All three of us are really lookin forward to school starting soon! That's in 17 days for Riley and 26 for the Keags. Not that anyone is counting, but I just might make a paper chain!
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Friday, August 9, 2013
The Countdown Begins!
As the summer winds down we are resorting to desperate measures to stay busy around these parts!
All three of us are really lookin forward to school starting soon! That's in 17 days for Riley and 26 for the Keags. Not that anyone is counting, but I just might make a paper chain!
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All three of us are really lookin forward to school starting soon! That's in 17 days for Riley and 26 for the Keags. Not that anyone is counting, but I just might make a paper chain!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wonder Woman
Riley had scheduled what could have been a very difficult week. But she conquered it as only Riley can! I am totally convinced that the girl is Wonder Woman! She's nothing short of amazing!
Tuesday was a full day of Cardiology after two hours of therapy. A long day of testing, including an ECHO and an EKG, that ended with good news. I always get very nervous between the time of all the testing and when the doctor comes in. I just remember so vividly when her heart was so bad, and know that it is always a possibility again. But Doctor Dreyer had great news for us that her heart still looks good and that he didn't want to make any changes to what we are doing. Relief is an understatement!
The other good news is that I think Riley is finally getting used to all of this and was way more cooperative then she has ever been! That is a huge blessing for everyone!
And yes she is wearing an apron from the girls dress up waitress costume! Don't worry she slept in it the night before too. So I guess she's a very silly Wonder Woman. Maybe the apron doubles as a cape.
Today Wonder Woman had an EEG. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. She basically had 26 electrodes placed all over her head with thick paste and tape and they recorded her brain activity for an hour. They were looking for any seizure or abnormal brain activity.
The last time she did this it was a complete and total nightmare. I could have sold tickets to the horror movie enthusiasts. And last time we were never even able to complete the test because Riley was so upset and combative. That means I have been praying fervently all week that today would go well. My prayers were answered!
On the way there I received inspiration to stop at CVS and buy a hand held mirror. I am SO glad I listened! Riley was mostly calm as she sat on my lap in the hospital bed and looked in the mirror to watch each electrode being carefully placed. That is such an enormous improvement compared to last time! I was actually on pins and needles worrying that at any point she was going to melt into hysterics, but she never did.
At the point of the test that I finally got her to sleep, I sat in the pitch dark room and was almost emotional just wishing my sweet baby didn't have to go through so much. But then I felt her sigh in my arms and I cuddled her tighter and thanked my Heavenly Father that he made her so tough and resilient! I'm just so thankful he sent me Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman hopefully gets her test results back by the end of the week. And now we have a whole two weeks without another doctors appointment for my little super hero. Guess that gives her a little more time to save the world!
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Tuesday was a full day of Cardiology after two hours of therapy. A long day of testing, including an ECHO and an EKG, that ended with good news. I always get very nervous between the time of all the testing and when the doctor comes in. I just remember so vividly when her heart was so bad, and know that it is always a possibility again. But Doctor Dreyer had great news for us that her heart still looks good and that he didn't want to make any changes to what we are doing. Relief is an understatement!
The other good news is that I think Riley is finally getting used to all of this and was way more cooperative then she has ever been! That is a huge blessing for everyone!
And yes she is wearing an apron from the girls dress up waitress costume! Don't worry she slept in it the night before too. So I guess she's a very silly Wonder Woman. Maybe the apron doubles as a cape.
Today Wonder Woman had an EEG. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. She basically had 26 electrodes placed all over her head with thick paste and tape and they recorded her brain activity for an hour. They were looking for any seizure or abnormal brain activity.
The last time she did this it was a complete and total nightmare. I could have sold tickets to the horror movie enthusiasts. And last time we were never even able to complete the test because Riley was so upset and combative. That means I have been praying fervently all week that today would go well. My prayers were answered!
On the way there I received inspiration to stop at CVS and buy a hand held mirror. I am SO glad I listened! Riley was mostly calm as she sat on my lap in the hospital bed and looked in the mirror to watch each electrode being carefully placed. That is such an enormous improvement compared to last time! I was actually on pins and needles worrying that at any point she was going to melt into hysterics, but she never did.
At the point of the test that I finally got her to sleep, I sat in the pitch dark room and was almost emotional just wishing my sweet baby didn't have to go through so much. But then I felt her sigh in my arms and I cuddled her tighter and thanked my Heavenly Father that he made her so tough and resilient! I'm just so thankful he sent me Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman hopefully gets her test results back by the end of the week. And now we have a whole two weeks without another doctors appointment for my little super hero. Guess that gives her a little more time to save the world!
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Monday, August 5, 2013
Cousin Connection
We've had a fantastic weekend with our cousins while Tess is visiting from Chicago! I don't think our playroom has ever been played so well in and as messy! But the darling giggles and tighter bonds make the short visit just absolutely priceless! Cousins truly are the best!
My only regret? Not getting any pictures of all the cousins together! I could really kick myself for that! And my favorite part? An impromptu run thru the sprinklers tonight that was just pure 4 year old summer bliss! I also loved Keagans comment in the bath Friday night. She looked at her part Hawaiian tan skin and looked at Tess's part Pilipino tan skin and said "Hey you're like me! You look like me!"
