Twinkling Smile

Kodak moment......I just have to share. While Lil man was relaxing on the couch today I put the telephone to his ear, when I was talking to Dan. Danny gave me this look of what is on my head and then Dan spoke...........OMG, the smile that instantly appeared on his face when he heard his daddy's voice. He was so excited he was opening his mouth as if to talk but he just couldn't find his voice today, that's ok, the smile said it ALL. I wish I had a camera to capture that. We MISS YOU DADDY...see you soon!!

Today was very dreary around here. This morning it was VERY windy and by the afternoon the rain came in. With the high winds and HEAVY rain it was a good day to stay inside. So I cleaned the condo, did laundry, watched movies and played games with the kids. Avrianna put up a blanket tent in my dining room and she "thinks" she is going to sleep in there tonight....we'll see how long sleeping on a tile floor will last, heehee What a good day to get caught up on things around here. Now we are all ready for Dan to come back, he will be returning to Florida late Tuesday night. The neighbors have asked if they could help out by watching the kids for me so then I can take the van to the airport and leave it there for when Dan comes in (around midnight) and then I don't have to drag the kids out to pick him up. Thanks, Linda & Collin!!

Tomorrow Speech will be here in the morning and I am assuming she will be taking back the toys/equipment as this will be her last visit till we come back in February and they won't allow me to use them for our "visit" back to WI. I might be able to keep them till Thursday and give the stuff back to the Teacher when she comes on her last visit. I hope so as I will be able to show Dan some of the cool things Danny has been doing down here. I have forwarded the things Danny is using down here up to WI to see if we can get the equipment and programs that he is currently using and is so much enjoying.

***Again please send your pictures and messages for Danny to me as soon as possible so I can get his TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE scrapbook completed by Christmas. Avrianna and I are so excited to put it together for him. What a wonderful keep sake that we can continue to add to and to enjoy forever!! I am so hoping it will turn out like the vision I have in my head.

Take care!

Shopping land

This morning the kids, myself, and our neighbor went to a Holiday Parade and we had a very nice time. There are ALOT of Shriners around here, I believe they were in about 1/2 of the parade...clowns,bands, jeeps, I was surprised. One of the clowns (Smiley) came over and chatted it up with Danny for awhile, it was nice to see someone coming up to Danny and just talking to him not talking to me about him. I know Danny enjoyed it!
Then after the parade we went shopping, YAY!!!!!! My Christmas shopping is done, I need to pick up 2 more things that I want to get Dan, but for the most part I'm done. I even got all of my purchases from today wrapped, WOW! What a load of my shoulders to have it done. Thanks Linda for going out shopping and enjoying a wonderful day with us. I did find a great find in my shopping......I found a great photo book for Danny's scrapbook that I am going to put together for him for Christmas. I can't wait to get it get it together for him!
Three more days until Dan comes back to the sunny state. Wow ~ did the time down here go by FAST, but I am looking forward to going home to get up the house decorations up. Next year (NO surgeries) so I might just try the whole holiday season down here.....as I am NOT looking for forward going back to cold and snow, YUCK! I can NOT get used to the cold and snow at all.
Tomorrow we are planning on a low key day.....I believe it is going to rain here anyways so it should be a good day to loaf around the condo. Take care!

2 Notes
*Keep Danny's good Buddy and his family in your thoughts as Ryan is having alot of painful medical issues lately. You can check him out on his link to the Left.
** Please send out your pictures and messages to Danny(by email or email me and I will get you my mailing address if you perfer that way) if you'd like to participate in Danny's Christmas scrapbook. I am making a scrapbook of ALL that of been TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE!

