Onto 2013...

2012 was definitely an overwhelming and stressful year for the Reynolds family! It's hard to even go back and remember all of what happened, either because I blocked some events out or because so much has happened. First let me start this off by saying Brian and I are so blessed with our marriage, our sweet precious angel Harper, our jobs, etc, there is just so much we are blessed and thankful to God for.
This is where it's starts...
As Harper was supposed to be hitting her milestones, sitting, crawling, walking, talking etc. we noticed she was behind. After seeing three different pediatrician's before her 1st birthday we realized something was "wrong" with Harper. Our current pediatrician, Dr.Wright, suggested we see a neurologist, a geneticist, and do A LOT of blood work to see if we can find some answers as to why Harper is behind.
So we made many appointments to get some answers. The neurologist couldn't get us in for two months and the geneticist couldn't get us in for four months. It's crazy to think that there are that many people in the Houston area needing to see those specialists.

Shortly after our August appointment, it was Labor Day weekend and we were sitting on the upstairs couch in the game room resting and Harper was napping. Brian just went to check on Harper (not sure why, we have a video monitor and she wasn't sick.) But it was a God thing! When he went in to check on her she was seizing and throwing up in her crib. Ugh... It's so hard to write this and relive that day, but anyways Brian immediately picked her up and yelled "Amber, something's wrong with Harper, we have to go to the ER." I jumped up and saw her lifelessly hanging in Brian's arms with her eyes rolling behind her head. I said lets call 911, and Brian insisted he drive, he said he could get there faster. So we literally jumped into my car, me in the back holding and shaking Harper to life blowing in her face while Brian drove 110 mph down Lake Woodlands. The whole time we were shouting to God to not take our daughter and that everything be okay with her as I continued to hold her lifeless and eyes rolled behind her head. Brian pulled into the labor and delivery area (because the only place he was familiar with) and I jumped out of the car (no shoes and purse) and ran in yelling to the security officer that something was wrong with my daughter and I needed the ER. He immediately said to follow him and the we literally ran through the hospital to the ER. They immediately took her, and started hooking up her up to an IV. She started crying (which was a great sign.) Then they took her temp and it was 104.6, so she had a febrile seizure. We stayed for about 4 hours to make sure everything was okay and Harper played and ate popsicles and you would have never known something had been wrong. All I have to say is that I don't EVER wish that experience upon anybody!!!!

Now lets jump ahead a month or two. I enrolled Harper through ECI (early childhood intervention) and she now receives physical and speech therapy weekly. They also recommended that Harper see an orthotic doctor to get braces for her feet so she could be stronger. Since Harper has low muscle tone, this would help her use her legs and get stronger. We finally got her braces and they are adorable and she has made so many milestones with them on. We're not sure how long she'll have to wear them, it could be a year or a couple? But just today she took 5 steps on her own!

Then off to the neurologist we went. Dr. Foster was really nice and recommended and MRI, EEG, and A LOT of blood work to be done. All we knew was that she was developmentally delayed and had low muscle tone. Thank God all seven vials of blood work which tested for chromosomes, amino acids, metabolic, and several other things all came back normal. We had to return another day to do the EEG and MRI.

When we arrived at Memorial Hermann Children's it was 6:30am and we had to go in a room where they plugged 25 electrodes to Harper's head and she had to lay still for 20 minutes so they could read her brain waves. Now, trying to get a 15 month to lay still with all of these cords glued into her head was really hard, but Daddy came to the rescue by soothing her and laying with her until she fell asleep.

Then after that torture Harper had to be put to sleep for the MRI because its a 45 scan if the brain and you have to be perfectly still. It's always hard to sign the paperwork that says there is a possibility if the anesthesia doesn't work there is a possibility of death. Gosh, I couldn't stop crying signing the papers, watching them put her to sleep with gas, then saying good bye to her. All of these horrible things I don't wish for any parent and I sympathize for every parent that has to, and I feel bad for those parents that have it even worse than we do.

