Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Jude's Alopecia Story with Pictures




I've sat down to write this post several times & been too emotional to even know where to begin. But, many of you (family & friends) have asked about Jude's diagnosis and prognosis and I figured the best way to answer all the questions was to just write one post about it.


I'll start back at the beginning & try to go from there... this may get long winded & I may bounce around, so bear with me.



Back in February we took the boys to our local barber for a haircut before our upcoming trip to Disneyland to celebrate their birthdays. The barber is Russian and there is a language barrier between us at times. I noticed while he was cutting the back of Jude's hair there appeared to be two little bald spots about the sizes of dimes & I assumed at the time the barber had nicked him by accident. I paid & left feeling incredibly frustrated & swearing I would never go back there again. That night I took pics & sent them to my mom and close friends bashing this poor Barber.



Fast forward to June & we take the boys to a new barber shop to get a trim (I love this place & we have continued to go there since). I had assumed the nicks from the barber had grown back (Jude's hair grows so fast & was long enough that it was actually covering the spots). Once his hair was trimmed short enough in the back I noticed one spot had filled in, while the other appeared larger. The owner of the shop saw the spot on the back of Jude's head & said "That's not from a haircut. Do you see the lack of stubble & how it feels like a forehead. I hate to tell you mom, but that looks like Alopecia. I had that in my early 20's and a few steroid shots to the scalp & it grew back. You may want to take him to his doctor to get it looked at."




Our pedi confirmed it looked like Alopecia and suggested we follow up with a dermatologist, but assured us it was in just one spot so it would grow right back.

I'll save you the boring run around it took to get an appointment. How we first saw an adult dermatologist who dropped the "C" word and then quickly took it back. And us calling several times to get squeezed in to a cancellation appointment at Phoenix Children's.... and cut to the part where we see a pediatric dermatologist (FINALLY) and she (plus her 2 resident students) confirm that it is indeed Alopecia.

They looked at Jude's hair follicle under a special light, magnifying glass thing & described his hair as "typical Exclamation Point Hair". At the time he only had that one patch so she diagnosed him as having Alopecia Areata.  She wrote up a prescription for a topical cream and said to use it sparingly and return for an appointment in 3 months. She also ran a bunch of blood work to calm my spirit and all results came back normal; no cancer, no iron deficiency, no thyroid problems, nada. He's healthy as can be. As a mom, I wasn't hoping for a negative result, but I was sort of hoping she would come back saying it was some specific something or other that had a definitive treatment plan. But as I'm finding out more & more, Alopecia is not black and white. It's all shades of unknowns and uncertainties.

We left that appointment feeling disheartened. Yes, we finally had a definite diagnosis, but the prognosis was unknown...
He could have just that one spot forever, it could grow back. It could grow back & then fall out again. He could have other triggers that cause him to lose all his hair, body hair included. He could lose it in perfectly symmetrical circles or in patches. Only time would tell.

I kept praying for him to be cured. That this cream would work it's magic and this would all be a thing of the past. I researched and researched all different ideas of cures, creams, shots, steroids, diet changes. Heck, I even sprayed some breast milk on it for good measure.



It's been almost 2 full months and sadly, Jude's hair is falling out and thinning at warp speed. Not only has that spot continued to spread like wildfire, but he's since accumulated several other bald spots. He's even lost the majority of the hair on his arms and legs (which would then throw him into the Alopeica Totalis, meaning loss of total body hair as well). It's at the point where if you even touch his head, your hand is covered in hair. It's all over his pillow and covering his car seat. He twirls his hair to fall asleep & will stop for me to wipe the hair off his hand before going right back to twirling. He's even started twirling my hair for comfort before nap time and bed time. And a few times we've found him snuggled up in August's bed, playing with August's hair.



We've been pretty diligent about applying the cream each night. We have to do it after he's asleep because it does sting (I've tried it on myself|). It's meant to irritate the skin so the T-cells stop attacking the hair follicle, allowing the hair to re-grow. But a side effect is that it makes his scalp sensitive and the skin much thinner (you can now see a bunch of little veins on the bald spots). If I'm completely honest, Jeff applies it most nights. It breaks my heart to have to do it & luckily he has offered to be the stronger parent in that regard. There are a few areas where there is stubble of re-growth, but the hair is really brittle and crumbles, similar to hair after you've used Nair.


