State Games

This past weekend was the NC State Games. The State Games is the largest multi-sport festival in North Carolina and one of the largest State Games programs in the United States. The past two years they have been held in Charlotte and next year they will move to Winston Salem (boo).
State Games are like the Olympics on a state level. I was lucky enough and thrilled to be playing with our women hockey team. We played four games in 28 hours with three of the games on Saturday in a 14 hour span. Before this, the last time I skated was the Charleston tournament (end of the season) which was two months ago! I wasn't quite sure I was going to make it, but surprisingly, our team got better with each game. Game #3, we were hot. I was a little bummed though that not one single person came to watch me play. So many people told me in the past they wanted to come and we don't play games in Charlotte very often, but no family or friends came out. Derek couldn't even come because all my games were at times Arden was sleeping (too early, too late or nap time). The only person that has an excuse is my dad. I know if he would've gotten the email with all the info I sent him, he would've been to one of them. (I love you Dad!) For some reason, our internet loses connection to the router a couple times a day, and I guess when I hit 'send' the internet went out at the same time, so there the info sat. In my saved folder. All. Weekend.
I love playing hockey so so much and wish I was able to dedicate more time to practicing/playing.
Today, my body is so sore, but every ache is so worth it.

Ellie

This morning, at 11:35, Ellie Potvin passed away. Ellie was diagnosed with a very rare stage 4 cancer in 2008. Tumors were in her abdomen, lungs and leg. She was 6. Rhabdomyosarcoma has a very low survival rate. After one year of treatment, she went into remission, then, three months later it came back. New treatment didn't work and It almost totally filled her lungs and she could barely breathe. She went peacefully in her mom's arms.
Derek and I saw Ellie and her family at a hockey game. I remember when they went out on the ice to drop the puck. I got teary eyed looking at that sweet little girl. The crowd stood and cheered. The Checkers did a lot of fundraisers for her family and I've followed her story since I've heard about her. When I heard the news today, of course I cried. I just can't imagine what her parents and twin sister have gone through. Reading about the struggles, the ups and downs, the pain and how fast Ellie went downhill and how her mom, in the last days was begging Heavenly Father to hurry up and take her is really sad. Not sad that she passed away because we all know she's now free of cancer and pain, but my heart and prayers go out to her family and especially her twin sister.
Ellie's celebration of her life will be at this amazingly huge church in our area and I'm sure it will be filled up.
You can read her story here.

18 Months!!

On June 13, Arden turned 18 months! Nonni and grandpa came to town the day before to celebrate with us! On the 14th, Arden had her 18 month check up. She weighs 25.8lbs (75th%) and is 34in tall (95%) They measured her head, but I don't remember her saying what size it was. The Dr. said Arden "is an observer and wants to check things out before she joins in." Maybe so, but when she's with me, she doesn't usually join in.



After the appointment, we took Arden to Chuck E Cheese (first time) and boy did she love that rat.
She loved watching the band play, and her favorite ride was the one with Chuck E Cheese in the passenger seat.



Giving me a hug-

(Thank you, Mommy for bringing me here!)

She gave Chuck E a hug, a kiss and was telling him secrets.




She wasn't into Bob The Builder



Mom and Dad had a little fun too!



Chuck E came out to say 'Hi' to all the kids and Arden followed him around and when he turned around to see her, she gave him her tickets, then pulled her shirt up to show him her belly button. About ten times. Maybe that's her way of saying 'I love you'. It was the cutest thing. After that, Chuck E left to say hi to the other kids, then on to the dressing room. Arden kept following him, determined to get him to show her his belly button too I guess.



Things Arden says:
Hey/Hi
Bubbles
Shoes (she LOVES shoes)
coo-coo (cookie)
ball

Things Arden used to say:
baby
book
dada
Tom
(I'm kind of thinking there's more, they just aren't coming to me)

She babbles complete conversations and will ask questions too which the Dr says is really good because she is saying words, we just can't understand what they are. Makes me feel better, since a lot of kids I know her age are saying more words clearly, but apparently she's ahead since most kids only say one or two words together.

Arden is very cautious with pretty much everything she does. Even saying new words, she does it slowly, until she gets it down. She is good at sharing and gentle with animals.
She is finally getting her lower lateral incisors in and her canines are going to be popping through soon.
Arden has been an amazing sleeper.....until this past week. Derek's parents were in town so I thought maybe it was that, but today, same thing. Perhaps it's the teething, but I'm not convinced, because she didn't have much of a problem in the past. I put her in bed for nap and at night and she cries. and cries. Yesterday at nap, I knew she was tired and I was just going to let her deal with it herself, and after 20 minutes, I peeked in and saw her lovey on the floor, so I went in to give it to her and noticed she pooped. So I totally felt bad because this one time, she actually had a reason to cry. At night, I have to hold her until she falls asleep, then I put her in bed. Then she wakes up...pretty much every time that first attempt, then cries a pitiful cry so I have to do it again. I don't go in there immediately either. I wait until the cry sounds painful. So all I can do is hope this passes and she goes back to being a great sleeper.
Otherwise, she is a ball of clingy cuteness and loves water, unless it's on her face. Her favorite things at the moment are her baby stroller, her purse, music (dancing) and books. She puts her babies or a stuffed animal in the stroller, puts her purse on her arm and sticks a small paper gift bag on the handle and pushes the stroller around. When she's done, she usually sticks her purse on the handle.
She's just so cute, I can't stand it.

Food

I do my best to limit the amount of junk Arden eats. We don't eat out a lot; in fact when we went to Charleston in April, Arden got sick the second night and I really do believe it was from all the eating out garbage we ate and her body isn't used to it. She eats a lot of fresh fruit and veggies (I LOVE my local produce co-op. LOVE IT. I think it forces us to eat more fruits and veggies and eat things we might not normally buy- although if there is something in your basket you don't like, you can trade it out). She has never eaten any fruit snacks or gummy things (a hygienist's nightmare? maybe.) I mean, she's not banned from anything unhealthy, but if at such a young age I have the opportunity to start my child off on a good foot, why not try my best? She does like ice cream though. She only drinks milk at meals (yes, it is bad to let kids carry around milk and sip all day)and water whenever. Once in a while she gets goldfish or cheez-its and after dinner, she gets 2 cookies (coo-coo) which is a bland animal cracker! But hey, she gets so excited and thinks they're great.
Anyway so when I'm out running errands and it's snack time, it's not very easy to give Arden some fresh fruit. Then I found these:


They're the best thing ever. Freeze dried fruit. No added sugar like dried fruit has and it's not sticky and gross. Light. Crispy. Yummy. She loves them.


Then there's this applesauce. No added junk either. All natural and easy for on the go and 5 different flavors.


She eats so healthy and still has to take Mira-lax. Poor baby.