We've just returned from a week away at our denomination's campmeeting.
Adam taught in the Kindergarten division and had a great time with Damek and all the other 4-6 year olds who came out for the week. In the mornings I took Caedmon to his class, in the afternoons I taught a session on prayer. It was a beautiful experience meeting so many others on their own prayer journeys.
Our kids continue to grow and change and develop in awesome ways. Sometimes getting away from the routine of home helps me see it better. Damek is becoming a great helper, very eager to be of assistance where needed. God has given him a lot of desire to be a leader and he continues to grow in that area. Caedmon is a doer. He gets something in his head that he wants to try and then he just does it. We stayed in a hotel for the past week and Caedmon decided one afternoon that he would like to walk across the lobby, a couch to a chair about 10 feet apart, while we waited for Adam to finish up some business. He started with just a few steps, then he would crawl back to the couch, stand up and try again. Adam finished his business and we needed to get somewhere but we just couldn't stop watching him. He kept trying, again and again, until he got to within a foot of the chair. We couldn't believe it!
We are so thankful for our boys. They teach us so much every day!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
New Seasons, New Skills
Caedmon is again wowing us with his mad skills. (And Daddy too, who showed us how to use the handyman's secret weapon to fix up Damek's old tricycle so Caedmon can ride it. Hint: look for bright green in the video.)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Original Blog Post: January 12, 2009- More Prayers
As I type this Adam and Caedmon are sitting at the Children's Hospital Emergency Room. This evening, after a day of appointments with various doctors all saying how wonderful he's doing, his scalp incision began to puss. We immediately called the doctor who said to meet him at the emergency room. We had been very careful over the last few weeks to keep him off of the incision side unless he was being held in our arms and we could ensure that no pressure was being placed on the incision area. However, today, after meeting with the Nurse Practitioner for the neurosurgeon who said we could treat it as a normal head and place him on his back or either side, we put Caedmon on his back in his carseat and on his back in his swing. It was after this that we noticed the fluid. We are calling out for God's mercy. If the medical staff feels there is an infection in the shunt or if they can see the shunt because the incision has opened up Caedmon will be looking at replacement shunt surgery and at least a month in the hospital. We need a lot of prayers.
Lamentations 3
17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD."
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.
28 Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.
31 For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Early Spring Happenings
I haven't posted any pictures for a while, so thought I'd just make a picture-y blog. Here's how our spring has gone so far.
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| Taking a walk in the spring with a cast can be dangerous. Keep plastic bags handy. |
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| Wo oo Wo, listen to the music |
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| Lovin' some story time |
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| Beautiful sunset just before the May snow. |
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| Two teeth down, twenty some to go |
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| New hair cut and a weird facial expression |
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| Going along with Mommy's weird expression |
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| Adorable, love this boy! |
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
New Place, Same Family
Welcome to our family's new blog location. The same people you know and love, better location.
Original Blog Post: May 1, 2011- Moving In The Right Direction
You, as the smart person that you are, may have been thinking as you read my last post, 'But it's only been three days. Give it some time, Mama!' And maybe this is the lesson to be learned, that moms and dads so quickly lose hope and confidence while junior is doing just fine and just needs to find his feet again. Anyhow, I am here to tell you that you were right, I need to relax.
Caedmon jumped right in to his aquatherapy. He stood for about 15 minutes playing with the toys on the edge of the pool. He took the two short floaty-stick things and walked the length of the pool and back. He stood and sat about 10 times, totally unprompted, just decided he needed to do that particular exercise.
Immediately following therapy I noticed changes. He was crawling more, trying to climb up in his chair and into his bed. He is a little clumsy and will have to strengthen those muscles again but the point is that he's trying!
Yesterday I took the boys to the zoo and he pushed his own stroller for about 20 minutes. He stood at the edge of a petting pool (you can touch little sharks and rays) and splashed water for another 15 minutes before he was finally ready to sit and rest.
I'd say that's pretty good progress!
Wednesday he gets fitted for twisters, straps that wrap around his legs to hold his feet in the correct position. I think once those are one he will really take off. His left foot is beautiful now, pointing in almost the right way. His right foot is now the problem and trips him up quite a bit when he's trying to walk.
I am so excited to see how far he has come so shortly. It's incredible being on this journey with him!
