The Anardi Family

A Time for Personal Reflection

2012-01-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

It has been interesting for me to read posts from around a year ago and realize that I've really seen a tremendous amount of personal growth in the last year. So cliche, I know, but true. I feel like my attitude and my outlook on life have improved.

It's amazing what a life changing injury will do for you. I no longer worry about anything and I rarely if ever get stressed out. There is nothing that scares me. Life is so precious, and I'm so grateful to be here to experience it all. I feel like I'm living so carefree now - just enjoying what I have, and so thankful for it all. It might not make sense to most, but if I had to pick the period in my life where I was the happiest, I'd choose this time right now. I am happier and more full of joy than I've ever been and feel so satisfied with life.

While I remained positive through the early stages of my injury, I certainly had times where I would be completely frustrated and angry. But I no longer have those feelings. It has become so easy to control my thoughts which I believe influence everything else in your life. My mind is now 100% focused on the good in my life, the blessings, the happiness, the people. Of course I'll have a negative thought try to enter every once in awhile, but I push it aside and don't waste any time thinking about what could be if I were walking.

The joy of the Lord has certainly become my strength and I know that this situation would be so much harder without my faith and trust in God. But it's really amazing to me just how easy my life is, how easy it is to find happiness and peace in the midst of the storm, to enjoy the journey and not be anxious to arrive at the destination. I am not waiting to be happy when such and such happens -I've learned to be happy in the moment and not worry about the future. There is an overwhelming sense of peace on my life and my hope is that all of you can feel that same peace and joy in your lives.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

Polar Express Train

2011-12-24T20:42:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, you can see the wrinkles on my forehead in pics now - I guess I need to do something about that!

We took a ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express, where we picked up Santa for the ride home. Anthony had a great time and loved riding on a train. It was a *really* long ride though. An hour and a half that could easily have been cut in half and been a little more enjoyable for the parents! Ha! Definitely not something we can force ourselves to do every year - J says maybe once per child! Santa gave Anthony a bell from his sleigh and we had cookies and cocoa on the train while they read the book to us.

Sugar Cookies

2011-12-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

A's masterpieces

Garden D'Lights at Bellevue Botanical Garden

2011-12-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Advent Activities

2011-12-22T20:14:00.000-08:00

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2011-12-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

In case you were wondering, the top 1' or so of our tree is zip tied on. You read that right. Apparently Jared snapped the top off when he pulled it off the car. He only mentioned it when I asked why there was a zip tie on the tree - thought he would sneak that one by me. My husband is so funny!

First Night in the Big Boy Bed

2011-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

Jared built a beautiful bed for Anthony - I need to get some pics of the bed on here soon! Anthony is so proud of his new bed and everyone who comes over has to go see it.

Macy's Day After Thanksgiving Parade

2011-12-20T19:59:00.000-08:00

Uncle Steve manages the traffic/street shut down for the Macy's parade and was able to score us a great spot to watch the parade. We had our own little VIP lounge in the middle of an intersection. The boys had a really great time - it was a fun way to kick off the Christmas season!

Pregnant and paralyzed

2011-12-15T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today I am 28 weeks pregnant. The time has gone by so quickly and so far everything has gone smoothly. I am to the point now where I'm starting to feel huge and can't imagine getting any bigger. My face is even starting to show the weight gain - Ah! I noticed a few days ago that Jared was pulling me up the stairs more slowly than usual; apparently he notices the weight gain too. ;) When I transfer myself now I can definitely tell a difference - I don't know how much weight I've gained, but I'm glad I'm not this heavy all the time.

I get tired pretty easily and by the end of the day I am so exhausted, but that's no different from any other pregnant lady! Pulling my wheelchair in/out of the car really wears me out, so I'm trying to limit trips as much as possible. So hard to do though during this busy holiday season.

We are still planning on a scheduled c-section the last week of February, about a week before she is due. Jared is really pushing for a leap year baby but I am totally against it! We have had a few concerns as my cervix has been thinning a bit, so I've been trying to take it easy and avoid bed rest. Quite ironic really given that half of my body is basically on bed rest all the time! I would guess that I internally feel only about 20% of the baby's movements. From the outside I can feel and see that she is almost constantly moving.

