Good - bye Summer

Can not believe summer is over. My Carley is so ready for school to start. Please pray for me and Caroline. She is starting ESE - exceptional education here in the public school system. I have met some wonderufl families in my neighborhood with other special needs children and feel blessed by our meeting. However, I am concerned about her school and hope it is safe and loving. She will be there part time and will nap there too. I am not sure if she will stay there and how it will work out for her. We will also go to our church pre-k part time. There is so much I am trying to learn and do what is best for Caroline and push her along, but it may be too much too soon. Trusting the Lord to be her comforter and protector while we are apart.

Caroline's 3rd Birthday

New Pictures

Updated Pictures of Caroline

ROSY'S

Tonight we ate Mexican at Rosy's with Cameron and girls and our good friends the Masons. it is becoming our regular hang out at least once a month. Caroline does so well eating Mexican food. Carley is pretty intrigued with the people who speak Spanish. She is so funny. I have really enjoyed watching her swim and learn to jump off the diving board. Seeing her confidence and joy while swimming warms my heart. She was once deathly afraid of the water. she also has not enjoyed ballet or soccer. So I am glad she enjoys the water and learning new things.We registered her for Kindergarten today and also got her school supply list. Did you know teachers are now allowed to ask for four packs of crayons. I am buying a year worth of supplies and they are going to cost as much as a backpack or more. Funny thing is I LOVE school supplies every year at this time since I had Carley I look at school supplies and see what I need at home. I have always loved playing school and wonder if that was why I became a teacher.
We also had a pretty productive day. We got Caroline's leg braces and she seems to like them. They are a lot more supportive and I have high hopes that she will walk in the next year or at least take steps. I am finally feeling like we are building more friendships and trying to settle in here. Jacksonville has just been a really hard place to make deep rooted friendships and to feel like home. Is that a real word? But we are looking forward to a great school year and many exciting changes for our little girls!!!!

Fun Weekend

I have had a very fun and busy weekend. Lots of time with friends. My girls got lots of daddy time. I was treated to a pedicure and starbucks by a friend and took Carley to the Romona and Beezus movie today. It was cute! A big thanks to all my followers who took the time to add us.
And a big shout out to the Ellis family who wanted me to update this blog. They also were at the same movie today!!!! Cameron watched Caroline and Carley several times this weekend. I also got a fun new gadget....a mini keurig....Love it!!!! I will post pictures too!!!!!
Caroline hung out at home today. She took a nap and played cook with her Daddy and kept him company while he did laundry! Thanks to my sweet husband for helping so much this weekend and to Missy, Val, and Sarah for making all of the fun possible.

Today

I think we will clean out the garage today. Carley and Daddy are still sleeping. Caroline and I are awake. I am getting ready to enjoy a cup of coffee. Last night we went swimming with our really good friends in our neighborhood. The girls had a blast. Caroline floated on her back and we taught her to blow bubbles in the water. Her Big sister decided to swim across the pool even though she was dog tired. She kept saying I am almost there every time she took a breath. I hope she is able to swim on our neighborhood swim team next summer. I think she may actually enjoy it. Carley is going to the eye doctor on Monday. We have known for a while she will need glasses before school starts so we will try to start wearing glasses a few weeks before school starts.
Yesterday Caroline told me "tea"....she was pointing to he little plastic tea cup on top of Carley's dresser. I said good job baby! That is a tea cup. She seems to know so much more than I think she does, but if only we could get her to process things in words. She is really frustrated in her in ability to move and talk. She fusses some and desperately tries to crawl. She is pushing up through her hips and knees. Not in a normal way, but she is trying to stand on her knees rather than a crawling position. Our goal and desire is for Caroline to crawl in six months or less.
Have a great weekend!

