This looks much like the pictures I posted a year ago. I feel the need to document storms such as this one because the kids find it awfully fun to stand taller than the mailbox. Even Miss Adeline became Queen of the Mountain this time. The unfamiliar faces are Savannah's friends from school that were able to join us on our second snow day in a row.
While Daddy has wasted at least 5 hours shoveling during the past two days, the kids have taken full advantage of the time outdoors. Miss Lila still spends 90% of the time eating the snow!
They may not finish each others' sentences but they compliment each other when singing a duet. It is a made up tune with some pretty funny/random lyrics that are not without God and Mary.
While driving home from the pool tonight, Savannah reminded me that she needed to give her $100.00 to the children in Africa. She has been saving up for a year. Savannah hasn't spent on dime on herself during that time. There have been many moments in the store when I encouraged her to use a couple dollars on herself when I am asked to buy her something. She refuses and happily walks away from whatever it was she wanted. Do I need to mention that I am pretty proud of her?
Next, she tells me, are kids in America. She has recognized the need in our own country and so starts the saving of the next $100.00. I love her compassion. My girl has decided that she is saving the world one child at a time!
Over the holidays, Alex and I began the daunting task of organizing the girls' medical records into binders. We started with Adeline first, hoping to get the worst part over. It was a shock to the system when we were done organizing the paperwork into piles of separate disciplines. She has seen geneticists, feeding specialists, cardiologists etc. The list goes on and on. I had forgotten that I took her to the top doc in our area for orthopedics. He is nationally recognized and is the "it" guy for Cerebral Palsy.
When reviewing his summary report I found this:
I feel this is a girl who has developmental delay and does have some very mild increased tone. It is not clear to me that this girl will have a substantial motor palsy, and with the progress she has made, I have told the mother that it is very difficult to predict and that the range may be from her not being able to develop independent walking ability, meaning she will have to use crutches or walker. However, I feel more likely she will develop excellent independent walking ability and may be close to normal.
The summary then goes on to state that he would need to see her at two years of age to have a reasonable prediction. Although he backed a very disturbing outcome with that of a more favorable one, you don't have to ask which one lurks in the back of a parent's mind.
My point in bringing this to light is recognize how far we ALL have come. I almost don't remember the pain of being on pins and needles EVERY day while I wondered if Adeline would walk. I must admit that the above appointment was a blow to my optimism because I was looking for a "she will walk!" I was very frustrated that after being in the field for 50 years, this doctor couldn't give me a definitive answer. Those were such dark days. Dark with worry.
While at the pool tonight, I thought of this report and my heart sang. My girls were jumping in the pool, going underwater and for the first time, Adeline was learning to glide - a precursor to swimming. Walk she does, run she does (albeit slow), and swim she will.
My girls rock!
I didn't get the glides on video but here is a clip of Alex trying to teach Adeline to jump up and out off of the bench. I still can't believe she goes underwater.
Winter has finally settled into the Northeast. We have had snow on the ground for a good week now. With it comes snow pants, boots, gloves, very large coats strapped in five point harnesses and hats. Not my preferred apparel but boy, the snow has been fun.
After the first real snow, we went sledding as a family. . . sans camera (I know, very unlike me). What a wonderful time it was. Miss I don't like to hang in the snow Adeline, fell in love with the white stuff and even came down on the sled solo. How many times do you think I type, "What a difference a year makes?" Lila, like last year, spends the entire time shoveling the snow into her mouth which creates a love hate relationship - mainly love. Lila can't keep her mouth off of it and end eventually, it just becomes too cold. When it comes to sledding, Lila is a daredevil. She tried a hill that Savannah has never gone down solo without much coaxing. Lila plopped her bundled bottom down on the sled and was off. She went way too fast for my liking and I was thinking that I wish she had a helmet on. After completeing the very bumpy and fast ride, I was sure I was going to hear crying. Instead, it was pure joy and laughter. DARE DEVIL!
This year, Lila isn't the one that lingers outside, it is astoundingly Adeline. She thought it was great fun to ride her scooter on the driveway while practicing to be a stunt double on some pretty impressive crashes into the snow. Need I say, very unlike the Belle?
Today, we woke up to ice, ice and more ice. School was canceled and the trees were bent over like 90 year old ladies. The snow was crisp and crunchy and icicles were abundant. It was the perfect recipe for the girls to spend some time outdoors. All three of them love to eat ice. Icicles are even better. They had fun discovering how ice forms an all different surfaces. They found the frozen layer on top of the snow curious and Savannah found some pretty neat designs on the ice that formed on the plants and playhouse. I have to say it was pretty impressive. So was shoveling the driveway. That took much longer than expected but had to be done if we are to get out in the morning. Once shoveled, it became the perfect place to ride all of our summer toys.
We had another great holiday season with Grammy and Papa.
The girls adore them, Savannah especially. It was really hard for the big girl to say goodbye because she knew there were so many things she was going to miss about them staying in the house. The tears from Savannah started flowing a week in advance because she is now old enough to know how hard the goodbye is going to be.
Surprisingly, Miss Lila had a breakdown the night before departure. I was surprised to see her authentically heartbroken upon realizing that Grammy and Papa were going to go back to their house. I expected her to be sad the day of but not to breakdown in a restaurant the night before.
As a mother, it is very painful to watch broken hearts play out before my eyes, knowing there is nothing I can do to make it better. So, we sucked it up, dropped them off at the airport, shed too many tears and opted for a Home Depot distraction on the way home. For a store we never frequent, my girls had a great time!! It was just what we needed.
A week later, we are back to normal, tears have subsided and we are enjoying being a family unit once again.
Let's see, there have been a few notable occasions. Alex and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary. Time flies once you have kids!! I can't believe it was ten years ago that we exchanged vows and laid the foundation of what would eventually turn into our family five.
In keeping with her tradition, Savannah threw us a surprise anniversary celebration. It was postponed until New Year's Day, a Saturday, which made things easier. She had the evening to prepare the house with Grammy and Papa because Alex and I were out welcoming the New Year with our dear friends, Melissa and Byron.
I think I thought it was ten years ago because back then I could handle this. . . .
much better than I can now. Holy headache and tiredness!!!
Back to our celebration. . . Luckily, the kids let us sleep but, eventually, we were awakened by a very excited seven year old. She had decorated the house with various crafts she had been making since summer!! I had no idea that she had been working on this. First, we were taken downstairs for gifts and confetti. Savannah kept to her handmade theme and drew us a beautiful picture of our wedding day. She framed it and presented it to both Alex and I. She read us cards that were ever so sweet and then showered us with tinsel. Next, we all were seated in the dinning room for a spread of french toast and fruit. Although, I was feeling it from the night before, my heart was warmed with love by my big girl. She is just so darn sweet!
Savannah and Grammy pulled off another anniversary to remember.
Here is a sign Savannah made this summer. It is amazingly sweet but she was a little embarrassed by all of the words she misspelled when she reread it six months later.
