Thanks Bernard!

Happy 13 month anniversary Bernard!

If you have no idea who I’m talking about, you /can read here where I was trying to decide on an appropriate name for Nick’s second shunt.

I thought about celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the shunt, but that didn’t work out so well last time. When Nick had to have a revision at 13 months.

So 13 is the new 12! Seems fitting for a Friday the 13^th baby!

After reading the post from 13 months ago, I am more calm with the shunt right now. It`s never far from my mind, but it hasn`t been on the radar lately (and I`m really hoping I am not jinxing myself). I haven`t measured his head in a while, we are cleared by neurosurgery for 1 year and Nick is behaving like himself.
But at the same time, when Nick wakes up in the middle of the night uncontrollably crying and upset, I mentally pack my bags for the hospital. But when a dose of tylenol and the morning comes and everyone is fine again I feel much better. That being said, I have emailed Nick`s neurosurgeon 2 or 3 times this past year.
I know the day will probably come, but I`m hoping that it`s in the far distant future.
So Bernard is welcome to stay off the radar for a very long time.

I saw (adapted) something today that is very appropriate:

You can`t scare me,

My child has had brain surgery.

A Day in our life!

It might seem that we are always out having fun, trips to the zoo, Build a Bear, Ottawa or going to the doctor/clinic or physio.
Believe me, sometimes it feels like that.
But the rest of the time we are just doing boring stuff.


Watching TV
Doing laundry
Sweeping the floor (this is as clean as my house will get some days)
Playing inside, playing outside
crafts
Fun trips to the grocery store
Or just doing nothing
Mundane


I also work outside of the house. Sometimes alot (too much) and sometimes I have a break of a week or so between shifts (the joy of job-sharing).
I'm a nurse and sometimes that job comes home with me. No, not any nasty bugs (I try really hard to prevent that). But just the emotional toll of a bad day.


Some of home comes to work with me as well.
I think after having kids, but especially Nickolas I am stronger at work.
I had one situation where a doctor (we didn't usually work with) was nasty and talking down to me. I had a number of other people (nurses and doctors) say how calm I was and how I didn't let it bother me.
In my  head I was thinking that doctor is an ass, but he can't scare me. My son has had brain surgery . And sometimes that puts it all in perspective.


How many things can you really put in a day?
we try to fit some working, some learning (we are working on colours for Nick and certain sounds for Katheryn), some fun. And some mommy free time.
Balanced between the 2 kids.


Our current battle is to try to get a few healthy meals into the kids that they will eat.
Ha ha!
My kids refuse to eat anything particularly healthy.
We have just started to feel them what we are eating, no exceptions.
I know it's easier to just give in and give that hot dog, pizza or PB&J. (And I wonder when we have constipation issues?)


So what do we have covered?
Playtime, eating, cleaning..
Sleeping?


My kids gave up their naps a couple of months ago. Oh how I miss that nap!
They wake up late.
I generally won't let them sleep past 9am.
No nap, unless we are in the car and then sometimes
We go up for bedtime between 8 and 9pm.
Bath, cath, pjs, stories and snuggles until either mommy or kids fall asleep - usually somewhere north of 10pm!


So that's our day!
Oh yeah, and Kyle is in there with me (I use the royal we)

A little winter would be nice!

I never thought I'd be wondering where winter was in February!
Or still thinking how beautiful the snow is while I'm driving to appointments in the morning  -before the snow melts on all the trees.

But every day we have snow seems to be a time to pull out the camera and take some pictures as the kids take in how wonderful it is to have everything covered in the white stuff!.

I LOVE this picutre!
Not only are the two of them standing up against the window together. But Katheryn is holding Nicks hand! I think that makes up for the kids scuffing the newly painted window ledge!

Build-A-Bear

The kids got a Build-A-Bear gift certificate for Christmas, and after a couple of calender dates were aligned we finally had our date!
It was a whole family affair  - Kyle had Katheryn and I had Nick. Also my brother-in-law, sister-in-law came with my niece and nephew, and my mother in law.

