He Knows He's So Cute

Yes, he does.

"Light" Therapy

How do you get a lazy little preemie to grab and inspect? Turn down the lights and give him a glow-in-the-dark bracelet.

The Eval

Because we were embroiled on Monday in the other "intervention" (of the Kinley variety), we had to reschedule Crew's Early Intervention Evaluation for this morning.

It didn't go quite as well as I had hoped. Unfortunately, Crew "easily qualifies" for the program. We have been watching him steadily drop behind the charts, the cousins, and the neighbors over the last few months, but we hoped he wasn't that far behind. He is. His development places him somewhere between 4 and 5 and 1/2 months, though his adjusted age is 8 months (real age almost 11 months).

His teeny little body makes it difficult to see the delays sometimes because he behaves so appropriately and even advanced for a baby of his size.

Sigh...

So, back into the ring with OT/PT.

Blech.

Motating

He is thinking about making a move.

The local Early Intervention Team will be here on Monday to evaluate our tiny prince. Justin calls him "lazy", I prefer to call him "content". He's cute, he's sweet, but he is definitely not a self-starter.

He makes progress when I'm very aggressive with his therapy (and has regressed during the last 3 weeks of chaos). Our pediatrician is not convinced yet that he has any Cerebral Palsy, but his continuing delays combined with his history are making him very suspicious of a mild, very manageable form. We aren't panicked about the possibility, just determined to work more intensely with him. I'm relieved that the most time-consuming part of the move is now behind us so that we can focus more on this.

What Keeps Crew Up All Night?

Growth spurt starvation?
Teething?
Overactive bowels?
Loneliness?

Mandee asked me on Monday how I felt about having Crew sleeping on a different level with a flight of stairs separating us. I replied, "He sleeps through the night without a peep, so it hasn't been a problem at all so far."

I'd like to amend that response...

Officially THE Weirdest Response

People have said some odd things about Dex, but this takes first place.

Lady, trying to count heads: How may children do you have?

Megan: These three, plus one more in heaven. Our baby is a twin.

Lady (while patting our baby on the head and talking to him): Awww.... it's a good thing! Otherwise you little guys might have fought all the time, and then it would be harder to get into heaven!

?????

And before you ask, I was too startled to respond coherently. I'm really not that quick on my feet. I understand not knowing what to say, but really.

It was actually too weird and clueless to be completely offensive. Justin and I shared a morbid chuckle later.

What? You Say You Want to KISS This?

Crew "Helping" Unpack

What Matters Most

First Tooth!!

This morning while Crew was gnawing on my hand in his usual voracious way, I noticed a "sharp" difference! A wee little tooth has popped through on the bottom! I can't believe it! He's my earliest teether by far! He also has started eating chunky foods and is doing unexpectedly well with them. Furthermore, he has started sampling vittles from my dinner plate and he loves his mama's cookin'. He's growing up so fast!

That Sweet Boy Of Mine

Last night I had a baby shower in the old neighborhood, so I stopped by the cemetery on my way. The very moment that I turned into the gates, the song When I Get Where I'm Going came on the radio.

I met a woman there, a mommy new to the Angel Garden. She's a single mom that just lost her baby a month ago when her angel grew wings at 37 weeks gestation, due to an umbilical cord accident.

We talked, hugged, and had ourselves a good cry beneath a very bright and very unexpected rainbow shining across the mountain. We're so lucky to have such kind and loving children who so sneakily help arrange these special healing moments for us.

Dex has good friends in the Angel Garden. Mercy and Nevaeh ("Heaven" spelled backwards) are just a few of the special people he knows. Ash, be on the lookout for a new tribute going in just a half step away from Mercy's stone.

That Which Doth Not Kill...

...Made Crew stronger!

He took a 4-hour nap this morning, woke up happy, drank a good lunch, and then... drum roll please...

rolled all the way onto his belly from his back!  Yay, big boy!!  He's been trying to do that for a long time and has finally succeeded!  Wahoo!

Dear Crew

I am so glad that you seem like you might be thinking about feeling better. Two nights in the rocking chair, holding you while you cry, hasn't been good for my sanity. Or my back.  Please wake up from your nap happy.

Love,
Mommy

P.S.  Thanks for puking on the kitchen floor and not the carpet.  You're a good boy.

Chuggin' Along

I won't say that today was the worst day of my life, but it wasn't my favorite either. Justin and I have been up since 1:00 in the morning with Crew feverish and miserable. He never did throw up like Kinley did, but he screamed most of the night. I can't believe he didn't wake Kinley. What a blessing. Tanner woke up this morning with a fever as well and has been a little whimpery and lethargic, but otherwise seems to be on the mend.

