Ankle-foot orthosis

Addy and I went to Springfield this morning to have her evaluated to see if she would benefit from some orthotics for her ankle/legs. Addy has no desire to weight bear on her legs and she proved that during the evaluation. The evaluator decided that it is best to fit Addy with an ankle/foot orthotic to help her out. The AFO is a plastic brace worn on the calves and feet to support the ankles They will hold her feet and ankles in the correct position. They casted Addy's feet and calf, which she thoroughly enjoyed, HA! It was so funny to see how tiny she is! I know she's tiny but when you hold the cast of your daughter's little leg it makes it look really small! We even got to pick out what her AFOs are going to look like. Naturally we picked a princess theme! The bottom part is multi-colored foam. I chose the multi-color because I thought it wouldn't look dirty. Not that they should get dirty, but you never know! We chose purple velcro straps with princesses on the top. Too cute! They are going to be adorable! I'm sure Addy is going to hate them at first, but she will get used to them! She is also starting daycare on Monday. I'm pretty excited about it, she's going to be in the baby room so she will be with peers close to her developmental age. We went for a visit this morning and she loved "talking" to the babies! I think this will be really good for her, it is a blessing!

Surgery is Scheduled!!!

Yes I am very excited to post the fact that we have surgery scheduled and it's not for Addysen!! I am finally going to have my shoulder repaired! Well, they think it will repair it. The bone scan did not show a tumor so whatever the MRI showed in my humerus bone is not active so that is a good thing. My physical exam and the results of all of the tests that have been done don't really add up, so the doctor isn't totally convinced the surgery will completely help but it's worth a try. He's going to be removing some extra fluid and shaving part of my clavicle that is near my AC (acromioclavicular joint) joint, where I'm having the most pain. So on January 14th I will have the procedure, outpatient, and then be in a sling for a little while, then back to PT. I am very prayerful that this will help. At this point I don't think that it could hurt any more than it does now!

Piggies and a new Button

I just had to share the pix of Addy's piggie tails, she's just too cute for words! This morning we went to the hospital to have her g-button replaced. She has been having trouble with her Mic-KEY since June. She's been treated for infection both bacterial and fungal, she has even had it burned with silver nitrate three times and nothing has helped her poor skin heal. So a couple of weeks ago it was decided to try a Bard button and see if it helps her skin. She is most likely allergic to her Mic-KEY. Bummer! I'm a little worried about the Bard leaking, that is what I have found on-line about it. If it doesn't work out we can always change it again, but I hate her poor skin looking so bad. I know it bothers her too because she will be itching it sometimes. You can see in the pictures how red her skin is. It's actually looked much worse at times too! It was fun seeing all her old nurses though! We spent so much time there last year that I felt like I had moved in sometimes. All of the nurses could not get over how big she was and how long her hair was. We also met a darling little cutie with DS too! Her name was Emily and she's going to be two in February. Lucky little thing was getting her button removed! Oh how I can't wait for that day! Her mom had seen our local newspaper article, her dad is from Marshfield. It was nice meeting them, she was adorable!

Just enjoying

Have you ever had one of those days where you just realize that you are really enjoying your life? Today was that day for me. A couple of weeks ago I thought that things were just horrible and happiness as I knew it was all gone. Through a lot of prayer and my family we got through that horrible time. We are so blessed. I am so thankful that I have so many things that I am blessed with. I am blessed with a husband that I love so much. He has been home for the past week and we have really had a good time just being together. We don't get that very much. Both of us work full time and obviously having four kids keeps us very busy. Scott got up around 5 yesterday morning and went and got us a new Christmas tree since ours was destroyed in our flood last spring. He wanted me to go with him but he totally understood that I didn't want to go because Addy is fighting a cold and I was afraid to leave Jarika with her so early in the morning (when I knew she would be totally out of it) by herself. So my wonderful hubby went out in the crazy shopping day and bought me a new tree, just like I wanted! It was only forty bucks too! He also had saved up a ton of free Red Box coupons for free DVD rentals and he went yesterday and brought home like nine DVDs. He knew I really wanted to see Mamma Mia but the Red Box shut down and he wasn't able to get it. No big deal, I watched Wall-E, well I watched most of Wall-E then I dozed off. I never do that, I must have really been tired! This morning he had to go and return the DVDs and he came home with Mamma Mia for me! I was so excited. Jarika and I watched it twice today, we loved it! We had seen the Broadway show and loved it so we knew we would like the movie and we did. Addy LOVED the music! She was so cute "dancing" to the music. She would just rock and rock, it was adorable! Scott worked on the 2009 budget most of the afternoon and that is looking awesome, so that is a huge blessing! I am looking forward to having another week to just be at home and being a wife and mother, January 5th is going to come too soon so I'm going to enjoy it while I can!

