5 Days 'til Disney!

We are getting pretty excited for Disney World in Florida!! We have our suitcases out and started packing breakfast and snack items! They give us 2 meals a day and 1 or 2 snacks so we are bringing breakfast items so we can eat it in the room in the morning, fast and easy.  Ellie has been counting down on a calendar we posted.  She is excitged to cross off the day every night. We are making last minute purchases of little things so we are well prepared. Ellie was given a bag of goodies to take for traveling.  Games and coloring things to keep her busy on the busy and plane rides. There are 75 total people going consisting of a doctor, nurse, chaperones and the families chosen to go. We found a journal with Mickey Mouse on it so Ellie can document her trip.  We are going to get signatures of characters, take pictures and write down her favorite activities each day. Should be a neat little book when we are done! If I can get pictures posted while we are there then I'll get them on right away. It may have to wait if we don't have easy access to a computer. You can check out facebook though. I can easily send pics there from my phone/Blackberry. The pics will show up on my wall and in the mobile uploads folder. ttfn!

Volleyball team update!

Well we have been following the UNI volleyball team closely since Ellie has been adopted by them. We have gotten to join them at practices and evening activities some. Last weekend they went to Indiana for a tournament and won 1st place! This was exciting because we got to listen to it on the radio. It was neat hearing their names being said and actually knowing who they are. This past weekend they went to Minneapolis for a tournament and tied for 1st place! Another great victory! This week they head to Ames and Kansas for another tournament. We hope to find it on the radio again. Most of all we look forward to their first two games at home Sept. 17th and 18th. We will be there!! Congrats to all the ladies and the coaches so far. It's been a great start to the season!!

Below is a picture of the locker they gave to Ellie! It's so neat. She's excited to put things in it.

More good news

Wednesday, September 1 we went to Iowa City for another 4 month MRI check-up.  We got good news again that her MRI was clear and nothing to worry about. We are so happy and relieved for this news again. We spend the four months enjoying our time and focusing on school with Ellie but then the one day we have the check-up the stress and anxiety comes back.  Then after good news we return home to more everyday things.  Her next check-up is Sept. 16th at the eye doctor in Iowa City.  We hope to find out her vision is almost the same as in her left eye so we can back off of atropine drops to a few days a week instead of every day. Her eye seems to be closing a bit more and keeping moisture in better because her eye doesn't get as red so often anymore. This is nice.

Ellie is enjoying school so far. She is in the combined first and second grade classroom with Mrs. T and Mrs. S as her teachers. We like her teachers a lot.  The teachers at Price Lab care about the kids so much.  It really gives us peace of mind to send her there every day.  Ellie has spelling lists every week now.  For her first week and test she got 6 out of 6 correct! We are proud of her because we forgot to practice her words every night except one. We have to get used to this home work stuff again.

Nathan is doing better also. He doesn't cling to me anymore when I leave him at Son Rise for daycare. He hasn't fussed or anything all last week. Also when I pick him up he is very happy to see me and comes running and giggling over to me.  I think he's not in competition for my attention anymore since Ellie has been in school.  He is sill his 2 yr old self with struggles for independence and telling us he's mad when he doesn't get his way. We continue to correct his bits of hitting or flinging his arms at us but his is typical 2 yr old stuff we will get a handle on. 

We are all looking forward to Disney World in a few weeks.  On the 12th we get to meet the other families and get details about the trip!

Ta Ta For Now!