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Shopping

Life's Learned Lessons:

Don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

If you do, you may find yourself climbing the shelves.

Shopping Carts

Cayman's diagnosis was discovered when I was just 20 weeks pregnant. The advantage of knowing early on that our child would have developmental delays allowed us time for planning.

One of the ways we planned was in buying this stroller carseat system:
We knew things like head control and sitting up would be a challenge for Cayman. The stroller carseat combo would make our outings more practical and the system would be able to accommodate Cayman as she grows.

For example, when grocery shopping, where do you put a one year old when they can't sit up? Not in the shopping cart. The best solution we decided on was to invest in a stroller carseat system.

I cannot imagine our outings without it.

It has made the long treks across U of M hospital, trips to the grocery store, or other errands easier.

This past February we tried something different. We put Cayman in the seat of a shopping cart for a test run.


It did not go well. I used my fluffy winter coat and blankets for padding and support but it was still not enough to keep Cayman out of a slouch position. She could tolerate it only for a few minutes before she began to fuss.

During those few minutes though, Mike and I had fun pushing Cayman around and snapping pictures.

Four and half months later, we got to have that fun again!!

We have discovered that not every shopping cart is suitable for Cayman though. The back rest and lap belt have to be just right in order to provide the support that she can't do for herself yet. So we still get great use out of the carseat stroller system but I immensely look forward to when Cayman can sit up in every shopping cart. That will make outings even better!

In this photo, I think it looks like Cayman is doing the Little Rascal's High sign.

X-Rays

Last week Cayman had x-rays taken of her spine and hips. This was to check for any vertebral malformations that could possibly be hindering her ability to sit unsupported. To review that full story click here.

Mike models the smiley face lead apron with great masculinity.

We are happy to report, everything looks great!

So the mystery continues "why is Cayman so uncomfortable."

I have been trying therapeutic massage treatments on her back, hips, and legs to loosen any tight muscles and also make her more aware of that area of her body. In addition to that, I am exploring the chiropractic modality to see if that will make a difference for Cayman. I will let you know how that goes.

I leave you with this video of how Cayman stays entertained at the Doctor's office...

Cayman Gets Stronger

In this post I wrote about how Cayman needs a lot of assistance, holding herself up in a crawling position.

This was her a little over a month ago...

And this is her now...

You can see the difference if you note where Jodi, the physical therapist's, hands are placed. In the first photo one hand is helping Cayman keep her arm straight and the other hand is under her chest supporting most of Cayman's weight.

In the second photo, Jodi has her hands at Cayman's sides, barely supporting much weight.

And in this photo you can see how well Cayman is enjoying it...

And for another recent accomplishment:

Cayman held two toys, one in each hand. She's only done it twice, and on the second time I got it on video.

Take a look...

Cayman's 1st Pedicure

Cayman sat in her BeBe Pod very still and quiet, closely watching me paint her toenails. I discovered she has the attention span of 6 painted toenails. The last 4 were quite challenging to paint while her toes were wiggling everywhere. I think her next pedicure will be done while she's asleep.

Happy Independence Day

Wishing you a

Happy Independence Day!

From the Stamm Family

Kisses

Cayman gives kisses.

She doesn't do the smacking sound but she does pucker up her lips. It cracks me up!!

Like this...

She's kind of stingy about who and when she gives her kisses to though, so feel priviledged if you ever get one!

Cayman's First Fireworks

This past Saturday (June 27th) Cayman saw her first fireworks show. Our new hometown shot off their annual 4th of July fireworks. Grandma Sue, Grandpa Mark, and friends Paul and Ester joined us.

What was Cayman's reaction to the fireworks?

Have a look and a listen....

And just in case you didn't catch it, that was Cayman laughing histarically, not crying.

Happy Birthday to Cayman's Uncle Mark!

The Craving to Blog

Grandma Sue has been missing her daily dose of Cayman pictures, videos, and stories so she lent me her laptop until mine gets fixed. I have very little opportunity to use Mike's laptop since it's used for his work. It's been nice having a computer all to myself again but I still miss mine.

