My Big Girl Is Dancing!!!!

Today we took Sammy to her first Dance class!!!!! at a new studio for us!
I loved buying her first pair of ballet shoes. I could not stop looking at them last night! I think I was more excited than she was--at least last night.
She woke up and the first thing she said was Dad I have ballet today we have to hurry.
The scary thing is I was Samantha's teacher's first dance teacher in one of the first classes I taught.... I started Sammy in what they call creative movement I. It is some ballet but mostly just "movement". She did great!!!!!!! It was a whole hour--she did have to take one potty break but listened very well the whole time! Sammy Loved it and can't wait for next week.

Ready For Class

--waiting for the doors to be unlocked!

Yes I bought her a Hannah Montana bag for her dance stuff.

Through the window watching warm up

Sammy and Bella

Tracy and I decided to put our girls in class together!

We made it a family event this morning and Alaina even wore her Baby Ballerina outfit from Becky! So cute--but she puked on it before I could get a photo op...

This week she also started a movement/tumbling/exercise class with her day-care at the studio I used to teach at.

Latest update

This is the email Andy sent out today to some of our co workers/friends but I figured I would post it as well here.

Shannon and I went this morning to have her stitches removed by the ENT/surgeon and to get the update from the on the pathology reports. The good news is the nodule that was removed was benign. The bad (although not terrible) news is that Shannon did have a "clinically insignificant" amount (less than 1cm) of thyroid cancer on her thyroid lobe that was removed. The doctor said that the cancer wasn't "doing anything" and is "out of there" so she told us not to worry about it. We also found out that Shannon does have a thyroid disease (lymphocytic thyroiditis) that is fairly common in women that causes your thyroid to produce nodules both benign and cancerous. This disease can be aggravated by higher than average TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels in the blood. Next step is to have a blood test done in 5 weeks to check the TSH levels and if they are high, Shannon will be given medicine to suppress the thyroid activity which will help prevent the formation of future nodules. She will also be monitored every six months via ultrasound to make sure that nodules have not formed on the remaining thyroid lobe.
So long story short:
*nodule benign
*"clinically insignificant" cancer removed
*no need right now for any more surgery or radioactive iodine treatments
*monitor every six months and when and if necessary remove the rest of the thyroid (hopefully never happens)

I want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers through this ordeal. I can't begin to explain how much your kind words and support have meant to me and my family throughout these trying times. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by so many caring and supportive friends and family!

Alaina--3 Months

Alaina is 3 months old tomorrow--I can 't believe it!

She is so much more "fun" now as Andy puts it. Alaina talks to us more and more and she smiles a lot! She actually giggles when you tickle her and is now reaching and gripping things and doing so much better lifting her head during tummy time. She is also doing great at her baby sit ups and loves when Daddy makes noises at her. She can turn her self around by lifting her legs and scooting somehow too. She lays on her play mat and then you will look over and she is turned completely 180 degrees around from where you laid her down. She will turn her head and look at you when you talk to her now too.

She is also a very active sleeper! Last week she actually wiggled her way up and out of her sleep positioner and turned herself completely around and her feet were sticking out of the crib... I hadn't put the bumpers on yet cause she was so little so I didn't think she needed them yet and there were a few of the strings that needed to be re sewn on. But after she did this 2 nights in a row I decided no bumpers--we got the new safety bumper things that are breathable and just go flat on the rails. They seem to be better for my crazy sleeper. She did roll over in her crib on Wed night too but hasn't done that again yet.

Alaina doesn't always nap well--she is a bit of a cat napper. I believe this is the reason that she has been giving us some nights when she will sleep from 9 ish to 6 ish. Of course not last night but I think we are still getting my milk supply back to where it needs to be. The longer nights have been good for the few days I went back to work and the first 2 nights I was home healing.

Her feet are still tiny and she is still wearing 0-3 month clothes--which most are too big. She doesn't seem to be loosing any of her crazy hair either.

I like to put it in a pony with her hair bows now.

This is not the best picture (8/22) but thank you Misty for the cute outfit!