Chicago Ginns please come more often! Can't wait till Thanksgiving!
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My only regret? Not getting any pictures of all the cousins together! I could really kick myself for that! And my favorite part? An impromptu run thru the sprinklers tonight that was just pure 4 year old summer bliss! I also loved Keagans comment in the bath Friday night. She looked at her part Hawaiian tan skin and looked at Tess's part Pilipino tan skin and said "Hey you're like me! You look like me!"
Chicago Ginns please come more often! Can't wait till Thanksgiving!
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Saturday, August 3, 2013
Keags la Weags
Today was actually a mellow, quiet day at home. It was pretty nice since we've been so busy lately and I'm a home body at heart that never stays home.
Keags was having a blast playing in Riley's wheelchair and they had a little role reversal when Riley insisted on pushing her around in it! Keagan was so patient.
This afternoon Riley got ridiculously overly tired but refused to take a nap. I was doing everything I could to get her to settle down and the poor thing just could not stop crying. At one point I put Riley down on the ground and sweet Keagan just couldn't take the tears. She usually doesn't love to hug Riley because she's not a fan of Riley's drool (just love juice). But Keagan sat with Riley and rubbed her back and hugged her several times. So sweet! She started singing "I am a Child of God" and got Riley to calm down! Such a sweet sister! When Riley finally gave up the fight, Keagan played quietly right by her while she slept. And yes I did let her dress herself again today!
This did remind me of the other day when Riley was really not happy about sitting in her high chair. I can't really blame the girl, but it's a must for safety reasons. Keags was again trying to calm Riley down and was standing next to the chair making funny faces. In a quick moment, and in her meltdown, Riley smacked Keags across the face! Hard! Keags looked straight at me and gasped "Riley just slapped me!" She paused and then burst into tears. Funny thing is going in time out is what calmed Riley down. That little stinker!
I am so proud of Keagan for the big girl that she's becoming! She can be so helpful with her sister and sometimes does a great job of cleaning up after herself. She has a strong will, is a smart cookie and is absolutely hilarious! I just adore this little girl and absolutely love being her mom!
That sweet girl got the very best gift she possibly could tonight. Her BFF and cousin came to visit for a couple of days! Aunt Vicki brought Tess for a quick trip and Keagan couldn't be happier! As soon as Tess was in the door they were off playing make believe, making a gigantic mess and performing shows for us! I'm so glad they are here, but I think the happiest ones are these two!
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Keags was having a blast playing in Riley's wheelchair and they had a little role reversal when Riley insisted on pushing her around in it! Keagan was so patient.
This afternoon Riley got ridiculously overly tired but refused to take a nap. I was doing everything I could to get her to settle down and the poor thing just could not stop crying. At one point I put Riley down on the ground and sweet Keagan just couldn't take the tears. She usually doesn't love to hug Riley because she's not a fan of Riley's drool (just love juice). But Keagan sat with Riley and rubbed her back and hugged her several times. So sweet! She started singing "I am a Child of God" and got Riley to calm down! Such a sweet sister! When Riley finally gave up the fight, Keagan played quietly right by her while she slept. And yes I did let her dress herself again today!
This did remind me of the other day when Riley was really not happy about sitting in her high chair. I can't really blame the girl, but it's a must for safety reasons. Keags was again trying to calm Riley down and was standing next to the chair making funny faces. In a quick moment, and in her meltdown, Riley smacked Keags across the face! Hard! Keags looked straight at me and gasped "Riley just slapped me!" She paused and then burst into tears. Funny thing is going in time out is what calmed Riley down. That little stinker!
I am so proud of Keagan for the big girl that she's becoming! She can be so helpful with her sister and sometimes does a great job of cleaning up after herself. She has a strong will, is a smart cookie and is absolutely hilarious! I just adore this little girl and absolutely love being her mom!
That sweet girl got the very best gift she possibly could tonight. Her BFF and cousin came to visit for a couple of days! Aunt Vicki brought Tess for a quick trip and Keagan couldn't be happier! As soon as Tess was in the door they were off playing make believe, making a gigantic mess and performing shows for us! I'm so glad they are here, but I think the happiest ones are these two!
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Friday, August 2, 2013
Life's A Beach!
A day in Galveston with the Fosters, Frenchs, Ginns, Brooke Meyers and Anna Allen. It's a whole lot of work packin up and haulin everyone an hour and a half away. But I'm glad we did it!
The kids had a great time playing in the sand and the water. They built sand castles, splashed in the water, snacked, skin boarded and Sa even orchestrated a cartwheel contest! I had quite a moment of peace at one point. I was holding a darling sleeping Riley in my arms, looking at my sister holding a darling sleeping Keagan, and watching so many people I love play all around me while the ocean breeze refreshed us all. That made all the piles of sand currently covering my car, inside and out, totally worth it!