The Holiday's are Here

I didn't waste any time getting the holiday decorating started. I love holiday decorations!! Hope you like the new page :) !
Yesterday was such a good day. It was the most low key Thanksgiving I've had ever. It was mostly just a "normal" day for us with schooling and house chores (yeah I know I'm a meanie) but once that was done the kids and I just sat around and watched TV...it was great. The only snag was lil man must have known we were due to be somewhere so he decided he didn't want to pee so just before we went out the door I needed to intervene, sigh. I'm used to running here stuffn my face and running there to eat some more so walking next door to eat and then hanging out with the kids at home was a great change of pace. I just might like sitting at home for Christmas instead of the holiday hustle and bustle we normally do! The kids and I did go next door as they invited us to their Thanksgiving fest. The food was great and it was SO nice to be able to have some adult conversations. I forgot to mention......Danny slept the whole night for Thanksgiving day and did the same last night....for that I am THANKFUL.
Today is going to be another low key day for us as I'm used to today and tomorrow being my decorating days and being here I've got nothing to decorate, well except the web page, heehee. I'm going to bring out my Christmas music....I LOVE Christmas music.....today and let the carolling begin, YAY! Sorry to all that may be able to hear me, LOL. I might try and venture out to pick up a gift I bought ahead of time but really not too sure I want to be out with all the Black Friday shoppers. This going out shopping for gifts is for the birds.....I bought one thing and I am having a terrible time trying to go and get it.....I LOVE shopping on the internet. From the convenience of my own home, whenever I want, usaully cheaper, and it is delivered to my door. Why wouldn't you :) !! Well good luck to you shoppers out there!
Take care and please send out your pictures & messages soon if you'd like to participate in Danny's Christmas scrapbook that I am going to make for him. This is going to be something he and I can look at and I can read to him for years to come.....to let him know who has been TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE~

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am SO VERY THANKFUL for my Kiddos!! I'm no one with out them, they complete me. I am thankful that I get to wake up every morning with them, teach them, care for them, and to put them to bed...but mostly just To be their MOM! I am so thankful that our families life style allows me to be all of that and more for them and I wouldn't want it any other way! I couldn't ask for more from the two best kids in the world (but I'm alil partial, heehee)

I hope that you all have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your family!! Life is not measured by the numbers of breathes we take......but the MOMENTS that take our breath way!


**Please remember if you'd like to participate in Danny's Christmas scrapbook.....send me a picture of yourself/family and a message I can attached with it to Danny. Then I can read and show him how many people have been TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE!

