Look at my new big boy hair cut!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Posted by The Portas 6:44 PM 8 comments Links to this post
Labels: hair
Starving
I'm having a tough week. I feel totally starved of my Elijah time. Dan and I were out of town last weekend. On Tuesday I was out of town for work all day. Yesterday Elijah only took a 30-minute nap at daycare again so he went to bed right when we got home. I need a solid week with him just to feel normal again. That's not going to happen, though, because I have no vacation time left for the year aside from our two upcoming hospital days. I won't know what to do with myself in 2009 when I will have vacation time that won't have to be set aside for the hospital (I hope).
This weekend I have one main thing on my agenda: SPEND TIME WITH MY BABY. I don't care what we do or where we go, as long as I can have that.
Elijah is currently evolving into such a little man. His baby qualities are slowly fading and toddler traits are emerging. He no longer likes bottles and he is finally great with sippy cups. He is trying so hard to talk. If I ask him to say "banana," he will say, "Ba. Ba. Ba." I ask him to say "ball," and he says, "Ba." "Dada" is "Ba. Ba." He does this new funny thing where he taps his fingers on the table and his feet on the floor, like he's bored. He now gets out of a sitting position ALL ON HIS OWN to get his toys (this is huge!). He scoots all over the floor, and no longer cries doing it (huge again!). We think we saw him doing a modified version of the sign for MORE the other day. He has just the cutest little personality and he totally knows that he is adorable. He has the flirty face perfected and uses it often and with everyone. The kid melts my heart. I can't wait for my weekend full of nothing but him.
Posted by The Portas 6:32 AM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: development
Vacation Part II (the normal part)
Monday, July 14, 2008
Once we got to the airport and absorbed everything that had just happened, we realized that it was true. We were really ON VACATION. Our flight was delayed, but that worked out perfectly because it gave us a chance to eat and have a margarita before getting on the plane. We had a fabulous time Thursday night once we got there. We met up with our friends Lance and Stephanie and Stephanie's brother Brent ("51"), who had all flown in a bit earlier that day. We gambled at some cheap tables till pretty late and I walked away from the roulette tables $100 ahead! 
Our fun room at the Mirage
Dan, Lance and Fifty-One. These guys were soo much fun to be around. I loved every minute of our time together.
Cute (and expecting) Stephanie and me (not cute or expecting)
Resting on the Ballys walkway
So happy to be away from MN for a while
Friday we sat by the pool, walked around a bit and had a pretty low-key day. We went to the very yummy seafood buffet at the Rio that night and later did some more gambling. This time Dan walked away with extra cash from the blackjack tables.
The pool area was soooo nice. Why can't I be sitting there RIGHT NOW??
Saturday we got to meet The Rollers! I was so excited about this and they turned out to be just as kind and sweet as I expected them to be. Kathy and Joe are inspiring parents and warm people and their three boys are all ADORABLE and I wanted to take them all home with me. It was such an honor to meet them. Baby Isaac was such a lovey, cuddly man. I held him for a few minutes and he snuggled right up against my shoulder the entire time. I loved it! The two older boys went on some rides at Circus Circus while the rest of us walked around and chatted.
Look at this sweet munchkin face. I could just love on him all day.
Lovey boy. He can gladly cuddle with me as much as he wants.
Look, I think Kathy is as short as I am (she's even standing on a slight incline, so we were just about exactly the same height)! I couldn't believe it. I don't have a single friend my height.
Look at this cute family. Kathy and Joe are in serious trouble. Girls are going to be pounding down their door constantly.
We came home on Sunday and it was bittersweet. Vacation went by so fast, but at the same time I was ready to see my chunskter. When we picked him up at Auntie Lissa's, he didn't know what to think. At first he was excited and flapped his arms endlessly. Then after a few minutes, he wanted Daddy and no one but Daddy. Not even me! :( That was tough, but I understand. He spends most of his time with Dan, so that only makes sense. Until we left Lissa's, if he wasn't in Dan's arms he was sobbing. The car ride home was a mess, which is unusual. He was feisty and crabby and not himself at all. We think he was saying to us: WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? That and I think he's slightly sleep-deprived just from not sleeping in his own bed for a few nights. I put him to bed at 6:00 tonight, but he was easily ready by 5:30.
On the way home from Lissa's yesterday, before the crabbiness began. He kept doing his really flirty face as if he didn't know us and was trying to impress us.
