Avery, now a runner?

Well, not quite yet but she is just about one with her walker! She is attached to the walker. Great thing! Today at school therapy she walked the whole hallway to the classroom with it, around the room most of the time, and then out to the car. Did I mention it was raining on our way to the car, and we were getting drenched so I tried to pick her up.  NOT happening...she just kept saying walker, walker walker. OK, how do I argue with that? I don't!  I get soaked! Not a problem :) The things you do for your kids! I am very proud of her and I am trying to be sooo patient. She still runs into things and is slow at times. PATIENCE MOM! You all know me...lets just say I do not have the patience of a saint! Maybe I will by the time she doesn't  need the walker! Mya is such a big helper and is so proud to tell everyone that her sister needs a walker and is getting better at it. You should hear Mya bragging Avery up to the Early on teachers. Proud Mommy.
Off the subject..kinda. Don't know if I mentioned it, but the Thursday before Avery's birthday party I heard Mya talking. Her preshool class walks by the early on classroom on the way in from outside. I walked out of the classroom to go get Mya from preschool right behind the whole class. Mya didn't know I was there.  I heard Mya telling Ms. Sarah that "her little sister Avery is turning 2 and is having an Elmo party" Mya even talks about Avery when I'm not around(Or at least she thinks I'm not around) HAPPY! The love between sisters!

Week of October 17, 2011

Another busy week for the Meyer/ Nagelkirk family. With therapy and school I am a full time taxi :) 5 months ago I had no place to go and nothing to do. WOW that has changed to say the least. Tuesday Avery had PT with Shawn. This was our last appointment with Shawn for the year, our PT visits are up with Insurance and their 6 month policy expires too. When I got there Shawn pulled me into the back to talk. I figured she wanted to update me on Avery and give me a plan for the few months that we would not be seeing her. Well, not the case. Shawn's last day with Kids in Motion is next Tuesday, the 25th of October. She is going to medical school and got accepted for next year. She will take some time off to be with her family before she leaves to go to the Caribbean for school. I was SHOCKED! I immediately started to cry. You have no idea how much this single person has changed Avery's life..as well as my whole family's. I just assumed She would be Avery's therapist forever. :( I am so happy that she is pursuing her dream! but am soooo bummed at the same time. She said it is so bittersweet and loves her job and loves our family so much too. She said she is going to school to be "Dr. Dabrowski."  Dr. Dabrowski is Avery's Physiatrist! Good for her. She has been taking classes and working towards this goal for a long time. So where does that leave us? Mary the owner will be working with Avery until they replace Shawn.  But really, I don't think anyone will ever compare! What a feeling. I'm sure over the course of the years ahead several people will come in and out of our lives. But I wasn't ready for it. Note to self...don't get attached to the people that care for your child?! RIGHT,!? Easier said than done. We see Shawn more than I see my immediate family and friends. That is just how it has to be at this point in our lives. So Tuesday, her last day we will go in and say goodbye to her and thank her for ...being so great! We are gonna miss her! I hope one day she will be Avery's physiatrist! I HOPE!

Infusion # 11 10-14-11

Infusion Friday. A day I NEVER look forward to. When it is infusion week, the whole week feels different to me. And non infusion weeks....I feel like I am a happier person. Besides the fact that Avery has to go through all this...every other week..forever; I don't know why I have this feeling. It literally makes me sick to my stomach when I think about Infusion. I can't get used to this. Everyone keeps telling me: it will get easier, become a routine, it is harder on you than it is on Avery. That is all well and fine but..but how do I change how I feel? That is my baby, our baby. And not a single second goes by that I don't wish...WISH it was me instead of her. When Avery points at her arm every single day and says ouchie..I wanna cry....and many times I do. I feel like after 11 times of her going through this I would/should feel different..nope! I don't. I dread every time like it is the first time. With that being said, Lorraine, Avery and Mommy were off to Detroit. A "normal" infusion day. We got there on time, checked in without a hitch, and were upstairs and ready to go. Karen, our favorite nurse was there and that immediately takes about 1000 pounds off my shoulders. She gets the IV on the first try, and today was no different. Avery did amazing, like always. I mean what 2 yr old goes through all of this and still has it in her to smile and play while she is there? My big girl Avery does. She did fall asleep this time which makes it so much easier too, for her, Mommy and Grandma. The time seemed to fly by and we were out of there around 2 and home by about 3.