Merry Christmas!

This is my whole family with my mom, my brother Kent, my sister-in-law Jill and my two nephews John and Kory and my two nieces Laura and Lizabeth at the huge family Christmas celebration last night! The rest are Christmas morning here. Addy woke up with a cold so her nose is running and her eyes are all watery but she still had fun opening presents! Merry Christmas everyone!

Kuwa Na Krismasi Njema

In Swahili this means We Wish You a Good Christmas. This video is of Cooper's Jr Jays Christmas Concert last week. They do such a great job! It's just two songs but they are Scott and I's favorites. The first is a Deck The Halls song and the second is Kuwa Na Krismasi Njema. So Merry Christmas Everyone! I want to thank God for all of the blessings that we have had this year, especially within the last week! Happy Birthday Jesus!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A gift for me

Tis the Season to be JOLLY!

I don't know about all you other moms out there, but I NEVER buy things for me. I am always wanting to get things for my kids and always overlook myself. Anyway, while Scott and I were shopping yesterday I found something for me. Well I guess technically it's for the family but in my mind it is for me. We have an ornament from 2005 that has all of our names on it. I wanted to get one last year with Addy's name but in all the craziness last year I never got around to it. This year at the mall there was an ornament kiosk. Shocking I know! Anyway look what I got!!!

Isn't it cute??? I love it, and it looks so pretty on our tree! I am also posting a picture of another ornament that I love this year. It is hanging up pretty close to the ornament of Wallace last year. This is a picture of beautiful Miss Liza. Isn't she gorgeous??? Liza lives in Eastern Europe and has Down syndrome. She is waiting for her forever family in an orphanage :(. I sponsored Liza this year through the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree Project. It's too late to get an ornament but it's still not too late to sponsor an orphan so they won't spend next Christmas without the love of a family. Go check out www.reecesrainbow.com and click on their Angel Tree Project to see several precious little angels that want a Forever Family!

Shopping is done!

Scott and I headed to the hospital early this morning so I could be injected with the radioactive isotopes for my bone scan. We had to wait three hours between scans so we headed out shopping. No once in our 13 years together have we even waited this long to shop. But due to finances there was no other option. Anyway, we spent ALL DAY shopping and you know what?!?!? We got everything done in one day! Yep, one day! I am so thankful that serious blessings came to our family and we were able to provide our family with an awesome Christmas. I am so thankful for what we have received so we were able to give. Jesus is so amazing and I am so glad that he is my Savior.

Chihuahua Cuties!

It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."

Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.

Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.

"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.

Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me."

Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."

Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang.....

"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year."

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

And may GOD Bless you all

Hang gliding

Okay not really hang gliding but close! Addy's OT brought over a crawler the other night to help encourage Addysen to crawl. Physically she could totally do it, just no desire! She can stay in four point, rock back and forth and even bear weight with just one arm while she uses the other one to play. So, Delene and I strapped this poor little girl into this contraption, that yes is pretty much a hang glider! Addy HATED it! It was funny though because she would get so mad she would lift her arms and legs and hang glide in the air! She finally began to tolerate and we helped her move her arms and legs to crawl. We didn't convince her that it was fun but she did end up tolerating it some!