Lissa & family did such a great job taking care of our man, especially with the challenges they faced with their house and the weather. We are so lucky to have Lissa and her sweet little family. Not sure what we'd do without you guys. We love you!!
Posted by The Portas 6:12 PM 10 comments Links to this post
Labels: heart babies, heart parents, photos, vacation
Vacation Part I (actually, this is the part before we ever got on the airplane)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
We had quite the adventure before our vacation began. It started out with us bringing Elijah to my sister's house on Thursday afternoon at about 1:00...
Mama, don't leave me!
Dan and I have no idea how we are alive and well and how we ended up in the right spot at the right time this weekend. We brought Elijah down to Auntie Lissa's house in Cannon Falls and stayed for a bit, put him down for his nap and left to go to the airport. Let me first explain that Lissa's house is in the country, off a dirt road, on many acres of land, surrounded by many humongous trees. As we were pulling out of the drive, it started to rain and hail a bit. We kept going, assuming it was just a small passing storm. About a mile down the road, things got really ugly. 
This is when it was still driveable
Once we saw this, we knew it was bad
Suddenly the wind started blowing about 100 mph (honestly, that is truly what it looked like, and we later learned that a tornado touched down about a mile or so away, so it may have been reeeeeeeally close to that) and we couldn't see a thing. Luckily there was another driveway leading to a house nearby so we followed that and drove up to the house. We sat in the car for a minute before I realized that there was a large tree directly behind us and I knew it was about to be blown down right on top of us, so Dan backed the car up. We were in the direct path of other trees and debris and our car was rocking back and forth. Then a power line fell and was dangling about six inches from our car. A few seconds later, the tree that we had backed up to avoid, fell down and landed right where our car had been sitting. These people's entire yard was in ruins. Trees were everywhere. Their garage, which we were sitting right next to, had been shifted off its structure and was not looking good. Dan finally said, "We need to get into that house!" That meant we would have to run through this craziness and risk getting struck by something, but I knew he was right.
We ran to the back door that led into the garage and thank God it was unlocked. We went in and knocked on the door leading into the house. A nice man came to the door right away and told us to come in. He directed me to the safest hiding spot in the basement, where his wife was already sitting. I sat in there with her, shaking and shocked that this had all happened so quickly. Once we were safe, I tried to call Lissa to make sure everyone was ok. I couldn't get a hold of her, so I started to panic. I tried over and over, and nothing. The storm finally subsided and we realized that these poor people's house was totally wrecked. Their garage was destroyed, their trees were all gone, some of their windows were broken, water was leaking in their house, their power line was completely down on the ground. But my main focus was MY SON. I still hadn't heard from Lissa and I was getting worried. I later realized she had been trying to call me, but the service is so bad out there that my phone wasn't picking up any of the calls and I couldn't reach her because their main phone line was down.
Dan and I got back into our car, which was miraculously unharmed, and drove back down the road as far as we could go. We ran into some big trees blocking the road so we parked the car and climbed through them. We ran up and down and around the dirt roads, through and over the trees, trying to get a hold of Lissa every 2 seconds. Just a short distance from her driveway, we came to a HUGE clump of trees that was blocking the road. Dan and I were so soaked and dirty and climbing over 10-feet high debris, trying to get to her house. While on the top of a very large tree, my other sister Lynn got through to me. She said that she had talked to Lissa and that everything was ok. The kids were ok, the house was ok, everything was fine. THANK GOD. Hugh sigh of relief. We didn't see an end to our climbing in sight, so we turned around and headed back to our car knowing everyone was ok. Dan and I were filthy dirty, sweaty, absolutely disgusting. 
The first clump of trees we came across. This was NOTHING compared to some of the things we saw ahead (and I didn't bring my camera all the way, so I don't have pics of it all).
Look at my pants...so dirty and soaked. It was fun walking into the airport like this.
By this time I had given up on our trip, thinking the whole state had been destroyed as badly as what we were seeing. Have you ever seen that show "Man vs. Wild"? That dude gets put in a desert or a jungle or somewhere equally as deserted and finds his way out all on his own? That's how I felt. It was totally crazy. We got to our car and managed to find our way to the highway, through downed trees and power lines. We made it to the airport with plenty of time and our flight ended up being delayed so we had enough time to eat.
