Cerebral Palsy Baby

6 Month Update

2012-01-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Wow, six months since my last post? Just a little ridiculous, huh?

Darsie has been up to so much since then, but mainly starting first grade! It has definitely had its trials and tribulations but I think we are finally in a good spot and progressing well. Her last report card had ups and downs but the main items were that she is reading and doing math AT grade level. So, BIG CELEBRATION!

We recently had a consultation at Shriner's in Portland. Just as we thought, it was recommended that Darsie have surgery on her foot. Botox isn't really doing enough for her at this point and we want to get her foot corrected before more permanent damage is done. She was also casted for a new AFO. She has a hinged DAFO but the Orthopedist at Shriner's thinks she needs more support that an AFO will offer. We go back in February for a day-long appointment with their Motion Lab, Orthotics, Speech, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy Departments. Whew! It makes me tired to even type that out!

We have recently started the process in matching Darsie with a service dog through CCI.org. We think she would benefit greatly from it, especially after talking to lots of other Hemi parents. We had to submit basically an application request application in order to complete a full application. Earlier this week, we received that full application so we are putting it all together to move forward further in the process!

We were hit pretty hard with an epic historical storm this week. Darsie loved the snow and sledding. She is quite the daredevil.

The Cohesion Project

2011-07-01T16:05:00.001-07:00

Take a look at this video and please think about donating to make it a reality. It is time that the world realizes that cerebral palsy isn't the end of a life. I know so many people with different levels of cerebral palsy, all who are wonderful and worth taking the time to get to know. It's time to encourage people to look beyond the labels.

IEP Time

2011-06-03T08:06:00.001-07:00

The girls are sporting new hair these days, but this is a somewhat recent photo.

Yesterday I met with the therapists and principal at Darsie's school and had her annual IEP meeting. According to them and their testing, she is doing so, so well. She is hopping on her left foot very well and is starting to hop on her right as well. She is walking with alternating feet up a lot of stairs. Her writing has improved. And she can do 1" buttons! Things to work on for the summer are writing, buttons, and zippers. We can do that! Jeff and I have definitely noticed an increased use of her right hand as well.

Looking into the next year and what modifications she will need are perhaps modifications in PE as well as extra time to finish written assignments as she is a slow writer.

I love my girl and she is such a joy. She strives so much to be independent and successful at whatever she chooses.

Proud Mama

2011-05-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

I know I'm about a gazillion years late on tons of things but I just wanted to check in and update everyone on Darsie's latest round of Botox and serial casting. It has been very successful, which is sooooo good.

Things are progressing in the school department. For Mother's Day, the class put together a cook book of their moms' best dish. They dictated their recipe to a classroom helper and they were compiled into a book that was sent home.

Here was Darsie's:

Chinese Food
By Darsie

Chicken
Sauce
Oil
Spices
Rice
Egg Rolls

My mom makes the best Chinese food. First, she puts the chicken in the pot and then she pours the sauce on it. Oil and spicy stuff go in. She cooks it until dinnertime. Then she cooks the rice in a boiling pot. And that cook until its dinnertime. And then puts the egg rolls on and cooks them and then we eat!

I was soooo incredibly proud of her because, and honestly I know I'm biased but I truly believe this, it was the most thorough and well organized recipe out of the bunch. And she didn't choose macaroni and cheese (which we do eat plenty of).

Serial Casting & School Updates/Questions

2011-04-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Darsie is now sporting a purple serial cast. Her PT put it on last Friday and this week it will be removed and we'll see how she has progressed. With her other rounds of serial casting post-Botox, she has always had a minimum of two castings but upwards of four. The last time was the shortest with just two castings due to skin breakdown. This time, as a preventative measure, I applied athlete foot creme to her foot the morning of her casting. It will be interesting to see if that has any change to the duration that she can be casted for. I just want to remember to bring the creme with us on Friday to give her a quick rubdown before a new cast is applied. It is worth the shot at least.

She just had two weeks off of school due to conferences and Spring break. Her conference went well but there still seems to be a disconnect at school as to what she is actually capable of and what she is given credit for knowing. I know that Jeff and I have seen astounding progress and we were hoping to hear about that progress and what we hears was that she is not at the level that they like kids to be at at this point in the year. I won't go in to it too much here because I'm not sure who reads this blog and while I'm feeling disgruntled about her school experience, she loves school, she is progressing, and she is happy. To me at least, that is what matters.

Updates and some Botox

2011-03-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

An update to the recent placard post I wrote is that I talked about it with Darsie and she is VERY opposed to it for some reason. I don't know if she has been hearing things at school (she said to Bert one day in a very loving tone "You're disabled, you are disabled") or what is happening, but she does not want one. I think at this point in her young life all she wants is to fit in and be similar. I know right now she is really struggling with being pulled out of class for OT and PT (she actually yelled at the OT one day because the class was going to have cupcakes for St. Paddies Day and she thought she was going to miss them) and she doesn't want to seem so different.

Darsie also went on a play date/party date to a friend's house and it was a success. We are working on setting up some more soon.

Darsie also had a fourth round of Botox last week. I'm not sure if we will follow it up with the serial casting that we have done in the past, but I wouldn't be surprised. She responds really well to that combo. I do recommend that for anybody contemplating Botox, talk to your doctor about giving your child Versed before the IV and the Propanol. At least it is a combo that works well with Darsie.

We are on Spring Break for the next two weeks and of course Darsie is sick. So, today is a Mac-n-Cheese/couch/movie sort of day. Hopefully brighter weather and moods is just around the bend.

A Volatile Post, Perhaps?

2011-03-02T09:06:00.001-08:00

First off, I wanted to thank everyone for your thoughts and recommendations on my last post about Darsie and making friends. We've made some great strides in the last week and hopefully it will continue.

I have a topic I've been thinking about for awhile and am hoping to get other parents/people to contribute on - handicap parking placards.

Darsie is very able. But walking does wear her out more so than typical people. And she walks slowly. According to the Washington State web site on the matter, I do believe that she would qualify - Your ability to walk is severely limited due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

I know that it would make our lives so much easier. But then I get to thinking, would it make Darsie's life easier or just mine? I'm thinking of shorter jaunts across parking lots with the three kids and being closer to our destinations. I think about all the people that use placards that don't "appear" to need one (although, as with Darsie, not all conditions are visible). I know that she doesn't really need one and so for the time being, we've held off on applying for one.

And as I say that, I know that if and when it would really benefit her, we'll be the first ones in line for a placard.

On Making Friends & Mean Girls

2011-02-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

I love that the internet brings together people of all experiences, lives, and circumstances into one big mosh pit of vegetable soup. And boy, oh, boy, do I need that mosh pit right now.

This is going to sound corny and cheesy and odd, but I want to help Darsie make some friends. She has her casual acquaintances but no girlfriends to come over and play, no consistent friends besides her sister and brother.

I also am noticing that kids are starting to realize that Darsie is different. And not that they are mean or tease her, but she is starting to get excluded. I volunteer in Darsie's class every Wednesday and the little girls in the class were all abuzz over an upcoming birthday party for this weekend with A Princess for a Day theme. It seems the majority of the girls in the class were invited, but not Darsie. It appears that Darsie doesn't realize it, but who knows.

I've also been witnessing a lot of little girl cruelty. They are all about clubs and best friends. Luckily, they are also fickle and change best friends (and boy friends!) on a seemingly weekly basis. I did overhear a girl telling the girl that Darsie is friends with, that if she was friends with Darsie, that she wouldn't be friends with her anymore. Where do they get this behavior? Their parents? Their siblings?

Beyond setting up a play date with the little girl that Darsie levitates to in class, how would you go about facilitating positive friendships for a young girl?

School Cononundrums

2011-02-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

Darsie loves kindergarten. She goes to our local public school and it is a great place. The principal is fantastic, the kids seem happy. But I have a big problem with it which I didn't see as a problem early on. It is a three hour program. And in a class with upwards of 18 kids, three hours a day isn't a lot of time to learn the basics.

Since the start, we've been given updates on Darsie's progress and it has always been dismal. We were told she didn't know numbers, she didn't know letters, she didn't know sounds.

At home, she does know these things. And I made sure going into kindergarten, that she was prepared. I read the kindergarten brochure and the things they said kids needed to know going into kindergarten, she was on top of. Besides tying her shoes.

Recently, Darsie joined an extended kindergarten program. She goes an extra hour every day just for a reading class. They use a zoo-phonics program to teach them the sounds of the letters. And I've actually noticed that it has given Darsie a lot more confidence.

But she is having problems connecting those sounds and also sounding out words. I would imagine that a phonics program of some nature would help this, but I'm not a teacher. Just a mama that wants the best for her girl.

We've upped our reading time here at home and we spend time perusing Starfall.com every day to work on phonics.

I don't know if it that her kindergarten time is so limited and the teacher so maxed out, if it because of Darsie's brain bleed (it was in the language part of her brain), or if it is just a timing thing.

I just hate to see her frustrated and I know, to my core, that once she can read, she will be the over-the-moon reader who never puts books down.

I want to open that world up for her. So, if anybody has any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Time for an Update, Perhaps?