I have had this lingering hope that he will be healed.

I feel myself obsessing over his hair. I'm constantly checking him for new spots and taking pictures to document the hair loss changes. I even catch myself checking August's hair for spots. It's probably borderline unhealthy the about of time I spend thinking about his hair and imagining him bald. I stay up late at night looking at pictures of his curly hair. I'm grieving.

I know it's "just hair" but to me its soooo much more than that. I look at this handsome boy, with the sweetest little heart and I just worry about him being teased or even having a hard time getting a girlfriend. And I try my best to not get emotional in front of Jude or talk about it in front of him.

I did speak with a child psychologist at my work and she had some wonderful advice for me on how to handle this with him as the hair loss becomes noticeable to him. She loved the idea of Jeff shaving his head and said that will be helpful to tell Jude he just has the same hair like daddy. We're currently on the hunt for a book featuring a bald super hero or a story to help him understand that even though he's bald (er, will be soon) that he's still just as special and as important as the next kid. Most of the books I'm finding are geared towards little girls. (Blonde today, Bald tomorrow. The bald Rapunzel, etc.) And the only bald cartoon character I've found completely annoys me! Haha. Other parents truly understand my distaste for watching Caillou. The kid just whines non-stop. Not exactly the "hero" I want Jude looking up to. Even though my research revealed the shows creators left him bald on purpose for children with childhood cancer or Alopecia to be able to relate.

We've already had a few odd incidents with strangers in public that have gotten this momma bear a little fired up. One lady pointed at Jude and joked "oh, did someone get a hold of the scissors?" to which I simply responded, "No, he's actually going bald". The poor lady looked mortified and embarrassed and as she walked away I was kicking myself. I felt like I was too rude & should have just said "Yes. Yes, he cut his own hair" and left it at that. While at the Mall playground 2 weeks ago Jude & a little boy accidentally collided and both tumbled to the ground. When the mom was helping up her son she said "Be careful, that little boy is sick. You don't want to hurt him". Then later on I heard her say to a few other women she was sitting with, "I can't believe they have him out in public, I wonder if its ok for him to be playing while he's going through chemo." I don't want people to assume he's sick and coddle him. I want him to be strong and an athlete and I want everyone to treat him just like any other little boy. Is that too much to ask?

On the other hand, I the most amazing thing happen at work the other day. I have a student with Alopecia and she took the time to sit down and talk with me about her experience and what to expect. I call these little moments a "God wink". I promise He put her in my class on purpose. Out of respect for her privacy I won't share much of what she shared with me... but I would like to brag that she is an amazing athlete, going to college on a FULL scholarship and she is just darling!! She has the prettiest smile and most adorable personality. In all honesty, when talking with her I completely forgot she was wearing a wig and just focused on her pretty eyes and smile. She was encouraging saying she has never experienced any bullying from her peers about her hair (granted she was older when she lost her hair and past the name calling and teasing age). She said the hardest struggle is finding the words to say to people when they ask her about her wig or assume she is ill with cancer. Although she's never been teased by peers, she is hard on herself about it. She just lit up when talking to me & expressed that sharing her story with me was very cleansing for her. She shared the pain of losing her hair at 13 and how sometimes she looks in the mirror and doesn't think she's pretty. That hurt me the most. She joked "you've met me at a really good time, I've come really far the past few years and now I'm done searching for a cure and just switching my focus to trying to be an advocate and a voice for Alopecia that little girls can look up to and realize they are beautiful even without hair & eyelashes". I broke down crying when she told me it was okay to grieve and cry and offered her moms number for me to call as support.

Talking with her gave me a strange sense of peace and acceptance.

I've been pleading with God to just heal Jude and let his hair grow back. But after talking with her, my mindset has completely shifted to now focusing on how can I build up this beautiful boy so he grows up a confident man who never doubts himself.