The look on her face kills me! I wonder what she is thinking!

Okay it's not so bad!

It's Official!

Addysen Grace Sonja Heflin
DOB 10/18/06
Gotcha Day 8/6/07
Adoption Day 12/16/08

We are official!! Judge Sims signed our petition for adoption and our little angel is totally and absolutely 100% OUR little girl! I thought this day was never going to come and now it has! God is so good! Today is also my mom's birthday so it makes it extra special. We have had some unfortunate events happen this week, but this awesome God of ours has come through for us once again. We are so blessed and I am in awe of His ability. I thank everyone who has prayed for us and led us to the light at the end of this dark and dismal tunnel.

Aw

I am really down right now, but this makes me smile.

Cooper is amazing

I don't post much about Cooper since truly, he is the easiest child we have! When Cooper was a few months old I began noticing some sensory concerns with him. It took him forever to take a bottle without gagging and throwing up and he hated having things on his hands. His eye contact was okay but not the greatest. He had really good gross motor skills, but was very clumsy. He never waved "bye bye" as a baby. When he was 18 months old he had lost the six words that he had been using. He was finally evaluated and was placed in Speech therapy and occupational therapy. He was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. He literally would stand and stare at a doorknob for hours just humming away. If we even thought of turning Teletubbies off of the TV be ready of an outburst. Things were hard but we made it through. We always raised Cooper just like any other child. We taught him early that things were not always going to be his way and routines do change. He hated it. I mean HATED it, but you know what, now I can spring any ole change on him and he's okay! Granted that's just in the last year or so, but still, wow! At the age of 4 he was given the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. This child began reading at the age of two and was doing math facts at the age of three. He had so much trouble with changes of any kind. Especially routine. If I told him we were going to pick Jarika up at gymnastics and I took an alternate route, man I was in trouble! He would scream and cry and bang the windows of the car. It was heartbreaking. I have mentioned that Cooper auditioned to be a part of the Junior Jays Singers for 4-6 graders. Over 170 tried out and 80 kids made it. It truly is amazing to see this child perform like this! His past teachers are so amazed by him. His librarian from the age of 3-7 stopped me the other day. She is one of the leaders of the Junior Jays and she said "Cammie, if you would have told me between the ages of 3-7 that Cooper would be a Junior Jay, I would have said "NO WAY!" I can't get over him! He is doing so great!". I am so proud of this child of mine. God truly knew what he was doing when he chose Cooper for our family. Don't get me wrong, there are many times when I think to myself, "Why can't he just deal with this, or get over this." I feel guilty when I have those feelings because he truly can't help it. Cooper is nine years old and still cannot tie his shoes, play sports as well as he'd like to (but he does it), he has trouble with unstructued activities, recess is the worst, but you know, he is mine and he is amazing and has made so much progress dealing with what he faces everyday as a child with Autism. Enjoy the pix of his latest concert, the lighting was horrible but the performance was great!

How do some do it?

Scott and I worked diligently at getting the kids pictures done for Christmas cards. Why is it when we get out a camera my boys turn into Frankenstein and Addy does all she can to have the worst look on her face, or the cutest smile facing away from the camera??? After many attempts we decided that the pic now at the top of my blog was the best of all four. I think we're gonna have to go to the Reed's house next year. Their family pic has 11 children and two parents that look perfect! Christine how did you do it?????

This one, well we were trying a little too hard huh?

Avery looks scared in this one!

This one Avery is eyeless.

And last but not least, the pic of at least one child picking his nose!

Saw the surgeon

Well I got to see the surgeon today. Crazy as it seems I was really hoping I would be scheduling a shoulder repair today. Not so lucky. I found out that I have a tumor on my humerus bone called a Chrondoblastoma. This is a benign tumor so thank the Lord for that. I do have to have a bone scan on the 22nd to confirm the diagnosis. So no surgery to repair my rotator cuff that is torn in two places for now, we have to make sure this isn't cancer before they start cutting on me. The doc gave me more cortisone shots in my shoulder. These are VERY painful! I left so discouraged I just cried. I want the pain to go away so badly and now it just hurts worse and the plan is to focus on the tumor that is not causing me pain or harmful at this point! UGH!

