First Week of First Grade

Adria made it through her first week of First Grade. I say "made it" because it's been a bit of an emotional week for her. At times she's been dancing with excitement and other times teary-eyed and fussy. There are many changes with First Grade, and our routine oriented little girl can struggle to adjust.

A couple weeks ago she kept saying how she missed Kindergarten and wasn't ready for First Grade. She was mostly concerned that she would miss all her friends and not know anyone. I reassured her that she would see many familiar faces, and in fact she's sitting beside one of her best buddies since pre-school in her class.

Adria at her desk during Wednesday's 1st and 2nd grade open house

It was easier for me this year because I knew more what to expect and that we had a plan for Adria's unique spina bifida related needs that would work. Last year, we really had to plan ahead with her teachers and the nurse to Prepare for Kindergarten.

First Day Drama

Despite her earlier fears, when it came time for her first day of school on Monday, August 31 this girl was ready! In fact, she did not even want Mommy to walk into school with her. She said, "I'm in first grade, so I know everything!"

First day of first grade

Well excuse me for trying to be a helpful mother on your first day :)  We got this little attitude in check, and I followed her to the cafeteria where we met up with her class and all the other first graders before walking back to her classroom.

Cafeteria full of first graders

She smiled happily and waved goodbye, ready for her new adventure. I knew she would be fine.

Adria waves goodbye with her classmates on Monday

That is, until we got a surprise call in the afternoon from the school nurse saying that Adria had 3 stinky accidents on her first day of school! She had to change her panties twice and then her entire outfit. I was so surprised and upset to hear this! Adria has not had bad accidents like that since we started her on the Peristeen program in December. I felt so bad she had to deal with that on her First Day of First Grade :(

In talking with the nurse, we determined looser bowels can be a side effect from the antibiotic (amoxicillin) that she is currently taking. Last week, Adria was diagnosed with strep throat (ugh!) before school started and has to take the medicine for 10 days.

That said, Adria did not seem bothered by the accidents and later just said she couldn't believe she had to change 3 times that day. Her biggest complaint is that I sent her to school in pull-ups the rest of the week to avoid this happening again while she's on the antibiotic. Wearing panties is a big deal for her...check out Panties are Priceless.

First Grade is Different

Adria does like school and has mostly enjoyed going back. But the "demands" of First Grade have been taxing on her this week, though I think she only shows it at home.

It's just different from her glorious Kindergarten days :)

• New Classroom - One of the biggest differences is that Adria's new classroom is pretty much in the furthest corner of the school building. On one hand this provides her with great exercise to help build up her walking stamina, on the other hand the longer distances to the cafeteria, gym, etc. can be very tiring for her.
• Later Lunchtime - The school food program is great and provides free breakfast and lunch for students. However, her lunch time is 40 minutes later than it was last year and our food-loving girl complains that it's such a "long time to wait for lunch." But really, lunch is at 12:10 p.m. and her teachers try to give them a mid-morning snack. She'll be fine.
• New Teachers - Once again this year, Adria is in a classroom with two teachers. We requested that since we loved how well it worked last year. Her teachers are great and have been teaching at the school many years, and they already seem very impressed by Adria's abilities and confidence. Our girlie really bonded with her teachers last year, and I'm sure she will again this year.
• More Reading and Writing - This will be the case every year, and she'll have to get used to it. We tried to keep her reading and writing over the summer, but I could have invested more time into encouraging her to write. She complains that her hand hurts from all the "coloring and writing." Haha! It's good for her.
• New Friends - There are some familiar faces in her class and many new faces. I have no doubt that she'll be happily hugging all her classmates before too long. She's still a very social gal and when I walk through the school halls with her, many people say, "Hi Adria!"
• New Potty Routine - This year, she is still going to the nurse's office before lunch every day to empty her bladder with a catheter. However, last year she laid on a bed while the nurse took care of everything. Now, she sits on the potty and is more involved in helping with the process, which is great! We've been doing this all summer, but still she wanted to go back to how it was done last year at school. 

One more difference, is that her little sister Johanna will get dropped off at school with her 4 days a week for morning pre-school. Both the girls are very excited about this! 

Mommy and her girls in uniform.
Johanna doesn't have to wear one but she wanted to be like sissy.

Johanna's first day was on Wednesday and apparently just her first two days wore her out good. She was asleep by the time I got home from work last night around 7:20 (it was a late night for me...), only waking up briefly to go potty then sleep all night. 

