Just us - there’s a little of the before, but mostly it’s the after...: October 2010

Pictures Of The Day!

Getting ready for her first night in her new, new Big Girl Bed!
Everybody was so excited!

Sweet Baby was ready to try out her new bed...after I got her quilt and dog and cat pillow that has been with her since the day she was born.

We are still working on the final touches to Addie's room.

My sister ordered three pictures per my request and I have a few other things to order before the room will be (temporarily) finished.
It is always a work in progress!

Trial and Error

Once we had Addie's new bed all put together, we put her to the test.

(this was actually 24 hours after we finished her bed because I spent Halloween night in the ER and in a private room of one of our local hospitals with one unnamed individual)

Baby Girl didn't pass the first test and it took me only seconds to figure out how to make it all better for her.

I think everyone should recycle when they can...and that includes mattresses from Baby Girl's crib.

The crib mattress is now dually classified as a step stool and a Baby Girl concussion preventer cushion.

I slide the mattress out for her to use at night and slide it back under the bed during the day.

We're making progress!

Reality

When reality sets in, we realize that there just are not enough hours in the day for even the best of plans.

My plans for the little Monkey's new bed got thrown completely out the window.

While shopping for a birthday present Friday night, a bed managed to get my attention.

Remember that we have to analyze and re-analyze everything we get for the little Monkey.

While waiting ever so impatiently for a few gifts to be wrapped, I was looking at every little detail of the bed on display.

It just so happened to be a bed that allowed for the height to be adjusted, which meant that we could put it low, low to the ground and it matched Monkey's dresser.
After spending the next 24 hours thinking of every possible scenario that could go wrong with the bed, I sent Chris to pick it up.

Although it was not the bed that I thought I had my heart set on, this makes for an even better runner up - especially because it was a whopping $600.00 less than the one that I thought I really wanted!
Chris wasted no time bringing it up to the Monkey's room to put together - it kind of helped that it was Halloween and we had plans, which put us on a deadline.

The part that just amazed me was as Chris and I were putting the bed together, the little Monkey found some baby wipes and brought them over and began wiping her bed.

If you remember, this is exactly what she did with the first toddler bed and she obviously remembered and thought we had to do it for each and every big girl bed that we buy for her!

She was so eager to help, but she was so quiet and observant.

Although I told her that she got a new big girl bed, I don't know if she understood what we were doing,

but she knew that whatever we were doing was for her and so she waited so very patiently for us to finish.

Next On The Agenda

Our work in progress continues...

You Guys Are So Good That You Can Figure This Out

Without me even having to tell you....but it's more fun if I do.

That dazed look on Monkey's face is her spotting Gumby coming around the corner.

I made a real quick hand off to her Daddy so that he could get a picture with her too... That look on her face is her watching Gumby standing right behind me....

Yet, I had to have the priceless photographic memento of the three of us before we headed out for the evening.

It's such a good thing that you can't really tell what's going on in pictures.

I was trying my best to hold onto the little Monkey, smile for the camera and keep Gumby's head from smooshing in as he leaned in for the picture, all while I'm telling my husband, "for heavens sake, please take the picture" (as he's telling me that Monkey isn't looking at the camera), followed by my reply of, "holy cow, I don't care, please just take the freakin' picture already before she explodes!".

What a happy memory.

Gumby and His Mommy

Sometimes The Most Obvious Answer

Is right in front of your face, it just takes a while to see it.

I have tried many times to put some kind of head support in Monkey's car seats over the years.

With absolutely no luck.

Just like anything else with children, if it doesn't work the first time, it is important to keep trying.

We have seen some very minor improvement since the addition of the baby pillows to Monkey's car seat.

I have some of the cutest little cases for the pillows - I recycled the slip covers from Monkey's walker into little pillow cases (no pictures yet).

The little pillow in this picture (it hurts to type the words) is the one that I custom ordered last year for Monkey's baby dolls.

Sweet Monkey has obstacles that others do not realize.

Please know that I realize how blessed we are and that the obstacles and heartbreak that we face each day in no way compares to those of others.

Our struggles pale in comparison.

As the little Monkey's Mother, it breaks my heart to see her in discomfort or pain.

The last few car trips, she would lay her head against the pillow and appeared to be a bit more at ease.

Only time will tell, I suppose we will...

Wait and See.

Halloween Party at School

Who doesn't love cool-whip in a can?

I (along with her teachers) have taught the little Monkey manners.
You must cover your mouth when you cough.
I just love this picture...

Halloween Parade at School

Addie had the best time at the Halloween Parade!
This is Stephanie, Addie's teacher in her "new" class.

My sweet Baby Girl standing in line with her friends and waiting for the parade to begin.

The long hallway at school - the hallway where she mastered how to use her walker not so long ago.

When they turned the corner, Addie lost track of where I was...

until Stephanie told Addie where I was and off she ran to me!

Sweet face - so excited by all the activity!

Addie and her Daddy.

Picture Of The Day!

After picking our pumpkins, we walked over to the trough and washed our hands with lots of foamy soap...where I managed to capture a beautiful and sweet picture of Baby Girl.

The Corn Maze

The Corn Maze offered the opportunity to get completely covered in dirt from the wheels of the stroller to the tops of our heads - it was fabulous - and offered a chance for a few interesting pictures.

Old Baker Farm

Last Sunday, we spent the day at Old Baker Farm.

The day was beautiful, but annoyingly HOT!

Before it got too crowded, we had to climb the hay stacks...

play in the cotton...

and get "face" painting out of the way.

We listened to music...

and enjoyed the atmosphere (even while having black pants all covered with cotton).

Then we traveled by wagon over to the ginormous pumpkin patch...

where Julien immediately went in search of pumpkins...

while baby girl wanted us just to hold her...

we convinced her to stand up to look for a pumpkin.

She tried to pick up the first one that she saw...

and then decided that she didn't care what pumpkin she got, as long as we picked her up again.

Julien found the perfect pumpkins and made the trek over to us...

and traded off the pumpkins...

for the little Monkey...

Kim Sharit Photography

Hello All!

I am totally excited to tell you that we will be meeting up with Kim soon - the most talented, adorable and patient (even when pregnant) woman in the world!

I think several of you know Kim, but for those of you who don't and need a photographer and live in the Birmingham area, check Kim out:

Kim Sharit Photography

Prayer Request

For those of you who feel led, could you please say a prayer for a sweet little boy who needs a lot of extra care right now?

I don't personally know this family, but they found our blog through an Internet search on Microcephaly a while back and their little baby immediately held a special place in my heart.

This link will provide details.