About two weeks later we heard from Dr. Foster that the EEG came back normal, woo hoo, Thank you God! Then he went onto say from the MRI that he could tell her brain in tremendously underdeveloped. And that's all he really could say. No other diagnosis, just that she'll always be behind. So what does that mean? I have 100 questions in my mind and I'm crying asking him, will she ever do this, will she ever do that? And he said instead of focusing on when will she do something or will she ever do it just to focus on the victories we do have with her and celebrate every milestone she does complete. Which is the best advice I could have!

So from here on out we have a geneticist appointment on January 17th, and a follow up appointment with the neurologist in April. All we can do is PRAY and HOPE!

As for me.... Well lets just say I've had my grieving period where I'll just break down and cry and ask God, why me? Why Harper? But I know that God chose Brian and I to give us this beautiful angel Harper because he knew we would be the best parents we could be and give her the best happiest life! So I just try to stay positive and work hard at being a good mom, a good wife, and I try to do everything possible to get Harper to progress. Which thank God, she progresses daily! I'll update with pics soon, but I wanted to let everyone know why I've been a little MIA. I have not been emotionally ready to really socialize, and I feel like I've been a bad friend to some and I'm sorry. But it's a new year and I'm being very positive that everything is going to be okay! :)

New beginnings.... :)

Xoxo for now, Am

Philippians 4:13
" I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

“You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Mother's Night Out

I am very blessed to have met a great group of mom's. I was taking Harper to The Little Gym, when I met a mom, who asked me to join her play group. I joined and I have gone to play groups to the pool, mall, and I have done mother's night outs to restaurants, etc. It has been great meeting other moms and their kids too. Last night was fun, one of the mom's, Karen, the birthday girl, organized a make over at Chanel in Saks at the Galleria for 15 of us! After our make overs we then went and ate dinner at Phillippes. Dinner and drinks were great! I had a great time while Brian and Harper had a fun daddy/daughter day out.

Cake, cake, and more cake!!!

Yesterday was Brian's 29th birthday! It's so fun to have a family of Leo's and celebrate everyone's birthday in one month.... NOT! All we have done is eaten cake and gone out to dinner. For Brian's birthday since it was a week day I made him goat cheese stuffed chicken breast with a sun dried tomato sauce and pesto and pine nut spaghetti squash. And creme brûlée cheesecake for dessert. Yummy!!! And this Friday we're going out to eat to Americas with his parents. Food, food, and more food!!!

For our birthday gifts to each other this year we bought toys and we're going to bring them to Texas Children's hospital. We are so blessed to have a beautiful healthy daughter and that's the biggest gift of all and the least we can do is give back.

You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine....

Ahhhh!!!! I can't believe Harper is actually one!!!!!! It is so crazy! Her birthday party was fabulous and it actually fell on her real birthday, July 28th. We had about 60 guests, friends, family, co-workers- it was quite a success. It was obviously a "You are my sunshine" theme, and we had it from 10:30-12:30, so we served brunch food. Unfortunately, her daddy was sick, and we just found out Monday he has mono. But luckily, last week Harper and I kept our distance from him, so we didn't get sick. But other than Daddy being sick, the party couldn't have been any better. The guests were amazing, the food was delicious, and Harper got the CUTEST gifts! (Thanks You!!) Thanks to everyone who made Harper's birthday so special! Also, a special thanks to little Jackson who sang to Harper, "You are my sunshine!" It was so cute and sweet! Here is a link to my shutter fly to see the pictures, Just copy and paste: http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=46c96a1b08b339dac7e45aad1e0cdff4&s

Random Misc. Pics

Since it's been FOREVER since I've posted, I thought I would just put a few latest pics of Harper.

What a year!!

We've had an amazing year with lots of ups and downs! I haven't posted in a while because I've been overwhelmed working and being a mommy. But now that I'm home for the summer hopefully I can catch everyone up!

