Pictures Pictures

Grandpa and the kids

Picture of Grandma Alice

Oh yes and I forgot to mention this. Jesus went to pick up Dillon from school this was a couple weeks before Thanksgiving. I got a call from the office from Jesus saying he cut his lip right before school ended on some rainbow steps from a little boy who was picking them up and Dillon was running and ran right into him anyway they said he might have needed a couple stitches and we should take him to his Dr. Ok so Jesus took him to the Dr thinking a couple stitches and walla nope Dr had to end up sending us to a plastic surgeon because the cut was so big so i met Jesus there and ohhh my I didn't think it was that bad. Hid lip was cut from inside out totally split open so 9 stitches later and a couple more from the outside and we get this;0) plus side I found my self a plastic surgeon for me later on, ya know when things start going in the wrong direction !!!

So this will just be pictures since I am so behind so here is from Thanksgiving

we had a fun time with lots of family then mom decided to do the midnight madness and did not
stop shopping until 1 in the afternoon so yep that is more then 12 hours of shopping!!!!

Caitlin's First Day of Ballet!!!

Baby girl is a little shorter then the rest ;0)

Caitlin's potty chair

So again I have been meaning to update our blog but kept putting it off and putting it off.

We are all done getting evaluated from the school district and we will have our meeting next week but I have some what of the just of it. Caitlin is done with services as of December 13th, and she will not be going into the school district for special education. She is measuring age appropriate and above on some things I will exactly where she is at when we go into our meeting but the school psychologist said she was a miracle and how well she is doing with what a fun cute little girl she is which we already know of course!!! I am super proud of Caitlin she really has been such a blessing. She has proven so many Dr's and people wrong and I just am so so proud. It has been ups and downs getting to this point but she has always won every battle and will continue to do so. She is a fighter. I am actually excited once she is fully done with group because we get to have more quality time and we will be doing some fun things to keep her going. We plan on doing library 1 x a week for story time. We have passes to a science center and she is going to be doing ballet/tap 1 x a week. Today was actually her first day of ballet/tap dance and she loved it. She walked in like she knew what she was doing and caught on very quickly. She was so excited to do ballet. We have been talking about alot and signed her up on Friday. she has not stopped talking about it since. When she woke up from her nap today I told time to get ready for ballet and she jumped out of bed and couldn't wait. She looked so so cute. She was a bit tinier then everyone else but she did just as well!!!

Also another big deal is that Caitlin is potty trained about 85%!! We got her a vintage potty chair off Craig's list with a tray and she took to it and walla she still has accidents here and there but for the most part she does great. It just came from one day to the next and yep I do think the potty had the touch. I'll post a picture.

Everything else is good. Dillon is doing really well in school and every Friday folder he has its always good reports so yay for Dillon.

Oh and yes one last thing Caitlin and Dillon now have a bunk bed. Yep Caitlin has retired her cute little toddler bed. It was bitter sweet for me I felt a little sad moving it out of her room. I miss my little girl. I had moved into the living room to get it out of the room while Caitlin was at school and when she got home she said ahhhhhh man mommie!! Looooook my bed here it no go in here mom it go in my room. I had to tell her no because we are putting your big bed in and then she said ok. Caitlin sleeps on the bottom and Dillon is on the top. They look so cute in it. Caitlin looks like a little peanut in it but they love it. I will have to take some bunk bed pictures for next post.

Oh yes and by the way there ain't nothing Caitlin can't say anymore. My favorite saying is when she sees something either she likes or not so much likes she says "Ohhhhh myyyy GOSH, Mommy Loooook"and then will explain what it is that we are suppose to be looking at. Also she told me the other day when she didn't get her way "ughhhh that not fair and criss crossed her arms looking down" oh yes and my favorite one was while we were shopping for ballet clothes it Dillon and Caitlin were having the time of their lives not listening to me and being loud so I said knock it off you guys I have had it and Caitlin mimicked me and said I've Had it!!!" yep like I said ,nothing she can't say. Huh and Dr's said she wouldn't be able to speak but that's not what God says he showed them!!!

updates a long time coming

I have definitely slacked on here that's for sure!!! Just been keeping busy with Dillon an Caitlin. Dillon has started getting homework and we have been reading lots. Caitlin has been attached to my hip and is following me everywhere I go right now. She has her fazes. Sometimes she wants only daddy but right now its mommy faze. We went to the Dr on Thursday to get our flu shots and Caitlin weighs 23 lb 6oz so we are gaining and keeping steady.

