She is one!!! Time has flown! I still remember bringing her home like it was just yesterday.
She started crawling on her birthday she has gotten pretty sufficient at it, to the point of actually moving kind of fast. I still have yet to get it on film.
But, I do have a video of her eating her cake.
Here are some things I want you to notice in this video:
—She gets upset when we are singing "Happy Birthday" to her (this happens to a lot of kids with FXS for one reason or other, and apparently she decided to be anxious about it on the first go 'round)
—She is really tired, yet, really hungry for cake
—She stuffs her mouth (this is also a typical FXS thing — notice how her fingers are in her mouth, it's so she can feel where it is...)
—She's flipping the bird while eating the cake at one point
—My brother, Aaron and Baby share the same birthday so the next day we went to my mom's to celebrate some more (she wasn't really happy about us trying to get a picture of the two birthday kids together)
The song I used for the video is called "All the Pennies" by Mindy Gledhill
OK, I think that's it. Enjoy!
My deep thoughts: When I was pregnant with Baby I was scared.
The normal scared a mom gets when she is pregnant.
Will she make it? Will she be OK? Am I eating enough? How much tuna fish should I eat so her brain will develop well?
Me?
It was: What if she has Fragile X? What if I can't handle 5 kids (because I still had 13 and 18 living with me at the time)?
A good friend of mine told me that she knew Baby was coming to our home for a good reason and would bless our home. I thought that it was very thoughtful of her to say that and deep inside I hoped that meant that she wouldn't have FXS and that she would bring our family close together. Toward the middle of the pregnancy we, as a family, were all doing so well. 13 and 18 were really becoming enmeshed in the family and calling us Mom and Dad and Brother and Sister.
It was heavenly.
Then it happened. My world was turned upside down and I could feel that our kids (13 and 18) would be leaving to live with their birth parents...
Baby came early when the stress got hard.
I fought, for a time, to keep 13 and 18. Finally knew I had to give them back to their parents.
Then I was confused about the consolement my friend had given me about Baby being a blessing to our home. While gaining one I had lost two in the process.
Brother and Sister still have such a hard time with the whole thing. They still don't fully understand why their "brother and sister" had to leave. They still think that they will be "coming home." How do you explain all of this to children who are still learning how to understand their feelings?
Moral: I see now, what my friend had told me about Baby. She was always a joy, but, I am finally, truly, understanding that "Baby [came] to our home for a good reason and [blesses] our home." She has kept me together. Her smiles fill my heart when I am down. She has brought a new sense of companionship to the kids. I don't know how to really explain it, but, watching my three kids grow up together, teach each other, help each other, play together, and... even... fight... it makes me happy. To be their mom. To know that Heavenly Father sent our little angel at a time that our family would need her spirit to help us through hard times. So sweet.
Baby, you are a blessing!
We love you!
Happy Birthday!
Our Life
Thursday, October 21, 2010
All about Baby...
I was thinking about Baby—now that she is so close to one year old—and how I am able to document all her little accomplishments for the world to see how a girl with Fragile X Syndrome can/will develop. We started at day one and have let you know her ups and downs, delays and her achievements.
I haven't focused just on her for a bit so this post is all about her.
She has started crawling quite bit. She will take 6 or 7 moves on all fours and then she gets excited and begins flapping around on her belly like a sea lion. It is quite entertaining. So, I think she can do it but maybe doesn't quite have the muscle tone for it. That is one thing about FXS kids—they have low muscle tone which can cause the delays in speech and gross motor development. So, it is hard to tell if she is worn out or just likes the combat crawl instead. I haven't been able to get a good bout of her crawling on video yet because she does the sea lion thing when she sees the camera out but, I did get a really funny clip of her moving...
This was so funny and I am so glad she did it for the camera. I was cooking while she was in her high chair and hadn't realized how far she was moving... ha ha ha!
Now that you have had a good laugh... here are some more stats and some more really cute pics.
