It's been a long time since I updated on the blog!

Hi Everyone (if anyone is still following!),

I've been doing great updating my status on Facebook, because that's usually all the time I have to give a quick update or ask for prayer for Mia, etc. I have it on my calendar to write a blog every Friday, but the reminder goes off on my iPod, and I always forget to make the time to write an update. Hopefully most of you are following my Facebook updates anyway, so you're up to date with info as well as sweet pictures of our lovely daughters who are growing up so fast!

Princess Belle and Princess Ariel

Since my last update, Mia has turned 2 years old on February 4th! She had a perfect birthday party with dear friends from church and so many extended family! It couldn't have been any better! She had a Disney themed party and my cousin even gave Mia a Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) "ball gown", and Mia looked so gorgeous!!

Mia's 2nd birthday

The Cortez Family (minus Mia)

Tea Cups!

Astro Blasters!

Robert with 3 very excited cousins

The following day my entire family (parents, sister, brother and his family, Robert, Mercedes and I) took a trip to Disneyland. It was a surprise for Mercedes and her 3 cousins and they were very surprised! It was their first time and Mercedes (who is shorter than Arianna and Caitlin) was just barely tall enough to go on majority of the big rides! I quickly realized that she is a dare devil!! I had to go on some of the kiddie rides with her and she had to hold MY hand because I was scared! I've never been good with heights. =) Good thing I'm short! ;-) The trip was wonderful and Robert and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mercedes be a kid and we learned so much about her and her personality. It was so sweet to see! Her favorite rides were The Pirates of the Caribbean and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (which she went on 4 times in a row and still wanted to go back on it!!)

California Adventure

While we were at Disneyland, Mia was doing great and was actually weaned down to the lowest breath rate she had ever been at (and was doing GREAT!) - she was down to 15 breaths per minute. Two days after we returned from the trip, however, she got sick. She had to be maxed out on the doctor's orders of settings for her size and weight. It took her a while to get back down, which she has still not quite gotten back to 15bpm. Her lowest was 19bpm, then she got sick again, then of course, had to get maxed out again (usually 28bpm). Her latest two episodes of high co2 hasn't been due to repiratory issues. Two times ago, she was getting over a cold, then got a UTI on top of that and she was just working too hard, and I'm sure she was in pain from the urinary tract infection. They had to increase her settings to keep her co2 within range. The last time, just about a week and a half ago, her co2 climbed up again in the upper 60's/low 70's, so they had to max her out on her breath rate yet again. We don't know why her co2 increased that time. She didn't appear to be sick, but she was pretty wiped out and quiet. Right now, her breath rate is at 23bpm and they were able to decrease her pressure control setting by 2 the other night because her breaths were TOO large. That's always good!! It's always been hard to wean Mia from the pressure control settings.

Mia has had several UTI's (urinary tract infection) the past 2 years, so that has caused the doctor to keep a closer eye as to WHY she's getting them. He ordered an ultrasound of Mia's bladder and such. It appears that with Mia's overall low muscle tone, she's not emptying her bladder all the way, which is causing some urine to stay in there and cause infection. To try to keep her from getting another UTI, she is on a low dose of antibiotic for 6 months and they are now doing straight caths twice a day to completely empty her bladder. It's crazy how much she holds in there. A few times it's been up to 5 ounces! (A 'straight cath' means they manually place a tiny catheter up into the bladder to empty it.)

The latest bit of news for Mia is that she was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, so they started her on meds for that. I don't know if she was just starting to feel better at the time, or if it is the medicine, but she is SO alert and active now!! I am so incredibly happy!

My mom went to visit with Mia for a few minutes before coming over to our home to pick up Mercedes ... and I'm so glad she got there when she did!!! Mia has not enjoyed her seat for the last few weeks especially, so I told the physical therapist, Scott, and he's been trying to think of something that will work for her. Mia is so little, and she doesn't have the strongest trunk/midsection to keep herself in midline, so there aren't very many options for an upright seat. Anyway, Mia has a wheelchair!!! My Mom took this video (below) of her (Mia was totally asleep while she was in it, though. haha)

I have a couple other cute videos but I'm still trying to figure out my new phone. =)

Robert, Mercedes and I are doing well. Robert left for Maxwell AFB, AL on April 17th for 5 weeks for Squadron Officer School. He's enjoying it and thankfully, so far, none of the tornados that have been devastating the South have been near Montgomery. The most recent ones were 60 and 70 miles away, which still isn't THAT far away. Keep praying for his safety, but most of all, for all of those who have lost loved ones and their homes, etc.

As always, I'll try to be better about remembering to make time to update this blog. =)

Blessed,
Rachael