Christmas in Review...

Ellery's first time meeting Santa was funny only because she wasn't upset he was holding her, she just did her thing she does when she is overwhelmed. She chooses not to see people that are right there. So she chose to look the opposite direction of Santa, she peeked at him once. The camera lady was not happy with me taking pics, but everyone was doing it and hers were really bad that I was willing to be rude in order to get a closer shot. She kept saying that I was distracting her from looking at her camera when really Ellery was craining her neck to look away from santa's direction. Oh well, sorry camera lady.



Christmas this year was perfect! Ellery was home and healthy, we got to spend it with all our family that lives here and Caleb didn't return the gift I got him! Score! For Christmas Eve we spent the night at my parents house along with my sister and her family. Kim and Steve treated us all to delicious soup and bread bowls. It was divine and perfect to set the mood of the evening. We enjoyed hot cocoa and then went caroling to a few neighbors to bring them some treats and to give the "pajama elves" time to visit.







We all think my sister's boy, Kyle, could be the next "Home Alone" kid because he looks just like him! His new Pj's made it even more perfect so we asked him to pose for us.



We went along with the Watson tradition of pj's from the elves the night before Christmas and it was really fun! I love Ellery's new pj's, I was so excited to see them on her for Christmas! This is Ellery's new trick and I can't get enough of it. I really need to get a video of it on here because it's so funny. When Ellery sits in her jumper she doesn't bounce, she just kicks her feet. I can't seem to get her to understand keeping her feet planted on the ground instead she "dances" like a puppet. So a week ago or so I held her like you would to help a child walk and she started to kick/run so I walked along while she relied on me to hold her up completely while in her mind, she was walking. So now she will "run" around the whole house and smile all the way!




This is my nephew, not sure why the grumpy face, but it is too cute not to post...



Before bed we kept one of my favorite traditions of reading from Luke 2 and acting out Christ's birth with the homemade dolls. We set out cookies and milk for Santa, tried to recite "The night before Christmas" story by memory while the kids ignored us and then settled on a "up on the housetop" book instead. Then it was bedtime...



Christmas morning came and Ellery was still sound asleep. I woke her up for the fun and she spent the first hour wondering what is going on here? So no smiles, just curiousity and confusion. We had a great time though. Santa brought Ellery this play table to help her practice standing. She also got a play piano, a bead maze and books and lots of toys.







Caleb spoiled me as usual and I loved everything! My most favorite and biggest suprise was this pot hanger he made himself! He's been working on it for months I guess, isn't that so sweet? I think it's gorgeous and I can't wait till we are 60 and it's still hanging in my kitchen.



Caleb unfortunatley discovered two of his gifts just before Christmas, a peg board and a camping cot, kind of bummed me out, but I still suprised him with my black friday find of a hunter's GPS Garmin Legend. It's not exactly what he wanted, which is $350, but I got a great deal on this one and he says he loves it!



I love that my in-laws live right down the street from my parents. I also love that we can have an entire Christmas morning at my parents then at 8:30 go to Caleb's parents and they are all still asleep. We went over and made them all breakfast and later opened presents. Ellery passed out quick, she was overwhelmed from the morning's excitement. She woke up in time for gifts though and loved the baby doll from Nonie. She gave it a kiss, I think, she may have just wanted to eat it. She did miss breakfast after all. Caleb shocked me once again with another huge gift at his parents house. He got me a bike! I can't believe I don't have a picture, but I love it. It was a great find on craigslist. We are still looking for a trailer for Ellery to ride in.




Christmas night we had dinner back at my mom's with most of my siblings and a fun white elephant exchange. We play with giving good gifts which I think is more fun.



Ellery got to open one last gift, we missed it that morning. It was a walker toy that converts to a rideing toy. She loved being pushed around on it and I can't wait for her to use it while walking! Thanks grandma and grandpa!



Like I said, it was a perfect Christmas and I loved every moment! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and the opportunity to enjoy Christmas with them. I appreciated the season so much more this year after last year. I have a lot of gratitude in my heart for my Savior and the blessings my family has received. It has been such an eye-opening year for us and this was a great way to end it. I think we are ready to take on this new year and whatever it may bring.

Let us not forget...

One year ago, this was my baby.







Miracles do happen and you are looking at one...



Merry Christmas

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas!

I am so excited for Christmas this year...I love this season and Ellery only makes it that much more fun! Especially because she is really starting to come into her own personality. She is very entertaining and she is curious about everything! I can't wait for her to open gifts, it's going to be so fun!

This is what she looks like a 6:30 in the morning when mom and dad wake her up. I just thought she looked cute in her beanie. Her and Daddy took a trip to snowflake that day for her cousin's baptism, I was taking pictures of kids with Santa.



I always love when Dad's hold their babies in one hand and balance them while they stand. Well, now that Ellery stands Caleb thought he'd try it out! She is so big, but she seems to like it! I hold my breath everytime he does it with her.



This was so fun, just last weekend most of all my best highschool friends got together with their spouses and we went to see our buddy Heath perform in an improv comedy show. It was at the National Comedy Theater in Mesa by MCC and it was really funny. He did awesome with the pressure of all of us there and his mother-in-law. It's great to see old friends and see how great they are doing!



Just last night we ventured off to the Temple Lights! It wasn't too cold and for the sunday before Christmas it wasn't too crowded, it was crowded for sure, but not horrible. Ellery enjoyed the lights, she kept leaning back real far to see the top lights in the palm trees.