Only 11 weeks to go until we get to meet our precious baby girl. We still haven't chosen a name and the nursery isn't ready yet...we seem to be so unprepared this time, but also so not concerned about it. I think our perspective on life has changed so much in the past three years. Things that used to seem so important and that we'd obsess over were really not important at all. We've learned to expect the unexpected and be comfortable living in the unknown. It will all work out in the end, so there is no need for me to worry about it in the mean time. We are looking forward to meeting our sweet little girl soon, whatever her name may be!

Our 2.5 year old Boy

2011-12-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

As I work on my 2010 photobook (I know, so behind!) I've been thankful that I wrote things down, because a year later there is so much I don't remember. I haven't done much writing this year but hope to get back to that in the near future....

Two and half has been my favorite age so far. Anthony is old enough to start understanding more and he listens so well for his age. He still wants to be just like his dad and will copy everything Jared does. He wants to be a big helper and tries so hard to be independent with everything he does. When we go out together, whether it's play dates or errands or church, he is very obedient and easy to manage. I love being able to spend so much time with him - he is mom's little buddy, and gets a little nervous when I'm not around.

Anthony's personality is fun. He loves to be the center of attention and in a room full of people you'll usually find him showing off and entertaining. He is a happy kid, but also very stubborn (just like Dad!). We are still learning how to best interact with him to allow him to develop into the person he is supposed to be. He is loud most of the time - whether playing or talking. If it's quiet in the house I get nervous, usually for good reason.

At 33 months he is athletic and coordinated. He runs everywhere and rarely slows down to relax. He climbs, jumps, and isn't afraid to try things he hasn't done before. His first soccer class was a success and we are looking forward to many more sporting events in the future. We received several comments from strangers (so totally unbiased, not like us!) about his athleticism at soccer, so we think we've got a superstar on our hands.

His eating habits leave something to be desired. Dinner veggies are a struggle every night. He loves all things dairy and sweet. He loves to sing songs and to be tickled. He loves hot wheels and blocks and jumping.

Anthony has just entered a whining stage which I'm hoping passes quickly. He is so excited about all things Christmas this year and we are looking forward to this season with him. For the most part he is potty trained - a few accidents every now and then, and he still wears a diaper at night. The potty training process was pretty easy as he took to the candy bribes well.

I've tried working with Anthony on his letters but he just really isn't interested at this point. He knows his ABCs (the song, not by sight) and can count to twenty. He just recently started sitting still for a nightly story, and that's the most he sits still all day. He knows most of his shapes and colors.

He is very independent and has an opinion on everything. Communicating with him is fun because he understands everything we say and can answer back in complete sentences. His vocabulary is excellent at this age, and his Sunday School teachers often comment on how articulate he is. What this really means is he talks non-stop all day long. It is never quiet in this house! He is very polite, and says please, thank you, and excuse me without being prompted.

Anthony talks daily about "little sister" and loves babies. We can't wait to see him as a big brother because we just know he'll be great.

Sneak Pic of Christmas Pics

2011-12-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn of course had the perfect smile in every picture...

the other kids were a little more challenging to photograph!

Tis the Season

2011-12-12T18:35:00.000-08:00

To play the harmonica....

Working on the Big Boy Bed with Dad

2011-12-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

Snowflake Lane

2011-12-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun at Snowflake Lane this year - it is such a treat to watch the kids enjoy something so much! Luke turned out to be a great dancer and was SO fun to watch - he loved dancing along with the animals and drummers and had all of us laughing so hard. Anthony loved meeting Rudolph - his whole face lit up. Kaitlyn liked dancing too, and Caleb was more into observing. And Brooke had a sucker, so she was happy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-12-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

I am so fortunate that I get to spend thanksgiving day with both my side of the family and my in-laws at the same time. So blessed that they all enjoy each others company - lucky me!

Play Time

2011-12-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

Story Time

2011-12-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

Anthony loves to read Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, and would read it every night if we obliged. It's a really great book, but it's quite boring reading the same one night after night...he also regularly asks for the Wheedle on the Needle, which I usually hide because the story rambles on and on.

