Holy moly, it's been a long time. I do miss my blog, as it has provided for some much needed venting, comfort, and healing. The majority of the blogs are from when Aeva first came home, and it's so nice to reflect back and see how far she really has come.
There's been a lot going on since I last posted...Aeva is just about 2.5 YEARS old now, talking, stubborn as hell, WALKING (okay running), and a bundle of fire and energy. She has her struggles, she's still fighting her fight, but we're so much closer to "normal" that it almost hurts.
She started preschool right after she turned 2 to catch up on some developmental "delays" the NICU follow up said she had. (She's since caught up on them) She's FINALLY off the stinkin' bottle, as of 3 weeks ago.
When she was 2, (the same week), she started thyroid hormone replacement treatment, as her thyroid was not functioning correctly. Who was right? Yea, THIS MOM WAS! I pushed and pushed and pushed for so long for her GI to do testing rather than push the stupid gtube, and they FINALLY did. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in children presents as poor weight growth, poor appetite, and delayed tooth eruption. Helllloooo, this kid is a poster child. She's never cried, ever ever, for a bottle, even as a small infant, never wanted to eat. She's 2.5 years old and JUST NOW getting her canines and bicuspid teeth, and her peers have had those for a YEAR!! In a few more months we should be seeing how the medicine has helped. She's eating SO SO SO mcuh now, I can't beleve she's still not gaining weight!
Her last fight to fight is the gtube with her GI. Cross your fingers.
She got tubes in her ears last week to alleviate all the fluid in her ears causing infections.
Next month we see speech therapy.
Feeding therapy still happens, but its working its way on out!
She's pint sized and full of life, and there's really nothing else I can ask for.
*******
As for me, I've had a lot going on myself since my last post. I went back to work when Aeva was 19 months old, and have loved ((almost)) every minute of it. Coming home to see what she's learned each day from Lindsey or from school makes every minute ((though not many)) I'm away from her worth it.
I finished my MA in history last summer, and the next month I started TEACHING! Each semester I get more and more classes, and I LOVE all my students! Each one brings such different things to my class, and I love getting to know them all and guide them in their academic careers. This upcoming semester I have 2 normal history classes, 2 "intro to university life" courses, and one special project of a learning community. I'm hoping to get a full time position next fall where I can teach part online, and part on campus.
I was given a really cool opportunity to teach in a learning community, where 18 freshman will take 6 of their core courses together over the next year. The curriculum is linked between the classes. Hard to explain effectively.
Other than that, life remains normal. My days are spent focused on Aeva and doing mommy duties. My nights are filled with projects and class prep. Craziness doesnt even begin to describe it.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Welcome to Holland
This "poem" is often referred to in the preemie momma world....just thought I'd post it for everyone to read because it's beautiful either way.
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
Written by
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
Written by
Emily Perl Kingsley.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Columbian Exchange
There's been a lot going on this month!
Aeva starts a new Gymboree class tomorrow, the next level up, despite [still] not walking. She hopefully will learn by seeing the other kids. Which reminds me....
I got a job. I finished my MA in History last month, and the History department at Austin Peay (of which I worked in prior to Aeva's birth) decided to give me a shot as an adjunct instructor! I teach one section of the first semester of the 2 semester American History survey course. That's right folks: I'm 23 and teaching at a university!! Seems like not all that long ago [very fast, hectic years ago] that I was an undergrad, too drunk to go to my history survey course. lol, Now I'm teaching it!
While I go to class, Aeva goes to our friend Lindsey's house. She has Carter, who is 15 months, and Wesley, who is almost 4. Aeva learns something new each time she sees them! She's trying to stand up on her own now, and took 7 steps yesterday! Even closer to *finally* walking!!!!
Aeva's 18 month appointment (a month late) is tomorrow, so we'll have an "official" height and weight.
Anthony will be home in October for RnR...we're so excited. I cant wait for him to see Aeva, and I hope she's walking by then!
Aeva starts a new Gymboree class tomorrow, the next level up, despite [still] not walking. She hopefully will learn by seeing the other kids. Which reminds me....
I got a job. I finished my MA in History last month, and the History department at Austin Peay (of which I worked in prior to Aeva's birth) decided to give me a shot as an adjunct instructor! I teach one section of the first semester of the 2 semester American History survey course. That's right folks: I'm 23 and teaching at a university!! Seems like not all that long ago [very fast, hectic years ago] that I was an undergrad, too drunk to go to my history survey course. lol, Now I'm teaching it!
While I go to class, Aeva goes to our friend Lindsey's house. She has Carter, who is 15 months, and Wesley, who is almost 4. Aeva learns something new each time she sees them! She's trying to stand up on her own now, and took 7 steps yesterday! Even closer to *finally* walking!!!!
Aeva's 18 month appointment (a month late) is tomorrow, so we'll have an "official" height and weight.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Cupcakes!
