Over the rainbow

This morning when I woke up I was relieved to see that I hadn't slept past Sophie's birth time.  Sophie turned six years old today.  When I went into her room about one minute before the moment she was born she was still asleep, but awoke just as the clock changed.  She stretched a bit and then slowly opened her eyes as she often does and hit me with a huge smile.  Sophie is the most awesome waker upper in the world and it makes me happy to see her so content.

Just after she was awake the sun started to pour in her room and all of a sudden there was a rainbow streaking across her body.

A freaking rainbow. 

From her knees to her shoulder she was lit up by a crescent of purple, green, orange and every other beautiful colour of the rainbow that had somehow found her and I realized today would be a good day.  A great day.

My girl is six and she is here for me to nuzzle into her cheek to give her kisses and to hold her hand. She is healthy today and learning and growing and thriving. Not just surviving. We have been there done that and then some.

Things I learned tonight... 1. You should light sparklers close to your final destination.  2. Smoke alarms are loud.  3. It is more fun for the birthday girl when you see all six sparklers lit rather than 5 stumps and one sparkler, although she still thought it was awesome. :p

Today was party day and Sophie loved every minute of it. She had a blast all day at daycare, all the kids loved treating Sophie like a princess today. Then we had a family party tonight. She loved opening all her presents, she was so focused and curious.

What is that coming out of the bag?

Oooohh, I know them.

The Wiggles!!!!

Happy Birthday Sophie.  Keep on changing the world with every little flap of those butterfly wings.

Spring fling

I am loving this unseasonably warm weather, it is an awesome March spring fling.  Jason came across a garage sale in our neighbourhood yesterday and told me I should go check it out when he got home.  Can do!  It turned out I knew the family that was having the sale so we chatted and I picked up some great Kindermusik musical instruments for Sophie and a few books as well.  I got Lucas a riddle book that he has been trying out on us ever since.  I am so ready for garage sale season, I love that I got to start two months earlier than usual!

Lucas arrived home from a couple days at his Oma's for March break and the three of us went to watch his skating lesson.  He is doing really well, he has his last class next week and I am sure he will pass this level with flying colours.

This weekend Sophie is feeling better (hurrah!!) and we spent some time outside.  I cleared out the winter arrangements on the front porch and set up a spring one.  It still needs a little something but I am happy with it nonetheless.

In the afternoon we headed to the park and Lucas showed off his mad basketball skills.  He is loving basketball right now.  March madness is at our house.  He is shooting hoops in the backyard morning noon and night, he just can't get enough.  I am sure that 2 months from now when soccer starts that will be the obsession, but for now, hoops.

There is no question where he gets the skills or the obsession from ;)

 Swish

Sophie never lets herself get left out of the action

Sitting there watching him play, looking almost like a teenager, my head filled of memories of Lucas and Sophie when they were born at the hospital in the background.  It doesn't seem like it was that long ago and I can remember every minute of being there with both of them.  But how time flies.  Sophie turns 6 in a few days, we are so excited!

Under the weather

Sophie has been sick for over a week now with fevers going from high to low grade, lots of coughing and tons of secretions.  We have been treating her with meds to help with the fevers and keep her comfy, we figured at first it was just a cold that she would get over.  In typical Sophie style she just got worse each day.  She was home with her nurse on Friday and she had deteriorated so much that her nurse called me at work and said she needed to be taken to the hospital.  So I came right home and took Sophie in.  It was good that we did, they found a badly infected ear so she is on antibiotics and she has been put on prednisone for her respiratory distress.  No pneumonia (we were pretty sure her lungs were clear) but they said that she does have a spot on her lungs and that may just be her new baseline.  All the pneumonias and intubations may have caused her some permanent lung damage.