While I do appreciate all the outpouring of support from friends on social media and all the suggestions of how to fix Jude, I feel in my heart like it's time I just stop obsessing over "fixing" him and just start appreciating him for all the other amazing things that make him Jude, besides his curls.

My current struggle is weather or not we should just shave his head or let his hair continue to gradually fall out. The child psychologist suggested we just let it be. She thinks if we cut it, he might end up "blaming us" or associating us with "taking" his hair. But it breaks my heart to see Jeff break down in the mornings after frustration over trying to get Jude to sit still so he can style his hair in a way to try and hide his ever growing bald spots. He just noticed the large spot the other day in the bathroom mirror & was rubbing it. When I asked him if he knew what that was he said "You cut my hair mommy. Bad mommy using scissors". He's remembering the home haircut/trim I gave him back in February. Before we knew about any of this & I was trying to style his longer hair. I tried explaining it was just like Daddy's hair & he said "no, I don't want Daddy's hair, I like my hair. See its Brown like yours mommy." I hate to think that as he continues to lose it he will continue to blame me, but then again, I already blame myself.

Tonight I told Jeff I would like to cut part of it to save in a baggy in his baby book as his "last hair cut" and put it right next to his "first haircut". Does that sound completely nuts? Jeff thinks so, Ha! But, the thought of having that last ringlet saved is oddly comforting to me. Jeff's also on the side of let's just let it naturally fall out, vs. cut it all off so I may just need to sneak a ringlet while Jude's sleeping one night.


If you've got it in your heart to pray, please pray for our sweet boy.
Pray that he finds a new source of comfort once he's lost his hair.
Pray that he has the right, sweet, response for any kid that may question why he's bald.
Pray that strangers are kind.
Pray that when he looks in the mirror, he thinks he's handsome.
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving that it isn't something that causes him physical pain, while praying it won't cause emotional pain.
Pray for us as his parents that we might have the right words of encouragement and strength when he needs them.
Pray he makes some wonderful friends in school.
Pray for my adorable student that she can follow her hearts passion of using her disease as a stepping stone to offer encouragement for other's with Alopecia. And pray that when she looks in the mirror she sees the beautiful girl I saw when I was talking with her last week.
















The stains on his pillow case are from the greasy cream we apply to his spots each night.








Thursday, April 16, 2015

Growing more baby Gilberts? Are we "done"?


I noticed when Jeff & I first got married the main question on everyone's mind was when were we going to start a family. And as soon as Jude was born everyone was curious when we were having another. Then sweet August joined the family and everyone wondered if we would "try for a girl". Now that we "got our girl" people, especially strangers, assume we're done.

Are we done? This has been the great debate in the Gilbert household & I truly wish I had a solid answer! Not so I can fill strangers in on my fertility plans, but so that I myself would know the answer. I would LOVE to have more. I've always dreamed of having a large family (minimum of 4) and at this point I can't see myself being done. Yes, don't get me wrong, we have been incredibly blessed so far! The boys are incredible & I can't wait to hold our beautiful daughter in my arms. But I don't feel that sense of complete I've heard friends mention.

When Jeff & I were dating and getting close to becoming engaged we would sit and talk for hours about our future and what we saw that looking like. Following a friend's advice we would ask the hard questions like "What if I become paralyzed, would you still love me?" or "What if I get a job transfer to Texas, would you move with me?" or "How many children do we want & how long til we try?" Back then, the answer was "Wait 2 years and then start our family. 4 children". However God had other plans, he's funny like that. We found out about Jude when we had been married just 6 short months and then discovered he was going to be a big brother when he was only 3 months old.

In our minds we never pictured having 3 children in under 3 years. But that's how it worked out. Having them so close together has been quite the, uh, adventure. And although in my heart I know I don't want to be done, I know I'm not ready for another baby just as quickly after the birth of Georgia. Daddy on the other hand thinks our hands and house are full and he would be content calling it a success with 3. ;-) haha

So for now we wait. We welcome Georgia's upcoming arrival and anticipate what that means for our daily routine and lifestyle. We realize it will be several month of pure "survival mode" like it was once August was born. And we will table the topic of "are we done?" until later.

