Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Mommy Time and a bed of nails!!!

Dear Blogging friends,
I am back with a HUGE post of the latest update. My mom was here for 10 days offering us some much needed emotional support while begin to figure out our new life with SMA. It was wonderful having her here with us and I will be forever grateful that she braved the bitter cold weather to be with us. I don't think she will ever know how much it meant to have her here.

While my mom was here we mostly stuck to our normal routine (which isn't so normal because we are still trying to figure everything out). The biggest addition to our schedule is Evan's swim therapy. Lanny found a pool 10 minutes from our house that has warm water, which is what Evan needs because of his lack of muscle. Swim therapy is the BEST thing for SMA kids and he loves the water. He is starting to kick his legs and move his arms. We go three times a week and he is really becoming familiar with the pool. Today as it was getting close to when we end he started saying "Nani, Nani ... hot ta, hot ta" (translation: "Mommy, Mommy ... hot tub, hot tub"). As he is saying this he is pointing to the hot tub!

Daddy got to go with us one day.

While my mom was here some BIG things happened. The biggest yet, and hopefully the start of a better year, JUSTIN PASSED HIS EXAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally we are out of limbo and we will be able to actually afford Evan's SMA needs. This is a HUGE prayer answered for our family!


Evan is practicing for when he goes to Daddy's office.

Another blessing was the visit from my Grandpa. He had some geneological research to do in Calgary, and when he heard that my mom was coming up he decided it might be a good time to actually do the research. It was wonderful having both my Grandpa and my mom with us! We went to the military museam with Grandpa and the neatest thing happened. Grandpa was trying to sort out information on my Great Great Grandfather who fought in WWI. The man in charge of archives found all sorts of information for us, but then came back with something really special. In the whole museum they only have ONE surviving trench book and it includes my Great Great Grandfather's troup. Grandpa found way more than he expected and it made the trip that much better. Evan really took to his great-Grandpa, and I sure do love him!!!! Thank you for coming Grandpa!


On Saturday, after my Grandpa left Mom, and I went with my friend Kathy to a Farmer's Market that I had never been to before. Mom and I ate before we headed out ... what a mistake that was!!!! This market was HUGE and there were so many samples to try. We felt like we were going to explode by the time we got all the way through. One of our faves????? Mini Japanese Oranges .... mmmm good!!!


While mom was here we also drove out to Cochrane to see my Grandma Leavitt. Of course the day we drive out it is snowing and windy! I was freaking out the whole way there (oh yeah, it was also -20F', so you can take a wild guess how happy we were about that!!!) We had lunch and it was wonderful! We were with Grandma for about 3 hours just gabbing away!

I had to put a picture up of my Grandma's purse ... 80 years old and still stylish ... WOW!

As most parents of toddlers know, they have the cutest little personalities and make the CUTEST faces to go along with it. This first picture is of Evan saying "cheeeese" for the camera ... adorable!

This next picture is priceless. Evan is a very sensitive boy and does NOT like being scolded. We happened to catch his face on camera which makes me laugh just as hard as when he makes it in person. When he is responding to the scolding all three of us (me, Justin, and my mom) had to cover our faces so he couldn't see us laughing ... just LOOK at him!

It was the saddest thing to say goodbye to my mom! Thank you mom for coming and being with us! We will always remember it!!!! Evan already misses his Grandma and still looks for you when I ask him where you are. (He also apologizes for not letting you sleep, and hopes that you are starting to catch up to where you were).



My mom and I both cried when we said goodbye and so I was so grateful that Kathy invited me to the space museum. I needed the distraction from leaving my mom! Boy is that museum a fun one! Here are some pics of our day there.


youngest man on the moon!!!!

Did Evan shrink, or did that ant GROW???

YUP, I am actually laying on a bed of nails ... now I can take that one off of my bucket list!!!!!

14 comments:

bioman75 said...

Congratulations on passing the test!

Melanie said...

Awesome update!! Yeah to so many things...Mom's are the best in my opinion. Love you.

Fred ... said...

That is amazing how much you and Grandpa look alike in your picture together. You must be related. Boy Lisa, you're sure bundled up nice and warm. You remind me of when we used to bundle up the kids before we sent them out to play in the snow. It's good to see a picture of Grandma Leavitt. You're sure looking good.Give my grandson a hug for me.

I like the bed of nails.

Lynn said...

That IS an awesome update!

Congrats on the passing of the exam Justin!

And Kira, I got goosebumps reading how your Grandpa found the answers he was looking for with genealogy!!! That is so trippy!

It looks like you and your mom had SO much fun. I am glad. I think I will have to check out that Farmer's Market. I hear SUCH good things about it. We use to go when it was an open market over here in the NE. Haven't been since they moved and made it HUGE over there.

Michelle Knight said...

Congratulations Justin!!!

You two are such wonderful parents to Evan. He's a lucky boy. And what a cutie! I love that picture of him being scolded. So sad, and so cute!

Lacy said...

Hooray! You passed!

What a great post Kira! I love to know what has been going on in your life. Water therapy sounds great!

The Nielsen Family said...

Matt and I LOVED looking at those adorable pictures of Evan. We are thrilled to hear of his successful water therapy.

I also am so happy for you Kira to have such great quality time with your mother.

Peter and Mandy said...

Yay Justin Congrats!

Kira the pics are so cute. I'm getting cold just looking at you all bundled up...I complain about 50 degree weather...brr...I don't think I'd survive in Canada. Just think when you come for Christmas next year you'll be out in shorts and flip flops during the 40-50 degree time and we'll all think you're crazy.

motherofangels said...

I am loving the shout outs!!! Thanks for coming over on my Birthday and for the sweet music! Good luck with auditions... If you don't make it.... THEY MUST BE BONKERS!!!

Erin said...

Congrats to Justin! :)

Anonymous said...

The best part of the genealogy was that of being with my Daughter, Grand Daughter and her family.

Grand Pa

Da Costa said...

Yeah! Fun time with mom! I'm glad she was able to go up and spend time with you guys! Evan is cuter than ever and of course a HUGE CONGRATS to Justin! Oh, and by the way, I love the scarf you're wearing in the last picture! :0)
Lots of love!

Lisa said...

That museum looks like it was a lot of fun. I wonder why that didn't show up in Justin's search? It was wonderful to be there. We wish you were closer so we could be more of a physical support.

Teresa said...

CONGRATULATIONS!! This is so exciting to hear that Justin passed the board. We are super happy for you guys. Thanks for sharing all of your sweet pictures and stories.