Communication

It is amazing how much Kelsey has been communicating.

Ever since we learned that she could choice make using "left" and "right" reaching, it has really opened things up. She also is way more vocal lately. It could be that her head congestion is finally better or maybe that she sees we really are listening.

We have a cute video that I will have to try to convert of her telling us "ya" to things she likes and "ooH" (no) to if she likes bedtime. In that video, I ask her if she likes dad and instead of her usual "ya" she says "offfv ad" (love dad) It is really sweet.

Yesterday with Kristen, she was ready to be finished with a peg board, but Kristen and I were asking her to do one more thing. She sat there and didn't try. Then she signed "all done" with BOTH hands going high and up. (usually just the right hand does the "all done" sign) and then she verbally said "un" (done)

She is laughing more and more spontaneously and it is absolutely precious.

Can't wait to hear "offv ahma" all the time. :)

Kelsey Repeats Laughs

Remembering A Very Special Visit

Two years ago, Kelsey was just two months old. We had been given a poor diagnosis at birth based on her MRI on her brain. When we took her home from the hospital at birth, we had Carousel coming to see us weekly to make sure that she was growing, etc.

There was a very special man who volunteers his time to come out to the houses of kids who can't or shouldn't be out and in line to see him in the malls, etc.

He was the real Santa Claus.
I can't explain to you what he gave to us that Christmas. Everything was still so new and so scary. I held my precious baby and knew that she was "in" there and that I would find her. I knew that she would "make it" and that she would be ok, despite what we may have been told.

When Santa came to our house, he knew it too. He held Kelsey in his arms like I am sure he has held a thousand before. He was so comfortable with her and with us. He had jingle bells you could hear coming down our sidewalk before he rang the doorbell. He had a key around his waist for those without chimneys. He was the real Santa.

He told the sleeping baby Kelsey to "Always remember that Santa loves you." and we felt loved too.
I got his address thinking I would get a thank you off to him. Somehow in those early, overwhelming days there was never enough time to do that. But I have thought of that visit often.Today, I found this website via some other site, clicked Kansas and sure enough Santa John is there spreading more love and hope than I can explain.



Merry Christmas Santa!

This Week's Thankfulness

* I am thankful that Kelsey was able to hit the button of a toy while sitting without help and only being supported at the wrist of the opposite hand. (And I am thankful that Mo (her PT in class at school)suggested trying this!)

(Related to this I am so very glad at how much stronger Kelsey's trunk muscles are getting)

* I am thankful for how much Kelsey loves all of her teachers.

It was such a joy to see Kelsey with Debbie at the Christmas program and how excited she was after 3-4 weeks without seeing her.

She just has so many special people in her life and I love that she loves them and works so hard for them.

* I am thankful for how much more she is "talking" this week and how much more opininated she is these days. (I *think* I am thankful for that ;) )

* I am thankful for the progress she has been making in the last six months, that she now has some pretty good ways to communicate her wants and feelings, and that she continues to grow and learn.

* I am thankful for the Christmas program for her school, how cute she was as a little Christmas elf, the opportunity she had to be on stage, and the visit with Santa Claus!

* I am thankful for the children that are older than Kelsey that I get to watch grow and achieve. It gives me so much hope for Kelsey's future.

Dreaming with Daddy

i was laying next to kelsey holding calming her down from feeling stuffy, crying, and panicy. I pulled the comforter over her, and was rubbing her face gently. She had gone from wide awake to heavy eyes almost instantly. About 2 minutes later, she was snoring.

Trying to sneak away, as much as I could pull myself to do, from this amazing moment of beauty, I moved my leg, and she moved a bit, as if she would wake back up. I waited then moved her arm, same only stronger. I waited, and pulled the comforter over her ear. She was out.

I was just ready to get up, and she started giggling, softly, then heavily, with this big smile, then eyes wide open. She had either had a happy dream, or the comforter on her ear tickled, or something.