Maybe God will surprise us again and give us the answer I'm so desperately seeking. Maybe he'll give me the peace & contentment Jeff feels in his heart or maybe he'll surprise us with another little love. Only time will tell.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mom-isms

Sometimes I catch myself saying something and think to myself "Did I really just say that?" Here are a few of my recent Mom-isms.

"No Jude, don't throw that, we only throw balls in the house"

"Sit down while you eat that, if you stand & eat you'll get a tummy ache"

"Stop playing with your snack. If you don't eat it, Mommy will"

"You're squishing him. He's a baby, you can't sit on him"

"Please, just one hug"

"No thank you, I'm full" (while trying to feed me a goldfish cracker he just took out of his mouth)

"No rocks in the tubby. Rocks don't like water"

"Ooooh, wow! Big Big Truck" (Pointing to a semi while driving & then realizing I was alone in my car)

"Stop playing with that, your penis is not a toy"


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Things I've learned as a parent...



Motherhood is a choice you make everyday to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own.

I can't even tell you how many times I've turned off my recorded show to watch Despicable Me instead. Or how many times I've gone without lunch because I was too busy taking care of my boys. Being a mommy means putting Jude & August's needs before mine. Sure, I would love to take a long shower and read a book like I used to... but that's time I could be spending with my children instead.

What's mine is yours.
Even if Jude is eating the exact same thing as me, he wants a bite from my plate.

Sleeping in til 8 am is sleeping in.
Oh man do I love sleeping in!! Pre-babies I would spend my weekend mornings sleeping in til the afternoon. Jeff is great about letting me sleep in a little later on his days off.... and sleeping til 8 really does make a difference. But I will forever put sleeping in on my wish list for holiday gift ideas.

You will make mistakes. And it's OK.
I am by no means perfect and there are some days when I lay in bed thinking back on how I could have done something differently that day. Some days we have fast food for lunch. Sometimes I forget to brush Jude's teeth before bed. Jude has fallen off a bed, with me standing RIGHT.THERE. My boys eat baby food that isn't all organic (gasp). Some days we cuddle on the sofa and watch Despicable me on repeat several times because I just don't have the energy to do anything else and we're all happy to just be snuggling. And most weekend days we stay in our jammies until lunch time. But that's okay. We all make mistakes. I'm no Super Mom and I have to forgive myself for that.

Laundry & dishes can wait.
Sometimes I have to stop doing a chore right in the middle of it because August needs a bottle or Jude wants to build a tower with his Lego's and needs his momma's help. Or a diaper needs to be changed, or Jude wants me to read him a book. I feel so embarrassed when people come to my house and its in disarray... but if they look closely they will see how happy and content my children are.

I can never use the restroom alone. Ever
I will even wait until both boys are napping so that I can pee in peace. I'm not sure what is so exciting about using the restroom, but for some reason I always have an audience. Jeff must think I'm crazy because the first thing I do when he gets home from work is run to the restroom. I could spend half an hour in there checking up on social media or just sitting quietly thinking. He probably thinks I have major bowel issues... but 9 times out of 10 I'm not even using the restroom to go potty, I'm using it simply for alone time.

If you had an opinion of how you were going to parent before you had kids, it will change.
Man, before I had children of my own I was so quick to point out how others were doing it "wrong" and how I would be doing it "right". I was going to be the perfect mom & I had very strong opinions of how other moms should be parenting. I was sure I would NEVER co-sleep, and now that's my preferred way of sleeping each night. I swore I would NEVER let my kids eat or drink in my car, but let me tell you how much easier it is to run errands with a lil snack. I always judged parents who let their kids eat food in the grocery store that wasn't purchased yet, and boy did I feel stupid the first time I opened a pack of yogurt melts to calm my screaming toddler. Oh how the list could go on and on. 