IS DOING:
- I can do her hair now! She has enough of it that I can actually do something kinda fancy. Hee hee!
- loves to make us laugh.
- eats table food pretty well now
- takes a sippy cup instead of a bottle
- combat crawls around enough that I actually have to keep an eye on her now
- makes the sounds "d", "b" and "o"
- bangs two toys/objects together
- shows a desire to try to pull herself up on things
- bears weight on her legs when I prop her to standing position and can hold her own weight for a couple of seconds
- still has no teeth (yay for me, no brushing little teeth yet)
- points with her index finger
- can pick small objects up in a pincer grasp (thumb and finger)
- feeds herself small food like dry cereal
- can hold a cup and sometimes get it to her mouth (smile)
SHOULD BE DOING:
- crawling more consistently
- holding a cup by herself and drink successfully from the cup
- standing
- cruising along furniture
- going from sitting to crawling position
- going from crawling to sitting position
- making more sounds
- looking at someone when we say their name, like if we say "Daddy" she looks at him, etc.
- immitating sounds we say
And now for all the pictures!
Soon to be 1 year! Wow! Time flies when you are having fun!
I haven't focused just on her for a bit so this post is all about her.
She has started crawling quite bit. She will take 6 or 7 moves on all fours and then she gets excited and begins flapping around on her belly like a sea lion. It is quite entertaining. So, I think she can do it but maybe doesn't quite have the muscle tone for it. That is one thing about FXS kids—they have low muscle tone which can cause the delays in speech and gross motor development. So, it is hard to tell if she is worn out or just likes the combat crawl instead. I haven't been able to get a good bout of her crawling on video yet because she does the sea lion thing when she sees the camera out but, I did get a really funny clip of her moving...
This was so funny and I am so glad she did it for the camera. I was cooking while she was in her high chair and hadn't realized how far she was moving... ha ha ha!
Now that you have had a good laugh... here are some more stats and some more really cute pics.
IS DOING:
- I can do her hair now! She has enough of it that I can actually do something kinda fancy. Hee hee!
- loves to make us laugh.
- eats table food pretty well now
- takes a sippy cup instead of a bottle
- combat crawls around enough that I actually have to keep an eye on her now
- makes the sounds "d", "b" and "o"
- bangs two toys/objects together
- shows a desire to try to pull herself up on things
- bears weight on her legs when I prop her to standing position and can hold her own weight for a couple of seconds
- still has no teeth (yay for me, no brushing little teeth yet)
- points with her index finger
- can pick small objects up in a pincer grasp (thumb and finger)
- feeds herself small food like dry cereal
- can hold a cup and sometimes get it to her mouth (smile)
SHOULD BE DOING:
- crawling more consistently
- holding a cup by herself and drink successfully from the cup
- standing
- cruising along furniture
- going from sitting to crawling position
- going from crawling to sitting position
- making more sounds
- looking at someone when we say their name, like if we say "Daddy" she looks at him, etc.
- immitating sounds we say
And now for all the pictures!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
ABC's and Stars
Marc has been wanting to get rid of our piano since there is no one here to play it since 13 left. I refuse to give up the piano. I have a prayer in my heart that one of my sweet Xtra special children will one day play the piano, or at least take a lesson or two. So in desperation I asked Sister if she wants to play piano. She immediately said "yes" and ran to the piano lifted the cover and began to "play" the keys with a huge smile on her face.
A few days later, my mom and dad stopped by. I asked my mom to play the piano for us and of course Sister wanted to join in. My dad and Marc are working on a desk in the background so don't pay too much attention to them—besides this is too cute!
It's times like this that I forget that my kids have a genetic disorder that causes mental impairment...
I love those moments...
Watch one of them...
Sister is singing with Grandma Judy. Priceless moments.
A few days later, my mom and dad stopped by. I asked my mom to play the piano for us and of course Sister wanted to join in. My dad and Marc are working on a desk in the background so don't pay too much attention to them—besides this is too cute!