We have started to do the whole school district process. Once Caitlin turns 3 she gets released from early intervention and then the school district has to take over. A few months back I was really sad to be leaving her global program knots in my throat and everything. I am going to miss her being where she is at right now. She loves it there. I think though I have had time to process it and I am still super sad but I think I am getting a little more better and coming to terms with it. So a couple weeks back we had our first appointment with the school so they can let us know what things were going to happen and all the evaluations she was going to get then once that is done we will see what she will qualify for. So far we have had our school nurse visit and our speech visit. Caitlin got tested on so many things. She didn't get completely scored yet we will find out where exactly she is at once we have our final meeting but the speech therapist did say some what of where she was at. For some of the expressive she was testing at about 24-29 months which is not to far off but for some of her receptive language she was able to get some of the stuff at a 4 1/2- 5 yr old level!! That's my smart girl. So over all she is doing good just a little work to be made and that's all. Also the school physcologist( the one who is basically in charge of the whole shabang) came and watched her on Friday at her global program I of coursed voiced some of my concerns about some of Caitlin's social skills. Now don't get me wrong when Caitlin wants to socialize she definitely can but a lot of times she will get real quite and sometimes will get nervous and her little palms will sweat. Well on Friday she showed none of that at all she was as happy as can be talking and being super silly. Kids always have a way of making you look like you have no idea what you are talking about and love to make you look stupid lol its happen to me a gazillion times but that's OK!! we have another meeting on Tuesday so they can asses her for development and then we are going to get assessed for occupational therapy and adaptive P.E once that is done we will know where we are at. She turns 3 December 14th so we have about a month in half left for everything. I am thinking we will most likely get speech services but not sure if we will get anything else. Caitlin is super smart and doing exceptionally well. I really don't have to many concerns for her. I think she is going to do great in school and whatever she sets out to do. She might need a little extra help here and there but overall doing great. As far as her socializing I think maybe she is just shy like her mommy. Caitlin has to really be comfortable with the person before she will shine her true colors which is super happy,energetic,hyper, silly, always jumping around and just so much fun. Now if she isn't comfortable with someone then she will shut down a little and won't really speak at all and gets really nervous. There are some people she is comfortable around right away and some people its takes awhile. I think its all in approach with her. She needs to be really talked to and to be handled gentle once she warms up to you then you can play rough with her but she has to be comfortable.

Now Dillon on the other hand doesn't need to time to warm up really he is easy going kid that can handle almost any situation. He can meet the person for the very first time and will find something to do with them. You can throw him with a new group of people and he is just fine
he just wants to do whatever they are doing. Dillon's new thing right now is asking everyone what their names are. We can be across the street from someone and he will say hey hey whats your name? He does it in the stores,parks, anywhere. I am trying to really teach him about strangers and not everyone is nice but he just loves everyone.

Nothing much else going on but just seem to be really busy with the kids lately, they have kept us super busy just wanting to play and read and do anything they can. We got a pass to a science center for the year and we have been doing fun stuff like that to.

I have been a little relaxed on picture taking lately so I am going to have to get busy doing that again so I can put some photos up soon.

P.S Post about potty training

Quick post to ask for any good tips on potty training!! I would love to really start potty training Caitlin. I got her favorite candy's (peanut m&m's) as a reward and we will put her on the potty but I need help. I of course know the basics and what to do but anyone at all have good advice on what they did or are doing?? Would love some feedback!!!!!!

Dillon's First Day At School and more.....

Crazy girl!!!!!

Just before walking out the door for first day!!!!

Quick pictures before we leave for school!!!
Dillon right before going into class
Caitlin giving big brother hugs after he is done with school
All done with our first day of school!!!!!!