My computer is set up perfectly for my blogging style with my photo editing and video editing software, my SD card reader, all my picture files organized by date and event. This computer doesn't have any of that so I have to take a few extra steps in order to get it step up so I can post my pictures.

Here's what I have to do:

• Find which SD card the pictures are on. I have 4 to search through.
• Once I find the picture then I insert the SD card into Mike's computer.
• Then I insert a flash drive.
• Copy the picture files onto the flash drive.
• Take the flash drive out.
• Insert the flash drive into my mother-in-law's computer.
• Upload the pictures onto the computer.
• Then I'm ready to blog!

And I better get busy too, because I have a list of 14 things I want to document!

"Thank you Sue!"

My Computer is still Broken

Today was suppose to be a happy day for my computer, but alas, the problem is far deeper than the repair woman could see. My computer is being passed onto another expert and it appears it will take yet another week before it is fixed.

When I do get it back I will have lots of catching up to do. I have so many new videos and pictures of Cayman I want to post. I've been keeping record of it all the "old school way"...pen and paper. You see, while you might all think I blog just for you (well, of course I do), this blog is really my very detailed "baby book" for Cayman, which I am having it made into a book through this website.

I will see you in about a week!

("Sorry, Aunt Linda. Hang in there!")

Summer Experiences: POPSICLES

Grandma Sue wrapped the Push-Pop in a paper towel to keep little Cayman's hands from getting chilled. She will not touch things if they are cold anyways, so the paper towel worked out perfectly.

Summer Experiences: SWIMMING

I think Cayman liked her swimming experience. At first she was very quiet and expressionless but soon "warmed" up to the water (perhaps literally) and then she gave us some smiles.

Summer Experiences: HAMMOCK

Life always feel a little more divine when chillin' in a hammock.

Summer Experiences: ICE CREAM

Our favorite route for a summer evening stroll takes us right to a little ice cream shop, just a couple blocks from our house. (You didn't think it become our favorite route by chance, did you?)

Cayman loves ice cream. Do you remember her first reaction to ice cream a few months back? If you missed it, click here.

On one of our visits to the ice cream shop, Cayman and I shared a vanilla cone. Apparently that was not enough for her sweet tooth though, for on our way back to our house Cayman kept staring at Daddy's Frozen Limeade slushie.
We'd walk a few steps and then stop to give her a bite...




Happy Birthday to Cayman's Great Grandma Jeanne!

Summer Experiences: STROLLER RIDES

Come back tomorrow to find out where Cayman likes to go on her summer walks.

Summer Experiences: GRASS

This is Cayman's 2nd summer, but in many ways it's like a first for her.

Last year, she was just a little baby, a few months old, that was recovering from several surgeries. During Cayman's stay in the NICU, we learned that there are times when stimulation can be harmful to a baby, especially one that is recovering from so much.So we kept Cayman very sheltered...

protecting her...

providing an environment where she could rest and recover.

This summer is quite different! Cayman is older, stronger, and is experiencing what summer is all about, as we are too! {"Blessed Normalcy, I don't take you for granted."}

Summer Experince #1: laying barefoot in the grass

She smiled and liked the experience as long as she did not have to touch the grass. She kept her hands and feet tucked up and in.

Father's Day

My Dearest Mike,

Cayman is so blessed to have such a great Daddy. Happy Father's Day!

Always Yours,

Kristen

Today is special for another reason too:

Happy Birthday to Cayman's Aunt Sam!

Kodak Moments

This is how Cayman fell asleep one day; one hand cuddling her favorite musical toy and her other hand inside the fish bowl.

Cayman's first chocolate milk...yummy! She drank the bottle dry.

Cayman loves magazines!

He was Thinking of Me

I was in the kitchen cooking lunch. I heard Mike open the front door and declare his presence, "Honey I'm home and I brought you something!"

He quickly scurried into the family room, whipped out his work laptop, set it before my favorite spot on the couch, so over his lunch hour I could have a brief recovery from my withdrawals.

What a thoughtful man!

"Thanks Mike!"

Get Well Wishes for my Computer

My computer, my friend, is very sick. I first noticed the signs a couple days ago when she began to run slowly. Then came the green spots and lines across the screen. And the worse was when she fell completely silent, not wanting to turn on at all.