Just so cute, but yet, now awake again, just when I thought I had her calmed. She looked at me again, smiled beautifully, and went to sleep.

~Daddy

Daddy's Unedited Notes for your Reading Pleasure

Daddy’s Raw, Unedited, reports on Kelsey… for your reading pleasure, since it’s 3 months of misc. items:

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Kelseycan. She walked from the office to our bedroom with Kelly holding her under her arms, right leg, left leg. I massaged her right leg and behind her knee, and it would coax her on, relieving the excess tone. She had been laying on the floor, on my stacks of sorted papers, but she was having fun with them, so I couldn't see moving her. She was just moving all over, messing them up, wrinkling, etc, lol. She played with her Penguin, and would punch it move it, talk to it, and laugh loudly when she made it talk. First time I have seen her play by herself that way and be happy, totally entertaining herself, and enjoying it all. She would look at me for encouragement, and same, had done that at school yesterday, paying as much attention as if to say, Daddy, are you seeing me? Tonight also, after prompting her just twice, she said Boo, very distinctly, with the Ba sound! We both screamed Yeaaah, Kelsey, woo hoo, which led to a 3 minute pout and near tears. She just is not sure about over excitement, and we think she thinks we are yelling at her, and doesn't seem to matter how much calming her, that even seems to make the lip stick out further. 11/12/09 10:59p

Kelsey watched me play a video game, the historic games of pacman, galaxia, and a couple others. She was just watching, and talking, and when i got done, or the ghosts were chasing, and about to get me, she would say, OHHHH, OR GO! Laughed at music between levels, or the sounds / movements of me turning around and eating the ghosts. In Galaxia, she would talk when the bugs would come down to chase me. She is very smart, sees well, and shows anticipation, and reaction. 11/5/09 2:02a

Kelsey ate a 4 oz food jar in 12 minutes! yay Kelsey. She has just ate and ate today!10/29/09 12:00a

Kelsey 10/19/09, was hungry, just waited to feed her when she asked rather than wasting time trying to force it to her. She had been good all day hanging out, and i had a bottle sitting by her, and she laying on the floor, kept looking over her head at it and kept moving that way, got to the point she was at it and was sucking on the outside of the bottle, knowing that was her food and she was hungry. So neat to see acknowledgement and desire, and doing what she could , problem solving as best she could, on her own, to fill the need.

Kelly was kissing on Kelsey, and she spontaneously said ama, i uv ooo. 10/15/09 7:34p

Kelsey tried out the completed crawler i made, and loved it, moved all around the entryway. The night before, we were in the hottub at the hotel chuck stayed at, and for about a1.5 hours, she just kicked, and talked and walked, and moved her arms and legs. I was feeding her a bottle after her crawler time, and after asking her all done or more bottle, she said done bottle. 9/30/09

Kelly, Kelsey, and I went to the park with the fishing lake in Olathe. We found a dock that was vacant, and after introducing Kelsey to the lake view, having her be pretty mellow, I finally laid back on the deck and let Kelsey lay on me. Holding her, I relaxed completely, got into a trance zone, and prayed about Kelsey, "I am grateful for her making all her nerve connections, growing, learning, and achieving new things daily. I am grateful for her quickly learning how to walk, talk, crawl, do all her motor skills and having all her muscles be fully functional, and being able to feed herself." Some kids came to fish, and took a bit away from the trance/zone I was in, so I sat up and held Kelsey on the dock. She was sitting with her knees bent, laying against me, with her arms pulled up high on her chest. I considered the possibility of the kids casting poorly as I used to, so after a few minutes, decided it best to leave. We had her touch her face, she was licking at her hand. I moved her hand around and told her to wipe wipe wipe the mouth off. Kelly looked at Kelsey sitting there and said, "you know, with her arms up like that and her hands now working better, she could feed herself a cookie". Hmmmmmmmm. So we got home, and finding a way to keep her elbows up, she was holding a cookie close, and she just kept pecking at it, moving her arms a little, and moving her head toward it, to bite it. 9/7/09 5:02p

kelseycan Concerts Kelsey Attended, brooks and Dunn, Gary Allen aug 09, Mark Wills-Santacaligon 9-5-09 8/23/09 2:13p , Lonestar 7-08, Eddie money 8-09, Jo Dee Messina 8-09, 6-09 country in the woods Corporate Woods, Emerson Drive