Sooooo we left poor Lissa and family to care for our baby with NO electricity or water for a day or so. We felt really bad, but there's really no way we could have gotten to them until way later that night when the roads and their drive were cleared. If Dan and I would have left their house even three minutes later than we did, we never would have gotten to the airport in time for our flight. If we would have left home any later, we would have had Elijah with us when we were trying to seek shelter. Everything was timed perfectly. We feel like there were about 1,000 angels surrounding us on Thursday. That tree could have easily fallen on our car while we were sitting in it. Those people could not have been home to let us in. Lynn could not have called me to save us from another hour of dangerously climbing over trees to get to Elijah. It's crazy. We were both in shock for a few hours after escaping the war zone.
Check out Lissa's blog for photos of their yard before any clean-up was done.
The HUGE tree we climbed over in an attempt to find out if everyone was ok. Here it is a few days later and on the side of the road.
The house we sought shelter at. Notice the damage and lack of trees. Before the storm, there were many pretty trees in their yard. From this angle, you can't see the damage done to the garage. I think they may have to tear it down and rebuild.
We made it to Vegas safely and had a wonderful time. Lissa & family eventually got their driveway/road cleared and the electricity eventually got turned back on, but we know things were extra difficult and stressful caring for our baby under such unique circumstances. We are SO APPRECIATIVE of their efforts and for letting us get away for a couple days. THANK YOU GUYS. We love you and appreciate your efforts and appreciate you allowing us that time away.
Part II of our trip tomorrow...
Posted by The Portas 9:13 PM 16 comments Links to this post
I think Elijah is mad at me
Thursday, July 10, 2008
He woke up feisty this morning. He threw his sippy cup full of milk across the bed when we offered it to him and he hardly paid any attention to me. Both of these things are totally unlike him. Maybe he knows we're leaving for the weekend? I always hate this anticipation part of leaving him. Once we get there I will be fine (for the most part). It's getting there that's hard. It helps a lot knowing who is caring for him. There isn't a better person in the world to watch him than my sister Lissa. My other sister's youngest, Kaleigh, is also going to be at their house for a while this weekend, so Elijah is going to have TWO cute girl cousins smooching him constantly. Lucky boy!
Dan and I are all packed and ready to go! Our flight leaves later this evening, after we get Elijah all settled in at Lissa's house. If we have time, we'll post some pics over the weekend. Maybe Auntie Lissa will even post some Elijah pics!
Posted by The Portas 8:58 AM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: vacation
Tough love
Monday, July 07, 2008
Tonight wasn't all fun once I got home from work. Elijah refused to eat his peas, carrots, avocado and chicken (all of which he will usually at least try) for dinner so I took him away from the table without a bite in his belly. I felt bad, like I was starving the kid, but we really want him to know that what we offer him for dinner is it. If he doesn't eat it, then he doesn't eat. Then we went into the living room to play. FIRST let me tell you two exciting things! Elijah can now do the army crawl to get to toys. Most of the time he doesn't even cry! Just today he started getting out of a sit all on his own in order to get to his toys. Yay Elijah! So tonight I wanted to see him get out of a sit since I had just heard about it through Dan. I sat him down and put his toys out of reach. He refused to move. He sat there and cried and cried gigantic tears. Finally I went over and put his hand to the floor for him and he automatically put himself onto his tummy. Silly boy. So, lots of progress, but progress isn't always easy. We're working hard for it!
Some pics from the weekend, as promised:
All the boats on the river before fireworks
Daddy and Elijah sitting on the 4-wheeler at the dropzone
The wonderful but broken Otter
Our cozy camper!
Mama and Eli
The runway....ahhhh, so open and nice. It's so good to get out of the city on the weekends.
Bonfire area
Dan landing his (very large) canopy
Looooves the bananas
Baby Wilson is trying to eat the truck!
Whatcha playing with over there?
Playing so nicely next to each other
Our Lounger. He kicks his legs up every chance he gets. I think he gets that from Mommy.