2011-02-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Egads, life gets crazy and the blog gets super dusty. But, I figure I can update at least every six months or so, I hope!

Anyways.....Darsie started kindergarten and has been doing fairly well. She does great with math and patterns but reading has been more of a problem than I anticipated. The school finally started an extended kindergarten program which gives her an extra hour with a different teacher and only nine other students (the extra hour means that she has 4 hours instead of 3). They use a zoo phonics program and since Darsie LOVES animals, it has really clicked with her. She has made tons of progress.

In July, she had a round of Botox which has been hugely successful. We're in the process of getting another round scheduled for her though as her foot is starting to turn in and under again. It is such a bummer that it doesn't last longer but I am SO THRILLED with the six plus months that we got from the last round.

The other kids are doing great as well. Elise is in preschool and thriving. She loves lady bugs and princesses. Bert is now 15 months old and walking up a storm. He loves destroying things and terrorizing his sisters and ME! We are a traveling circus.

Serial Casting - Cast One

2010-07-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

Monday found us at the PT to get Darsie serial casted (third time, round one). In bad news, there was still some tightness in her foot, but in good news, her PT felt that it was mainly soft tissue and not muscular. He said we would be able to tell if the Botox had done its thing better once this cast comes off.

She has experienced some uncomfortableness this go around, mainly in the form of itchiness, that she hasn't in the past, but she is trooping through.

This time she picked a pretty pale pink cast. I think this and the red have been my favorites so far. Last night we also decided to "applique" it. Cute, huh?

Ortho, Botox - An Update

2010-07-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, how has a month flown by? I'm just not getting into a rhythm this summer and time is seriously slipping by like crazy. Seriously, how are we in JULY. MID-July at that???

Anyways, we went and saw an Orthopedist at MaryBridge Hospital a couple of weeks ago about D's foot. He said that he could fix her with surgery but really would prefer to wait since she is only five. He said that since she was so young, if he did the surgery now, it would almost definitely need to be repeated. So, he really encouraged us to try another round of Botox. It took us a bit to come to terms with that since the last round of Botox was so ineffective for Darsie and the procedure was traumatizing and painful (they just used a small dose of Versed).

Anyways, yesterday found us back at MaryBridge for Botox. This time she was given a larger dose of Versed and they were finally able to find a vein for a light sedative. The last thing she remembers is playing on the iPod and waking up. Yay!

Now we just wait to see the effects. If you could keep your fingers crossed over the next couple of days, we would appreciate it SO much!

Serial casting to begin on Monday.

Back to School....

2010-06-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it is true. Darsie really IS going to kindergarten next year (not that I had any doubts, but you know). We went to her IEP meeting yesterday and she has made soooo much progress this past year and her teacher said that Darsie is DEFINITELY ready for kindergarten. Yay, yay, yay!

She will continue to receive OT and PT at school but has officially been released from Speech now. I can't even believe it as at three years old, she barely talked!

The only "accommodation" that she will be receiving outside of the therapies above is that she will continue to ride the little bus to school. I'm over the moon happy about this as the bus drop off is on a very busy street with lots of kids. The worry of her team was that the steps up and off of the bus are very tall and this area has no curbs and a steep drop off. And also that because of the throng of kids getting on and off, that she would get hurried and off balance and fall. And besides, who can resist door to door pickup and drop off?

That being said, watch, she will want to ride the big bus come the school year.

Happy Five Years

2010-06-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Another year, another anniversary. Five years of wedded (mostly) bliss. It's been a crazy five years of marriage and I'm hoping for many, many more. Less crazy, more bliss, though, please.

Moving on Up!

2010-05-28T17:05:00.001-07:00

There is an official kindergartner in the house. Holy Moly. I have the official meeting next week but developmental preschool ended yesterday.Per Darsie's request, we celebrated at McDonald's.

Baclofan

2010-05-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

I'm hiding in the office pounding circus animal cookies like never seen before while I listen to my girls play in their room and keeping an eye out for Darsie's bus.

Anyways, Darsie took her first dose of Baclofan last night and I'm really, really hoping that it helps her. We're starting out small (just 4mg once a day for a week and then we'll add a second dose, and a third dose the following week) but fingers crossed for improvements with minimal side effects.

Call for Shops

2010-05-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Having a child with a disability totally changed our lives. Coming home from the NICU with a fragile baby with lots of therapy in the future meant that I could no longer keep my graphic design job in Seattle. It meant becoming a stay at home mom. In the wake, I opened up first my sewing shop on Etsy and later my fabric shop (both on Etsy and now a stand alone shop). I would really love to put together a list of other shops/services of parents (or whomever) of disabled kids. So, if you have one or know of one, please put a link in the comments and I'll get a list put together sort of like my Other Cool Kids blog list.

Pure Craziness...

2010-05-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Elise took a big bite out of a jalapeno and then rubbed it in her eyes.

Today, I've caught her sneaking mini Oreos a handful of times.

Darsie soaked her tshirt just as the bus was coming up the driveway.

Somebody drew all over their baby brother.

Darsie packed her own lunch for school...which also means that an entire box of Uncrustables (Yes, I'm one of THOSE parents) has been scattered to the ends of the earth, or at least strewn throughout the house.

And somehow, the house that was clean last night when we went to bed is now trashed.

Life with three children. I wouldn't trade it for the world but man, can it be crazy at times!

Oh, and I just found Elise digging around in a potted plant with a pencil....

Some Updates

2010-05-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

This poor little blog has been gathering dust as life has seriously been hurtling by, faster than ever.

I registered Darsie for kindergarten today.

I can't believe that my teeny tiny 1lb. 12oz. little baby girl will be going to kindergarten next year. Amazing.

She is doing amazingly well. We're still having issues with her foot turning in. As I last reported, the second round of Botox did almost nothing. We followed with a round of serial casting and while that did help, it was short lived. We're currently waiting on a prescription of Baclofan to get authorized (week three...fun!) to give it a shot.

As for the other kids, Elise just turned three and "graduated" from Early Intervention. She had some sensory issues due to her premature birth and while we still can see signs of them (toe walking, etc.) she is doing soooo well and her speech is out of this world. Darsie didn't really talk until she was three and Elise is a jibber jabber nonstop. Amazing how much an additional five weeks of womb time can do for a wee babe.

Robert just turned six months old yesterday. He is rolling front and back, pivoting, and devours apple sauce and rice crackers. Sweetest little baby boy with the gooiest grins. We love him to pieces.

I'm going to try to do a better job at keeping this blog updated. I've received a couple of emails in the last few days about people who are just getting into the whole CP treatment range and I really do want to give our experiences a voice to others. If you ever have ANY questions or just need to talk, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Answers to your questions...

2010-03-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

We've been out sick since Valentine's Day and now all three kids are sick with a coughing viral infection. Darsie also got her finger stuck in a door at school and suffered a compound fracture and needed five stitches. She is healing well and it looks like her finger nail will grow again (the white part where the finger nail grows from was completely unattached which led everyone to worry that she would be unable to grow a nail again).

I have been trying to answer some of the questions and give replies in the comments/email.

Updates on Darsie. We went back to her rehab doctor (the one who has done her Botox in the past). We had pretty good success with this last round of serial casting but even he agrees that the Botox was pretty much ineffective. He wrote her a prescription for Baclofen but then she had her injury and I didn't want to mix antibiotics with the Baclofen. I'm still hesitant about the Baclofen but we are going to give it a shot.

Bert is 4 months!!

2010-03-04T13:44:00.001-08:00

Life has been crazy hectic busy and I just haven't felt like blogging, so sorry for the absence!

Darsie did really well with the serial casting. We ended up going...three rounds, I think. Her foot still turns in a little but it is SO EASY to get her positioned correctly in her DAFO now, that I am calling it a success.

Update on Serial Casting

2010-01-27T16:31:00.001-08:00

Darsie was supposed to go in for recasting today. But once her cast was sawed off, there was a little bit of foot fungus so we are treating that before recasting. She had this the last time we did serial casting as well, so I'm wondering if the DAFO combined with the sock constantly and sweating creates a damp sort of environment or if it just a result of serial casting. Anybody with any experience?

Serial Casting Tomorrow

2010-01-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, the Botox hasn't been nearly as effective as it was the first round. We are pretty bummed about it but trying to remain hopeful. In an effort to really make the most of it, Darsie's foot is being serial casted tomorrow. In the first round of Botox, we saw huge improvement immediately and even more after the serial casting. So, fingers crossed that the casting is what we need to really take the Botox to the right level for her. I know that kids grow "immune" to the Botox, but after just one round?

Anyways...for a bit of cheeriness, a video of the Great Bertowski...

Have a great evening everybody! I will be back soon with an update on the serial casting. Please keep your fingers crossed that it helps!

A Busy Week

2010-01-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is surviving this cold blast. In Washington, it is unseasonably warm but (as expected) very wet.

This week we had a check up with the rehab med doc to see how Darsie's Botox injections were performing. The muscles are all loose (yay!) but because of their memory, they are still pulling her foot inwards. So, he wants our PT to proceed with serial casting. We had good luck with the serial casting during the last round of Botox, but we still have to decide if we want to do it again. It definitely complicates life for all of us. However, I do want to take 100% advantage of the Botox.