Random Kid Updates:
Jarika is on a new medication that is wiping her out! She is so tired right now, it's concerning. Please pray for the doctors to find the right dose and medication for her!

Cooper sang at Breakfast with Santa on Saturday and the Junior Jays are so awesome! I love seeing him perform! One of his leaders, who happens to be our former librarian at school, stopped me the other day and said that if someone would have told her when Cooper was between the ages of 3-7 she NEVER would have believed that this child would EVER sing and perform the way he does! He has come so far! What's a little autism anyway???

Avery was really bummed on Friday. He had/got to take the challenge spelling word list and he forgot to study. The words were homophones so he missed his first spelling word in 2nd grade. I am so proud of him! He decided since he missed one his new goal will to be to only miss ONE spelling word in 2nd grade, isn't he awesome??

Addy said "Baby" the other day!! I can't believe I haven't blogged about that yet! I don't have it on video yet since that extra chromosome seems to impact her ability to perform on command, crazy huh? Also, we had to fire her babysitter on Friday. Things were going from bad to worse and it was time. Fortunately I found someone to keep her! She isn't staying here at home anymore but she is with a wonderful person and getting to play with another little boy too, who she is loving!

I'm gonna continue to watch our roads freeze and wait for a call to cancel school tomorrow! I would love to have a day at home to just hang with the kiddos, watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate. Anyone want to join me?

DSGO Christmas Party/Christmas meaning

Last night our family headed to Springfield for our Christmas Party with our local Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks. We had a such a great time! We sat with some good friends of ours, who have a son who is 18, T, with DS. I was his speech therapist for many years and I love him to pieces! At the table next to us sat some more families from Marshfield. One family who I have known about 13 years who we know well was there with their daughter too. Their daughter, L, is one of the reasons we chose to adopt a child with DS. We love these kids with all of our hearts! Addy thoroughly enjoyed watching all of the kids and she especially hit it off with the cutest little guy ever! R is 4-5 years old and was so funny! He and Addy played and played, it was too cute! We had a delicious meal and then all of the kids sat on Santa's lap. Each child got a gift too! Addy got a Leap Frog farm toy that you match the front and back to make the animal sound and it says the color. She has enjoyed making it sing! The pig is her favorite sound though! The boys each got a really nice set of Hot Wheels, you can never go wrong giving little boys cars! Jarika wasn't left out either! She received a free Value Meal coupon from McDonald's and a free Concrete from Andy's Frozen Custard. Andy's is her favorite! She was excited too. I am so glad that we got to spend that time as a family!

L and T :)

Addy and R! Is he not the cutest thing you've ever seen???

Addy's first visit with Santa!

This morning at church was awesome. Our praise team sang many beautiful songs about Christmas. They were moving. It really makes you think about the reason for the season. I have been bummed because this year money has been really tight and we were expecting a significant amount of money to show up and not only did I find out that there's very little chance that it's going to arrive before Christmas, but it's going to be about 75% less than what we expected. We were going to use this money for our Christmas but our plans are going to have to change. But this morning I once again realized that I have got to stop thinking about what we don't have and give thanks for what we do. I have a wonderful husband who I love more everyday, I have four children that are such blessings. My kids are healthy (relatively), they are home, they aren't in the hospital like we were facing last year, they have clothes on their backs, a home and plenty of love and attention. They may not have as many things under the tree this year, but they have the love of a family.
In my church bulletin this morning was a paragraph about the Christmas tree: The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago when St. Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshiping an oak tree. In anger, St. Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time. The evergreen represents the eternal life which we receive in Jesus. The point of the tree points to heaven to remind us that Jesus was God's gift of love and grace to all people.
So as I put up our sad little tree this year, (our beautiful pre-lit one was destroyed in our spring floot), I remember that there is a reason for this beautiful tree.