Thanks! Plus, suggestions please?

Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes! I feel so loved!

Not much has been going on around here in the birthday aftermath. Eli is still in the hospital, but he is recovering. Elyssa is gone to dance camp. She says she's having tons of fun. I went for a check up yesterday, and everything looks fine. Mom says I should be able to go to school this fall! I want to join a team or something, but I don't know what to pick. I haven't asked my mom yet, but I think she'll say no to swimming because of the germs in the water. *eye roll* I really like to dance, but that's Elyssa's thing, so I'd rather not join the dance team. I'm pretty good at gymnastics, but my school doesn't have a gymnastics team. I used to take gymnastics lessons, but I don't think I'm good enough for the competition teams here yet. They are really good. Maybe I could try cheer leading? Anyone have some suggestions? I want to be active again!

Birthday Pictures!

My birthday was on Sunday, but last night I got to have my party with my friends! It was so much fun! Eli isn't coming home from the hospital for awhile, so my grandparents are still with us. Since they are helping, Mom let me have a slumber party! I'd never had a slumber party before. I invited Sarah (my bestie), Mia, and Sonali from my class plus Sonali's best friend, Chrissa from one of the other classes. Sarah didn't get to come though because her family was leaving for vacation. I missed her, but it was a great party! We put on our pajamas first thing and then had dinner. Here are some pictures. The first ones were on my actual birthday.

Me in the dress my grandparents bought me

Me with Elyssa

Hanging out in my room

Yummy food!

Me, next to my birthday food

Eating with my friends

Cake! My grandma made it from scratch!

Hanging out before bed

Elyssa took this one of all of us sleeping

What a great day! I hope I get to have another slumber party really soon! 

Happy Birthday, America!

America is 235 years old today! We celebrated America's birthday over the weekend, and it's a good thing too because it's storming today. It's supposed to rain all day! Normally, I don't like rain, but I'm a little tired from all the excitement that's been going on here. It will be nice to stay inside and play with my new stuff that I got for my birthday. In case you were wondering, I did get my new doll! I got Addy! I collect the historical American Girl dolls! I also got a couple new books and movies and some new clothes. Elyssa and I are going to watch one of the new movies right now. It's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1! I've seen it before, but I love watching all the Harry Potter movies over and over again. I can't wait to see the new one in the theater! Elyssa gets to go to the midnight showing in 3D, but mom says I'm not old enough yet. She's taking me to the very first showing the next day though! How is everyone else spending their Independence Day?

It's my birthday!

I am 11 years old! My grandparents are staying with me and my sister because Eli is still in the hospital. This morning, my grandma and Elyssa surprised me with breakfast in bed. Grandma made heart shaped waffles, and Elyssa made me a strawberry smoothie! It was delicious! This afternoon, grandpa took me for a ride in his really old classic car. He doesn't drive it very often because it's an antique and would be really hard to fix if something happened to it. It was so much fun! For lunch, we (my grandparents, Elyssa, and me) went to this fancy French bistro. I had quiche! It was wonderful! We've been in the pool since we got home from lunch, and grandpa is grilling steaks and corn on the cob for dinner. Mom and dad are going to come home from the hospital to have dinner with us. For dessert, we're going to have red velvet cake! It's my favorite kind of cake! After dinner, grandma says I can open my presents. She's keeping them hidden, so I have no idea what she got me. I know what Elyssa and Eli got me though because Eli is a terrible secret keeper. They got me some new books! I hope my mom got me a new doll, but I haven't seen any big brown boxes lately, so she might not have gotten it. I'll try to post some pictures soon! My grandma doesn't have a digital camera, just the kind with film, so all the pictures she took have to be developed and scanned.

As for Eli, his fever is down thanks to some vancomycin, but he's still going to be in the hospital for a few days. His blood counts are really low. He might have to have a transfusion. I hope he gets better soon!

Bad birthday news!

I am so sad! My birthday is tomorrow, but I don't get to have a party after all. Eli started running a really high fever in the middle of the night, and he had to go back into the hospital. He has an infection, but the doctor doesn't know what kind yet. They are doing a spinal tap on him tonight, maybe even right now. Elyssa and I are staying with my grandparents, while mom and dad are at the hospital with Eli. We are all really worried about him, but I can't help feeling sad that I won't get to have a birthday party. Last year I couldn't because of Elyssa, and now I can't this year because of Eli. It's not their fault, I know. But, I'm still disappointed. And, they understand because I've ruined their birthdays a few times too. It's all just part of having LFS. My mom says we can try to have my birthday later, when Eli is better. I hope he is better soon! For selfish reasons and because I don't want him to be sick. It's no fun being stuck in the hospital and feeling awful.

My birthday is really soon!

Guess what! My birthday is exactly one week from today, on July 3rd! My mom says I can do anything I want, as long as it's legal and within 20 miles from our house, but I don't know what to do. I will be turning 11! I am so excited! As of right now, my siblings and I are pretty healthy. I got chemo on Friday, and I still feel pretty good, just a little tired. My doctor said we can wait to do my next dose on July 5th so that I will feel good for my birthday. Eli is also doing much, much better. All that means I could do something outside the house, for once! Last year, Elyssa was really sick, so we couldn't have a party. Only my grandparents came to visit, but my mom made up for it by letting me have extra cake. We're having a cook out/pool party for the 4th of July, but my mom says we can do a little something extra for my friends since the cook out is going to be just family. Maybe a picnic in the park? I don't know!

Hanging out with Lanie

Hi, everyone! My mom's friend came to visit, and she brought a girl named Lanie with her! Lanie is the same age as me! We had so much fun! First, we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop! Lanie had never been to one before, so she helped me make a new friend. Then, we went to the toy store. Our mom really like Monster High, so we had to look at them. Then we had frozen yogurt! It was so yummy! I ate too much.

Here we are with my new friend Pink Hello Kitty:

Kitty is very silly:

Hey, Mom, I need this chair!

Making Kitty a birth certificate

Riding in the basket at the toy store

Mom got a new Ghoulia! We're sitting on her!

Waiting for some frozen yogurt!

I had so much trouble picking toppings!

Eating with Lanie

Was it ever yummy!

I hope I can visit with Lanie again soon! It was so much fun visiting with her while the grown-ups talked!