AND/OR

Dana reviewing Annikka's Christmas list with Annikka:

Dana: "Dress up clothes"

Annikka: "Yes."

Dana: "Princess Stickers or Fairy Stickers."

Annikka: "OR?!?!?!"

Dana: "Um ..."

Annikka: "I said 'AND' -- Princess stickers AND fairy stickers."

Dana: "Okaaaay."

[PAUSE]

Annikka: "Did you change it?"

18 months

Eila has had a busy few days. On Wednesday we went to another basketball game and got to see Benny Beaver.

From Nov/Dec2011

She's following in her big sister's footsteps and becoming a big fan of Benny and basketball.

From Nov/Dec2011

On Thursday she had her 10th chemo treatment. She handled it very well, she's quite the pro by now.

On Friday she had her 18 month check-up. It was the first time she had been into the clinic here in town, so there was a lot to catch her doctor up on. And it meant we got her latest stats.

Height: 30.25 inches (11 percentile)
Weight: 19 lb 4 oz (<3 percentile)
Head: 47.7 cm (86 percentile)

Chemo IX

Eila's chemotherapy continues to go well. She is pretty easy to manage and entertain during her appointments, and has experienced very few side effects. We've made it through 9 treatments now (and she still has hair)! I can't believe it. Although we have more than 2 months to go, there's only 5 more chemo appointments (they are spaced out during December and January, but the dosage is increased). I know there's still more ahead of us after chemo, but it's beginning to feel like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

From Nov/Dec2011

As a cancer patient, Eila's weight is closely monitor. Various side effects may cause her to eat less and lose weight, so she gets to have dessert any time. One of her favorites these days is "mini mint ice cream mouthfuls" from Trader Joe's - messy but good.

Silly sisters

From Nov/Dec2011

It was all silliness this afternoon from these two little ones.

From Nov/Dec2011

Annikka dressed Eila up so that she was very fancy. Pretty darn cute, huh?

From Nov/Dec2011

Then Annikka decided that they should get married, so here they are getting ready for the wedding. It's so nice that they can already play together.

From Nov/Dec2011

Basketball Benny

From Nov/Dec2011

We went to the Beavers' exhibition home game and got to see Benny. Basketball season is the best with little kids - it's indoors, Benny Beaver's there, the constant action of basketball, the band, cheerleaders & dance line, snacks, and tons of people watching. Although it'll be nice when they get a little older and we get to watch the game again.

Important Milestones

Even more reminders that Annikka is growing up (too?) fast.

She recently surprised us by getting all the way across the monkey bars , something she'd been unable to do previously.



Then, there was THIS:



Annikka's FIRST PIECE OF GUM. Can you believe it?

Next stop: adulthood. (*shutter*)

Halloween

From Sept/Oct 2011

Happy Halloween from our princess & fuzzy black cat!

From Sept/Oct 2011

From Sept/Oct 2011

Unfortunately, it was raining on and off this afternoon, but it didn't stop us from enjoying the downtown trick-or-treating. We met up with friends Amani and Hirut.

From Sept/Oct 2011

After we got home, we sorted through the candy to weed out all the peanut ones (and add them to our candy to pass out). Annikka is a really good sport about this and takes it very seriously ...

From Sept/Oct 2011

Eila, on the other hand, was just ready to slide.