I can't believe it is already August and Josie starts school in just a couple of weeks. We have had a busy July and enjoying the short time that Josie is out of school. The kids have enjoyed a couple of short vacations with both sets of grandparents and also had a great time with dad spending a week at home this month. Nana and Papa came to KC at the beginning of the month and spent several days with us seeing the sights of KC that we frequent, like the children's farm and farmer's market. It was great to show them around and give them a glimpse of what life is like for us here. Josie and I had a week of vacation bible school scheduled, but unfortunately, she came down with an ear infection in the middle of it, so we only made it a couple of days. She is still signing music and church when we go to church because she enjoyed the dancing so much:) Henry got to go each day and play with his friends in the nursery which was fun for him, too. I think he is going to love going next year when he will be old enough. Josie and I practiced the VBS dances in the evenings and he was learning right along with us. He has some pretty good moves:)
Josie also did swim lessons this month at McKracken Swim School. She has no fear in the water and will go under without hesitation, so Chad and I felt like it is extremely important that she learn how to swim soon. She also loves the water and it is good to see her enjoying something that is physical. She really did well at swim lessons; followed directions and really tried hard. I think it is something we are going to try to continue to do through the winter somewhere indoors.
We finished the month with a short vacation to Grammy and Papa's cabin at Grand Lake during Chad's time off of work. The kids were in heaven because cousin Lane was there everyday! Henry was so sad when we had to go home and leave Lane. Lane plays so well with both kids and they just worship him:) This was the first trip that both kids did really well on the boat and allowed Chad and I to do more on the water. We skied until we couldn't ski anymore and took the kids on boat rides every morning while the temperature was still tolerable.
It is hard to believe that Henry is turning 2 in just a month! I feel like the older the kids get the faster time flies. He is looking so much like a little boy and really acting like one too:) His favorite things right now are playing with trucks and wrestling. He ran around and wrestled with Lane while we were at the lake until he was just totally exhausted. It was fun to watch him play with another boy, which we don't often get to see. He and Chad have started playing a little soccer and he seems to really enjoy that. Although I would definitely describe him as all boy, he is also becoming a very compassionate little boy. Josie has been feeling bad lately and he gets very concerned about her. The other day Chad and I were having trouble getting her to calm down and cooperate for a tube feeding. Henry noticed she was upset and came over and held her hand and gently patted it. Josie immediately calmed down. It is also harder to take him to Josie's doctor's appointments now because he gets very concerned about her. I know that this is a part of his life, but it does bother me sometimes to think that he already has this worry for his sibling. I do think that the experience is going to help him be a very compassionate man when he grows up which is a very good virtue to have.
Josie is doing really good now, although July was a rougher month health wise than we have had in a while. At the end of June we had a routine checkup with the pediatrician and learned that Josie had gained 3 pounds in the last 3 months, which was more than she gained all last year! It was great news and reassured us that the diet changes we've made were making a difference. Since she seemed to be healthier GI wise, we decided to wean her off of some pain medication that she has been on since she was a year old for chronic GI pain. We slowly weaned her off over a three week period and discovered that her body was definitely not ready for it. It was like having the old Josie around again, retching all the time, barely tolerating any food, not sleeping, and she was always pale. Unfortunately, it takes your body a long time to build the medicine's effect back up, so once we realized she had to stay on it, it took another few weeks to get back to her normal dose. It was a very miserable experience for her and as parents we were just kicking ourselves for trying it. I think it was probably a good idea and the pediatrician agreed that she is better off in the long run not needing the medicine, but Josie's body is definitely not ready for it. We are going to wait a year and maybe try it again if she continues to gain weight. I think Chad and I had both lost track a little of how much better Josie's health is now. I'm so glad she doesn't have to feel that way anymore.
We have just a couple short weeks before Josie starts school August 13th and she will be there for a little longer day this year than last spring, so Henry and I will have a lot of time to ourselves. She is going to be so excited to see her teachers and friends and I am looking forward to having some time with Henry. This month I also start sign language classes at Johnson County Community College. I will be gone two evenings a week and while I'm looking forward to it, I will miss our family time in the evenings. JCCC basically has 4 courses that Chad and I both want to take which should allow us to be proficient in ASL. Next spring, Chad is going to start evening classes, too, so we are hopeful that we can both stay up with Josie's learning.
This weekend marks six years for Chad and I! Looking at this picture I think to myself we had no idea where the journey was going to take us:) It has been a crazy six years with a lot of ups and downs, but it has been a great journey. I'm so proud of the family we have created. Parenting in general can be difficult, but parenting a child with special needs is a whole different ballgame. Chad and I have always approached it as a team, when one of us was struggling the other stepped in. Now that we have gotten past some of the more difficult times we often find ourselves sitting back watching the kids and saying how much we truly appreciate what we have. Grammy and Papa Stewart are keeping the kids for us this weekend, so we are headed back to the place it all started, Lawrence, for some fun visiting our old haunts! Hope everyone has a great week!
