Video & Photos

THE VERSE I PLAN TO TATTOO ON MY LEFT INSIDE ARM, RIGHT WHERE KYLA'S ENDS.  I LOVE THIS, JEREMIAH 1:5....SO PERFECT.  I PLAN TO HAVE ASHLEY AT SUPER GENIUS TATTOO IN SEATTLE DO THIS FOR ME SINCE I AM A TATTOO FREE GIRL (AS OF NOW) AND SUPER PICKY.  SHE SEEMS TO DO AMAZING WORK.

 

Recent Trips

We have been back from Seattle Children's visit for a few weeks now.  It went great but was cut short by Miss Emma and her attitude (tiredness).  We did get to spend a few hours at the event and Kyla got to attempt to climb a very tall rock wall.  There were no other kids there that were just like her (left arm below elbow amputation) but there were a lot of kids with prosthetic legs.  It was kinda odd and I was a bit surprised, but it was still good.  There was a police officer (male adult) who came to visit the kids who had an arm amputation and had quite a bit less of his arm than Kyla.  Kyla was pretty surprised by him and was kind of standoffish and rude (I tried to snap that out of her real quickly but she is 3 years old....I think that kinda comes with the age).  Overall the trip was worth it.  We did do a lot of driving, stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's newest built house in Tacoma and drove to Seattle to visit Woodland Park Zoo on Saturday which was a great zoo.  I also had never been to Kerry Park before and really wanted to go.  It was such an amazing view, I wish we could've spent some time there but we had 2 passed out kids in the back.

So I'm sure we will be making the trip to Seattle Children's annual Social an annual thing :)

Life has been so weird lately.  I find myself thinking a lot lately and that's never good.  :P  I bet those of you who have read this blog off and on from the start probably think I'm crazy.  I'm not really, I just analyze my life quite a bit.  So I'm going to try to keep analyzing a little bit more and hopefully figure some things out.  :)  I just think it's funny how everyone has a story and their stories don't always match up... everyone is always at constant stages of their lives and those stages are always changing.  I try to focus on the big picture and not get myself caught up with emotion because in all honesty my emotions don't matter so much, I got two little babies that are my most important.  I think hitting 30 was a bit of an eye opener for me. 

Speaking of those two little babies, this past Thursday I took Kyla to her first appointment at Hanger Prosthetics here in town.  She has asked for a new prosthetic and we are going to get her one.  I will be getting her registered for ballet classes soon and I want her to be able to do all of the arm formations just as everyone else.  I also talked to the guy about getting her a hand so that she can start to learn how to ride a big girl bike or scooter.  Kyla has been wearing her old prosthetic around the house quite a bit.  She likes it, which is a change from what it had been when she was younger.  The guy at Hanger described the prosthetic he will make her and it sounds like it will be so much better and easier and more functional than her infant one.  So that makes me pretty excited.

We spent this past weekend at a friend's cabin in the middle of no where, Hunters, WA.  It was fun to get out of town for a bit.  Kyla was hanging out with our friend's kids walking around shooting grasshoppers with BB guns, it was actually pretty cute, as cute as that can be.

We bought Kyla a trampoline yesterday, her and I have been hanging out on it today and last night.

I'll upload some pics from our Seattle trip and recent happenings.  Take care.

Amber

Update

I haven't done an update in a while...once again.  :)  Too many things going on all the time. 

Emma has turned 1!  I can't believe how fast the time has gone.  We had a rainbow themed party for her.  It was very cute.

Kyla has her first Limb Differences Social at the end of this month at Seattle Children's Hospital.  We are preparing to go now and will be there for a few days to make a mini vacation out of the trip.

I am seriously considering making a move to Tacoma for a bit with the girls.  Tacoma Community College has an Ultrasound program that I would really love to apply to.  It will be extremely difficult to manage everything.  I'm not sure I can pull it off...I mean I know I can but it's going to be SO hard.  Taking care of the kids is a lot of work and then going to school full time, trying to study, etc., will be a lot.  So lots of things to consider but I want to do something with my life... I do enjoy being with my girls but I also feel like I need to secure a future for myself and them.  What is something were to happen to Greg, I wouldn't be able to support the girls and myself by myself...as of right now.  So I don't know, my brain is constantly thinking about what is best.  I did think about just making trips home on weekends to be with the fam but I don't think that's acceptable as a Mom.  I couldn't do it, I would probably be miserable and cry everyday missing my babies.  I would have to take them with.

