A Very Merry Christmas and My TWO Year Old

Our Christmas this year was pretty amazing. Definitely one of the best I've ever had. It was our very first Christmas together as a family (Daddy was in Iraq last year) and also our first one in Hawaii.

Our first REAL Christmas tree.

Romy and Chris tearing into gifts.

What's Christmas without a little beer pong? This is YaYa, she was pretty good by the way.

Daddy and Papa Goat, do they look alike or what?

Today was also Romy's BIRTHDAY!!! It's official, I now have a two year old! Two years ago, my life was completely changed and we were blessed with a wonderful little girl who warms our hearts everyday. I cannot wait to see what next year has in store!

Since we already had her birthday party a few days ago, we just spent a mellow day the beach. We packed up some lunch and some cupcakes and played in the sun. Romy had a blast, she truly loves the water. We even saw at least a dozen sea turtles! Gotta love Hawaii!

Here's one of the many turtles we saw today.

Romy and Dad

My beautiful TWO year old!

Cupcakes!

Gotta love that smile!

Isn't that a huge turtle??

It's Her Party, She'll Cry If She Wants To....

Romy had a birthday party yesterday! Although her actual birthday isn't for a few more days, we wanted Papa Goat and YaYa to be a part of the celebration before they leave to go back to Florida.

For some reason Romy was extremely crabby and clingy. I think maybe she was a little overwhelmed as we had a house full of people and lots of noise. She even had two little friends attend! We played some games, ate some food and she racked up on lots of great presents.

Romy's cake, I made it myself and it turned out pretty awesome, I think I will try to make her cake every year.

She was upset because she was in her high chair and nobody was holding her....sigh....

She was all smiles playing with her new toys though.....

I cannot believe that she's turning 2!! It has been a truly wonderful year!  She has made some really huge strides and is a sponge for picking up new words and actions.

Romy's words:

Up

Dada

Go

Mama

Ilk (milk)

Uck (Duck)

Bash (Bath)

Spash (Splash)

Tata (Tita or Aunt)

Ah-Pa (Grandpa)

Papa

Uh-Oh

Ba (bye)

Bawww (Ball)

Dawww (Doll)
Danshh (Dance)

Actions:

Sitting!

Pulling to Stand!

Army crawling (very short distances)

Independent Play!

Touchdown! (raises both hands in the air)

Identifies face, hair, toes and sometimes tummy

Claps

High-Fives

Hugs

Kisses

Waves hello and goodbye

Pushes buttons (she can even effectively activate cellphones and has called 911)

Puzzles (She doesn't put them in the right place but will try to jam it into place forever)

Feeds Herself! (finger feeds)

Shakes Hands

Blows Kisses

-Height: 31 inches tall

-Weight: 18 pounds (You are long and very lean. You're all legs, Romy)

-Favorite Foods: Grits, chicken nuggets,  fries, oranges (especially the peel for some reason), banana, grilled cheese, crackers, sweet potato and salt-n-vinegar potato chips

-Foods you dislike: any kind of melon or anything green

-Favorite Activities: Reading books and turning the pages, being tossed around by Dad, any kind of musical instrument, playing with cell phones and remotes, playing in the sand and ocean, and bath time.

This year you also completely weaned yourself off of the bottle and you are now 100% table food fed!! You moved all the way to Hawaii and you like it a lot. You got a doggy! He's quickly becoming a partner in crime with you and although you pull his ears and torture him, you also lovingly pat his head and feed him food off of your tray.

Wow! What a year, I am in such awe of her and all she does. Just one year ago she wasn't vocalizing much more than a random squeal or mumble, she couldn't sit on her own and was even having a tough time keeping her head steady for long periods of time. Has she come far or what? She's a very special little lady and I can't wait to see what next year will bring for us as a family. Daddy is leaving for Iraq again in the summer and I hurt for him knowing that he will miss so much. Having him around has helped us both tremendously, my sanity and Romy's development. We will keep on truckin' though.

