Gardening 101

I've started prepping my garden area for this year's veggies and decided that it was time to get the dynamic duo in on the action a little bit. They spent the past two weeks at respite care doing things about weather and the outdoors and plants. I decided to keep it going. I went to Home Depot and got them their own pots (plastic that they can't break) and some seeds to plant. Hopefully in a few weeks, they'll have some flowers to show for their help. I was worried that Parker might not go for it because he sometimes has problems getting dirty, but he did really well. They had to check their pots several times after planting to see if their flowers were there yet. They haven't quite gotten the whole "you have to plant them and take care of them and then you'll get flowers later" thing down yet.

We topped off our planting with a little bubble blowing.

We'll keep you updated on the flowers. And hopefully our shot at getting our veggies in the ground in the next week!

Arts for All

Since regular school started in August, Ackerman Elementary school has been sending "buddies" to respite care once or twice a month. Each child at respite care is matched up with two elementary school students and they do crafts, and activity and have a snack together. All the respite kids get buddies, regardless of abilities. And I love that.

This week, I had the chance to be part of something pretty awesome. On Wednesday afternoon the respite kids went out to Ackerman Elementary school for a special event, and I got to go along. We had the big Arts for All event there and had a great time. The kids all had the chance to do all sorts of activities with their buddies, with their teachers from respite, teachers from Ackerman, and volunteers and it was amazing. You knew there were going to be lots of pictures didn't you?! :)



Kierra, Parker, Payton and Owen sitting at the big kids table in the gym waiting to get started. I don't really know why Kierra wanted to touch Parker's hair. :)

 Our other firend Kierra, with her buddy and teacher Christy, being able to paint with the big rollers on the paper on the floor since they are adabtable to her wheelchair. She was smiles the whole time.

 Owen and his two buddies taking on of the rollers for a spin doing some yellow paint.

 Kierra and her buddies watching all the action as they started to add red to the mix.

 A group of our teachers, friends and nurses all gathered around and taking pictures, helping the kids and loving every second of it.

 Payton was a popular girl - she had her two buddies, Autumn and Sarah, plus another buddy who's respite care kid wasn't there, Taylor. They're working their way through one of the giant tubs of Play Doh that was there.

 Parker, and his buddies Ian and Josh, contemplating their next PlayDoh moves.

 Giant roll of paper on the floor and a couple tubs of PlayDoh means all the kids had an awesome time.

 Parker hooked up with one of the Ackerman teachers and got to do some artwork on the giant roll of paper that was all the way down one wall. He did awesome with the one-on-one time, as the big crowds and noise were a little much for him at times.

 Payton and her gang working on some wall art as well. We might have to do this at home sometime. I would love to have a piece of this that all the kids worked on.

 Outside, they got to go at a tub of sidewalk chalk and go to work on the parking lot, sidewalk and side of the building.

 We stopped outside to have a quick snack - crackers and juice boxes - since it was way past normal morning snack time. Most of the buddies stayed with the kids during that and helped pass out, control the juice box squeezing.

 

We even got to do bubbles outside. Owen and Parker hung out there for a long time. Who doesn't love bubbles?



It really was such a geat morning. All the respite kids did really well of a busy morning, being out of their routine, and in a new place with new faces. The painting that they did with the rollers all over the floor of the gym turned out to be amazing. At the end of the day, we all sat in a group and got our picture taken on it. i'm hoping to get my hands on a copy and will definitely share if I do.

Ackerman Buddies and Teachers - thanks for being so amazing with all the respite kids!

Easter 2012 Recap

Easter was big this year. We did our first egg hunts. Last year at this time, Parker wasn't even walking yet and Payton was such a tiny little runt (well, tinier than now).

One thing we tried was planting magic beans (Jelly Belly's) in the big pot outside on Easter Eve. In the morning we went to look at them and they had grown suckers! So exciting! They squealed and screamed on the front porch in their jammies. We'll definitely be doing this again next year. (Thanks Pintrest for the idea!)

They had a great time all weekend being busy, seeing family, getting spoiled by Nana and Papa Ed and a special egg hunt with them in the yard, having two egg hunts with Aunt Bo and Uncle Dave - one at home and one at my work, visiting at great-grandma's house. Check out some of our pictures!

We had a good, busy weekend. And now on to more things spring! :)

Check-up Time

Monday was our 2 1/2 year mark which meant a 2 1/2 year check-up with the doctor. Dr. W came in and was really proud of all the stuff they can now do and is thrilled with their progress. It was a good thing that we were there because as we sat their, Payton got a fever. All the way to 104. Yikes!