Anyhow, will post following the Limb Differences Social and give an update on how it went.  I'm sorta nervous but also excited for Kyla, she is excited already, so that is definately good. 

Swimming Lessons

Well we are finished with swimming lessons, finished up this past Wednesday.  Not to be a Debbie Downer but they did not go as good as expected.  For 1, my kid still doesn't know how to swim and 2, my kid almost drown last Monday.  It was scray.  Kyla is just to the point now where she is comfortable enough in the water to drown. 

So to make a long story shorter, Kyla had been practicing with her swim instructor on going under the water to get toys off the bottom of the pool.   Her instructor then put her back by the stairs and left her on the stairs while she practiced swimming at the opposite end of the pool with my Niece.  I was watching Kyla, had Emma sitting on my lap, and my Mom sat in the chair next to me (she or my Dad take my Niece to lessons). 

I noticed Kyla had gone under water and was attempting to get back up to the top.  I watched her try to kick off the bottom of the pool two times to get to the top before I realized she was in big trouble.  I saw that each time she tried to kick up she would kick herself diagonally backwards and only got to about 2" from the top of the water each time.  Her eyes were open under water the whole time and were super big, like she was panicked, which panicked me.  I stood up and ran to her with Emma, knowing that I couldn't sit Emma down around the pool (she just started walking just over a week ago).  I yelled her name, yelled "somebody grab her!" which only got me looks like I was crazy from all 5 instructors who were in the water with her and the kids they were instructing.  Thank God my Mom had ran over with me and reached down to pull Kyla up out of the water.  By the time we got to her she had tried to get to the top another 2 times.  I am so thankful she held her breathe the whole time and did not fill her lungs up with water.  It could've been really horrible if she had.  If I didn't have Emma on my lap, I'm sure I would've jumped in the pool, fully clothed to pull her up.  It was terrifying watching her struggle.

Anyway Kyla's instructor then swam back to where we were and asked "is she OK" I kind of loudly said "NO she is not OK" (like, you should know if she is OK or isn't OK, it's kind of your job...) and then was so upset about the whole thing began to cry.  LOL.  I couldn't help myself, that look on her face was so scary!  Even that night I couldn't sleep well because I kept playing it back in my head, the look on her face, etc.

Anyway the instructor never came to talk to me after this...and I was not in the right mind to talk to her either really....I did look for her but she was no longer by the pool, I'm not sure where she went.  I just wanted to go home and like calm down.  Which we did.  The next day I called and left a message for the owner of the place and I got a phone call back late that night.  We talked for about 20 minutes and he assumed to know exactly what had happened, what went wrong, who messed up, yadda yadda yadda.  Which I was surprised by.

To sum it up, her instructor had left toys on the bottom of the pool right where Kyla was left to wait.  Well naturally a 3 year old who had just been practicing going under the water to grab toys is going to continue to do just that, if toys are left out right below her feet..  So she did and it did not work out well for her. 

The owner offered Kyla 2nd session private lessons with this gal to kind of regain her confidence, etc.  I thought about it, but don't think we are going to take them up on it.  We went to our last lesson the following Wednesday and to be honest, the people who were supposed to be watching from the deck were not watching the entire time like they are supposed to, even after this insident and supposed safety meetings, etc. that the owner told me about.  These are just kids who are very young and to be honest probably don't take their job serious enough.  Swimming lessons are for kids who do not know how to swim, so you cannot take your eye off of them at any point and you cannot turn your back on them, which is what happened in Kyla's scare.  Her instructor just had no idea what was going on, only myself and my Mom saw and thank God we did!! 

Soooo I was pretty bummed her first activity was not real successful.  Luckily my Husband used to be an instructor and lifeguard and he can probably teach her better than these kids can and I know she will be safe!  We have two neighbors close who both have pools and have offered for us to use them, so we will probably work on it more at home soon. 