More Casting/ Swimming/Bible Study

We went to pick up foot braces, but they were too big and we had to stay for re-casting for new ones. We will receive them now on July 27th. It is amazing to me how long things take. We have been thinking and shuffling paper work for these leg braces since April 27th! Anyhow, we missed our Physical Therapy due to our late appointment at Hangar Prosthetics. So here we are again with no new braces.
Carley had her second swim lesson this summer and is jumping and swimming under water fine. They are teaching her to float on her back and flip over when she needs a breath. She is also learning strokes to swim above water. She loves swimming!!!! We finally found something she enjoys!
I am so excited about a Bible study I was able to join this week. It is all about our lives as women and how society had really brainwashed us about our looks, appearances, exercise obsession, food obsessions, and all those things women deal with. It is a real book by a real lady who knows what we go through. I am meeting with ladies from a different church than my own, but they are really wonderful and I am hoping to make some new friends!

No braces Yet....well maybe Not!

No foot braces today due to a wrong processing code. When you want free you have to be patient with all of the rules. So we will have only PT today. Let me tell you about our last ENT visit last month. Caroline's ears look great - she does not need tubes at this time. Her hearing is great and hole in her left ear is completely sealed! We need to post new pictures of our Long Boat Key Beach trip as well as birthday and NJ wedding trip. We have had a busy summer already and only have about six more weeks before it is over. Funny how things work out....we are going to get our foot braces today after all!!!! We better go get a jump on it since we thought our am appointment was cancelled. I will take picture of these cute little leg braces that hopefully will allow her to stand - what a joyful day that will be for me!!!!!

Birthday Time

Caroline soon will be three years old and I can't believe it. We spent last weekend celebrating with friends and family. She has many things on the horizon for her in the coming months. We are considering ESE special needs school part time next fall as well as our current MMO program at church one day per week. She is still using a few words and signing as well. We are excited about our new videos from Nana, Papa, and Aunt Jenny, and Uncle Stephen .
Tomorrow we will get our new leg braces to aid in standing. She really wants to crawl and can pull up on arms, but not knees. I am hoping in the next six months of therapy and practice at home that this may be a reality for her. She still uses her stander to strengthen her leg muscles and stamina, but is still unable to bear weight on her legs and knees on her own.
In August we will be meeting new therapists for PT and OT and keeping our speech and current PT as we transition into September. Once again God has provided leg braces at no cost to us this time. And we will receive some free therapy in special needs school in addition to private therapy that we will begin to pay co-pays for as of her birthdate.
We are excited about Caroline's opportunities, but I am nervous as her mom to know if they are the right choices for her at this time. I do know the journey is long and I could use any assistance available and want to make use of this without losing my interactions as a stay at home mom and my job and role as her mom and teacher. It is a scary spot to be. Yet I know I am going to need to get in the school system and learn the role of therapists and iep's as we will be living this during the next 18 years with her. Please pray for Cameron and I as we embark on a new chapter with Caroline. I appreciate all the love and support that many friends and family give even when we are not aware. Happy Birthday Sweet Caroline!!!!

Moving Along

We have been busy running errands, going to appointments, and wrapping up th end of the school year. Carley has pre-school graduation coming up and has lost three teeth in 8 weeks. The tooth fairy, Matilda, has been quite busy here. Caroline is progressing most in her speech. She can say many words tat we understand now like, play, t.v., Elmo, and eat.
She is a joy and a delight to watch. She also is scooting faster and trying to get down and wants to walk and jump. It is scary because she is noe getting hurt more frequently and it is very hard to leave her even for a minute. She has no idea of how things can hurt her, like casue and effect reactions. I am tired to say the least and have to constantly think of her safety above anything else we do.
We are looking into new therapies and new therapists as Caroline graduates from Early Steps program with our local early intervention. We are ordering new leg braces that will provide more support for standing and deciding to wait one more year on a wheel chair.
Carley is now palying soccer or should I say chasing her friends in the field. She does not love it, but we only have six games left so maybe we will develop memories and a love for running!
So we have many changes on the horizon for us. But we are trying to sleep when we can and have fun when we can too!!!!

