What do you see?
Can you see it yet?
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tasting
Sometimes change can be hard, and sometimes change is exactly what is needed. In our case the latter happened. Our new OT is amazing. Since she is new to our family, she didn't have any preconceived notions of what Kai can and cannot do, and she got him eating! Actually taking bites and tasting food! A-maz-ing. Granted, most of it ended up on his lap, but he wasn't shaking his head from side to side to avoid the food, and he wasn't pursing his lips or pushing his tongue in the way (until the end, anyway). Progress! Yes! He only gagged twice and never spit up. Hopefully this is the beginnings of good things to come!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Playing
Kai has little interest in toys. He loves to cuddle with blankets, but toys just don't seem to register on his radar yet. He does, however, play with his trach, his g-tube connector and button, the syringes we hang to vent him, and especially his suction catheter (you know, the important things). There have been a few times when he has pulled hard enough to disconnect the suction catheter from his trach. Not a big deal for us, we just put it back on as the vent alarms like crazy.
I think Kai has fun with with making the alarms go off--the other day I was in the kitchen making dinner (in our new apartment the you cannot see Kai from the kitchen) and his ventilator kept alarming. I would go to check on him and he was laughing. It happened a good three or four times; he was laughing as if to say, haha mom, I tricked you, I made you come check on me! Who says babies don't have a sense of humor?
I think Kai has fun with with making the alarms go off--the other day I was in the kitchen making dinner (in our new apartment the you cannot see Kai from the kitchen) and his ventilator kept alarming. I would go to check on him and he was laughing. It happened a good three or four times; he was laughing as if to say, haha mom, I tricked you, I made you come check on me! Who says babies don't have a sense of humor?
Friday, August 17, 2012
New Bather
With moving, we have also changed districts for our child development programs--meaning all new therapists. It also means that we had to return the equipment we were using for Kai (ie the bather and the stander). Our new OT has been fabulous. She contacted us within a week of moving in and has already hooked us up with a new bather. She is working on a stander but the ones they have currently don't give enough support for Kai.
The new bather has been good and bad. It is a built for a bigger/older person so Kai doesn't quite have the weight to hold it down on the bottom, consequently, it has a tendency to "float" around a bit. On the other hand, it allows Kai more access to the water and he has been having fun kicking his legs to splash the water. Overall, I think I like it just a bit more than the old bather, it is just taking me some time to get used to it.
The new bather has been good and bad. It is a built for a bigger/older person so Kai doesn't quite have the weight to hold it down on the bottom, consequently, it has a tendency to "float" around a bit. On the other hand, it allows Kai more access to the water and he has been having fun kicking his legs to splash the water. Overall, I think I like it just a bit more than the old bather, it is just taking me some time to get used to it.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Cuddlebug
We have been super busy these last few weeks. It has been hard to find time to sit down and post! We have enjoyed living so close to family. My grandparents came in from California to spend a couple days with us, and we have continued our Sunday dinner/games with my brother and sister-in-law. Consequently, with all the family, I have gotten some fun pictures, especially of family holding Jeremy! Both Zuri and Kai have been spoiled with lots of attention! Kai, being the little cuddlebug he is, has thoroughly relished being spoiled.
We really enjoyed my grandparents visit, even though it was brief. It was great to see them! Grandma is showing Zuri just "how it's done" on Angry Birds (or was it Zuri showing Grandma?). I never did get a picture with them and Kai--sadly, I didn't really pull out the camera all that much while they were out other than to show them my nifty camera. In fact, my grandparents liked my camera so much that they bought one of their own! :-)
Shin holding Kai, and a rare smile caught (we were able to capture two!--normally he will only make funny faces for pictures), even though he was looking away from the camera (in both pictures nonetheless).
More smiles from the newlyweds!
My Aunt April holding Kai. It was her first time. Her smile says it all. :-)
My cousin, Alexis and my sister, Breanna came over for a visit and I was able to capture this moment with my beautiful cousin.
This picture is so precious of my sister and Kai. McKenzie loves to spend time with him; she has even helped me with trach cares!
