Ten Tiny Toes: July 2011

Saturday, July 30, 2011

A First for Parker

This has been a very unique weekend...our first without Parker Gage around! Needless to say, it has been super quiet! Grandma and Grandpa Bynum asked us last week to consider letting them take Parker back home with them when they passed through here this last Thursday. We talked it up to Parker for a couple days, and by the time Friday morning rolled around...he was ready to go!!! So glad he's getting some one-on-one time with them!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa! We are so thankful for the bond the three of you have!
Love you so much!

~Whitney

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Provision and Opportunity

We are really excited about ordering a new product we found out about recently. It's called a Wingbo and was made in Germany http://originalbabycompany.com/wingbo.htm. I emailed Kristina (Emma's mom) a couple of weeks ago and was curious to see if they have had the same issue with Emma, as we are having with Tessa, and her head being really flat in the back. Obviously, with as much time as Tessa has spent on her back in the last year, her head hasn't had the chance to round out in the back. Unfortunately, Tessa and tummy time usually equals a 'pissed off ball of fury', as I've called it on occasion ;) Kristina told me about this really neat swing and said Emma loves it and has gotten a lot of use out of it.

Here's a look:

Finally we can start incorporating play time with tummy time! One thing we have definitely learned about Tessa is that she prefers to be Little Miss Independent. I can't think of a better way to get her working on improving her head and neck control than with something like this. Granted, there is always a chance she will hate it...but, the fact that she can learn to push with her feet and legs and have some independent movement while working on head control...I think would be pretty huge for her!

Back-story: Kindness of a Friend
I had a short conversation with a friend here at work the other day on our way out of a meeting and she asked how Tessa's CI was working out and about when she would be getting her left one. I told her things were really good and that we will be waiting until next summer to do the left because we really need her to gain more head and neck support before we could juggle having two CIs on her head. I mentioned to her how I was excited about a swing we had heard about to help with her head and neck control and that hopefully, between the swing and her time in her stander, that this time next year she'll be super strong and ready for the second CI. I just briefly mentioned that it could be awhile on the swing, cause it's about $250 and it takes months to get the 'medical necessity' process going.

Well, I got back to my desk after lunch one day last week to find a card:
"I wish I had a magic wand that I could just wave in your direction and make everything "all better". I wish I had a sprinkle of stardust that would erase every problem that's come your way. If only I could get my hands on a magic lamp and rub it until a genie appeared, I would ask for an end to all of your cares and the beginning of great happiness for you. I don't really have any magic, but if deep feelings and warm thoughts can help, there's definitely some wonder-working stuff headed your way."

The card was from my friend that I talked with after our meeting the week before and she wrote:

"Whitney, I already know you have great happiness, but I often wish I could help you in some way to make things easier for you and your family. You are truly amazing and how you have handled this past year inspires me & I know God has been a huge part of your walk these past 12 months. Please know I think and pray for you often. I hope this will help you get the swing Tessa could use to help strengthen her neck. And, always know if you ever need an ear, shoulder or anything...I am here!"

And in the card was $250 cash.

This moment had nothing to do with money....but everything to do with God showing me, again and again, that HE loves us through people that love Him too. I sat at my desk and cried off and on for about an hour. God's timing is perfect and I am blessed to be surrounded by incredible people in my life!

I sent Melody (Tessa's PT) a text this morning to see if I should go ahead and order the swing or if we should wait and try the medical necessity route. She wrote back to go ahead and order one because it would take several months to run it through the medical process with no guarantee that they would approve payment of it for reasons of medical necessity. This swing will be so beneficial for Tessa to have right now and we are so thankful for the opportunity to provide it for her and are really looking forward to the new world that will be opened up for her. But even more, we are in awe of God's strong and gentle hand on our lives.

~Whitney

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Hollering at Therapy

Yesterday was AV Therapy and it was highly entertaining. As you can imagine, therapy is a little hit-and-miss when it involves a one year old, but yesterday, Tessa was engaged the entire hour. Our time consisted of listening to the sounds farm animals make, following instructions to put the animals in their barn, initiating a vocalization to have us roll the ball, imitating the "up, up, up" short sounds and "d-o-w-n" long sounds of the airplane, blowing and "pop, pop, pop"-ing bubbles, and last but not least.... hollering for her brother!