All night I was absolutely dreading the dawn because I knew we would be finishing up the townhouse clean up. Blech, blech, and double blech. But: We. are. done. Halla-freaking-lujah. Crew alternated between crying and sleeping in his carseat and Tanner whined on a neighbor's couch while Justin and I worked. I need to scrub the hard water off the shower doors again and pack up the final freezer items in a cooler and then we're done!

Kinley has survived her first two days at school. She's at an "excellent" school, by all reports, and I'm anxious for her to get into a groove. It's definitely going to take some adjustment... for all of us.

I'm tired and I need a nap. I found an old freezer meal stashed in my freezer at the townhouse. Homecooking tonight! With no work!

What We've Learned In This Home

We've been living in this townhouse for exactly 6 1/2 years. Kinley was 3 weeks old when we moved the last time. For all intents and purposes, this is where we became parents. While we are excited for our new adventures and upcoming fresh start, we will dearly miss this beloved little community. In the last 6+ years, we've learned more than we thought possible and have made some treasured life-long friends.

I'd like to think that I'm leaving this area a better person than I was when I came into it, and if that's true, it's because of the people I've been surrounded by. I've been mulling over the things I have learned in the last 6 years, feeling extremely grateful for the opportunity that we have had to be here.

Things I've Learned

1. We are all more alike than we are different
2. If you "build a girls night out, they will come".
3. I'm not weird; I'm "quirky"
4. Everyone thinks they are the weird one
5. Women love food. The End.
6. You don't have to be afraid to bring up someone's loss or struggle. Sometimes they really want/need to talk about it with someone who isn't freaked out by it.
7. There are all kinds of people that live in Utah (who knew?)
8. Utah is a great place to raise a family (again, who knew?)
9. People have struggles and challenges in Utah, just like everywhere else. Drug addiction, divorce, illness, single parenthood, lonliness, depression, etc.
10. Playdates are really fun
11. Entertaining children doesn't have to cost a lot of money
12. Blogs make the world go round
13. The world doesn't generally play fair
14. It's ok to be different
15. Bad things happen to good people
16. Everyone has baggage
17. Most people really mean well and would never intentionally hurt or offend anyone
18. Everyone is looking for understanding and friendship
19. You can learn to love anybody
20. First impressions are often misleading. Take another look.
21. I like juvenile and teen literature. A lot.
22. Kind words make a huge difference
23. Chicken soup tastes best when someone else makes it because they add their own love
24. There is always someone else in a more difficult situation
25. If someone is on your mind a lot, you should call/email/text them
26. Nursery callings are not for the faint of heart
27. You don't have to hide your ambition and eccentricities to fit in
28. You can find happiness anywhere
29. Food in general tastes better when someone else makes it
30. Visiting Teaching is an inspired program
31. Houseguests should stay no longer than 6 days
32. Lime Away and CLR are fantastic for removing hard water stains
33. DVD players are not a passing fad. Neither are cell phones.
34. We are "mini-van people" after all
35. I don't hate football
36. A great stylist and enough product can make your hair do marvelous things
37. Losing weight is possible
38. Endorphins rock
39. The 5 "S"es are sanity-saving
40. We make super cute kids
41. People can change
42. Sometimes people don't change
43. I wouldn't choose to see my trials in advance, (ie. a crystal ball). They are so much more palatable without anticapatory anxiety.
44. I would choose my own trials over those of other people. Except wealth. I'd like the trial of wealth. I'd like the burden of being filthy, stinking rich.
45. Life is short
46. All women should have a proper bra fitting done by a professional
47. There are worse things than being up at night with a crying baby; like not being up at night with a crying baby.
48. What "they" say about making "ass-umptions" really is true
49. It really is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
50. Women need other women
51. Bedtime stories make lasting memories
52. Magic Eraser is, well... magic
53. PhotoShop Elements is also magic
54. Speaking of magic, Disneyland is great at any age

Spin, Spin, Spin...

I have reached the so-not-fun part of pack, pack, packing. I'm overwhelmed by the piles of "miscellaneous" that I don't want to sort through. Blech.

"They" Say...

"They" say that you shouldn't make any major changes for the first year after a devastating loss or tragedy. "They" say you shouldn't do anything crazy like change employment or move residences or make a radical hair transformation.

What do you think "they" would say to us doing all three? Bu-wahahahahaha!!

Speaking of "the move" coming up next week. I have officially reached "overwhelmed and paralyzed". It struck early this afternoon. Yay!

Growin' Boy

My Crew has just entered the exciting world of 3-6 month clothing!

Diva Darbi

Crew got a special visit this weekend! We love you, Darbs!