Your friendships will change and you may lose some friends.
I am the first of my friend's to have children and because of that, my relationships with my single friends or married friends without babies have changed. Although I have made some wonderful new friendships with women that have kids, I miss my old friends terribly. It's hard. We're in different places in our lives and it's not always easy for me to meet them for dinner or happy hour with out my children. I try to make an effort to keep those friendships alive, but sometimes getting a babysitter isn't always easy. For the most part my friends have been understanding and are great about spending time with me at my house playing with my kiddos, but I have lost that close bond with them and feel like we aren't as close as we used to be. And the times when those friends are around me & my children I feel like I have Tourette Syndrome. I'll be listening closely to her story about a recent date and interrupt with "take that out of your mouth" or "no, don't ride your brother". I feel like it makes me seem uninterested in what my friend  is sharing.

It's okay to ask for help.
I have been blessed with an amazing support system of helpers. Not only was I blessed with a good husband, but my boys were blessed with a very involved dad. My husband is so hands-on with our boys and wants to be involved in every step along the way. My mom lives a mile away and is literally always available to step in & offer help. Whether she's picking Jude up from school for me or keeping the boys so I can run to the grocery store alone or watching the boys so Jeff & I can go on a much needed date night, my mom is always offering to help. My sister "Jay Jay" is also so sweet to stop by most weekend morning with breakfast or a Starbucks for me. Jude LOVES when she shows up in her "big grey truck" (its actually a SUV) and lets him "Beep Beep & drive" (sit in the front seat and pretend to drive). My cousin Ashley Jo spends most of her days off playing with the boys at my house so I can catch up on dishes or laundry. She even offers to help organize my closet on a monthly basis. 

If all else fails, call your mom.
I can't tell you how many times I've called my mom in a panic over something with my boys. She always has the magic answer. "Try giving him Karo syrup to help with constipation" or "Let him chew on a cold wet washcloth to relieve his teething pain" or "sprinkle a little salt and pepper and seasoning on that baby puree food to give it some flavor" or "rub Neosporin on it & it will go away in no time"




Straight from the mouth of babes....

Lately Jude has been talking non-stop. His vocabulary is pretty advanced for his age (I'm one proud momma) at 22 months old he can already talk in full sentences and can communicate most of his needs. It has really cut back on a lot of the tantrums he was having before out of pure frustration. Now that he can communicate with me I always know when he wants or needs something and lately the things that come out of his mouth crack me up.

Here are a few recent Jude statements.

Jude came up to me & asked me to read him a book, I was finishing sending a text message when he said "read it book, two hands. Mommy's phone on the chow-ch(couch)"

- I guess that means I need to be more present in my time spent with my boys. If my 1 year old is telling me to put my phone down, I obviously have a problem!

One of my favorite things is the fact that Jude talks in the 3rd person...
"change Jude's diapey (diaper)" or "wipe it Jude's nose"

Lately he's gotten very independent and doesn't want any help...
"Jude do it, no touch mommy" or "Jude do it two hands" or "Mommy watch Jude"

He's also gotten a little bit of a bossy streak and likes to tell August what to do...
"No Auggie, No touch"  or "That Jude's. No touching Auggie"

Every morning Jude greets me when I walk out of my bedroom the same way (I'm spoiled in the fact that Jeff gets up with Jude every morning at 6:00 & lets me sleep til 7:00)
"Mommy awake again"

He's got his own names for some of his favorite movies.
Despicable Me is "Gru Movie"
Rapunzel is "Horsey Movie"
Toy story is "Buzz & Woody"
Planes is "Airplanes Movie"
Up is "Ba-loon Movie"

And if you happen to walk in front of the TV while one of his movies is one he will not so politely tell you
"get out tha way"

The other day we were driving & Julianne "Jay Jay" was in the car with us. Her & I were talking in the front seat when Jude said "Listen everybody. No talking everybody. Wolf song please" (He loves TV on the Radio's song "Wolf Like Me" and requests it every time we're in the car.

And last but not least.... the other night Jude was sitting in his high chair at dinner time playing Peek-a-boo with Jeff. "Peek eee you daddy" on the third time Jude's eyes were covered Jeff hid behind the sofa. When Jude on covered his eyes he said "Peek eee you... oooh dada go at work" (It was 7:00 pm) When Jeff popped back up from behind the sofa Jude goes "Oh daddy home, again" 







Thursday, September 19, 2013

Catching up... overview of our busy summer

Well its been far too long since I've had the time to sit down at a computer to update this blog. I usually just check my email on my iPhone when I have that occasional free moment between diaper changes, nursing, and juggling life with two babies. But today I thought I would take a moment to write on on our blog to update you all on our life these past few months.