Comedy & Anxiety

Last night the kids and I went out to eat with our neighbor and my grandparents and had a great meal. I was stuffed! We went home and I had all good intentions of going to bed early as I needed to be up and out the door by 7am this morning to get my grandparents to the airport. But.........Danny has other ideas, heehee. As I was putting the kids to bed at quarter to 9 last night Danny finally decided to poop, YAY!! So as I was lifting his legs to change his diaper he let'r loose and pee'd all over himself. uck! First issue was he was peeing without a diaper.....Second he pee'd in his face so it was everywhere on him....and Third he decided to start to choke (so obviously it went down his nose or in his throat, YUCK!). So once the extreme crisis of choking was over with (god I hope this isn't an aspiration) I then stripped him, the bedding, gave him a bath, washed the wedge, and then used the blow dryer to dry it (thanks Bonnie), and made the bed again. Then I started to freak out as reality hit he had pee on his face.....is that ok?........do I need to do anything other than soap?.......Will it give him an infection (as it was in his eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair.....yeap he did a VERY good job, way to go buddy!) I washed his face again before I put him to bed and brushed his teeth twice, LOL. Danny was so tired after all that he fell asleep in the shower and didn't wake up even when I was getting him ready for bed, (again) or when I was setting him up to his machines and he always wakes up when I put the Bipap on him if only for just a lil while. Boy what we'll do for a good time around here :) Avrianna was such a GREAT helper....she jumped out of her bed (they sleep in the same room here) and was grabbing a cover for him and helped me strip his bed, I am so proud of her! She is such a GREAT big sis to her brother.
Once things settled down and the kids were all tucked into bed Avrianna started to cry about the surgery. She is starting to freak out but is trying to hold herself together cuz she knows her brother is going to have surgery too. What a trooper! Looking back through all her episodes, crisis', and treatments she has been awake and aware of everything. She felt and remembers EVERYTHING, so trying to tell her she won't feel or remember this is not sinking in for her. I feel just awful, but know in the end (with no spleen and gall bladder) she WILL have a better quality of life. I see her fear, I hear her fear, and it's killing me. Not only for her but for Danny.....this is a real slap in the face when he can't say or do anything and after 13 surgeries I've never had this crying fear with him....he just goes with the flow and in this respect I wish he could be scared......Know what I mean? With seeing what a "typical" child goes through I can only imagine the resentment he feels after 13 surgeries. I feel awful!!!!!! Not to mention I feel differently with this surgery experience.......This is Avrianna's first surgery and I'M FREAKING OUT....now does that make any sense I've been through how many of these. I am scared to death! But once it's over then she is good to go and the recovery should be a walk in the park compared to some of her crisis' recoveries. Then with Danny I'm not afraid of the surgery so much (maybe cuz it seems so routine, I know that's terrible too) but with the recovery I'M SCARED TO DEATH! I don't want to hurt him or see him miserable for that long. The unknown of recovery time 6 weeks or 12 weeks and the unknown of will it be a brace (please pray it is as with his sensitive skin I know he will have SEVERE skin breakdown with the other alternative) or in a cast which will make his and my life alot more miserable. How do I carry my lil man without hurting him, How will he do with a brace/cast for that long, Will the ITB pump be ok as one of the incisions will be right on top of where his "puck" is and will it cause an internal infection? My head is spinning, I get knots in my throat, and I have a pit in my gutt. Yeap I'm a wreck about this. I can't wait till it's all over!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've decided this year NOT to have a birthday party for my lil man and I feel terrible. I've always had a BIG birthday bash for him but this year I think will be too much for him. He will be the BIG 5 on December 23rd and with his big day being less than 2 weeks after surgery I'm not sure he or I will be ready for a party. I'll definitely have a celebration for him but will lay low with just us. I'm actually considering NO Christmas either. Just sitting home opening our gifts of course but then no going from house to house just us by the fire place and sitting in our jammies! It will be different but I might like different!
Today Danny has PT at Kid Spirit and Danny was pooped out or uninterested as he slept through pretty much the whole Session. Ms Becky still stretched him out, heehee so no worries. I did do some smiling after on the ride home but didn't make it too far and was sleeping once again. So it wasn't you Ms Becky, LOL!!!! Now if I could only get him to sleep through the nights again. I miss sleep! I was spoiled as he would sleep from 10-7 now I'm lucky if I get him to sleep till 4, sigh.
Well Take care and have a SAFE and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
**Please remember if you'd like to participate in Danny's Christmas scrapbook.....send me a picture of yourself/family and a message I can attached with it to Danny. Then I can read and show him how many people have been TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE!

Another Day

Well sleep seems to be few and far between for my lil man, sigh! He is getting up around 2-4 every morning now with these "reflux" episodes, argh! Along with having them during his day feedings. He has also started just recently becoming more "wet". He is blowing bubbles out of his mouth more and has even started to drool here and there. I just hope that he doesn't have any aspirations do the the increase secretions and possible reflux. So I'm not too sure what to do. He hasn't had a bowel movement in 3 days either....I've given him enema's once every day but no go, literally, just air and a spot, maybe. So again stumped!!
Today I got a phone call from Milwaukee (and no not from the doctor...go figure) but they managed to make my schedule work for them....that's a surprise. They must REALLY want Danny's hip surgery done. I'm still not sure about this consult as he has NEVER had one before and Avrianna isn't required the have one.....so believe me I will be going in half heartily and they had better not WASTE my time with a 5 minute appt, or I am NOT going to be a happy momma. So I will be swinging into the hospital on our way home from Florida Monday the 8th at 8:30 am .... hope they have enough room for the RV, heehee.
Therapy on the other hand has been going VERY well. I am really excited with the "angle" that they are all going with in regards to Danny's education. It really is an education down here not just playtime/therapy. I am just amazed in the last week what all the therapist are doing down here to help me help Danny learn to communicate. And he is doing so WELL with it.... my lil boy is just stuck in a body that won't allow him to do the things he wants. He is so inquisitive with all the new things that have been brought out and shows consistentcy in such a short time of bring it out. WOW! Did I say how PROUD of my lil man I am.
Today PT came out this afternoon for his first
PT eval from the school district down here and she was so nice....they structure the therapy so differently here then in WI. Each therapist here comes out to aid in the teachers ability to teach him properly instead of coming out and doing therapy. I am so happy that Danny is getting "The best of both worlds". He comes down here and they have given us SO MUCH to help in Danny's communication and then we go home and he gets "therapies". Seeing both ways I really am loving it as what one doesn't do the other does and he will have all advantages of being all he can be! Well I know it was a VERY rough road to get Danny "going" with the therapies down here but in the last week they have totally redeemed themselves and have just WOW'D me. Yay Danny!
This morning Danny had Speech here while Avrianna went to Grandma's to do an art project making reindeer out of dog treats. Tomorrow is Grandma & Grandpa's last day here so I know Avrianna is going to miss riding her bike over there for a change of pace around here. Avrianna and Danny did hand print turkeys today for an art project here and they both had a fun time. I even got Danny to smile while doing it :) Now if I could just get him to corporate for a painted hand print, NOT! Then we were off to the pool for an afternoon dip.
Again for anyone interested in participating in Danny's Christmas present. I am making him a scrapbook of family, friends, followers, therapist, docs ect that I can read to him over and over to show him how many lives he has touched in so many ways TOUCHED BY DANNY'S LIFE ......... so if you'd like to be added to his book PLEASE forward me a picture of you and or your family with a special message that you would like me to add to it. Please email them to me or email me and I will get you my address if you'd prefer snail mail. Thanks!! Take care