I was very worried about her. I called on Dr. Mike for help. After reviewing her symptoms and trying a few treatments with no prevail, it appears she may need to be sent away for further observation.

So I sadly, type away on someone else's computer. It's not mine. The keys feel different. It's not green like my computer. (I love green!) I miss her patiently waiting on the end table next to the couch, ready for me whenever I can steal away and enjoy a free moment. *sigh* I'm ready to have my friend back.

Until then, my blogging may be sporadic.

Wish her well!

A future blogger in training.

Sonic

We've heard people rave about it...

We've even seen the commercials...

but we never have had a Sonic Drive-In experience, until this past weekend.

We drove up...

Ordered our food...

And it was delivered by a waitress on roller skates.
Mike ordered:

• Sonic Burger
• Root Beer Float

I ordered:

• Grilled Chicken Wrap
• Butterfinger Sonic Blast

We shared:

• Tater Tots
• Spicy Jalapenos

It was delicious, greasy, and completely unhealthy. Everything that makes it a yummy American meal.

How privileged I feel to have a 1950's experience in 2009.

{my 400th post}

Cayman Crocs

Did you know that there is a Croc style called "Cayman"?

Naturally, we are a huge fan!

Right now, there's an awesome deal on kids' Cayman Crocs. $9.99 with free shipping on these styles:

High School Musical

Dora

Disney

Pixar Cars

Bob the Builder

Go to this website and check it out!

Garage Sale

Today is the start of my very first own garage sale.

I hope for...

good weather

and

lots of sales.

In Mike's effort to help, he mispriced a few items....

Cayman says, "What?! You're getting rid of me?"

Mommy says, "No Cayman, Daddy was just kidding. You are not for sale."

Mac and Blocks

Macaroni and Blocks...

together...

in one container...

makes for a fun sensory activity.

Happy Birthday to my very dear friend, Tammi!

Restoring Walls

{I know I said I was going to post all house updates on my other blog. But that blog has fallen to the wayside. I find it easier to manage one site, not two. I don't like deciding which blog to post on. So I've been considering combining my blogs.}

The steps to renewing our walls:

Step 1: Strip Wallpaper (that contained several steps in itself)Step 2: Sponge clean walls and wood trim.

Step 3: Fix and fill in all gaps and cracks in the wall. (Wall cracks were filled in using drywall mud. Gaps between wood trim and wall or fireplace brick and wall was filled in with a paintable cauking.)
Step 4: Apply dry wall mud texture. (We called in the best drywaller around, my dad. His work is nothing short of perfection. The idea of the texture is to conceal any flaws the aged walls contain. The plan worked because the walls are now flawless.)Step 5: Prime the walls.Step 6: Paint the ceiling.

Step 7: Paint the wood trim.

What a difference a coat of paint can do.

You know how I mentioned my dad is a perfectionist? Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I painted all the base board trim at eye level. No painters tape for me...not-huh. All I need is a steady hand and a concentrated eye...total traits inherited from my dad.

Step 8: Paint the walls.The new wall color is beautiful. It's light, subtle, and airy. When I look at just the color I am completely happy. However, when I step back and view the whole ensemble of the room, it is not at all how I envisioned this space or what I thought the color would be when we picked it out from the paint chip. Mike suggested I give it a week before I set my mind on changing it. That's been easy to do, since I have been too busy organizing and getting ready for our garage sale, to dig into another painting project. But I can say, as the week bears on, the more certain I become that I will be painting the walls again. Hold back those empathic groans though, because I am actually looking forward to it. Painting the walls is the most fun part of this whole renovation for me. When I can decorate I am in my most favorable environment.

Here's a shot of the before.
Of course, it would be frivolous of me to post without a picture of Cayman. So here she is. She was a big help to me while I was busy painting. She contently played and fed herself. This was her favorite eating position. I propped her up on a pillow within my eyesight, but safely away from the paint fumes. She tapped the buttons with her feet, providing some dinner music for her. What a perfect little girl she is!

