We had a great Christmas this year. We spent most of it with Brad's parents since my mom and brother flew to North Carolina to be with my other brother and his family. And my other brother (yes, I have 3 of them) was off to Oregon for a fun vacation. It's probably better this way since I came down with a nasty cold and have been trying to mend myself since. It makes it especially hard because I refuse to take any meds that aren't absolutely necessary when pregnant, so it was me and some orange juice for awhile. I still have a lingering cough, but I'm starting to see improvement there also. Maybe by 2013...
The kids really enjoyed decorating the tree with ornaments. At first they covered the entire tree, but by mid-December they had all been moved to the top of the tree because Calvin just couldn't help himself. He ended up getting a bus ornament in his stocking and has since attached himself to it. In fact, the other day we started putting things away and after I took down the ornaments and the stockings, Calvin said, "Oh no! The ornaments and stockings are gone!" Of course he still has his bus ornament, he refused to let me pack it up.
Mia's favorite part of Christmas was opening her stocking at Nana and Grampapa's house. In fact, she kept restuffing it with things to reopen because it had been so much fun. She talks about it still. Calvin liked that also because they sprinkled some M&M's in the stocking...so he kept looking for those so he could eat them.
Their favorite gift so far has been Calvin's train set. Nana and Grampapa got him a wooden train set, like the Thomas the Train ones, just not that brand. They both love building tracks and making their trains go. I love that it's creative and makes them think and doesn't require any batteries. Mia also really liked a doctor kit that she got. She asks if she can check everybody out and sometimes even makes sure that her animals are ok...of course I feel bad for her animals when they get four shots in a row! Maybe she'll be a vet.
And now we are busy trying to get the baby's room finished so I can rearrange everything, sort through the clothes and be ready for the new baby in late January, early February. Really there is only 5 weeks left, that still seems like we have a little bit of time, but those 5 weeks will go quick. A name, a name...if only we could settle on a name...hey Cousin Bob, you suggested Calvin's name...you got any other good ones for us to think about????
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Christmas and Cookies
Yesterday we went over to Nana and Grampapa's house and decorated some cut out cookies. Mia was really into decorating this year and wanted all of them to be pink. So we have pink trees, snowmen, stars, santas...we did get her to throw in some other more Christmassy colors also. Calvin just wanted to eat the cookies. As soon as he decorated one, he thought that meant he got to eat it also, so we cut him off fairly quickly from the decorating process. But he's quick and he would sneak a cookie before we could stop him...the sweet tooth, he gets that from his Mama.
All was CALM, all was bright...
After decorating Christmas cookies we bundled up and went out to CALM, a local zoo, to see their Christmas lights. Both kids had a blast, Mia's favorite was an alligator holding an umbrella, she kept asking for an umbrella on the way home. Calvin's favorite were the dinosaurs and Santa in a car and fire engine. Calvin also braved sitting on Santa's lap...Santa asked him what he wanted from Christmas, but he doesn't get it yet, so he just shared which lights he liked. Mia was not brave enough to sit on Santa's lap, she just admired him from a distance. Calvin also wanted to ride the carousel and had such a fun time doing it, Mia again wasn't so sure about it, so we just watched from the side.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Time Flies
We've been enjoying the holiday season. This is our final week of therapy and then we get a couple of weeks off, I'm really looking forward to that...not having to rush out of the house to make sure we are getting somewhere on time. This is the first year that all of Mia's therapies are breaking for the Christmas break. :)
On Wednesday we celebrated my birthday, Mia said that I was 19 because my birthday's on the 19th. Ha! They enjoyed helping me open all my gifts and deciding which ones should belong to them...the peppermint marshmallows were a huge hit with Calvin.
This weekend we plan on going to CALM (a local zoo, if you want to call it that), that has a Christmas display of lights each year, along with a train and carousel. I'm sure the kids will enjoy it, they had a great time last year. We'll just have to bundle up because it's a bit colder these days.
Hoping you all are able to put aside the stresses of the holiday season and just enjoy the moment. :)
On Wednesday we celebrated my birthday, Mia said that I was 19 because my birthday's on the 19th. Ha! They enjoyed helping me open all my gifts and deciding which ones should belong to them...the peppermint marshmallows were a huge hit with Calvin.
This weekend we plan on going to CALM (a local zoo, if you want to call it that), that has a Christmas display of lights each year, along with a train and carousel. I'm sure the kids will enjoy it, they had a great time last year. We'll just have to bundle up because it's a bit colder these days.
Hoping you all are able to put aside the stresses of the holiday season and just enjoy the moment. :)
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Great News So Far
Today Mia and I ventured to LA for an appointment with a urologist. I was slightly fearful of getting over the Grapevine, a mountain pass between Bakersfield and LA that sometimes closes with snow, but thankfully it was smooth driving both ways.
He looked at Mia's medical history and feels like the best plan of action for her is nothing right now, which is really good news. Her kidneys are fine and so he'd like to monitor them every 6 months to make sure they remain that way. She has a small amount of reflux, but not enough that warrants doing anything about because her kidneys are fine and she doesn't have any urinary tract infections. If that were to change, then he would propose a surgery to stop the reflux and there are two different options for that, but he doesn't feel like that is necessary at this point. Just watch and see.