The day would have been even better if it weren't for way too many ridiculous run ins with jelly fish! All the kids (except one little lucky Keagan) and Miss Taryn were stung numerous times by the aggravating little beasts. A sting is quite painful. The silver lining is The Lord totally prepared us to fight those stupid monsters! When I was at Kroger yesterday, stocking up on water and snacks for the trip, I happened down the baking aisle when a small bottle of meat tenderizer in the midst of rows of similar bottles, caught my eye. That little bottle ended up single handedly saving our trip by taking the sting away in painful situations!
So we were so blessed to have that today plus sunscreen, sand toys and each other. See ya next summer Galveston!
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The kids had a great time playing in the sand and the water. They built sand castles, splashed in the water, snacked, skin boarded and Sa even orchestrated a cartwheel contest! I had quite a moment of peace at one point. I was holding a darling sleeping Riley in my arms, looking at my sister holding a darling sleeping Keagan, and watching so many people I love play all around me while the ocean breeze refreshed us all. That made all the piles of sand currently covering my car, inside and out, totally worth it!
The day would have been even better if it weren't for way too many ridiculous run ins with jelly fish! All the kids (except one little lucky Keagan) and Miss Taryn were stung numerous times by the aggravating little beasts. A sting is quite painful. The silver lining is The Lord totally prepared us to fight those stupid monsters! When I was at Kroger yesterday, stocking up on water and snacks for the trip, I happened down the baking aisle when a small bottle of meat tenderizer in the midst of rows of similar bottles, caught my eye. That little bottle ended up single handedly saving our trip by taking the sting away in painful situations!
So we were so blessed to have that today plus sunscreen, sand toys and each other. See ya next summer Galveston!
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Thursday, August 1, 2013
This Amazing Baby!
This little Riley of mine is somethin else!! She amazes me everyday!
This morning I had to make several phone calls. I was in the family room with the girls but I was a little preoccupied. I was completely oblivious to the fact that my two little monkeys had a plan up their little jammie sleeves!
Apparently Riley "asked" Keagan to get her a banana. Remember Riley is non verbal. Then Riley took the whole banana and hid behind the chair and proceeded to eat it! PEEL AND ALL!! When I got off the phone and discovered the madness, Riley laughed so hard when she was caught red handed! Or yellow handed really. It was so nasty but she was as happy as can be!
Then this afternoon Riley really showed me what she was made of! I was getting everything ready for dinner early and Riley was desperate to do some walking. I was brave and stood her up and let her go! She walked around the circle through our kitchen and family room probably 60 times! All she did for an hour was walk, walk, walk! She amazes me!! And Keagan was such a sweet cheerleader for her!
But that's not even the best part! She fell so many times. Sometimes she would fall back on her butt and sometimes she would fall forward on her knees. Each time it sounded like it hurt, especially when it was in the kitchen on the wood floor! I kept thinking she would want to stop and let me hold and cuddle her. But with each fall I was amazed at what would immediately follow. She would whine not out of hurt but for me to stand her back up as quickly as possible so she could continue trying, continue pushing, continue walking. With each restart she was continuing to teach me what true determination and inspiration looks like!
Near the end I had to keep the tears out of the chicken enchiladas! She just truly astounds me and makes me feel so honored to be on this journey of life with her! Some people never meet their heroes and I am so blessed that I get to kiss and love on mine everyday! Even when she tastes like a banana peel!
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This morning I had to make several phone calls. I was in the family room with the girls but I was a little preoccupied. I was completely oblivious to the fact that my two little monkeys had a plan up their little jammie sleeves!
Apparently Riley "asked" Keagan to get her a banana. Remember Riley is non verbal. Then Riley took the whole banana and hid behind the chair and proceeded to eat it! PEEL AND ALL!! When I got off the phone and discovered the madness, Riley laughed so hard when she was caught red handed! Or yellow handed really. It was so nasty but she was as happy as can be!
Then this afternoon Riley really showed me what she was made of! I was getting everything ready for dinner early and Riley was desperate to do some walking. I was brave and stood her up and let her go! She walked around the circle through our kitchen and family room probably 60 times! All she did for an hour was walk, walk, walk! She amazes me!! And Keagan was such a sweet cheerleader for her!
But that's not even the best part! She fell so many times. Sometimes she would fall back on her butt and sometimes she would fall forward on her knees. Each time it sounded like it hurt, especially when it was in the kitchen on the wood floor! I kept thinking she would want to stop and let me hold and cuddle her. But with each fall I was amazed at what would immediately follow. She would whine not out of hurt but for me to stand her back up as quickly as possible so she could continue trying, continue pushing, continue walking. With each restart she was continuing to teach me what true determination and inspiration looks like!
Near the end I had to keep the tears out of the chicken enchiladas! She just truly astounds me and makes me feel so honored to be on this journey of life with her! Some people never meet their heroes and I am so blessed that I get to kiss and love on mine everyday! Even when she tastes like a banana peel!
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Chopped!
It was haircut night for the two cutest girls I know! I sure wish their hairstylist (me) had a clue what she was doing! This was the easiest hair cut I've ever given Riley but Keags was a battle and I cut it way shorter then I planed to. But they both look darling! Minus a few zig zags that is.
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