Romy, we are so blessed to have you in our lives. You have made this world a much brighter place.  We love you sooo much little munchkin!

Romy at 1:

Romy at 2:

Luau!!

Ray's whole family is in town for the holiday's and his sister and brother-in-law treated us to an amazing ocean front luau. We had a blast!

Romy got to meet Santa again, and this time he was dressed up in shorts, an aloha shirt and some slippers! Unfortunately, Romy wanted nothing to do with him and cried the entire time. Everyone felt so bad for her, but I thought it was hilarious, does that make me a bad Mom?

Ray, enjoying the food and half naked hula dancers...

and the girls got to enjoy this.....

My babies and a gorgeous hawaiian sunset.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Romy saw Santa today!


                                                             She was not excited.

She warmed up a little once he threw a shaka .

                                          

These pictures (click to enlarge) are kinda crappy, I forgot to use a flash. I'm thinking about taking her again tomorrow to get some better ones. Anyway, other than terrified babies, all is well in the Schuck house. My little brother, Kane, arrived from North Carolina the other night. Ray's little bro will be flying in from Florida tomorrow. His sister has moved back here from Texas, and her husband is home for the next few weeks from Iraq. Romy's YaYa and Papa Goat will be here soon as well. Good times ahead!

Lungs of a preemie.....sigh.....

As I mentioned in previous posts, Romy has been sick lately. It seemed to be clearing up but today she took a nose dive. Her low grade fever returned and wheezing came with it. She's been having coughing fits on and off for a few days now.

Anyway, I took her to the local clinic and x-rays confirmed pneumonia. Blasted pneumonia! Sometimes I forget that Romy, like all micro preemies, has Bronchopulmonary Dyplasia and that her prematurity has left her with crappy lungs. Sure, she'll most likely outgrow most of it, but for now she's stuck with them. A small cold can turn into so much more so quickly. Asthma? It very well could be in her future. Although, Romy's lungs are actually not nearly as bad as many other micro preemies, as she's never had to be hospitalized after leaving the NICU and that's such a huge blessing.

So, for now she's on antibiotics and breathing treatments. If any one of you guys saw her, you wouldn't even know that she's sick other than her wheezing. She's still the happy, playful Romy. She's eating a little less, but she's eating.


Does this look like the face of a sick kiddo???

Hooray for breathing treatments!!!

Standing Tall

Romy got her DAFO's in yesterday! She tolerates them okay and they really help get her feet straight. She also got fitted for a custom stander that we should receive in January or February.

This is what they look like:

And this is what they help her do:

It's Saturday so Daddy's forcing us to watch College football all day.....yuck.

It's weird seeing her stand upright like that. Usually her feet are turned inward so much that she's practically crossing her legs.

The Schuck's LOVE the North Shore

Ray had the day off today so we packed up the car and headed up to the North Shore. It's easily becoming our favorite place. This time of year the waves are HUGE! I'm talking 20-25 feet!  We ate lunch on the beach and then watched a surfing competition. It's SO beautiful up there! The surf was way too rough to actually swim in so we just sunbathed and enjoyed the view. Romy loves the sand. She'll play in it for hours if we let her.  It was such a fun day.

Romy had an eye appointment the other day. No change in her vision and the doctor believes the difference in pupil size can be attributed to her cerebral palsy. She doesn't seem to be too concerned about it. She does however, think Romy would benefit from strabismus surgery. It will probably take place sometime in May or June. It may take more than one surgery but we're hopeful that it won't. It's considered minor surgery and she'll be in and out on the same day. 

That's all the news for the time being! My brother and Ray's brother will be here in the next few weeks followed by Ray's sister and the rest of his family. Kris, Ray's brother-in-law, will also be home from Iraq for the holidays. We're excited to be surrounded by family again and can't wait to show off Romy and all her new tricks.

