Superhero David and other kid-moments

This was David, playing superhero yesterday morning with his blankie clothespinned around his neck to be a cape...note his outfit...it was only 57 degrees outside at this point!


...and here are the kids playing "church" earlier this week. Bruce and I had to sit with hymnals and sing or listen to the "preaching" as appropriate. One theological issue, though...David was the song leader, but Abigail was the pastor! :)

Our curriculum for the upcoming school year has started to arrive and the kids are both so excited! (phew!) They have spent quite a bit of time poring over the new books. David will be in first grade this year and I handpicked some K5 work for Abigail, although she will not officially start K5 until fall '09. She won't turn five until March, and we want her to enjoy one last year of being a kid...but since she is such a "sponge" as far as learning goes, I know she will want to have some schoolwork of her own for a little while each day!

And finally...she's off!

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Pool fun and ice cream on the first day of summer

We went to the pool with the kids' new waterproof HAs...after David's first jump in, he came up yelling, "Mommy! I can hear a sound when I shoot in!" Then I realized...he was hearing the rush and gurgle of the water around his head for the very first time! It was exciting and a little sad all at the same time -- but mostly exciting!

When it was almost time to leave the pool anyway, we heard the ice cream truck nearby, so we hurried to get home and get our money out before the truck made it to the back of the neighborhood and drove back past our house -- it was a great way to end a great day!

Waterproof hearing aids have arrived!

The kids' waterproof HAs arrived yestersay afternoon and we are really anxious to try them out! It's still only 60 degrees outside, though, so despite David's enthusiasm, I am NOT ready to go to the pool quite yet. :)

I wish I had captured a picture of David's face when I told him what they were. When I said that he could wear it in the pool and it would help him to hear the other kids better, he had such a look of absolute rapture -- joy, excitement, amazement, and even relief -- that it sprung tears in my eyes, literally. Like Bruce said last night, sometimes the kids' hearing loss feels so normal to us that we forget that it causes some unique struggles. We are very grateful to be able to ease their struggles in any way available to us...so meet their waterproof HAs:

It's hard to see in the picture, but the HA, a Rion HB 54, is shaped like a dolphin, which marks it as a waterproof aid. Thanks to RaDora who (as usual) patiently answered our million questions and explained a lot of things while we were making our decision about these!

The yard's latest showing

My white lavendar is now in bloom. It's in the foreground; behind it is the purple lavendar, which is about done blooming, and behind that is my climbing rose, which has finally gotten established and is covered with new buds. These lovely climbing petunias were from an old root I had thrown down from a hanging pot two years ago. They surprised us by rejuvenating and spreading among the landscaping...they are so pretty!The garden continues to flourish, although it's looking like the beans' first havest will ripen while we are in Florida...bummer! Excuse the black plastic pile in front...I am in the middle of more fine-tuning. I thinned the corn a bit more yesterday and felt like a murderer pulling out those big, lush green plants!!!

Swimming and sewing

My friend Karen comes over regularly so that we can sew together, but yesterday we added a summer twist...swimming! It was great for the kids, too, who love Karen and just don't get why she'd choose to sew with Mommy when she could be playing with them...! She always makes time for them at some point during our times together, but the pool afforded them some real play time with her, so they were more willing to let us then sew in peace for a while! (Unfortunately, I didn't realize that I took the picture just as they both looked away at something!)

Abigail also decided that she not only tolerated the water, but she LOVED it, so off she went on her tube, floating all over the pool. Karen helped her to get the hang of kicking to propel herself, and now there's no stopping her! I'm very glad she decided to like the pool sooner than the week before it closes for the year...!

For our sewing time, Karen worked on a very cool quilt that she is designing and making, and I worked on several mending projects that really need tending. Not very glorious work, but all of the clothing items were things that we really needed back in circulation, so it was good to get it done! One of the things I did was to sew the applique on a shirt for Abigail. My mom made the adorable skirt and sent me a swatch of matching fabric so that I could sew a piece onto a T-shirt to make the outfit more 'wow'.

