Back at home...

with the pumpkins nowhere in sight, Chunk was more than happy to smile for the camera and

show off our art work!

Check out the grasp on the marker - such good work!

Not A Good Mom Report

Oooohhh...Mom's going to be mad at me for posting this!!!

I'm an optimist and I am also a very appreciative person.

I appreciate the fact that my Mother is being cared for by such an amazing team of professionals.
From the housekeepers to the Cardiologist, they are all wonderfully sweet.
They all have the best personalities and are doing all they can to help my Mother.

However, today was full of negative reports.

The MRI was a no-go.
The Angiogram was a no-go.
She is in acute kidney failure
with what appears to be one heck of an infection that is not wanting to come under control. 
She has decreased blood flow to her leg.
Her heart enzymes are still elevated.
Her blood sugar is unstable and through the roof.
She still has a high fever after 48 hours on two IV antibiotics.

So, I don't care if she gets mad at me for posting this.

She needs our prayers.

I will be more than happy to be subject to her scornful comments once she is back at home and well!

Please pray that the IV antibiotics eradicate the infection.
Please pray that her kidney function returns.
Please pray that her blood sugar becomes controllable (it has been into the 600's since she has been at the hospital).
Please pray for the ability to proceed with the Angiogram and for favorable results with restorable blood flow.
Please pray that the doctors and nurses will be able to make the best and right decisions for her.

I know we all have prayer lists a mile long, but I would so appreciate you adding one more to your list! 

On a Brighter Note

We promised Julien that we would go and look at Halloween Costumes.

As we entered the store, Addie only wanted Julien.

We made it halfway down the first aisle when Julien spotted an arm.

He picked it up, handed it to Addie and kept on walking.

Addie carried the arm around the entire store with her.

At one point, she stepped right in front of a girl and her dad, trying to show the girl what she was carrying.  

Addie was apparently pretty excited about it.

I took Addie's arm, guided her away and apologized to the girls Dad.

He was super nice, told me that it was "fine" and right as he walked past, I heard him tell his daughter not to "stare".

Yes, that was "kiss a stranger" worthy.

Granted, it happened at the oddest time.

I mean I seriously could have understood someone staring considering a four-year-old almost mowed them over trying to get them to look at the latex severed arm she was carrying around.

Whatever.

We'll take what we can get.

Not Exactly How I Saw It Going

It's October and 85 degrees outside.
Ugh...talk about putting a damper on fall festivities!


We didn't make it to any pumpkin patches on this beautiful weekend, we didn't make it to the Buddy Walk, we didn't even make it to the grocery store.


Although I never need reminding, sometimes I need a refresher on daily life with my sweet Baby Girl.


This weekend has been a roller coaster of emotions.
Addie has had several moments of pure frustration caused by her inability to understand what we are telling her.
We are so used to daily life with her, but when our routine changes any at all, it provides new challenges to help her understand.
We had a stressful morning with Addie, all because she didn't understand some of the things that we were telling her. 
She was becoming upset, which just becomes more frustrating and upsetting and it hurts our hearts to see her try to understand, when she clearly does not.


As I was standing in a public restroom scrubbing washing my hands today and rehashing the events in my mind, I had a moment of clarity.


Addie is only four, but by this point, a "typical" four-year-old can hold a full conversation. 
They can tell you what they are thinking (heaven help us), what they need, how they are feeling and pretty much everything else under the sun.
Addie can't do any of that.
How frustrating would it be for any of us to go through daily life not being able to tend to self-help skills independently, not being able to tell anyone what we needed or how we were feeling?

When I stop and remind myself of that, it makes it easier to understand her frustration.

...and just when I thought the entire day was going to be subject to frustration...

Addie surprised me with a spontaneous word tonight!
I had left her in her room with Alley Brat and walked down the hall to put some clothes in my room.
I heard her walk in and called for her, telling her that I was in the closet.
She walked into the closet, holding her blanket.
She put her head over onto her blanket and said, "Sleepy".


It was so simply amazing!!!


It makes all the frustrating times worth it because I know that she is ever so slowly making connections.


We are taking it one minute at a time and can't wait for the next time our sweet Baby Girl surprises us with another new word or action or another milestone met.


We are so thankful for Addie and truly know how blessed we are.


_______


Sigh...we went over to my Mom's yesterday. 
Addie got to spend a lot of time with Carli, helped me wash her and even cuddled her after her bath..and then of course cried like crazy when she had to leave her behind.


Not long after we left, Mom ended up in the ER
and
is now back in the hospital.


She is incredibly sick.
Possible MRI tomorrow.
Please send prayers and well-wishes her way.
She hates when I post things about her.  I wouldn't do it except that we take all the prayers we can get!

I Wasn't Asking For Much

Just one good picture with the pumpkins.

Last week we attended a birthday party at the pumpkin patch that is well over an hour north of our house.

Addie was thrilled to have the time away from school to play with her friends!

However, she was not thrilled to be subject to the obnoxious picture taker that was trying to get her to take just one pretty picture with the pumpkins.

She stopped, put her hands on her hips and gave me one of her forced smiles.

I can only imagine what she was thinking!

So I got a picture of her with pumpkins in the background....apparently while she was debating the need for a manicure.

She's looking past me at her friends whose parents are not forcing them to stand still for a picture.

I bet she thought that if she finally looked at the camera that I would leave her alone.

Nope.

This is how migraines start...

Car Wash Torture

After leaving the farm, our car was in desperate need of a bath.

There is one car wash close to our little town where we typically take the car if Chris hasn't had time to clean it.

Addie has learned to love the car wash and even takes notice of it when we drive past.

This car wash was not close to our little town

and Addie was not impressed.

As soon as the tri-color foam hit the window, Addie started to unravel.

She needed lots of reassurance that everything was fine.

The Hay Ride...and that's a wrap.

It's not a typical day in the life of us if Addie isn't falling down.

Thank the heavens above that she has learned to try to catch herself - that skill took forever to learn.

Between her ability to try to catch herself and our watchful eyes, we are blessed to escape major injuries.

We all had a great time on the hay ride around the farm.

Addie was happy just to sit with Julien and snuggle in close.

This is exactly what happens when I ask my twelve-year-old to take a picture of us.

Yes...I do detect a hint of jealousy from all of you.

I mean really...we are fabulously photogenic and perfectly posed!

I took 156 photos at the farm and still couldn't manage to get the three of  them to look at the camera at the same time.

Bennett Farms 2011...that's a wrap!