Don't be fooled by the shy face, she was super excited!

Johanna posing by her cubby at the pre-school open house Tuesday night.

It was a very busy week for us with first days of school and school open houses on different nights for the girls. We're all pretty exhausted and thankful that it was a short school week. Now, the girls have four days off, but I'll be working all weekend. At least I'll have off Monday for Labor Day!

There will be lots of changes and adjustments for us all this school year, and many of them good. Daddy is really enjoying more one-on-one time with his baby boy while the girls are at school. We are also appreciating the great support from both of our Moms, who are scheduled to pick up and help care for the girls several days a week. Grandparents close by is great!

Daddy and his little man

Here's to wishing you and your family a great 2015-2016 school year!

Does Baby Sleep All Night?

"Does he sleep all night?"

This is the question I have heard the most since our son was born over six weeks ago.

No. The answer is No. 

In fact, I'm writing this around 3:30 a.m. because I couldn't get back to sleep after his 2:30 feeding and his 3 year old sister Johanna is having a rather restless night's sleep as well.

But in my experience, it's pretty rare for baby's less than two months old to sleep through the night. They are growing so rapidly at this point and need regular nourishment...throughout the day and night.

That said, when I get the other common question, "Is he a good sleeper?" 

I say, "Yes!"

People ask these questions because pretty much every parent has been there. Disrupted sleep is one of the first major challenges of parenthood. But, we should not have to suffer through sleepless nights too often.

Our baby Judah goes to bed for the night around 10 p.m. Typically, he sleeps 3-4 hours before he awakens crying and hungry around 2 a.m. I rock him and nurse for about 20 minutes then return him to his crib, where he falls back asleep for another 3 hours or so. He's up again around 5 a.m. to feed then up at 8 a.m. to nurse and get dressed for the day.

While I am awake a few times each night with Judah, I say he is a good sleeper because he wakes at regular times and falls right back to sleep after I feed him (usually). I don't have to sing, rock or hold him for hours at night.

Soon, I believe the distance between his nighttime feeding will get longer and eventually he will sleep all night on a regular basis.

Transition to the Crib

Just a week ago, we made the big transition to move him from the small cradle in our bedroom to his own crib in the nursery. The first couple nights, he did not like it as much but has settled in now.

Judah's sisters love on him during his first week home.
He slept in this cradle by our bed for his first 5 weeks.

I do miss the sounds of his cute baby coos and breathing, and it was much easier to just pick him up and lie in bed to nurse when he's right there. However, Judah can be pretty noisy, making it hard for us to rest well. It's especially important that his Daddy sleep well, since lack of sleep has been an apparent trigger for seizures in the past.

So, Judah sleeps in his own room now with a cheap, old baby monitor letting me know when he wakes up. It's the same one I used for Adria six years ago. I actually bought a video monitor when Judah was born, but after trying it out, I decided it wasn't worth $170. I know some parents love them, but I never really needed it before.

Judah taking a nap in his crib. He sleeps on his back at night, but naps better on his belly.
We can keep a close eye on his during the day.

Precious sleeping boy

I share all this about Judah's sleep patterns because getting your baby on a good sleep schedule is one of the most critical aspects of keeping your sanity as a parent.

Advice for Good Sleepers

For new parents, I have a few pieces of advice for helping your baby to sleep better:

1. Don't sleep with your baby!

If there is any advice I hope you take from me, it is this: Do not sleep with your baby! Aside from it being dangerous for your baby, it is the number one way to ensure that neither of you will get a good night's sleep. Sure, baby might cry less at first when he's in bed with you, but he will quickly become dependent on you and not able to develop good sleep patterns. I have heard of this issue with many young parents and even extreme cases where their 8 year old still wanted to sleep in the parent's bedroom! Spare yourself and help your marriage and your baby by heeding this advice.

My exception to this rule is in the morning. After Judah's 5 a.m. feeding, I'll often keep him in bed for extra snuggles :)



2. Schedule naps at the same time every day

Good sleep patterns at night start with a good schedule during the day. In the first weeks of life, babies generally sleep A LOT. Some days it seemed that Judah only awoke to eat and went right back to sleep. But now he's awake more and takes a nap in the morning and a long 3-4 hour nap most afternoons. I'm still developing a good Sleep, Eat, Awake schedule for him (since I have him out and about too often...), but I know that when babies get regular rest during the day they sleep better at night.