So I am officially, let me repeat...Officially, up and running!

So I am so excited to announce that my photography blog is up and running! You should all check it out and let me know what you think! Not much on it yet, but it will soon be booming! Wahoo!

http://www.shelleymcbridephotography.blogspot.com/

Peacock Christmas

So this is my peacock themed tree that I decorated for the Festival of the Trees. The pic doesn't do it justice, some details you just can't see. I don't mean to brag but this thing was pretty awesome. I had such a fun time putting it together. It's something I would never think to do to my own tree, it's not even really my style but that made it interesting for me to get creative. I just realized the lights arn't on, oh well. I'm bummed because I don't know how much it sold for. It was "appraised" for $130 so I think it had to be more than that. All they told me was it was wanted by many.

Christmas Portraits!

So my new camera finally came in and those who want last mintute christmas portraits done the time is now! Now that things have cooled off with Ellery I am ready to jump back into my photography...wahoo! I am currently working on a new blog with my work on it, but it's not quite ready yet. As of now I am offering family portraits for $75.00 + that includes a CD of your images!

I already only have a few spots open in the near future including this Friday and next week I'm available Monday, Thursday and Friday in the evenings. Hurry and book today before my last spots are taken! Leave a comment if you are interested or email me at shelster02@hotmail.com

Thanks!

This is my new nephew Cole, precious as can be right?

So my mom is involved with the Festival of Trees, it's a charity event for Banner Gateway Hospital. Lots of businesses and volunteers donate creatively decorated christmas trees to be auctioned off. I spent most of my day yesterday decorating my mini 3 ft. tree that my mother-in-law helped me donate. It is peacock inspired and I must say I think it's fabulous! Anyway, I am also working with my brother tomorrow taking pictures with Santa! So I am blogging about this to inform you all that Santa is in town and will be at the:

Rome Towers, 5th Floor
1760 E. Pecos Rd.
Gilbert, AZ 85295

it's near the 202 and Val Vista

So they are having breakfast with Santa in the morning, but it's $5 for adults and $3for kids and I think you have to reserve a spot. But from noon -5:00 it's free entry and it's a cool place with lots of decorated christmas trees and some entertainment. I will be there taking pics of kids with Santa and I doubt it will be a long line so please come!

This is the news report:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/morning_show/festival_trees_120409

CHIEF Graduation

On November 5, 2009 Ellery officially graduated from the CHIEF Program. That is the Complex Congenital Heart Infant Evaluation and Follow-Up Program...(whew a mouthful).
After Ellery's first heart surgery she became a part of this group. A wonderful Nurse Practitioner, Beth Rumack, decided that these infants who go home in between heart surgeries should be watched closely because they are super fragile until their hearts are fixed. It's a process reconstructing an infants heart. Some babies need three different heart surgeries, some need more or less...Ellery needed two. So when we got to go home last January, we met Beth.



She became our saftey net. She works overtime accepting phone calls and texts on any concerns we parents may have. We took Ellery to her for everything "sick related" because in the end her heart was most important. She had that BT shunt placed in her first surgery and if it clotted from dehydration or anything that would be horrible so Beth kept a close eye.
After Ellery's second heart surgery she was "fixed" so suddenly the stress was relieved. No more rushing to phoenix for every cough or fever, no more needing Beth. Now we get to go to the regular pediatrition down the street. So this was all back in May, but the graduation ceremony, the "wow we made it through" ceremony was last month. It was for all the kids whose hearts were fixed this year and lived to tell the tale. They are actually having another ceremony for those who did not make it on Dec. 10th. That strikes a hard cord for me thinking how close Ellery was to being in that ceremony instead this time last year. The holidays in 2008 were a scary time for us.



This group picture is a small number, only 18 compared to how many were born with a Congenital Heart Defect. Ellery actually "won" smallest of the group to have open-heart surgery and she wasn't the youngest 5 weeks and 5 pounds. Some of the others are born and then taken immediately to surgery...so sad. So big day for Ellery, big accomplishment...





They had diplomas and T-shirts for all the babies and then these red hats had tassels on them! It was really cute. Also, my new friend, Becky, made heart charm necklaces for all the families it's so cute it's a heart with a bandaid on it. I wear mine all the time, but I got mine from Ellery's fundraiser when Becky donated them for the cause.





On the left is Dr. Cleveland, he did Ellery's Repair (her second heart surgery). I respect the man, especially because he fixed my baby, but I'm still a little angry with him. He's the surgeon who placed Ellery's wound vac from her incision staff infection without telling me. Anyway, I posted all about it back in May and this was the first time I'd seen him since then. Silly I know seeing how it all worked out, just irritated my ill feelings toward him. There are only two heart surgeons and Dr. Nigro was not there, he did Ellery's first surgery and we actually know him better, wish I had a pic. The doctor on the right is Dr. Choy (sp?) and he is the head doctor of the PCTICU floor and one of our favorites.



The news was there and I guess we made a clip but it was gone from the internet before I had a chance to see it. I got texts from people saying they saw us, hope they got my good side!
So Congradulations to Ellery! I'm glad they do a little ceremony, it's a big deal and these strong kids deserve a little celebration for all their hard work! Kind of fun to put it all behind us now. We have four month breaks between cardiac visits now! That's crazy, but totally awesome!