Winter

2011-12-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Tower

2011-12-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

These blocks have a been a favorite toy lately as Anthony's imagination is starting to develop. He likes to build towers, airplanes, and robots.

Snowman Soup

2011-12-04T17:54:00.001-08:00

2011 advent activities

2011-12-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

1 -Snowflake lane
2 - Open polar express book & DVD
3 - Christmas stickers
4 - Christmas pictures with cousins
5 - Milk & cookies with Santa
6 - Decorate mini Christmas tree
7 - Lunch with grandpa bill
8 - decorate christmas ornaments and open pjs
9 - Ice cream jammie ride
10 - decorate Christmas tree
11 - Polar express train
12 - Garden d light
13 - Christmas movie and cocoa at nonnas house
14 - Hang candy canes on tree
15 - Gingerbread house
16 - Make sugar cookies
17 - Anardi Christmas party
18- go see great nana and cocoa for breakfast
19 - Bake Christmas treats
20 - play date with Cindy and lunch at McDonald's
21 - Snowman activity day and Paper snowflakes
22 - Breakfast for dinner & sleepover with cousins
23 - Fun day with Kendra & Steve
24 - Christmas presents at grandparents

Buy/donate toys for kids
Go see a movie
Cocoa/cinnamon rolls for breakfast
Pillow pile

Fort

2011-11-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

Trick or Treat

2011-11-07T20:51:00.000-08:00

Though this may look like a wrestling move, it's actually a hug.

Our sweet fire fighter. Anthony really liked trick or treating this year, and the candy he piled up has been a great help in potty training!

All things fall

2011-11-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

Muscles

2011-11-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Mesmerized

2011-11-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

By Uncle Ryan's new tv....Anthony wasn't looking at the camera for any of these pics. But at least the other kids look cute!

It's a girl!

2011-11-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

I am 22 weeks pregnant now and we found out that we are having a girl! We are really excited and wonder how different a girl will be from the wild boy that we have. I have suggested over a hundred names and Jared has said no to each one. Not sure if we are ever going to agree on a name....good thing we have a few weeks left. I seem to have a lot more energy these days and am definitely nesting like crazy. We have a lot of re-decorating and re-organizing projects going on in the house right now. I need to post a good pic of my belly but it's hard to get a decent profile shot in the wheelchair. Jared weighed me this week (just imagine him holding me on our at home scale and also trying to read the number - it was quite comical and he is quite strong!) and I'm not even up to my pre-pregnancy weight with Anthony. Super happy about that as I certainly had some pounds to lose! ha! Let's hope the rest of the pregnancy continues to be uneventful and goes quickly.

The Zoo

2011-11-03T20:26:00.001-07:00

We took a little trip to the zoo, and got a lot of pictures of the back of A's head.....

Food

2011-10-25T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am procrastinating as I'm not ready to go to sleep yet, so while I am laying here in bed avoiding it, I thought I might as well write something. What is on my mind? Well same as every other pregnant lady, really - food.

I just want you to know that next time you see us, we might have gained a few pounds. I have been cooking (not new I realize), and it's been lots of delicious rich fall food (hence the impending weight gain). From the perspective of someone in a wheelchair, weight gain is good for me. You may want to stop reading now. My butt had basically disappeared and I was left with less than a handful of fat and muscle. I told you, you should have stopped reading. I am happy to report that it's fattening up again, which means I have to worry less about pressure sores related to sitting in the same spot for too long.

So anyways, Back to food...this is what our menu has looked like over the past few weeks:

Corn chowder
Beef stew
Lasagna
Butternut squash soup
Macaroni & cheese
Lots of homemade French bread
Creamy tomato soup
Chicken pot pie
Fettucini Alfredo
Baked potatoe soup
Beef stroganoff
Spaghetti and meatballs
Steak & potatoes
Chili
Pork carnitas
Fajitas

This is not meant to be an all inclusive list, and I'm simply sharing this to justify any pudginess you may notice next time you see me(well some is likely due to the pregnancy, too). Jared hates it when people say this, but fall food is so good!