3. Create a night-time routine

Just as with the day schedule, it's important to create an environment and routine at night that let's baby know it's time to sleep. Ideally, lie baby down in the same place and at the same time every night. I'm just starting the following routine with Judah, now that he's in the nursery:

• Change his diaper and clothes
• Turn the lights down low in his room
• Play a CD of quiet lullabys (most parents probably have a playlist on their iPod or phone these days)
• Rock him while he nurses
• Lay him down in the crib before he's completely asleep (if possible)

It's best if baby is not dependent on being held to fall asleep, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this special time!

4. Let him cry a little

If you have done all this and baby is fussy in bed, it's okay to let him cry a little while trying to fall asleep. Full on screaming and wailing will need your attention, but sometimes it's good to give baby a few minutes to learn to calm himself. And during the night as baby gets older, he might make fussy sounds but don't pick him up right away. Wait a few minutes to see if he's really waking up to feed or just between sleep cycles.

5. Be Relaxed

The more relaxed you can be while feeding your baby (whether bottle or breast) before bed and during the night, the better chance he will relax. If you are tense and upset, your baby will sense that and likely act the same. Try to focus on the wonderful miracle of life that you're holding, not how exhausted you are because this child is being difficult! I know this is no easy task at times.

Just My Opinion

You can take it or leave it, but these are my words of wisdom after having three babies. Our girls have been great sleepers through the years, and I attribute it to these tips.

Of course, some days I am the biggest offender of my own advice. I take the kids here and there with no care or worry about baby's schedule, just making sure he gets fed! Life's no fun if you're too rigid, but keeping some type of schedule definitely helps create order. And it's especially helpful when it comes to answering the question....

Does your baby sleep all night?

Belly Kisses

Every Morning. Every Night. My growing belly gets hugs and kisses from a little girl who is beyond excited about her baby brother coming!

Adria's excitement over this baby has brought added fun to my pregnancy. It's evident that she remembers being three years old and seeing Mommy pregnant with little sister Johanna. She knows exactly what is coming...Mommy's belly keeps getting "huger" and then amazingly one day I come home from the hospital with a baby. (Since giving birth is just that simple...)

Johanna is catching on to the excitement too, but at three years old, she does not have the same awareness or experience as her six year old big sister.

Adria is getting impatient to meet our Baby. I on the other hand, am feeling good and in no rush, as there's still much preparation to do before that day comes and I want baby to stay content to keep on growing. At 26 weeks along, I am just about three months away from baby's May 4 due date.

My recent OB appointment (at a new doctor's office...see THIS POST) showed that my belly is measuring just right and Baby's heartbeat sounds good. Yeah!!! And...I've gained more than 20 pounds so far.

It's not "water" weight. I seriously want to EAT...constantly. Some say that boys make mommy's more hungry. I guess so! Man, I could really go for one of those giant Farmer's breakfasts right now. You know, with the eggs, bacon, toast, home fries, pancakes, fruit cup and a big glass of chocolate milk. Yummmmm.

I digress. Back to Adria and her infatuation with my belly. She seriously must give "baby brother" a hug and kiss every morning before she leaves for school, and then as an added part of our bedtime routine every night. We say prayers with Daddy, Mommy reads the girls a story in bed, we sing a song, then I give them both hugs and kisses. Now, after my kiss I have to stand and lean in so Adria can pat and kiss my belly. This must happen every night!

It's pretty adorable. Until she tries to lift my shirt and do it out in public. She sometimes spazzes with excitement and repeatedly showers kisses all over my belly. Some think it's cute, others give us a strange look. Either way, I'm glad she's so excited and so in love with Baby already!

Just over a week ago, we visited a friend who has a two month old baby boy.
Adria delighted in holding him and playing with other babies who were there for a birthday party.
Someone even said of this photo, "It's so precious how much this girly LOVES babies!"
(FYI - that's not the baby's mother shown in the picture, though she does have a girl and boy) 

Adria tells me that when Baby comes and she hears him crying in the night, she'll get up and change his diaper for me... That's a nice thought. Not really possible, but I appreciate it.