On May 28th we welcomed our second son, August Gregory Gilbert. (I've been working on writing up his birth story but it's still a few edits away from being ready to post. Stay tuned.) He's such the perfect little addition to our family and he's already captured all our hearts, especially Jude's. It's so sweet to watch Jude & August interact. I couldn't wait to see the two brothers together and their love for each other is even sweeter than I'd imagined. Even though raising two babies only 13 months apart (1 year, 1 month, 1 day to be exact) can be challenging, the blessings and rewards far out shine the difficult moments.


Love at first sight


big & little


a sneak peak at the newborn shots my talented sister Julianne took


This summer we traveled a ton, from coast to coast. We spent a week in July in San Diego. Jude loved watching the waves, but tried his best to avoid the sand at all costs. We had a nice semi-relaxing vacation (seriously, vacations are way different with babies). I think the highlight of our trip was our day spent at Sea World. Jude loved all the shows and impressed me with his patience while waiting for the next show to begin. He oo'ed & ahh'ed at each whale back flip and dolphin trick. Watching his excitement over seeing these animals for the first time made me feel like I was experiencing Sea World for the first time with him.





My dear friend Mimi just moved to San Diego to teach, I was so glad we were able to meet with her for dinner one night

Matching sweaters


My cousin Ashely Jo came along to help out with the boys, she is such a life saver and I love her like a sister

The only time he would touch the sand is when he was distracted trying to pick up seashells

Staying in the shade

Peek-a-boo


Jeff & I had a little date night at the Roller coaster. The kid in the background cracks me up.

Watching the Shamu show

First time drinking out of a straw

Shark Bait

Petting a starfish


First burger (it was just his size)

I love comparing photos of my boys, I think they have such unique looks.


On our way home from the Beach we stopped in Covina, CA so August could meet his godparents, My cousin Vanessa and her hubby Mike. It was a last minute adventure and I'm so glad we made the detour to see them. Although we were there less than 24 hours, we had so much fun watching the little cousins interact. Mike & Vanessa have a sweet 8 month old daughter, Abigail, and Jude was pretty smitten with her.

"Who's the youngest?"

All three of the Vasquez great-grand babies (Jude lovin' on Abby)

Nothing cuter than two babies in a tub




Bath Mohawk's... Abby is working on hers.

August and his god parents


In August I started back at work and Jude started going to a child care center two days a week. Much to our surprise, drop off went smoothly. (The only tears shed that first day were from Daddy). Jude has continued to impress me with his confidence and outgoing personality. He LOVES his little friends at school and his days spent there always lead to a full nights rest as he completely wares himself out playing. In just a few weeks he's grown so much in his vocabulary and skills. He has started saying so many new words including, "o-side" (outside), anana (banana), "strawber" (strawberries), "shooooes" (shoes), "tink yoo" (thank you) and "buh" (bye). We started giggling so much when we discovered his love of the hokey pokey and turning himself around and around






I'm so blessed that I'm able to work part-time this school year. I bring August to work with me on Tuesdays & Thursdays while Jude is at school and Wednesdays both boys stay home with Daddy. Which leaves me with a long 4 day weekend home with my babes. It's the perfect blend of family and work & I'm so thankful to have that balance. Plus its great for the boys to have Daddy alone to themselves on Wednesdays. I am so impressed with the amount of effort and love Jeff puts into parenting. Plus, it's super fun to have that warm welcome from Jude when I walk in the door.