Dillon's first day of kindergarten was on Wed September 3!!!
He did great. Of course he did. He does great with anything. He does not have trouble with changes at all. You can put him in any situation pretty much and he adapts really well. He likes his school and his new teacher. I don't think he is quite getting the whole school thing though like that this is a forever thing now and he has to go. The other day he said can't he just stay home with me today and I said nope you in with the big boys now its mandatory stuff now. He'll get the hang of it soon. then today when I told him its a school night and tomorrow its school again he got excited. However he rather buy lunch then take it , I didn't think this faze started yet but I guess it does so we have made lunches much more exciting for him now and told him that he could buy lunches every Friday. See we met in the middle !!! Can't wait to see how much he is going to learn this year and what a difference one year will make.

Onto Caitlin now. We went for our check up with the endocrinologist on Thursday. Went good, Caitlin weighs 22lb12oz and was 34 inches long. But..... because now she gained the couple inches in a short time now we have to test her to make sure she is not growing to fast. Its hard its to slow one minute then to fast the next. I don't get it but its OK rolling with the punches. I understand the reasoning behind it. And its only precautionary because if a child grows to rapid as well then it can be early signs of prematurity which can make other things come along faster such as even bone growth and can make the bone pallets close to early and actually stop more growth later on. Its all complicated sometimes but I get it. We do have to have some more labs drawn on her which I really hate doing but I have to say she is such a champ she really is.

Not development wise she is doing well. Like I say probably in all my post her talking is getting better and better by the day. She talks alot and ask alot of questions such as what's that, what's that noise and ect....... She ask if certain people are coming and its funny because just watching her say that it looks like she puts so much thought and concentration in that sentence. She will look at me and if dad isn't with us she will concentrate and ask me "Mommie, Daddy coming too?" then normally I will say no daddy is at work then she goes ohhhhh daddy at work?? and the end of her sentences is always higher pitched. Another thing and her it comes is I think terrible two's have hit us and they have hit us hard. She likes to tell me no, likes to run for me and thinks it is hilarious, will tantrum with the best of them. Likes to do everything opposite of what I tell her and get brother in trouble at times. Will not stop asking for what she wants until she gets it as well. she is determined and girlfriend knows what she wants!!Oh and yes can't forget to mention that she thinks she is a break dancer. Everywhere we are all of a sudden she will just get on the floor start dancing and then go on her hands and start throwing her feet up in the air waving em around like she don't care ohhhh ohhhhhhh.

3 more months till December then Caitlin will be 3. She will start getting evaluated through the school district soon to see what her needs will be. I have already spoken to one of the directors and asked for certain things to be looked at and evaluated so that she will get the things that she needs help with so we will see.

Well that's about it for now still same old stuff for the most part just getting older and bigger. Oh one accomplishment we made over the weekend was Caitlin was able to eat apples!!! she had three slices yesterday without spitting them out. She ate the whole slices!!3 slices!!! This is a major deal for us because as much as she loves those darn things she couldn't quite figure out had to swallow those little puppies. So another milestone marked off!!!

Fun in the sun

Caitlin Caitlin Caitlin. she has been talking so much lately. I love listening to her little voice. She has a few different ones. She of course has her normal cute little voice, then she has her oh so tiny cute voice whenever she sees something cute or she talks to her baby doll or just a baby. she says really tiny and pitchy, Hiiiiii Babyyyyy!! or Ohhhh how cuteeeee!!!! Then she has her monster voice and says raghhhhh I going to get youuuuu!!!!!! Then her Other voice of anger which normally says STOP Diddon!!!!! Leave Me Adoone Diddon!!!!!

I have to say i had a my favorite moment yesterday. Me and Dillon went to go pick up Caitlin from group and her speech therapy and she saw Dillon and said "Hi Diddon!!!"I missed you Diddon in the cutest voice then she grabbed his hand and said I wubv you Diddon!! Ahh talking about heart melting that has to be my favorite moment and its so cute because Dillon will say the same stuff to her sometimes when we pick her up and I love love it!!!!