The Fair

2011-10-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Anthony really enjoyed the rides at the fair this year (and of course the food - this kid loves scones!). We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and were able to witness the Wool Riders, which is the little kids (up to age 6) who ride on sheep and compete to see who can stay on the longest. Oh. My. Goodness. Hilarious. Anthony kept asking to go in for a turn; I think not. These poor little kids just grip the sheep for dear life, and last anywhere from 1-10 seconds. Who thinks of these things?

First day of Soccer Practice

2011-09-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Last of the Summer Weekends

2011-09-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Washing the Car

2011-09-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

16 Weeks Pregnant

2011-09-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, am I exhausted! Obviously blogging has fallen by the wayside lately....napping has become a priority! I don't remember being this tired when I was pregnant with Anthony, but I'm guessing I just blocked the exhaustion out of my memory!

Baby and I are both healthy and doing well. Everything has been quiet and normal so far, which is great. To be honest I'm really not looking forward to being huge and pregnant in a wheelchair, and I'm hoping these next few months fly by and everything goes smoothly. I didn't start gaining weight until this week, which I am most certainly not complaining about! I felt the baby move for the first time this week which was exciting since I really wasn't sure if I'd be able to feel it or not.

At 16 weeks with A we already knew he was a boy and had a name picked out...we are so less prepared this time around! I'm so busy most of the time that I don't have time to even think about being pregnant, let alone what we'll name this baby! We find out in about a month whether we are having a boy or girl, and hopefully a name will come soon after that. I am most excited for that first month after the baby is born as I missed almost all of that with Anthony.

We have been having a lot of fun lately and are definitely enjoying the fall season...I'll try to be better about getting pictures up soon!

Gettin' Air

2011-08-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

There is a crazy amount of jumping and climbing going on in this house....and the minute you get the camera out, A is ready to show off his many "talents." This kid is a born entertainer, and loves to be the center of attention.

The Hoff

2011-08-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Goodness.

Jared and Ryan "played" Baywatch two days in a row.

They are both in their 30s. WHAT?? Most of this was done while I was napping as I would have ridiculed them to no end. From what I understand, there was a lot of slow motion running on the beach and singing the theme song. I'll spare you the video footage. They tried to convince Kaitlyn to go in the water so she could be "rescued" but she told them to get a doll. Maybe next time.

Cuties

2011-08-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

Around the Campfire

2011-08-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Kayaks

2011-08-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

I went kayaking for the first time since my injury and it went pretty well. Just a short trip but I'm looking forward to going again for a longer period of time. Anthony also went out in the kayak for the first time, and he went tubing too - this kid really loves the water!

Bebe

2011-08-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

Anthony is still completely obsessed with his blanket ("bebe") that Uncle Josh gave him, and wants to get tucked in and cozy any chance he gets. Thankfully Josh was smart enough to give us two of the same one!

"Working"

2011-08-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Big News!

2011-08-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

We are excited to share with you that we are expecting Anardi Baby #2! I am due March 7th and will have the baby about a week early via planned c-section. We always wanted to have several kids, and for awhile we let the wheelchair get in the way of that. After talking to all of my different doctors who all gave us the go ahead with no concerns at all, we decided it was time! We expect this to be a totally normal pregnancy, other than the fact that I can't walk. I am in perfect health and don't even have to go to a specialist. I'll be using the same OB who delivered Anthony and am really looking forward to having her as my doctor again. She was incredible the first time around, especially given the crazy, unexpected circumstances.

In the picture the head is on the left, attached to the yolk sac (small ball looking thing) and you can see the arm and leg buds sticking off the body. God has truly blessed us with an amazing life and now two great children!

PJs

2011-08-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

Uncle Jared and Lucas

2011-08-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

Boys!

2011-08-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with the three boy cousins on Saturday! Here Caleb is contemplating whether or not he should run over the neighbor's dog, JJ. As you can see, JJ has some issues which cause him to eat all of the hair off of his body. I'll leave it at that.

Uncle Steve & Aunt Kendra's house

2011-07-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

Anthony loves visiting S&K. He gets to go swimming and has his own drawer of toys in "his bedroom" as he calls the guest room! Of course Aunt Kendra always seems to have his favorite foods on hand - chocolate milk, pizza, guacamole, and ice cream bars. It's like heaven on earth for this kid!

