Brin has been vocalizing much more frequently lately. This after a voice strike that lasted several months! It is so so so so cute! She has learned to "talk around" the trach. This just means she angles her head just right so you can hear her even without the passy muir valve. I repeat- so cute! Last night I distinctly heard "MA," it just melts my heart to know she will be able to call for her mommy! The return of her voice is a funny story. I am notoriously bad at storytelling, but it goes a little something like this (any fresh beat fans out there?)...Our wonderful speech therapist has been diligently trying all kinds of things to try to get Brin talking...one night she and nurse J said in exasperation "We've tried everything short of standing on our heads to get her to talk!" That night nurse C was working and when I relayed the message she said, "Well then, let's stand on our heads!" The rest, as they say, is history.
The last week or so the teething game has been no joke. At this point she still only has the one tooth on the bottom, but if the ridges on her gums are any indication we will have about 5 more any time now.
Enough words, here are some pictures....
Cailyn graduated Kindergarten
Alessa, Brinley & I on a morning walk on our family vacation
Playtime with Aubrey is always fun!
Aren't I cute with my new glasses?
She spends a lot more time on her tummy, rolling and wiggling around
Brinley modeling the prototype flower crown
Sisters at Uncle Steve & Aunt Amy's wedding rehearsal
A little duck-duck-goose among flower girls/ring bearers
The flower girls! (p.s. I made the baby's breath crowns that day!)
The cousins!
Congratulations!
Helping Daddy play Munchkin with Uncles JM & Bubbles
Brinley's first mess and we couldn't be happier! It's fart putty....she was using it during speech therapy (she thinks it's the funniest thing when it farts- this kid has the funniest sense of humor!), when they were done nurse C went into the kitchen to make Brin's food, when she came back Brin had taken it out of the can and spread it all over her shirt, pants and rug!
10 yards of dirt- shout out to neighbor G who helped us move some of it with his tractor!
More help from family leveling the ground and placing the large pieces
Brinley likes it! She sends a huge THANK YOU to each and every
adoring fan that helped us reach our goal!
We have become the neighborhood hangout and we love it!
Now that the "plastic jungle" is gone, we are transforming this space
into an actual patio, complete with firepit!
Sisters can often be found in some such arrangement....
All the girls get in on the therapy action sometimes (SEIT)
Then this happened. That's a walking wood shoe thing on me, Sarah. They're saying it's nerve damage that may never heal, but after 2 treatments at CORE I can walk (still with the shoe) with much less pain. We are praying for a complete recovery!
We have a new nephew/cousin! Welcome Slade Samuel,
we can not wait to kiss your perfect little face!
Proudly sporting our "Love Trumps Fear" t-shirts from our very good friends' adoption fundraiser. If you want your family to look as good as ours and be as cool...make sure you don't miss your chance to grab one (or more!) when they re-run this sale!
Brinley LOVES pt. Both kinds.
Playing with a pile of beans and toys. We have all become therapists as well as nurses ;)
She's also a really good helper now. Suctioning...Feeding...
Prayer requests:
*We are still looking to add a nurse to Brin's case. This should not be so hard...
*Continued healing/growth for Brinley's mouth and tongue/muscles
*Health for the whole family. Right now Brinley is going back on antibiotics as she has had a LOT of secretions as well as high heart rate and trouble keeping her O2 sats up. We are thinking it may be a teething/allergy combo that just got to be too much for her to keep up with.
*Healing for Sarah's foot.
*Sanity and help for Peter as Sarah is going to Colorado for her cousin's wedding for 5 days and leaves a week from today! If you want to bring a meal, borrow a child or three, come hang out...whatever, please contact Peter.
Again, thank you for your contributions toward the swing set. The kids are loving it! We are trying to arrange a work day here and I will post when I know more. We have a lot of things that could be done so pick your poison- shed to build, fire pit to tear down, wood to burn, rocks to lay in patio, trees/bushes to trim, mulch spread under swing set, stumps to clear,,,,
God bless you all richly. Thank you for continuing to do this thing called life with us!
