Fruit Trees!

We have been working hard on the yard.  J's aunt Peggy came over one Saturday and we spent all day getting the front yard whipped into shape.  Shin and Heather ended up stopping by that day so Heather kept Zuri busy (and had an eye out for Kai) while Shin helped us in the yard.  It was so nice to have all the help and we were able to get a lot done.  We have pretty much given up on the back yard for this year (the previous owners had let it go for several years, so we have our work cut out for us).

One of the things that took the longest was getting this ivy into shape.  As you can see, it had crept up onto our house.  It had become entwined with the aspen trees (which aren't in the picture), and had even grown right over a stubborn rose bush.  I say stubborn rose bush, because one vine of the rose bush snaked up along the fence and actually poked itself out over the ivy.  It was really cool to see.  



Here is the after:  we have since evened both sides out (horizontally and vertically), and the ivy has started creeping back down the fence.  When we started working on the ivy, I was trying to just clear it away from the house and create a nice path through the archway/gate, but J's aunt said that we need to be aggressive with it and clear away all the dead undergrowth.  Once we did that, we took most of the ivy away, but she assured us that it will grow back with a vengeance (remembering how the ivy took over in Georgia, I believe it). 


I wish I had taken more before pictures of the yard, but here are some after pictures!

 We dug out a nice area along the front base of the house (preserved the grass and moved it to the backyard) and along the fence line to the backyard, got out all the rocks and weeds, planted flowers, and afterward put in mulch.  We had some extra flowers at the end, so we potted them!


Around the base of our pine tree there was no grass growing, so we dug out a nice section, got rid of all the pine needles, pine cones, rocks, and weeds, and put in mulch.  It looks so much better.  You can see where there is still some patchy grass, but we are working on getting that all nice and filled in.


We haven't managed to get the grass on the right front side of the house to grow (over by our willow tree).  Our sprinkling system doesn't extend to the other side of the driveway, and we really don't use that area of the front or back yard.  I want to put in a tiered garden next spring in the backyard area just east of the shed.  J wants to put the garden on the other side of the house, but I want the area for the kids to play--especially because that is the area where we spend our time.  J is just worried about the sunlight because of the shading from trees and the house, but the grass is growing nicely there, so I don't think it will be a problem.  

Another perk of all our trees besides the fabulous shade and beautiful scenery, is the fruit!  Our trees are starting to bear fruit!  In fact, our cherry trees (we have two) have pretty much ripened (and oh, are they yummy cherries), and the others are well on their way.



Our plums may not be much to look at right now, but I am told they are delicious!  There are two plum trees, but one looks a little sickly and isn't bearing much fruit.


Apples are growing nicely!


We may only have one pear tree, but I think it has the most fruit out of them all! 


I am excited for all the fruit.  Looks like I will be canning because there certainly is a lot of it.  We have also discovered a possible raspberry bush hidden by the ivy along the back fence.  We cleared around it, so hopefully it will grow. 

Family Time

We have had a pretty busy spring/summer so far.  With Zuri being out of school, you would think that things would slow down a bit, but definitely not here!  At the beginning of June my uncle Joe and aunt Randilynn (ie Randi) came in from Missouri.  My cousin Micah (my uncle's oldest son) was graduating from high school.  My other cousin, Alexis (my aunt April's oldest daughter) was also celebrating her high school graduation that weekend.  We had a family dinner at our house, and took pictures in the park.  We hadn't seen my uncle Joe and aunt Randi since we were in Missouri almost three years ago.  It was fun catching up, and although we only had a few hours to visit, we enjoyed the time we did have.

Neither of them had met Kai before, and they were both eager to spend some time with him.  Kai, of course, ate up the attention.  

Memorial Day in Lake Tahoe

Normally for Memorial Day weekend we have our family reunion (my paternal father's side of the family) at Millerton Lake in Fresno, California, but with us younger generation growing up, graduating college and starting families, and the older generation less inclined to travel (although most of that side of the family has migrated from Sacramento area to the Fresno area), they decided to cancel the family reunion again this year.  For the last several years we have been unable to attend (Zuri being born, moving to Georgia, Kai and all his problems) so we were looking forward to going this year--until we heard that it wasn't happening.

