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!!!!