I can't believe that Harper is almost one! We've had trouble all year with chronic back to back ear infections. It all started when Harper was around 5 months old we were having trouble with her trying to sit up. So we started going to physical therapy. Physical therapy was going great, every time we went, her therapist was so impressed with how she was improving. She eventually learned how to sit. After a while when Harper was around 8-9 months old, we noticed she was behind on crawling, we continued with the physical therapy and we changed pediatrician's. When we met our new pediatrician she was also concerned with Harper, so she had suggested that she get a chromosomal test done to make sure she had all of her chromosomes and she wasn't missing one or she didn't have an extra one. That was very hard news for us to hear, and it was the longest three weeks of my life to find out the results. Thank God, everything came back negative and normal. We are so blessed. We continued with the physical therapy and by then it was summer time so Harper joined "mommy's boot camp," just kidding, but I seriously had that girl working the moment she would wake up until she went to bed to try and strengthen her muscles to crawl. I also had her in everything possible, gymnastics, swimming lessons, and I constantly tried to keep her active and moving. Well while all of this was going on, like I said, she has had chronic back to back double ear infections. Finally, last Monday at the pediatrician I asked if I could please see an ENT doctor. So they referred me to an ENT and I got spot for this past Friday. When I went in to the appt they did a hearing test on Harper and they said he had had mild hearing loss (which can be recovered with tubes.) I was so upset, but then met with the doctor who said that Harper needed to get tubes in and he needed to get her adenoids removed. I was happy to hear that there might finally be an answer to all of my prayers and that my daughter will start to feel better. I asked the ENT doctor when my pediatrician should have referred me to him and they said after 3 ear infections and my daughter has had more than 9, I lost count! I'm so upset that both pediatrician's did not refer me and because of this she has had mild hearing loss. They said everything Harper hears is as if she was under water. Poor baby! And to top it off the fact my latest Pedi went the route of a chromosome test and not to see an ENT doctor??? Anyways... We had Harper's surgery yesterday and it went very smoothly, the hardest part was watching her come out of her anesthesia. She was kicking, screaming, and flailing her arms. But once she arrived home she recognized her surroundings and she recovered well. And wouldn't you know it, today, the DAY after her surgery my sweet Harper started crawling. Not just once, but all day, all over the house. I'm so happy and I've thanked God repeatedly!

It's been a wonderful year, and we are so blessed to have a beautiful, healthy, sweet daughter. I'm looking forward to what's ahead and I can't wait for many more memories with Harper.

Charleston, South Carolina

Our little summer vacay this year we decided to go and visit one of my bestest friends, Nicole. (Yes, from The Bachelor) :) haha Harper was a great traveler, with this being her third time on a plane, I think she really enjoys it. We had a great time, Thursday night we went out to dinner with Nicole and Morgan and we asked them to be Harper's Godparents. We gave Nicole a pandora bracelet with the faith, hop, love charm. It was really cute! We also have her an Morgan a framed picture of Harper, even though she already had Harper in frames around in her house. And we gave Morgan the Godfather DVD, haha, we thought that was funny. They were very sweet and said they would LOVE to be Harper's Godparents, even though Nicole was a little confused of a Godparents "responsibilities," but we explained them to her an she was very excited. On Friday we went for a run over the bridge together, then we hung out until our other guests arrived. Danielle and Joe arrived mid afternoon and then Kristen and Matt shortly after. We had hired a sitter for the night to watch Harper and Walker while we went to dinner then for some after dinner drinks. We had a blast, and we cheered on the gamecocks baseball team and watched them win! Woo! Go Cocks! Saturday was a blast, we went to the beach, Harper loved it! It became so hot so the girls went back to Nicole's house and put the kids down for a nap while we layed out in her back yard. When the boys returned we just relaxed and had a BBQ in the back yard an played a ridiculously interesting game, 50 questions for insane conversations. It was fun! The. On Sunday our trip came to an end and we had to go back home. It was a very relaxing vacation. Miss my girls and I can't wait for our next get together!