We have been suctioning her when she gets into her bad coughing and choking episodes and it seems to be helping, she just needs that little extra help to get it cleared.  She can't lay down for more than a couple minutes or she starts panicking from all the secretions sitting in her throat so she has been having a hard time getting to sleep or even resting.  I am hoping that by tomorrow she will be starting to be noticeably better, today and yesterday she has just kind of plateaued, but no crying out and moaning like we had seen on Thursday and Friday at her worst, her ear must have been killing her.  She had been thrusting her tongue out non-stop and now I think it was because she was having pain radiating from her ear and that was the way she was dealing with it. I am putting that little clue in my mental notebook.  If only my girl could tell me where it hurt.  This illness is almost a carbon copy of the six week nightmare she had in November/December.

Yesterday and today were such gorgeous days and Sophie was really wanting to be outside with her brother but she isn't well enough yet.  She was so cute yesterday looking out the window with Riley, just watching Lucas and Jason play basketball.  She was happy as long as she could see them.  Hopefully she will be better for most of March break and we can start looking forward to spring.

Bowl-a-rama

Last night Sophie and I went glow bowling for a Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser that a friend was having.  Sophie loved it and got a great score, even better than some of the adults (sorry Nana lol)  :)  Most anyone that knows our family or who reads this blog regularly knows that I am a firm believer that Sophie should have the chance to try everything that any other little girl her age has the opportunity to do.  Bowling is one of those things that I figured there was no reason why Sophie shouldn't do it, and of course, she loved it.  What she loves the most though is being with everyone else and being a part of the action.  I cringe at the thought of us not doing things because Sophie has complex medical needs and severe disabilities.  It isn't and shouldn't be a factor for most things.

Sophie had been glow bowling before, Lucas' last birthday party was a glow bowling party and Sophie took part and had a blast, last night was no different.  She concentrated at every turn she had and Zoe was there to help her out too.  And, drum roll, Sophie got her first strike last night!

Most of the pictures I got yesterday were horrendous out of focus glow shots, so here are some from Lucas' birthday to give you more of an idea of what it is like for Sophie to bowl...

When we arrive at the bowling alley we ask for a bowling ball ramp and both places we have been to have had them (I called to make sure before Lucas' party, we didn't want any disappointment).

Please ignore my husband's shirt ;) lol

Getting lined up

Pushing the ball

There it goes!

Another turn

Watching it go

Proud of herself!

 All of Lucas' friends waited very patiently for Sophie to take each of her turns.  It was very loud at the bowling alley and it startled Sophie quite a lot at the beginning of each of our two outings, she would noticably jump.  It took some time but she got used to it and was able to enjoy the atmosphere.  Luckily there were lots of people to distract her.  The glow aspect was perfect for Sophie and her CVI, last night she loved seeing the glow bracelets that everyone had on as well (you can see hers in the first 3 photos).  We saved mine and hers in the freezer and will be using them over the next few days!

Party time

My adorable niece Zoe turned four this week and we had a great time celebrating at my sister's place.  There is nothing like a child's birthday to get you in a happy mood, it is so fun to watch their excitement for every little part of the celebration.  Zoe did about 5 wardrobe changes to mix and match all her new outfits, she was in her element.  This little girl is a fashionista.

After opening some of her first gifts we asked Zoe if she would stand with Sophie to get their picture taken together.  The photos tell the story.  Zoe loves on Sophie like crazy and Sophie loves her right back.  Zoe doesn't ever just stand beside her, she holds her hand, gives her hugs and kisses and talks to her.

Sophie holds her right back.

There are few things that my Miss Sophie loves more than the singing of Happy Birthday.  Between the candles on the cake, the lights out and everyone singing, Sophie goes crazy.  She throws her arms up with excitement and belts out a tune herself.  It is really cute.  This year Sophie did what she has done many times before and got her entire arm in the cake.  She had melting ice cream cake all up her sleeve and she was super proud of herself!  :)

 
Sophie was just making sure she got a taste of the cake.

I just love these girls to pieces.  It is always an adventure.

Only a few short weeks and we will be celebrating Sophie's 6th birthday.  I can't wait!