Parker went through  the routine first and was not happy. He's 24 pounds and 34.25". This puts him at just 3% for weight and 12% for height. We talked about his new diagnoses from the GI and Allergist. He said he'll jump in if we need him to, but he's going to sit back and let them take care of it since there's nothing much more he could add at this time. We also talked about changing things up because the little mans eczema is out of control right now.

When it was time to move on to Payton, who was besides herself because she didn't feel good, Parker went to hang out at the front desk. He sat with Cami, had a sucker, colored a little and flirted with everyone. This was a huge help because I had them by myself which is not easy or always fun, especially when they're sick.  Thanks ladies for your help!

Payton checks out ok. She's 29 pounds and 34.5". This puts her at 57% for weight and 24% for height. And especially cute now that she's all filled out. With her super high fever she wasn't breathing all the good and her and I went ot have a chest x-ray while we were there. Dr. W was getting a look to see if something might be brewing so we didnt' have to take a trip to the ER later. The radiologist even called Dr. W before we even left the office with his read on them. Awesome!

We spent the rest of Monday and Tuesday at home recouping from a bunch of flu symptoms. We're getting a little better all week long so I'm hoping it will be gone and done by the weekend so we can do some more outside play time.

Healing

I wrote a blog post for Quiet Light last week. When I originally wrote it, I wasn't sure about what I'd written. I had my partner in crime, Kristin, read it. I got the thumbs up from her. I couldn't help but share (and give a sneak peak since it will be posted soon).

 I went to the NICU tonight. We weren’t readmitted – I was there for a fellow preemie mom. Someone I’m proud to call a friend. Someone who I’ve watched, from the distance, grow and fight for what she wanted for her babies. Someone who I’m incredibly proud of. 

It was a little strange to me to be standing in that place on this side of this incredible horrible, awful, wonderful, joyous journey. To wonder if two years ago that’s what I looked like. I was too busy, too blinded then to see my own reflection. 

As I stood and watched this family play a CD of pictures of their entire family, it was hard for me to hold back my tears. Their older children all visiting great places. Their other preemie through some of his first hard days. And then the pictures of her twins who are in the NICU now. I have pictures just like that. I remember what my twins were wearing during their first pictures together, and I know that she will always have that memory, too.

She had brought us all together to share birthday cakes for her twins and to let us all know that baby boy had passed his car seat test and was ready to go home. They’re just waiting for baby girl to catch up. It gave me goosebumps. She had a room full of people who had prayed, wished, hoped and sent out good baby vibes and it had helped to get them to this point. Another family on the verge of all going home. 

I cried on the way home. I cried knowing that it was in joy for them, for their family hitting another milestone. I cried for baby boy’s “graduation”. And some of those tears were for me. That I knew exactly what they were feeling. That even though it’s been two years, it is still a bit raw at times and catches me when I least expect it.

I’m so grateful for the chance to be there for their victory. And for the chance it gave me to help continue to heal. 

Happy gradation baby Hayden!

~Amy

And as an update - baby girl, Jasmine, did catch up and is going home on Wednesday. Happy graduation baby girl!

Spring!

Finally, spring has sprung. Thank goodness! It was a really mild winter, but I'm glad it's gone. And since spring has come so early, we've been able to spend lots of time outside. The babies love to be outside. They have no fear, will walk everywhere, etc. If we go inside somewhere, they are much more timid about everything, and quite often refuse to walk at all. It's a little strange predicament that most often means that being outside is our best bet for getting out of the house.
We've had many wagon rides already...

 they love to chase the puppy around in the yard...

 We've already hit the zoo...

 and Payton pulled their wagon for a while. Biggest little girl ever!

 And speaking of little big girls, Payton has mastered walking up the giant driveway all by herself!

 We've been on the patio practicing our new trikes and bells we got for Christmas. We're much better at the bells than the riding right now, but we'll get there.

 Parker's ended up face down in the dirt...

 Payton's loving picking violets in the yard.

 Parker's discovered the fun of de-heading dandelions - all of them he can find.

 And then there's Payton who's just a happy girl if she can play outside.

We've been working on learning about sidewalk chalk and bubbles too. We've also been checking out playgrounds all over town. If anyone ever wants to come over or get together to play, just let us know!


P.S. I have two friends that have recently found out they are pregnant. There are some difficult and common circumstances about them both. If you have any extra prayers for a long boring pregnancy for them both, they'd gladly take them.