Last night, after reading our story I chatted with her a little longer. I had an extremely busy day at work starting with an early staff meeting followed by good but long sales appointments with three different couples. By the time I got home at 7:30 pm, I was exhausted but wanted at least a few quality minutes with my girl. (Johanna had already fallen asleep after a fun day at Gramma's house.)

While lying there with the girls, I felt the Baby moving around and had Adria put her hand on my belly. She soon exclaimed her delight over feeling him kick. He was quite active and saying hello to his sister. She loved it! Such a precious moment. 

Then she says to me..."Mom, I was your first baby, right? I don't remember being inside your belly. I'm trying to think what it looked like. I think it was Red."

Adria paused, then leaned over and whispered, "You know...like Blood."

Where did that come from? Who knows. But this girls is hilarious in how literal she can be and her view of things.

She really made me laugh about a month ago when she was suggesting names for Baby. We are still undecided on a name but are tossing around ideas. Adria decided she had some good ones to add to the mix...Here are a few of her possible names for Baby Brother:

• Olaf Summer Seely
• Star Pumpkin Seely
• Sweetie Pie Seely
• Jingle Bell Cupcake Seely
• Jacob Rug Seely

Charming ideas...I doubt any will make it on the Birth Certificate but I like her creativity! Daddy and I will need to keep deliberating over this.

But don't expect to hear any news of Baby's name until he arrives. We always like to keep it a surprise until our babies are born!

Well, I hear little groans and stirrings coming from the girl's bedroom. Time to make my belly available for some morning kisses!

Panties are Priceless

She opened many great presents for Christmas...two purple race cars, an Elsa Barbie, new uniform clothes for school, craft and paint sets, an American Girl doll, and a three-wheeled scooter. But the gift that received the best reaction out of Adria was the package of Princess Panties!

Our little six year old literally went "nuts" over receiving her first package of underwear. She squealed in delight then hugged and kissed them. I have proof, watch this...



Why was she so excited about this gift? 

Because she wants to wear panties to school!

Princess Panties...one of her favorite Christmas gifts!

Adria has needed to wear diapers or pull-ups her entire life. This has been necessary because, like many with spina bifida or spinal cord injuries, she has what is called a Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel. For our daughter, this is a result of the nerves never fully developing that control her ability to urinate and have a bowel movement.

At two years old, we had to start a catheterization routine with her to empty her bladder and prevent UTIs (urinary tract infections). At four years old, we started a bowel program that involved medicine and mini enema stimulants to empty her bowel. Still, it has never worked perfectly to keep her diapers clean and dry, often causing her to have embarrassing odors from loose stool.

BUT...we are making progress! In early December, we started a new bowel program called Peristeen, which I shared about in this post: An Answer to her Stinky Situation?  

We have used it every night for a month now and are very pleased with the results. Yeah!!! Since starting this, Adria has had very few ACCIDENTS in her diaper!

The Peristeen system is pretty involved, as it is basically an enema with a rectal catheter that inserts warm water into her intestinal tract to clear it out. This is not very pleasant or comfortable for her, and she was afraid at first. But when we told her that doing this might enable her to wear Panties to school...she was willing to try and has been so great with it!

This is the Peristeen enema system that she uses every night to empty her bowel.

And that's why Adria was so excited to get her first package of panties. She has longed to wear them to school, like the other children in her class... It's something she talked about often. At times even saying things like, "I wish I didn't have spina bifida, so I could go to the bathroom and wear panties like everybody else." :(

Her First Day wearing Panties to School

Yesterday was the big day! Adria wore a pair of panties to school for the first time!

She was very excited about this day. She had been counting down since Monday when she returned to school after Christmas break. Mommy told her we would try the panties on Friday, after I had the chance to talk with her school nurse and teachers about the new plan.

I spoke with her school nurse to make sure she was comfortable with the change. The nurse is very supportive and has been a huge blessing, since she must catheterize Adria every day after lunch. I also cautioned Adria's teachers to be on the look-out for any possible accidents or leakage. Her kindergarten teachers are so great, and I completely trust that she's in good hands.

Friday went well with no leakage or accidents! This is a BIG STEP for Adria and for us.

We do still need to put a pad in her underwear, because when her bladder gets too full it can cause leaking...sometimes more than a pad can handle. But the holiday break from school gave her Daddy and I the chance to try out the panties on her and determine how it would work best.

We all hope and pray that the new bowel program continues to work well and that she can stay mostly dry at school. SHE LOVES HER PRINCESS PANTIES!

