I'm still here

It may look like I have abandoned my blog but I'm still here. I have good intentions to update when things happen but then life catches up with me and then the moment passes by. And then it seems it is to late to create a blog post. I thought about back tracking and catching everyone back up but Holy Moly!! It's been since November. So here is a quick recap of some of the highlights:

• Travis and I attended the Chiefs/Broncos Game. Unfortunately, the Chiefs lost but we had awesome seats. 

• Kenna participated in an Elf Race. Kenna's idea of participating was by NOT crossing the start line.

• Celebrated Christmas 

 

• Tyler received an Adaptive Bike by generous donations. I still plan to write a separate post regarding this because it's so awesome. We are so thankful for all of our wonderful friends and overwhelmed by the love and support from everyone..

• Went snow sledding. Tyler loved it. Kenna did not!

• It's been over year since Tyler received his wheelchair and he is doing much better getting around in it. 
• Kenna took her first steps at 13 months. 
• We brought in the New Year by everyone staying awake until midnight.
• Tyler has continued to make progress in therapy. He is walking at least 50 feet in a gait trainer with minimal assistance. 
• Easter tradition of dying eggs

 

• Completed my first sewing project, Kenna's Easter dress

• Travis and I ran in our first 5K along with my sister and friend Michelle. Travis finished 3rd overall and 1st in his age group.

• We are planning another surgery for Tyler. Surgery is scheduled for May 10. Tyler was born with adducted thumbs (which means his thumbs are collapsed inside of his palm). He will be having a tendon transfer and pin placed in his thumb and casted for 6 weeks. We hope with this surgery it will give him better use of his hands.

All I Want For Christmas is.....

my 2 front teeth!

A Year In Review

The BIG 1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KENNA

I still remember the day when we first met like it was yesterday. Even though it seems like you have always been a part of our lives. You have brought so much joy to our home. I love hearing you laugh and your sweet babble. There's just something about a baby's voice that melts your heart.

You are such a happy and content baby. Although you are not so much a baby anymore and are growing into an independent little toddler. You love to be as independent as can be. Feeding time takes a bit more thought since you don't like us feeding you with a spoon and you prefer to do it yourself and that usually leads to finding finger food type items. 

There was so much that you have accomplished in this first year and I can't wait to see what else will achieve in the years to come.

Happy Halloween

Ever since we transformed Tyler's chair into a Viking boat two years ago for Halloween. Everyone has been asking what he was going to be. We took a year off from the more creative side (since last year I was 8 months pregnant and we had just moved 2 weeks prior). So this year we thought we would give it another go. So we created a bulldozer for his chair and since I wanted the kids to correspond with one another Kenna was the traffic controller. I know it's not very girly but we might as well get our say in for Tyler until she wants to be a princess every year, lol. 

The construction worker and the traffic controller.

Pumpkin Carving

 I wasn't sure how pumpkin carving would go this year with a baby and a kid with sensory issues. We didn't even attempt to make Tyler help gut the pumpkins. If he hasn't liked it after 7 years, we figured he wasn't going to change his mind this year. He has never liked the the issue of touching the slimy guts of a pumpkin.So he just enjoyed watching.

On the other hand, this was Kenna's first time and I wanted her to experience it and see what her thoughts were and see her reaction. I figured she would try to eat the pumpkin and I was right. We put it on her tray and she tried putting it in her mouth right away. This kid puts EVERYTHING in her mouth so that didn't surprise me. She then started to pick up the slimy guts and look at it and then look at me with a perplexed look. It always makes me wonder what is going through their little minds. After further investigating she decided she no longer wanted the unknown substance on her tray and began throwing it to the side and off of her tray.

 Eating the pumpkin

Her reaction when I told her not to eat it.

Throwing it off her tray

 

Rolling Along

Back in July, I posted that we were in the process of finding a wheelchair for Tyler. We had decided that the Quickie Zippie was the perfect fit for him and were patiently and ANXIOUSLY waiting for it to come in. We were told that it would take approximately 4 weeks. Well 4 weeks went by and we were still waiting. It was almost 8 weeks before we received it because insurances were going back and forth on who was going to pay for it. I guess I shouldn't complain since it was nothing out of our pocket and the entire time we still had the demo chair that they were graciously letting us borrow. Let's just say that we put that demo chair through the ringer. It was banged into walls, it went camping and fishing with us and it was thrown up in. We had some major cleaning before returning it.

Tyler's new chair is awesome! It offers all the support he needs, the wheels are in a reverse configuration so they are easily accessible for him and it even has his name on it. But my favorite is the color. It's toxic green!!

 

There were a few minor things different from his new chair and the demo that Tyler had to adjust too, but he is operating it like a champ. There are times that he still runs into the wall but overall he continues to get better at maneuvering it every day. He also started taking it to school and is getting around the classroom and through the hallways. His teacher said the first day when they were going down the hallway, Tyler was going really slow and looking at everything (pictures) on the walls. So the next day they let him go roam the halls to explore and give him more practice.

I love all the independence this is giving him. He is one determined little guy when he knows where he wants to go. Especially when you open the door to go outside, he will get there in seconds; but if you tell him to go to the table because it's time to eat he diddle dallies around. So our goal now is to follow directions. We shall see how that goes. I sometimes have to realize that most typical 7 years have problems following directions and don't won't to listen to their parents, LOL.

Kenna - 11 months old

Dear Kenna,

Wow, 11 months already. Seriously, where has the time gone. It's crazy how time goes by. I can't even think back to the time where we were just a family of three, but yet it has only been a short 11 months since then.

You are becoming one independent little girl. You like to hold your own bottle and if we try to help, you throw a fit. This goes for solid foods as well. You think you are such a big girl and can eat with a spoon all by yourself. I'm sure it won't be long before you can do it yourself; but the OCD mom in me wants to say "let mommy just do it, let's not make a mess". Oh how I am learning that kids make messes. 

 You love pulling objects out of containers and that goes for my tupperware drawer too, LOL!

You love watching your brother and following him around in his new wheelchair. Luckily, there has only been a couple of mishap run-overs so far; but I'm sure there will be more to come. I think you like to taunt him because you sit directly in front of him and look up at him and smile/laugh. I guess you will learn that your brother may not have patience for that all the time. For the most part, he has been very nice to you and waits until you move.

Another development you have learned this month is walking. You are not taking independent steps yet, but you walk pretty well with your push-behind walker.

 My oh my, Mr. Bear sure is looking small.

2012 St. Louis Hydro Walk

We attended the annual Hydrocephalus Walk in St. Louis again this year. This is the 4th year that we have participated. I remember the first year we went we didn't know anyone and now this year we met another wonderful family and met up with some old ones.

Tyler's Troops

Everyone gathering for the walk to begin.

 

All those affected with hydrocephalus.

Another hydro family we met up with, Katy & Eli.

 Thank you to everyone who came to walk with us and to everyone that donated.

Kenna - 10 months old

Dear Kenna,

It seems this past month has been a month of a lot of changes.You continue to grow and learn new things.You no longer crawl by dong 'The Worm', you have figured out that you can get there much quicker by doing the standard crawl. You have also mastered pulling yourself to your feet and love to climb on everything.

I love how you explore. You will be in the living room playing with your toys and then decide to wonder off into the kitchen, the bedroom or the playroom. You love to follow your brother around when he is in his wheelchair. That is until he decides to run into you.

During your exploring, you tend to get yourself into some tight spaces. For instance, instead of taking the easy way around the couch you think it's a better idea to squeeze yourself through the end table.