George strait has a song, I Saw God Today" Every day looking at Kelsey, I see God's Miracles. I have never been religious. I believed, and I know right from wrong, and mostly, follow the right path, and endeavor to do so. It can cost you in the short run, but in the long run, all you have is your word. You may make mistakes, and you need to forgive yourself for those you have made, and move on. Some struggle with, including me, with times such as having Kelsey, actually, first it was the loss of her twin sister, we named Kaitlyn. Not having kids, not really caring if I did or not, as it had been difficult for my wife to conceive. I was fine with whatever happened. And then, we found in the clinic that day, that it had. And I knew the moment I looked at the screen. (actually, I thought it was triplets, but the third item was the placenta) Can you say shaky knees? All the emotions; wow, how, now, and holy cow! what a miracle! And then, it was cut short, just about 15 weeks later. And so one. I was sad, disbelieving, and really, just numb. Really, seeming, no emotion, just empty. The most amazing miracle, just got cut short. Was it something we did. We did everything for those babies. All the foods, reading, talking to them, I was at every doctor's appointment but one. The one right before the one where we found out the bad news, that we had lost one. From the time we heard the news, and they said CP. I had the worst feeling, with stereotypes in my head of what that meant. sitting in the car at the parking garage of the children's hospital. I thought, not my child. How? Why? This little angel that slept on my chest at the delivery hospital her first night, seemed so normal, so perfect. This smart little girl who we played with in utero, counting, calling her baby bonk bonk because she would kick and count, One time I poked at her 80 times, and each time, she would kick or poke back, and we counted. However, that was pretty much the only time, in that garage, that I really feared, because at that time, I began faith path, that my little girl would be fine. Thankfully, for two friends, one with an autistic child, and one that works with developmentally challenged children. I think just holding her that first night, making a connection, told me she would help me, and I would help her. All the subsequent doctor's meetings just seemed like a waste of time. Oh sure, she has had challenges, we have had fears, as many parents do, yet we get through them all, and always will, because we, and she, are blessed, and watched over. It is not our choice, we were chosen. Many times, Kelly says why us, after all that we have done right, and you see so many people, drug abusers, etc, that you would think would have children with problems, yet they seem just fine. Then we decide we were chosen for a reason, for a higher reason. We are strong enough to deal with this, and this little girl needs us as much as we need her. Those other people we see would never be able to handle the diagnoses, the time out of a job, etc. It is very difficult for us, and financially, we have struggled recently unlike anytime. Our decisions sometimes seem flawed, yet are very correct, in that this is most important. This is my new passion, because I feel this message is to go out, and I am strong enough and talented enough to get it out. This little girl is a miracle, and I am a witness to God's miracles daily, and that is something I don't know how long it would have taken me to understand outside of this situation. We are to spread the word, and help those less fortunate in belief, knowledge, etc. I have many inventions, business ideas, and passions on my plate. But I feel as of today 8/31/09 4:44a , that this is my purpose, that God wants me to fulfill. I am grateful for anyone's help with this adventure, and we get alot, from some of the most amazing places. God is providing, through sources that really kill those prejudices, or sacred cows from my past. I am a true believer now. Believe and see in the good in any and all people. I am not trying to in any way be preachy to you. I know how some may feel, I felt the same way. I just endeavor to assist you to find the miracles in your life, that may be right in front of your face. I am just a witness for daily blessings entering my life. A catalyst for my talents and abilities. A path for my random creative thoughts. To show people what is possible. Being another source of helpful and hopeful information. Helping you see the answer is within you. In your heart, in your mind, in your connection to your surroundings, the universe, God. You just need a path to find it. 8/31/09