FAQ

People sometimes ask questions about Adria's health and this issue. That is totally fine with me, as I believe questions are an indication that you care and seek to understand. Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Can Adria feel when she needs to go potty? No, she cannot feel the urge to urinate like most of us. However, she does feel pain when her bladder gets too full and will complain that her tummy is Ouchy. When this happens, she must be catheterized immediately. 
2. Does she know when she has a stinky in her diaper? Rarely. She has very limited sensation in that part of her body and does not know when stool is coming out. That said, sometimes she will feel pressure when it needs to be emptied.
3. Will she ever be able to GO on her own? Since the nerves in her spinal cord that control bowel and bladder function never actually developed properly, it is highly unlikely that she will ever have the ability to empty without medical equipment. However, in the near future we will be working to teach her how to catheterize herself... That feels somewhat daunting to me.
4. How often does she need to be "taken care of"/catheterized? We typically empty her bladder with a catheter every four hours, except during the night. She sits on the potty to empty her bowel with the Peristeen for 30 minutes every night.
5. Does it bother her to be catheterized? In general, no it does not hurt her. When we first started four years ago, it was very difficult to adjust, but now cathing is just a part of every day life that we are all used to.
6. What exactly is a neurogenic bladder? Here is the description from the Urology Care Foundation, plus you can follow this link for more information. It affects many more people than just those with spina bifida........ Neurogenic bladder is the name given to a number of urinary conditions. It is the result of problems with nerves in the body that may control how the bladder stores or empties urine. These conditions include overactive bladder (OAB), incontinence, and obstructive bladder, in which the flow of urine is blocked. Many women and men have these bladder problems, including people with illness and injury that affect the brain and/or the spinal cord. This includes people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease, and people who have had stroke or spinal cord injury. People who are born with problems of the spinal cord, such as spina bifida, may also have this type of bladder problem.

How I spell Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has come and gone already, for that matter so has November. Throughout this month many of you on social media have posted daily about the things you are thankful for, and it's been so enjoyable to experience this on-going attitude of gratitude.

I did not exactly join in, but that is not for a shortage of blessings. This Thanksgiving I had much to be thankful for, including the first time in a few years where we spent the day enjoying food and visiting with both sides of our family. We headed to Adrian's parents in the morning and early afternoon for a delicious meal, and enjoyed the time with four of the eight Seely children. Then to my parents, just 15 minutes away, for dessert and games with all of my siblings and five of our cousins and their families (I have over 20 cousins!). My mom puts on a big spread for about 30+ people most years.

We both are blessed with very large families, but there are many members we have not seen in years. We think of them across the miles or recovering in hospitals during this time when families come together.

It reminds me of two years ago when we did not spend Thanksgiving with our families. In 2011 we lived in Indiana and I was nine months pregnant with Johanna, so we weren't doing any major travel. Adrian's parents and sister had driven out to visit a week before for his birthday. I had prepared an early Thanksgiving meal, that unfortunately we weren't able to enjoy very much due to a bad stomach virus spread to every one of us except Adrian. We were sick and miserable :( I hope we can avoid ever having that again!

My parents were waiting to come out until closer to Johanna's birth, so it was a strange Thanksgiving with no family around. It made the miles seem so long. Fortunately, we did have some good friends and neighbors in Indiana who invited us to join with their family for a delicious meal. In fact, we enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner in a home that I had sold them!

I am thankful, very thankful for what we have this year. On this final day of November, I'm going to share a THANKSGIVING list that's likely different than what you posted every day but these are some things that mean so much to us.

T IME - We so often lament that time passes too fast, but there are seasons of life when you are thankful that the Time passed quickly and you are further removed from the thing that afflicted you.
         
H EALING - As we are now almost nine months from Adrian's last grand mal seizure, we are thankful for the Healing that we are experiencing.

A DVENTURES - Whether it's a few days away with my husband or moving twice to different states in one year, we have learned to love the Adventure.

N EMOURS - This is the health network that runs A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children and our local pediatrician's office. Nemours offered the best options for our precious daughter's surgeries as a newborn, and now they continue to provide exceptional care as she thrives with spina bifida.

K IDS - Our greatest treasures for sure are these two little giggly girls, and the innocence of Kids is a thing to be greatly appreciated.