The Zoo

Saturday, we joined up with members of my side of the family, for a fun-filled day at the zoo.Here's the clan from left to right:
{Back Row}: Mike, Cayman, Me, Laura, Aunt Linda, Uncle Martin, Tyson, Paul, Angela, Grandma, Ben
{Front Row}: Dan, Shon, Grandpa Kary, Madison, Grandma Cindy, Stacey

We had a blast!

Of the 230 pictures that we took, here are my favorites:

A baby monkey hanging on while the Mama swung from rope to rope.

Our picnic area!

Penguins, my personal favorite!

We rode the carousel...

then the train.


The traditional picture of Madison and I standing on the fake dung pile.


Tyson was the videographer. With his witty sarcastic commentaries, I am sure this will be a much need-to-see film (with popcorn, of course).


How did Cayman like the zoo?

She wanted to touch everything!

The door way chains...

the fish...

the jellyfish...


But all that touching was so exhausting, but no worries because...

she has the life of luxury.

Late Night Babbling

Three nights ago, plans were...

• get to bed early
• wake up rested
• and paint for the next several days!

I kept Cayman occupied in the evening, playing and reading books, so she would skip her evening nap and go to bed early. In the past, this plan has worked efficiently. But three nights ago it backfired...

Tuesday evening, Cayman fell asleep just before 9 p.m.

Perfect! That's a great hour to get to bed early! (so I thought)

I snuggled her in my arms for about 20 minutes, as I enjoyed an evening conversation with my husband. Then we both kissed Cayman goodnight and I laid her down ever so gently.

The clock was about to read 9:30 p.m. as Mike and I turned back the covers to gratefully embrace slumber-land.

Cayman woke up and began babbling!

"Maybe she'll go back to sleep." Mike said in a hopeful tone.

We laid there...

waiting...

Cayman's babbling continued. As she got louder and more energetic, my hopes of going to bed early faded.

It was the sounds of a baby that had been energized from a nap and was ready to be awake for hours.

I kissed Mike goodnight and went to Cayman's bedside. She wiggled with glee when she saw me peeking over the side.

The next couple of hours I snuggled Cayman, quietly read books to her, fed her a bottle of warm milk, and kept the lights dim, hoping to reinstate sleepiness. When none of that worked, I put her back in bed, with just her nightlight on. I thought that might communicate "it's bedtime".

But she continued to playfully babble, endlessly. Her voice was so cute, I grabbed my video camera.

Have a listen to the sweet sounds that fills our home with so much joy (even at 12:30 a.m.)...

*************************

Our renovation project in our living room and dining room is well on its way towards completion.

What we have accomplished:

• Stripped all the wallpaper.
• Cleaned the walls and wood trim.
• Repaired and filled in all cracks and gaps in the walls.
• Had a drywall mud texture applied to the walls.
• Primed the walls.
• Painted the ceiling.
• Painted the wood trim around all windows and doorways.
• Painted the walls.
• Painted the china cabinet (the outside).

What is left to do:

• Paint inside of the china cabinet (it's going to be a different color than the outside).
• Paint the fireplace.
• Paint the fireplace screen.
  
• Hang the curtain rods (when they arrive) and drapes.
• Find artwork for the walls.
• Get new knobs for the china cabinet drawers.
  
• Replace dining room ceiling light fixture.

Majority of the dirty work is done. We're at a comfortable stopping point to put it on hold while we get ready for our community garage sale weekend (to be held in one week). Then after that, back to work on our living room/dining room renovation project. (I'll post pictures soon)

Have a Happy Weekend!

My Blog is taking a Siesta While...

we have...

Weekend Fun!

Lately, every Monday morning, the same thing goes through my mind - Where did the weekend go?!

Time has a way of flying by when you're having fun! And that is exactly what we have been doing.

We had another weekend filled with fun!

This weekend's happenings included:

• A relaxing stay-in Friday date night.
• Saturday, shopping for our house at my most favorite home store-Pottery Barn. It was a first for me and a dream come true! I savored every second of it because it will probably never happen again!
  
• Sunday afternoon we accepted a generous invitation from Mike's coworker, Kevin and his wife, Barb to join them at their lake cottage. Cayman took her first boat ride.

As always, my faithful camera came along with us this weekend.