New Switch!!

Well here he is......I took one of his socks and cut the top part off. Then stuck it over his hand/fingers and I put velcro on both the sock and the switch so the switch doesn't fall out of his hand. So smart!! Excuse the date on some of these as I forgot to set the date right, oops!

He can do both positions with this set up.....he can squeeze the switch with his fingers or he can pull it towards his body and press down....which you can see he is using it both ways :)

FYI ~ to make pictures bigger you just have to click on them.

He likes the dinosaur!! Smile :)Can you see him trying to look at it!Avrianna is reading him a Story on the computer and he has to click it to turn the page :) WOW!!!! Here he is using his fingers.

Here he decided to press it up against his body. AMAZING!! This is one PROUD momma :)

Present Idea :**************************************************************

I got an idea from another kiddo I follow (thanks Heather) for a gift for Danny. I would like to start up a scrapbook of his friends, family, and followers. Something I could put together and be able to read and show him whenever. So if you'd like to participate in this gift please send me a picture and comments that I could add with it. You can email me them or send me an email and I can give you my address (if you don't have it). I will be a great project for me when we are in the hospital too :) You know me always have to be busy!!

Present

I know 4 posts in one day.....I should get a real job! Heehee This one is it cuz I'm heading to bed!

I got an idea from another kiddo I follow (thanks Heather) for a gift for Danny. I would like to start up a scrapbook of his friends, family, and followers. Something I could put together and be able to read and show him whenever. So if you'd like to participate in this gift please send me a picture and comments that I could add with it. You can email me them or send me an email and I can give you my address (if you don't have it). I will be a great project for me when we are in the hospital too :) You know me always have to be busy!!

Here a some pictures of us making cookies! YUM!! I love this season so much good food and baking.


It is alittle weird here to see wreathes and holiday decorations when the weather is so nice. I'm used to freezing when that stuff goes up. I'm sure when I get home to Wisconsin to put up the decorations I will be FREEZING. Usually the day and weekend after Thanksgiving I get all my holiday decorations up. So I will be late as I won't be able to put them up till about Dec 8th. I will have alot to do with decoration, preparing the house for recovery (putting Danny's bedroom in the living room), surgies, and then finishing my shopping. I am pretty much done (even wrapped, yeap that's my OCD, LOL) just a few odds and ends.

Disney on Ice -- 3rd post of the day!!

Ok this is the last one of the day....promise!! :) Well the Disney on Ice show was GREAT! We all had a wonderful time. Mental note: (senior moment here, heehee) Don't wear sandals to an ice show! I am freezing!! I'm going to drink coffee and eat soup for the rest of the day to warm up. DAHHHHHH. We were in the front row (which is ON the ice, so that didn't help with the cold feet) and it was amazing. Some of the characters stopped by to shake Avrianna's hand and to touch Danny. I was great, but it happend all so fast so I wasn't able to catch it when they stopped...I do have a few of their back sides as they were leaving, though. Here are some pictures enjoy!! The ones with just me Avrianna did, maybe she'll be a photographer cuz she did a great job. See....
Here we are just before Here we are waiting for it to startSee how close we are!

