Introducing...

Introducing another RTS sweetie to our blog family...
Emma

Right in our backyard...

I have been posting on so many of my RTS mom's blogs lately about how I wish AnnaKate could play with their child, how we could meet for coffee or just visit. Guess what...I found out that there is the most adorable RTS child living right in our backyard (not really) but just miles away!! I am so excited to meet her and her family. I need to ask her mom if I can link her blog to mine....you just have to see how precious this little girl is!

Way to go Big Girl!

**For those of you who have a child that spends a lot of time in therapy you will understand this post and why I let my child crawl on the coffee table!!!!

AnnaKate has an adorable little chair from Pottery Barn (thanks Aunt B) that she sits in while she watches Maisy. It is pushed up against the coffee table so it doesn't flip over when she slides out of it. She recently discovered that she could climb up in the chair and reach the coffee table...the remote is usually there so that is her incentive! (Remote=Maisy) I have notice that she has been trying to "hike" her leg up over the chair and actually crawl up on the coffee table. Most moms would discourage their child from crawling on the coffee table but I actually promoted it (I can hear my mom telling me that I will be sorry for this!!). This is huge for AnnaKate! Crawling on the coffee table is a big thing...as much as I don't want her to do it...I want her to do it!!! I captured her accomplishing this today!!
I hope my next post is not about getting stitches because AnnaKate was playing on the coffee table!?!?

AnnaKate's school had a yard sale today and I helped set up. Of course, I also did some shopping. I found this Discovery Toy that that I thought AnnaKate would really like. She is really into putting things in and pouring them out. We had loads of fun this evening with my yard sale find.

25 Interesting Things about ME

Ok...so Jennifer did it first and then Melissa did it. This is a list of 25 interesting things about me. It may be more than you want to know. :) It actually took me a long time to do this...maybe this says I am not all that interesting!! :) If you read my list you must also post one on your blog!!

25 interesting things about Kelly

1. I went to an all women’s college and loved it! I still have an amazing group of friends from college, “The Ten”. No matter what happens in life I know that one or more of them will be there to help pick me back up.
2. After my freshman year in college I did an Outward Bound trip. I spent 14 days in the woods!!!! We backpacked, canoed, rock climbed, did not take showers and worked on team building and leadership skills. We also had to do a 24 hour solo where you could not have any human contact. We had to make a make-shift tent out of supplies provided and live off of minimal food. It made a great impact on my life and how I depend (or don’t) on others.
3. Due to infertility issues, I am unable to conceive a child. We went through invitro twice and conceived once with the end result of a miscarriage. We were not actively seeking to adopt a child and an adoption agency called us. Within months we brought our precious AnnaKate home from the hospital. She was born shortly after my miscarried pregnancy due date. I do believe that God’s plan is amazing!
4. I was never a good student in K-12. I went to college and double majored in Special Education for the Hearing Handicapped and Elementary Education. I then received my Master’s degree in Elementary Education and then I earned 30 hours above my Master’s in the area of ESOL. I also became a Nationally Board Certified teacher. Not bad for a “not so good” student.
5. I have always known that I wanted to be a teacher..well since the first grade. I actually enjoy my job (90% of the time). Teaching is truly what I was meant to do.
6. I sleep walk…a lot…..enough about that.
7. I would pick dark chocolate over any other kind of chocolate. The darker and richer the better.
8. I love the domestic arts and I adore Martha Stewart. I enjoy the time it takes to make things from scratch. I would love to have an IronRite Mangle (a rotary iron).
9. Scrapbooking is one of my favorite things to do. Taking the time to find all the right accessories for a page is so much fun.
10. If I could have any job I wanted I would love to a baker or a cake decorator. Maybe work for Duff at Charm City Cakes. I also wish I was a lot better at sewing so I could do that for a living.
11. I used to be afraid of the drain in the pool and I kind’of still am.
12. I like to watch cheesy reality shows on tv. It all started with Survivior and went down hill from there.
13. I love all things monogrammed. Especially children’s clothes…I can’t get enough! My monogrammed Tervis Tumbler is a prized possession.
14. I am a little obsessive. I buy limited edition Orbit gum by the case because I am afraid I may love it and not be able to find more.
15. My favorite movie is Overboard with Goldie Hawn. I could watch it over and over.
16. My favorite drink is a vodka tonic with a splash of cranberry juice. It can cure any bad day.
17. I took my first cooking class at the age of 8. (Thanks mom…I still love to cook!)
18. I just lost 30 pounds and I am really proud of my accomplishment. I am working very hard to never gain it back.
19. I don’t like my handwriting.
20. My favorite ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough or birthday cake ice cream.
21. I love ethnic food especially Indian.
22. I still feel like I am 16 years old inside and can’t believe that I am 36.
23. I love a bargain. I get excited when I see how much I saved at the grocery store with my coupons.
24. I love mornings when I don’t have to get up and I can lie in the bed and “simmer”.
25. It really bothers me when people don’t do what they say they are going to do.