I've seen the store before and thought it looked interesting, but never really went in to see what it was.
You get to personalize everything.
You get to pick the type of bear, add some sounds, add stuffing and then pick out all of the clothes and accessories.
Sounds fun right?

First there is a whole row of empty bears. And you get to pick one.
Ideally the one your kid wants.
Nick liked all of them. Every one he was in front of he wanted.
Katheryn on the other hand knew exactly what she wanted.
The polar bear. Because "polar bears are my favorite"

After picking the bear you want then you stuff it.
They have a whole machine filled with stuffing!



The kids get to stuff their own bears by stepping on a lever and fill it as full as they want.

Nick kept crying when we gave him the bear. He still wasn't too sure about what we were doing.



Nick and I got to tag-team the lever. He was a little unsure at first, but once he figured out that what I wanted him to step on actually did something. Then he got into it.

We got some sounds in it as well. For Nick's I chose giggling and a multi-sound from Happy Feet 2. So when you press the hand/foot it makes a sound.

After the bear is stuffed like you want it, you get to choose a heart to put inside of it.
Awwww

Katheryn had to rub the heart against her heart, against her hand, tell it a secret (Katheryn looked at the lady completely confused with that one), give it a kiss and then put it inside.

Then it's time to get dressed!
There are a TON of clothes to pick from (alot more girl clothes than boy clothes).
But everything from holiday clothes, pajamas, costumes, work or just every day clothing. They even had underwear!

Nick didn`t really care about the clothes. But the sun glasses were a definite hit!
And those cool shoes!

Nick just really wanted those sunglasses!

And yes I know it looks like he`s strangling his bear.

But we finally got Nick`s bear all cooled up!

All of the kids got some accessories.
Accessorizing at the toy store!

Katheryn`s polar bear not only came with a red dress, shoes, hair ribbon and red purse - `red is my favorite colour`. But also the stroller and a cell phone!

Katheryn was happy with what she got!

Nick`s bear came with the sunglasses, and his very own wheelchair. Including a rocking shirt - that plays the guitar!

And his very own guitar! (which doesn`t actually make any noise)

Definitely a super-fun adventure for the kids!

Speaking in Tongues

I have talked about how Nick's language has blossomed! OK, he's a boy, so I guess I should say boomed!
He talks all the time.
And it has meaning.
I just don't always know what it is.

One morning he's eating breakfast and just talking, talking. I have no idea what - it's like I can pick up a couple words here and there. I swear he was talking in French! (a language I took all through school and know how to say "je ne parle pas francias". Anyone who knows french I'm sure just realized I butchered their language.)

There are alot of words that I understand. I started making a list, but everyone day there are so many more to add to the list that I can't get them all. He probably has 100, maybe more. And sentences.

I know other moms said it would happen, and I know that at the time I knew that it would happen (most of the time I knew it would happen), and I find it magical that it is actually happening now.

This is of course after we finish our block of speech therapy for 6 months! where we worked on communication and not actual speech.
Right at the very end of our block Nick was just starting to get his words, but he was still shy about it. Still not talking that much outside of the home.

We are no strangers to speech therapy.
Katheryn is still in speech therapy. Has been since I referred her at 18 months because she had about 6 words and should have had more than 10. It took about 9 months for her to be picked up, but we have been able to apply everything we have learned back and forth between the 2 kids.

Katheryn we have goals for pronunciation of specific letters (especially K, F, G but other letters as well). For Nick I have to make up my own goals because we just finished our block and the things we learned there just don't seem to apply any more.
I'm hoping that next session we can have the same speech therapist for both kids so we can all be on the same page.
I'm trying to figure out where to start, or if I'm pushing too hard for something that will come naturally on it's own. But i just have to remember how we progressed with Katheryn. I know it will come.