Here's Cayman at the checkout counter of the Pottery Barn store. See the credit card in her hand? She bought me drapes for the living room and Mike bought me a red chunky knit throw.

********************

While at the mall, we were pleasantly surprised to run into our former Life Group friends, Paul and Lisa, and their little girl Macy.

Cayman and Macy got reacquainted.
Doesn't it look like Cayman is trying to steal Macy's binky? I love the serious stare-down Macy is giving Cayman.

********************

Cayman's first time on a boat.
Her life vest practically swallowed her, but she still had fun! She laughed and giggled when the boat bounced up and down over the waves of the lake.



It was so peaceful. At times we had the lake all to ourselves. It was a perfect warm, sunny afternoon with a cool breeze. We cruised around the lake, admiring all the beautiful cottages.
Here's a few of our favorites:

Then Kevin parked the boat in a quiet alcove and we ate our lunch.



Mike got to be captain after lunch. He was in his domain then.

"Thank you, Kevin and Barb, for your hospitality. We had a marvelous time!!"

********************

All that weekend fun meant for no time working in our living room and dining room. But that's alright. It was too perfect of a weekend to spend it indoors anyways. So, our living room and dining room sit in complete disarray.

It's time to get back to work on it this week though. We have more fun planned for this upcoming weekend! :-)

How Big is Cayman?

So Big!

Cayman looks incredible posed in her crawling stance! She needs a lot of assistance in order to hold herself in this position, but even just this alone shows a lot of progress!

Sitting unsupported still is a struggle for her. I feel confident that she is strong enough to sit all by herself if she desired to.

You might recall her misery in sitting was linked to the helmet causing too much pressure on her head. {If you missed it, you can read about it here.}

Well, we think there's more to it now than just that.

She definitely has shown great improvement since we removed the helmet permanently. She's mastered rolling and head control perfectly. But sitting is still bothersome to her. She whines and fusses. Not often, but sometimes she'll even cry. For Cayman, crying is a big deal because she rarely does it. Something is definitely wrong if she is in tears over it.

Cayman's Physical Therapist, Jodi, discovered that only in a sitting position, Cayman's hips are not even and her lower spine slightly curves. Likely, this feels uncomfortable for her and that is why she is uneasy about sitting.

However, that does not bring flawless understanding since Cayman is happy sitting supported. She'll sit joyfully in her BeBe Pod, playing. She sits on our laps, in her high chair, and car seat without any complaints.

So maybe, she feels unsteady when trying to balance herself in sitting?? We're not really sure.

She wouldn't be Cayman if she didn't keep someone always guessing about something.

So the next plan of action is for a set of x-rays to be taken of Cayman's spine and hips. That will rule out or confirm a malformation. It will also give her health care providers a picture to compare over time to monitor her spine curvature.

******************************

A couple weeks ago, an evaluation was performed to see where Cayman is at developmentally as a 14 Month Old. Her last evaluation was in January when she was 10 Months Old.

Here are those compared results:

Gross Motor Skills:
Current Developmental Age: 6 months old.
Janaury's Evaluation: 6 months old
She did not move up in developmental age in this category because she's not doing anything new such as sitting or crawling. But she's getting stronger in the Gross Motor Skills that she has learned; rolling, head control, tummy time, etc. So even though the charts do not show it, there is improvements in this area.

Fine Motor Skills:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
Janaury's Evaluation: 7 months

Cognitive:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
January's Evaluation: 9 months

Language:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
January's Evaluation: 9 months

Self Help:
Current Developmental Age: 14 months
January's Evaluation: 12 months

And the one that cracks us up...the one area that Cayman is not behind in, but actually advanced is:

Socially:
Current Developmental Age: 15 months
January's Evaluation: 10 months


Even though I see for myself how well Cayman is doing and her scores are overall great, I always feel nervous for these evaluations. I think it's because, in my mind-my world, at home-everything feels "normal". Then when these developmental numbers are laid before me, my "normal" feels a bit shaken.

But I realize, a charted number does not make any difference. It doesn't change Cayman nor how proud of her I am!