It is important for Kyla to know how to swim because we have a boat and I want her to be safe out on the water if at any point something goes wrong or we are just hanging out on the beach somewhere. 

"Mom I Wish I had Two Hands"

It happened, yesterday...I heard the words I always dreaded hearing.  But you know what...it wasn't too bad, at all.... surprisingly.

When Kyla was younger I would cry just thinking about her one day saying those words to me.  But yesterday, it was such an easy conversation. 

I said something like "yeah...well I'm sure lots of other people could say similar things, like "I wish my skin wasn't black and was white, I wish I had blue eyes and not brown, I wish I had straight hair and not curly"  I also reminded her that God chose to make her special, that he didn't chose me or her Daddy to make special and that he chose her specifically.  I also told her that she isn't the only one he chose to make like her, that there are lots of other people in the world with armies and reminded her of all of the pictures we have seen on the Internet and "my phone" of kids and people that are just like her.  Conversation was over in probably 2 or 3 minutes.  Easy. 

Kyla has become really good friends with our new neighbor girl.  She is actually in the same class as Kyla's cousin and Kyla's cousin had previously shared with her class about Kyla...not sure why, but she did, so this girl has never treated her differently or even asked about her arm, pretty cool.  Kyla now pretty much lives outside, playing with her "friend named Nora." 

Side note:  Kyla's Auntie and Uncle are half Caucasian/half African American, so I find myself using skin color difference and reminding her about her Auntie Amanda and Uncle Peter often, it helps because it's people she LOVES that also have a difference, skin difference.

Then to top it off yesterday night I found Kyla poking at her eyeballs real hard and saying that she "likes doing that."  I yelled at her to stop and told her that she was going to make herself go blind and never be able to see again.  She was shocked.  So I explained to her that some people are born not being able to see.  Holy cow!!  No way.  LOL.

Anyway, Kyla starts swimming lessons tomorrow.  She is taking them at the same place both her Dad and I learned to swim, a small business swimming school that has been around forever...as her Dad is 34 years old and I am 30 :)

I signed her up for semi-private lessons which is 2 students to 1 instructor.  She will go for 3 weeks and is taking the class with her cousin who is quite a bit older than her, but she doesn't know how to swim, so I think they will do well together.  I did explain her limb difference to the gal who runs the place and she was super friendly, really nice and said she had, had a student about 6 years ago with a similar limb difference. 

So other than Preschool this is Kyla's first "activity."  I'm pretty excited.  I just about signed her up for YMCA soccer a couple weeks ago but her Dad talked me out of it, thought she was a little too young still, so we are going to wait a bit.  I kind of now wish I did since she's been out of preschool for about 3 weeks and is driving me nuts!!!  Oh the life of a stay-at-home Mom.  Try to post swimming lesson pics/results soon.

Hope all is well.

Current Photo of Kyla

Here is a current photo of Kyla that I just took a few days ago.  It's been so long since I've posted her picture, thought I would put a new one up!!  The girl's got wild curly hair, that almost can't be tamed.  :)

May 2013

Hi all,

It's been so long since I've done an update.  Life has been crazy hectic.  We finally moved into our new home and have been here for about 2 1/2 weeks now.  We spent very long nights working on getting the girls' rooms done up for them and then getting our rental ready to rent out.  We are still in the process of finding another tenant for one side of our duplex, but we should have that all wrapped up shortly.

By long nights, I mean the longest night was working till 4 AM and then up again in the morning for work (Greg) and babies (me).  So exhausting.  I was so lucky my baby monitor worked in both houses, otherwise I'm not sure we could've got it all done. 

I did have a reader email me a few weeks ago saying she enjoyed reading my blog.  So nice to hear, I'm sorry I don't  update it near as much as I used to, or with as much relevant information as I should (re: Kyla and her ABS).  I am struggling just to stay afloat most days, so forgive me.  The lady I received the email from has twin boys, one of whom was affected by ABS.  They are just starting to go through the process of having a prosthetic made for him.  Very cool. 

Kyla has been doing so well, she is making new friends with the neighbors at our new house.  It is nice to see other kids being so welcoming to her.  I took her and Emma on a school field trip for Kyla last Friday and to watch Kyla with her classmates was very reassuring.  I know she won't have any problems in school, she is so friendly and has such a warm heart, she was holding hands with a little girl a lot of the time and they were twirling around and dancing, so cute and nice for me to see. 

