Our Belle-Belle is really having a rough few months. Since she started on immunosuppressants earlier in the year we knew we needed to be cautious with her since she would be more susceptible to infections.

When she dropper her weight near 20 pounds, we were very happy for her and we even started to mix dry foods into her diet to give her a variety. But we began to notice that she ate less and less - to the point of concern.

Our vet informed us that with the diabetic wet food she was on, the high protein meant she would be fuller much quicker, but we went from feeding her two full cans a day where she would polish off every last morsel, to only giving her half a can twice a day, plus dry food and she would not eat half of what we put down for her.

Then she started to reject taking her pills and we noticed that a few small bumps were starting to show up on her skin.

Naturally, we had to take her in for a checkup. She is now on a feline formulated Cyclosporine (similar to the immunosuppressant she had been taking, but supposedly more palatable for kitties) and is being treated for severe gum infection.

Poor kitty!! No wonder she hadn't been eating well. She is just 19 pounds now.

With a shot of antibiotics and medicine for the rest of the week, we hope she'll overcome her infection soon. She will go in for another checkup next Monday.

Weather has been gorgeous in Colorado. However, Castle Rock is always a bit windy and despite the warm temperatures, it has been too windy to be outside with the girls for long periods of time. Last weekend, though, we got to go on our first warm-up hike for the season. We wanted to start easy and see how Kayleigh would do, so we headed to Rock Park to go up to the Castle Rock.

Kayleigh's first hike where she actually walked a good ways

The view at the summit, overlooking The Meadows - our housing community.  Somewhere over there is our house.  You'll have to ask Abby where.

Paul helps Abby find the direction of our house

Nice Father-Daughter picture

Kayleigh didn't last very long on her feet and ended up on my back, in the carrier, for most of the hike up

The hike up ends just under Castle Rock, where Paul, Abby, and Kayleigh sat and rested for a spell

Then Abby and Kayleigh explored some nooks and crevices

Heading back down

Steep steps for little legs

Kayleigh did not want to leave, but the day was windy and a bit chilly, so we didn't get to stay very long.  For ages after we left, she kept crying in the back seat, trying to express with her limited vocabulary that she wanted to go back and see the strange, cow-like creatures. "Moo.  Moo.  Moo.  Back there!  Moo.  Moo.  Moo."

Both Abby and Kayleigh had their 6-month dental checkup and cleaning at the beginning of the month. Abby has always been great at the dentist's office and had actually been eager to see Dr. Jon for weeks now. Kayleigh's last cleaning had not been received well and she screamed and cried the whole time. Unfortunately, I wasn't there for their last cleaning - Paul had taken them. So, I was mentally prepared for a fight.

We were all pleasantly surprised that both girls did extremely well!  This pediatric dentist's office uses tables rather than chairs because it is easier on them - as well as the kids - for them to be lying down during an exam.  Abby gets a bit scared of flipping around and lying on her back, but with a little assistance, she does just fine.  Kayleigh sat on my lap and watched Abby get a full exam and cleaning.  Abby was so brave that Kayleigh was actually eager for her turn!


When Abby was through, Jill the hygienist had Abby sit next to Kayleigh while she slowly showed Kayleigh all the tools she was going to use, demonstrated how the tools would be used in her mouth by first performing everything on her fingers.  Then she counted her teeth, brushed, scraped, polished, and flossed Kayleigh's teeth with Kayleigh's full cooperation!

Taking x-rays to determine the extent of damage in the abscess

I am always surprised by how brave Abby is.  We returned the following Monday and the dentist asked if Abby remembered why we were here again.  She said, "Yeah, you need to wiggle out my Princess crown."  And then she calmly followed him to the back of the office.

The numbing shots brought on some tears, but she quickly recovered and let Dr. Jon take out her tooth. Since the root had started decaying away, the tooth came out really quickly and easily.  Abby didn't flinch.  They gave her some gas to relax her and she was never scared or timid once she was numb.  The tooth was cleaned and placed inside a tooth-shaped container on a string, which they gave us to take home.

As we were going home, Abby only commented that she didn't care for the numbing shots (mosquito bites) and having to bite on the icky gauze to stop the bleeding.

The Princess Crown was replaced by a Princess Tiara

She got to skip school for a day and helped make some pudding for dessert.

When it was time to pick up Kayleigh at the end of the day, Abby said to me in the car, "Mom, today was...um...boring.  Can I go to school tomorrow?"  I guess she didn't need the relaxing day as much as I thought she would!

The night before her tooth extraction, I sewed Abby a tooth pillow.  This Monster Tooth Pillow idea was found on the internet and adapted for my lack of sewing skills.  I never thought about having the tooth fairy visit our house, but since Dr. Jon planted the idea in Abby's head and since she is still so young when she lost her first tooth, we decided to go along with it.

Teefany - Abby's tooth fairy - left her a letter and a 2-pound British coin.  Being the smart little girl that she is, she insisted that her daddy gave her the coin because he had recently returned from England!  After much convincing, she did finally give in.  We'll just need to be more creative next time!

A Monster Tooth Fairy Pillow I made for Abby.  The tooth was placed in a container, then inserted in to the monster's mouth pocket to wait for the tooth fairy.

Abby's tooth fairy, Teefany, left her a cool two-toned, British 2-pound coin and a note.

Despite the loss of an hour, I love enjoying the later sunset thanks to Daylight Savings.

It's Monday and I was dragging all day. Work was slow. The weather outside was GORGEOUS and I was stuck inside staring at a computer screen.

Luckily, I was going to leave work early and visit the daycare near our house because Kayleigh will transfer there once Abby starts Kindergarten next year. It is the same chain of childcare that Kayleigh and Abby are currently at, but because each facility is franchised, the franchise-owners and staff make or break the daycare. As it turns out, I love this one. The facility was immaculate, similar to their current school. I met the assistant director, spoke with their director, and got to speak with their lead teacher in the class Kayleigh will be entering. Amazingly enough, the lead teacher transferred to this daycare one year ago from our current school and she not only remembers me, but she is very fond of Kayleigh, having been her teacher when she was a year old!

Anyway, I got to leave work at 3:30! Picked up the girls after I registered Kayleigh at the daycare, then met Paul for dinner. Paul left work early as well to get his right index finger x-rayed because of a run-in with a chain-linked fence a few weeks ago. He left to play in his Monday evening racquet ball league and the girls and I got to enjoy some outdoor time at a nearby park.

Such a great way to end a Monday!

Do you remember how exciting it always was to go on a school field trip? A day that is outside the norm and breaks the monotony of sitting in the same old classroom. I always enjoyed field trips, but I was lucky to have attended schools that took us to really interesting places.

I got these photos from Abby's teachers back in September 2011. Abby went on her very first school field trip with her Pre-K class.

When kids turn 4 they are finally allowed to ride a school bus and venture off school grounds.


The kids loved the field trip to the local public library and each got to pick a book to check out and bring back to the classroom to share with their friends.


The library field trip is one they do regularly and often - about every other week. The other regular field trip these kids enjoy is to the LifeCare center, conveniently located across the parking lot from their school. They always enjoy going there to see their "grown up friends" - LifeCare is a nursing home/assisted living center and they always arrange for artsy-crafty or reading type activities that the kids and residents can all participate in together.

Otherwise, there are a couple of special trips they do throughout the year, such as visiting a pumpkin patch and hay maze during the Fall.