Caedmon jumped right in to his aquatherapy. He stood for about 15 minutes playing with the toys on the edge of the pool. He took the two short floaty-stick things and walked the length of the pool and back. He stood and sat about 10 times, totally unprompted, just decided he needed to do that particular exercise.
Immediately following therapy I noticed changes. He was crawling more, trying to climb up in his chair and into his bed. He is a little clumsy and will have to strengthen those muscles again but the point is that he's trying!
Yesterday I took the boys to the zoo and he pushed his own stroller for about 20 minutes. He stood at the edge of a petting pool (you can touch little sharks and rays) and splashed water for another 15 minutes before he was finally ready to sit and rest.
I'd say that's pretty good progress!
Wednesday he gets fitted for twisters, straps that wrap around his legs to hold his feet in the correct position. I think once those are one he will really take off. His left foot is beautiful now, pointing in almost the right way. His right foot is now the problem and trips him up quite a bit when he's trying to walk.
I am so excited to see how far he has come so shortly. It's incredible being on this journey with him!
Original Blog Post: April 26, 2011- Baby Steps
Caedmon has been sans cast for three days now. On Friday his new AFOs were finished and he had his final fitting. With the support those give his newly surgeried foot/ankle, we were able to take off the cast. Tomorrow will be his first bath, so looking forward to that! 
It has been difficult watching him these last few days. He continues to scoot around on his bottom and does not want to crawl at all. He doesn't believe he can get down from his dining chair, or any chair, on his own. He won't even try to climb into a chair. He is terrified of the stairs, will not kneel next to the couch and cries if we try to help him stand or walk. All things he could do brilliantly just a few short months ago.
I know it is a matter of time and patience, I am trying to let go of Pushy Mommy and allow him to go at his own pace. His PT told me today that the fact that he was so strong and able to do so much before the surgery will mean he will bounce back fairly quickly. It is still really difficult. It is really hard to see how far backwards we have gone. It's hard to see him as scared to take risks when he has never flinched at trying anything before. I hate to see how his confidence has been sucked out of him. I got a little teary during our appointment today. He was so cautious and shy, not my bubbly go-getter at all.
My hope is that when he gets back in the water again on Thursday for aquatherapy he will start to remember all the wonderful things he's been able to do. He will start to regain the confidence to stand and walk and explore. I know this phase will pass, I know he will go beyond what he ever has before, but I also see how easily it can be to lose gains and what an uphill climb it will be for him to keep pushing and not give up.
So for now we take baby steps: encouraging crawling using verbal cues, helping him get back into the habit of tall kneeling while playing at the couch, maybe in a couple of days he'll try to climb the stairs, and maybe next week he'll try to stand, and a few days later he'll try to take a few steps.
Life is all about patience and adaptability.
It has been difficult watching him these last few days. He continues to scoot around on his bottom and does not want to crawl at all. He doesn't believe he can get down from his dining chair, or any chair, on his own. He won't even try to climb into a chair. He is terrified of the stairs, will not kneel next to the couch and cries if we try to help him stand or walk. All things he could do brilliantly just a few short months ago.
I know it is a matter of time and patience, I am trying to let go of Pushy Mommy and allow him to go at his own pace. His PT told me today that the fact that he was so strong and able to do so much before the surgery will mean he will bounce back fairly quickly. It is still really difficult. It is really hard to see how far backwards we have gone. It's hard to see him as scared to take risks when he has never flinched at trying anything before. I hate to see how his confidence has been sucked out of him. I got a little teary during our appointment today. He was so cautious and shy, not my bubbly go-getter at all.
My hope is that when he gets back in the water again on Thursday for aquatherapy he will start to remember all the wonderful things he's been able to do. He will start to regain the confidence to stand and walk and explore. I know this phase will pass, I know he will go beyond what he ever has before, but I also see how easily it can be to lose gains and what an uphill climb it will be for him to keep pushing and not give up.
So for now we take baby steps: encouraging crawling using verbal cues, helping him get back into the habit of tall kneeling while playing at the couch, maybe in a couple of days he'll try to climb the stairs, and maybe next week he'll try to stand, and a few days later he'll try to take a few steps.
Life is all about patience and adaptability.
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