It's easy to not get caught up in statistics or prognoses when I remember the blessed thoughts of Albert Einstein:

There are only two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

It does not matter what her developmental age is compared to her chronological age...everything Cayman does is miraculous! And that is what we celebrate!

Sidney & CeCe

I have two beautiful nieces. {a.k.a. Cayman's cousins}. These girls are so much fun to take pictures of!

Sidney - 5 years old

Cece - 4 years old

Cayman is a lucky little girl to have such fun cousins to play with. The girls love holding Cayman, kissing her, and comparing the sizes of their hands and feet.

However, I am not sure if CeCe will be as excited to hold Cayman again after last weekend's family reunion at the Lake.

Cayman's diaper leaked onto CeCe while holding her. A combination of being grossed out and having no nap that day, CeCe started crying. She was so mad she would not even look at Cayman when we said our good-byes a little bit later.

Cayman's feelings weren't hurt though. She found CeCe's crying to be quite humorous. Cayman watched with bright eyes and let out a laugh that came straight from her belly. Which gave us all a chuckle, except CeCe, who remained less than amused.

Friday Night Date

Tonight I enjoyed a picnic dinner of fajitas on our living room floor...

AND

a movie rented from Red Box...

all shared with my very dearest, Mike!

Priceless Moments Captured

These are the moments that I thank God that I'm alive!

Today...

I feel Happy...

I feel Grateful...

I feel Content...

Many of times I find myself completely captivated by my Cayman and I feel God whisper, "Do you like her? I made her just for you."

Sommers' Family Reunion

Every year, the Sommers {Grandma Sue's side of the family} gathers at a nearby lake for an afternoon of barbecue, games, and sunshine.

Lots of delicious food.

Uncle Mark and Aunt Sam playing horseshoes.

Kayla, J.T., and CeCe filling up their squirt guns. We had to enforce the "squirt only the other kids, not the adults" rule.

Cayman and I taking a walk across the bridge.


Grandpa Mark gave fussy Cayman a head rub and she went right to sleep.

Ethan, Aaron, Sidney, and Grandma Sue playing badminton.


Happy Birthday to Grandma Sue today!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Our Memorial Day weekend was filled with lots of fun gatherings.

It started off by finishing the daunting task of removing the stubborn wallpaper from our living room and dining room walls. Once that was checked off of the To-Do List my mind was free to enjoy the weekend's fun-filled activities...

We had my family over...

Played at the park...

Uncle Tyson and Aunt Sam traveled in...

We had friends over...

Played poker...

Stayed up way past our bedtime...

Went to the Annual Sommer's Family Reunion at the Lake...

Had more friends over...

Watched movies...

It was a great time! I was not ready for it to be over!

Here's some pictures of us at the park.***Stay tuned tomorrow, for pictures of the Sommer's Family Reunion at the Lake.

Good-bye Wallpaper

We are saying "farewell" to the retro wallpaper in our living room and dining room, which oddly enough, has kind of grown on me, but it just does not go with the rest of our stuff.

So "hasta la vista" wallpaper.

And the demolition begins...

A treasure was found...another layer of wallpaper with green leaves and a horizontal stripe background.
Ok, not exactly a real treasure, but it's fun when an old house tells a story.

Edamame

I enjoy a good bowl of steamed edamame, either as a snack or as a side dish at dinner.

I once handed Cayman an empty pod to see what she would think of it. I watched her closely to make sure she did not bite off any pieces that she could choke on.

She chewed....
And chewed....
And chewed.... Now when she sees me with my bowl of steamed edamame, she cries and begs for some. I can't figure out why though. There's really no taste to the pods. Maybe she just wants to be like her Mommy. :-)

{Happy Anniversary to my parents~Cayman's Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Kary}

Eyelashes

Cayman's pretty lashes

{She gets them from her Daddy}

Smile

I dare you to look at that face and not smile.

Brainiac

At the end of March I wrote a very long post about our very long day in Ann Arbor. Cayman had a CT scan done of her head that day. I wrote how I wished I had a copy of the scans so I could share the exciting view of her brain growth!

Well, I am happy to announce I have those scans now.

Cayman's brain scans:

A quick review: The black area in the center is all the fluid. The gray surrounding the fluid is the brain tissue.

