TA DA!!!!

I promised you we'd return with excitement and it happened faster than we thought!
TADA! Walking Clara.
very shakey.
lots of falls still.
but she just gets right back up!
she's super proud of herself!
my last baby can walk right before her first birthday! *tear

absent

sorry we've been absent. ear infections, snotty noses, sleepless nights, and online MEd classes are about to KILL us! well, maybe just me. we hope to return with something very exciting soon!

until then, some cartwheels for your entertainment!

Cancer's got nothing on Her!!!!

If you live in the 912 area code and heard shouts of joy coming from Backus Children's Ped/Onc clinic early this afternoon around 12:30 it was us! Either me shouting for joy or Cora doing her "no mo chemo cheer!!!!" We're done with LPs and infusion chemo. We've got pills for 2 more weeks, followed by months of cbcs, preventative antibiotics, and finally a port removal. But the worst is definitely behind us! As Cade's teacher would say, "PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE CORNBREAD!"

A new "I beat cancer" t-shirt to match her tutu compliments of Miss Malena! THANK YOU, sweet friend!

Ms. Teresa's been with us throughout this whole ride! We LOVE her!

A very sleepy lil survivor during her LP.

Her friends' "surprised" her afterward for pizza and cookies. We found out Cora's not a fan of surprises, but loved the friends and the pizza!

You did it sweet girl! We're so proud of you! Thank you, God, for getting us through this!!!

and now the cheer....

Apparently the "fashionista" gene starts early

Exhibit A

Exhibit B


i'm pretty sure clara's seen her big sis pose for the camera one too many times. she's got this down pat!

WE MADE IT!!!!!

I haven't posted about clinic visits recently cause they've been uneventful. To tell you the truth I've been a little frustrated because originally I was told Cora's treatment protocol would last 2 years and 2 months. That would be this month, January of 2011. Of course I'm holding you to that date once I'm told that! A few months ago at clinic I said to one of the doctors, "so we're almost done! January, right?" She looked at me strangely, looked at the chart and then said she thinks it was two years from delayed intensification phase. Which would make it late February. Then the next month I asked the nurse and a different doctor again just to be sure. They looked and said she wouldn't be finished until 80 days from Jan. 19th, that would be April. So I adjusted my thinking to "at least it's before summer!" BUT.....mama knows best! Yesterday I got a phone call from the clinical nurse who we don't see all that often stating that she needed to schedule Cora's LAST chemo through port and LP injection for next WEDNESDAY!!!!! I screamed right in her ear I was so thrilled! SO we go next Wednesday for a long visit. Then she takes her oral nightly meds until February 5th. and THAT IS IT!!! February 5th is the day! (it's also clara's first birthday...my 3rd child once again upstaged!) Can I get an Amen to that????
WOO HOO!!! You may find me dancing in the streets after I give Cora that last pill!!! Then all that's left will be port removal and her weekly preventative antibiotic until her counts are totally normal. Cora DOESN'T want to finish treatment because of the port removal. She says she just wants to keep her port. I want to keep it to...in a jar! Anyhow, originally we said there'd be a big party when she finishes. Well, we lied. Unless we do a pitch in dinner, that's not happening, BUT... there will be some sort of small celebration with lots of singing, dancing, and jumping up and down (from me at least!) So stay tuned for the excitement in the next few weeks!!!!! YAY, GOD! YAY, CORA! What a blessing!

Funny Kids!

Two quick funnies....

#1 Cade really thinks he's quite the comedian lately and the way her remembers phrases and reuses them is hilarous. For those of you who know my husband, this will show you that he is his daddy's son. We were on the way to his first swim team practice in over 4 months. He was nervous to start with a new team.
Cade : "But what if they don't know about me?"
Mama: "What do you mean? I'm going to walk you up and introduce you to the coaches. They know you're coming!"
Cade: "No, I mean what if they don't know about all my blue ribbons and about me, THE LEGEND THAT IS CADE GAROLA!!!"



#2 Cora: "Mama, we need to teach Clara to speak ENGLISH so we can understand her!"

1 til 1 aka Clara's 11 month update!

whoa! I can't believe I'm almost 1! I just had my first Christmas and my first New Year's! I had fun seeing lots of family members and I really enjoyed the food. I wasn't really sure what to do with all those wrapped boxes and Cora wouldn't leave one wrapped in front of me long enough to let me figure it out on my own. I got a new swing, a push car, and a new car seat (plus some toys) for Christmas!


I feel like such a big girl in all three of them! Mommy's been thinking I will "walk any day now" for like the past 3 months, but she really thinks so now. I can do a couple of steps, but I'm still a little shaky. Now for the big girl list....
- I love to eat. Who doesn't?
- I love to walk and push things, the baby carriage, my car, my activity table, pretty much anything I can get to move!


-I can say mama, dada, Leia, bye bye, hi, nana(for anything that's food), baba (bottle), and something that resembles Cora.
- I love to clap and say yay! and wave to everybody.
- I do NOT sit still. I don't want to sit on your lap, or listen to a story, or get my picture taken! I am a mover and a shaker. I want to get down and get into trouble.



- I get really mad and upset when someone tells me "no ma'am" because that seriously means I can't get into what I want to.
- I love to be outside with the big kids. I cry at the door like a puppy to go out.
- I love phones and know exactly what to do with them.
- I can now bark and pant.
- I have ZERO separation anxiety. I love going to childwatch at the gym, the nursery at church, or anywhere else new. As long as there's a nice grown up, I'm good!
- I colored my first picture with a crayon. Cade said it wasn't "coloring" but I marked on paper, so it counts.
- I love to dance to any music. I try to sing in the Karaoke Revolution microphone for the wii. (btw, we LOVE that game!)

I'm working on saying "one" and holding up one finger for my upcoming birthday, but as you can see from the picture below, we've still got some work to do so that I don't offend anyone with my gesture.

Have a great month!
Love to all my peeps!
Clara