I know I know I know

My wife has been on me for a LONG time now because I have not written a blog. And to be honest I don't know if anyone is even reading it anymore, but I figured I would write one anyway, just to have peace at home. Baby Cate turned 3 months old today! I can't believe how time flys, it seems like only yesterday we were in a world wind of confusion, fear, and the unknown. Now, we are still in a world wind, but it has change quite a bit. The adjustment of going from 2 kids to 3 kiddos has been relatively smooth. Although, I often have moments of sheer panic as I think we have forgotten Cate at the house, grocery store, a family members, or friends. In our house if you don't speak up for yourself you might get left behind, unfeed, unchanged, not put to bed. Of course I am just kidding...a little. On a more serious note Cate has exceeded everyone's expectations. She is truly a delightful child, mainly cause she can't talk back or demand to wear stockings instead of socks, because the "lines hurt her toes." But truly she is a wonderful baby! She eats like a Cantrell that is for sure. She is up to 7 or 8 ounces every 3 hours and when she is hungry she begins the battle cry for attention. Its is kinda like a car starting, she turns the crank just a few times to see if anyone will notice before kicking it in high gear. Like I said around our house, you HAVE to make yourself known! She is weighing in at a whooping 12 pounds and is growing like a weed! She looks just like her Big Sister Ella, so I am going to have SERIOUS problems in about 15 years. If anyone is interested in contributing I am starting my own version of "homeland security" for the Cantrell House complete with Booby Traps, Tazer guns, and Gun Cleaning supplies because it looks like I will have to clean my guns EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT!! Baby Cate has started responding to you when you talk to her, she gets so excited kicking her little chubby legs and showing all her gums. Her last cardiologist appointment was great! She is consistantly gaining weight, her blood oxygen levels are 99% and her EKGs look wonderful. We are in the process right now of trying to get her an appointment at Texas Children's Hospital for a second opinion and even to start seeing a Cardiologist on a regard basis there, before she has her surgery.
As most of you know who have read this blog before Baby Cate, whose full name is Catherine Francis, was named after Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, who was a redemptious (sp) priest who worked in New Orleans. The Blessed Seelos Shrine has a newsletter that goes out monthly and includes stories from people who have had prayers answered through the intercession of Blessed Seelos. I got a call from the friend of ours who told us about Blessed Seelos, saying that Cate was in the Newsletter. I was like, Really? That's cool. Andrea said, "Charlie, you didn't send it in?" I was like no, I sure didn't. Someone who had read this blog, especially the one about Blessed Seelos's intercession for Baby Cate, had copied it and sent it in to the Newsletter. It did not say her name or anything, I guess cause no one asked, but I could tell by my spectacular writing style that it was in fact Baby Cate. We were so honored to know that so many people from around the world know of Blessed Seelos's intercession for Cate and the miracle it is that she is with us today. His candle still burns in a kitchen everyday and we attribute her doing so well to his constant intercession for little Cate. Ali and I attended a healing mass that they had a the Shrine in New Orleans, where Baby Cate was anointed and prayed over! Thank you Fr. Seelos and all the wonderful people at the Shrine of Blessed Seelos! And to whoever sent in our story!
Please as Blessed Seelos's intercession that we can get an appointment soon at Texas Children's Hospital. We don't won't to have to be making any quick decisions if something were to happen to Cate. Our hope is to get an appointment soon so that we can get under the care of a physician there.
So for a few funny Cantrell Family stories. My little boy, "Dude" is in the middle of potty training right now, which is quite and experience. Little boys are SOOOOO different than little girls. When our little girl Ella was being potty trained I simply pointed to the potty, she got on and that was that. Dude, on the other hand can't seem to locate the bathroom. I leave cherrios trails from every room in the house all leading to the bathroom, I know he will follow food, but even that doesn't work. The other day we heard crying coming from the bathroom and out from the bathroom emerges our son, yes, with his training potty STUCK ON HIS HEAD! Now, what posseses a 3 year old to stick his head in his potty, I have NO CLUE, but he had managed to wedge his fat little head in there, thank God it was empty. Dude, LOVES his little sister, ALOT, it really is precious how he just delights in her. I do fear the day she is in High School and boys won't ask her to a dance because they are scared of him. I always picture the conversation to go like this, Boy 1 says to Boy 2, "Hey, You gonna ask Cate Cantrell to the homecoming dance" to which Boy 2 says, "I've been thinking about it, but have you seen her brother? Jimmy told me he eats light bulbs." Dude, loves Cate, he often wants her to be near him so we have to keep a close eye on him at tall times. The other day we found him dragging Cate by her blanket because she wasn't close enough to the toys he was playing with, thank God her mother swaddles her tightly and we no longer put her on the floor and she is always buckled into to something heavy. Ella, on the other hand is still growing into the fashion diva and is a 17 year old trapped in a 4 year old's body. Its hard to believe we will be registering her for preschool this weekend. This past weekend was Mardi Gras and we, as any good cajuns would do attended, da parade. We were at a friends house that was toward the end of the parade route, so it took a while for the parade to get there. The kids played in the yard and in the van until we saw the first police motorcycle go wizzing by. We gathered up the kids, grocery bags in hand, if your not from Louisiana, you put all the "wonderful" beads you catch at the parade in a grocery bag, and we headed down the street to the parade route. Ella asked, "Daddy, what are all these people doing here?" I told her they were waiting on the parade like us. Well, in good parade fashion, it was no where near close to getting to us. One rouge police motorcycle got us all excited. After about 15 minutes Ella was bored out of her 4 year old mind and the grocery cart man with all the junk that will cost you an arm and a leg for something that mommy and daddy will "lose" in a couple of days, was coming towards us, so I asked her, "Baby, do you want to go back and I will come and get you when the parade gets here? She said yes, and we started walking back to the house hand in hand. She looked up at me and said "Dad, all those people are waiting so patiently for the parade, and I just want it to be here already! Will you come get me as soon as you see the parade." I assured her that she would not miss one float of the parade. Well, needless to say, put a cute little Blonde on the side of a Mardi Gras parade yelling "Throw me something Mister" and they did, we literally had mounds of beads at our feet, by the time we left we had a kitchen bag FULL of beads, stuffed animals, you name it and they threw it at Ella.
The Cantrell's are doing well over all. We have our moments of tiredness and exhaustion as anyone with 3 kids under the age of 4 has, but we are savoring every minute we have with all of them. They are a riches, they are what make us laugh the most, and what we delight in. I apologize for it being so long since the last Blog and it won't be as long before the next one. As soon as we hear some more from Texas Children's I will update yall. I also will be getting some new pictures of Cate up in the next week. We love you, we thank you for your continued prayers and support as we walk this new journey with Cate. Blessed Seelos, Pray for Us!