Bert turned two months! Isn't it amazing how fast time flies? He is such a BOY, too. I look at photos of other babies the same age and he just seems older. I was reading a blog post about a family that got stuck at someone's house due to a snow storm and they had to put her in a size 3 diaper (same age as Bert by a few days) and I just laughed. Bert is officially in size 3 diapers. I don't know if it is because he is a big boy (appointment next week) or just because he is a big-time blower-out of diapers.

Jeff turned 33! We spread his birthday celebration from morning 'til night and I have a special adventure planned on Saturday. As well, we have a birthday dinner with his family on Sunday. Nothing like a week long celebration, right? I think we all deserve it.

And last, Bert has now started rolling from tummy to back! My baby really is growing up!

All remains well with Elise and me, too. Just nothing new to report!

We're Good!

2009-12-29T16:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry to leave you all hanging again. I've been taking life slow and easy, napping a lot, enjoying family and friends, and eating lots of ice cream. We had a fantastic Christmas and I was thoroughly spoiled by everyone and feel like such a princess. Darsie also had another round of Botox in December so we've been working on that as well as I'm trying to develop goals and ideas for the Small Grapes shop for 2010.

2009 was awesome in so many ways but I'm REALLY looking forward to 2010. The last part of this year has been awesome with Bert's birth but I'm so ready to leave behind the health issues and stress that culminated towards the end.

A couple of "goals" are to make new friends and foster deeper relationships with the ones I have. I also want to learn to knit. And make Small Grapes a successful and fruitful fabric business. But mainly I want to enjoy and love my family as much as possible. Fruity and cheesy I know, but so true!

I should probably add "be a better blogger" to the list, huh?

Sorry for the long absence

2009-12-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long absence. Besides trying to get used to mothering three children, I had a seizure on Sunday due to preeclampsia and wound up in the hospital for a night. I'm still trying to get my blood pressures under control and am fighting somewhat constant fatique. I'm hoping to get back to normal ASAP and resume regular blogging in the somewhat near future.

In the meantime, Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a lovely holiday season filled with family, fun, and fantastic food.

A sweet new baby

2009-11-15T12:13:00.001-08:00

Robert Jonathon, born November 4th, 2009 at 6:02pm. Weighed 6lbs. 7oz., and measured 17.9 inches. He is beautiful, has taken over our hearts, sleeps, and become an integral cog to our family.

More soon but recovery is going well. I did end up back in the ER due to some postpartum high blood pressure, but all is well now. Bert is growing like a weed and doing everything a newborn should be doing. He is so sweet and his look changes daily. Can't wait to share more.

Tomorrow is the day

2009-11-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Monday I went in for an amnio (and was stuck three times, ouch). The results came back early that afternoon that Bert's lungs are mature and we are good to go. So, tomorrow at noon is the grand opening. I'll update at some point but please, if you don't mind, think good thoughts for us.

It is totally shocking and amazing to think that tomorrow I'll be mom to three. The world is great.

Starting to think I'll go alllll the way

2009-10-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on us, but I'm 35 weeks pregnant today and holding steady! I'm now going in for twice a week NSTs and Bert has been behaving beautifully! I'm not starting to think I'll make my November 4th c-section date! Bert has a car seat, a bed, and some clothing, guess it is time to start filling in the blanks.

Had another positive appointment today!

2009-10-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

Had a regular OB appointment today and an NST. Everything went great, no hiccups. I even (finally) scheduled my c-section for November 4th. Crazy how fast this pregnancy has gone. I've been so nearsighted on making the big 28-week and 33-week milestones that it has just flown by.

I am loving the fall weather and am hoping and thinking of lots of soup and good sourdough bread slathered with a salty butter. And peanut M&Ms. And dreaming of an extra hot latte with tons of creamy foam. Mmmmmmm. I haven't had any coffee for a long time and have even held decaf coffee at bay since everytime I've had some, it has messed with my blood pressure. So, coffee and wine are definitely on my to-do list.

Still here, still pregnant, still doing well

2009-09-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Just not sleeping much.

I've been meaning to update but seriously people, I don't have much to talk about besides babies, huge gargantuan construction projects that I'm not allowed to help with, back to school, etc. etc..

Had my last appointment with the hypertension specialist in Seattle and I've been cleared from his care, or at least monthly appointments. I'm now going to my doctor weekly for NST's and all the other good stuff. I'm hoping that my c-section will be scheduled soon as the specialist mentioned that they would probably do an amnio at 36.5 weeks or so to check for lung maturity and if everything checked out, they'd declare victory and take Bert at 37 weeks. So, we'll see how it all plays out. I'll be 33 weeks tomorrow, so that only leaves four weeks (*gulp*). Guess I should go buy him a car seat or something.

OH shoot, Darsie totally turned five! We had a little family party for her with the biggest pinata known to mankind, serious. Walmart doesn't kid around with their pinatas. She loved her party but was disappointed that her cake didn't have pink frosting. The little things in life, right?

A Big Mileston and a Vacation

2009-08-28T09:48:00.001-07:00

I've been reading tons of blogs with disclaimers about not posting much, especially this summer. You can add me to that category. And I'm sorry.

Anyways, we made it to 28 weeks with baby boy! Yesterday I had an appointment in Seattle at the University of Washington Hypertension Clinic and all looks well. A growth ultrasound showed baby is growing perfectly and is right on schedule and weighs approximately 2lbs. 8oz. Can you believe that Darsie, born at this gestation, weighed 1lb. 12oz.? Just shows what havoc high blood pressure and preeclampsia can cause on the unborn baby.

And we are headed out tomorrow on a vacation to the Oregon Dunes where my husband will ride quads with his college buddies and I will embroider, nap, and eat, in some order. The girls are headed to my parents for a few days of being 100% spoiled and catered, too. I think we will all enjoy our vacation.

Hope all is well with everyone!

We've Fallen Victime...

2009-08-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

to a horrendous stomach bug of some nature. We went to a local lake to go swimming and next thing we know, we've all had a stomach bug and at least 30 other people who also went swimming at the same lake around the same time also have the same issues. Good times. We are slowly recovering but getting our appetites back has taken the longest. Poor Jeff has lost about 12 pounds.

And just a couple of photos to tide you over.
Our big project for this summer is building this shop.

And of course, the little ladies. Aren't they sweet when sleeping?

A Really Great Baby Update

2009-07-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

I went back to the UW this week for a repeat testing of what I had done last time where I was diagnosed with high cardiac output putting me a much higher risk for early preeclampsia. The growth ultrasound showed that baby boy was growing well and right on target and definitely a boy. No doubt about that.

The cardiac output testing went great, too. The results were MUCH better this go around since being put on Atenolol. My cardiac output is now slightly lower than normal so as long as we can keep baby boy growing well, we are doing great. I go back in four weeks for another barrage of testing but it is all in good terms.

New Braces for D

2009-07-17T15:52:00.001-07:00

It has been what, three or four months since Darsie had Botox and it has worn off. Her foot is again turning in, although not to the extent that it was. We just received her new braces and are really hoping that they help. One is a hinged DAFO to be worn during the day. Her foot still turns towards midline but it doesn't turn inwards, if that makes any sense. She walks fantastic backwards and standing, just when she goes forward does it creep inwards. The other brace is a nice brace that is meant to stretch her foot and turn it correctly. She only got through a few hours of wearing it last night before her moaning and complaining became unbearable, but four hours is better than none. Hopefully we will get a longer stretch tonight.

Pictures to come soon...as soon as the camera can clean all 930mb off of itself.

No pictures to share today...

2009-07-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a seriously crazy week. Between starting up my new fabric shop and working progressing on the shop, I also had an appointment at the Hypertension Clinic at the University of Washington.

Everything is going fine and my blood pressure is behaving wonderfully so this was more of a preventative measure than anything else. I had some ULTRAcom cardiac output testing which feels somewhat like someone taking your heart rate and an ultrasound of your throat. It is all very bizarre, at least to me.

Anyways, it was found that while things are progressing well, my cardiac output is a bit high. Basically, that means that my body is working too hard to circulate enough blood, which could eventually lead towards another bout with preeclampsia. My numbers aren't too high, but we are being very proactive and taking a safe approach and starting to medicate now instead of later if and when my blood pressure rises. I go back in three weeks to check on the babe's growth and to redo the ULTRAcom testing to review my cardiac output levels. Until then, I'm in princess mode and taking things easy, resting every day, and being diligent about taking my medications.

A Little Late - Our Fourth Weekend

2009-07-08T10:20:00.001-07:00

We had some absolutely STUNNING weather recently over the Fourth weekend, at least for us! Temps were in the low 80s, the skies were clear, and the wind was a wee bit breezy. Perfect for lots of time spent outdoors.

It is LIVE!

2009-07-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Small Grapes Fabric Shop, that is. My new endeavor is up and running at http://smallgrapes.etsy.com. For this grand opening week, I will be offering one high-discounted fabric each day. Today is Amy Butlers' Optic Blossom in Olive. REALLY GORGEOUS!