Easter Photos of Caroline

Words

Words are so important. They can heal or they can hurt, but sweet words from Caroline are amazing!!!! Since December she is saying so much!!!!It is not on demand, but she speaks and repeats things. It is a blessing and warms my heart. I wanted to share this with any of you who are checking in on us. It is spring and we are excited. Carley is signed up for soccer and we are looking forward to nicer weather!!!!
Some of her words are: Mama, Papa, baby, hi, up, Elmo, Dora, Pablo, Coco, Yeah!!!!!
She responds to most all of our questions with yeah!!!!! - her yes! She also has great communication with signs. She shook her head at her dinner plate the other night and signed cheese to me. So she ate cheese and strawberries only. She loves books and coloring books and can now lightly scribble with pens and markers. These things are huge improvements. We rejoice in all of the way God works in our lives. Carley is reading books to us now which is a lot of fun too!
This week Caroline discovered the stoppers on the back of the doors and she loves playing with them and making that funny noise!!!! She would rather play in her sister's room with her books, doll house, and Barbie's this is so funny to me and nice to see her doing new things!!!!
Yesterday I was drinking an iced coffee from my favorite place and Caroline placed her empty cup in the air toward my cup to tell me she wanted me to share with her. She thought it was Chocolate milk. She finds amazing ways to communicate to me and thankfully I am able to determine what she wants or needs most of the time!!!!!
Happy Spring!

Feeling Loved

We have been busy this week. Carley lost her tooth. we took a therapy break and we have Carley's Valentine party later today. She is five and I can not believe she lost her tooth already and that the tooth fairy came and went. Caroline is really trying to communicate more and more intentionally. She enjoys going to school every Wednesday. We were in Target a week ago and she found Elmo in the most obscure places, but in her line of vision. She pointed and vocalized "Elmo" each time. So Happy!!!! Her new love is my scrapbooks...she will point and scoot until she gets the right one. we have many, but she signs book and then says. "Elmo".....she looks at Carley's trip to Elmo live. Oh how I woudl be thrilled to take her to see Elmo and feel and see her face light up with excitement. She is definetly a love bug!
Yesterday after picking Carley up from a play date I noticed my tire pressure warning light was on. I did not panic because Cameron always tells me I have a while with all those things.....I panic and never want to be stranded. I was stranded at 21 with a car and a blown engine in the middle of the no where and was scared to death. I got my car manual out and it said pull over and get air or call for service. So I kept driving thinking it woudl be fine. It was.................until bedtime.
Thank God for his provision always!!!!!We are still going to be bale to go to school and get our yummy vaelntine strawberrys from Nana at Peterbrooke this am and have our valentine party.
Cameron filled up the Durango and changed my flat on my van and is taking care of the tires to day as now I need three!!!!So God is good....and meets the desires of our hearts no matter the details. I feel loved because my husband takes care of us and provides for us. I love you Cameron!!!!

Cookies Anyone!!!

New Photos of the Girls

Video of a Family in Ireland

Attached is a link to a video from a Family in Ireland who went on a morning to discuss the same syndrome that Caroline has.

http://www.tv3.ie/videos.php?video=18946&locID=

Scooting!

Caroline is on the move. She has discovered a way to move toward her toys. She has given up on rolling and has decided to scoot while sitting upright. She rocks on her bottom and scoots many inches at a time. She is also reaching really nicely across her body and side to side. We have to figure out to teach her to crawl. She can support head weight on arms, but she can not support her abdominal and hip weight at all. She is in her stander twice a day for 30 - 40 minutes. I am so excited of her progress as it is many months and times go by with little or no change in the direction of moving forward. I know I should not measure Caroline or myself in this way, but it is really hard and I think maybe a part of my human nature. I know it is not up to me as much as I want her to grow and achieve these milestones for the both of us. But most days I do feel responsible when little progress is not attained. Like I am being lazy or not doing enough for her. Thank you to many friends who support me by prayer even on the hard days and even when I do not know you are thinking of Caroline. Much love.