Hannah Turns Two!

Ama got her the kitchen for her birthday and she loves cooking in it!

She was able to blow them all out by herself!
Fortunately Papa and Mimi, were here to celebrate-a real treat! Ama and Grandpa Ed couldn't make it that night because of the big snow storm.
Hannah first celebrated on her actual birthday- Cake #1

Hannah's 1st Snow 2008

Hannah made a quick recovery from Mono and was even ready to play in the first snow of the season. Of course, Ama was there to join her in the snow!
She hasn't yet decided if she is so keen on wearing gloves.

A big Scare

Before I start this post let me start by saying everyone is okay and healthy! Thank God!

Soon after we brought Lilah home from the hospital, Hannah seemed to be getting sick with a cold, fever, etc. I started getting nervous that Lilah was going to get sick too. Little did I know that Lilah was not the one to be concerned about. After 8 days of looking paler and paler, and on and off fever and multiple visits to Grandpa Doc. we decided to investigate further and draw blood. Anyway on Dec. 12 we got the blood results and my dad became very concerned that she could have a unusual virus or Leukemia and the only way to know would be to do a bone marrow biopsy. We immediately went to Hackensack Hospital. When we met with the oncologist she felt Hannah was to weak to get a biopsy done that night and first she would need a blood transfusion At that point more tests came back that in fact showed there to be some early cancerus cells and she was diagnosed with Leukemia. That night was hell. In the morning she got the biopsy and to everyone's surprise the biopsy showed that she did not have Leukemia but some virus. The error came from some misreading from another hospital. We could not believe it but were so overjoyed with this miracle we didn't care about the error.
While we were in the hospital our friends and family showed so much love, support, and concern. Everyone's prayers worked!!!!!! Thank you to everyone!
Aunt Kris (along with Grandpa Ed, Ama, and Colleen the doula) did a great job caring for baby Lilah while we were in the hospital. It was hard being away from my 2 week old but I knew I had to be there for Hannah.
Friday night, we came home from the hospital (and thanfully Mimi and Papa arrived from Missouri) after 2 blood tranfusions. We were so thankful to be home even if Hannah was still sick. Finally on Saturday when more blood results came back we learned that what Hannah had was Mono!
These smiles were rare those first days home. Hannah is wearing a bib because her throat was so sore that she couldn't swallow and just walked around drooling because it was too painful to swallow. Finally by Tuesday after a couple of days of very high fever, Hannah bounced back and started to feel better! We feel so blessed to have 2 healthy girls. This experience definitely put life in perspective for us!

Now A Family of Four

Scott and his girls!
Me and my girls!

Lilah Avery is born!

Hannah is oficially a big sister. Lilah was born on Nov. 25th . She weighed 7 lb 11 oz. .


Lilah ready to go home from the hospital.
Before we left, Hannah came to meet her big sister, so far she gave mixed reviews. It was very hard for her to leave and go home without us.

Fall Photo shoot

Last family shot as a family of 3.

She worked really hard to make that leaf blow away!
Yeah!
Mommy and her girl!
Blowing even harder!

Happy Halloween

For Hannah, this year Halloween didn't just come on Friday, her festivities started on Tuesday when we went to Scott's work Halloween party. On Thursday she dressed up for a playgroup Halloween party. Then on Friday she dressed up once again to go trick-or-treating with Ama and me and then we met up with her friends downtown Teaneck to do more trick-or-treating. She quickly got the hang of going door to door and saying "treat" and opening her bag and then getting candy and saying thank you "ding du".

So as you will see Hannah was a CAT. We felt this was only appropriate since "CAT" was her first word and since she loves her cats. As you will see below, thoughout this week, she had many opportunities to show all a cat's many personality traits, attitudes, and emotions.



The I'm so cute and adoring, you can trust me cat
The friendly but shy cat
The needy, please come scratch my head cat
The proud and excited, who just scored a treat cat
The sneaky but contented cat
The serious, focused and "hunting" for more prey cat
Hannah and her Teaneck pals walked around downtown Teaneck to go trick-or-treating.
Teddy, Ayla, and Hannah had a good time chatting and chasing each other around.
Halloween started for us on Tuesday when we went to Scott's Work Halloween party at Blue Sky. Hannah quickly got the strange but fun concept of going from cubicle to cubicle looking cute and in return getting candy.

The Hay Maze

Hannah had so much fun at the Hay Maze and she couldn't have looked cuter with her new "pump-in" hat that Ama (Grammy) gave her.
What a cutie!
Ayla and Hannah chased each other around
They kept going until....
They fell on top of each other, and they thought that was the funniest thing!

Fall at Hannah's Park

Hannah on her favorite slide


She is such a good climber these days!Hannah and her pal Ayla sliding down together. They talk about each other all the time and are finally playing together and laughing together rather that getting shy when they see each other.

Mom's Teaching Me Early!

I love how this book is bigger than her, it is one of her favorite these days because inside is lots of real photographs of things she can name.