I was talking to my grandpa about it, and he expressed a desire to see us anyway, so we decided to make the trip out to Tahoe (which saves a good two hours off our drive).  It worked out because my grandparents were in Tahoe that weekend anyway because of a routine colonoscopy appointment my dad had which required him to be sedated.

We drove out late Friday evening and made it in around three in the morning.  Needless to say, we were tired Saturday, especially since none of us really slept in (thanks to an early-morning Zuri), so we spent the day visiting and relaxing.



We walked down to the beach Saturday afternoon, and although it was chilly, it was warmer than I thought it was going to be.  Zuri had a blast picking up shells (yes, the aquatic pollution has gotten bad enough that shells can now be found on some of the beaches--it started a few years ago--but don't get me started on that tangent...).  We brought a cup to make sand castles with, and instead she collected the shells in it.





My dad pulled out his old Lincoln Logs--big mistake--he got suckered into building houses, bridges, and castles any time we were in the house.  She wouldn't let dad off the hook.




Sunday, after church, my grandparents drove home to Sacramento, and since my dad enjoys quiet Sundays (almost impossible to have with an active five year old), I took J and Zuri to Camp Richardson since J had never been there (only driven by).  We walked along the bike path and wandered down to Pope Beach, where we spent the afternoon.  Zuri was upset that there weren't any shells at Camp Richardson or Pope Beach, but contented herself with chasing the geese into the water.  It was a little bit colder Sunday, and I forgot Zuri's jacket at my dad's house, so she ended up wearing a sweatshirt that I had in the car while we walked, but warmed up as she ran along the beach.

When we told her we were going to the beach, Zuri was excited, and then got upset because we were getting in the car and not walking.  She wanted to walk to the beach by Grandpa's house, and she didn't want to drive there.  By the time we left the beach, she was all smiles again, but she was tired and I am surprised she didn't fall asleep on the way back to the house.




Camp Richardson, looking over at Mt. Tallac


Chasing the geese at Pope Beach







California snow plant.  It is really pretty, but it is a fungus that grows all over the Sierra Nevadas.  It blooms in May and June.  This is just a tiny one.


On our way back to the car.  Zuri was wet and oh-so tired!


Monday, we spent more time at the beach before we had to leave.  We walked from my dad's house and Zuri was super happy about that.  This time she kept the shells she gathered, and they are currently in a plastic jar that she hauls around everywhere.




We met up with one of my best friends Jaimie, and her family in Reno on our way home.  We were going to spend the day with her Saturday, but she ended up having sick kids (we know that one all too well), so we were only able to stop by and see her new studio (she is a photographer) and have lunch.  As always, it was much too brief, but it was nice to be able to spend a little time with her and her family.  Her oldest is a year older than Zuri, and the two of them hit it off.  Last time they saw each other, they were both too young to really interact much.  It was a lot of fun to see them chatting away and laughing all through lunch.

"I am Five"

20 Questions

Zuri, age 5, 2013:

1. What is your favorite color?  Rainbow
2. What is your favorite toy?  Dinosaurs
3. What is your favorite fruit? Banana
4. What is your favorite tv show? My Little Pony
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Hot dogs
6. What is your favorite outfit? Ballerina Dresses
7. What is your favorite game? Tinkerbell.  Duck, Duck, Mouse
8. What is your favorite snack? Popsicle

9. What is your favorite animal? Elephant [first response was Tinkerbell]
10. What is your favorite song? The Book Song [which is a made up song], You are my Sunshine, [her most requested song is I am a Child of God]
11. What is your favorite book? The Napping House, Fairies
12. Who is your best friend? Alina
13. What is your favorite cereal? Captain Crunch

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Tampoline
15. What is your favorite drink? Water...and some milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Flashlight, shells
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Captain Crunch
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? A whole bunch of people
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Uh…I’m growing up now… [after some examples] a ballerina! 

Pinterest is full of fun ideas, and one of the pins that I have come across is to do this questionnaire every year on your child's birthday and see how his/her answers change throughout the years.  When I did this with Zuri some of the answers she was quick to come up with (#1, #12, #14, #15), and others I had to give her some examples (#9, #10, #16). 

