Party pictures!

The cake that Adam and I ended up making...and it looked good!

 

Bree was cool and ready to go....(and cute as ever!)

 

Even Daddy got into the Luau mood!

Time to play...where's Bree?

 

"Ethee" and Riley...best buds!

 

 

 

 

Do we have a pyro in the making? I think so!

Riley was much more content to just stare at the candle. (Sorry for the blurry...I was trying to take pictures of both girls...and guard Riley from touching the flame...it was a sight to see!)

 

(Here's the picture I promised ...remember?)

A new way to open presents...hey whatever works..right?

While we were doing this (see above)....Riley was doing this (see below). She wanted nothing to do with opening presents.

Too many people and too much attention ..I think it freaked her out a bit. So, we recruited her friends to help. :)

 

 

However, when we broke out the bike she suddenly became interested again...funny how that works.

 

 

After a looong day, and a GREAT party both girls (and Daddy) were in need of a nap!

I want to take the time to personally say thank you to everyone who came to their party and who wished them well (whether you were able to make it or not). This past year has certainly been an adventure. We have laughed, cried (too many times to count), been outrageously silly, been outrageously tired, and everything in between. We have experienced emotions we never knew existed. However, through it all we have had good friends and great family by our side. We could not have done it without each and every person we have met, been friends with, or even just spoken to in a doctor's office. It is amazing the difference it makes when you have good people in your life. The people who care for you, and you for them are more precious than you could ever imagine. Hold them close and do not take them for granted. Enter into every day with a grateful heart and all will be well.

Success!

The girls had a great party!!!!!! We played, ate some cake and opened presents! We luaued it down until well...naptime for the kiddos. (Is luaued a word??) We still have Adam's parents here tonight so we are opting to spend some time with them instead of spending time doing schoolwork, writing blogs, or any of that other "stuff" that we normally do. Sometimes you just need to enjoy the moment with the people who are with you. Know what I mean?

Birthday Party Eve

Exhaustion. Pure exhaustion. The house is pretty clean...food is prepared. We have some last minute cleaning to do...but all is ready for the Luau party tomorrow. Pools are filled, balls are blown up (not like that you sick minded person), and kids toys are already begging to be played with. I hope that they are quiet enough so we can get some restful sleep tonight.

First big girl bath...and co sister bath!

Jealousy of a different type

Today, I witnessed something that I never thought I would see. Riley was jealous of Bree's g tube and pump. Really. She was.

Bree has been being fed on her pump for the past few days. She is just getting too big and active to gavage feed her. (Gavage feed refers to us having the formula in a big syringe and letting gravity feed it into her tummy. This takes about 10-15 minutes) She kicks and moves and ends up pulling the tube from her g tube and spilling formula and stomach juices everywhere. ICK!

So, we have been feeding her on her pump while she sits in her high chair. We spoon feed her some puree foods while it is going so she can learn to associate the "I put something in my mouth, and my tummy feels full" feeling. However, that does not have much to do with the story. (just a small fact of our life) So, Bree's pump and feeding bag goes in this little black backpack that sits next to her high chair. Today, I found Riley holding the backpack trying to push the extra tubing onto her stomach. Mind you, it is still attached to Bree and actively feeding her.

After a mild freak out, (okay, so more medium instead of mild), I get it taken away from Riley and Riley starts throwing a fit saying "Riley turn! Riley turn! Not BREE'S! RILEY'S!!!!!!" I managed to get her calmed down and tried to explain that Bree can't eat with her mouth, so she uses her machine and her tube to eat. What did I get from that you ask? Riley answered "Okay, Riley tube!" and tried to get the backpack. After much more explaining, I don't think Riley accepted it any better, but she stopped trying to steal the backpack. For today at least.

Kaw Kaw POO!

The long awaited time has come....in Riley's language Kaw kaw poo means.............



CHOCOLATE PUDDING!!!



Since we only had two 'guesses'...you both can win! I will get Riley working on warming up her hand to autograph those pictures...maybe we'll throw in a picture of Bree for a bonus!

**Mommy Peters** I know I had your address a long time ago (okay so it's only been 9 months or so) but I seem to have misplaced it. Can I get it from you? My email is tnkrbll53@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Just call her Picasso

Being an artist is such hard work...and dirty work! (and it is embarrassing when your Mom won't stop taking pictures of you all messy!)

 

  

  

  

 

The best kind of weekend

We had one of those not so memorable, but absolutely perfect weekends. You know, the ones that are filled with hanging at home,a little running around, and maybe a special trip mixed in? Yup, we had one of those. Saturday morning found us at the zoo, where Riley enjoyed it like she never has before. She asked what the animals were, would repeat their names and say hello and goodbye to each one. She did not want to sit in her stroller, or hold our hands to walk...she wanted to do it herself! After two hours of the zoo it was getting too warm so we headed home. The afternoon found me at the library doing schoolwork while Adam lucked out by having both girls napping at the same time...so he took a snooze himself.