She never ceases to amaze us...

...Abigail continues to surprise us with just what's going on inside that pretty little head of hers!

Lately the kids like for me to write choices on slips of paper and then let them draw one slip out of a cup to decide things for them. A couple of days ago, just before bedtime, Abigail brought me this piece of paper that she had written on (without any input from any of us) and she wanted me to put it in the cup for her:

"Abigail gos t bed"

[i.e. "Abigail goes t'bed"]

Little Miss Spitfire goes swimming

Now remember, the first couple weeks of the pool, Abigail got hysterical at the mention of going in the pool at all and so I backed off and let her stay out...last week she shrieked and carried on while I took her in with me for a quick dip...over the weekend, she didn't scream, but she clung to my neck with a death-grip, in the pose that our family refers to as "spider monkey"...earlier this week, the same...and then today, she's sitting in the pool on the steps, happily singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" as if I'd made up the stories about our previous experiences just to be dramatic. Go figure. Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Home and poolside

Well, after 2+ hours at the pool, the kids are already in bed and the only sounds I hear from them are sleeping sounds!

It was really nice not to have anywhere to go today...those days are too few lately and I crave them! I got housework done, the kids enjoyed uninterrupted play time together, and then we went to the pool. We came home just in time for a quick dinner and then bed and here we are. I am trying to decide whether to get a little more housework done or to answer my bed, which is already calling me...!

Below are pictures of the kids sunning...well, Bruce's daughter is actually in the shade, of course. (No, she is not really asleep...she has worked on perfecting her fake-sleep and she's quite good at it!) You can't really tell in the picture, but David is already Bahama-brown, as he always is in the summer!

Bits and pieces of life

It has been a busy week already, but today is a stay-at-home day -- hooray! I will try to do a brief catch-up on everything, with a couple of pictures thrown in, too.

~Monday Abigail had her first OT summer session. She will go once a week, for an hour and a half each session. She is with one other little girl who also deals with CP. M.K. is five years old and the two of them seemed to hit it off very well -- already they have created some positive peer pressure for each other when doing some of the tougher exercises with their affected hands.

~Yesterday the kids had piano lessons (which are going very well; both kids are practicing daily and are learning and improving already), then we went to the pediatrician, who sent us to another facility for an x-ray, then we came home for naps so that we were ready for church last night. Instead of our usual Wed. night service this week, we had one last night and were treated to the Maranatha Baptist Bible College String Ensemble -- they were very talented musicians and very pleasant people as well. We really enjoyed the music, and the kids were enthralled. It was a great opportunity to point out that THAT is why Mommy makes them practice their piano every day...because that's the only way to play like that! I did have to note that it seems like college students are getting younger and younger every year... :)

~While I'm on the subject of music, Abigail was recently singing "London Bridge is Falling Down...My Bare Lady"! Hmmm...!

~We head out for my parents' place in Florida a week from tomorrow, and then Bruce and I voyage out sans children the next day. I am alternately very sad to think of leaving my kids for that long and very excited to spend that long just me and my husband! We'll have a wonderful time, I know, and I expect we'll also be very ready to have our babies back by the end of our time away. We have found a couple of special things we plan to do while we are away, along with spending lots of time in R & R on the beach or on our private balcony overlooking the Gulf. Ooh, now I'm excited again! :)

~I am looking for some fiction books to take on my vacation...does anyone have any favorite authors or titles to recommend? I feel ready to discover an author that is new to me...so help me out here!

~We have taken the plunge (ha ha) and ordered waterproof hearing aids for the kids, so they will have some hearing help at the pool and in other water situations. We are really excited and anxious to get them and will share more about them when they arrive.

Below are a couple of pictures from Friday night, when my in-laws came for dinner and a visit. The kids treated us to a "show" (it was very entertaining!) and then they each got to read with Grandpa & Grandma. In her picture, Abigail is holding her current favorite book, Cinderella.

