Birthday day!

I am wasting time. I have just a few rooms left to pack ( ok just 2 rooms) and I thought I would tell you about my birthday.

Last week, Jenny and Maloree and I went to lunch at Oregano's. I took Tyler with me and he was Naughty. But it was a fun lunch with those 2. I will miss hanging out with them ( the few times we actually get to do it.)

This week has been full of this and that and packing. Since it WAS my birthday yesterday we decided to go out for lunch after Ty's appointment.

Ty had his last follow up appointment with the orthotist. He did much better than the last appointment. And it seems that he is finally getting use to his braces. They have given us a lot of good ideas on how to work on getting his feet working better and to see if we can correct some of the orthopedic problems that are being caused by his cerebral palsy.

Brett and Dallas discussed some plans for their new website and then we headed home. Our respite came and had Tyler entertained for the day. Dallas and I headed off to Red Lobster. Endless shrimp started on the 25th so I was IN LUCK!

Shrimp scampi and yummy company is my favorite. It was a great lunch and we laughed. I needed to laugh with him. He is seriously my best friend ever.

We rushed home because I had a person from craigslist coming to paint the laundry room. Yeah they flaked. So I saved us 40 bucks and painted the rest of it myself. Now I have to clean up after myself now that the paint is dry.

Dallas and Tyler made me brownies yesterday and now we are back to packing and moving. Looks like we have 2 main rooms left and 2 days to do it. Guess we know what we SHOULD be doing instead of blogging.

Soo... here is to laundry, living rooms and kitchens being put into boxes.... SOON

2008

I have been trying to decide on resolutions for the new year. I have some things in mind and I really want to accomplish these goals. But first I wanted to list some things that have gone on in 2008.

• We were waiting in January 2008 for Ty's walker. By July we didn't need it as much as we did at the beginning. By September we were walker free!!
  
• Tyler had his first EEG and passed. It gave us some answers to our questions about his sleeping and since then we have had a much better time.
  
• I had surgery and have felt much better since. Continuing on a wild roller coaster ride of hormonal messes that continues to make me feel better.
  
• We were able to take a vacation where Dallas and I were able to spend a few days alone in Las Vegas and we had a wonderful time.
  
• Dallas got Tickets to see Phantom of the Opera in Las Vegas. It was so amazing. I loved it. I was in awe! GO SEE IT!
• Ty started swimming lessons and LOVED it. He is going to be doing them again.
• We "graduated" from the Foundation for Blind children and from the early intervention program and started preschool.
• Ty had his first shunt malfunction and we survived it without family! I was so sick wondering what I would do with a mom ( BOTH moms) to help. We did it and we missed you both.
  
• I became interested .. VERY interested in photography and have started a blog with my photos on it.
  
• Dallas has created and ran several programs on the IPhone. He has even made money from them
  
• Ty had dental surgery and recovered well.

So it was a long list but a good one. Over all we had a great year. We have paid off some debt and have not gotten FURTHER in debt. We have a happy healthy 3 year old. D and I are happy and healthy. We are both employed and are enjoying providing for our family .

So for the new year there are a few things that I personally want to work on and some things I want to work on with Tyler and as a family.

1. Get healthy. Somehow I have managed to gain and OBSCENE amount of weight since giving birth to Tyler. I can't blame it on him really but stress, depression and the works has kept me from getting it off. BUT in order to eliminate a risk factor I need to get healthy. I plan to A) eat less, b) eat better c) move more. Dallas has gotten me a bike and Wii fit so I have no excuse other than being lazy. I also personally want to work on learning photoshop to enhance my photos.
   
2. Be more attentive to my hubby. He works so hard for both me and Tyler. I need to be a better wife. My plan: spend as much time as I can with him. Go out on dates and plan more family activities.
   
3. Plan more activities with Tyler. I get to be a mom along with all the other stuff so sometimes a movie is what he gets. I want to be a better mom to him. My plan: Limit my Internet activity and plan things to do with him. I want to take him swimming more and going to the park while it is good weather.
   
4. Family is the most important thing to me. I plan to get my family to church EVERY week that I don't work. I have gotten more time off work to do this and to spend time with them. I plan to renew my recommend and take the time to get to the Temple.
   
5. Work with Tyler to potty train and to wear his glasses and when we get his braces to get them on him EVERYDAY!
6. Make dinner. Eat better and eat more often as a family. We need this. Ty needs this. I will be a better mom and wife
7. Be more organized at home. Be a better house keeper and if I can't do a better job HIRE ONE!! So that we can have that calmness that comes with a happy clean home!
   
8. Be an advocate to Tyler and for others with special needs and to help other learn about prematurity.
   
9. Call my mom more. A few people in my life have had hard relationships or no relationships and I want to strenghthen mine.
   
10. Be a family. Ultimately I want to reach my goal of getting Healthy enough to be able to finish our family. I want those risk factors gone so that we can be together as a family and be healthy and to finish what we started.
    

I LOVE feeling new and fresh. I plan to put an effort into each of these goals. It will make 2009 even better than 2008.

Happy new year!

The appointment

We finally made it to the orthotist today. We had to reschedule because of our sad run in with Mister Crabby and Sick pants. They gave us a good hour because Ty is their "Houdini". He is the ONLY patient of our wonderful orthotist, Brett, to be able to pull out.

We got their and we looked at all the options for Ty's feet. He has grown SOOOO much. He is now almost grown out of his 2nd pair of braces in less than a year. Brett thinks he has grown in the last few months. Because of his growing he is noticing where his spasticity is. He is NOT a tight child but the spastic part of his leg is making it so that it is misfiring and making it so that he is pushing his arches down. He is having a hard time getting his walking down. He doesn't use his tippy toes like he use to. That is REALLY good. So now we are facing a much larger challenge.

We took off the top part of his braces and he is only going to use the bottom shoe part. He needs a graphite brace ( the picture is what they look like, and they don't usually have little little kids like Ty wear them) but no insurance covers it and it is a few thousand dollars. So we have to go see another kind of Doctor. This doc is book out till Feb. of 2009!! He needs the braces before then and this doctor is the only one that does Botox. So we are looking at doing all we can to get him in sooner.

We go back to Shriners in November and see what they orthopedic doctors say about his growing muscles and his legs as they get bigger. Unfortunately we are on a path that we thought we would "outgrow." They are still projecting walking independently and without his walker around 4.

I am so proud of Tyler. This can't be an easy thing for him. It also makes me more aware of the things that are said by others. Especially ones that are innocently said. It is a hard path that we were shoved down and we are entering a new territory that I have never been on and I am at a loss as to where to go from here. I am more aware of the limitations that we will be facing. It is a very new and real thing for us. For me. Something I will have to learn to do.

My education had paved me a way to help Tyler. But it seemed to have ended around three. I don't know how to help my baby. I have no way to shelter him any longer. He has to face the world.

So, ( I made it all night without crying and being sad) we are on the journey that we don't know where it will take us. I can't bubble wrap the world. But I am trying to share our knowledge with others.

Please be kind. Think before you say things, stare or make jokes. Ask questions if you don't understand. Ask what the parents need in your ward, church or work place. Most of the time they need a friend. They need someone to share their sad times with. And most important, to share the good times with.