Avery Kay turns 2! Time to celebrate with ELMO!

What an amazing day! Miss Avery turned 2 on October 8, 2011! We decided to celebrate...BIG, and with who else but...ELMO!! Wade and I usually do not do "big" parties for the girls...but this situation seemed different to me. I wanted to celebrate Avery's life! Celebrate the fact that we have all "made it" to where we are today! It has been a really long 5 months! We had amazing weather and a great turnout. Lots of family and friends to celebrate with! We had pizza, bread sticks, salads, cake, cupcakes and cookies! Avery has so many people that love her so much and that support our family every day, and we are so thankful. Avery received so many wonderful gifts. Miss Mya and Avery...love everything so much! Lots of Elmo, and we all know that is her favorite! We rented a bounce house..and it was a huge hit! We also had a pinata ...which we are still eating candy from! Overall,....PERFECT! And we cannot thank everyone enough!

The Birthday Girl playing with bubbles!

Yummy Sugar Cookies!

I just had to make an Elmo cake!

Goody bags

more cookies

all the yummy treats

cupcakes with Sesame Street rings

Sponge Bob bounce house

The party just getting started

big girl walking with Daddy!

FUN FUN! Presents!

Blowing out the candle

Cake Time!

Evidence!

Present time

look at all the Elmo stuff!

Pull string pinata...perfect for little ones!

getting candy

pizza time

Big sis Mya and one of her besties, Keirsten!

Back to normal?

On Sunday, after her big birthday party, Avery woke up with a 102 fever and just screaming and crying. She carried on for a couple hours and I called Dr. Haddad, her pediatrician. He said to bring her in immediately. He met me at his office(yup Dr. Haddad will go into the office on Sunday, and her personally answers his phone, anytime any day)NOT a doubt..we are with the right pediatrician! He examined her and when he felt right below her ribs/side stomach area she screamed. Not a "I got my finger pinched..or fell down" scream, an ear piercing pain cry. I immediately lost it. I knew something was wrong. He mentioned a couple things it could be but couldn't be sure until we got tests done. We needed to get them done, and fast...so to the ER we went. They checked her out and guessed it was either a ruptured appendix(which would be rare in a 2 yr old)a urinary tract infection, or a kidney issue. Further tests would indicate it was a UTI. They started antibiotics right away and we got admitted to the hospital. Little did we know we would be staying there for 2 nights. She needed to be monitored for 48 hours. WHAT A NIGHTMARE. We got to our room and I ran home to take a shower and get a few things for our stay. When I returned, the medication had already kicked in and Avery was feeling better. By that night, Avery was pretty much back to normal. She was just REALLY tired and cranky. I stayed with her Sunday night and Wade stayed with her Monday night. Monday was a really long day. We had to keep her entertained ALL day. The hospital had a wagon..so we walked with her in that for hours! And the toy room was right next door to us, perfect. We also brought lots of toys and books! She barely took a nap..it was so light in there and loud. She is used to dark and quiet. Mandy came with the kids, and Dick and Lorraine brought Mya up to visit. I went to get some food with Mandy and that night when I came back to the hospital Avery was SOOOO over tired and cried/screamed for 2.5 hours before Wade finally got her to sleep. He said she later woke up and was up for most of the night. ugh. On my way to the hospital on Tuesday morning, I text Wade and asked him if he wanted anything from McDonald's for breakfast. His response, "unless they serve 8 hours of sleep, I'll have a coffee." I knew that the night must of have been a long one! Grandma and Grandpa had Mya and Charley for the couple of days and were over the top with helping out. Grandma visited Tuesday after dropping Mya off at school and rocked Avery and she slept for over and hour and a half...she needed it so bad. Lisa and Lexi came to visit us on Tuesday, and we got to go home at 2p. YES. All in all, Avery was pretty good, we survived, and I'm hoping that is the last trip to the ER forever!