Annual houseguests

I LOVE our front porch, which is a partial wraparound. It was one of the things on my wishlist when we were looking for a house down here.


Someone else that loves my porch is the barn swallows. Every year for several years now, two pairs come in spring and raise a new group of babies, one "family" in each of the front corners of the porch. This year both pairs had "bumper crops" -- I counted seven or eight in one nest and eight or nine in the other -- they sure have been crammed in tightly in those relatively small nests! Right now they are perfecting their flying skills, and the first ones into the nest at night get the prime spot...and the rest have to perch on the ledge all night!
It's fun to watch the parents revamp the nest when they first arrive, then lay their eggs, and it's especially fun when the babies hatch, to watch them go from featherless, ugly little things to lovely, mature birds. It's a pain to get dive-bombed every time I step out the front door (they are very protective of their nests!), and it's a pain to have swallow poop all over the porch floor and railing under the nests, but it's worth both of those things for the joy of watching the cycle of new life that happens just as God designed it!

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads in my life

Bruce, both Dads, Grandpa O'Gorman --

we love you very much

and are so thankful for you!

We are sending you hugs & kisses,

especially from the kids...!

(Bruce, you get yours in person. :)

Abigail, David, & Daddy eating Father's Day Strawberry Shortcake

Bookworms

The kids completed our library's summer reading program by reading twenty books each -- they both earned a free Chick-Fil-A kids' meal and they also got to choose a free book to keep. In the picture they are holding the book they earned as well as their logs showing what books they read for the program.

It has been such a joy to listen to them read their books (they each read their twenty on their own, either to me or to Bruce) -- it is exciting to watch them beginning to taste the delights of the world of books and reading!

Quintessential Brittany picture

Garden update

Yes, Bruce and RaDora, I needed to update the garden picture -- you people show me no mercy!!! :) As you can see at right, it is incredible what a huge difference there is after ten days of rain, sun, and tending. Below are some closeups of what's growing...

The cucumbers are reaching up and grabbing the support-twine as if they had eyes (it has really reminded us of the amazing design and attention to detail of our Creator)! They have several blossoms now (I forgot to take a picture of those), so the vegetables should be following soon. I know we have several people who will be clamoring for the first sweet fruits...maybe we should auction them off to the highest bidder. (just kidding -- the first ones are ours!!!) :)

The beans are loaded with blossoms. It looks like we will have a bumper crop -- time to get out my canner! Okay, well maybe not quite yet, but I'm getting excited!The tomatoes are coming along nicely. We got some new hybrids this year and it has been interesting to see how differently each of them are growing. As usual, the Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant (far left) takes the prize for getting the biggest fastest! The corn is taking off. The tallest plants are just over three feet tall. These are all Ruby Queen hybrid this year -- every year we've been here, this has been our best producer out of every hybrid we've tried, so we decided to go with this one for the whole crop. The kernels have a lovely purplish-red hue, they are very sweet, and they freeze well. (In the foreground are the kids' zinnias)And with that, I am off to work in said garden! The corn needs a little more thinning in a few spots, I am going to lay down some more plastic for weed control, and I am also going to finish mulching around my sunflowers. In the meantime, David is going to pick up the yard so that I can mow, and after that's done, we are headed to the pool for a few hours!!!

Happy birthday, Alicia!

Happy 10th birthday, Alicia!

(How did you get so grown up so fast?!)

We love you and miss you

and are sending you BIG birthday hugs!

Abigail's new wrist brace

Here is a picture of Abigail's new wrist brace. It is made of a flexible, rubber-foam-type material, with a stiff insert on the outside of her wrist to keep her arm/wrist/hand properly aligned. She will wear it at night and perhaps a little while during the day.

