Saturday morning we got to see our little Liv dancing around the ultrasound screen. She is constantly in motion and my tight control over the diabetes has been paying off because she is 4 lbs 7 oz and in the 31st percentile so at this rate she should be normal birth weight, which means a normal delivery!!! Afterwards we headed downtown to the East Coast Harbor for the Tall Ships Festival. Kade was in awe of all the “pirate” ships, but they only boarded one because Mama couldn’t handle the over 90 degree heat. Kade was so happy to get his “pirate ship flag” that it didn’t matter to him that we only went on one ship. The boats were magnificent and it made me miss our hometown of Sandusky, where I grew up boating with my family on Lake Erie. I can’t imagine living away from water, it has such a calming effect on me.

We came home in the early afternoon, Kade napped, then we headed off to the Cain Park Arts Festival in Cleveland Heights. We were in search of artwork for Liv’s room, but came home empty-handed. It was a good trip though and it felt good to talk to some artists and reconnect with my old art history roots. There was an artist there who did some truly remarkable charcoal drawings and if I had my way, one would have come home with us.

Sunday was preparation day and Kyle did the yardwork while I cleaned out the kitchen cupboards to make room for Liv’s bottles and nursing gear. We wanted to get stuff organized and cleaned out before Kyle’s dad came to stay with us. It was a successful day but while I was busy cleaning someone replaced my son with a look-alike monster child. Kade was in a word – terrible yesterday. He wouldn’t stop whining and threw tantrums like they were baseballs all day. I nearly had a meltdown while trying to deal with him and I found myself dreaming about my 3 hour doctor’s appointment Monday where I would have some time away from the banshee-like screaming. He finally calmed down and went to sleep, but Kyle and I both looked at my burgeoning belly in fear before going to bed ourselves.

Today was the day that Kyle’s mom checked into the Clinic for her BMT. They got here this morning and she was all smiles, ready to fight this for good. I am so proud of her attitude and spirit. This feels so much better than the last time she went in. There was so much uncertainty then and fear over what was to come, but today was a day of relief that the journey would be over soon and the leukemia conquered once and for all. I know she is ready to get back to living and in a month’s time she’ll be a new woman with a new lease on life. It definitely is a rebirth and I am so happy that everything has lined up so perfectly to allow for it. The remission, the perfect donor match, the rising counts, and the positive attitude are all there. So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she beats the hell out of the leukemia for good and keep her husband in your prayers as well because he needs the strength of our support as he sits by her side through all the good days and bad. I love them both so much and I can only hope that someday Kade will understand the impact and influence they have had in his life.