch in West Hollywood (on Sunset). They had a mechanical bull that people kept riding but it scared Sarah! We had to keep taking her outside onto the patio each time someone rode it!

On Saturday, Sarah went to Disneyland with her Aunt Sher-Bear who was visiting from Reno! Antie Sher-Bear and I took Sarah on It's a Small World - which SHE LOVED!! (note: the last time we went on it, she hated it) She danced and clapped and sang the whole ride...made our day! She sort of liked the parade...I think the music was just a little too loud for her although she was clapping through it all! Maybe next time she'll enjoy it a little more!

We all really miss Aunt Sher-Bear and can't wait to see her again!

And just because she's so cute...here's a pic we took last night! We got these water bottle adapters that let her drink from water bottles (like a BIG GIRL!) without spilling water all over. They work great!

Sarah and Her Hoodie

She was so cute with the hood up, I HAD to take a picture!! Normally, she'd rip it right off, instead she wore it up for quite awhile! What you DON'T see is that she is not wearing pants OR a diaper...just the shirt, socks and her Nike's!

Sarah and the Computer

I think we're going to have to get her one of her very own soon!

So Much for Safety!

Sarah figured out how to get these off the hutch and the Star Wars cabinet:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3747465

Sarah has figured out how to slide these off the cabinet knobs:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2969588

Sarah can slide UNDER this gate:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2909941

See post: http://sarahelizabethgray.blogspot.com/2009/08/so-much-for-gate.html

Sarah figured out how to pull these out:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3502244

Sarah figured out how to slide this away from the Tivo so she can play with the buttons:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3027514

I think we need to move to a bubble!! This kid is going to drive me crazy!!

She's so beautiful!

Rest In Peace My Friend...

I have been struggling with how to post this...I have been in such shock since it happened...

Yesterday, I found out that I lost a friend. A new friend...a wonderful, funny woman I met through The Nest, chatted with on Facebook and finally met when she attended a get-together at my house just a few weeks ago. I really felt like I had known her forever! We talked a lot about her pregnancy...I answered questions she had about aches and pains and what to expect. I calmed some fears...and we laughed about stupid things like Farm Town (on Facebook). I kept teasing her because she was "nesting" so much the last week or so...I KNEW Gabrielle would be coming soon!

I went out of town Friday morning to a conference for the weekend in Las Vegas. Even with poor cell reception and no Wi-Fi, I continually checked to see if there was any news about Jewelyn and Gabby. On Saturday, Jewelyn posted the following on Facebook:

Even with bouts of nausea for 18 weeks, I can honestly say I have enjoyed being pregnant these past 9 months, but I am also glad this journey is about to end, and start a new chapter in my life. I am 40 weeks pregnant... 0 day to go.

Gabby was finally coming!! Yay!! I kept checking online for updates and finally that evening I saw that our good friend Amy was waiting for Jewelyn to text her that she was ready...ready for Amy to go and take pictures of the birth! I had some trouble sleeping that night (now I know why)...I kept checking online for any news - but there wasn't any. I went to my morning conference and before the closing session started, I signed on to Facebook and read a post asking for prayers for Jewelyn. All of a sudden I couldn't breathe...I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. I was shaking so hard...I had trouble getting online to find another message that would give me more information. When I finally did...the news wasn't good. Jewelyn gave birth to her daughter via emergency c-section the night before and ended up suffering an amniotic fluid embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). She was brain dead. During my flight home, I received the message that she had been removed her from life-support.

My dear, wonderful, funny, sweet friend was gone. My friend who wanted this baby so badly - she had suffered a miscarriage before finally getting pregnant with Gabby. My friend who never got to hold her baby after giving birth to her.

Gabrielle was immediately taken to UCLA Medical Center for observation. She is doing great and is expected to be released from the NICU later this week. She is a miracle and a blessing!

My group of friends have set up a fund for Phillip (Jewelyn's husband) and Gabby through PayPal and are arranging to have a tax-free fund created. As I get that information I will post it on here. Any contribution will help...

Please pray for Jewelyn, Phillip and Gabrielle...Please thank God everyday for the family you have and hug and kiss them whenever you can...As I learned yesterday, life can be taken away in an instant.

I miss you, my friend...

Photo taken by our friend Amy just 2 weeks ago...

Pics of Sarah!

Sarah eating her new favorite food...ketchup. Yup! She loves it! Sometimes she'll dip her other fave in it...a biscuit! Yummmm!

Sarah and her friend Madyson "riding the train" at school! The kids LOVE to do this!

Sarah in her party dress at Rhys' 2nd birthday party! She was dying to get a hold of that tee ball set! And finally did...much to Rhys' dismay. She grabbed a hold of it with both arms and legs and pulled it down to the grown and wouldn't let go!

Sarah and Madyson walking to their classroom together! They're so good! They hold hands the whole way there!!