 I laughed at her response for #20, so I put verbatim what she said.  She loves to call herself Zuri Ballerina, and she loves to dance, so when I mentioned ballerina she jumped on that one.  I was surprised about the Halloween answer--I thought for certain it would be Christmas. 



I know that almost every parent says this, but I really can't believe that Zuri is five years old already.  It seems like just yesterday she was still in diapers.  She is still chalk full of energy.  She has become extremely articulate (hard to believe we were worried about her speech a couple years ago) and uses words (correctly, I might add) that astonish not only other adults but even Kai's OT.  Big four and five syllable words.  She is also very articulate with her emotions.  "I'm really upset right now." Why?  "Because you said no sucker before dinner.  I just already ate dinner!"  No, Zuri, that was lunch.  --Real conversation.  Her tantrums are hilarious (at least most of the time), and she gets even more upset when we laugh (sometimes it is so hard not to laugh).  She wants us to know that she is mad, so she will stay in the same room and "hmmmph!" at different intervals until we acknowledge her.  If we leave the room she will follow us. 

Zuri is still very outgoing, but lately, when she gets tired she goes into a self-imposed "shy" phase.  She will get quiet and say "I'm just a little bit shy right now."  It is really cute, but I hope it passes and she will continue to be social.  She loves her friends and gets attached to people very quickly.  All through school her best friend was Carma, but toward the end of the school year she started talking more and more about Alina, and now she talks about how much she misses Alina but never mentions Carma.

Our Zuri-Ballerina is also a full time story teller these days.  I am amazed at this girl's imagination.  She gets really into her stories and sometimes I swear she really believes some of them.  She can be very dramatic (especially when telling her stories), but anytime is ideal for a drama fest.  If she doesn't like something we have said, she will say, "that's a bad word!"

One of her favorite things to do is to tease.  She will take my shoes, or my drink, or my phone and laugh as she runs off with it.  Of course I have to pretend to be mad and chase her (which is actually her favorite game--to be chased/hide and seek).  She loves to be chased and tickled.

Zuri has a heart of gold.  She is first to give people hugs when they are feeling sad, and will try to cheer them up.  She is very attuned to Kai and is quick to let us know if something is upsetting him, or if he is "talking" (ie cooing).

Physically, Zuri is in the 2nd percentile for height and weight, meaning that she is tiny.  Her preschool sent home a paper that basically stated she is considered underweight (anything under the 5th percentile) and that we needed to contact her pediatrician.  At her five year check-up, her pediatrician was unconcerned and showed me her growth chart.  She follows the curve but is just under it and always has been.  He said that she will be tiny, and because we have run every test he (and other specialist doctors) can think of, he is not worried.  She is healthy, growing, hitting all her milestones, and is smart.  We have documentation of everything, so he told me not to worry.

It is hard not to worry, though, and we still battle with eating.  Some days it can be literally two hours before she finishes a meal when she really doesn't want to eat.  I am told I was the same way when I was young, but still, it is frustrating.  I never know what she will eat and what she won't.  She will love a meal one day and hate it the next.  She will request something and then not eat it.  Then we have days where I can barely keep up with all she wants to eat, and I dare to hope that maybe, just maybe she is finally getting it...then the cycle will start over.  Although....she has on occasion been sneaking out of her bedroom just before she falls asleep at night and getting a spoonful of peanut butter and a glass of milk.  I consider that progress.  

Big things come in small packages, and Zuri definitely fits that mold.  She is full of attitude, energy, life, love, and is a joy.  She pushes our buttons and tests our boundaries, but she makes us smile and brightens our day.  Our lives are more complete and I couldn't imagine my life without her.  Her laugh brings sunshine into our hearts.

 

Turning 2

It has been over a year since Kai has been hospitalized.  While we still get the occasional "blue" spell or scary situation, we aren't in panic or crisis mode every day.  The transition to the ventilator was a bit frightening, but our lives have been immensely better for it.  Kai has thrived and we can sit back and take a deep breath.  Then we had the addition of the daytime respite hours, and suddenly we had some semblance of a life back. 