Sunday morning we headed to Lowe's to check out all the fun (expensive) stuff we'll need for the house if all goes through. We need fans in each bedrooms, lights everywhere (they've all been stripped out), blinds for the house, and  a refrigerator. That's only the necessary stuff....we also looked at all the fun "planning and dreaming" stuff like paint colors for all the rooms, backyard designing and planting, wood flooring for the house, and a lovely screen door that I have absolutely fallen in love with! (In case anyone was wondering, we are accepting Lowe's cards for Christmas presents this year...hee hee) Isn't it fun to dream and plan?

The rest of Sunday we hung around the house and did some small projects. Riley and I scrubbed the walls and lower cabinets, Adam and I cleaned our bedroom (it was much needed!), and we have been working on laundry, laundry and more laundry. This was for sure one of the best weekends we have had in a long time. Ordinary, common, but...one of the best!

Translation

"Kaw-kaw poo"

Since this is Saturday, I will pose a question for all my weekend readers. (If there are any) What do you think the above word means in Riley's language?? Please click on "Leave a comment" to leave your comment on what you think it is. The correct answer will win....wait for it.........an autographed picture of Riley! :) I will post the correct answer on Tuesday. (Just to give those weekday readers a chance!)

(P.S. Adam...you cannot vote. It's not fair if you live with her...even if you had no clue what she said when she first said it. I told you what it was and now your vote is null and void. Sorry....it's the rules.)

Clarification

I just wanted to clarify a statement that I made on my post last night. I wrote: "The first thing that popped into my mind was "No, she doesn't eat anything by mouth so how the heck am I suppose to give her cake? If I give her cake she will aspirate and end up with pneumonia so NO I am not giving her cake"." This was a little bit of a dramatization. (It's funny how you end up doing that in your mind)

Bree can have some things by mouth but it is not the way that normal kids can. She can have very small 'tastes' of things. She doesn't really enjoy it too much at times, but then there are times that it makes her happy to have some 'tastes'. We have to make sure that she is sitting up, alert and awake before even attempting to give her anything by mouth. This is so she lowers her risk of aspirating.

So, don't you worry your pretty little head about not having any fun birthday cake pictures to look at here soon....their party is on Saturday (19th!) and I plan on getting some good pictures! Even if it means smearing frosting on her pretty little face...I don't mind doing that. Not one little bit!

Cake anyone?

Bree's birthday yesterday was a bittersweet day. On one hand, it is exciting that we have made it a year with our sweet girl. She has overcome so much, and has changed dramatically. I will never forget her in the isolette, so small and fragile with all the tubes and wires, all the beeps and alarms, and the fear of touching her for fear of hurting or breaking her being so small.

However, compared to then, the present is more difficult for her. Yes, it was scary then because her life hung in the balance...but all she was responsible for was to live, and to grow. And for us as parents, we were required to come see her, touch her, and talk to her. I had the added responsibility of pumping milk for her but that was it.

Now, it pains me to see her struggle so hard just to figure out how to roll over from her back to her stomach. This is something that a common six month old can do...yes, I know she is delayed and it is easy to say "well look at where she started at."...But try telling that to her. She doesn't understand that. All she knows is that she tries to roll over 50 plus times a day and she can't. If Mom helps her, it is much easier, but she wants to do it herself...and she can't.

There are a host of other things that fall into this category, but I am not going to dwell upon each one specifically. Normally, I am a pretty upbeat person, but there are small little comments or things that can strike me and knock me off of my happy little pedestal. Yesterday, one of those such things happened. As we were wrapping up her physical therapy session and preparing to leave, her physical therapist (who doesn't know us very well) asked me if we were going to go home and have some cake with Bree. The first thing that popped into my mind was "No, she doesn't eat anything by mouth so how the heck am I suppose to give her cake? If I give her cake she will aspirate and end up with pneumonia so NO I am not giving her cake". Instead of saying that I covered and said "No, we are just going to go home and enjoy being a family and celebrating that Bree is here with us today."

Regardless of what I told the therapist, her comment and my thoughts haunted me all of last night and most of today. There are many things in her life that Bree will not do on time, or even be able to do if she is unable to ever eat by mouth. However, we must remain positive, no matter how hard it is, and rejoice in the fact that she is here with us today. She is who she is because of what has transpired in her life so far....whether it is good or bad, painful or pleasant. Her happy smiles and wonderful demeanor makes me feel like the luckiest mom in the world...whether or not she can eat cake.

Bree's Birthday Photo Shoot

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

To sum it all up...