We really enjoyed my grandparents visit, even though it was brief. It was great to see them! Grandma is showing Zuri just "how it's done" on Angry Birds (or was it Zuri showing Grandma?). I never did get a picture with them and Kai--sadly, I didn't really pull out the camera all that much while they were out other than to show them my nifty camera. In fact, my grandparents liked my camera so much that they bought one of their own! :-)
Shin holding Kai, and a rare smile caught (we were able to capture two!--normally he will only make funny faces for pictures), even though he was looking away from the camera (in both pictures nonetheless).
More smiles from the newlyweds!
My Aunt April holding Kai. It was her first time. Her smile says it all. :-)
My cousin, Alexis and my sister, Breanna came over for a visit and I was able to capture this moment with my beautiful cousin.
This picture is so precious of my sister and Kai. McKenzie loves to spend time with him; she has even helped me with trach cares!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Settling In
Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel that you are exactly where you are supposed to be--doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing? I had one of those moments the other night. Despite the fact that this move has been hard on all of us, this is where we should be right now. We are all moved and settling in.
Chilling while we cleaned our last place
There could be a myriad of reasons that the move has been hard on us. First and foremost probably because we loved our old place, loved our ward, and loved our area. It could be because we moved into a place that is older, has approximately half the space that we had in our last place, has a swamp cooler versus central air, and we only have one bathroom (and I really miss our two jetted tubs). The hardest adjustment for us has been the swamp cooler--talk about never truly getting the place cool, and when it is, it is really humid. Kai's equipment produces much heat of its own, so the swamp is basically always on. We are also sleeping with our bedroom door cracked so we can get some cool air in while we sleep (fans just don't cut it) which is awkward because the nurses pass by our room as they go into the bathroom. Zuri has been waking up several times during the night because she is hot (she slept all night last night for the first time since we have been here). I am looking forward to the cooler weather of autumn.
There have been perks since moving here as well. J gets to come home every night (which is soooo great). It is nice to be close to family and we have been getting to know some of my cousins a bit better. It is much easier to get to our appointments, and we are meeting new people. Less than a five minute drive from us is a new park with a fabulous splash pad (pictures to come soon).
The move itself went pretty smoothly, and J's parents were instrumental in that happening. We have a lot more stuff than we realized, and my project will be de-junking before we get our house.
Our search for our house continues. There was a setback with the house we really wanted--the owners went into bankruptcy, so now we have to wait for all that to clear up. Yesterday we found two more houses that we really loved--but each has one big mark against it. Ah, c'est la vie! We are just excited to get a place of our own. In each house we view we imagine where things would go/how things would work with Kai. It is fun to see all the different houses and to dream of what could be. Hopefully soon the dream will be reality!
Chilling while we cleaned our last place
There could be a myriad of reasons that the move has been hard on us. First and foremost probably because we loved our old place, loved our ward, and loved our area. It could be because we moved into a place that is older, has approximately half the space that we had in our last place, has a swamp cooler versus central air, and we only have one bathroom (and I really miss our two jetted tubs). The hardest adjustment for us has been the swamp cooler--talk about never truly getting the place cool, and when it is, it is really humid. Kai's equipment produces much heat of its own, so the swamp is basically always on. We are also sleeping with our bedroom door cracked so we can get some cool air in while we sleep (fans just don't cut it) which is awkward because the nurses pass by our room as they go into the bathroom. Zuri has been waking up several times during the night because she is hot (she slept all night last night for the first time since we have been here). I am looking forward to the cooler weather of autumn.
There have been perks since moving here as well. J gets to come home every night (which is soooo great). It is nice to be close to family and we have been getting to know some of my cousins a bit better. It is much easier to get to our appointments, and we are meeting new people. Less than a five minute drive from us is a new park with a fabulous splash pad (pictures to come soon).
The move itself went pretty smoothly, and J's parents were instrumental in that happening. We have a lot more stuff than we realized, and my project will be de-junking before we get our house.
Our search for our house continues. There was a setback with the house we really wanted--the owners went into bankruptcy, so now we have to wait for all that to clear up. Yesterday we found two more houses that we really loved--but each has one big mark against it. Ah, c'est la vie! We are just excited to get a place of our own. In each house we view we imagine where things would go/how things would work with Kai. It is fun to see all the different houses and to dream of what could be. Hopefully soon the dream will be reality!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Family Reunion 2012
On Monday we went to J's family reunion at Gunnison Reservoir. Many of the family hadn't had a chance to meet Kai, and he was much loved and held while we were there. It was our first time bringing him into the mountains, and while he did well, we did need to increase his oxygen. We had a good time and it was nice to see everyone.