Don't LAUGH!!! I wasn't ready
He doesn't like the hat either!! Some of the show :)

Little Mermaid

Lion King

Mickey and the Gang

Lilo N Stitch

Peter Pan

Do you think they had FUN?

Hope you enjoyed them!

Forgot to mention one of my stresses yesterday! I got a call from Milwaukee on Danny's surgery. The doctor wants Danny to have a consult with anesthesia before surgery and the ONLY time they could get him in is the 1st of Dec. Well that would require me to come home early not to mention drive myself and the kids home without Dan, NOT! They could squeeze Danny in on the 11th (day before) but it was at 2:30 and Danny's IEP at home is at 1 so wouldn't be able to make that time either (canceling his IEP and letting it expire is not an option). The scheduler mentioned that Dr Tassone WANTS this done, so with me and my meekness I stated to her that Danny has had around 10 surgeries there and if they can't find the notes and/or an anesthesiologist (I gave her 2 names whom worked with Danny in the past) that is familiar with Danny then I guess it isn't going to get done. I told her to have the Doc call me on Monday and we'll chat about it. I understand the whole theory about Danny and being prepared going under....but don't you think it's kind of weird how Danny has had MULTIPLE surgeries there and Avrianna hasn't had any, and she isn't required to have a consult with anesthesia. This could get ugly :(

Five Generations -- 2nd update for day

Photo Taken 5-1-2011
Here is the 5 Generations on my side: I LOVE YOU! As of 11-08 all are living and well!

Great Great Grandma Sophia NaGreen - age 94


Great Grandma Bev Kohl - age 74


Nanny = Debbie Witt & her most favorite fan, heehe - age 54 (oops, LOL)


Lori Osero =Mom = Me and my fans! age 34 (yes all 20 years apart.....Until)



Avrianna - age 6

Good Day

Good morning ~ this morning was definitely a better one then yesterday!! Danny slept well. I had him sleep in a more up right position and that did the trick. So I am leaning towards his issues being reflux. He just seems to be iffy when feeding him now. I did talk with Dr Kasper yesterday and if it continues he will have an upper GI done on Danny with contrast to see if the nissen is failing. Danny had his nissen done when he was 6 months old so it could just be failing. He did good all day yesterday and was even smiling and participating in therapy
Yesterday Danny had a GREAT day even despite the lack of sleep. Sorry I didn't post later yesterday but I was drained..emotionally and physically. I was SOOOO tired! But on the good side...I am so excited! Assistive tech came out along with the teacher and speech yesterday and may I just say.... WOW! My son was using a computer, yeap you heard me, a computer. I was just amazed. Assisted tech brought out a couple things for him that they wanted to see what he could do with them. They brought out the microlite switch that Danny did so WONDERFULLY with this spring when we were here and again it WORKED! They are positioning it in his fore finger and thumb and Danny needs to squeeze it with those fingers. Again much to MY surprise he responded GREAT, right away. They also tried to position it on hit tummy and then his hand/arm will push up against it. In this position too it WORKED so we are on a mission now to see what is the best placement for Danny that will give him to best consistency. Danny always AMAZES me! So the therapist put some games on the computer that Danny can play with an adapted mouse that this microlite switch can hook into. I can't believe I am even typing this or that I saw him do it....WOW it brought tears to my eyes! I am going to have to look into getting him is own mouse and switch....that's how GREAT he did. They also brought out a switch toy that is a dinosaur and boy when activated did it bring a BIG smile to Danny's face. Danny did GREAT, I am still in awe today! WAY TO GO!! They were even discussing a communicative program/device that he could use if we find that consistant spot for Danny. I can't imagine...Danny being able to "tell" me what he wants. I'm just shaking with excitement! To be moving forward towards a way for him to communicate with me, words can't even express how ELATED I am. Thank you Ms. Nancy, Ms. Kathy, Ms. Carole, and Ms. Mary for giving my son a chance at a better life! Next time I come down in the spring the assitive tech therapist extended an invite for me to come down to her "lab" and she will show me how to do some of the power points on the computer that Danny can do. I will be taking up that offer!! I also have GREAT neighbors in Wisconsin that are computer wiz's so maybe we can figure it out together, watch out Lynn & Tom, this momma is on a mission, heehee. For him to be able to play on the computer just opens up a whole new world...I am excited! So Ms. Mary and Mr Scott can you look into some of this for when we get back into WI as this is something he can do during recovery from surgery. I am going to look at it more here.....but for all of you interested the games they used here is from RJ Cooper company and it was called, I believe, Early and Advanced Learning. I think the games/programs need to be bought, but so worth it! Then Ms Nancy said she makes up some of her own with power point that she is going to show me next time :). This is another great site it's not designed for kiddos like Danny, but some of the games he can play with his switch, YAY, www.Starfall.com. Avrianna LOVED playing on it!
We went over to Grandma's yesterday too and had a blast making cookies. It is so wonderful to see this family tradition so strong and to making WONDERFUL memories. It just brought tears to my eyes....(Yeap I was an emotional wreck yesterday) As I know some people don't even know their grandparents and for us to have Great Great Grandparents around is great!
Today we are heading off to the Disney on Ice show and we are SOOOO excited. Luckily we have an entertainment arena only 10 miles away from us so I try to get there at least once when down here do to the convenient location. We are leaving here to go shortly so I will post pictures when we get home....promise this time, so check back later too :)