S IMPLICITY - Life is so often complicated and complex that when we can find unexpected areas for simplicity, it can be wonderful...Like a much smaller home to clean.

G OLF - We are talking about Disc Golf here, sometimes called Frisbee golf, and though you may not know what it is, my husband loves it and it has proven to be a great outlet for him this summer and fall.

I NTEREST RATES - For the last couple years Interest rates have been historically low, which has made home buying more affordable for people, however they've been creeping up higher this year. For me, this has been a great thing as it's been a major factor in the improved housing market and making my job a little easier.

V IMPAT - This is a fairly new medication to treat seizures and it's the one that finally seems to be working for Adrian after trying several others. I'm also thankful we only pay $40 a month for Vimpat because it's over $1200 a month without insurance!

I EP - An acronym for Individualized Education Program, this is what the state develops for children displaying any type of developmental delay. The IEP enables Adria to get half day pre-school five days a week and a bus ride to and from school for no cost to me (other than the state taxes I pay...)

N IGHTTIME - The most wonderful time of day is Night-time, when work is done and I get to be with my little family. Once we finish our nightly routine, I often try to sneak in some time writing. 

G RANDPARENTS - Easily one of the greatest blessings for us and our children is their Grandparents. We now live close to all four of them again and so appreciate their constant support and involvement in the lives of our girls.

That is how I spell THANKSGIVING!

A Day in the Life of Our Girls

Yesterday, Adrian and I returned from a glorious four day trip to Virginia Beach in celebration of our ten year anniversary on Friday. Just the two of us spent our days waking up to the sound of the ocean waves, exploring the aquarium, playing disc golf, eating amazing food, getting some freebies after enduring a timeshare presentation, and taking a horseback ride along the beach. It was definitely one of our best getaways as a couple. You can view photos here in case you missed them on the facebook page.


One of my favorite photos from our trip, a horseride on the beach on our anniversary.

But this wonderful time alone would not have been possible without our moms. We are so blessed to have them and greatly appreciate their willingness to care for our daughters. We love our girls deeply, but they do require much each and every day. Many parents of children with special needs never get a break from their daily routines because it is hard to find people willing and able to do what is necessary to care for their child.

Both of our moms (and Ade's sisters) have been supportive and learned what is necessary to keep our girls for an overnight. Adria is five and Johanna is now almost two, and their daily schedule is ever changing with Adria's regular medicine adjustments. My mom kept the girls for the first two days at our house, so Adria could still take the bus to pre-school, and Adrian's mom kept them the last two days at her home in the country.

To make things as "easy" as possible on our mothers, I typed up this schedule of what to expect and what needed to be done for our girls every day. Even thought they know most of this, I bolded all of the medicines just to make sure they stood out.

Girls’ Daily Schedule:

6:30-7:00          Johanna wakes up with a FULL diaper. Best to greet with
                            an 8 oz bottle of milk ;)

7:30                Adria wakes up. Often needs to be catheterized right away (if she did not already wake you at 4 or 5 a.m. with “ouchies”). Give her a cup of milk with heaping spoon of Ovaltine and just shy of a tsp. of Myralex.

8:00                Breakfast time. Pop-tarts, scrambled egg sandwich, and cereal are favorites. New medicine Macrodantin is a capsule. Pull apart and mix with a little applesauce for Adria. Also give her ½ tsp Oxybutanin.

8:30                Get girls dressed and braces on Adria. They usually watch an hour of TV in morning. Sophia on Disney Jr is a favorite.

9:30                Play time, outside if it’s nice. Give them each a cup of ½ apple juice and ½ water.

10:45             Get Adria ready for school. Make sure she’s finished her juice. Give her ½ tsp Senna syrup. Catheterize her.

11:00            Watch for her Bus, it usually comes around 11:20.

12:00            Johanna’s lunch time. Favorite is hard-boiled egg no yolk, cheese, and fruit.

1:30               Jo’s naptime. She still likes her milk before and her lullabies playing. She might talk for a while before falling asleep. You get some rest too.

3:10               Watch for Adria’s bus to return. Her school goes from 12:30-3:00. Wash up then snack and drink. Sometimes a little nap or iPad time.

4:30               Jo awake, never know how long she will sleep… Catheterize Adria. Go outside if nice.

6:00               Dinner time. Whatever you want to make, try to get some veggies in them.