Abigail has to wear the brace because she has significant ulnar deviation (the hand pulls outward) due to her CP; this improper posture starts a nasty cycle because it allows the outside muscles to tighten more and the inside muscles to overstretch, which pulls her arm/wrist/hand out of alignment even more, and so the cycle continues. The brace also helps to pull her thumb separate from the rest of her hand, (which is where it is usually tucked) -- same cycle.

So far she seems very unfazed by the brace. She is used to everybody poking her and putting orthotics on her, so I guess it's just old hat to her now! Besides, she got to pick the colors, so that makes it a little easier for her to accept, too. All of these braces and are an investment for her future, so that hopefully by the time she reaches adulthood, all body parts will be in their proper postures and alignments and she will have the best possible use of her left side.

To anyone familiar with Abigail and her progress, this picture in and of itself is an amazing thing -- to see those beautiful, long fingers relaxed, stretched out straight, and spread out equally, instead of curled up tightly in a fist like they were when she was first diagnosed.

As I've said before, we thank the Lord for the medical professionals and technologies that are available to us. They have given Abigail a significant boost that stroke-babies a generation or two ago just would not have had...

Busy day, pleasant ending

We left home shortly before nine this morning and didn't get home until almost six tonight -- yikes! We ran an errand, went to piano lessons, ran another errand, drove a ways to the east to pick up my niece, whom I took to the fabric store to pick out fabric to make a receiving blanket for her baby-sister-on-the-way, picked up Abigail's new wrist brace from the rehab place (I will post more on that tomorrow), dropped my niece back off at home, stayed to chat for a bit with my mother-in-law, and then stopped at our pool on the way home, where David and I took a long swim and Abigail sat on the edge with her feet in the water. It was a day of good things -- just busy! -- but the swim was very refreshing and relaxing and a great way to end our busy day. This was the first day that the pool temperature was perfect -- cool enough to refresh but warm enough to walk right in without gasping for breath -- and we thoroughly enjoyed our swim...

Mommy-daughter bonding

Yesterday afternoon Abigail and I went to an in-hospital baby shower for my sister-in-law...the shower was very nice, and I really enjoyed the one-on-one time with Abigail. She apparently enjoyed it, too -- she talked to me nonstop for the first 40 minutes of the car trip! She doesn't often get to monopolize the conversation, because her big brother usually runs the show...

Here is a picture of us from yesterday -- we wore the matching skirts that my mom made for us -- fun!

New ventures for my brother

A warm blog welcome to my brother, Jared, who has started his own blog! It has only taken us a year to convince him that it's a great way to get glimpses of each other's lives from so very far away...!

I also have yet to post my congratulations to him -- he and his friend Jason started their own business earlier this year, Professional Chimney Solutions, Inc., in the Seattle/Tacoma area. I have been waiting for him to send me a picture of him and their truck so I could post it (hint hint) but I'll just give up and post it now -- congratulations, guys!!! :)

Above: Jared & Jason at Jared's wedding

Shine on, David

Here is a picture of David in the shepherd outfit that I sewed for him last week. A while back we had a discussion about how it was time for him to wear guy-type dress-up outfits more often than he wore his sister's princess and ballerina dress-up outifts, at which time he pointed out that he didn't have many guy-character clothing choices. He was right! So off we went to the fabric store and he picked the pattern and fabric for this new dress-up outfit. He calls it his "only a boy named David" outfit.

And to the right is a picture of David with his lovely shiner -- it doesn't show up nearly as much in the picture as it does in real life, but you get the general idea! Yesterday he got the (not so brilliant!) idea to tie a cable between the basketball hoop pole and the back of his three-wheeled chopper-style bike, and then take off on the bike...and of course, when he reached the end of the cable, it jerked him and his face slammed into the handlebars. Have I mentioned that he inherited my penchant for klutziness?!

Summer days at the pool

The kids and I just enjoyed three hours of relaxation at the pool...David spent most of the time in the water, I spent my time sitting in the sun reading or dipping in the pool to cool off, and Abigail spent most of the time sitting in the shade under the ceiling fan, reading -- she is definitely her Daddy's girl!!! She would rather stay home in the A/C to read, but I make her go to the pool...and today I even got her to come in the pool for two minutes with only moderate protests. Afterwards, I sat in the shade with her for a little while and let her read to me while I was knitting the baby blanket!