Up Early

Long morning for us already .... Danny has been up whining, tummy noises, and what seems as refluxing since just before 4am. He has been having this hard swallowing episode and facial expression when I feed him during the day (2oz bolus every 1.5hr) now last night he was doing the same thing on the feeding pump and woke himself up!! So not sure what's going on. Is it just a tummy bug thing as this never happen before or is the reflux issue getting worse? (He has the nissen to prevent more reflux but thinking it is starting to leak)....we will see what tomorrow morning brings. I crushed up a TUMS and stopped his feeding around 4:30 and he got alil better. ????? TUMS sucks to give through a Gtube...I'm not sure I can do that, but did. He was making tummy noises and pulling his legs up too so....... could be a bug... I gave him an enema to see if he was having issues with that end but all that came out was air and just alil spot. That's my excitement for the day so far, LOL.
Avrianna is going to Grandma's today to make some Thanksgiving/Christmas cut out cookies...she probably won't be able to participate in the annual cookie baking at Grandma's house because of the surgery so Grandma is going to do alil batch with her today. Avrianna LOVES making cookies with Grandma.
Last night the kids and I went to Grandma's for a dinner party that she was having. It was a great time. Everyone was so into taking about my kids....right up my alley, LOL!!
Well need to get going and get the kids in the tub and give myself a cold shower to WAKE UP! 4 people due here around 1 for Danny's therapy today and I am DRAGGN butt! Emailed already and going to call the doc to get his opinion on Danny too. I will let you know later how the day is going. If this IS a bug....GOD I hope Avrianna doesn't get it!

News

Today I received the article that Previa Health did on Danny since his Intrathecal Baclofen Pump was implanted and our relationship with Dr. Terrance Edgar (Danny's neuro). It is a great article!! Thanks Sean I LOVE the way you handled our story! Here is the link for the Health Review magazine where the article ran in. We are on pages 11-13. ENJOY!! :)
http://newsite.stvincenthospital.org/imagesDir/pub_112140-StVincentsSp.pdf

Today Avrianna and I did alittle salon work. I cut her hair......3" off. She is so cute! She looked into the mirror runs back and says "Mom now I look like Mary Kate and Ashley, I LOVE it, thanks!" She is so excited. Oh Boy ~ Well here she is in all her glory

Today Danny was a hoot at therapy. Ms Becky noticed what he was doing (or lack of doing). He would do things that I asked him to do BUT ONLY when she would leave the room. Then when he would catch her sneaking around the door way he would STOP! So for a lil boy who is "blind" and who doesn't know what's going on....well SIKE! He saw everything today and knew exactly what we wanted him to do. He just felt the need NOT to do them, heehee. He's got attitude!! His sister has taught him well, LOL. So all in all it really was a good day. Tomorrow is OT and the teacher from the school district here at the house, so we'll see how that goes with Danny participation!

