There is a blog post struggling to free itself from my head and blast into cyber space. It has to do with growing up, motherhood, families, life, and Heavenly Father’s plan.
But it’ll have to wait a while more.
Cause we have been sick. So sick.
Swine flu plus sick.
For days.
It feels like years.
I think Christmas was this week.
I think we have been down over a week.
I’m just hoping to finish out the year and start anew in 2014, hopefully healthy.
Every year a beautiful Christmas song speaks to me.
I must admit this year it’s this song:
Skyping with Becca
Jessi went to a practice for a Stake Fireside and Joy had to practice too!
Grandpa and Grandma over after church. Jason sure misses his parents! He loves when they are in town.
Monday Sandi came over and finished up Alex’s blanket. I love it! There are so many different textures and things to feel! Thank you to everyone who sent fabric, to Mama for sewing the top together, to everyone who tied it, and to Sandi for finishing it! It’s perfect for Brother!
I made gingerbread cookies on Monday. For our FHE activity we went caroling and delivered cookies. How fun it was to us when we got home and the Talleys and Putnams came caroling and delivering cookies to us!
Tuesday I took all four November birthdays in for their well child check-ups. Dr Reed was so impressed by how much better Bella is doing! Alex was officially diagnosed as having asthma, so we begin the daily medications and have a rescue inhaler. I told the girls they could skip the rest of the school day. Sammi slept all day. I remember Becca used to do this. I am in High School. I have ten minutes? I shall sleep!
Joy helping me pick out brother’s cake. A big one this year!
Lizzy got her bow in Orchestra – a very big deal!!
Look at this license plate! :) I had to text it to Bec!!
Wednesday at Texas Children’s for another hearing test. No improvement and she is not a candidate for hearing aids. They did note that one of her tubes is clogged, so we’ll head into ENT.
General cuteness at home
Therapy
Joy showing Bella all of her schoolwork. Learning to write her name!
Bella is getting better at not fighting breathing treatments. Having something to watch helps.
She is being casted for new AFOs. Tall ones on both legs now. With her leg changing everyday because of that plate in her knee, the knee brace doesn’t help anymore. That means she gets to have matching tall AFOs now. They are ordering some that will give her more support but limit her dorsal flexion. Hope it helps!
We have a year to get Brother OK with sitting in chairs for school. First step is bringing in the picnic table from outside. He would rather play on the floor where he is grounded. (He loves the jingle bells!)
Playing with the nativity
Thursday Alex’s TVI brought over a calendar. It has braille on it. It now hangs in the play room when he can feel it. We do calendar together now in the morning.
Grandma and Grandpa stopped by to say good-bye before heading back to Iowa. Be safe! We’ll miss you!
Friday was pajama day at school. The librarian read The Polar Express to the kids and they had sugar cookies and hot chocolate. Joy and Lizzy came home with silver bells. So sweet! Bella’s class decorated cookies.
Joy and Bella made these cute ornaments with their Speech Therapist.
Moving forward with learning Braille. It’s coming along. (Notice my brain food, chocolate and peanut butter!)
Jessi’s friends had a birthday party. Other than that and an additional harp practice for the Stake Fireside coming up, we didn’t have anything else scheduled. Ahh…We were able to do a little shopping and to watch Despicable Me 2. I needed a day with fewer obligations. It was lovely.
Three Concerts this week:
Klein High School Choir for Sammi
Doerre Orchestra for Jessi
5th Grade Music Program at Mittlestadt for Lizzy
I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas
Frosty Hand Jive
Pat - a - Pan
At his two year old check up today:
Height: 33 1/2 inches, 25 percentile
Weight: 25 lb 13 oz, 25 percentile
Head Circumference: 18 1/2 inches – awesome!! Hasn’t changed since his shunt failed a year ago.
So if we use the chart as a guide, it would put him at 5 ft 6 1/2 inches at 19. We shall see!
Grandma and Grandpa Turpin went to church with us and then spent some time with us. We love enjoying the short time we get with them.
I don’t know why, but this year has been absolutely amazing – reds, oranges, and yellows. And our crazy garden!
Monday Jason went and took his motorcycle test at DPS. He is legal now. He is loving his 3 1/2 mile commute on his bike.
For Family Home Evening we made my favorite cookies and then delivered some to some friends. Joy loves Christmas!! “Merry Missmas!”
Sickness – just yuck! My poor babies! Who takes a picture of her poor baby getting breathing treatments? This Mama because the child is obsessed with selfies, so she doesn’t fight as badly when she can see herself on my phone!
It has been so cold – yucky cold!! Earlier in the week, Monday in fact, it was very nice outside!
Young Women this week was caroling - Jessi represented our family well.
Therapy – so many cancellations this week. Everything canceled for Bella and Joy. Alex only had PT and Speech, his other therapists were sick as well. Everyone is sick, it’s crazy!! We were working on wet vs dry using food and Brother said “eas” for please!! Yeah!! Our STA has now finished her externship. All our best to you Miss Lily!! Brother working on getting into chairs. He doesn’t like to be off the ground. I’ve got to get that solved – one year from now he’ll be in school and have to sit in chairs for 4 hours a day!
Jessi making a blanket for NAM. She loved the music notes pattern!
Brother checking out the wreathe made of jingle bells. He loved it!! He just laughed and laughed!
Bella improved through the week till she was finally back! So, so grateful for steroids and oxygen and for a doctor that trusts me to take care of her at home, pneumonia and all!!
Getting better, Joy actually made it to school one day this week! Ick! Here’s to a healthy week next week!! Sammi thought these tips cut from green onions looked like sea anemones!
We painted our toes! We were going a little stir crazy! Joy put on her jeans backwards! She loves to wear all of her clothes backwards, but jeans is a new one!
Lizzy’s bracelets, cute Jessi, and playing the Wii
Thursday was Becca’s 18th birthday. It was so weird to not be making her favorite meals, to not be making her dessert, to not be buying her flowers and balloons. 
Saturday the girls and I went shopping (they loved these boots, we didn’t get them, but they loved matching!) Then over to Panera to meet my mom and sisters for lunch, only we went to the wrong Panera, so we enjoyed lunch by ourselves. Then onto the Nutcracker. They had a live orchestra!! The harps and the celesta were our favorite instruments! The percussion was pretty awesome too!
Jason and I off to a Christmas party.
Three short videos from this week:
Joy loves holidays! Love how she says “Merry Missmas!” and at the end when I tell her Merry Christmas, she answers, “Trick or Treat?”