Uncle Josh was able to stop by for dinner last time we were over - here they are sleeping a the end of the night.

Soaked!

2011-07-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

All clean!

2011-07-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

Lunch with the Cousins

2011-07-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Spray Park

2011-07-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Outside!

2011-07-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

We are spending lots of time in our lovely yard this summer. Anthony can play outside for hours, and loves anything with water - whether it's his pool or sprinkler or water table, he's a happy guy!

Physical Therapy

2011-07-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a blurry iphone pic of me practicing getting in and out of my wheelchair, which is still pretty tricky for me given my intense spasticity.

4th of July

2011-07-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Fell asleep on the boat

Out for a ride in the little boat

Dinner for Two

The new soft serve machine that grandma bought was a hit - that's an entire ice cream come in A's mouth.

The pop-its were a huge hit

Popsicles

The boys could care less about sparklers, which left Mike and Jared to finish off an entire pack.

Do not get me started on this hat of J's. I hate it and am on a mission to replace it, however, he insists that it can't be just a ballcap. If I have my way, this hat will not make it through the summer without "falling" in the bonfire.

Summer!

2011-07-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

We have been so busy this summer having fun that blogging hasn't really happened....here are a few pics from our weekends at the canal.

My guys on the beach - Anthony spends most of his time at the canal playing with the crabs and throwing rocks. Dad showed him how to break the clams open to feed the crabs and he is loving that!

Throwing Rocks

An intense ping pong match!

House for Sale

2011-06-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Our house is officially on the market!

http://auburnhouseforsale.blogspot.com/

Please forward this link on to as many people as you can think of! We are trying to do FSBO, and you just never know who's in the market for a new place!

Big Trucks

2011-06-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the Touch a Truck event at Magnuson, sponsored by Junior Achievement. It was a really great event - they had tons of different types of trucks/tractors for the kids to climb all over and go inside. The place was packed and there were long lines to get in most of the vehicles, but it was fun for the guys. Thanks to Aunt Kendra and Uncle Steve, Anthony now has this fireman hat that lights up and makes siren sounds, which he is just crazy about!

Happiness is...

2011-06-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

popsicles on a hot summer day!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Boaters

Clamming

Showing off their muscles during a bed time story.

Virginia Beach

2011-06-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Virginia Beach was beautiful and we had a wonderful time relaxing for a few days. Anthony called the ocean the "Big Momo" (momo is his word for water).

At the aquarium, where I'm obviously very excited about something...

Ryan, Jody and the kids came and spent a day with us while we were at the beach. While they were in town we were able to experience the "severe thunderstorms" that Virginia has - wow! For a couple of minutes we thought it was a tornado, the winds and rain were just crazy. Thankfully we had just entered a restaurant for dinner and weren't stuck outside!

I went in the swimming pool for the first time since being paralyzed, and it was pretty cool to be back in the water again. I really enjoyed it and might have to get in more often.

Busch Gardens

2011-06-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Busch Gardens and we were so thankful we weren't in VA during the hot summer months! May was hot enough for us! Anthony was so excited to go on this ride in Sesame Street land, and he loved it for the first 10 seconds. Then he was crying and frantic to get off. Poor kid didn't go on another ride the whole time we were at the park, but he had fun running around!

Waiting to be big kids so they can go on the rides too....

Caleb was finally big enough for this swing ride, and he was so excited!

Playground

2011-06-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

My Beautiful Nieces

2011-06-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ryan Anardi

2011-06-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

The main purpose for our visit to the East Coast was to watch Ryan graduate from dental school. The last four years have gone by so quickly, and we are SO excited to have the family move back home!!

Anthony really enjoyed the ceremony.

Giving Brooke a hug, which she obviously really enjoyed.

We are so happy for Ryan, Jody and the kids - this is such a big accomplishment, was a ton of hard work and stress, and they made it through! Welcome home you guys!

Caleb's TBall Game

2011-06-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

After DC we headed to Richmond where Jared's brother Ryan and his family live. We made it in time to see one of Caleb's tball games - it's so great to get to be there for the regular day to day fun!