7:00-7:30      Begin night-time routine. Get flush ready with 10 mL of saline in the syringe. Cath Adria and leave cath in. Put flush in end of cath, leave liquid in and pull out.

Insert Enemeez into her bottom and squeeze liquid out. Try to let it sit for a few minutes then sit her on potty for about 15-20 min with iPad.  (Adria does not have bowel or bladder control, read the post "It's a Stinky Situation" to learn more.)

Give her night meds ½ tsp Oxybutanin and ½ tsp of Cystex.

Wash up girls. Brush teeth. Put on pajamas. Give Jo a bottle of milk.

8:30             Say the Lord’s Prayer, read a story, sing a song. Bed time!

10:30          Hopefully everyone is fast asleep for the whole night thru J

Then do it again…

 

Mom sent me this photo of the girls having fun while mommy and daddy were away. They only missed us a little :)

And that's the brief version of a Day in the Life of our Girls. Of course for us, I'm usually taking care of most things that happen before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Daddy is with them all day in between. They keep our lives full and we cherish these early years with them, but it really was wonderful to get some time away from the every day.

When will I go in the sky, Mommy?

Every night at the end of our routine, I snuggle into Adria's bed with both the girls and we read a story or two.

Tonight Johanna pulled a story off the bookshelf titled The First Easter. I don't think we've read the book since Easter, but it tells the story of Jesus' life and miracles, death on the cross, and His resurrection and ascension with colorful cartoons and child-friendly language.

The last page showed a picture of Jesus high in the clouds waving to the disciples as He ascended into heaven.

Adria seemed to ponder the page, then said, "How did Jesus get up there?"

Hmm, how best do I answer this? I replied, "His Father is God. He is able to do anything, and He lifted him up in the sky."

"I want to go up with Jesus in the sky," my insightful 5 year old responds.

"You will go with Jesus, honey. Everyone who loves Jesus will live with Him in heaven," I said, embracing this opportunity to share the most important thing she'll ever learn.

"When will I go in the sky, Mommy?" she says.

"Oh, mommy hopes that it's not for a long, long time. We go in the sky when we die." I said, maybe getting too deep but not wanting her to be in a hurry to go in the sky!

"But I want to go up like Jesus. I promise I'll come back," and there my little Adria brought a big smile to my face. I love the innocent mind of a child. She just wants to float through the clouds like Jesus, that sounds fun to me too!

On the one hand, I found her insistence to want to go in the sky slightly unnerving. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed our little theological conversation and the chance to talk about Jesus.

Of course, Johanna was in the middle of it all shoving another book in our faces to be read! I just love these two.

These quiet moments and unplanned discussions with our children are so crucial to the foundation of their worldview as they grow. I fear that I have already missed many of these moments in my rush to get to the next thing, but I was thankful for our time tonight.

Johanna leading big sister through our backyard this morning. It usually goes that way with them ;)

 

A-Camping We Go!

We've been talking about whether to attempt it or not, but at the last minute we decided to go for it with this weekend's beautiful forecast. Tent camping with two little girls is not for the faint of heart!

Adrian and I have always enjoyed camping and in our early years of marriage explored many new areas and hiking paths with our little tent as a resting place.

It's different with kids. Much different. In some ways they bring more joy to the experience, and in other ways they...well, drive you crazy!

We bought a bigger tent when we took Adria out with us for the first time in Indiana three years ago. She was the same age as Johanna is now, 22 months, and she wasn't walking yet. I now realize that actually made things a lot easier. Having a VERY mobile 22 month old is a completely different experience.

We arrived at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, Del. around 6:30 p.m. on Friday; it's not far from home but we had to wait until I got off work.

As we packed up our gear at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Adrian and I shared the same sentiment - glad we came but glad to be going home too :)

Now for a few highlights from our weekend adventure.

Camping FUN times:

- a spacious, private campsite surrounded by trees

- crackling campfire on a warm fall evening and gooey roasted marshmallows

- Starbucks coffee cooked over an open flame and served black (Ade not me!)