Tuesday Night we ate at Jose Pepper's, and Kelsey sat up well, by herself, looked as if she was falling forward, then caught herself, set herself back, and smiled. Doing it several more times, she would laugh. "That is my new trick...Balance!" Many bites of refried beans, some rice, although didn't quite know what to do with that. Most of everything stayed in. Really seems to like the cornbread! Eating like a big girl. Mommy says "Soon, we will have to buy her own kids meals." [1/2 hour to write these posts! not complaining, just...wow. 1/2 hour to review all that Kelsey did this weekend. all the smiles, all the joy, and accomplishment, pride, excitement. relief. all reviewed, in 30 minutes, really, writing all about the fair would take an hour.] IT is so nice, and refreshing, to see her. I have always been a quiet champion of Kelsey, and knew she would be able to do whatever she wanted. I have always believed. It is so nice to just see what seems like all these switches coming on. She will be walking, crawling, etc, just soon after 2 years. Just seems like such a little person now. Just so connected to her now. It could be difficult for someone to do anything other than work with her, while seeing these great results! I think that is the best thing for her. IT is a blessing that we don't have someone to watch her, and just include her in everying. Looking back, I told her the other day, asked if she knew how lucky she is. I asked her if she knew any kids her age who had gone to Disney, on a cruise, to a different county, to concerts....heck, I think I just figured out she has been to more concerts than I did prior to 21! Likely more in 23 months that I did in 23 years! I think she just gets to see and do so much, it is helping her grow and see all she could be doing, where most kids in a similar situation would see minimal, and "normal" kids would just be home with a sitter often. I think this is paying off for all of us. I think we have more fun including her and showing her things than just doing it. Sure, away time can be nice, but I get alot out of having my little buddy just constantly looking around, and looking up at me and smiling, talking, having a great time. I am blessed. 8/26/09 7:45a

~Daddy

The Missing Piece

When I saw this picture today, I couldn't help but think that someone was missing in it.

For AJ

Kelsey didn't feel like doing this for AJ and me in the pool today...

But boy did she later...

What I Decided to Do Today (Wordless Wednesday as some blogs like to call it)

(ok if you know me you know I can't leave it without words...Kelsey did independent "side sitting" for at LEAST one to two minutes before repositioning and probably a total of 5-7 minutes!)

The Green Walker

So here I was about to take this borrowed walker back to school because Kelsey screamed when put in it, of course she proved me wrong and indicated that she wants to borrow it a little longer. :)

Daddy has been working with her in it some and yesterday she decided to walk backwards in it from the kitchen to the front door.

Then daddy took her outside and she did the above. She is amazing in her effort and determination.

Birthday Picture Overload

Kaitlyn's Angel Bear

Kelsey's Celebration at school

On the Wednesday class before her birthday, Kelsey brought Minnie Mouse cupcakes to celebrate.

Kelsey sure liked being the center of attention!

And both Mommy and Daddy got to be there!

Kelsey needs a Kidwalk

A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to have another mom post on the CP board about their child's Kidwalk Gait Trainer.

I googled it and knew that it was just what Kelsey needed.

I really like that the front is completely open. I like that it supports under the arms (where we hold Kelsey when she takes steps for us on her own).

I like that it has a head support in back so Kelsey couldn't arch herself backward which is what she does after she gets mad in the gait trainer we are borrowing. It has a handle in the back that you could "push" to help or if the child gets tired.

So I emailed one of her PT's and she said that they have one at her special school that we could try...

So on that next Tuesday we tried it.

And it was wonderful.

And I almost cried.

And it was wonderful.

(these pictures are from her birthday when we got to show Grammy and Grandpa!)

Happy 2nd Birthday Kelsey!

Mommy will do a better post about how much you've grown soon. But for now...

Thank you for all the gifts you have given us and those around you.

We are so very glad you are here with us!