DC

2011-06-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time on our first big family vacation. Anthony did great on the flight to DC, though kept us busy the entire plane ride, feeding him snacks and bringing out new toys to play with. I don't know that we'll be doing another 6 hour flight any time soon...;) Here are a few pics from the DC portion of our trip. We also went to Richmond and Virginia Beach. I'll spare you the posts of all of the monuments and just give you a few of our cheesy tourist photos.

Lincoln Memorial

The reflecting pool was unfortunately under construction while we were there, which made for some lovely scenic photos.

Thoroughly enjoying a tour of the Capitol.

Museum of Natural History & Science

Chasing pigeons at the Capitol. Perhaps A's favorite part of DC.

Air & Space Museum

The white house. Perhaps you've heard of it.

Jared's handiwork

2011-06-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

Bucket Head

2011-05-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Play Time

2011-05-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just like Daddy

2011-05-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sound Asleep

2011-05-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

2011-05-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Giant

2011-05-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

As I was standing in my RGOs last night I realized that I felt huge. When I'm standing up, I feel like I'm about 8 feet tall and must just tower over everyone. Which of course isn't the case, in my 5'7" frame. It's amazing how quickly you get used to sitting down all the time.

Life is Good

2011-04-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

We went to a church-sponsored egg hunt last weekend and the little boys experienced there first big hunt for Easter eggs. As you can see, the eggs weren't exactly hard to find. Anthony was quite selective about the eggs he chose. He had the most fun just running around, up and down hills, being around other kids.

The Grandpa-Clinger

Breakfast for Two

2011-04-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Oh, George!

2011-04-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Anthony's favorite monkey, Curious George, came to visit at Southcenter this week so of course we went to meet him. I was probably more excited than Anthony, just because I know how much he loves this guy! We had so much fun - thanks for visiting George!

Anthony was not shy, and immediately made his way to the very front of the crowd (in the orange jacket). He spent a lot of time playing with and hugging the huge green frog.

Staring it awe at his favorite character, Curious George.

He wasn't quite as excited about George and the rabbit when I handed him off to the giant monkey.

My Guys

2011-04-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

Cows

2011-04-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Smiling

2011-04-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Anthony thinks that to smile for the camera, you must also close your eyes....we have a lot of these pictures!

Biker

2011-04-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party

2011-04-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mickey

2011-04-04T17:23:00.001-07:00

Two Years in a Wheelchair

2011-03-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well the two year anniversary of me being in a wheelchair went by without much notice or emotion really. It crossed my mind in the weeks approaching Anthony's birthday, but because I was so busy with other tasks never really gave it much thought. The day of his birthday I didn't even realize it was the anniversary until almost dinner time.

Really, I'm quite pleased that the date and timeline doesn't bother me. Life continues to go on, and there are more important things than whether or not I'm in a wheelchair. Don't get me wrong, I still more often than I'd like to focus on myself and ignore the pain of others. But in this current state I am completely at peace. I know what God's promises for my life are, and I trust that He will bring those to pass. Until then I will continue to live this blessed life that I have been given. I am so full of joy and so grateful for what I have.

Two Year Pics

2011-03-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

At two years old, Anthony weighs 30 lbs (50-75%) and is 33.5" tall (25-50%).

Carrots

2011-03-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Haircut

2011-03-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is how I give Anthony haircuts...in front of the laptop watching Mickey, eating a sucker. The blue dye did not stain his face for nearly as long as I expected it to.

At Age Two

2011-03-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our big kid today! The past two years have gone so quickly. We love watching Anthony grow. We love that he isn't afraid of anything. We love that he is so full of energy.

Favorite Snack: Humus and crackers, unless cookies are available, in which case it's always the cookies!

Favorite Activity: Playing outside! Anthony could be pushed on the swing set forever and never get bored.

Favorite Toys: Any sports ball and his screwdrivers

Likes: Animals, anything active, baths, running

Dislikes: Sitting still, haircuts

Anthony calls himself "NeNe" and us Mommy and Daddy

Comfort objects: "beebee" which is the blanket my brother Josh gave him, and his big stuffed bear from Nonna

Anthony loves to be around other kids (as long as a parent is present - still not a big fan of the KidZone at church but he's coming around!)