When we first arrived, we brought him inside one of the trailers, but as the day wore on, we took him outside. He loved being outside! He fell asleep almost right away, and slept until we left--even though he was passed off several times!
There was much to do. The kids could play in the water, or jump on the trampoline which was set out in the water. Next to the trampoline was a slide that they could slide right into the water! There was horseback riding, canoeing, just hanging out, boating (including tubing and wake boarding), 4-wheeling, and more!
Zuri is the smallest one--second from left.
Zuri and Adilynn on the tube (Zuri is on the left)! Zuri loved it until it started getting really bumpy. In the tube next to them are Maria and Emery (mostly out of the picture--they were in the shot but slipped out as I took the picture).
The girls had a lot of fun until the tube went under the water. The wake started to get really choppy, so the boat was slowed down, only it was too slow, and the tube got pulled right down. I admit it, I had a little panic attack when Zuri and Adilynn went under. I saw and heard Adilynn, but Zuri must have popped up behind the tube where I couldn't see her and she didn't cry. I dove in the water with my clothes on and got to where Adilynn was about the same time Maria made it to Zuri (whom I had finally seen while swimming--she was fine; Adilynn was just slightly closer to me than Zuri). There were jokes about "lifeguard Bambie," but I tell you, I wasn't even thinking at that point. All I knew is that the tube went under and I couldn't see or hear Zuri. I must have swimming pretty fast to make it to the girls at the same time Maria did.
Zuri was a trooper, though, and even went for a second round with me! She didn't enjoy it nearly as much--she was nervous any time we hit a bump, and she was shivering. Next to us are Marci and Emme. After the second time Zuri went down, she was done. She was cold and exhausted. She fell asleep on the boat while I was tubing.
After boating, we rode on the horses, which Zuri absolutely loved. From the moment she saw the horses, she wanted to ride. Once on, she kept reaching down and petting the horse, saying what a good horse he was. It was really cute. She also didn't want to get off the horse. Looks like we have a little horseback rider in our future!
When we first arrived, we brought him inside one of the trailers, but as the day wore on, we took him outside. He loved being outside! He fell asleep almost right away, and slept until we left--even though he was passed off several times!
There was much to do. The kids could play in the water, or jump on the trampoline which was set out in the water. Next to the trampoline was a slide that they could slide right into the water! There was horseback riding, canoeing, just hanging out, boating (including tubing and wake boarding), 4-wheeling, and more!
Zuri is the smallest one--second from left.
Zuri and Adilynn on the tube (Zuri is on the left)! Zuri loved it until it started getting really bumpy. In the tube next to them are Maria and Emery (mostly out of the picture--they were in the shot but slipped out as I took the picture).
The girls had a lot of fun until the tube went under the water. The wake started to get really choppy, so the boat was slowed down, only it was too slow, and the tube got pulled right down. I admit it, I had a little panic attack when Zuri and Adilynn went under. I saw and heard Adilynn, but Zuri must have popped up behind the tube where I couldn't see her and she didn't cry. I dove in the water with my clothes on and got to where Adilynn was about the same time Maria made it to Zuri (whom I had finally seen while swimming--she was fine; Adilynn was just slightly closer to me than Zuri). There were jokes about "lifeguard Bambie," but I tell you, I wasn't even thinking at that point. All I knew is that the tube went under and I couldn't see or hear Zuri. I must have swimming pretty fast to make it to the girls at the same time Maria did.
Zuri was a trooper, though, and even went for a second round with me! She didn't enjoy it nearly as much--she was nervous any time we hit a bump, and she was shivering. Next to us are Marci and Emme. After the second time Zuri went down, she was done. She was cold and exhausted. She fell asleep on the boat while I was tubing.
After boating, we rode on the horses, which Zuri absolutely loved. From the moment she saw the horses, she wanted to ride. Once on, she kept reaching down and petting the horse, saying what a good horse he was. It was really cute. She also didn't want to get off the horse. Looks like we have a little horseback rider in our future!
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