Wind Chill??

Well I can't seem to stray too far from the cold temps for long. Tonight it is suppose to get down to the low 40's here in Florida and with the wind chill (yeap you heard me WIND CHILL) it could get into the 30's inland. To me that is "normal" but around here in Florida.....we it's just freezing for them!!!! The jet stream is coming from the north which is pushing the Wisconsin temps down to me...oh wonderful. Tomorrow the high is suppose to be mid 60's and then it is looking like the next days will start warming up to "normal" around here. Avrianna can't wait to get back into the swimming pool!

Danny must be upset wearing pants for the second day in a row as he was less then corporative in PT today. Everytime Ms Becky tried to do something with him he would shut down and fall asleep. She even brought out cool toys for him to play with and NOPE....NOTHING! He had attitude today! What a lil stinker, literally. When we got home he filled his pants twice. I think it was too much work for him to do PT and his duty all at once so....shut down during PT (sorry Ms Becky) and then give me the "gifts" when at home. LOL! After that he was all smiles and even vocalized a bit. Tomorrow I hope he will be better in therapy...but with PT even during sleep he can be stretched, heehee. I took Avrianna with us and I think she had more fun there then he did. There were alot of toys and Ms Becky let her play with whatever she wanted to (except the paint,lol). She can't wait to go back tomorrow too :)!

During our recharge movie day this weekend my lil girl gave me one of those AHHA moments. We were watching Racing Stripes and she couldn't understand why the horses were picking on the zebra for being different. She said she would help to teach him things. Then she was going on and on how she wouldn't pick on him and what she would do to try make friends with him because "it's ok to be different". Avrianna is becoming a beautiful, considerate, compassionate lil girl and I am so proud of her. The bond that my two children have ~ NO OTHER will be able to replace. It just warms my heart! :)
On that note we are still completing our homestudy and it should be done by Jan-Feb. I have started looking at photolistings again of children, but I know I can't get me heart set on one( or two) yet. Just looking, :) Breaks my heart to see all of these kiddos needing a forever family. They are just waiting for someone to say you are mine lets go home! Talk about the ultimate gift to be able to give someone ~ A FAMILY! The waiting game is the hardest part of the adoption process that is for sure. I am hoping that because we are not looking for an infant that maybe the placement process won't be as long but I also know it could take awhile. What a journey and adventure, I'm so excited!

I think Avrianna might be wishing for 3 front teeth for Christmas. Her one top front tooth has been loose for a few weeks now and today the other one started wiggling. Both her bottom front teeth are "big" teeth but one right by those also has been loose for a few weeks so it's just a matter of time when they come out. She can't wait till they fall out and I keep telling her the tooth fairy is going to go broke if she looses them all!!!! HEEHEE

My back is sore today....must have pulled something in my lower back, can't figure out why, lol. It hurts and when I walk I get this pain that shoots into my rear......Avrianna keeps laughing at me and saying I'm a pain in the butt. Got to love her!! I guess lifting lil (husky) man everyday is starting to get to me. I know, I know but he's MY lil boy and I just can't see having a lift carry him for me, he's only 4. Mom is suppose to do that? I am so scared that he is going to get too big I won't be able to hold/carry him any more. That's all I got is to hold my boy, let him know I love him, and I'm there for him. What am I suppose to do when I can't anymore? My heart just breaks ~ I wish I could hold him tight and close to me FOREVER!

Take care! Please keep Danny's friend Ryan and his family in your thoughts as he has pnuemonia now too. ARGHHHHHHH Griffin is doing better, YAY! It's way too early in the season for these kiddos to be getting sick already. Praying that this isn't the path for this very long season.

Working Hard

Today is definitely NOT how I had hoped it would go but....it could be worse. Avrianna is more tired then usual so she is relaxing for the day watching tv. Good thing it is chillier out so no swimming today. Today is going to be a recharge day, I hope, as her body is working too hard to stay up to Avrianna's pace. I signed her up to the a the Miley Cyrus fan club website so she is eagerly playing on it.

