A picnic in January

We've had beautiful weather this week so we took advantage of it today and had a picnic at Market Street with Jo Jo. Grace discovered the fountains and put her head right in and got wet but loved it. I love early Spring weather!

Go Fish!

We have a walker!

Grace is officially walking! She has been taking steps for the past few weeks but this weekend has put it altogether and is now walking more than crawling. She looks like a little old woman who is teetering...so cute. I took some video to post but it's not the best quality. Ty's out of town and I'm not 100% sure how to use the video camera. Ty did get to see this before he left for his work trip by the way :) Here's Gracie...

Our charasmatic kid

Last Thursday night Jake was super wound up and running around the house with his toy microphone. He kept running to the fireplace which he thinks is his personal stage and belting out an unrecognizable tune. After awhile, he also started raising his hand in the air as he sang. We were trying to figure out what he was doing when we realized he was pretending to be on the praise team (like at church). He kept saying, "I, Jo Jo"...his Grandma (Jo Jo) is on our praise team at church and Jake loves it when she sings. I snapped a picture (this is right before bedtime and he was half dressed for bed just minus his pants!) but really need to get it on video next time. Charismatic is definitely a word that can describe Jake :)

Here he is last Sunday...he insisted on wearing his hat, but pulled it over his eyes and refused to move it. I guess he thought he was mysterious :)

I love this look...

Please continue to keep Jake in your prayers. He started sweating again more frequently after playing and also is taking longer and longer naps. These are two signs that his membrane on his heart could be growing again. We go back in March for his next appointment, but I'm thinking I should call the cardiologist and ask if we should get an earlier appointment. It's hard to not be too overprotective and not over react while doing what is in Jake's best interest. I'm praying that it is me being overprotective and not his heart worsening. In the meantime, we're going to have fun with our energetic kid and enjoy his enormously fun spirit! He keeps us smiling and laughing for sure.

Run/Walk for It's My Heart

This is a letter about the Run/Walk for Congenital Heart Defects we will be participating in this February:

This year we've become involved with an important organization for our family called "It's My Heart." It's My Heart is a national, non-profit support group for families with children with congenital heart defects that started in the Houston area. 2009 was an eventful year for us with the birth of our daughter Grace in February and Jake's second open heart surgery in July. As you know, Jake was born with an Atrial Septal Defect (similar to Ty's) that was repaired in 2007. Last year he also developed Sub-aortic Stenosis and will most likely be having more surgeries in the future to manage this condition.

We are so blessed to live in Houston where we have an incredible medical community and were blessed to find It's My Heart as we connect with other families with similar situations to ours. This year we've decided to participate in the It's My Heart 4th Annual Heart Walk. All the monies collected support It's My Heart to spread awareness, educate, and advocate for those affected by Congenital Heart Defects. CHD's are the number one birth defect in America with 1 in 100 babies born with a CHD.

We would love to invite you to walk or run with us on February 20th at Sam Houston Race Park. There will be a 5K timed run, a 5K timed walk, or a 1K Family Fun Walk that morning. We're calling our team Jake's Jets and when you register, just sign up for his existing team. Children are $12 and Adults are $25 for the Fun Walk or Timed Walk or $30 for the competitive run. If you cannot make it that day, you can sign up as a cyberwalker and still register with your funds helping the organization.

To register, click on the following link:

http://imhwalkforchd.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=320099

Also, if you would like to walk with us, please send us an email by Feb. 1st and let us know what size t-shirt you would like. We'll be making shirts with a "Jake's Jets" logo.

Many blessings,

Ty, Amy, Jake, and Grace McCathran

And one more Christmas makes three!

After Oklahoma, we headed to Marshall, Texas to spend some time with Pops and Nonnie and celebrate a belated Christmas with Ty's dad's side of the family. Jake loves going to Pops' house to see the cows and ride on the big four-wheeler. While we were there, we also went to Ty's Grandad's 90th birthday party. He is quite a character, and it was wonderful to celebrate with him. The kids got to see all of their aunts, uncles, and cousins and had a really fun week. We spent New Year's Eve with family and then drove home New Year's Day. We sure are blessed to have a wonderful family on all sides!

The McCathran cousins

Jake and Elsie Jane

Gracie and Nash

Ty's Grandad wanted to say a few words at his party--this was taken 45 minutes later :) Ty videotaped his words of wisdom and I know will cherish them for years to come!

Grandad with the great-grandkids

Grandad and his grandkids (minus Kip)

A White Christmas

We spent the week of Christmas in Oklahoma with my family. Christmas Eve it started snowing heavily and within 12 hours, we had 14 inches of snow. It was so much fun! We were all snowed in my parent's house and had a few days of family, lots of food, games, movies, and fun. All of kids got along extraordinarily well too. My brother and his family just live five minutes from my parents, but the roads were so bad even they couldn't get home so we had a big slumber party. My mom helped the boys make a gingerbread train, and my dad played out in the backyard with the kids in the snow. I'm pretty sure Ty loved the snow the best...he was in heaven! It was one special Christmas!

Playing dress up with the girls

Gigi and Gentry

Hendrix and Jake

My nephew Ky and Grace

Christmas morning--Jake has her in choke hold :)

Ready to play!

Grace and Hendrix taking a ride in Poppy wagon--it was a little too cold for my Houston girl!

Poppy and Grace

Sledding

Family picture (minus Grace)

Gracie at 10 months

10 months old is such a great age! Grace is bubbling with personality and everything is fun and exciting to her. She gets around quite quickly by crawling but is getting ready to walk. She's taken up to about 5 steps alone but doesn't quite have the confidence or balance yet. I'm definitely not pushing it! I can only imagine life with a walking Grace :) She babbles all of the time and is beginning to have some words. She can say Mama and Daddy pretty clearly. She'll clap and say "yea," and Ty has taught her to throw her hands in the air and say, "yes!"

For the longest time Jake was her favorite person, but we're pretty sure that isn't the case anymore. He still gets the biggest laughs out of her, but if she just listened to him, she would think her name was "No, Grace!" We have to constantly remind him that he is not the Grace police :)

Things Grace loves: sugar cookies, her dolls, Jake's toys, goldfish, being outside, meeting new people, baths, Bible class, and music.

Things Grace doesn't love: snow, naps, the car seat, being told "no," and bows or headbands.

We love our Gracie!

Grace and her cousin Gentry begging Poppy for more ice cream...she loves ice cream too!

I dressed her up in a princess dress and she loved it!

I think she looks like an 80s girl in this outfit!

Crawling down the hall on Christmas morning

Bathtime!

Pushing her cousin Nash on her Princess car