Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Another Year Gone

It is hard to believe that another year is coming to an end. In a few hours we will welcome 2014 into our lives with hope, love and prosperity.

I have learned as I have gotten older that time really does fly by. The days, weeks, months and now years are zooming by. I think when you have children the time goes by even faster. I had a lot of hope for 2013 when it came into sight one year ago. Not that it wasn’t a good year, it just had a lot of ups and downs.

Alex and Evan are still at a very tough age. There are still tantrums, whining, crying and lots of NOT LISTENING. I feel like a robot many days as I find myself repeating the same things over and over and over. This tests my patients a lot as a parent and let me tell you they are SUPER thin right now. As a parent you think things will get easier as your children get older but they really don’t. Those things just change and you always have something difficult to deal with.

Here's a quick overview of Alex and Evan in the last year.

Alex

Alex is coming along pretty well. I will always want more for him so that is why I say pretty well. I am not at all disappointed in his progress, but we have had some issues with his PT getting his paperwork turned in on time and turned in correctly to insurance so those mishaps have resulted in him missing out on 4 months of therapy this year. This has not sat well with Eric or myself and the issue has been addressed. We are hoping that this doesn’t happen again because he really needs all the therapy he can get. Not only is it crucial at this age, but it really helps keep his muscle tone in check as well as keeps him strong. We have been out of therapy for 2 months now and it shows. His muscles in his legs are really tight which makes it harder for him to sit comfortably and not cross his legs when he is in his walker. We start back on Thursday and I am just hoping for the best. It also doesn’t help that as he gets older, he grows and this also causes his tone to increase. I just wish his therapist would see what this means and take her job a little more seriously so this doesn’t happen. Alex is such an amazing boy and I am very proud of all of his accomplishments!

This fall we enrolled Alex in a Horse Therapy Program near our house. He goes once a week for an hour and he really liked it a lot. There were a few nights where he would cry getting on the horse but once he got going he loved it! That program ran from September 3 – November 12 and we start up again on January 7th. I am really excited for him because I have heard so many amazing stories of kids with CP really benefitting from these kinds of programs. I am excited to see where he will be next year at this time!

My hopes for Alex in 2014 would be to really start using his Gait Trainer (Walker) to get around more on his own. He will walk if I guide him, but he doesn’t really move on his own. He does such a nice job too so I would like to see him mobile in it come summer. I am also hoping to hear some words out of him as well. He still does not talk and he has a few gestures he does to communicate with us but I want more. I would love to hear him and Evan communicate with one another. He makes a lot of noise and has some good sounds, but I would love for him to start saying some words. Alex loves playing with his toys, remote controls and he really likes my cell phone and their new tablet we got them. His favorite books are Hands, Hands Fingers Thumb and Bears in the Night and he has so many favorite songs I can’t list them all!

 
Evan

Evan has really come a long way this past year. He is talking and communicating very well and he has become very independent. It is really nice to see how much he has grown. He has an amazing memory and is a very smart little boy and then there is his stubbornness. Wow is he stubborn. He and I butt heads a lot only because we are so much alike…although I don’t like to admit it. (Eric has a lot to say about this) He is very independent, very strong willed and thinks he knows it all…and doesn’t like to be told differently. He is a challenge for me every day of my life. I know a lot of people would think that Alex would be hard on me because of his needs and what not but Evan is definitely a tough child.

He yells, screams and fights me every chance he gets.  Then, there are times when he will just come right up to me out of the blue, wrap his little arms around my neck and give me a kiss. Of course that always makes it better…until he acts up again. He keeps me on my toes. He loves pushing his shopping cart around, playing in his kitchen and his car ramps. He loves all the Disney Junior shows, the book Ten Apples up on Top and Bears in the Night. His favorite song is Counting Stars by One Republic which he calls "Sleeves". Don't ask.

My hopes for Evan in 2014 would be to listen better. Obey Eric and I as parents and respect us. I know he is only three but this is HUGE. This one thing would make my life SO much easier. Despite that, I am very proud of him and I am excited to see what this year will bring for him.
 
We were very blessed to take two trips this year. I took the boys to Georgia in April to visit family and in August we went to Myrtle Beach. Both trips were amazing and we made a lot of great memories.

Alex and Evan both started preschool this year. They are in two different classes at two different schools. It is a bit of a challenge on me at times, but so far I have been able to attend functions for both boys without anything conflicting. They love school and they love their teachers.

I could go on and on about our lives, but I will stop here. Here’s to 2014!! Cheers to a good year!!
 

 
I have always wanted a family photo on the beach. We got one this year while we were in
Myrtle Beach.

 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Christmas 2013

Christmas has come and gone for another year. Alex and Evan were blessed yet again with an abundance of gifts from our family and of course the one and only Santa Claus himself. Three days before, we were hit with an Ice Storm that left many in the area without power - including some of our family members. We were very lucky to have not lost our power. It was a busy four days for us hosting three dinners between the families. Now that it's all over, let the clean up and organizing begin! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us!