Danny is also "off" today....very flushed, but no fever. Working hard to breath as he is "playing" with his junk in the back of his throat. He is very raspy today so we are working on our 2nd round of Mr. Jiggles and probably looking at least 2 more times. What a god sent to have all the equipment here as I'm sure this episode would have warranted a stop at a local ER. Glad I am able to dodge that, LOL!

So I am working very hard and keeping things on an even scale. Well got to get going and change a diaper, remove Mr. Jiggles, and feed the kids. Never a dull moment. Take care!

Fall Festival

Today I took the kids to the Bonita Springs YMCA as they had a Fall Festival there. It was a great time and cheap. It was in the open outside so alittle hot for Danny in the sun but we managed to jump tent to tent to stay mostly in the shade. It only cost us $2 for the family to get in and they had tons of stuff to do. They had a tent from the Imaginarium so Avrianna got to make her own slime, uck, and then we got to see some reptiles. There was a baby alligator (which we touched) and saw a snake (already had a snake preview this morning as one was slithering out my back door, YIKES!). Then face painting (Avrianna got a FULL face paint of a princess, figures, LOL), making bird houses, card making, other artzy fartzy stuff, and alot of local information tents. We did it all with no additional costs! The other half of the festival had tickets you could purchase to do games and rides. Avrianna bounced around and slide down the BIG blow up play sets (for free, WOW) and then played some games. She did great at them and won enough prize tickets to get a goody bag full of stuff. WOW! All for about $12.00. I bought Danny a souvenir T-shirt that he can wear as I felt bad he couldn't do anything but BE there and be HOT! So after the festival we came home and I took the kids to the pool to COOL down. NAP time now, I wish!! Weather is suppose to cool off now for the next few days......but we'll see what they define cool is, as if you live here all the time it's cool and I think it's awesome weather.

Amazing

I can't believe it!!! I just got gas for $1.99, WOW! Unfortunately around here everyone else thought it was an awesome deal too so there was a line into the street to get at the pumps. Amazing what "drives" people now a days....we were just paying $2.40 here a few days ago and six months ago was what a buck + more. Glad to see the pumps getting cheaper, but very sceptical that it will continue.
This mornings IEP meeting went well (not as good as I had hoped but.....). They took Danny off of temporary to permanent services so that was good to hear, but still the most important (PT) isn't in play yet. I informed them before we left WI that we were coming down and they waited till the IEP meeting (2.5 weeks after we've been here) to start the paperwork for PT through the school system. Not excited about that, but it would be alot worse if I didn't go ahead and get PT outside the school. Call it mothers intuition but I kind of knew they weren't going to have their ducks in a row, sigh! BUT the therapist at the IEP seemed excited to work with Danny and had some good ideas that we haven't done in WI yet so we'll see what comes of their excitement in the next couple of weeks. The schedule worked really well with us too so that was a plus. Now with Speech, OT, Assitive Tech, the Teacher, and the PT (out of the school system) Danny will be getting therapy once a day for 1 hour. YAY!~ We have to have another meeting again once they get all the paperwork they need for the PT evaluation to being and HOPEFULLY by our next trip down (Feb-April) Danny will be getting PT through the school too. Once back in WI Danny has his IEP there too so the next 3 weeks are FULL of IEPs and evals, yikes! Avrianna went with us to the IEP and was a princess...she played gameboy, read some books, and drew some pictures. She was wonderful so afterwards I treated her to McDonalds and pampering (we got our nails done). She was so proud to be getting her nails done and the ladies were so nice to her...they painted on flowers over her hot pink paint job so the princess treatment went well. She deserves it!!

Our Paradise!

Here are some photos that my Aunt Bonnie took of us tonight on our walk. Thought I would share as they turned out GREAT! Tonight was Bonnie last evening here as bright and early she leaves to return back to the "frozen tundra" Wisconsin. LOL

Me and my Babies!!





My Babies



Isn't this the most precious picture......

........but she can be sassy too, LOL. Got to love her!!


Aunt Bonnie and my Babies




Here is my lil man hooked up to Mr Jiggles and he is LOVING it! Can you tell?




Well of to bed as tomorrow is an early day. Danny has his IEP meeting here for the Lee County School system so I will post after and let you know how that went. Sigh! Thanks for following our journeys. Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I LOVE showing off my kiddos!!