So there's this new cupcakery in town, "The Sweetest Batch Cupcakery," and they sell oversized cupcakes in crazy flavors. Honestly, they aren't something to brag about. I ad a raspberry chocolate cupcake, and it tastes like it came from a box, and the frosting was buttercream with raspberry seeds in it.
So....
I decided to make my own.
I made chocolate raspberry cupcakes, from scratch. Chocolate cupcake, raspberry filling, and REAL raspberry buttercream frosting made from raspberry puree!
My awesome friend Kara is a phenomenal baker as well, and she made peanut butter cupcake with peanut butter chips, with a banana frosting with mini chocolate chips on top.
We traded some. :-)
We're going to make some crazy flavors.....and contemplating selling them in front of the cupcakery in town. :-) Is that evil?
So....
I decided to make my own.
I made chocolate raspberry cupcakes, from scratch. Chocolate cupcake, raspberry filling, and REAL raspberry buttercream frosting made from raspberry puree!
My awesome friend Kara is a phenomenal baker as well, and she made peanut butter cupcake with peanut butter chips, with a banana frosting with mini chocolate chips on top.
We traded some. :-)
We're going to make some crazy flavors.....and contemplating selling them in front of the cupcakery in town. :-) Is that evil?
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Blog ReVamp
Hello All!!
My apologies for neglecting the blog the last few....okay, many...months. Life has pulled us all in so many directions that blogging got left out. Let's try and catch up!
Aeva is now 18 months old actual, 15.5 adjusted. She's not quite walking yet, but she's working on it. She's come so very far, and she's doing well. She had [another] endoscopy in July to look at her throat, tummy, and upper intestines for signs of something that would explain the dry heaving at night and rampant vomiting. Everything came back pristine...if she is refluxing, its not acidic and causing damage, thanks to the medicine. All signs a "go" to try to let her sleep through the night and hope she doesn't dry heave....three weeks later, here we are....down to one bottle at night! She's down to 4 bottles all day, and up to about 24oz of intake!!! (30cal formula, of course) She's getting teeth {constantly} and is eating solids better and better! It's so awesome to watch her eat now...it's almost like a "normal" baby eating!
Yes, she's still on the bottle, regretfully. I hate seeing two year olds with bottles.....ew. At least Aeva wont be 2 and walking around with it...she still doesn't hold her own bottle. Her weak suck has made sippies impossible, but she took to a straw pretty well. She's not taking enough volume from a straw cup to wean her, and going "Cold Turkey" off the bottles isn't yet an option for her. It is growth and nutrition over oral motor skills, and right now, feeding is WAY more important that her being off the bottle. I guess it'll have to wait.
Aeva is in physical therapy (PT) for her lack of walking. Three weeks ago it started out with the PT lady saying she didn't have the muscle strength to walk (I call BS) and this week it was "wow!" because she's standing so much on her own now, and a lot more willing to hold my hands and walk. I've learned to set our goals for her in the short term, as to provide for less heartache. Aeva's walking goal is October 12, which would be 18 months adjusted. The goal is for her to walk up to Anthony in the airport when he comes home on leave...
Other than that, she has such an awesome personality. I would call it a "little" personality to fit her stature, but it's so far from a little personality, lol. She knows what she wants, and she knows who she wants attention from. No questioning it. lol
Anthony is deployed right now, set to return April 2011. He's busy, but he's doing well.
As for me? Well...where to start, really. I finished my master's program the end of July, and my newest diploma will have the conferral date of 15 August 2010. I've applied to a few places to teach history adjunct, but haven't heard back yet.
My attempt to return to the gym was foiled by a little princess I know who hates people. All well?
So for now I'm a stay at home mommy, working with Aeva to get up to speed with her peers. My days are filled with toddler activities, playdates, Gymboree, and cooking experimentally, lol.
And that, my followers, is where the sidewalk ends for now. I promise to get better at the blog again. Maybe I'll start blogging new recipes I find and try out? Anyone interested?
My apologies for neglecting the blog the last few....okay, many...months. Life has pulled us all in so many directions that blogging got left out. Let's try and catch up!
Aeva is now 18 months old actual, 15.5 adjusted. She's not quite walking yet, but she's working on it. She's come so very far, and she's doing well. She had [another] endoscopy in July to look at her throat, tummy, and upper intestines for signs of something that would explain the dry heaving at night and rampant vomiting. Everything came back pristine...if she is refluxing, its not acidic and causing damage, thanks to the medicine. All signs a "go" to try to let her sleep through the night and hope she doesn't dry heave....three weeks later, here we are....down to one bottle at night! She's down to 4 bottles all day, and up to about 24oz of intake!!! (30cal formula, of course) She's getting teeth {constantly} and is eating solids better and better! It's so awesome to watch her eat now...it's almost like a "normal" baby eating!