Kyla is really wanting to do ballet.  I just checked into an Angelina Ballerina summer camp class for her, but they are only 1 week long and spendy.  I figure I will wait until next Fall and just enroll her in the semester long classes which last 5 months, that way she has much more time to become friends with the other kids that are in her class...I think it would probably take 1 week just for the kids to become open to her and want to interact and get to know her, so I'm not sure the summer camps would be the best choice. 

Anyhow, must get going again, lots to do.  Thanks everyone for continuing to check my blog.  Take care,

Amber (Kyla's Mom :))

ABS Peeps

My computer has been down and out as the video card went kaput.  I've been wanting to post, but couldn't until now due to this issue.  The past few weeks have been pretty cool.  Those who are in the ABS community probably already know that The Bachelor has a girl on this season, her name is Sarah Herron, she is beautiful and was born with one hand....definately have to check out the show.  I stopped watching it years ago but because of Sarah, I am DVRing all of the episodes this season.  I was up until midnight last night just trying to watch last night's episode, in between all of the interruptions of the kids, and the Husband, having to pump, etc.  What choas, but I got it done.  So yesterday I could hardly stand not knowing what happens to Sarah, if she gets voted off and when...well I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but apparently she leaves the show herself.  Not sure why but I'm curiout to know.  I totally see Kyla being similar to her when she is older...beautiful, but just born differently, and super nice (Ky is hilarious, but not always the nicest...maybe it's the 3 year old in her :))

Then on Sunday of this past weekend, a local girl made it on the front page of the Tri-City Herald for being born like Kyla and being a sports player, doing great in school, etc.  Check out the article here:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/01/26/2251976/mattawa-high-school-senior-is.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop

We have also found a house for our family...it's actually almost right across the street from our duplex.  It's the same type house I grew up in with my Dad and Sister...I certainly didn't love the layout then and not sure I'll love the layout now, but it will be much better for now, Emma will have her own room and it has a giant garage, perfect for Greg, finished basement, perfect for the kid's play/tv area.  And I will have a larger kitchen that is already nicely remodeled to do my cooking/baking in.  We start paperwork this weekend with the owners, who are also close aquaintances to us...since they are our neighbors already :)  Very nice family, but they have owned the home for 4 years and never lived in it.  His job doesn't allow them to live away from his work and his work is over a 2 hour drive away, so they are selling.  Things just kind of seemed to work out perfectly.

Everything else has been good.... I'm sort of down in the dumps sometimes, Greg works all the time, he now has techincally 3 jobs..........not that he really needs to have 3 jobs, but he does, so it's me and the girls the majority of the time, which is fine, I love them so much and wouldn't want it any other way.  I think for now, things are sort of tough, but they won't be forever.  I think once the girls are in full time school, I'll probably head back to school myself.  I've been thinking about doing the ultrasound program, which is just a 2 year deal....go to school for 2 years and then find a job.  Preferrably PT so I can still manage the girl's schedule well and family stuff...but we will see.  That is still a long ways off with the youngest being 7 months old.  I almost enrolled Ky in soccer that started like a week ago...but I didn't.  That is so hard for me.  I am scared to put her in these situations.  I have to figure out a way to get past that.  It isn't good for her for me to be so protective....I will get past it, I just need to buck up and do it.  Maybe this summer...I've been thinking soccer for sure and then possibly ballet or something....forgot to mention I also saw a story somewhere of a girl like Ky being some awesome ballet girl....I believe I saw that on Facebook.  Anything is possible, you just have to do it, and I plan to.  Soon. 