Working on Mimi's computer

Happy little assistant

Goofing off with the copier


Towards the end of the month Jude & I took a trip to Georgia to visit our best friends Libbie & Arkham. Although we had 6 jam-packed days together, the trip seemed too quick. They moved back to Atlanta in March and after months of planning and eagerly awaiting our time reunited, it seemed to go by in just a blink. Highlights of the trip were the Panda's at the Atlanta Zoo, the dolphin show at the Atlanta Aquarium, matching outfits at the Children's Museum, and a joint bath. Us momma's had tons of fun as well, from floor seats at the Bruno Mars Concert, to riding all the rides at Six flags, to matching owl tattoos, to eating all the yummy fried southern food, to girl talk while snuggling in bed. There were tons of tears as we hugged goodbye at the airport. I miss the Wilson family sooo much and look forward to the next time we're all together again.
Jude's first time flying


Reunited










Chillin' N Killin'






Atlanta Humidity... nuf said



Atlanta Aquarium


Watching the show from his own seat like a big boy


My favorite shot of the day

Children's Museum



Jude loves his Auntie Bibbie








Cute lil fishermen


Bruno Mars Concert








Matching Phone cases

Six Flags


Matching tattoos to resemble each other. Mine has blue eyes & a Georgia Peach for Lib, & she has brown eyes & a four leaf clover for me.



I was laughing as I got tattooed because these babies reminded me of Ark & Jude



Magic Mike 2 Auditions


Photo shoot time

It didn't go as well as we'd hoped

Saying bye to Uncle Justin



Jude and I landed back in Arizona Monday night and then it was back on a plane Wednesday morning, only this time it was August's turn. August, Julianne (my sister), and I flew to New York to attend our Step-Dad's wedding with our baby brother Matthew. Although the trip was bitter sweet, we had such a wonderful time bonding and reconnecting as siblings. My heart was so full watching Matthew care for August. He's only 18 so he's always much to busy to visit with us, but we had a full 6 days together and by the end of the trip Matthew was insisting on being the one to carry August around. They're best friends. My step dad's wedding was a beautiful day and even though it was emotionally difficult to be a part of, I am happy to see my step dad sober and enjoying life. Side note: His new bride is the daughter of Bill Cosby, yes the sweater wearing-jello loving- Bill Cosby. More on that later.

Happy boy on the plane ride to New York... wearing the wing pin he got for being a first timer

First stop was the Brooklyn Bridge with Marty. 
(photo by Julianne)

Hot child in the city

My goofy brother

(photo by Julianne)

(photo by Julianne)

August's first time in the Subway

(photo by Julianne)

First Subway ride

(photo by Julianne)

Matty in front of John Lennon's home
(photo by Julianne)

Strawberry Field
(photo by Julianne)


Rehersal dinner with Lulu

My adorable date



Me, Lulu, Uncle Bear, Julianne, Geanie, Pat



Ensa & her dad (Bill Cosby)

Just Married


Uncle Matty & August


Newly Wed's

Family, Marty & His Sisters


The last day we went to the city, just us siblings. 
(photo by Julianne)

Auggie loved his first train ride

We saw Jake Gyllenhaal. He was with his mom so he wouldn't take a pic with us, but he was really polite about it. 

An August sized slice

New York at Night might be my favorite
(photo by Julianne)

Just this last weekend we were able to take a quick trip to Missouri to visit Jeff's grandparents. Our boys are quickly becoming world travelers. Jeff's grandpa was recently diagnosed with liver cancer and we were so glad to have the opportunity to spend time some quality time with him and introduce him to our boys. Although the reason for our visit was a sad one, I am so thankful we were able to have that time with him. It's a trip that we'll never forget and Jeff and I keep talking about it. While in Missouri we also got to visit with Jeff's Aunt, Uncle, cousin and her new fiance, and his other set of grandparents. Even though Jude's been having a difficulty with teething lately, I was really impressed with how well they adapted to being off their typical routine.
August & Great Grandpa Gilbert

Jude & Great Grandpa Gilbert

Matching Brothers

Jude's face kills me here

August & Great Grandma Frieze

We Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Frieze after lunch

Jude LOVES corn, his face says it all

We miss you guys already!



Overall, it has been a BUSY BUSY BUSY few months for us Gilbert's and I am really looking forward to a quiet month ahead of us.

I'll be trying to update this lil blog more often to keep ya'll up to date with all the adorable photos and stories of our everyday adventure.