I've also set up a blog just for Small Grapes at http://smallgrapes.wordpress.com so expect to see most business aspects of this blog move there and this become more of a family/life oriented blog.

Thank you everybody! I'm really excited about this new endeavor.

A baby update

2009-07-02T09:34:00.001-07:00

Sorry, I haven't scanned in the images yet, but we had an ultrasound on Tuesday and we are having a BOY!!! At 19 weeks he is about the 60th percentile and weight approximately 11 ounces. We are over the moon excited. Darsie has named him Cutie.

A good weekend

2009-06-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend the family traveled to Leavenworth, a quaint little Bavarian town, for a wedding for one of Jeff's co-workers. The girls ended up being the flower girls about two weeks ago and they were just thrilled. The locations was absolutely gorgeous at the Pine River B&B. The wedding was held outside and the reception upstairs in the barn which has been remodeled and is absolutely gorgeous with wide-plank pine floors and lights hung from the beamed ceiling.

I made the girls' dresses from a pattern from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing Book (the Flower Girl Dress pattern, to be exact). I started with Darsie's dress and it ended up being much smaller than anticipated so it became Elise's dress and I redrafted the pattern to fit Darsie. So, just a warning that that particular pattern runs about two sizes too small. Besides that little bump, it was a super easy dress to put together and the girls loved them. I used Kona Cotton for the dress and some Monoluna Blossom Circles for the belts.

Lots more coming up soon. I'm just tapping my foot and waiting for packages to arrive so I really ramp up my shop. Hopefully today or tomorrow and a big launch on the first of July. My MIL is arriving today so that may slow us down even if everything does manage to arrive in time.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Dress for the wedding update

2009-06-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I went against everything I asked and bought a dress, which ended up being a good thing because the girls are now going to be IN the wedding. I don't have any idea what is really going on so a call to the bride is definitely in order. Two weeks until the wedding...ack! I only know the groom and he is a good friend of Jeff's, so whatever they need we are game.

Anyways, here is a picture of the dress I ordered from the Gap. I think it will even work after the baby is here, maybe with a couple of modifications but I think it is cute and effortless. Besides, I love the pin tucking on the neckline. I'm in love with little details like that.

I think I'll grab a little cardigan or something and hopefully my comfy Simple black sandals will suffice because I know they have great arch support for what will definitely be a long day corralling little girls.

Killing time before cooking dinner

2009-06-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Fun times at a Maritime Festival

An ice cream sort of day

2009-06-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

This last week was so hot we took to enjoying strawberry ice cream with sugar cones on the front patio.

I think Elise enjoyed them the most from the look of things. Good thing she likes running in the sprinklers.

A quick baby update

2009-06-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

First sneak peak at baby #3. Measuring well above what it should be and looking healthy as can be. In fact, babe is measuring a week ahead of schedule and a good two ounces heavier than expected. So yay!

School ended last week and as with all changes, we're adjusting slowing. The heat has been a bit oppressive (to me) the last week or so. Definitely time, for the first time in years to invest, in some shorts, skirts, and tank tops.

I'm hoping to have some big news towards the end of June concerning my sewing stuff. A bit of a transition going on there as well, in an exciting manner!

Bloggers are supposed to you know, blog

2009-05-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

It seems like I always have an excuse these days. I know, it gets old, even to me. We've been fighting a bug the last week or so and Jeff even took a couple of days off of work. I'm the last one to catch it and between my insane gag reflex and the amounts of phlegm...I'm staying pretty low.

The school year is coming to a close for Darsie next week. I'm sad about it but I'm also looking forward to a big break. We will still have her weekly physical therapy but there won't be school four times a week, Elise's therapist is having surgery and will be out for six weeks after which Elise will probably be discharged, and Elise's EI playgroup won't be meeting twice a week. Our summer schedule is looking pretty barren, actually. I think it will be great. We have a little mini blow-up trampoline and a ball house that I'm going to have Jeff put up in the yard and I think we'll spend as much time outside as humanly possible this summer. I'm going to have to figure a way to move my sewing production out of doors as well.

Oh, and I need some input! We're headed to a wedding in late June and I need some dress advice. Well, I've pretty much decided I'm going to make a sundress but I need opinions on fabric. This is my first choice so far. Too busy? You can tell me the truth, I promise. I'll throw a cardigan of some nature over the top.

On second thought...I somehow (like forgot I purchased one lot and had asked for a custom listing from another seller) ended up with four yards of this fabric. It would need a lining but what do you think? Too white? How about with a green cardigan or maybe make it a skirt with a green top?

Some Mish and Some Mash

2009-05-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that May is almost half way over! YIKES!! School is out for D in two weeks and both of us will be soooo sad. I need to find some activities for her ASAP.

Mother's Day was great. Jeff bought the earring backs to my first mother's day diamond studs (I had lost one and just never got around to ordering them) and had the girls write up the sweetest cards (per Darsie, my favorite food is salad). It was a really good day. I made this sewn card for mom along with a strawberry pot full of plants. She was really pleased.

We took the girls on Monday to a special Farm Day put on for the special ed students in our county. As you can see from the photos, they both had a blast! Elise glommed on to a bag of popcorn and we had to almost rip it from her fist to ride a horse. She was NOT happy about that whatsoever.

The girls are both doing so well. I really need to get some video of Darsie up since her walk is so beautiful. Everyone who sees her comments on how great she looks.

Sewing is going well, too! I may have to raise the white flag of surrender this week and drop the ladies off at my mom's for a few hours as I have orders for four bags, a shirt, and a couple of belts. Add to that the quilting bee that I am woefully behind on and I have a couple days of steady sewing ahead of me. It is good news, though. I'm so happy my goods are being so well accepted. I hope to have some new items up soon, but that just matters on how the sewing of ordered items goes.

I finally got my "garden" planted. I've had seedlings growing for a month now or so but with all our yard work going on for the new shop we're building, there isn't a suitable space for my garden. So, it went into pots. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all works out with it. I need to replant some of the seeds as a few didn't survive the long seedling hood and outgrew their baby pots and died. So sad.

Take care everyone!

Back to our normally scheduled happenings...

2009-05-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Breathe a sigh of relief. I had my first "real" doctor's appointment yesterday and there was a heartbeat, blood pressure was good, and everything else looked great. It is always nice to get over that initial hump and the realization that yeah, I'm not just getting fat and am sick, there is really a baby in there! Next appointment is in a month and I'll be getting an ultrasound. I'll be 15 weeks...what do you think the chances are they could tell the sex? I am horribly impatient. If not, I'll get another one at 20 weeks, so no worries there.

In shop news, I had such great feedback about the t-shirt for Elise, that I decided to put it up for sale. Let me know if any of you are interested and I'll cut you a special friends and family deal.

As with most everyone I talk with, we're trying to avoid the rainy days and not mold. Our lawns is loving the rain! And we're putting on our rain duds and braving the gray skies.

Have a great week everyone if I don't make it back! I have a mile long list of projects to finish up! Rainy days are great sewing days.

Thank you for such a great turn out!!!

2009-05-04T08:53:00.001-07:00

I am really touched and honored that so many of you donated towards my March of Dimes Walk for Babies event. The results were fantastic, even better than last year! So thank you, thank you, thank you!

I hope that it doesn't disappoint anyone that we didn't end up actually walking. Jeff was concerned about me walking six miles and on Saturday, we woke up to torrential downpour that lasted all day. Our backyard is still full of huge puddles despite a glorious sunny day. Add into that still persistent all-day sickness. We had planned on having Jeff walk in my place with the girls, but the stars simply didn't align that day. I hope nobody is disappointed.

Anyways, winners of the two prizes have been picked and without further ado...

Prize One - a baby blanket or bag made by me goes to Christy!

and Prize Two - a hand-crocheted baby blanket by MommyDaisy goes to Ellen!

I will e-mail everybody and get information out to both of you.

But thank you everybody once again, from the bottom of my heart for supporting such an excellent cause!!!

To Elise, Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2009-04-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today at about 8:55 AM, Elise turns two. I can't believe how quickly these two years have passed. I love that little nugget so very, very much. Heart-overflowing type love. My girls are rad, in all senses of the word rad.

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And I'm going to use this to plug the March of Dimes March for Babies walk on Saturday. Elise was born at 33 weeks due to preeclampsia. She weighed 3lbs. 3oz.. As you probably know, Darsie was even small, 1lb. 12oz.. Babies shouldn't be born this small and the scary thing is, some babies are born even smaller, even sicker. We can help prevent premature births and birth defects by supporting organizations such as the March of Dimes. I've raised $200 so far, which is awesome. I'd love to raise more if possible.

For each dollar that you donate to the March of Dimes, I am giving you one chance to win one of two fabulous items. Up for grabs is your choice of a handbag or a baby blanket made by me. Also up for winning is a gorgeous crocheted baby blanket made by Mommy Daisy. I know things are rough out there for a lot of people, but even a dollar helps.
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I plan to be back to blogging more soon. Morning sickness and tiredness and mind numbing lameness has taken over for the time being. I'm 11 weeks on Friday! Yowsa!