We have been trying to do some potty training and its coming along so so. She has gone poopoo a few times in the potty and peepee and gets super excited but she is not crazy about the whole idea of ditching the diapers and going full force with it. The good news is that I have time. At first we thought that once she gets dismissed from early intervention we would put her in preschool so at 3 they have to be full on potty trained but I think we are going to ditch preschool for now and I am going to try to work on a lot of stuff with her and have some bonding time with my little lady. Since October she has had therapy 3 x a week for the first month and then after that she has had it 4 x a week so I kinda miss her then. I love the program she is in right now. She gets so much help and she has achieved so much since she has started these services. A total 360 actually. I am already starting to get choked up about her leaving in December when she does turn 3. She gets so much special attention there and it is just so much fun for her. I love all of her therapist there and Caitlin has an absolute favorite that she has grown extremely attached to ( Therese!!!) so once it is time for her to go I am going to be balling like a baby I get very emotional and attached. I think sometimes it is much harder for the parents who get attached to their therapist because these are the people who have helped get your children to where they are at and you appreciate them so so much that you just end up loving them so much but then you wonder what its like on other side because they see so many children. She has come a long way since then. Especially her eating has been a lot better. She still pockets and will have trouble chewing but she can definitely eat a lot more variety of things.

I was actually thinking back from day 1 of Caitlin's life and we have had so many Dr's that I never even knew existed. so here is the line up

NICU Dr's so we had about 7 different ones at different times of course along with nurses

PDA ligation Surgery Dr

Then her Ophthalmologist Dr who did her ROP Surgery

Also we get seen every 6 mos from another Ophthalmologist for her eyes to keep track of them

So then we of course have her Pediatrician

then remember the good ol kidney stones we had so we had a nephrologist and a urologist Dr

we went through 2 of the nephrologist Dr's because the first one we had I didn't care for to much.

We have a Gastroenterologist Dr

then we saw one ENT Dr again not crazy about him so we went with another and loved him

we also have a Endocrinologist Dr Who we love as well. Have to say this Dr is awesome and very on top of things!!

then we have our genetics Dr and I think that is all.

So lets count them

So that is 12 Dr's not including the different Nicu Drs so adding the 6 more of them that is 18 Dr's Caitlin has seen in her lifetime!!! Crazy!!! that is in less then 2.5 year lifetime.

I have to say though that I feel 100% blessed with our baby girl She has been so strong and such a fighter. She is so happy all the time full of this most beautiful laughter and so funny. She has the cutest personality and is filled with so much life. We have been extremely blessed by how well she has turned out. We do know a lot of preemies that do not have it as easy and who do have a lot of disabilities. There are times that I will get a little down because of her eating or minor things that come up with Dr's or what not but I always end up remembering well you know she isn't able to do this just yet but she will and she can do all this other stuff so well. I have to remember to keep my faith and know that everything is going to be ok.

When I first ruptured with Madilyn I was told by a few Dr's that I should terminate my pregnancy and that my girls were not going to survive and that I had a big risk of even an awful infection that could lead to possible death for even myself. Also that if my girls were to survive that possibly they would not be able to walk, talk, and see. So many things were against us and we defeated each and every single odd. I am so glad I did not listen to the Dr's because then we would not have Caitlin here today. I am very sad that I lost my daughter and I miss her so much. But I feel so happy Caitlin is here and that she is walking and talking and she can see and sing and dance and even tease brother!!! I often wonder how the girls would be together and how things would be but I really try not to dwell( which can be hard of course) on it and appreciate what I have right now I have 2 kids who need their mommy and not just half but all of their mommy. I am so thankful to God every single day I get with my children and realize how extremely blessed we are to have our family. Dillon as well he is such a beautiful little boy also filled with so much energy and the hugest heart. He is funny and kind and very animated.

He also cracks me up every single day. the things he can come up with make me laugh so hard. Kids are so innocent and can say the funniest things and have the biggest imaginations, its neat just to listen to what they have to say and how they view the world.