I realized that I have dragged out the summary of Bree's first year of life a little more than I had intended. I snuck in some random posts in between, and with the imminent approach of Bree's birthday (TOMORROW!!!) I feel the need to wrap this up.

March - this month found us visiting when my not so little anymore sister came to visit. Danielle is now 17 and taller than I am. (sigh) However, Riley ADORES her E.T. (as she says), and Bree does too! We have the pictures to prove it:

E.T. was even nice enough to hold Bree while she got her ears pierced for the first time...

 

April found us visiting once again with Adam's parents and niece and nephew since the kids were on their spring break. The whole time, someone was sick...so we stayed near home and enjoyed each others company.

 

 

 

We dyed some easter eggs...

 

  

..and even I got to go have some fun with a ride on a jet!(it stayed on the ground the whole time, but was pretty cool!)

 
 

  

After our family went home, Bree came down with the bug that was being passed around and ended back up in the hospital with Parainfluenza 3...It's a yucky bug that affects your bowels, tummy and sometimes (if you're a preemie with crappy lungs) your breathing. However, even with that taking place, we made the time to celebrate Easter! I took Riley with me to work and she had a blast!

In May and June we took some time to relax and be silly amid doctors visits, and some new speech therapies for Bree.

 

  

  

July found us preparing for a vacation, and making a big decision for Bree. We decided that it would benefit her to have a g tube put in, and to get the NG tube out of her throat...and out of her nose! Here's a pre belly and post belly photo:

 

 

Bree came home on July 3rd...so...on July 4th we got all dressed up in our patriotic colors for a family photo!

 

 

The middle and end of July was spent at home...home as in Washington state. We remodeled Adam's parents house, and took some time to get some family photos.

 

  

We came home from vacation at the very end of July and picked up where we left off. Bree started physical therapy, and coupled with her early intervention services and speech therapy, we kept busy every week. This is where we are today...living day to day as a family. Riley is lovin on her sister more and more, and I am in awe of the relationship they are developing. Bree is growing and changing before our very eyes, and Adam is still my partner in crime that is most often, the laid back one in the relationship (which is greatly needed...I am a tad bit of an overthinker and overdoer...just a tee bit tho). And...he is very helpful and happy to oblige when asked to take a picture of me with my girls. My crazy, tempermental, perfect girls.

 

Back to Bree

Bree's first few months of life actually living in our home brought some, er, let's say...hardships and trials. All up until she came home I had been pumping breast milk for her every two to three hours. I quickly learned that that is not possible when you have a preemie and a toddler at home. Riley also learned that the minute Mommy 'hooked' herself up and turned that noisy machine on, that she could do ANYTHING that she wanted, and it would take Mommy at least ten seconds to unhook herself and come chasing after a naughty little Riley. After many nasty spills from falling off of the couch and onto the coffee table, and stressed out from Bree crying because the pump noise scared her I, unwillingly, but necessarily, quit pumping milk for Bree.

The end of January found Bree not gaining weight, not drinking bottles and being admitted to the hospital for failure to thrive. They put in a feeding tube and after a few days of positive weight gain, they sent us home. Two days later, we were back at the hospital because Bree had contracted RSV while in for her feeding tube. During this stay we needed help. Our friend Danielle watched Riley during the day while Adam worked and I stayed with Bree at the hospital. Even Ya-ya (my stepmom) flew out so that she could spend some time with Bree in the hospital. She even stayed with Bree while Adam, Riley and I went out to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. We went to the Phoenix zoo since it is so close to the hospital. And, we had a great time!

The rest of February passed with spending time at home, doctors visits, and friends who helped to keep our sanity. :)

 

 

Labor Day

Growing up, I never knew why we had Labor day. Still as an adult I am unsure. When my husband Adam was still in utero and his mom was overdue with him, Adam's older brother Jason became very upset when Labor Day came and went and his new sibling did not make an appearance. Turns out he thought Labor Day was the day when all the mothers went into labor. Hey, that makes sense to a seven year old, right?

Well, lucky for all you unknowing people like me out there, I decided to look it up. Click here to read the full the story..but here's an excerpt from the Department of Labor:

"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country".

 So thank you to everyone who goes to work, for those who stay at home watching children so others can go to work, and thank you for those who used to go to work but are now retired. Thank you for doing what you do.

Ironically, in our house this year Labor Day is Lazy Day...we are all chillin out here at home. Adam is napping, Riley is sneaking her sister licorice while I am not looking (which Bree absolutely LOVED), and I am feeling a little under the weather so I am cleaning, then resting, and doing laundry, then resting, etc. etc.

What are you doing for your Lazy Day?, I mean Labor Day? Leave me a comment to let us know...we love you hear what you all are doin!