As you can see, a lot of the fluid has drained but there is still a great amount left in Cayman's head. Her brain tissue has more than doubled in size though. That is a beautiful site to behold!

Here's another interesting scan. It's a 3D image of Cayman's skull. I find it fascinating to be able to view her fabulous shunt from this perspective. When I say fabulous, I truly mean to use that word. The shunt allows Cayman to live and thrive. What a huge blessing that fabulous shunt is!!

My Little Helper

"Which paint color should I choose, Cayman?" asked the mother.

"Hmmmm, let me see." thought the Cayman.

"This is the one, Mom!"

Just some beautiful thoughts..literally.

Cayman had fallen asleep in the waiting room outside of the Pediatrician's office.

Waiting is extra boring when she's zonked out. Awake, she keeps me entertained and busy whether it's playing or feeding but since she was asleep I found my antsy foot bouncing to each passing second. To help me wait more patiently I decided to pick up a magazine, something that I rarely do but find it a real treat when I take the time.

I made my selection, I opted to go with the Parenting magazine.

I came across an insert for the Cutest Kid Contest. I looked at each child's smiling face. Simply adorable!!

Then something happened that can never be good...the gears of my analytical mind began to turn. I looked more closely at the children, searching for a larger sized head, for crossed eyes, different shaped ears, etc. Not a single one had any noticeable characteristics of a typical child born into a special needs world.

I felt broken. I was reminded of how our society functions, putting so much emphasis on outward appearances.

I smiled so tenderly at my beautiful Cayman fast asleep in her car seat. She looked so peaceful, not a single worry in this world.

How will the world measure her, I wondered, with her bumpy forehead, low set ears, oblong shaped head, keyhole pupils, deformed thumbs, or her left eye that slightly crosses from time to time? Sometimes, the world treats such differences so coldly.

I fell silently into a prayer, trying to make sense of my thoughts that weighed on my heart like a ton of bricks.

I wish for rejection and pain to never reach Cayman, but I'm a realist. I try to accept the world as it is and deal with it accordingly. I know life is full of all kinds of experiences and unfortunately rejection is sometimes one of them. So, I pray for confidence for Cayman. I pray that as she grows up, she will not need the approval of others to feel good about herself. Their approval will only enhance what she already feels. I also pray that Cayman will take every experience in life as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. I hope she learns and never forgets that the best kind of beauty cannot be seen in a mirror or won in a contest.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

-Psalm 139:14

Window Watching

Amazed by the great outdoors.

Oh how I adore childlike wonderment!

***Sara, can you tell the jammies you sent Cayman are a favorite? She wears them a lot! They are starting to get smaller on her now. I'll be sad to pack them away when she outgrows them. Thank you again for them!

Sofi on the News

You might remember me writing about a sweet little girl named Sofi in this post and this one. Sofi has been living with only half a heart and just when that one was about to fail, a donor heart came in.

Sofi received her heart transplant a couple weeks ago. There is another news update on her. You can watch it here.

***Warning*** Keep the tissue box near.

And please keep Sofi in your prayers.

Gifts

My Mother's Day gifts from Mike and Cayman

A bracelet that says "Life Is Good".


A wallet, that will bring simplicity and organization to me. Two things that I love!


The zip compartment has three pockets where I separated the credit cards, medical cards, and money from each other.


There's a back pocket for my cell phone.

The wallet is small making it easy to tuck inside of the diaper bag. The bright neon pink color makes it easy to find.


If I decide to not lug the whole bag into the store with me, I can take the wallet out and carry it as a purse with its adjustable strap.


It also has a small strap that is hooked to the wallet, giving it the handbag option. But that's not all. The straps are removable. There are two clips that make the wallet easy to attach anywhere...to a belt loop, keys, or any place on the diaper bag for a quick easy find.


There's an outside window pocket meant for your drivers license but I repurposed it to hold my wallet size photos instead.


Another gift was this "FAMILY" sign. It coordinates perfectly with my "SIMPLIFY" sign! I love word art!


My last gift was Ice Cream! But not just any ice cream...Graeter's.
It's simply the best ice cream ever made!! The chocolate chunks melt in your mouth right along with the ice cream! Yum!

