Family Vacation!

For this past week we have been in the great west of America visiting my side of the family. This was a trip with a lot of firsts. First family vacation, first family air travel, first time for Xindy and Royal to be in my home town/state, etc. The list goes on, but I am so overwhelmed with joy on how wonderful the trip ended up being for us all!

I hate flying, let me just say that I hate it, hate hate hate hate hate. With that I was not thrilled, but did it for the family! We left LAX on a Sunday night with only one melt down from Royal. We had been on the plane for an hour before taking off and I am so glad we were not the only family on the plane so we would not be that family with the crying kid. Everyone had a crying kid and even crying parents. (Blessings to you mother who traveled alone with a two year old and 4 month old!) The ride was smooth and before we knew it we landed at Billing Logan International Airport, we picked it because its named after me of course.  My mother was there to pick us up and shuttle us to Cody, WY where we would spend 4th of July week adventuring around the American West.

Royal and Xindy had a blast on our trip. They both got to meet more of the Holliday side of my family along with where I grew up. Xindy now understands a little more why I did the things I did growing up. A lot of stupid things where done growing up, just because we could and it was the only thing to do in Cody. I had forgotten about how beautiful Wyoming and Montana are as well. It has been about 12 years since I last was in that area and I am in love! I want to pack everything up and move back there as soon as I can. The mountains and people alone are worth the move out west.

For now I dream of the beautiful area and wonderful people and I cannot wait to be back home again. You can also view the images from our trip HERE.

What We’ve Been Up To

First Row (Left to Right)

Splashing in the pool Royal received for his birthday. He’s a Winter baby, so we had to wait for the warmer weather (at least 75 degrees in SoCal) before we cold set up the pool in the patio.

Growing up, my sisters and I were on a swim team, and for his birthday, my dad gifted Royal a couple of swim diapers, which resemble a Speedo. Of course, I had to put it on him, even though, he does own a pair of swim trunks.

The splash pool was filled with half of foot of water and I threw in some of Royals toys in there, he had a blast.

Second Row (Left to Right)

Park days are some of my favorite days, we pack blueberries, cinnamon cookies, sweet tea for mama and milk for Royal. We sit under our favorite tree and it seems like the majority of the time, Royal prefers to eat grass, twigs and leaves instead of his snacks.

Royal loves to swing and I have so many photos and videos of him in the swing, I will post a video on here soon.

Getting out on sunny days is also an excuse to break out our best sunnies and cute straw fedoras.

Third Row (Left to Right)

Mama and Royal, our silly selfies composed of our outfits, funny faces and passing moments.

Somedays I never leave the  house, much less take a shower or change out of my house clothes so on days that I do, I feel compelled to document them, to remind myself that I am not just a mom but a woman, who feels pretty when made up. I also have to document great hair days which are obviously more important that cleaning my bathroom mirror.

Then there are those times, when I realize how big my son is getting. He used to be so tiny and this towel used to swallow him up. He will soon be longer than his shark towel, the towel we used on him when he had his first bath at home, the night we brought him home from the NICU. Bath time is a must for Royal, he is a creature of habit and when 7 0′ clock strikes, he must be in the tub or Logan and I will face the consequences of dealing with his wrath, i.e., moody temperament. His current bath time activities consist of him knocking over all the shampoo, body wash and face wash bottles of the rim of the tub and making sure that I look like I had a front row seat at a Sea World show.

This is what we’ve been up too. Summer is nearing and I cannot wait to capture more moments.

Heart to Heart

Today is June 5th, 2013. This marks one year anniversary of the hardest day in my life. This time last year I was at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)  praying with friends and family to have God guide the surgeon’s and staffs hands for Royal’s open heart surgery. A little back story if you did not know, Royal was born with a congenital heart defect called an AV canal. This means that blood could move freely among the four heart chambers, mixing oxygen-rich (red) blood with oxygen-poor (blue) blood (from CHLA). He was admitted at 6am and in surgery for about four hours. Four hours does not seem like a long time when you say it, though that could have been two years to me. Time stood still and when it did move, it was at a snails pace. I thank God every day for having our family there with us while we waited, talking about my younger days, listening to other’s stories, and having general discussions to keep me calm and grounded.

During this time and up till the surgery God and I found each other.  Like most people in stressful times we find our faith again or dig deeper into it. I thank God every single day for bringing Royal into my life. Everything that has and will happen with Royal is an act of God’s love, a labor of love if you will. Royal has taught me more in this past year and a half about life and God’s love. If you want to see the power of prayers, take a look at Royal. Most doctors said that he should not even be here or would not make it. They obviously do not know our God. Our God can move any mountain!

With all of this I know that Royal is here to accomplish great things! God told me in my darkest hour, during our 22 day stay at CHLA, to dry my eyes, continue singing the promises over Royal, and to be patient for Royal is coming home. So today we celebrate God’s grace and love for bringing Royal into this world and home with us. With every smile Royal gives I can see pure love! Join me in a prayer of thanks to God and Jesus for being with us. Royal is stronger than ever and keeping up with him is an awesome challenge. After two open heart surgeries this boy is set to show the world who is boss!