Fall Update

So obviously we are a busy family these days and it is very difficult for me to find time to sit and update our blog, but I am going to give it a try...Maya is at school and both the little girls (for this moment) are asleep. Summer was a crazy season with all three girls home all day with me, and after a lot of help from friends and family I had a few weeks to experience life as a mom to three kids by myself for a few weeks. Let's just say it is a bit of a juggling act between nursing a baby and rocking the baby to sleep at times, and feeding Maya every 2 hours by g-tube and syringe, trying to get Maya on the potty every few hours, and then attending to the "not neglected at all, but feeling very neglected" 2 year old...so obviously there were some tantrums, some jealousy of big and little sister, and then just the regular stuff...snacks, meals, playtime, and naps. WHEW...I am tired just thinking about it all.

Now Miss Maya is off to school every day. The bus picks her up at our house at 8:15 and drops her at home again at 4:20PM. She is very tired at the end of the day, but we are excited for all the opportunities she gets to experience at school. She is in a Deaf and Hard of Hearing total Communication classroom, where ASL is the primary language for the majority of the children. Maya has the most "special needs" of all the children and has a one on one para educator that helps her get around and signs a lot to her. Most of the kids are typical 3 and 4 year olds who happen to have hearing loss, so it is a busy environment. The kids love her and take good care of her. Her daily report has been mentioning the sweet boy in her class who likes to take her by the hand in the "recess area" and lead her everywhere...even up and down the slide. He also stood up for her when another child pulled her hair...he signed "no! Stop!" and then proceeded to pat her hair down and smooth it out...how cute is that!

Maya just had a sleep study this week, and we should hear about how well she sleeps without her trach in the next weeks. We are hoping to schedule a procedure to stitch the hole left by her trach tube closed very soon. I think we are waiting on the sleep study results before they procede with closing the hole.

Maya is sure amazing us with new skills. Though communication is slow we are seeing very positive signs of improvement...she does a VERY obvious more when we stop reading her bed time stories or stop on walks with her around the block. She still loves tasting food at the dinner table although she is not cleared to really eat yet. She is climbing up onto furniture and is trying the dare devil tricks of her 2 year old sister...somersaults, running down the hall, playing chase, climbing on our dog, and trying to climb in my lap whenever another sibling is already there. We are all so proud of Maya!

Addy continues to be a typical 2 year old...full of opinions, tantrums at times (especially if she is not feeling great), but also is so full of life she leaves Dean and I and her relatives smiling and laughing a ton. She loves to move, dance, run, jump, somersault, swing...she loves her baby doll, her train and car table, Sesame Street and Signing Time, and ADORES her two sisters and at times is very certain of what THEY want..."Maya wants her shoes on...Don't tickle Addy...Tickle Maya" "Teya's all done eating. Teya wants to go Night,night. Back in the bed, Baby Teya." And she has demands for her parents too.. "Daddy hide. Daddy cuddle on the couch. Mommy hug me!" Oh we love our Addy!

Teya is still a WONDERFUL baby! She cries very little and is happy to just watch her sisters and smile when smiled at. She is cooing and holding her head up well, and it won't be long before she can roll over. She scootches out of her bouncy seat or car seat if she is not strapped in. She continues to have beautiful blue eyes, unlike her older sister. We could not have asked for a sweeter baby!

Dean and I are doing well, and believe the transition to 3 girls could have been MUCH HARDER! We sleep fairly well at night, interupted only by night feedings of Teya and occasional Alarms on Maya's Oximeter (but nothing ever scary). We have found ways to have a date or two (with baby Teya)...we even took her to a movie a month ago. Dean is busy at work, and recently joined the board of Hand and Voices an organization that supports families with hard of hearing and deaf children (no matter what communication method they choose to use in their family). I have continued to be involved in the leadership of Mothers of Preschoolers group at church and have been busy just being Mommy to my girls.

I still smile whenever there is a peaceful moment at our house...all three girls are either asleep or occasionally they are all awake, happy, and self-entertained. This is a very wonderful season of life despite the amount of energy it takes, and I am trying to soak in these moments before these sweet girls grow up too fast!

Teya is NOW crying of hunger...better run!