Ms. Tami's final idea for the day was to demonstrate hollering for Parker in hopes that Tessa would attempt to vocalize the same thing. After several hollers of "P-a-r-k-e-r"...."P-a-r-k-e-r"..."P-a-r-k-e-r" we waited, and I think to all of our surprise, we heard from Miss Tessa..."aaaaaaaa-k"! Needless to say, we all cheered with joy and then frantically asked Parker to come over to his sister to help reinforce her hollering for him! We have never heard Tessa make the "k" sound, so it was a very exciting moment.

The reality hit, that Tessa is probably saying a lot more than we can actually understand right now. Our priorities are definitely to teach Tessa how to listen and follow directions (her receptive language), but let's be real...it's pretty freakin cool to witness her attempts to communicate with us!!

We all learn by listening and observing...but isn't it nice to be praised when something profound comes out of our own mouth!

~Whitney

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Vacation Summary

It was so great to get away and just be a family! All four of us needed that time just to relax, have fun, and enjoy each other and everyone around us.

It's still hard to believe how many people we were able to see, all packed into 5 days...great grandparents, a great Aunt and Uncle, two sets of grandparents, four sets of aunts and uncles, five cousins, and college friends and their family.

Also, a really nice treat was getting to see a friend of mine since middle school...and I'm totally bummed that I forgot to get a picture :( My friend Autum made a special trip out to my dad's yesterday to come see us before we left town. The last time we saw each other was in 2005 and she was finally able to meet the Parker and Tessa. We had a really great visit and it was a great ending to such a special vacation!

I'd say the 9 'picture posts' below are a pretty good indication of how much fun we really had! Yay for simple summer vacations chocked full of memories!

~Whitney

Vacation - Final Stop

We stayed Sunday night at my Dad's! The kids had lots of fun with Grandpa and Grandma Mason. So thankful for the chance to hang out and make more memories!

~Whitney

Monday, July 25, 2011

Vacation - Canyon TX

On our way into Amarillo, we made a stop in Canyon to see Donny, Mindy, Tori and Imory. Mindy is my dear friend and we were college roommates...it was so great to see them and catch up!

Imory and Parker have so much fun together!

Donny and Mindy lovin on Tessa!

Tori and Tessa!

Friends!

~Whitney

Vacation - Leaving Lubbock

Before we left Lubbock on Sunday, we got a chance to see Aunts, Uncles, cousins and Grandparents one last time. We couldn't be more grateful for all of the family time we got...it was amazing!

Aunt Lindsay with Kelbie and Parker

Love these two!

Grandma and Grandpa getting in some Tessa lovin!

Aunt Christy and Uncle Tim with Parker

Aren't they cute!

~Whitney

Vacation - Evening Pool Time

Mamaw and Papaw joined us back at the hotel for some evening pool time!

These three have a ball together!

Cousin Love!

Daddy and Parker swimming it up!

Parker and Kelbie - cuties!

Those are some major smiles!

~Whitney

Vacation - Afternoon Fun

We got to spend Saturday afternoon with the Bynum family again!

Tessa and Uncle Tom :)

More lunch time fun

Happy girl!

Pool time with Grandpa!

Tessa loves the water too ~ we had a blast!

~Whitney

Vacation - Next Stop...Great Grandparents!

Our Saturday morning stop was by my Grandparent's house. We haven't been to Lubbock in over 3 years and it was so great to be back. Mamaw and Papaw were very excited to meet their great granddaughter! Tessa also got to meet her Great Uncle Doug and Aunt Melinda. Wonderful memories!

It was so great to spend some time with my Mamaw and Papaw!

It had been way too long!

Mamaw and Papaw with 2 of their great grandchildren!

Here is Tessa with her sweet Great Aunt Melinda

Here's Parker hanging out with his Great Uncle Doug and Aunt Melinda

Too sweet...Mamaw rocking Tessa to sleep

A quick family pic :)

~Whitney

Vacation - Happy Campers!

These two woke up with the biggest smiles Saturday morning...they have 'vacation' written all over their faces!!

~Whitney

Vacation - Chillin

We had lots of fun with the Black family too...Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Kyle and cousins Keaton and Kelbie! It was such a blessing to have one of my sisters and her family be in Lubbock the same time we were and to get to spend some time with them too!!

Parker, Kelbie and Keaton chillin in the hotel room...cutest picture ever!