...And in contrast to our gorgeous, sunny 95 degrees, my brother Jared (Washington state) had 46 degrees when I talked to him earlier today -- yuck! Below is a picture of his puppy Mya trying to hide from the rain and cold...she looks like she's wondering why it's so cold in June, too!!!

Fun at the library

Yesterday our library kicked off their summer reading program with a magic show, facepainting, and balloon artists. I took the kids and they had a great time! They had also read ten books to complete their first reward-level, so they got to write their name on a paper butterfly and attach it to the reading tree. Lots of fun!

This has become an increasingly common sight in our house, which thrills us!

The most popular part of the magic show was definitely the live rabbit!

Chick-Fil-A is one of the sponsors of the summer reading program. David thought the cow was cool, but Abigail would not go even remotely near it. The whole time it was in the room, she kept a wary eye trained on it to make sure it didn't come near her! As one of my nieces said years ago, when she was afraid of the Chick-Fil-A cow, "Big Moo scare me!!!"

The kids outside the library, showing off their spiders. The theme this year is "Catch the Reading Bug", hence the spiders.

And while we watched the magic show, I knitted! I am working on a small, "lovey"-type blanket for my new niece. When I bought this yarn, I had planned to give the blanket to them after the baby's arrival, but my sister-in-law is in the hospital with complications, and there is going to be an in-hospital baby shower for her this Saturday, so I decided to hurry and finish it to give to her then. Right now it's about twelve inches at its widest point, and I want it to be about 15 inches, so I'm getting close -- once the decrease starts, the rest of it goes pretty fast.

Bruce and I were in the nursery at church last night, so I took my knitting along and worked on it for almost an hour -- there were only three kids, all of whom entertained themselves, so I was glad I had thought to bring it along. Bruce teased me that I brought it so that I could use the knitting needles to keep the kids in line! :-)

Piano lessons

Bruce and I have long considered piano lessons for the kids...we would really like for the kids to have a good music education and piano is a great place to start. The thought of a CI in the future adds a little urgency to the matter, since it is extremely difficult -- and impossible for some -- to hear music with a CI. Lord willing, the technology will continue to improve with each passing day that my kids retain their hearing, so that whenever it's CI time for them, they will still be able to hear the music...

But anyway, my point is that we finally made the decision and the kids started piano lessons today! David is interested in anything musical; Abigail has become intensely interested for the last couple of months and has been asking me to teach her how to play the piano, so we felt like they were both ready. There is a friend in our church who teaches piano and she agreed to teach our kids...we're all really excited!

Their first lessons today went very well. We will see how the first week of at-home practicing goes and then I will report back!!!

Busyness in summer -- oh no!

It has been a busy few days around here and will stay like that all this week. Saturday we had two graduation parties to attend; yesterday was our usual church schedule; today I visited my sister-in-law, who is in the hospital with pregnancy complications, and then ran two errands; and so the rest of the week will go. All good things -- just busy!!! In between the errands and other obligations, I plan to grab as much pool time as we can (it's still too cold for me to swim, but I like sitting in the sun and reading!).

Below are a few pictures from recent events...

Left: David was promoted out of his 4s and 5s Sunday school class and into the "big boy" 1st-3rd grade class. This picture is with his two beloved teachers, whom he left. (...but he loves his new class, too!)

Right: Abigail got to move up into the 4s and 5s class. It was a long-anticipated event and very exciting!

^David has been working on this "airplane" for a while now (I think my mom got him started on it back in April...?) and he recently decided that it had enough nails in it now (there are easily 50+ nails in there...) and that it was ready to be painted. I gave him some one-quart color-sample paintcans I had from when we were choosing our house color, and off he went. It has been really fun to watch him create!