As for bladder control, in his experience kids who are born with an imperforate anus, have a tethered cord and in Mia's case, had a stroke, tend to potty train and gain bladder control later in life. So, he stressed just being patient and giving her time to sort it out and get to that point.
We have another appointment in January with a urologist from CHLA, so we'll see what his opinion is then and make a decision based on those two opinions. It would be really nice if they both lined up, but we'll just wait and see. As for now, we are totally happy and relieved, thanking God for wisdom and hopefully a good direction for Mia. Thank you for praying for us!!!
He looked at Mia's medical history and feels like the best plan of action for her is nothing right now, which is really good news. Her kidneys are fine and so he'd like to monitor them every 6 months to make sure they remain that way. She has a small amount of reflux, but not enough that warrants doing anything about because her kidneys are fine and she doesn't have any urinary tract infections. If that were to change, then he would propose a surgery to stop the reflux and there are two different options for that, but he doesn't feel like that is necessary at this point. Just watch and see.
As for bladder control, in his experience kids who are born with an imperforate anus, have a tethered cord and in Mia's case, had a stroke, tend to potty train and gain bladder control later in life. So, he stressed just being patient and giving her time to sort it out and get to that point.
We have another appointment in January with a urologist from CHLA, so we'll see what his opinion is then and make a decision based on those two opinions. It would be really nice if they both lined up, but we'll just wait and see. As for now, we are totally happy and relieved, thanking God for wisdom and hopefully a good direction for Mia. Thank you for praying for us!!!
Thursday, December 06, 2012
December?!?!?!
I can't believe it is December. I thought for sure I'd blogged just recently, but nope, it's been more than a week! Yikes. We've been having lots of fun though.
Last Saturday we went to our neighbor's house and decorated a gingerbread house. Calvin has learned how to push the stool around to where he wants to go on the counter and then climb up and "look" at things. He's having such a hard time with the gingerbread house, I told him it was just for looking at, not eating and the next morning he woke up and the first thing out of his mouth was, "we don't eat M&M's..." I told him we don't eat the ones on the house, but we do eat M&M's. So, later that day I got him some M&M's he could eat and that has sort of kept him at bay from the gingerbread house. Today he came over and told me, "Mama, I touched the house." Oh I love this kid, too sweet.
We also have slowly started putting up decorations, but I've had to downsize this year because I'm not ready for all my favorite pieces to be broken and there just aren't enough high spaces to keep them out of reach, so I will do without, which is ok...sometimes less is better.
Grandma Cheri brought back an Advent Calendar from her trip to Germany and the kids have been enjoying opening one new window each day. It's been great because we talk about how Christmas is Jesus' birthday and that is on the 25th of December, each day we are getting closer to celebrating his birthday. Then we get to talk about who Jesus is and it's just a really neat time.
A few houses down the neighbor's have an inflated helicopter on their roof with a snowman and Santa in it. And the propeller turns, Calvin is in love. Every day he runs outside and if it's inflated and on he is so excited, if it's deflated he talks about how "the helicopter is not blown up." It will be a sad day when the helicopter comes down after Christmas and is put away until next year. In fact, I may have mentioned that and Calvin got the saddest look on his face. :/
We are still sorting through Mia's bowel management. It was working for awhile and is now not working again, praying for wisdom and answers for her because we are so close to it being a real positive. Next week we see a Urologist to determine our next step with Mia's bladder. Just pray for us, pray for positive answers or peace regarding what we learn. We trust God and we trust whatever the outcome will be.
Last Saturday we went to our neighbor's house and decorated a gingerbread house. Calvin has learned how to push the stool around to where he wants to go on the counter and then climb up and "look" at things. He's having such a hard time with the gingerbread house, I told him it was just for looking at, not eating and the next morning he woke up and the first thing out of his mouth was, "we don't eat M&M's..." I told him we don't eat the ones on the house, but we do eat M&M's. So, later that day I got him some M&M's he could eat and that has sort of kept him at bay from the gingerbread house. Today he came over and told me, "Mama, I touched the house." Oh I love this kid, too sweet.
We also have slowly started putting up decorations, but I've had to downsize this year because I'm not ready for all my favorite pieces to be broken and there just aren't enough high spaces to keep them out of reach, so I will do without, which is ok...sometimes less is better.
Grandma Cheri brought back an Advent Calendar from her trip to Germany and the kids have been enjoying opening one new window each day. It's been great because we talk about how Christmas is Jesus' birthday and that is on the 25th of December, each day we are getting closer to celebrating his birthday. Then we get to talk about who Jesus is and it's just a really neat time.
A few houses down the neighbor's have an inflated helicopter on their roof with a snowman and Santa in it. And the propeller turns, Calvin is in love. Every day he runs outside and if it's inflated and on he is so excited, if it's deflated he talks about how "the helicopter is not blown up." It will be a sad day when the helicopter comes down after Christmas and is put away until next year. In fact, I may have mentioned that and Calvin got the saddest look on his face. :/
We are still sorting through Mia's bowel management. It was working for awhile and is now not working again, praying for wisdom and answers for her because we are so close to it being a real positive. Next week we see a Urologist to determine our next step with Mia's bladder. Just pray for us, pray for positive answers or peace regarding what we learn. We trust God and we trust whatever the outcome will be.
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