Ok so just some fun pictures of the kids. It has so far been a nice summer and all though we have had some hot days we have had some really nice beautiful weather where its not to hot and with a bit of a breeze. Its been in the mid and higher 70's which is perfect to me. I am sure we will be getting some hot ones coming soon!!!!

Gastro Appointment

These photo's crack me up because Caitlin actually has a full belly

You hardly ever see her with a big belly. But we have been having this

more and more lately now that she has been eating a little better

it is a very full belly!!!!!!!!

We had our Gastro appointment last week to check in on Caitlin. We had made it the month before because we had started to have concern for Caitlin's weight. Last month she had only weighed 21 lbs 6 oz. It was a concern because since November she had barely gained around 1 lb. Well all of a sudden she just started putting on this weight. We had got her to gain almost 2 lbs by the time we had her appointment. So here is her weight and height

23lbs 5 oz and 33 1/2 inches long!!! Yeah no G-tube. That was actually a possibility and we were nervous but the Dr was so happy with her weight and just her overall being. She saw Caitlin jumping around, talking, laughing and said that she just doesn't look at numbers she looks at the whole entire picture. Caitlin is catching up and she said she is just petite and coming from just being 1 lb 4 oz she is doing really well. We are still on Periactin which is such a big helper. It really does help with her hunger.
I am so glad we didn't have to G-tube because yep that idea was brought to our attention again which was super frustrating.

OK so other then that we are just waiting on our results from the genetics Dr which has actually got me a bit frustrated because I found out that he is only in 1 office 1 day out of the month and then in another office 1 more day out of the month then doing procedures and emergency room the rest of the time so it definitely makes it hard to get our results a lot sooner. I think her testing will show everything normal but if something were to come up i am not sure if we will continue on with this Dr or switch to someone else who has more time in their office. We will see.

On other news everything is still pretty much the same with both Dillon and Caitlin. We have been going to the beach a lot more since it has been pretty warm out. The kids love it. Caitlin has been covered in the sand and Dillon has been in the water the whole time playing in the waves and catching sand crabs with daddy.

Dillon is going to start kindergarten in less then 2 months and will be doing 2 different vacation bible schools during the summer. They are each for 1 week and it is like a little summer camp sort of thing. It will be nice for him to do that because I think he has been getting a little bored here at home since being out of preschool.

Caitlin has around 6 more months before we are released from her global program and her other therapy sessions. I am sure i have mentioned it but she goes to her group(global)program 3 days a week which is 2 1/2 hours long then gets an additional hour of speech therapy and another hour of occupational therapy of course broken up a bit so that's about 9 1/2 hours of therapy a week for her. I love where she goes. All of the therapist are so awesome there. Its very clean and open there and i am going to miss it so much!!!!!I am already starting to feel sad knowing it will all come to a close soon. at 3 years old kids get let go of early intervention and then from there if they need any more services then that's when you have to go through your school district so I think come October we will start having her assessed to see what she needs to be ready to transition in December. Me personally I am not really sure what she is going to qualify for. she has seemed to really caught up to being age appropriate. If she needs anything i would think maybe a little speech but that's it.

We have already found her preschool that we will be putting her in come January. It will be at Dillon's school which is nice having them both there. They will of course have opposite schedules but the reason I like this preschool program so much is because searching around at quite a few I noticed that there was a lot of free play. Well I really don't need to pay for free play when she could do that here. The school seems very structured and Caitlin needs that. Also they said that they would be able to help her going to the bathroom, all the other schools said they would not be able to. She needs to be potty trained by 3 years old in order to go to preschool. so that will be something else we are going to need to work on. She has gone poo poo 2 times so far in the toilet but that's it. We will sit her on the toilet a lot but I just don't think she is ready yet and I don't want to rush her. We will do it when she is ready not for anybody else. I am setting a goal by October and hopefully she will be ready because I think it will be a little easier for her to concept the whole idea and it gives us 3 months to try to get her potty trained. But again if she is not ready then we will have to put preschool on hold until she is, but I think she will be able to.

That's about it. Nothing else has really changed much for us at this time so till next time.

Here are some pictures of us at the beach. We should have some good 4th of July pictures soon.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!