    
The wind was blowing so hard, she was having a trouble keeping her balance!

2009 Van's Triple Crown Surfing Competition. Surfing is hard, but these guys made it look easy!

Just a Girl and her Dad.

So I understand that every child goes through separation anxiety, but I think Romy is having an excessively long bout of it, not to mention it's SEVERE. Separation anxiety is actually a milestone, and for that I am thankful, but DAMN. If she can't see me, Ray or my sister, she has a complete meltdown. She thrashes around, screams, kicks and cries. That being said, it's ten times worse when Ray walks away. She can't stand being away from her Daddy. From the time he walks in the door to the time she goes to sleep, she's attached to his hip. Poor guy can't get anything done. When he leaves for work it takes her a solid 30 minutes to calm down. It's gotten to the point that when he comes home for lunch, he has to sneak around like a ninja and eat far away so she doesn't see him and lose it when he has to leave 20 minutes later.  Anybody have some advice on how to break this cycle? My ears hurt and my arms ache. HELP!

Anyway, other than that Romy is doing some great things. She's already sitting up but now she's getting thisclose to getting from a lying position to sitting all by herself! She also has a few new words. "Bash" for bath, "go", "ilk" for milk, and "dawwwwl" for doll. Granted she only repeats them and rarely uses them without prodding, but it's still a good sign. She also tells me "Ahhhhhh" and shoves food in MY mouth, I guess that's what I get for constantly fighting with her to eat. At least I know she's understanding a lot of what I say. She's also beginning to understand the concept of puzzles and lots of her other toys. She's actually playing with them appropriately instead of just throwing them, banging on them or pulling them apart like she used to do. Romy can also identify her face and her hair, and sometimes her tummy. Yet, the coolest new thing she does is dance! When she hears music, she perks up throws her hands in the air and waves them around.  She has killer jazz hands. I'll post a video sometime.

With that said, I'm still having a hard time getting her to hold her sippy cup and use a spoon. She's physically capable, she just won't do it. I think I'll just let her lead the way as it's hard enough to get her to eat without utensils.

So overall, she's doing great! I can't wait to see what she'll do next.



                                        Thanksgiving Day 2008

                                      Thanksgiving Day 2009

Daddy, the Barbarian

Cutest beach bunny I know.

I can't get enough of that smile!

Thank You.

Thanksgiving Day is only a few hours away and tomorrow is going to be a busy day of cooking, laughing, and a glass (or 5) of champagne so I don't know if I'll get around to posting. So here I am thinking of the many things that I am thankful for.

I am thankful that, in these trying economic times, my husband has a stable job that provides for us. We're nowhere near rich, but by richness in love, we are practically billionaires.

I am truly blessed with the greatest family on earth.  Not just my own family, but the family I grew up with, my in-laws and my extended family.

I am thankful for my renewed faith in the Lord. I can thank Romy for that one.

Speaking of Romy, I have many thanks in that department. I am thankful for her laugh, her smile, her cuddles and kisses. I am thankful for her little hands holding a brush and running it through my hair. I am thankful for those hands picking up food from her tray and feeding me. I am thankful for that independent and loving personality of hers. And as odd as it sounds, I am thankful for her cerebral palsy. Romy wouldn't be Romy without it.

With thanks always comes reflection. As Romy gets older, I notice and realize things about the situations she will face as she grows. Romy will forever be labled "special needs," it's not a title that can ever be erased, but I pray that she'll grow up to embrace it as I have. She has a unique opportunity to do some good in the world. I hope one day she can become an advocate for children like her.

Growing up, I was never one to tease or make fun of special needs people, but I did something worse. I completely ignored them.  At the time, I thought I was being nice. I figured they didn't want to be stared at or fussed over. How completely ignorant of me.  It would break my heart if people just completely ignore Romy. So I urge you, if you happen to see someone in a wheelchair, using braces or crutches, or maybe with a different walk, instead of staring past them, just smile, a quick hello perhaps. Just don't ignore them.