In Columbus, Ohio we lived a short distance from their factory and went to their ice cream shop often. I have missed it since we moved from there in 2006. To my surprise, Mike came home delivering this pint to me.

"What?! Where?! How, is this possible?!" was my astonished reaction.

Turns out, our local grocery store stocks it!! Oh boy!!

To Grandma's House

We {My mom, Madison, Mike, Cayman, and I} traveled to my Grandma's house yesterday for Mother's Day...

We took her out to lunch...

Spent some time with the extended family too...

It was a great day!

Mother's Day

As a new mom last year I wrote in this post:

Motherhood is everything and more that I hoped it would be! I'm loving it!! This feels like what I was made for.

A whole year later, I still feel the same way!


Just when you thought I was finished with my 2 week long video stretch, I have just one more to share in honor of Mother's Day!



Have a happy Mother's Day...especially to my mom, Sue, my Grandma, and Grandma Jeanne!

Video, Day 10 ~ Newborn Cayman

Life is interesting in that you can try to plan but you can never really control what’s going to happen.

Three years ago I had it all planned out. I was going to become a mom.

That part did work out eventually, but very little went according to my plans.

For the first 5 weeks of my pregnancy I walked around in pure bliss, feeling complete joy knowing that I had a tiny person living and growing inside of me. It was every bit as beautiful of an experience I hoped it would be.

Then I was hit with the dreadful “morning” sickness that instead of coming and going just in the mornings, stayed with me all day and all night. I became confined to my bed, trying everyday to meet the challenge of keeping enough liquids down so I would not be hospitalized. I called my doctor several times and he kept reassuring me everything was fine, and some of the healthiest babies he sees come from the sickest pregnancies.

I got through those sick days by counting down to the next scheduled ultrasound appointment. Seeing my baby up on that monitor gave me strength to get through each miserable day with a smile on my face.

Little had I planned that that next ultrasound would deliver very dark and grim news.

I heard words like…hydrocephalus, brain damage, water on the stomach, and one kidney.

I was terrified. I became filled with grief, heartache, and confusion.

I held onto Cayman’s ultrasound pictures...touching them, holding onto them. She felt so far away, out of my arms reach, yet she was right there, tucked warmly away inside of me. It was strange to have her so near, yet she felt so far.

I prayed for God to be nearer to me than the terror I felt. I knew He could fix it. He was powerful enough to make my baby girl all better!

Oh boy, did I beg Him!!

He faithfully sat and listened as I poured out my heart over and over again.

Even though I never had a moment where I felt it was going to be all better and things would go according to my plans, God filled me with peace.

I didn’t know how I would get through it, but I knew I would. That is what peace is in the mist of a storm.

Today, Cayman is 14 months old! She survived; I survived, but more than just survival came the learned lessons of trust, complacency, and happiness. I love where life has taken me. I am truly happy. The vital key to all that gain is not because God fixed everything and made it go according to my plans, but because I trusted Him with His plans.

Watching Cayman live and grow has been an indescribable experience. She is perfect in every way. Raising a child like her has taught me to find the joy and beauty in life’s journeys.

I can truly say I do not regret knowing that kind of pain and heartache I experienced. It has made the joy that I feel now all the more sweeter. It has made all the things Cayman learns and does all the more exciting.

The final video I want to share with you in this movie series is not a recent video, but rather the beginning of Cayman’s journey in this world.

It is the first minutes of her life, shortly after she was born.

I chose to include this video because in everything Cayman does, the image of her when she was first born plays in my memory, and I am completely astonished by her accomplishments. She has come so far.

When I watch this video I feel the grace of God, His hand on Cayman, performing a miracle that only He can do.

A baby girl that defied all odds....

A hydrocephalus so severe the Neurosurgeon said it was one of the worse he has ever seen in a baby girl...

Anomalies so serious the medical team was prepared for anything...

But she was alive!

And breathing on her own!

It was a miracle!

"Thank you, my dearest Mike, even with all the worry and chaos taking place, you thought to turn on the camera and record it all so I would not "miss" it. I love you!"

Have a happy weekend!!