End of 2012/Start of 2013 Update

Thought I would update the blog with some new photos and recent happenings.  We've been busy..... and I've been exhausted.  LOL.  This house deal is draining on me.  Still searching for the perfect place...yet to be found.  We walk thru houses all the time now, even did one today.  I might have found a good one this afternoon though, we will see.  I just want in a new place so bad...it's very stressful living here as far as space issues are concerned.  So much kid stuff, Emma is almost outgrown her bassinet and is about to be forced to move into Kyla's room where she talks and sings herself to sleep each night.  My niece stayed the night with us two nights ago.  She is now 7 years old and even she had to sleep on the couch because Kyla wouldn't stop talking to her.  LOL.  I am scared if we are forced to move Emma in there with her.  Emma needs peace and quiet and a non-stop talking/singing 3 year old sharing a room with her...oh my.  I don't want to experience that.  Kyla is on break from school right now for the Holiday's.  It has been a nice break for me, just to chill at home for a bit. 

I do have to say, the adjustment from always working, to working PT and becoming a Mom to becoming a Mom of 2 and not working....probably biggest adjustment of my life.  It has been a huge change for me.  I'm not sure I'm good at it.  I know I'm a good Mom, or as Greg says, a "great Mom," but sometimes it's hard to see my worth.  I think it may be hard to see now, but looking back years from now it will be easy.  I know the girls need me and I will be here for them, but I honestly don't see myself doing this forever.  Or maybe I will for a while...heck it's only been since August that I've been home FT.  Maybe it will still be some time before I'm adjusted. 

Ky had a Christmas program at school.  I'll try to upload a video of her to this post.  She was so excited Greg came and hardly sang, just keep saying "hi" to Dad and "take a picture of me," hahaha she is so strange. 

Emma is now almost 7 months old (on the 14th) and I can't believe how fast it has gone.  She is becoming much easier, she is more happy now and patient.  She is a beautiful happy girl, but she's also pretty lazy compared to Kyla at her age.  She has yet to roll from her back to her tummy, she has gotten close but it's almost like she is scared to get off balance and stops herself when on her side.  She has gone from her tummy to her back twice and I think those were more accidents than anything else.  It's funny though because she wants to crawl so bad, she flaps her arms and legs, but just scoots a few inches here and there.  She's pretty cute.

Preschool Days

Have a few minutes, figured I would check back in. 

Kyla has been doing really well in her preschool.  Her teachers always brag to me about how amazing she is.  She really enjoys going and gets to do lots of fun things.  It is a chore doing preschool drop offs/pickups with an infant in tow, but I figure it out.  I think if I wasn't so determined that Kyla needs to be kept in social places with kids her age, I probably would've taken her out by now, just because it is sometimes difficult.  Makes for a busy day, but she loves it.  Her teachers told me a week ago that they are learning how to put their jackets on by themselves and Kyla was one of the first kids to do it - doesn't surprise me.  She is so determined.  Wants to do EVERYTHING by herself.  Which is good, but sometimes difficult for me.  Most of the time we are in a hurry (story of my life) and I just want to help her so that we can get out the door, or onto the next thing that needs to be done...but I try to make myself wait for her to do it and it does take some extra time, but she's gotta learn at some point.  She is doing great.  I am really looking forward to going to Seattle Children's this winter, because I'm excited for Kyla to see other kids like her, at the Limb Differences social thing they do.  We still have not been, but she is just now old enough it will be really beneficial for her.  So definately need to make the trip this year. 

As far as family goes, we have been searching for a new house...a house of our own.  We will of course keep our rental, but we only have 2 bedrooms in our place and Emma is really ready for her own room now.  I have to get up at night and I usually wake her up, then she wants to eat, etc.  She needs her own room.  We have been trying to figure out what to do, remodel this place, finish the basement, build in more rooms, remodel the kitchen (which drives me nuts) or just get a different house.  So we've been searching but I'm picky, especially because location is really important to me for the sake of our girls.  I love the city we live in now and I don't think I want to leave - it's home for me, it has trees, it has animals like squirrels, birds, etc.  Our old house didn't have that.  I also have been trying to figure out the school situation.  I'm trying to figure out what I want to do as far as schooling for the girls.  I am considering private school, but it is sooo expensive and so now I'm starting to think about maybe home school.  They have some pretty great home school programs now where you do some at home and some at a specialized school for homeschooled kids, so they still get that social interaction and parents can be more involved in their children's education.  Anyhow, school districts really determine where our next house will be. 

We got back some more family photos a week or so ago.  I'll post a few here.  Kyla is so beautiful in this one photo...you will know which one I am talking about when you see it.