So there you have it...25 random and "maybe not so intersesting facts" about me!

Back to School

Well...we are all posting about it! It is that time again. Wasn't I just blogging about the First Days of Summer? I do get a little excited about school starting and getting back into my routine. I look forward to fall and all that goes with it...leaves, soup, holidays and traditions. So the start of school really is just a stop on the path to get to my favorite season, fall.
Today, AnnaKate started back to the Meyer Center. She has a great new teacher, Candace. The room is brand new...new toys, new books, new furniture! New things for AnnaKate to explore. I know she is going to make great progress and I am excited to watch her grow.
AnnaKate with her new teacher, Candace. She was really busy looking around the room and not at the camera!


AnnaKate really is a very independent child. As soon as we got to school she wanted down to play with the toys and other kids.


AnnaKate also has new teachers at her nursery school. They are super sweet. They are so accommodating in letting AnnaKate come part time when she is not at the Meyer Center.

Since it was such a big day with new teachers, new friends and new rooms---we celebrated with AnnaKate's favorite, ice cream! Yummy!


The night before school starts has special place in my heart. When I was growing up I would get so nervous and upset the night before school started. I would cry and cry and tell my parents that I just was not going to be able to do it. The work would be too hard, the teacher would be mean. I did this every year without fail. It was such a hard transition for me. I find it ironic that I am now the teacher on the other side of the scenario. I have lots of compassion for those children who come in nervous on the first day of school. I will give lots of hugs tomorrow to ease their fears!

I hope the people in your life take the back to school transition well. I let you know if there are any tears for me tonight!!

Summer Fun!

Today was officially the last day of summer! (Boo-Hoo) We have had such a great summer and have stayed very busy. The closets did not get cleaned, the scrapbook did not get finished and I did not sew one thing for AnnaKate but we had so much fun! We went to Washington to visit Holly and Jackson, we went to the beach, we went to the mountains, we had play dates, we went swimming and we walked almost every day with Taylor and Cassie. It was great to get out each day and exercise as well as get some time to talk with Cassie. The kids really enjoyed the "smorgasbord" of treats we provided to keep them happy! Even though the summer is over, I know the four of us will still be headed out each day for some girl talk, exercise and snacks!

I hate fevers!

Update: Monday morning and no fever. Maybe it was just a 24 hour bug. (Keep your fingers crossed!)

Another update...Fever came back on Monday night...what is this!

The title of the post says it all. AnnaKate is sick. From birth to a year it seemed that she had a fever every week. But she has not had very many high fevers since her hospitalization last October for a severe bladder infection. Yesterday she ran a fever of 103.5. Now to a doctor that is not high but to me it is. We alternated the Tylenol and Motrin and she was fine until the fever would break through. Last night was bad. As soon as the medicine would wear off she would wake up trembling as the fever would start to rapidly rise. I can't stand seeing her like this. She has had a bad cold since last Saturday so I am assuming that she may have some sort of respiratory infection since she still has lots of drainage and a bad cough.