As of right now he's a pretty picky eater. He's recently started taking a small bite of a strawberry or carrot, but other than that he only likes freeze dried fruits and vegetables. Peanut butter is his favorite, and he'll put it on anything he eats!

He is testing his boundaries all the time, and always trying to be a little more independent.

Anthony counts to 6 but we haven't worked on number or letter recognition yet. He loves when we sing songs to him, and he loves to entertain us with his wild tricks, often clapping for himself.

Happy Birthday Anthony!!

Translation

2011-03-18T08:59:00.001-07:00

For our own memory, these are a few of the made up words that Anthony uses these days:

momo = water
nano = cracker
zhazhu = screw driver
doe = light
bok bok = chicken
doubay = monkey
beebee = blanket
mine = inside
o'mine = outside

Pushing Boundaries Fundraiser

2011-03-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue, but I wanted to make sure that I share with all of you, and anyone who might be searching for info on Pushing Boundaries, what an amazing organization it is.

I started at Pushing Boundaries about three months after my injury. At the time both Jared and I felt so helpless and hopeless. I was scared to go out in public places, afraid that I would fall out of my wheelchair or do something else completely embarrassing and draw attention to myself. Some days I just wanted to lay in bed all day. Thankfully I had Anthony, which meant that wasn't an option!

Walking into PB for the first time we were so filled with hope. There is life after an injury like this. People are exercising, driving, boating, going on trips, doing all the "normal" things that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to do again. And it was outside the confines of the physical therapy world, which meant that we were free to try anything. That also meant that it wasn't covered by insurance, and is pretty expensive therapy that people have to pay for out of pocket.

PB got me up standing again, doing cardio, driving, motivated. I felt like I took my life back into my own hands. The year that I spent at PB was time and money well spent. There is nothing I'm scared to do now, nothing I won't try. If I fall out of my wheelchair, I just climb back in. When my wheelchairs rolls away from the car (which happened again last week - you think I'd learn by now, right?) I just ask a stranger for help.

The exercise therapists at PB became my friends and in some ways my counselors. I could talk to my trainer about anything, and that first year when things were so hard, and everything was so new, I had someone to listen to me and give me advice. Someone to bounce ideas off of, someone who I felt truly shared in my pain as I tried and nothing happened, and in my joy as I succeeded.

On Thursday, April 28th, from 12-1, Pushing Boundaries will hold their annual "Success Beyond Paralysis" fund-raising luncheon in Redmond. If you're in the Seattle area and want to go, I'd love to have you join me. Are you interested in touring the facilities? I'll meet you there and show you around, because you've never seen a gym like this one.

If you're out of the area and just want to send checks, that's fine too....;) But more than anything, what PB needs is you to tell people about this great organization. I would have started immediately out of the hospital if I'd known about them then. They work with people who are in wheelchairs, or have traumatic brain injuries, or people who have MS. So spread the word! Let others know that we have a invaluable resource like this right here in our community.

If you are newly injured (or even injure long ago), I highly recommend that you go somewhere like this for rehab. Pushing Boundaries changed the life that I live today. They gave me back my confidence and my freedom, and for that I am ever so grateful.

Fun at the Canal

2011-03-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Swinging

2011-03-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hiding in his Tunnel

2011-03-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

Fun at the Zoo

2011-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Say "Cheese"

2011-03-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

This is how the boys hug - no arms, just heads on shoulders. Usually they end up coming close to falling over because they are leaning on each other with so much weight.

Like Father, Like Son

2011-03-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

Remember this picture?