- sounds of nature at night, right outside the tent

- Daddy getting in a couple rounds of disc golf at one of his favorite courses

- helping girls with fun crafts like beading a necklace and putting peanut butter and seeds on a pinecone for a bird feeder

- family hike through the woods and down by the lake, during which the little one slept in the stroller

- watching Daddy have fun with his daughters and showing them how he loved camping as a boy

- special visitors Granny and Grandad Seely coming to join us for dinner and some fun Saturday night

- taking a 45 minute wagon ride through the forest with grandparents and learning that Trap Pond is the northern most point in the U.S. where Cyrus trees grow, mostly in the water

- listening to songs and stories from Granny and Grandad Seely about many of their camping adventures with their 8 children

- wonderful weather, just a bit on the warm side for October with 80+ temps

- just being with my girls and husband away from the distractions of home and TV

- and spending less than $50 (Not counting food) to do all that! 

Camping Not-so-Fun times:

- arriving near dusk and having to set up our tent and bedding in the dark

- feeling like a mule since we opted for the more secluded walk-in sites where we had to carry our van load of supplies down a long path, thankfully we did find a wheel barrow to use for a few treks

- being awaken countless times at night by fussy girls who either needed a diaper change, bedding adjusted, a drink, or Adria needing catheterized

- not sleeping because our air mattress gradually deflated through the night; we trashed it

- filthy little girls who were constantly covered in dirt, and trying to give them a quick bath in a big tub of water
- tree roots that caused both my little girls to trip and fall a lot :(

- Johanna exploring anything and everything, often dangerous and flopping herself in the dirt when told No...made me question my parenting skills!

- the little green worms that were dangling from trees all over the place

- having to skip some of Adria's important nighttime routine because it was just too difficult to try

- and the closest bathroom being a glorified outhouse with no plumbing...

We do like camping. We are also starting a savings fund to buy a camper within the next few years in an effort to reduce the "Not-so-Fun" list!

It's all worth the effort when our 5 year old Adria says, "Mommy, I love camping with you. When are we coming back?" Hmmm, not sure.

Our special routine, the same every night

As a mother who works full-time, the evenings with my girls are extra special.
That's when we color, bake, paint our finger nails, play pretend, take a walk, or grocery shop.

And now, I get more time with them than I ever have. For the past 6 years, I have worked out of a model home from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on most days. Though these are not bad hours, I worked most weekends and depending on where the new home community was located, I did not get home until close to 7 p.m. That did not leave much evening time with the girls, but I still tried to make the most of it.

Since I started my new job three months ago, I now work a glorious 9 to 5 shift plus later for some appointments. Yes, I still work many weekends, but it's great to be home by 5:15 p.m. since I live VERY close to my current model home.

I am able to make dinner more often, instead of take-out (good thing, since there aren't many options around here!) and have appreciated the extra time with my family.

Tonight, the girls and I watched a cartoon together and danced during the final credits music, as has become our after-movie tradition!

After playtime, we begin our hour-long nightly routine. It goes something like this:

• Remove Adria's shoes, leg braces, and socks.
• Catheterize Adria and flush out bladder. Insert mini Enemeez.
• Sit Adria on potty for about 20 min. She usually plays games on my iPhone to occupy.
• Wash up Johanna (bath time every other night), change diaper and put on her pajamas.
• Make Jo an 8 oz. bottle of milk and put her in Daddy's lap with her favorite fuzzy green blanket.
• Give Adria her two evening meds - 1/2 tsp of Oxybutanin (bladder relaxant) and 1 tsp of Sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic to help prevent UTIs).
• Put on Adria's diaper, wash face and brush teeth then put on the PJs.
• Lie Adria in her bed, Johanna joins us but spends most the time crawling all over, in and out of the bed and stepping on sister's hair.
• Say the Lord's Prayer with Daddy.
• Read Adria a story, usually from the Highlight's High Five magazine, which arrive monthly. Thanks Grandma!
• Sing a lullaby. Most nights she asks for her favorite "Hush Little Baby." Mommy is tired of singing it over and over, but she loves it.
• Kisses to Adria. Lights out. But it's not over yet.
• Bring Johanna in her room and sit together in rocking chair, while lullabies play in the background.
• Read her one or two toddler books.
• Lights out. Rock a few minutes more. Enjoy the sweet smell of her hair or try to contain her if she's in wiggly mode.
• Kisses to Johanna and into the crib she goes. Night, night. She's just started responding with her own "night-night, ma". So cute!
• Crash on couch after some minor tidying and relax with my man.

Most nights I love this routine, some nights it seems to go on forever. But it works for us and gives me precious quality time with each of my loves.

Here's a video of Adria and I singing her favorite lullaby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F89SW-H9G8