The boys dumping their stockings

Christmas Morning


They are so cute!
Eric and I


Evan and his Pizza Pie!


Brody tearing up an old toy on Christmas Eve


Alex enjoying his new toy


Santa Came!


My cute little man
The trampoline Santa left



Evan reading the tag to make sure it was for him
Little Mr. Fix It






Merry Christmas from The Williams Family

Friday, December 20, 2013

Our First School Christmas Parties

This week Alex and Evan had their Christmas Parties at school. I am so lucky to have attended both of them.

Alex decorated a cookie and ate it, made some ornaments, wrapped a present and listened to a Christmas story.


Getting ready to sing Jingle Bells!
Wrapping a present with Miss Ruffini
He couldn't wait to decorate it.
Alex wanted to cuddle with me instead of make an ornament!


Evan and his class sang three Christmas Songs and then Santa showed up with a gift for each of them! He couldn't wait for Santa to call his name! 
 
 
 
The kids were so excited to see Santa
The kids telling Santa what they want

Evan talking with Santa
Evan and Santa


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Friday, December 13, 2013

Photo Friday

First up are Alex and Evan's Preschool Pictures!!!
They are so handsome and look so grown up!!!
 

 






 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Then I pulled a funny picture of each of them to share!!
There is never a dull moment with these two!!



This is what I saw when I came up the
stairs last night! Not expecting that
at all!!!
Eric drew a moustache on Evan and the way
he posed made this picture that much better!



Thursday, December 12, 2013

My Little O

Losing a pet is never easy. They come into your life with little to no expectations and leave a lifetime of memories and love when they go. My cat Oreo did just that.

I was still in High School when my Dad brought her home. He was in a parking lot when he witnessed a car pull up, open the door and set a kitten down. I believe they came back once only to change their mind again and leave her there all alone to fend for herself. My Dad couldn’t leave her there, so he scooped her up and brought her home.

My sister and I had allergies to cats (or so we thought) so we knew we couldn’t keep her. My Mom said that they would probably end up taking her to the Humane Society if they couldn’t find a home for her. A few days passed, then a week. No allergies from my sister or myself and the next thing we knew, we were at the vet getting her checked out.

The Vet told us she looked to be around 6 weeks old or so, probably born around the first week in April. We picked a birthday for her and called her Oreo since she was black and white and reminded us of an Oreo Cookie.

We had a Golden Retriever at the time and he didn’t seem to mind her at all. It took her a little adjusting to get used to him, but eventually they became BFF’S until he passed away three years later. Oreo was on her own and would be for the next 10 years. My parents never got another dog and would later divorce which is how Oreo and I ended up together. I am the only one of my family members who has been with her since the beginning.

When I moved into my first apartment, she came with me, and then to my second. She has been around for so many milestones in my life and I never questioned whether to leave her with my parents or anyone else. She was my baby.

In 2008 Eric and I bought our first house together and she was the one who got to celebrate with us. Ten months later we got Brody (our over-sized Beagle). They adjusted well to one another. She was already 13 so being up in age, she didn’t show a whole lot of interest in him!

17 years is a long time for any pet to live and I did my best to give her a good life. She suffered from hyperthyroid and was put on medication earlier this year. It made a world of difference and really perked her up. Her hearing was gone and had been for about a year and a half. My life became overly busy due to having twins but I tried to give her what I could.

Last Friday morning, I think she may have had a stroke. She was on her side panting and her breathing was really rough. She got it under control but would only drink water and milk and not eat. Saturday and Sunday was more of the same as I monitored her. Around 9pm on Sunday her breathing became shallow and I knew the end was near.

I struggled with having to make the decision of whether or not to put her down. This was the first time I have had to deal with this on my own. I didn’t want to be the one that had to make that call, all I wanted was for her to go on her own peacefully and not in any pain. I stayed with her until 1am Monday morning, said good night and good bye.

At 4am Eric woke up and found her, she was gone. He woke me to tell me and then the next thing he said completely put me at peace. She was under the Christmas Tree. Oreo loved the Christmas tree. We have two artificial ones and she would gnaw on the branches. My heart melted when I came downstairs to see her. She took her last breath under the Christmas tree, one of her favorite places. She found her peace and in turn gave me peace knowing that she wasn’t in pain and I didn’t have to make that heart wrenching decision.

I decided I wanted to have her cremated so she could always be with me. I even cut a couple of pieces of the tree to have cremated with her. She was the start of my family. It was her and I and we welcomed Eric, Brody, Pharoah, Alex and Evan. I want her to remain with us through the years wherever we may go.
May you rest in peace my Little O...until we meet again. 
I will love you forever.
 











Oreo - April 2, 1996 - December 9, 2013 - 17 years old