"Don't Get a Dog"

2011-02-28T19:17:00.001-08:00

These were words of wisdom given to us by my father-in-law many, many years ago. Of course we didn't listen - young people never do. We've had Roma for almost 5 years now, and don't get me wrong, she is a very nice, loving, good dog. But she is a high maintenance dog. I recently asked the vet for a printout of all of the things we've had to treat her for....this is what it comes down to (besides all of the regular checkups and vaccinations, of course):

eyelash growing the wrong way, into her eye instead of away from her eye. For this we were referred to a doggie ophthalmologist in Seattle, who we did not go and visit. The eyelashes seemed to stop bothering her after awhile. $
hot spots, a skin infection/wound of sorts. We no longer even take her to the vet for hot spots as I've become an expert at treating these at home. $$
diarrhea. Roma is a tad neurotic, and if we leave her in any strange surroundings for too long she has some serious problems. We actually cannot take her to get a bath any more because it's a disaster. Which means we have to bathe her at home. Which means she doesn't get bathed. $
leg surgeries. A grass seed somehow made it's way through Roma's paw pad and up her leg, and had to be removed professionally. Of course grass seeds travel quickly through an animals leg (?) and so it took a couple of surgeries to actually locate the seed. Seriously, who does this happen to? This is by far the most expensive ailment we've had to date. $$$$
teeth. The tartar build up had to be taken care of or she would die at a young age. Of course with a dog her size this requires general anesthesia and is an all day procedure. And we are supposed to keep on it at home by applying a sealant every month. We have never applied the sealant. $$
eating rat poison. We were lucky enough to be at the canal when this happened, holiday weekend, nowhere near a vet clinic. So we called our vet friend Katie, and though she primarily works on horses, she came to our rescue. Pour hydrogen peroxide down her throat until she throws up. Easier said than done. Have you ever tried to force a 90 lb dog to drink hydrogen peroxide? Three grown men barely got the job done. But at least this incident didn't cost us anything!
eating Christmas lights. Not as bad as you might think! Katie came to our rescue again on this one. We fed Roma canned pumpkin to coat her insides and get her to excrete the lights as quickly as possible, allowing the glass very little time inside of her to do any serious damage. It worked! We now always have a can of pumpkin (and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide) on hand in Roma's first aid kit. Yes, we have a first aid kit for the dog.
lymphangiectasia. The most recent ailment is this disease which is similar to the human form of lupus. Roma's body cannot process any fat, which means she has to be on a very strict diet, and the food is of course only available at the vet's office. Seriously - I can't find it online anywhere for a better price. It took several months of visits and treatments to figure out what the problem was. She was losing weight like crazy, and as our neighbor girl put it "peeing poop." And it required Jared to go around the back yard scooping up puddles of poop several times a month to turn it in for examination. As long as we keep her on a diet of fancy food, chicken, and potatoes, FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE, she will be fine. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Now don't get me wrong, we love our dog. She is so sweet and completely trustworthy. You could leave a newborn baby on the floor with her and she wouldn't touch the baby, she is that kind of dog. Anthony is always pulling on her tail or pushing her around, and she just takes it (though often tries to get away). It's just funny to think of all of the crazy things she has put us through...and I haven't even touched on her early morning schedules or weird needs when we are at the canal. Roma, if you are reading this, we love you!

Under the Weather

2011-02-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

Stage 5 Clinger

2011-02-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

If Grandpa is in the house, Anthony will play with no one else. In fact, you might as well not even try to talk to him or give him snacks, because Grandpa is the only one who knows how to do it!

Over the river and through the woods...

2011-02-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

to another doctor's appointment I go....blah!

Went in today to see my neurosurgeon Dr. Balousek and have an MRI. Having an MRI done is not something I'm scared of. As I told the guy today, it's actually the most relaxing time I'll have all day - I have an almost two year old at home. Forty minutes to lay down with no interruptions?! Yes, please!

No change since my last MRI which is good news. The tumor hasn't grown back at all. My spinal cord still looks almost exactly the same as it did in June 2009, post-surgery. It's not severed, but very, very thin at the spot where the tumor was pressing up against it. We are still sticking to the every two year schedule with MRIs.

Lately I have been noticing more progress which I love to see! Last night when I was standing in my RGOs I could actually feel my lower back muscles working to help stabilize me, which is something I don't think I've felt before. My sensation in my left leg is improving - I know this because I can't handle as much electrical stimulation as I used to be able to. I've also noted lately that some hill climbs have been a little easier for me, and I am attributing this my core muscles which are actually helping me instead of relying solely on my arms. Progress is good and so is God!