What?! Half way through the year?!

Hi everyone!

Well, it has been six months since I updated the blog so I thought it was about time hahaha.

When I started writing this I was so happy that there was some quiet and normalcy however that is just silly that I would even say that because within a few days our lives were truly turned upside down.

Last weekend we spent the weekend in Vermont with my mom and dad. We had a great weekend. Put some finishing touches on some work my parents had been doing over the past few months. Since finishing the stairs, my dad redid the wall around the fireplace and defined the mantle. I painted the kitchen and hallway and we all updated the cabinets, mom redid the countertops and Dad and Shannon put in a window in the attic. It looks great. Shannon and I even got to have a date night.

We got home and all was good until Tilly suddenly collapsed that evening. She had some movement and knew we would take her to the vet first thing in the morning. She worsened so rapidly in the early morning that we thought we were going to lose her. We went to a local vet who immediately referred us to a Vet Hospital an hour away where they have a neurologist on staff. Over the week, Tilly had an MRI, spinal tap, physical therapy and was put on a combination of antibiotics and steroids. Before the MRI the doctor told us to prepare ourselves because he did not things looked but we knew that we had to give out Tilly Bug every chance possible. After the MRI he said the prognosis was better but we would have to evaluate in a few weeks time because he thought she would be incontinent and may never walk again. He suggested the addition of the spinal tape to get a better picture and thank God we did that because it showed a sever infection of Myelitis. He said he never saw such a severe and fast onset. Luckily, he was excited by the feeling she still had in her leg and the fact that there is some movement! All the things we feared have been allayed and Tilly will make a recovery for sure. What that looks like exactly we are not sure but we know that there will be good quality to her life!!

Tilly came home on Friday and I don't think Shannon and have ever been happier. It was like bringing your baby home from the hospital for the first time especially because we thought we were never going to bring her home again. It was such a blessing and what we are now calling a Father's Day Miracle! :) This week has been one of the most intense of our lives but with the best outcome possible. Since being home Tilly is already on the move as much as she can. She is using a sling under her belly when we take her to the bathroom but she is in great spirits and we have no doubt that she is on the rebound. She is all Tilly just minus a bit of movement in her back legs. As long as she has a good quality of life that is all we care about. Jack could not be happier to have his big sister home. He may have figured how to open her pen (which she needs to sleep in for safety) and crawls in to give her kiss and snuggles ... it just melts your heart!!

So, that is the most important thing that has transpired in recent Crawford history! Below are a few highlights and I promise to post for Jack's First Birthday!!! I can't believe it is almost here! :)

Highlights From The Past Few Months ...

• Jack is doing amazingly! He is chatting up a storm, waving, can show us his tongue, clap, hug, give kisses, blow kisses, climb up and down the stairs, stand and has taken several steps each day! We are just so proud of him and are putting the final touches on his birthday in just 2 weeks ... 1 year big!!!!!!!!
• We have started to meet people in our neighborhood and town! I have met some great mommies with babies Jack's age as well as meeting neighbors with children a bit older and are awesomet! It is slowly but surely feeling a bit more like home each day!
• I co-chaired an event for the Junior Women's Club and met some phenomenal ladies. 
• Shannon and Dad redid our breezeway and it looks amazing!!! It was really great watching them work together and it means even more!
• I celebrated my first Mother's Day with Jack and it was phenomenal!! And, Shannon surprised me with a trip to NYC for the weekend!
• NYC was amazing and coincided with the 5 year Anniversary of our meeting. We went to all the places that had significant meaning for us and it finished with Shannon taking me to Tiffany's!!! I got a beautiful infinity band that has a beautiful significance for our family! 
• Shannon got to celebrate his first Father's Day today! He defines what it means to be a man, husband and father! Watching him each day inspires me and what he does for our family is unparalleled ... THANK YOU MY LOVE!!! we.love.you. Jack and Tilly are lucky to call you Daddy and I am blessed to call you my husband!!!!!
• We absolutely love our home and are starting the list for things that we would like to do, slowly but surely, to personalize it even more.
• Our backyard is wild kingdom ... we have seen a ton of small birds (that now come right up on the deck while we are out there because we feed them every night, squirrels, chipmunks, hawks, eagle, a fox, bunnies, coyotes and there are bears in our neighborhood. We are yet to see one but fingers crossed.
• Tiffany Rudy is coming in 2 weeks for Jack's first birthday and we are so excited!!!!
• We are hoping to spend some quality time in Vermont over the summer (it is our escape and we just love it up there!!)
• Working on dropping those last few baby pounds ... :) Haven't been trying too hard hahaha!
• We are finalizing the application for Shannon's 10 year green card!!
• We are hoping for a few days at the beach if we can!

That's pretty much it for us! This past week has reprioritized a lot for us. At the end of the day as long as your family and friends are healthy and happy that is all you can ask for. We are so thankful for the way this week concluded and are taking a deep breath ... together!!

STAY TUNED ...

Love,

Katie, Shannon, Jack and Tilly

I think this says it all ...