Cakes

2009-04-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

I have had this link for awhile, but I just had to share it with anyone who is planning a birthday party and needs CUTE CAKE ideas!

Elise is turning two on the 29th and she is getting the monkey cake. And Darsie, although she will probably change her mind come September, has requested the castle cake.

It's making me hungry just looking at them. Off to raid the pantry.

Spilling the Beans

2009-04-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm really, really horrible at keeping secrets. HORRIBLE. Especially if they are my own. So, in honor of my personal horrendous ability to keep secrets and my general disarray lately, I'm just going to spill the beans. Jeff and I are having another baby! We weren't trying but were actively preventing so this has been very shocking and has taken some time to get used to but I think we're both finally on the road to excitement. Darsie certainly is excited enough for the whole family. I'm due about mid-November.

I'd also like to remind everyone of my March for Babies Walk that I will be doing on May 2nd. Help support a great organization that is helping to prevent premature birth by sponsoring me. For every dollar that you donate, you will get one chance in my raffle to win a hand bag from my Etsy shop or a baby quilt. Mommy Daisy has also donated a hand-crocheted baby blanket, so there are actually TWO prizes. You can donate through the widget at the bottom of this bage.

Thanks everyone!

Serial Casting - Week Three

2009-03-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

Week three of serial casting began yesterday and Darsie is actually castless for a couple of days! She had her pink castle cast removed yesterday and we were encouraged to let her run around barefoot all days yesterday. We all shared a luxurious bubble bath last night and have been enjoying the "freedom" although D is having some trouble walking because that foot is just soooooo weak.

Some photos of the aforementioned foot:

She has some wear spots and plenty of dead skin but she is walking so nicely and we are very encouraged that this will help out.

And a video of her walking:

Second Week Serial Casting

2009-03-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

I've been trudging away on our taxes and my brain feels like an egg that you cooked too long and the yolk has become solid. I've got a list a mile long on top of that so I'm feeling just a tad bit frazzled.

Anyways, Darsie had her cast removed and replaced on Monday, this time going with pink. She was able to run around for a good half hour before they put the cast on again and I almost cried, the changes were so amazing. I know that this extreme effect isn't permanent but seeing her walk flat on her foot was like a mini-miracle.

Just a few photos to share with you all. None of them are edited, so please excuse the beautiful colors. Hopefully everyone is having a beautiful week.

Serial Casting

2009-03-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

At Monday's physical therapy appointment, Darsie's foot was serial casted. Those muscles that had been sooo tight prior to Botox were still too strong and her foot was still twisted. The cast will help to further weaken those overly strong muscles while also correctly aligning the joint and foot. When we go back next Monday, the cast will be removed and the foot will be reassessed and recasted if necessary (from what I've read, serial casting lasts approximately 4-6 weeks).

Darsie chose a red cast and we decorated it with ladybugs once home. I was certain she would choose pink. Her PT gave her an extra large Hatchback shoe to wear over the cast and it works out great. Granted it isn't the most fashionable getup in the world, but it works fantastically. She can walk really well, she can dance, she can do everything but jump into a bath tub at the time being. She is so adaptable and such a trooper.

I don't know what Darsie is doing with the weird licking of her hands and the door in this video but I did want to show how well she can get around with a big red cast on her leg.

And some photos of both girls.

Red socks to match the red cast.

Ladybugs!

This is probably horrendous of me to say, but I am the mama here...but doesn't that big black shoe remind you of all the documentaries on elephantitis?
Elise has been a bit jealous of all the attention that Darsie has been receiving.

I must have a lot on my plate or something...

2009-03-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I was TOTALLY and 100% surprised that today was Saint Patrick's Day. I had myself convinced that it was the 14th and I couldn't for the life of me figure out while I was still getting all these e-mails about Saint Patrick's Day sales and whatnot.

Oops.

"Anonymous Posters"

2009-03-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

I changed my settings so you have to be a registered user to make comments here. Sorry, I was getting tired of the unbased and out-there anonymous comments. I don't care if you don't agree with me, just use your "name".

If you have problems commenting, please let me know at lilliputianmama AT gmail DOT com

Post-Botox by Five Days

2009-03-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday (post-Botox three days) we really started to see the effects kick in. In the morning, Darsie's foot was nice and relaxed and super easy to flip into her DAFO. She walked gorgeously! But by Saturday evening, poor D could hardly walk due to those uber-strong muscles being paralyzed and her weaker muscles having to up the anti and get to work. She has been falling a lot and even complained of some foot/calf pain last night (Sunday). She is doing a weird sort of shuffle walk at this point but is able to get to and from places. She walks really well with her DAFO on, so we've been leaving it on almost all the time currently. I don't know if other families experienced this drastic of an effect or not, but it is somewhat disconcerting while being triumphant at the same time, if that makes any sense. We are off to the physical therapist this morning and will more than likely serial cast D's foot today.

Anyways, pre-Botox by six days, dance party.

And taken just this morning, post Botox by five days.

Botox - Take One - Our Experience

2009-03-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this post with this video:

Since taking this video, D's poor foot has only gotten worse. She has been getting lots of red rub marks from her DAFO (which works, her foot is just stronger right now). She looks great in her DAFO and shoes, but out of them, she is walking way up on the side.

Fast forward to today, we headed towards the Children's Hospital bright and early (actually, it was still dark and Darsie was telling us that it wasn't morning yet and that we needed to go back to bed - I agree!). Because we were planning on sedating her, we were checked into the day surgery unit. We played around for a bit before heading towards the Sedation Station (or whatever it was called...oh wait, Sedation Services. I think I like Sedation Station better). There they took D's history and applied three huge gobs of numbing cream with a clear sticker to various spots on her arm. We headed to the playroom for a bit to let the cream go into effect. After about 20 minutes, we were called back to the Procedure Room (D actually drove there in a plastic car) to insert her IV and get her Botox shots done.

My husband held D while the nurse inserted her IV. Of course D cried, it was painful! Ended up, the IV didn't get placed. D has a lot of scar tissue on her hands and arms from the months she spent in the NICU and the hundreds of times she must have been stuck for blood, IVs, etc. etc. Second shot, they decided to try to lay her on the gurney and insert the IV. A second failed attempt as the IV just didn't take. They brought another nurse in to check D's veins and while she thought that with a tiny needle she could get an IV started, her doctor was confident that we could power through the three Botox shots quickly and successfully with just a local numbing agent. So, that is the option we went forward with. She cried and screamed throughout it but as soon as it was over, she was fine. I can't imagine that three muscle shots would be pleasant for anyone, but baby girl powered through it and by the time the three shots were done with, she was more concerned with getting more stickers and cool bandaids for her pokes.

Because she ended up not being sedated, we were able to head out after only being there an hour and half or so and go eat breakfast. Yay for coffee! Yay for food!

D conked out pretty quickly once we picked E-lou up and headed home (they both did, actually, must have been the too early morning!).

On Monday we are tentatively planned to start serial casting that foot/joint as well to help improve range of motion and help to "break" that muscle's memory.

I'll keep you all updated!

More Sickness, More Snow

2009-03-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

I've come down the cold and it has settled in my voice box. So, hooray! My voice sounds like I've been smoking for 100 years, at the very best. Besides some stuffiness and the overabundance of mucous, I'm feeling pretty good, miraculously.

We've got more snow falling as I type. I'm just going to proclaim this the weirdest winter ever.

Darsie is scheduled to have her Botox injections on Wednesday and I have received absolutely no paperwork or instructions from the hospital. I need to call them, so with my croaking voice, this should be fun and entertaining. She is complaining of ear pain this morning. She has always been so healthy but these last couple of months sure have been sickly for her/us. Her foot is really starting to draw in, though, so I'm hoping and crossing fingers and braiding hair that she is able to have the shots done. She needs this so bad. We need this to work. For at least a bit.

Busy as a Beaver...or Lazy as a Sloth

2009-03-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

This has been a real wonky week for me. I think the downcast weather has had a bit to do with it. It could also be that today is my birthday! Hip, hip, hooray.

Anyways, some photos of the girls....in their total weirdness, which we celebrate here in our household. Complete with dance parties every night featuring Toto's Africa.

Oh, and another block for my virtual quilting bee. Gorgeous fabrics!

A New Bag up in the Shop

2009-02-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

Perfect Market Pleated Knot Bag

Our Personal Old Navy Ad

2009-02-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

I found these jeans and shirts on great deals at Old Navy and I couldn't resist. I've never put them in matching gear, but they sure are cute together. Of course, I'm a bit biased.

You know...

2009-02-21T18:39:00.001-08:00

You know she loves her Valentine's day balloon when you find her sleeping like this.

We're kind of in a holding pattern right now around here. Nothing new to report and not much sewing or extra therapies going on. I've got a freelance web design gig I'm working on in my spare time but I'm starting to feel pretty boring. Hopefully more to report in a couple of weeks. I'm a couple of months (shhhh!) behind in my quilt bee blocks so I'm hoping to finish up the batch next week.