It's times like this that I forget that my kids have a genetic disorder that causes mental impairment...
I love those moments...
Watch one of them...
Sister is singing with Grandma Judy. Priceless moments.
Oh
Baby started making this "oh" face on Saturday and does it all the time now to make us laugh.
It works.
See?
I'll try to get better pictures. Every time I pull out the camera she smiles... I know it's because of all the pictures I take. This one was with my phone so it isn't the best, but, it is still funny! Have you ever seen "Mac and Me"? Dumb show, but she looks like the little alien on there... you'd have to see it to understand. Anyway...
It works.
See?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Weany
I don't think weany is actually a word... spelled like that anyway, weenie, yes, but weany just made me giggle and so that is the title...
I am officially done nursing.
For the first time out of three kids I have stopped nursing before the one year mark. (By about a week.) So I will still claim one year of nursing.
It is rough. But, I am so done.
She cries a lot, unless I am holding her.
I hurt because I am so full.
But, we will both make it through.
So happy not to wear anymore:
nursing bras
nursing pads
skirts and top to church
I am excited to wear again:
dresses to church
shirts that tie in back
shirts that do not unbutton in front or don't stretch
a normal bra
I am also excited:
to have my body back
start losing weight (that's all bull about losing weight while you're nursing—at least, for me)
get my hormones back to normal
to not accidently expose myself in public while trying to "secretly" nurse
Aaahhhhhhhh.....
I am officially done nursing.
For the first time out of three kids I have stopped nursing before the one year mark. (By about a week.) So I will still claim one year of nursing.
It is rough. But, I am so done.
She cries a lot, unless I am holding her.
I hurt because I am so full.
But, we will both make it through.
So happy not to wear anymore:
nursing bras
nursing pads
skirts and top to church
I am excited to wear again:
dresses to church
shirts that tie in back
shirts that do not unbutton in front or don't stretch
a normal bra
I am also excited:
to have my body back
start losing weight (that's all bull about losing weight while you're nursing—at least, for me)
get my hormones back to normal
to not accidently expose myself in public while trying to "secretly" nurse
Aaahhhhhhhh.....
Angels
No pictures.
Just words.
Funny ones.
Today was such a sweet experience at church and what clutched the moment for me was when this little 3-year-old girl got up and sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" with her brother and sister. Oh my, her voice was adorable and she had no fear. She would grab the microphone if the older sister tried to move it a bit. Oh, she sang with all her heart and my cheeks hurt from grinning. Seriously, it should be recorded! So cute! And Brother and Sister, who were restless the whole time because I had them there on my own, (because Marc was sick (I know crazy that I went with them alone and unarmed)) were mesmerized when this little angel sang...
Yesterday, Marc and I were working on our new garden spot, so there is this nice square of bare dirt in the back yard that Brother and Sister were having a ball playing in. You know, the typical stuff: digging, mud puddles, digging, kicking dirt, digging, playing horses, scooping, digging and dirt angels.
Dirt angels?
Yes. Dirt angels?
That's right. Like snow angels but in the dirt.
Now this is not like some one getting creative in the sand at the beach...
This is dirty dirt.
And Sister was laying in it and making dirt angels. Dust flying all around and her happy face dusted in grit. Her blond hair now "sandy" blond (pun intended).
I so wish I had a picture but, I don't. It was one of those I-forgot-to-grab-the-camera moments.
Which reminds me. This morning as we were getting ready for church I was inspecting the place for any loose markers... (check previous post) and I discovered that Brother had written his name on the table top in nice, big, red letters—his full name, mind you. And, Sister, not wanting to be left out, wrote her name and some lovely lines all over the screen of my old iMac computer AND keyboard... (The magic eraser cleaned it all up quite well)
I can't post a picture because it was their names, but, just know that if they weren't such sweet angels, I don't think I would be able to blog about it. (smile)
Just words.
Funny ones.
