Berry Slim Pickings!

Finally, a post way over due!  

I have wanted to post photos of the girls for weeks now and and well, let's say things have been a wee bit busy.  

But first a quick update on Shelby.  Thankfully she continues to recover uneventfully from  surgery and finally started walking, no wait, I mean running... about a month ago and it's all good, especially since Kira now has someone to chase around the house besides me.   Also she navigates the stairs like a pro, puts her own shoes on and seems to also have an affinity for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons! 

Kira is finishing up pre-school today and I can't believe that I had to already register her for kindergarten, sniff sniff!  Yikes, where did the time go???  I am so proud of her.  Despite all the changes this year, Kira has been such a trooper; working so hard in school and completely enjoying her 4 hour intense gymnastics classes.  She too is a huge fan of the Jersey Boys (and if I have to listen to that CD one more time, it may accidently go flying out the window of our car) lol.  

Well both girls are huge fresh fruit lovers and as a treat we decided to go "berry picking" here in the Garden State.  It was interesting to say the least (the big cherries and strawberries were nicely packed in the farms local store) I basically needed a magnifying glass to find the strawberries and beans, but the cherries were fun for all of us.  

I totally enjoyed watching the girls and tried to capture their enthusiasm for "farm" life.  

My  Berry Sweet Girls!

(yes these eyes sparkle naturally) 

A berry fav of mine

Now where are those strawberries again?

Needless to say the best part of this outing was desert before dinner!

 Shelby makes some crazy faces upon tasting something new or in this case cold.  

Big sister Kira laughing hysterically at Shelby's ice creamed face.

Thanks for stopping by friends.  Here's to a Happy Summer 2012.

To crawl or walk...what will she do?

The weather has been beautiful this week, so once again I dusted off my camera and went out to take some much needed photos of Shelby.  BTW pardon the funky hair piece I can't say I like it but that face, oh I can't resist:))  So I carried Shelby to the park and we found some shade and great light.  I immediately started taking photos, but unlike Kira who so dislikes the camera this tot is always saying "cheese", it's pretty funny, only thing is I want some pout every now or then, then I say am I crazy?  Who wants their child pouting, but it's all for the sake of a good photo, only!

Shelby quickly discovered she loved being outside and much to my surprise stood up!!!  Yes I couldn't believe it, she stood and held onto the tree.  So the looks she's giving seem to say "you want me to do what? Why? I love being carried everywhere!"

 Then I put her on the grass to see if she would crawl and yep indeed, the babe crawled.  Momma was very happy indeed.  Only 3 weeks home after being in traction and that mermaid wrap for 7 weeks, Shelby was finally crawling.  Prior to this she was extremely timid about crawling and only wanted to sit or lie on her tummy.  She also lost about 5 pounds so she's so tiny again and needs to get some strength back in those skinny legs.  So I was doing my own PT with her in a fun way and I think she actually realized she could negotiate corners better if she crawled.

We couldn't be happier for this small milestone in her recovery!  I'm thrilled and she knows it.  Well gotta run now.  More posts to come.

One Tough Cookie

Today,  marks 2 weeks since our sweet babe underwent a grueling 10 hour procedure at Johns Hopkins Medical Center to replace her bladder inside her pelvis, re-connect her widened pelvic structures and re-construct her tiny female parts.  The Operating Room nurses were incredible, calling us every hour with updates, even Dr. Gearhart called from the operating room. I was very impressed how we were treated, but most importantly how Shelby was and continues to be taken care of;  physically and emotionally.

I was going to blog about the last two weeks, but they have been exhausting and I have even discovered that the photos I took on the first post operative day, now bother me more.  Guess the reality of her long recovery and all that this tiny child has gone through has set in.  But it's all so good.  She is being cared for by all the experts in Bladder Exstrophy, which includes the specialized ICU with exemplery staff that anticipate both needs of the children and families.
One afternoon, the resident told me that  Dr. Gearhart  wanted to meet with all the families and hae an informal round table discussion of what the surgery entailed, what to expect, etc and well, let's say he made us all feel like a part of "the team".   I am so grateful for the expertise and recognition of this gentle surgeon.  Please click on the above link and see the video of his description of the surgery.  Dr. G. as he likes to be called, has given over thousands of children with this defect a chance for a normal and happy life.  We love him!

Around 530pm our tiny Shelby rolled out of the O.R. on an adult bed, with every tube imaginable coming from surgical wounds, intravenous lines and even an epidural for pain.  She also had some interesting hardware and pins now holding her pelvis together with her little legs now straight for the first time...attached to 10 pound weights.  It was so very hard seeing her so still and swollen from the fluids and transfusions, but she made it through and we couldn't have been more elated.  My heart leaped for joy and tears of gratitude poured down my face when Dr. Gearhart came out to tell us everything went as planned.

I have to admit I still tear up when he told me "you won't recognize her, she's a little girl again"!  and he was evidently correct.  Her legs were straight and when the nurses showed me her incision sites I just cried, she is a normal little girl, who just needed to have some "major plumbing done", in laymans terms.

Now Shelby is on the long road to recovery.  Every day I pray there are no complications or issues that arise that can set her back or cause further insults to her little healing body.  I try not to think about the pain and all the what if questions my mind keeps wondering too.  I think I am more than a nervous Momma, I know too much for my own good.  However, the warm greetings from other families, the physicians, nurses and other staff members seem to be so re-assuring I can almost stop clenching my teeth:))

Look who's turning Five!

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Author: Walt Disney

To my Dear Kira,

I still remember clearly, the day I first set eyes on you.  A crying tiny, babe, bundled up in yellow and blue.  Your cries were soft as you looked at me; frightened and confused just like any baby.

But you weren’t just any other baby, you were my daughter, the child I had dreamed about, longed every night for. 

I held you close to comfort you, but your sobs lingered a day or two.  I knew the love that was here awaiting you, but it would take time for you to trust and know me, just like I too.  We were a pair, the two of us, a mother and daughter who found one another at last. 

Words can’t explain just how much I adore and love you, I can only show you my heart is in my hand, always there to reach out to you.

Now four years later, my love for you is stronger and we understand each other as mother and daughter.  I love your hugs and kisses and combing your soft brown hair.  I love when you snuggle up and ask to be held so tightly, even if you do this every single nightly!

Oh dear Kira, you’ve become quite the young lady, so sweet, kind and gentle, your personality entertains me daily.

Now that you’re going to be five, I look back at the past few years and just sigh. 

They have gone so quickly while I was trying to discover this role of Motherhood; but it’s okay, I got it down now for there's now two in our brood!

My little yummy (aka for Kira),  I just want to say,  I wish you a very healthy and happy Birthday.

Love forever,

Your Mommy

The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.

Albert Einstein