Posted by The Portas 6:29 PM 12 comments Links to this post
Weekend
I have a bunch of pics to upload, but won't get to them till tonight, so check back for those! We had a really fun weekend. We loaded Elijah and the million things required to properly care for him up and headed to the dropzone for the weekend. The dz is currently having some serious plane issues, so there wasn't a whole lot of jumping being done. It was a quiet, low-key weekend there but I think that's just what I needed. After I put Elijah to bed in our camper on Friday, I left Dan in charge and my friend Jess and I drove to Stillwater to watch the fireworks by the river. It was PACKED full of people and the display was super short, but of course still beautiful. After I put Elijah to bed on Saturday, leaving Dan in charge again, I drove over to St. Paul and my friend Ellen and I walked from her house to the Taste of MN. Mmmmm, my tummy was growling for cheese curds and greasy fried food. We intended to watch the fireworks there, but it was 10:35 and still hadn't seen anything, so we watched them as we walked (backwards) back to her house.
On Sunday we got to meet Elijah's little buddy, Wilson, and his parents for the first time. Wilson has the same heart defect that Elijah has and we have been following his journey for quite a while. They live in Ohio and were in Lakeville visiting family for the weekend, which happens to be very close to where we live, so they stopped by our house in the afternoon. They are such a sweet family and Dan and I enjoyed having the chance to talk with them in person. It was really sweet watching Elijah and Wilson play next to each other. I'm thinking Wilson should tour the country and show all the other babies what's up with the sign language. He is two months older than Elijah and he knows so many signs! What a smart boy. He even signed elephant for us. That's a hard one! THANK YOU for stopping by, Mitch, Amy and Wilson! It was soooo nice to meet you. You are such a beautiful little family. Elijah says thank you for the puppy book. Let's plan on Bridge Day 2009! Not participating, just watching. :)
Dan and I are heading to Vegas on Thursday, so I'm soaking up my Elijah time as much as possible before we leave. We get to meet the Rollers while we're there. Two heart babies in one week!
Posted by The Portas 6:30 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: heart babies
July already?
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
I have been so bad about writing updates lately. I'll blame it on summer and the nice weather that we are finally enjoying. I love Minnesota summers!
Our Elijah is just doing so well. People ask us how he is doing all the time and we answer with all honesty, "Perfectly!" As far as heart function and health and recovery go, he really is doing perfectly. He appears to be a healthy baby with beautiful pink lips and lots of energy. The hospital trauma seems to have mostly worn off, and we are enjoying having a somewhat normal life right now.
Elijah's eating and napping issues are improving all the time. He is much more open to trying new foods and textures now. His new favorite is grapes. Wow, he can seriously chow down on the grapes! For a while there, he was pretty selective about what he put in his mouth. I think babies his age have food texture issues that just take time to get past. He is now taking just one nap a day in the afternoon and it lasts anywhere from 2-3 hours! FINALLY!
He is rolling to get toys, tolerating being on his tummy and scooching around (still through tears) to get to things. He is making progress with his gross motor skills much faster than we anticipated. When I think back to how he was pre-repair it makes me sad. The poor guy, he lived the first year of his life feeling totally drained and not wanting to do anything that required an ounce of energy. But, now he feels great, and it definitely shows.
I am really looking forward to spending the 3-day weekend with the chubby-thighed man. Being away from him last weekend was tough, although much-needed and thoroughly enjoyed. Next week Dan and I will be out of town for a few days without him, so I'm going to soak up all the Elijah time that I can. This Sunday we get to meet fellow heart baby, Wilson, and his mom and dad, Amy and Mitch. We are soo excited! They have been a huge support for us and it has been really fun getting to know them. Wilson is going to teach Elijah some sign language because he knows like 50 words!
That's about all that's going on with us. Dan is a crazy, skydiving man these days. Can you believe that he STILL has the rash on his arms that he got in the hospital almost 3 months ago? I often look over at him to see him just looking down at his arm with a disappointed look on his face and shaking his head.
Posted by The Portas 12:32 PM 12 comments Links to this post
Labels: development, eating, rash, sleep
Weekend in Iowa
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I had such a great weekend. I grabbed my fun skydiver friend Ellen and we headed down to Okoboji, IA, on Friday afternoon. We met up with my college friends at my aunt and uncle's beautiful lake home, since they were out of town visiting my dad and stepmom in North Carolina. The weather wasn't ideal, but we thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I LOVE THOSE GIRLS. We had a wonderful time catching up and being silly. I missed Elijah terribly, especially after having a difficult week last week, but I made up for it by smooching him like crazy today when I got home. He didn't know what to think of all the Mama kisses. 
My wonderful college friends, minus MISSY!
The Cute Ellen!!
Posted by The Portas 9:34 PM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: photos