Not much new to report

2009-02-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

The family is slowly on the mend. Jeff also ended up coming down with this nasty cough/cold combo and it has really knocked him one. Pairing that with an insane work schedule right now as he gets ready to launch his company's new site, he is tired and ready for a three day weekend. The girls still have an occasional deep cough and the incessant runny noses but are both both to regularly scheduled school and therapy sessions.

Not much new to report around here, though. I've been sewing like crazy for an online quilting bee that I am participating in. How it works is the lady or ladies of the month send out their fabric and "directions" to a group of ladies and we all sew one 12x12 inch block and mail it back. Here are my two newest blocks.

In other news, I'm slowly redesiging a new masthead for this site. I'm really loving drawing and hand lettering again so expect to see more of that around here as well.

A little under the weather

2009-02-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

Darsie woke up with an ear infection this morning and we've all been a bit fuzzy off and on for the last couple of weeks. So, I found these photos we took of ourselves from a couple weekends ago. I guess we can just point to Elise and say "she started it". I don't know why we all needed to wear "the hat", but we did. I also don't understand how the girls can look CUTE with a bowl on their heads and Jeff and I both look like world-class doofuses. Oh well, it is a BOWL. It must have been the homemade caramel corn that made us so silly. That's my excuse at least and I'm sticking to it.

Getting Better!

2009-01-24T10:08:00.001-08:00

Lots of practicing going on....

March for Babies

2009-01-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

I just received a great e-mail from Sarah over at Mommy Daisy. She is upping the ante on the March of Dimes raffle that I will be holding on May 2nd when I walk in the March for Babies event in Silverdale, WA. Sarah is offering up a hand crocheted baby blanket (photos soon, she sent some and it is gooorgeous!!!!) It is in white, sage green, and butter yellow, so totally gender neutral. Believe me, you will want it.

So, if you want to enter, for every dollar that you donate to the March of Dimes, you will receive one chance/ticket in my raffle. You can donate as little as $1. Remember, every dollar gives you one chance, so $1 = 1 chance and $10 = 10 chances, etc. etc. Just send me a copy of your donation receipt and I will mark you down on my spreadsheet.

Prizes to date are either a handbag (fabrics may vary, I will discuss with winner) or a baby quilt (color theme picked by winner) made by me and a hand crocheted baby blanket by Sarah. This means that there will be TWO winners.

Now, I have to go corral the babe that has learned how to take her shirt off. Take care everybody!

2009-01-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

There is a GREAT blog post over at To The Max that features an adult woman with cerebral palsy. It doesn't specify, but it sounds like she is a right hemi, just like Darsie.

Sisters

2009-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

During a game of hide and go seek...

New Shirt on Etsy

2009-01-18T17:53:00.001-08:00

Just posted this shirt on Etsy this morning.

Friday Fun: Favorite Room

2009-01-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this by saying that this was extremely difficult for me to choose which room in my house is my favorite.

There are really three rooms in my house that I'm completely mad, head-over-heels, in love with. One is my sewing room. But it is too messy right now to photograph. It looks like some crazy crafter threw up all over it.

The second is my kitchen. It is huge, bright, stainless appliances, nice and shiny.

But third, the one that I love the most is my living room It is where we spend every night together on the couch, watching tv, playing games, giggling, laughing, sharing. It is the true hub of our home, both literal and whatever the opposite of literal is, unliteral?

Simply speaking it is where all the action is, as the photo clearly shows.

Thanks Ellen for putting up this meme/challenge for all of us! Your blog is a true gem and pleasure to read.

Hip Hip Hooray!

2009-01-15T16:23:00.001-08:00

Hooray, our insurance has approved Darsie's upcoming Botox shots. In fact, they've approved TWO separate procedures within a six month time period. How is that for awesome? It is scheduled for mid-March and we are very excited to see if it can help Miss Darsie. Her physical therapist is also going to try to get the approval to recast her for a new DAFO brace a week or so after her first round of Botox.

This video was taken in October, but it shows pretty well how Darsie's right foot turns in on itself when she walks:

The thought behind her Botox is to paralyze the muscles that have become too strong to allow the weakened muscles a bit of time to strengthen. Hopefully it will help her gait improve so she can walk more naturally.

Last day to vote to save handmade at Change.org

2009-01-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Please, please, please take a moment today to visit Change.org and vote to save handmade!

Today is the last day to make sure that this important matter of business gets presented to President-elect Obama!

March for Babies

2009-01-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've decided to walk on May 2nd in Silverdale for March of Dimes at their annual March for Babies event. I'm going to entice everyone to donate to March of Dimes by offering a raffle. The prize will be the winner's choice: either a bag in this shape OR a baby quilt. Once the raffle has been held, the winner can choose their item and the color theme.

So, for each dollar that you donate to the March of Dimes, you receive one chance in the raffle. You have until midnight of May 1st to donate.

If you are interested in donating an item to the raffle, please e-mail me at lilliputianmama AT gmail DOT com.

If you donate through my page at March of Dimes, I *think* it will let me know. If you make another donation (you can donate to any walker or just by yourself, it is all good in my book) just send me an email confirmation of your donation.

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2009-01-14T09:22:00.001-08:00

A New Shirt on Etsy

2009-01-13T10:53:00.001-08:00

Tweet, Tweet!

How embarassing...

2009-01-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

I spelled the title incorrectly in a post. Lasiest? WHAT? Last time I remembered, lasiest had a z in it. Oh my. You can tell where my head is these days, in the clouds, literally.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that we haven't seen the sun in almost four weeks. I'm beginning to mold.

Some videos to tide you over:

We held an impromptu dance party and this is what happened:

I won't bore you with more, but there are plenty more if you are looking for some sort of entertainment.

Charity for 2009

2009-01-09T16:12:00.001-08:00

Last year I held an awareness giveaway for preeclampsia in May for the Preeclampsia Foundation. I made a baby quilt and gave each person who donated a dollar to the foundation one chance to earn that quilt. For each dollar a person donated, they earned one chance towards the raffle. I want to do something similar this year but I'm debating right now between three very important causes in my life.

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month through the Preeclampsia Foundation.

September is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month through United Cerebral Palsy.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month through the March of Dimes.

If you have a moment to answer a couple of questions, I would really appreciate it as it will help me pick my cause. I'd love to do them all but I just am not sure I can pump out a large project for each of them.

If you were to donate to one of those causes, which one would you choose?

Would you be willing to offer a giveaway for any of these causes?

If you were to donate money to earn a ticket to a raffle, what sort of a prize would most entice you? Would it be a quilt? Would it be a handbag?

Would you prefer to buy a product from my shop where the profits or a percentage of the profits were then donated to the cause?

Thanks so much for your time. If you have any additional ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Lasiest Blogger Ever Award

2009-01-09T15:45:00.001-08:00

So, here we are, 9 days into January and no posts. I've had a struggle getting into 2009 and am finally feeling like I've got my head wrapped around straight. Darsie started her afternoon preschool with the "older kids" and the time changed has made it so we had to reschedule every therapy appointment for both Darsie and Elise. What a hassle! I've just now this morning rescheduled everything so we can make it.

The change to the afternoon class has been a bit of a struggle. Darsie definitely is showing how defiant of a four year old she can be. I don't know if this is her coming into herself or just attitudes picked up from other kids. I know change is tough on these babes so I'm assuming part of it is adjustment. Right? Please?

We finally moved both of the girls out of our room and into their own shared room. It is torture...both in having them clear across the house and the fact that now neither of them are sleeping well. Sleep has always been a struggle with both girls for the entire four and half years we've been parents.

I'm trying to get back into sewing. I had a mini burn out with Christmas but I'm working on a new bag pattern and I'm excited again. I've recently picked up some fabulous fabric, which always helps. I created some sewn cards recently that were a lot of fun. I've put them up in my Etsy shop and hopefully will have some more soon.

Darsie's botox is finally scheduled for the start of March. I'm excited and optomistic about it. I will post a video of her walking without her DAFO brace prior to the procedure and then follow ups afterwards. Her rolling in of the foot is getting worse and worse and she is complaining that her brace hurts now because of the muscle pull. No matter how tight I put her brace on, she is getting red spots when she wears it, too. I just hope we're in time for the Botox to help, even in the slightest.

Jeff had a birthday this past week. So happy birthday Love!!!

A New Year

2008-12-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

I am really looking forward to 2009. Closing out the books on 2008 and moving forward. I've got too many ideas swishing around in my head but I know that 2009 will bring good things. I've got one big project that remains unfinished for 2008 but am hoping to wrap it up in the next week or two. I am the constant procrastinator. Without hard deadlines, I tend to flounder.

The last couple of weeks we were hit with some crazy weather. We probably had close to two feet of snow here in the Pacific Northwest. It was beautiful but it sure made driving a crazy experience. We were pretty much fine until the snow turned into this weird ice/slush mixture.

Our Christmas packages are still rolling in from the various postal services but Christmas was wonderful. We had power. We had hot food. We had our health. It was good and I was definitely spoiled.

I hope everyone has safe celebrations tonight and warm beds to crawl into after the festivities are over.

Happy holidays, warm winter wishes, and ring in the new year!