I am so VERY thankful for these two, and the sweet bond they share.

I am so VERY thankful that I get to stare at this face forever!

Full Blown Toddlerhood

Romy now spits food out. I'll feed her off of a spoon, she'll eagerly open her mouth, close her lips, make a few chewing motions, open her mouth and let the food slide off her tongue. She thinks it's hilarious. You know what I think is hilarious? This picture of Romy pooping on herself. Ha, take that Romy!

Give Water

Did you know that 4500 children die everyday from drinking contaminated water? Nearly all of these kids are from developing nations. Isn't it insane that kids DIE from not having something as simple as clean water. Did you also know that 10 dollars will buy someone clean water for 10 years? YEARS!!! Click the button below to learn more or donate. Thanks guys!

Snot Face

Romy is getting over some sort of sickness. Thankfully, she's handling it well and only had a low grade fever for a few days. She just can't seem to shake her runny nose though.  Her appetite has shrunk some, but that's to be expected.

Although she's been sick, she still continues to develop right before my eyes. She's starting to become much more aware of what's going on around her and vocalizing it more. For example, when she sees me talk on the phone, she immediately says "Dada?" It's like she wants to know if I'm talking to her Daddy or not. Also, we were at my sisters house watching the fight (Pacquiao!!!!) and Romy was surrounded by 3 toddler boys. One of the boys dropped his toy on the floor and Romy said "Uh-oh!" Not to mention that she continues to say "up" when she wants to be held. She's catching on to this whole communicating thing. Slowly, but surely.

She has also been much more cuddly than usual, especially around bed time. I think she uses it against me so she can stay up later. It works.

We still haven't received her DAFO's, but hopefully within the next week or so. She's also getting fitted for a stander in December!  I'm pretty excited about it. I think Romy will really benefit from it and I can't wait to take her on walks in it.  I know it looks very "equipment like," but Romy will only be using it for  standing. Not only will it help develop her joints and sockets, but it will let her see the world in an upright and standing position. Who knew there were so many benefits by just standing!

The Baclofen she began taking a few weeks ago is working beautifully. I was very hesitant to even try it, but I'm very glad I did. Romy's legs are loose and have near normal range of motion. There's also virtually NO resistance in her ankles either. I was really worried about the side effects, but I'm happy to report that she barely has any. If anything, she drools a bit and relies on her hands to prop herself up more, and even those are hardly noticeable.

Here's a few pictures from the last few days.  Pay close attention to her hair. It's been getting extra crazy lately. Poor thing inherited my hair. It doesn't know if it's straight or curly. After a bath, I give it a good comb and as the day and night wears on it starts curling up into strange looking rooster comb-esque hairstyle. We call it the Romy. It's going to be new "it" hairstyle.


At this point, we just try to keep it out of her face

Sitting "criss cross apple sauce," according to my sister it's not PC to call it "indian style."

            

I think her posture is improving.

She loves, loves, LOVES books. She could "read" them all day, and recently learned to turn pages.

"The Romy," in all its glory.

                                                                          Bath time

15 minutes after bath time....

Happy Veterans Day!

Thanks to all those who serve! With special thanks to this guy......

The military has always been a part of life for us. Ray and I are both Army brats and have lots and lots of relatives who have served or are still serving. Romy's Uncle Kris is deployed as we speak! (We miss you and be safe!) This is a very important day for us and we're so grateful for all of the men and women who fight over there to keep us safe here, as well as those who fought long before our time. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I feel like I should also mention the events that very recently took place on Fort Hood. As you guys know, we moved from there just five months ago. I remember vividly driving Ray to that exact same building and I'm pretty sure he has stood in that exact same room where the shooting took place.  It was only a mile or so from our home. It truly breaks my heart. Those soldiers were home, they were supposed to be safe. God bless'em.