Yes, she's still on the bottle, regretfully. I hate seeing two year olds with bottles.....ew. At least Aeva wont be 2 and walking around with it...she still doesn't hold her own bottle. Her weak suck has made sippies impossible, but she took to a straw pretty well. She's not taking enough volume from a straw cup to wean her, and going "Cold Turkey" off the bottles isn't yet an option for her. It is growth and nutrition over oral motor skills, and right now, feeding is WAY more important that her being off the bottle. I guess it'll have to wait.
Aeva is in physical therapy (PT) for her lack of walking. Three weeks ago it started out with the PT lady saying she didn't have the muscle strength to walk (I call BS) and this week it was "wow!" because she's standing so much on her own now, and a lot more willing to hold my hands and walk. I've learned to set our goals for her in the short term, as to provide for less heartache. Aeva's walking goal is October 12, which would be 18 months adjusted. The goal is for her to walk up to Anthony in the airport when he comes home on leave...
Other than that, she has such an awesome personality. I would call it a "little" personality to fit her stature, but it's so far from a little personality, lol. She knows what she wants, and she knows who she wants attention from. No questioning it. lol
Anthony is deployed right now, set to return April 2011. He's busy, but he's doing well.
As for me? Well...where to start, really. I finished my master's program the end of July, and my newest diploma will have the conferral date of 15 August 2010. I've applied to a few places to teach history adjunct, but haven't heard back yet.
My attempt to return to the gym was foiled by a little princess I know who hates people. All well?
So for now I'm a stay at home mommy, working with Aeva to get up to speed with her peers. My days are filled with toddler activities, playdates, Gymboree, and cooking experimentally, lol.
And that, my followers, is where the sidewalk ends for now. I promise to get better at the blog again. Maybe I'll start blogging new recipes I find and try out? Anyone interested?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Goodness, Its Been Forever!
My apologies for not writing in the last....two months. My bad.
There's so much to catch you up on!! (Or at least it feels like it)
Anthony got back from Arizona the beginning of October. He was lucky enough to get to hang out with Aeva and I for SEVEN weeks before returning to work. He is staying here at Fort Campbell, and we hope we will be here after this next deployment. Rumor has it, he will be leaving in May 2010 for a year. Yes, another deployment. The 101st has year on, year off rotation schedule.
Upon returning to work, Anthony has found he enjoys the new people he works with.
Aeva is almost 10 months old now. Her last weight check almost a month ago had her weighing in just over fourteen pounds. Still very small, but healthy. She's still refusing to eat: some days I can't get enough into her, and other days I can't get anything into her. Constant battle with this girl. She's still teething, with nothing to show for it. She's not on a sleep schedule, for we just let her do her own thing. Its best that way...why force it? And yes, she still sleeps with us. She refuses to sleep in her crib. She curls up on her side and faces me to sleep...its super super cute.
Aeva returns to feeding therapy on Dec. 7, but with a new feeding therapist this time. She did not do the things her previous therapist said she would (like start to open her mouth for a spoon) and is in need of learning to do so. When she does like to eat, she will open her mouth a little when the spoon is placed on her lips. She chews just fine.
She's sitting on her own, and loves to use our hands and pull herself up to the standing position! No progress on crawling, but she may be that kid who skips crawling.
I am on extension #2 for my Seminar in History for my term paper...almost done...finally. After this, I was approved to take my comprehensive exams early. It proves beneficial that I take them prior to the completion of my course work (I have one class left) because Anthony will be home to watch her while I 1) study, and 2)take the 6 hour exam. I applied for graduation, and the process has begun. I also was invited to the International Golden Key Honor Society....and I accepted. Its an honor society for good students with a GPA over 3.75. I guess I did good. I still dont see it being an accomplishment when I completed (Am completing) the program completely online.
Other than that, not much is going on here. I promise one day Ill get back into writing more often.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Weekend with Daddy
She and I so make that same face! (See pic and Ant and I to your right in the side column)
Aeva and I travelled to Arizona to visit Daddy. We had an awesome time! We had some quality time sleeping together and getting to play as soon as we woke up in bed!!!
Aeva and Daddy did some internet surfing time together.
Aeva showing Daddy her moves.
Mommy went away to the spa for some Mommy time, and this is what Aeva and Daddy did: LOL
I love this picture of these two: there's a pic similar to this of my daddy and I when I was only a few weeks old.
Aeva and Daddy did some internet surfing time together.
Aeva showing Daddy her moves.
Mommy went away to the spa for some Mommy time, and this is what Aeva and Daddy did: LOL
I love this picture of these two: there's a pic similar to this of my daddy and I when I was only a few weeks old.
We had a great time seeing Anthony. We hung out in our hotel room most of the time, and Aeva got a little sick. Nothing to worry about! It was nice seeing Anthony with his little girl, and letting them bond. (It was also nice to have a bit of a break!!!) mmmm spaaa....
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