A Thank You & Good News!

2008-12-12T08:16:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for the nice comments on the gift tags. It really made me smile each time I opened an e-mail with a thank you! I promise more goodies like that in the future.

On to some really good news. Darsie's teacher called me up the other day and wants to move Darsie up the older class in her preschool! She has been in the 3-year old class for a second year for a variety of reasons, mainly being that she is still two years out from kindergarten (our cut off is September 1st and she was born September 19th) and the teachers also wanted to give her a good opportunity to really succeed in school and help her become a leader.

Well, she has. She has impressed us all with her growth this year and her willingness and eagerness to learn. So, after the winter break, Darsie will be in the 4-year old class! It is a nice class because there will be four other girls (she has been with all boys!) and there are also typical peers in the new class. A good mix for typical and outstanding kids like D.

I'm really proud, to say the least.

Happy Holidays from Us to You!

2008-12-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

Because I can't send each and everyone of you a gift for the Holidays, I created a sheet of gift tags that you can download, print out, and cut on the guides. Write a name on the back in your prettiest handwriting. And just a punch a hole in a corner and string some bakers twine or ribbon to tie to your package. 8 tags per page.

Download Penguin Holiday Gift Tags

A Plea for Small Businesses

2008-12-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

Come February 9, 2009 countless small businesses will have their means ripped away from them when the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) goes into effect.

It basically states that any product manufactured for children under 12 or that a child under 12 could come into contact with will have to be tested for lead. This isn't just the big companies, it is ANYBODY - people that sell on Ebay, Etsy, private webs ites, boutiques, wholesale, even craft fairs and garage sales. All of the charitable stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army) will not be able to re-sell any child related item. Educational materials will need to be tested. ANYTHING that a child 12 or under could come into contact with - clothes, soap, toys, books, etc. etc..

Only HUGE corporations will be able to comply. The little folks will be decimated. Seriously.

Below are some great and helpful links..please read them and lets get going on this!

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsial.html
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=mfreisinger&view=videos
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/category/news-and-events/
http://mollyodesigns.blogspot.com/

Please help, this effects EVERY ONE.

A couple of new items in the shop!

2008-11-26T09:45:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to share these. I personally think they are adorable and am planning on stuffing some with beauty products to give as gifts to some ladies/girls.

Fish Face Uncut Corduroy and Cotton Clutch Pouch

Fall Dahlia Cotton Clutch Pouch

Thanksgiving is near

2008-11-24T17:27:00.000-08:00

Last year was the first time that I had ever cooked a turkey or hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. I spent the entire week beforehand prepping, cooking, cleaning. Needless to say, it was a LOT of work. So, this year, while we are hosting Thanksgiving again, we're doing it more of a potluck style. However, after the rave reviews from last year, I will be making my turkey, gravy, and stuffing again. While I'm hesitant to share my recipes since I don't want everyone in the world making MY turkey, who am I to keep it from you? Besides, I got it off the Internet and everything is better when shared with friends, right?

Turn turkey naysayers into turkey lovers with this Cider-Brined and Glazed Turkey from Bon Appetit, November 2005.

Brine
4 quarts apple cider, divided
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1/4 cup whole allspice
8 bay leaves
4 quarts cold water
1 20-pound turkey (neck and gizzard reserved)

Sage Broth
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 onion, quartered
1 celery stalk, cut into 4 pieces
8 fresh sage leaves

Glaze
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Gravy
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup applejack brandy or Calvados
1/4 cup whipping cream

For brine:
Simmer 1 quart apple cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaves in 20-quart pot 5 minutes, stirring often. Cool completely. Add remaining 3 quarts cider and 4 quarts water. Place turkey in brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.Drain turkey and rinse. Arrange on several layers of paper towels in roasting pan. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.

For broth:

Simmer all ingredients in large saucepan 30 minutes. Strain sage broth into bowl.

For glaze:
Boil cider in saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Whisk in butter. Cool completely.Set rack at lowest position in oven; preheat to 350°F. Remove paper towels from roasting pan. Pat main and neck cavities of turkey dry; stuff loosely with stuffing. Place turkey in pan, tuck wings under, and tie legs together loosely. Roast turkey 1 hour. Brush with some of glaze. Roast until beginning to brown, about 1 hour. Cover with foil. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, brushing with glaze every 30 minutes and adding up to 1 cup water to pan if drippings begin to burn, about 3 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes.

For gravy:
Pour pan juices into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat and degreased juices. Pour sage broth into roasting pan. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Combine flour, sage leaves, and reserved 3 tablespoons fat in heavy large saucepan; stir over medium heat 1 minute. Whisk in broth from roasting pan and reserved pan juices. Add applejack and cream and boil until gravy thickens slightly, whisking often, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain into sauceboat. Serve turkey with gravy.

Simmer all ingredients in large saucepan 30 minutes. Strain sage broth into bowl.

Also a Bon Appetit recipe (November 2003) is my family-award-winning Italian Sausage and Parmesan Cheese stuffing. I changed it up quite a bit, though.

12 cups 1/2-inch cubes french-sourdough bread (from two 14.5-ounce loaves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian HOT sausages, casings removed (do yourself a favor and just buy the ground sausage)
3 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bread is dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool. Maintain oven temperature.

Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and sauté 5 minutes, breaking up with back of fork. Saute until cooked through. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to bowl with bread cubes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet. Add onions and next 4 ingredients; sauté until onions and celery are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add onion mixture to bread cubes. Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Mix eggs and broth into stuffing; transfer to baking dish. Cover dish with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan and bake until top begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

My turn to rant: Target

2008-11-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

So, the Better Business Bureau won't accept my complaint and Target has turned a blind eye to this issue.

I was one of the many people that Target has decided to upset by not honoring the price tag for a Britax Marathon car seat. It was shown as being priced at $42.99 with free shipping on their web site. A super fantastic deal. I placed my order and received a confirmation e-mail. The next day, I checked my order and from Target's account page, at one point it was there and later in the day it was gone. I later received this e-mail from Target:

Greetings from Target.com.

Due to an unexpected error, the following item(s) you have ordered
were incorrectly priced at the time of your order.

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat - Granite

We're sorry, but we are unable to offer this item for the incorrect
price. The correct price is $279.99. We have canceled your order for
this item. If you would like to order this item at the correct price,
please visit Target.com to check for availability.

Despite our best efforts, a small number of items on our site are
occasionally mis-priced. We do, however, verify prices as part of our
shipping procedures. If we discover that an item's correct price is
higher than our stated price, we will either contact you for
instructions before shipping or cancel your order and notify you of
the cancellation. This pricing policy is posted in the Help section
on Target.com.

Again, we're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused
you. Thank you for being our valued guest.

Sincerely,

Guest Service Department
Target.com
http://www.target.com

WHAT? You know, I don't really feel like a valued guest right now. I feel like I've been duped. You offer something on your Web site, you honor the price. Mistakes happen to everyone. If I incorrectly priced something on my Etsy shop, do you think I could turn around and tell the buyer "oops, sorry!" NO. I couldn't and I WOULDN'T. It is an ethical issue to me. I respect my buyers and it is obvious that Target is indeed a corporation and cares about one thing, their bottom line.

So, bye Target. No holiday shopping for me or my family there and I encourage others to do the same. Buy handmade, buy local, buy from the small folks.

Another gift post....for the ladies in your lives

2008-11-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

If you are a part of my family and/or are expecting to receive a Christmas gift from me, STOP READING NOW. If you read and your present is spoiled, too bad, you were given fair warning.
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I have a girlfriend that makes absolutely beautiful and gorgeous jewelry. I've received three pieces now and they are all TOP quality and absolutely beautiful. She has a beautiful sense of style and uses only the highest quality of materials and her prices are still very reasonable. Items range from about $7 to $100, something for everyone. So, if you are in the market for jewelry and you want to buy handmade and/or mama made, please visit Jenlight at Polestar on Etsy.

Give the gift of.....

2008-11-14T17:16:00.001-08:00

If you are a part of my family and/or are expecting to receive a Christmas gift from me, STOP READING NOW. If you read and your present is spoiled, too bad, you were given fair warning.
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I guess I need to start thinking about *gasp* CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Anyways...on to gift giving. As I'm sure most of you know, I'm alllll about giving the handmade, but it just isn't always practical OR the right gift. Take both of my children for instance. They love plastic much to my dismay. Last year I made Elise a stuffed cat for Christmas and they have barely looked at it twice. And sometimes, you just have to pick up something that you know without an absolute doubt that the receiver will LOVE.

I tend to put together gift baskets for family that is far away and also for Jeff's employees and coworkers. This year, I plan on giving lots of Grounds for Change coffee and mugs. Jeff and I have been so lucky to have dinner a couple of times with the family behind this tremendous organization and I can tell you, both the family (I'll try to keep some of their anonymity) and the business is top notch. You couldn't be friends with nicer and more giving folks.

We recently hosted dinner at our house for a get together with them and afterwards, they sent us a fantastic sampling of their coffee. It arrived the day after it was roasted. Serious. Comparing it to the beans I already had, this coffee is of the highest quality. Two of the roasts that I've sampled so far are their Solstice blend and their Cafe Femenino blend. And I have it from the best source (a friend that I sent the mug to) that their mugs are awesome (and also locally made to us).

