Happy Halloween from Never Land!

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell would like to wish everyone a very happy Halloween!

This picture on the bottom cracks me up because Shelby is making the same face as the pumpkin. :)

Choosing pumpkins

Helping Shelby choose one:

Required photo-op:

No more pictures mommy! Can we just get these?

To be carved later on this week....

Duke visit last week

My mom and I took Shelby (and Harding) back to Duke last Thursday for her 1 month post-surgery appointment with Dr. Grant. We started the day with a CT scan which they attempted to do without sedation. That was a no-go. Shelby is still extremely afraid of being "messed with" (or even looked at) by people who resemble doctors or nurses since her recent hospital experience, despite the excellent staff at Duke going above and beyond the call of duty to win her over. After sedation, things went pretty smoothly though. Shelby was extremely sweet coming out of sedation--blowing kisses and saying "meow", "I love", and shouting "hooray" repeatedly.

We headed up to the Children's Hospital clinic after the brain scan to meet with Dr. Grant and get the results. Her brain looks good--the ventricles have returned to their usual size, (for Shelby anyway)--proof that the shunt is essential. I am so thankful that there is such a device and that we have excellent neurosurgeons to take care of business when a new one is needed! We go back to Durham in 6 months for another scan (this time an MRI) and check-up with Dr. G.

One more thing--Shelby is participating in a study at Duke about stem cell therapy and hydrocephalus. She'll be part of the control group of course (since we unfortunately didn't find out about Shelby's hydrocephalus in time to save her cord blood), but I'm glad that we can help with this important research that could benefit babies diagnosed with hydrocephalus in the future.

Thanks to my mom for driving down and back with us to Duke....I enjoyed the company and couldn't have done such a long day without her! And thanks to my sweet cousin Katy who has class at Duke on Thursdays and came by to hang out with us (and entertain the kids) in the waiting room....always good to see her!

Fall Splendor in WNC

It is flat out breathtaking here this time of year. Need proof? Check out these pictures taken at our land last weekend. One day we'll have a house with this view! I don't know who said this originally, but it rings true for me, "If you're lucky enough to live in the mountains, you're lucky enough!"

Harding took this picture of Trip and me, not bad!

Wooly Worm Festival - Banner Elk, NC

Last weekend we went to Banner Elk with the Gillilands for the Wooly Worm Festival, wondering what the heck to expect...it was interesting and the kids had a great time. We met up with MoMo and Bop at the festival and they were kind enough to purchase a wooly worm for Harding.
 

Aubrey, Shelby, Harding and Derek all bundled up and cooperating.

Posing here was the only thing that didn't have a price tag. The boys were happy to oblige.

Bop, Daddy and Momo help Harding pick out his Wooly Worm.

Here is where the worm races take place...they have to crawl up a string. Entering was 5 dollars, so we decided to have our own race later (for free).

Yikes...Festival Guy

Julie and I with the Wooly Worm Mascot

 Harding named his wooly worm "Super Speedy".  Derek named his "Captain America". When we got home later, Harding and Derek raced their wooly worms and then released them to the wild. Of course each boy thought their wooly worm was the winner...Harding is still talking about how Super Speedy really won. Although the adults were not huge fans of the festival, it was a beautiful weekend to drive through the mountains with friends--the leaves were at their peak and the Gillilands are always fun to be with.