Well, it has been a long time since I have actually sat down and posted. It seems like the month of December just flew right by. We were constantly on the go. Though we are back into our usual routine we are still on the go but it isn't the same. Christmas 2009 and New Year's were a crazy and wonderful time for us this past year. We got to see lots of family and friends over the past 2 to 3 weeks. We also did some entertaining here at our house as well. We had lots of fun!
Santa was very generous this year! Gwynny got lots of Disney princess stuff including the new Princess and the Frog dolls and Ariel and Eric in their wedding outfits! She is one happy girl! She also got a Leapster 2 so hopefully she won't bug Bill anymore to play the games on his phone and we are thinking it will be good entertainment for her in the car when we go to Florida soon. She got lots of clothes and many other things too. Lily got a really cute little toy...not sure the name of it from Grandma and Grandpa that has a mirror on it and all kinds of fun musical gadgets to push and make sounds. It plays music too and she loves it! We can put her in the Bumbo seat and put her behind it and she will sit there and clap, cheer, and bebop to the tunes! It is so cute! May have to get that on video! She also got several other toys like a sit to stand toy by V-tech, and a baby laptop! Aunt Annette also got her a "Signing Times" dvd so we can work on continuing to teach her to sign. We haven't been very successful in that department yet even though I consistently try to teach her "eat" and "more". We will keep on trying. Santa also brought me a wonderful new camera actually compliments of Bill's company Christmas present. It is an awesome camera and I will definitely have to learn how to use it better but I love it! It's a Nikon D3000. Very cool.
On the other side of the coin...we did take a lot of time to focus on the true meaning of the season. We meaning Gwynny, Lily, and me participated in the Christmas play at church this year. Gwynny was a proud and adorable little angel and Lily and I were travelers to Bethlehem. It was a fantastic drama written by a very talented individual at our church and it really helped me to focus on what is truly most important about Christmas. Jesus! We also went to a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at our church which was very cool! Everyone lit a candle and we sang Christmas carols and focused on the light in all the darkness in this world... again it is JESUS!
We have so much to be thankful for this past year. Liliana came home from a long hospital stay in February of 2009 and started a new chapter in our lives. Though she may be more behind developmentally than some kids her age, she has really grown over this past year by leaps and bounds. We went from an NG tube to a G-tube to a Mic-key button this past year. She has been eating Stage 2 baby foods by mouth consistently for over 6 months now. She is learning how to drink from a sippie cup and she babbles and interacts with people like never before. She even has her own fan club at church. It is hilarious to see her when Bill picks her up from the nursery. She starts waving "hi" and saying it to everyone that passes by. So funny! She is so close to sitting up by herself, she is just lazy. We will hopefully conquer that one in 2010! She received a clean bill of health from the cardiologist back around Thanksgiving. She also was diagnosed with far-sightedness and now wears glasses, ahem...I mean we are working on her wearing her glasses. LOL! That too will come. Thank you Lord for our little blessing. She continually keeps things in check for me.
Gwyneth has been growing up and becoming quite the BIG girl. She started preschool this past year and she goes 5 mornings a week and seems to really enjoy it. She is learning a lot especially about relationships and how to get along with others. Very important! I know she struggles with the whole Lily getting a lot of attention but we are working on that with her and hoping that as she matures she will overcome some of her jealousy. She also started pre-ballet lessons this year and will have a recital in June. Can't wait to see that one! LOL! She has had a busy year and a half as well.
God knows we have so much to be thankful for and we owe it all to him. He has provided for us this whole year because I had to quit my job. I now have a new job which is only part-time but it does help a little bit financially and it gets me out of the house for a few hours. Thank the Lord! I think our biggest frustration this past year has been the issues we have had with Lily's g-tube and now her mic-key button. Personally I feel the mic-key button is overrated. It is great when it works but when it fails, which happens a lot then it stinks. We had a recent mishap on December 23rd where the button came out some time over night and the hole had started to close. We ended up having to take Lily down to the GI department at the clinic and luckily the nurses were able to put a new button in without Lily having to go to surgery. Whew! Dodged a bullet there. I had visions of us spending Christmas Eve at the Cleveland Clinic again. Unfortunately that button only lasted about a week and had a leak. I put another one in that only lasted about 4 or 5 days! What is up? I put another button in on New Year's Eve so I will keep you posted as to how this one does. Man, talk about frustrating. Kimberly Clark and I are best friends with all the phone calls of complaints and asking them to ship me replacements. Anyways, through it all God has been faithful and he has stood by our sides through thick and thin. He is my rock and my salvation, whom shall I fear? I have nothing to fear in 2010 as long as I cling to that rock and ask him to keep me in the palm of his hand. He loves us and he knows each and every one of us. The bible says he knows every hair on our head. Even if we think things are as bad as they can get God is there in our midst. He will never leave us nor forsake us. I challenge you in 2010 to let go and let God! Give your life to him and let him take control. Thank you again Lord! Happy New Year everyone and make 2010 a GREAT one!
5 comments:
What a great post! I really needed to hear the part at the end about trusting God and letting go. Thanks for the encouragement!
It sounds like Lily and Gwynny are doing great. I'm glad that Gwynny likes preschool it was such a great thing for Caleb. It taught him a lot and really prepared him for kindergarten.
I hope you are able to resolve your issues with the mic-key button. It sounds like a nightmare!
Really great post Kim. I'm so bummed that we missed each other while I was in town. It was a whirlwind of a visit. There's just never enough time, the holidays make it hard too. I love that you were a part of the Christmas play at church, what a great way to be reminded of the season. What is up with those buttons though?!? Hope they start lasting longer. yikes! Give both those beauties hugs & kisses from me & Marissa.
Great post, Kim.
Sorry to hear about the MIC-Key buttons. Couple of questions (though your GI should have addressed these potential issues already). 1) Do you check the water in the balloon? If so, don't. It wears out the balloon very quickly. Just leave it and trust that it doesn't have a leak. 2) Do you have too much water in the balloon? Given Lily's size, I don't think you need more than 4ml's in the balloon, even though it says 5ml's (that's just the balloon's capacity). 3) Do you have elastic banding around her belly? It could help the button from getting caught on clothing, etc. If you've never tried it, drop me an email and let me know your address. I'll send you some.
so good to see you are back to posting. Dont get discouraged on the signing L will get it and once she does it will only continue, don't give up
This was a lovely and faith-filled post! Lily has made great progress! Barbara
Post a Comment