10-2 through 10-8

What an exciting week for Avery. She walked 10 feet..by herself. She is getting so brave. She will go from sitting to standing(kinda) by herself and does a lot of monkey crawling(at least that is what I call it). Monkey crawling is when she has her feet on the floor is semi standing up but bends at the waist and puts her hands on the floor in front of her.(does that make sense)...in my mind it does! Her vocabulary is becoming huge. She is saying sentences now. Well maybe not complete sentences but I'll take it. Her favorite thing to say is...out ma ma! Out of the car seat, out of the grocery cart, out of the stroller....I get it she wants out! It makes me so happy she wants out ma ma because she wants to MOVE! I have had several people comment on how strong her speech is getting. Must be all the hard work her and Alisha are doing! The therapist also mentioned that developing speech goes hand in hand with walking. YES PLEASE! Avery also uses a different walker now. It has wheels on the front and back..and she is a reckless driver! I'm ok with it...but watch your toes because she will run em over! What a difference 5 months in therapy can make! Amazing! I'm thankful for my life! It was/has been really hard for me to say that lately..but I really am! I'm thankful for everything I get to watch her learn! I'm thankful she is teaching me something new everyday! I'm thankful we have the resources we have....meaning,... infusion, insurance, therapy...and most of all EVERYONE that supports Avery!

Infusion # 10

OK..so I'm a little over a week behind. Who's counting. Infusion 10..went pretty good! Lorraine went with me this time. We were unsure if we would be able to have the infusion on Friday...due to Avery being sick. She had croup and an ear infection. If she is running a fever or coughing she can't have the infusion. What would we do?? We would have just had to have 2 infusions on back to back weeks. I'm so thankful she woke up with no fever. When we got there Dr. Stockton was waiting for us...that never happens! It seemed like it took a while to get the meds..but then again it always does when you are trying to entertain a 2 yr old. Avery was really tired and I thought she would never go to sleep(because she never does) and over half way through she fell asleep :) She slept for over an hour! It was really nice. Jessica was the nurse who did the IV..and she got it on the first try. I held Avery and did a great job myself! Wade usually does the holding..but it really wasn't that bad. I think I did better holding her..than not! The infusion seemed to go pretty quick. We were home by 3! The infusions just wipe her out...and me too.  Only 16 more to go until we "hopefully" can do them at home! Really looking forward to that!

One of the best days of our lives!10*8*11

TIME TO CELEBRATE....Avery's LIFE! Wow, 2 years has flown by! At this time 2 years ago I was in recovery from a horrible c-section that delivered Avery. It's funny how people say you "forget" the delivery. I think that pertains to a normal delivery..but whatever...I will never forget. Anyway...what a quick 2 years. Our life has changed 2000000%  in 2 years. Holy smokes! Today I woke up and instantly thought of Avery and got tears in my eyes. I am so emotional! I doubt I will make it through the morning without tears. And when I see all my family and friends...I'm sure it will be worse. It is tears of joy of course. Tears of joy that Avery is with us on this special day. This little girl has been through way more than any little one should have to go through. I only hope it gets better for her in the years to come. When I think of the last 5 months..I get a pit in my stomach. What a nightmare. But,....yes I say but...there is some positive out of all this...Avery is doing great and is loving life! 5 months ago I had doubts she would crawl, walk, stand or even scoot around the way she does. Now, this week she walked 10 feet all by herself! WoW! We are so proud of her. She amazes us everyday and I'm sure she will continue to. Today I am thankful to have her, to be able to celebrate with a "healthy as can be" child. I'm thankful for drugs and for therapy(for her of course!)I'm thankful she has a healthy sister that loves her more than ever! I'm thankful for my husband, and for all of our family and friends that continue to support us everyday! I'M THANKFUL! Happy Birthday to my Elmo lovin, big girl!