Today was such a sweet experience at church and what clutched the moment for me was when this little 3-year-old girl got up and sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" with her brother and sister. Oh my, her voice was adorable and she had no fear. She would grab the microphone if the older sister tried to move it a bit. Oh, she sang with all her heart and my cheeks hurt from grinning. Seriously, it should be recorded! So cute! And Brother and Sister, who were restless the whole time because I had them there on my own, (because Marc was sick (I know crazy that I went with them alone and unarmed)) were mesmerized when this little angel sang...
Yesterday, Marc and I were working on our new garden spot, so there is this nice square of bare dirt in the back yard that Brother and Sister were having a ball playing in. You know, the typical stuff: digging, mud puddles, digging, kicking dirt, digging, playing horses, scooping, digging and dirt angels.
Dirt angels?
Yes. Dirt angels?
That's right. Like snow angels but in the dirt.
Now this is not like some one getting creative in the sand at the beach...
This is dirty dirt.
And Sister was laying in it and making dirt angels. Dust flying all around and her happy face dusted in grit. Her blond hair now "sandy" blond (pun intended).
I so wish I had a picture but, I don't. It was one of those I-forgot-to-grab-the-camera moments.
Which reminds me. This morning as we were getting ready for church I was inspecting the place for any loose markers... (check previous post) and I discovered that Brother had written his name on the table top in nice, big, red letters—his full name, mind you. And, Sister, not wanting to be left out, wrote her name and some lovely lines all over the screen of my old iMac computer AND keyboard... (The magic eraser cleaned it all up quite well)
I can't post a picture because it was their names, but, just know that if they weren't such sweet angels, I don't think I would be able to blog about it. (smile)
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sunday Dress and Markers
...don't mix well.
I love getting my two little girls ready for Sunday church. They are so cute and I have some wonderful hand-me-down dresses that they have acquired. I was especially excited for Baby's dress because it was recently given to me and is lace and satin-type, white and pink and so girly. I got her cute little hair all curly with a little water and hairspray and a cute bow (of course).
Now that the girls were all ready I needed to get ready and with only 20 minutes to go before I needed to leave I needed to get a shower in and look presentable quick.
So, I employed Brother's services to keep and eye on her and make sure she doesn't get into the markers that he and Sister were coloring with on the floor of the exercise/study room.
I hop into the shower and then I hear someone open the bedroom door.
"Hello?"
"Hello."
It was Marc. I just figured he was coming in to say he was home and then he opens the shower curtain and Baby's head pops through, smiling as big as could be...
I won't say any more, I'll just show you the pictures that Marc took. (Bless his heart for knowing I would want to blog about this.)
You can't really tell, but the marker (black, mind you) is all over the dress too.)
Sorry, Amy... but Shout did a great job getting it out and she will be wearing it this Sunday, sans marker.
(smile)
I love getting my two little girls ready for Sunday church. They are so cute and I have some wonderful hand-me-down dresses that they have acquired. I was especially excited for Baby's dress because it was recently given to me and is lace and satin-type, white and pink and so girly. I got her cute little hair all curly with a little water and hairspray and a cute bow (of course).
Now that the girls were all ready I needed to get ready and with only 20 minutes to go before I needed to leave I needed to get a shower in and look presentable quick.
So, I employed Brother's services to keep and eye on her and make sure she doesn't get into the markers that he and Sister were coloring with on the floor of the exercise/study room.
I hop into the shower and then I hear someone open the bedroom door.
"Hello?"
"Hello."
It was Marc. I just figured he was coming in to say he was home and then he opens the shower curtain and Baby's head pops through, smiling as big as could be...
I won't say any more, I'll just show you the pictures that Marc took. (Bless his heart for knowing I would want to blog about this.)
You can't really tell, but the marker (black, mind you) is all over the dress too.)
Sorry, Amy... but Shout did a great job getting it out and she will be wearing it this Sunday, sans marker.
(smile)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)