5th Treatment and Birthday

This last week has been a crazy one. I had family come into town, Avery completed her 5th treatment, and we had her 2nd birthday! Her 5th treatment went well and we got her tentative "plan" for the next month. Next week we will go in for an MRI or CT scan of her tumor to see how it is responding to treatment. If everything looks like it is responding well Avery will go into "maintenance mode" - which means she will go in for treatments every few weeks and her doses of medication will go down. So far Avery's face has seemed more and more symmetrical each week. I can't wait to see how her tumor is responding on the inside.

Then on Saturday I got up early for my first newborn session since Avery's diagnosis. Major panic attack since this was this first time I was leaving her! Right after we had Avery's mermaid party. I have been planning this party for MONTHS and I was so excited and happy with how it turned out.

Her mermaid cake - This was made by a family friend who does wedding cakes.

Food table - It had Hawaiian punch, cake, candy in jars, mermaid cookies, and fruit. 

My sweet girl in her mermaid outfit! She was so funny because I've had this outfit for months and she would never wear it. She'd always say "I don't like it!" But she wore it the day of her party! Of course, she took it off the second the party was over. :)

Sugar cookies from http://www.etsy.com/shop/SugarMeDesserterie

Avery practically BURIED in her presents. Luckily she had her cousin there to help open them all. 

- A lot of them were from out of state friends. Thank you SO MUCH! They made her so so happy.

Avery was so proud of herself for blowing out the candle. I love this picture of her and her daddy. :)

I'm still a bit in shock that she's already two! It seems like it has gone by soo quickly and that so much has happened since she came into this world. To think that I was only a teenager with no worries only a few years ago just boggles my mind. I can't believe how much Avery has changed me for the better in just 2 short years. It's crazy how much becoming a mother changes your perspective on life. Every choice I make I think of how it will affect Avery. Honestly, I've felt like for the past two years I've spent every waking second trying to protect Avery from the outside world. You can imagine how I felt when we were told that she had a tumor. I was so angry that this was something I couldn't protect her from. There were no preventative measures I could've taken, nothing I could've changed, and nothing I can do now but hope that she beats this. We have been so blessed with so much support and love and all we can do is be there for Avery and let God take the reigns.