Oh, my goodness, where does time go.  I haven't updated in forever.  It's been a bit of a chaotic and unexpected few months for us.  Zoe has had 2 unplanned hospital stays.  Both of which were for unexplained decreases in her oxygen stats.  Both happened pretty quickly.  The first was mid June when jason was in LA.  His first vacation in a long time and the day he leaves I end up taking Zoe to Childrens.  We were there for 4 days and all her tests came back negative so they still aren't sure what happened.  She was on 02 for about 3 weeks that go round.  Then a couple weeks ago we had had a great Sunday,  a birthday party and beautiful weather and Zoe woke up crying funny around 11PM.  I went into check on her and she was convulsing all over her body.  All her muscles were super tense and she looked paniced.  She was cognacent of me the whole time so we were told she wan't havign seizures.  Her 02 stats dropped pretty quickly, probably because she was terriffied and in pain and it caused her blood to shunt.  The paramedics were here in 2 minutes and becasue of the unknow of it all they decided to airlift her to Seattle Childrens.  This was a first for us,  lots of ambulance rides before but no helicopter.  Jason and I couldn't go with her, we had to take the next ferry-  terrifying.  By the time we got to Childrens she was calemed down, not convulsing but still on a quite a bit of 02.  We were in the hospital 2 days this time.  There were also no answers this time around, I think she got some sort of heat stroke and heat cramps.  So now Jason and I are are evenmore hyper-vigilant about making sure she stays hydrated.   Needless to say it's been an odd late spring/summer.  

Hopefully that is all the hospital stays for a while.  We are now tryign to make the most of out northwest summer.  Zoe has been loving picking vegtables from the garden (peas and raspberries are her favorites).  We 've taken her swimming a few times with her cousins which she loves.  The Bainbridge pool has this long eclosed tunnel slide that she loves- crazy kid.  She has also become an expert hanger sorter and button sorter as she "Helps" me work at the costume shop.   We also took her to her first big screen movie, Winnie the Pooh.  She of course loved it although I think she may have liked the preview for some film about monkeys even more. 

Up next, an art show for me, the start of our farmhouse renovation and the big 3rd birthday party.  This year is a Snow White themed party, chosen by Zoe.  She is now like all toddler girls and is obsessed with all things Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella.  I know there is nothing wrong with her eyes becasue she can spy items with these characters on them a mile away.  Her speech is progressing well, still a long ways to go, but one day at a time.  She continues to grow her gross motor skills and pushes herself each day to do more,  she's getting rather fearless-  we love it!!

She finished up her Early Development preschool last week and will start at Wilkes Elementary school in a few weeks.  My dad and I both went there ( and Jason went there for a few weeks) so it's very special.  She is in a developmental preschool where she will attend school 4 days a week for 2.5 hours.  She will also recieve PT, OT. and speech.  

Every year around her birthday, we start to think about how far we've come and how we never thought we'd be here.  Zoe is a miracle and she doesn't even know it.  Her zest for life and her fearlessness are something to marvel at.  We have met some of the most amazing people on our journey with Zoe,  parents and kids with special needs who we never would have known who help us keep it all in check and tell us to take a breath when we need to. We are blessed to have Zoe with us and love what she teaches us as parents and people.  It hasn't necessarily been an easy road to travel and it has definetly challanged  our day to day life, but Zoe is worth every trial and tribulation and when we hit some of those big milestones we only dreamed about, it's enough to make you weep.  These special needs children are some of the most resiliant, determined, grateful and loving beings, we could all learn a lot from them.

HAPPY EARLY 3RD BIRTHDAY ZOE!!!

Zoe at 1 day old.

Zoe these days,  trying to fill some BIG shoes.

Zoe in the pool with Aunt Tara and the cousins

Zoe on a carousel in downtown Seattle with Jason

The machinery that kept Zoe alive.  You can see a tiny piece of her head in the center of the bed.

WE LOVE YOU ZOE!!!