Happy Second Birthday, Sinclair!

Today we celebrated Sinclair's 2ND birthday!  Surrounded by a few of our very closest friends and loved ones. Unlike last year, we kept it much more low-key.  Sinclair has been obsessed with tea parties and cupcakes for about 6 months --- so we orchestrated a transformation at our local cupcake bistro.  We had a surprise visit from our friend Elmo and the kids loved it! Alas, the kiddos and parents alike went really wild over Alice in Wonderland.   "Alice" (aka Stephanie) truly stole the show.  She greeted everyone at the door (with British accent) and took a picture with each guest and never broke character.  Her Mom, Bridget,  is Sinclair's Godmother and I have known "Alice" since she was a week old and now she is approaching driving!!!  Assuming the "Alice" drives a car and she doe not travel everywhere through the "looking glass"   Between friendly fuzzy red Sesame Street stars and the face painting no one even noticed a few drops of rain.

Hard to recognize my best girl, Lisa Jane without a camera but she had precious granddaughter "Bella" in hand instead!! 

Elmo was a huge hit with the littlest party guests!

Sinclair loved Elmo dropped by ....she loved playing "Sinclair Sandwich" with both her Godmothers, Paula and Melissa even more!  Sinclair insisted to all "Group Hugs"

"The Muffin Man" passed out over 30 various different flavors (Red Velvet, S'mores, Forest Black Cherry and Boston Creme were the mentioned favorites) of cupcakes.  The "Dream team" (aka "The Flower Fairies) Richard, Hailey, Kirksey and "Auntie LeighBee" made it all come together like clockwork!

Later on that evening, GaGa whipped up fried veal cutlets, mashed potatoes, cream gravy, green beans, homemade rolls and......you guessed it, even more cupcakes!!!!

You can see behind Daniel is the amazing portrait of Sinclair that renowned artist, Shelly Shanks dropped by for Sinclair.  That was a very generous gesture!

Frank and Erica (conveniently known as "Auntie Cupcake") gave her this fabulous pink hopping horse (we all hinted if she would ride it down the isle when she was flower girl at their wedding.....it is only a matter of time....and "Big Daddy" John fixed them up).  We all knew what the  REAL highlight was going to be and it did not disappoint.....Uncle John got her this yellow excavator that her Uncle John got her.  She squealed with giddiness.  Now, she can be just like the construction crew at "Casa Chaos"  and I am sure she will be 100% more efficient!

Medical Update....

In the last two weeks Dr S switched me to Vancomyacin.  I take this intravenously as well, about 2 and a half hour twice a day.  It is taking longer than it should because I am enduring blood clots. I flush each line with Heprin (blood thinner) but I am still clotting. 

Switching to this drug is suppose to help me with the blisters and scratching -- alas, it leaves me very nauseous.  It seems like if you trade one you get something else. 

We looked up the side effects of the new drug and it states "increased frequency of urine; chills, coughing; difficulty breathing; drowsiness; fever; increased thirst; loss of appetite; nausea and vomiting; sore throat; weakness; mood swings and depression.  Abdominal tenderness; abnormal bleeding and bruising; large blisters on arms, legs, hands, feet and upper body; loss of hearing; ringing in ears; severe stomach cramps; watery and severe diarrhea, which is usually bloody.

Lovely.....just lovely.  

I will be on antibiotics at least another year or so -- hopefully, Dr S will find it in his heart to switch me to orals.  

Chicken Little Who????????

If you recall before Easter I dusted off the ritual of hatching our own Easter eggs.  My Mom, JoJo did this for me annually and it is forever grained in my memory as a fond one. 

Sinclair and I  drove down to see Farmer Devon at Wabash feed store and he set us up with the fertilized eggs and the incubator.  Out of the dozen eggs miraculously three of them hatched.  "CoCo" our faithful gatekeeper at Casa Chaos inherited these chicks: "Boom-Boom", Elmo and "Peep Peep"   

Out of nowhere, Sinclair started asking about "Boom Boom" -- hearing this, CoCo master planned the visit this morning.  Sinclair went wild with excitement!  This chicken was so gentle, ate out of her hand, sat perfectly still while she stroked the soft feathers (while sitting on my Rose Tarlow chairs) made chicken noises on command.  This Rooster was tamer than most dogs I have ever seen.  I lay ya' 8 to 5 in Vegas that poultry are not allowed in our neighborhood as pets.   Alas, if I had to plead my case to the (high affluent' blue blood) board I would want this cool Rooster by my side!

If Steven Spielberg needed a chicken to take instruction on demand, "Boom Boom"  would be the chick!

A Typical Day at Casa Chaos

"Big Daddy" sent me this earlier this AM and said "This reminds me of Sinclair and me"


I started my IV at 6 AM today (while still sleeping) -- it is 9:20 AM now and the nausea is overwhelming but this video made me forget about it all. I LOVE IT!

Let Freedom Ring.....

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Today Sinclair decided to dress herself for the festive holidays at Casa Chaos!  This consisted of Princess bows, TuTu's, Juicy shirt and bedazzled lavender Crocs!

Ofcourse after one parade through the house she had on her birthday suit and jumped straight into the pool!

A Busy Day Before the Fourth.....

This afternoon was swim lessons with Ms Marcia.....she reassured us that  Sinclair should be ready for the Olympic swim team in 2012!  

Early this morning we had our flagpole installed.  We love it!!!  We were worried 30 feet tall would be too tall but with the slope of the yard down to the water it is very proportionate. Patriotically, we have the American flag on top, then the Texas flag... we have an Aggie flag on the way!

This gorgeous cake was Joanne Herring's birthday cake from her luncheon yesterday where I was "roasted" Joanne obviously does not keep her svelte figure from eating this cake so she sent it to "Casa Chaos"  (keep in mind it feeds over 375 and it stood four feet tall) We immediately called "Angel Frank" and shipped it over to Texas Children's Hospital for everyone to enjoy there!

This was a snap of a mirror that someone sent Sinclair for her birthday.  Quite generous and unexpected but I thought it was too beautiful not to share!

Roast and Toast

Last week I was roasted for Charity along with Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, Dr Denton Cooley and Judge Ed Emmitt along with Railroad Elizabeth Ames Jones.  This was in honor of our dear friend, Joanne King Herring who was portrayed by Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War!

The sold out crowd of 550 gathered while my old friend, University of Houston Chairman Welcome Wilson, Sr entertained the crowd with his wittiest stories of the twenty years he has known me!

Joanne is posed between Neil Bush and me in this photo -- this woman is approaching 80!!! Amazing!!!

"LET'S GO JUMP"....is the phrase of the week!

It has been a busy week at Casa Chaos! Sinclair started gymnastics this week and took to it like a fish to water! Her passion for jumping and rolling will mimic her older sister, Hailey - that reached the impressive ninth level, after a long career on the gymnastics circuit.

The owner of the gymnastics studio has the most precious dog (not sure of the breed) but every time the toddlers do a roll or a flip "Caesar" does circus tricks and jumps through hoops--- Sinclair and another little girl laid like logs and he took a flying leap over the top of them -- she LOVED this!!



Sinclair was really fond of the balance beam.... I think we will be glued to the Olympics this summer watching the floor exercises!

Later that night we opened a birthday present from her friends Matthew, Max and Mia -- she went nuts over the baby doll they sent her!

From all the running, jumping, balancing and baby doll burping we had an exhausted little Princess! John snapped us resting together with me while I took my IV (2 hours twice a day....UGH) -- that is Oliver above our heads, protecting us fiercely!