The worst part is AnnaKate hates Tylenol or Motrin. She really likes her daily meds and takes them well. But you have to hold her down kicking and screaming to give her Tylenol or Motrin. So at 2:30am, Billy and I are both holding down our child as we inject medicine in her mouth and she spits and gags. I hate fevers!!

This picture was taken last fall when AnnaKate was in the hospital. So pitiful. A good reminder that this too shall pass!

"What's going on with AnnaKate?"

Well, I have fallen down on my blogging purpose. Someone asked me the other day, "What's going on with AnnaKate? Not very many pictures or posts about her lately." So today I am going to catch you up!

Tonsillectomy Dilemma
We are having the tonsillectomy in September. The sleep study gave us the data we needed to move forward with the surgery. The doctor prefers to wait until the kids are a little older but in her case it really needs to be done. Lots of RTS moms have told me that we can expect lots of great changes...better quality of sleep, happier child(can she get happier?:), and even better eating. I will let you know when we get it scheduled.

Eating
Big girl is doing much better! I think the new tubes have made a world of difference. She is not as picky and is loving feeding herself with a spoon. I am still reading the Food Chaining book and I am trying some different thing to get her to broaden her food choices. Yesterday she liked dipping her bunny grahams into pudding.

Development
It is amazing to look back over the last 18 months that we have been doing therapy. AnnaKate has progressed so much. I noticed when we got back from her trip that she is doing lots of new things that we have not taught her. This is HUGE! We work so hard to teach her something that when she discovers things on her own I just love it! One of her favorite things do play with is the shape sorter. She is really good at this! I highly recommend this toy. I bought it from Beyond Play.


She also loves to stack things. My mom gave her these neat magnetic stacking bugs by Lamaze. I also recommend this toy.



She is still working really hard on learning to walk. I am hoping she will be walking by the fall but the tonsillectomy will probably set that back a little...which is fine. She loves the Radio Flyer Walker Wagon. She practice outside today and went all the way down the driveway.



AnnaKate is getting all of her therapies at The Meyer Center but she does have an Early Interventionist work with her once a week. AnnaKate loves Mrs. Ashley and that big bag full of toys.


We have had a great summer together. School will be starting in a little over a week. I enjoy getting back into my routine but I will miss being with AnnaKate all day.

We're Back!!!

This blog was intended to be all about AnnaKate...so indulge me as I write about our recent trip to Bermuda!! :)

Oh my...we had a fabulous time. Just being relieved of parenting duties for 8 days was enough but to add a delightful cruise and then Bermuda just sent it over the top. We had never taken a cruise before so that was really fun. We cruised for a few days and then docked in Bermuda for a few days and then cruised home for a few days. It was so relaxing. I was able to read a whole book, The Thirteenth Tale, which I have not accomplished since AnnaKate was born. (By the way, the book was amazing. You need to read it!) The cruise was fabulous. I loved the eating, relaxing and tropical fruity drinks. Bermuda is just paradise. We loved getting around on a scooter and finding out of the way beaches. Enjoy the pictorial of the trip!

We left out of Baltimore so we got to visit the Smith Family one more time this summer. I can never get enough of Holly!

We love the Food Network show, Ace of Cakes, so while in Baltimore we did a drive by of his bakery, Charm City Cakes.










The "still happy couple after 10 years of marriage" leaving Baltimore.












Arriving in Bermuda









A picture of the cruise ship from the Unfinished church in St. George's.










This picture says is all!!










Billy on one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever been to.










Paradise!!










We took a Helmet Diving trip. Helmet diving is a way to have the diving experience without the expertise. You wear a helmet that gives you oxygen while you are able to walk under water.











I know...these pictures look "photo shopped". We were able to walk up to a coral reef and touch the fish.










Drinking a fruity drink and eating cream puffs...it "was" the life!









One of the "cheesy" pictures taken on the ship...I thought is was cute!














We had so many wonderful meal on the ship. So many great meals that we both gained around 8 pounds! Ugh!!











This is what AnnaKate did while we were gone...















We felt so fortunate to be able to take such a wonderful vacation this year. It has rejuvenated both of us. I wonder if we can go ahead and book our parents to keep AnnaKate for another vacation next year?