I can't even describe how different things are than they were two years ago, when I didn't even think our little guy would make it through the winter.  From forty-five minute diaper changes (while turning blue and screaming due to his acidic diaper rash which was caused by his formula but at the time we thought was a yeast infection that wouldn't go away), and having to shake him awake while he was sleeping so he would breathe again, to now where he is happy blowing raspberries and cooing almost all the time and no longer a little baby but a toddler.

What a difference a year makes.

When we first brought Kai home from the hospital, I couldn't look beyond the next day/week/month.  Just getting through day by day was the goal.  Now that he is stable (and we are stable--can't forget that we have moved three times in the last two years, and that it took some time for Kai to find a job, then he was gone half the week because it was two counties away), I find myself thinking about what comes next.  I remember when we were fitting Kai for his adapted stroller and they mentioned that there are straps which can be used so Kai doesn't even have to leave the stroller when being put into a school bus (or wheelchair friendly vehicle)--my inward thoughts at the time were directed more toward I can't even think that far ahead...I am just trying to survive the month, let alone when he gets school age!  I have since learned that Kai will be transitioned to a preschool for a couple hours two or three times a week, and because of that, our in-home appointments will cease.  Fewer appointments during the week, plus some guaranteed hours where both kids will be in school?  Yes, please!

Now the thought of Kai growing up doesn't seem so scary--because honestly, I have wondered how I will be able to keep up as he grows.  He is not a small boy anymore, and although MSS people tend to be shorter, they can still get pretty big.  I will have J to help me, and nurses will be able to fill in where I need them (they also go to school with Kai).  The future now holds all sorts of possibilities.

As for Kai himself, he is content to be held and tickled.  He loves his blankets and seeks them out when he doesn't have them.  He is still hit and miss with other toys, but when he does interact it is fun to see the excitement on his face.  Head control is still a work in progress, but he tries.  His legs are strong and he uses them to move himself to his desired positions (which is never straight).  He is still this close to rolling onto his tummy--it is just a matter of time before he makes it over.



Kai has now turned two years old.  He has enriched our lives more than we could ever have imagined.  His sweet personality shines and all who really come to know him comment on how special he is.  We are so grateful to be able to be his parents and to have this precious child in our lives.

Return of the Pulse/Ox

It is all about who you talk to.  After months of trying to get insurance to approve a new cord for our pulse/ox machine, one of our nurses mentioned that she heard there have been other machines not working and there was a recall.  Excited, I followed up on her lead with our home health care company, and although the guy I talked to on the phone didn't know anything about a recall, he got me in touch with (I am assuming his manager) someone who actually sent a technician out to our house (instead of having us bring the machine to their office in Salt Lake), and he gave me a loaner and sent our old one off to get fixed!

A couple weeks later, and we get our old one back--working--and they determined it was the cord, but instead of making us pay straight out of pocket, they sent it in to insurance (who can still deny, but we haven't received a bill for it yet).  It really is amazing how the people I talked to before made us go all the way to their office, then wouldn't bill insurance for us, but I get a hold of a different person and they are willing to go the extra mile for us, and now we safely know how Kai is doing (oxygen and heart rate wise anyway).

*Whew! Breathing a sigh of relief, and sending a great big thanks to those who went the extra mile, and the nurse for her fabulous tip!*

Preschool Graduation

Zuri completed her preschool class and is ready for kindergarten in the fall.  Wow, hard to believe that she is getting so big already.  Zuri's teacher wrote me a sweet card and I know that Zuri will miss her.

I tried to get a picture with Zuri and her teachers, but it was facing the sun and Zuri wouldn't look up. 

It was fun watching Zuri interact with her class on the last day.  All the kids were outside for lunch, and they had a blanket spread out for the kids to sit on, which was really nice, but it was in the sun.  Zuri didn't like being in the sun, so she grabbed her lunch and sat in the shade next to a shed.  Less than five minutes later almost a third of her class had followed her.

She is really going to miss her friends from school.  She talks about them all the time.  I am proud of this little miss!