I've had a lot of coffee in my life. I've been drinking it ever since I could sneak snips and while I wouldn't say I was an expert, anyone that loves coffee would appreciate something from Grounds for Change. They also have items for tea lovers, too.

Seriously, I cannot praise this company and group enough. They are huge supporters of the environment and give back soooo much. If you give coffee this year, give Grounds for Change. I know that I will. I couldn't imagine handing over a Starbuck's gift card when I could give this.

WHAT a Week!

2008-11-14T12:31:00.001-08:00

Both of the girls have some sort of stomach bug and Jeff and I were serenaded with (please turn away if you are easily offended) synchronized throwing up by Elise and Darsie at 2:55am today. Elise has been throwing up once or twice a day for the last three days or so and Darsie succumbed to the evilness last night. I'm hoping they are both on the mend. No more upchucks since this morning.

A reminder to everyone - BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER'S HARD DRIVE(s). I installed some software on my computer so I could connect to the new external hard drive that we bought last weekend and somehow it totally jacked up my OS. I couldn't start it up so I had to do an archive & install. I was crying at the thought of losing months of photos and hours upon hours of freelance design work. I seriously did, on the phone, with Jeff. Luckily, I was able to recover everything and have been backing up everything all today.

On another note. Does anybody have a Mac Mini? I'm working on a seriously old OS here (10.2) and a lot of web features and new programs/hardware just won't work with my computer (hence the back-up warning above). I'm torn between just updating my OS (think noisy fan/hard drive) or getting a new system. My real issue is that I have thousands of dollars worth of design software that I cannot upgrade and will not work on a new OS. It is sort of like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I NEED to upgrade or buy a new system but the money issue really sucks. I did pick up a new freelance job this week which should help but GAH! I need new software NOW, too.

Oh well. My girls are relatively healthy, Jeff is healthy, I'm healthy. I really do not have anything to complain about.

Because NOBODY Can Resist Halloween Costumes on Kids!

2008-11-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

Botox Update

2008-11-03T12:10:00.001-08:00

In other news, we've decided to go with sedation when D gets her Botox injections. After much thought, advice and talks with other parents, it is just the best route for us to go with her. It can take up to 30 days for insurance approval, so I'll keep updating when we know more. Thanks so much for everyone's words of encouragement with this process.

A New Addition to Etsy

2008-11-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share these new additions to my Etsy shop. I've also got a couple of different style of wallets in the works as well.

Forecast of Rain Bag

Fishing for Compliments Messenger Bag

Free shipping for the entire month of November on any of my items.

I love "designing" new patterns. I think sewing is so enjoyable and it really stretches my brain to work in ways that it usually doesn't need to. I am now thinking of myself as "part engineer/part mama". I love that someone can take a flat piece of cotton and construct it into so many forms and variations. It is pretty amazing.

Folklore Forest Dress

2008-10-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Folklore Forest Dress
For girls ranging in sizes from 0 to 4T - $24 + $2.50 shipping

Botox Injections for Kids with CP

2008-10-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

If anybody has any experience with this or has read a great article about it, please share. We had D's consultation yesterday and the doctor recommended Botox injections for her calf and foot. We expected it, obviously, but it is still somewhat of a shock. We just have to decide whether or not to sedate D for it. The doctor prefers it that way and while I'm sure D would be much more comfortable sedated, it just worries me. It is a quick acting sedative given by IV but of course, I can't remember the name. The ICU doctors would administer it and monitor D for the 15 or so minutes it would take to do the injections.

I'm going to post a video later of how she walks now and then will (hopefully) follow up with how she walks after the injections.

The way things happen...

2008-10-20T11:11:00.001-07:00

My mother in law is visiting right now and our heater died yesterday. Woke up to a 58 degree house and a wet and rainy fall world. I love the way the universe works sometimes. However, we did score a brand new $599 microfiber sectional yesterday thanks to Jeff's ability to wheel and deal and ask for managers.

Photos from the pumpkin patch visit this weekend once the heater is fixed. Hopefully everyone had a lovely weekend.

Still busy, still here, still reading.

2008-10-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Fall is the best season ever, EVER! I love it, I love it, I love it. I would really love to learn how to knit so I could make sweaters but when to find the time? I have new products I want to sew, quilts I want to bind, children to play with, cookies to bake, a MIL coming to visit this week.

I'm neck high in projects right now but it is such a good thing. When I'm busy, I'm fulfilled. I'm not really one to sit around and do nothing and I'm finally, FINALLY feeling like I'm getting back into life after having two kids. It only takes two years or so. My creativity is coming back. My desire to go above and beyond and try new things is coming back. This fall I'm feeling more alive. More better, more me.

I'm going to share the two new items I released on Etsy last week. It is my goal to do something new each and every week, or at least every other week. Who knows, it may go to once a month but for now I'm trying.

More fun new things coming soon, I promise! A new site is heavily in the works right now as well, so look for that soon!

Please leave a message at the beep.

2008-10-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Business on my Etsy shop has gone hog wild this week, so please excuse my absence. I introduced a new Fall apple print and it has really been quite popular. So popular, in fact, that I've placed two orders this week for more.
I've got lots of fun projects in the works, lots of delicious recipes to share, cute kids to talk about, and all that is involved in every day life. So please, bear with me! I'm going to sew like a crazy woman tomorrow and hopefully free up the time for a REAL post.

Some really cool photography

2008-10-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

I've met a lot of cool and unique folks through this blog of mine. A lot of very creative and generous folks, such as Betty Ninja. She does some of the most fun and funkiest through the viewfinder photography and she just opened up an Etsy shop - Lost in the Woods to sell some of this great photography. Please go check her out! She is a fabulous quilter, a great photographer, and she is studying to become a speech therapist right now.

Ugly pillow to pretty pillow transformation

2008-10-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

1. Measure your ugly pillow. Mine was 15 inches square. Add 2 inches to each side to get your fabric measurements. So, my 15 inches square turns to 17 inches square.

2. Cut one piece of fabric to your measurement. At this point I have one piece of fabric that is 17 inches by 17 inches. This is the front of your pillow.

3. Divide your measurement in half (17 x 17 would now be 8.5 x 8.5). Take this number and add 3 (8.5 +3=11.5). Now, cut two pieces of fabric to this mesurement (17 x 11.5). These two pieces will make up the back envelope of the cover.

4. On the two smaller pieces, hem the two edges that will form the envelope opening. I did a rolled hem, meaning I folded in the edge 1/4" and then folded it in again, making a clean hem.

5. With the pretty sides of the fabric pieces facing each other, line up all three pieces. The smaller pieces will overlap, creating that envelope opening. Pin in place.

6. Sew all the way around all four edges. Turn out. Stuff with pillow.

Tada. Done. End of story. Easy Peasy.

A Winner, Some CP Stuff, and Some Sewing Stuff

2008-09-30T11:47:00.001-07:00

I want to thank everyone for their participation in my fun little giveaway for a t-shirt. I ended up entering everyone who commented at that post because it was too much to separate them out (sometimes I get a bit lazy when it comes to administrative work).

Anyways, long story short, Swistle is the winner! In all my giveaways (the three million I've done, ha!) I have NEVER EVER seen the random number generator generate 1. So, it seems to be sort of an anomaly. I'm always hesitant to enter giveaways as the first one because of that very reason. Anyways, I've been proven wrong.

Ok, so one to some CP stuff. Darsie's physical therapist has decided that now is the time for Darsie to go to the Pediatric Rehabilitative doctor for a consultation that will most likely result in either Botox injections in her foot, serial casting of her foot (where her foot is casted into the correct position for extended periods of time), or a combination of the two. We have an appointment lined up for mid-October but it is a bit nerve wracking. She currently twists her foot in pretty good and walks on the exterior edge of it rather than how you or I walk. If we can correct it now and keep it corrected, we can hopefully avoid surgery down the road or at the very least, push it out as far as possible.

Elise (no CP but this is still motor related) is doing really well these days. She is receiving occupational therapy once a week and is scooching on her butt still. I've seen her pull up to standing a couple times now and is really gaining a lot of strength. She is going to the local Early Intervention play group once a week and she is a hoot. She is the loudest and eats the most. Such a delicate girl.

Ok, and on to some sewing stuff.

We bought some rocking chairs for our front porch a couple of weeks ago and the black looked a bit stark against the gray-green of the house. So, I took two pillows that are on our boat (it came without about 10 throw pillows...all really ugly and weird colors) and recovered them. I used an envelope cover so if we decide to change the covers, it is easy to do so. I just used some fabric that I already had in my stash and they seriously took about ten minutes to do. So easy.

If anybody is interested in a tutorial, just holler.

I also sewed up this little pouch this morning. My purse is huge and it gets cluttered very quickly, so I though that perhaps some little pouches would help alleviate that problem. Cute, huh? It is lined in red cotton so it is a little snazzy inside.

Now I just need to get on my Christmas list. Ugh.