Thursday, November 9, 2017
Grandparents day lunch with Kayla
Kayla's school hosted a Grandparents day luncheon on September 22nd. This luncheon was suppose to have happened on September 8th, but due to school starting late on September 7th, the luncheon was held on September 22nd. Kayla was so excited to have her Grandparents (my parents) there with her. Her other grandparents couldn't come due to being out of town.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Thomas' 40th Birthday
Thomas turned the BIG 40 on September 22nd. Since this was a big milestone in his life, I set up some surprises for him. I took him to ifly. ifly is an indoor skydiving/wind tunnel place. When I purchased this for him I had NO intentions of doing it with him, but Thomas convinced me to try it out as well. I'm so glad I did! It was fun! Thomas soared into his forty's and he did it well! Here are some pictures of our adventure together.
Camera phone pictures so not the best:
After the ifly adventure I surprised him with dinner at Pappasitos with some close friends. Thomas had a great birthday turning 40!
My birthday was a week later on September 29. I turned 41. My birthday was low key this year, but Thomas surprised me with a one hour massage at my home. It was a relaxing one hour. Loved every minute of it!
Camera phone pictures so not the best:
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| Thomas flying |
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| Amanda flying |
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| Certificate of completion |
After the ifly adventure I surprised him with dinner at Pappasitos with some close friends. Thomas had a great birthday turning 40!
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| Happy Birthday being sung to him |
My birthday was a week later on September 29. I turned 41. My birthday was low key this year, but Thomas surprised me with a one hour massage at my home. It was a relaxing one hour. Loved every minute of it!
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Brandon is 21 months old
Brandon turned 21 months back on September 14th. He weighed 23 pounds, 6 oz. His length was 31.2 inches. Brandon is definitely a short petite boy. He is in the 25% ile for weight and 2% ile for length.
Again I am over a month late with this update. I can't remember all the little things he was doing but he did visit the spina bifida clinic and all looked good. He got his own little walker since he is working on standing and walking with his physical therapist. He also got fitted for new orthotics. We are still waiting for them to come in but he will be wearing kiddieGait orthotics. These will really help him with supporting his ankles and assist him to walk when he gets stronger. He is making progress physically and we are so excited for this progress. Brandon is really working at pulling up to stand. He is just having problems with getting his feet flat on the ground. He tends to pull up with his arms so he looks like he is standing on the tips of his toes. Also Brandon is doing so much better with sitting with his feet in front of him. Its been a long process with him learning to sit, but I think he has finally gotten it.
Brandon started saying new words and becoming more and more social. He is so friendly and loves to greet people. He is so much like his daddy - a social outgoing guy.
Brandon continues to sleep well at night. He is getting to that age when he knows its bed time and he gets upset because he wants to stay up and play. But he does love to be read to before bed and that helps with the bedtime process.
Brandon is such a sweet , mostly calm boy. He really only gets upset when he is hungry or tired. He is also such a funny little boy. He makes me smile all the time. His smile is a joy in our home. Love this little boy so much!
Again I am over a month late with this update. I can't remember all the little things he was doing but he did visit the spina bifida clinic and all looked good. He got his own little walker since he is working on standing and walking with his physical therapist. He also got fitted for new orthotics. We are still waiting for them to come in but he will be wearing kiddieGait orthotics. These will really help him with supporting his ankles and assist him to walk when he gets stronger. He is making progress physically and we are so excited for this progress. Brandon is really working at pulling up to stand. He is just having problems with getting his feet flat on the ground. He tends to pull up with his arms so he looks like he is standing on the tips of his toes. Also Brandon is doing so much better with sitting with his feet in front of him. Its been a long process with him learning to sit, but I think he has finally gotten it.
Brandon started saying new words and becoming more and more social. He is so friendly and loves to greet people. He is so much like his daddy - a social outgoing guy.
Brandon continues to sleep well at night. He is getting to that age when he knows its bed time and he gets upset because he wants to stay up and play. But he does love to be read to before bed and that helps with the bedtime process.
Brandon is such a sweet , mostly calm boy. He really only gets upset when he is hungry or tired. He is also such a funny little boy. He makes me smile all the time. His smile is a joy in our home. Love this little boy so much!
Sunday, October 1, 2017
First Day of School 2017!
The first day of school for my girls was suppose to be on August 28th, but due to hurricane Harvey the first day was postponed to September 7th. The girls were excited to start school as was I! Rachel and Haley were transferred to a different school this year. They are now attending Park Lakes Elementary. It is closer to our home, but I wasn't really happy with this change. They had attended Ridge Creek Elementary for the past 3 years and had learned the school and had set routines. Also a lot of teachers, staff and students knew Rachel and Haley. Humble school district for some reason decided to make changes and opened up more special education classes. So far it seems to be going good at Park Lakes Elementary. Rachel and Haley's teacher (Ms. Nelson) seems nice. Rachel and Haley are having to learn a new school and new routines, but seems to be going well so far.
My Kayla is in Kindergarten! I can't believe she is in full time school now. Kayla is attending at Fall Creek Elementary and she is loving it! Her teacher (Mrs. King) is great as well. We are so grateful she is at this school. Kayla has made friends already. She is my social butterfly.
My Kayla is in Kindergarten! I can't believe she is in full time school now. Kayla is attending at Fall Creek Elementary and she is loving it! Her teacher (Mrs. King) is great as well. We are so grateful she is at this school. Kayla has made friends already. She is my social butterfly.
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| Haley and Rachel in their new classroom |
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| Kayla in her new classroom |
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| Brandon gets mommy all by himself while the girls are at school |
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Brandon is 20 month old
Brandon turned 20 months old on August 14th. On that day he weighed 22 pounds 10 oz.
Seeing that it has been over a month since he turned 20 months, I can't really remember all the little details that happened. I do know that he started saying a new word or two and continued to make progress physically. He continued to improve on his sitting and crawling as well as pulling up on his knees even more.
Brandon is a sweet boy who has such a fun personality. He loves people and is such a flirt. We sure love this boy and all the joy, laughter and smiles he brings to our family.
For his 20 month photo shoot he was just not having it. This is the best I could get.
Seeing that it has been over a month since he turned 20 months, I can't really remember all the little details that happened. I do know that he started saying a new word or two and continued to make progress physically. He continued to improve on his sitting and crawling as well as pulling up on his knees even more.
Brandon is a sweet boy who has such a fun personality. He loves people and is such a flirt. We sure love this boy and all the joy, laughter and smiles he brings to our family.
For his 20 month photo shoot he was just not having it. This is the best I could get.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Stansel's after Hurricane Harvey
I had a reader email me asking how we are doing after Hurricane Harvey. So here is our blog post about how the hurricane affected us. Luckily we are good!! Safe and dry! We didn't get any flooding in our neighborhood or our home. We also didn't lose any power. We are so blessed and grateful for the location we live in (Humble - Northeast of Houston). We were scared and nervous through out the storm. It was nerve wracking not knowing if our area/neighborhood was going to flood or not. We survived and the girls did well through the storm. We are so heartbroken for all the devastation throughout Houston and other areas outside of Houston. It is estimated we got 30+ inches of rain in our area. Some parts of Houston got 50+ inches of rain. We ventured out yesterday and took a couple of pictures. Just north of us in Kingwood, people were flooded due to the rising water from the San Jacinto river. Lots of people were flooded and had to evacuate. There is just so much destruction. Thank goodness, today the sun is poking its head through the clouds a little and we are so glad to see it. Thanks for the concern. Much appreciated! We are well!
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| Our house after the hurricane. Thankful no damage |
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| This flooded creek is about a mile from our house |
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| US 59 North. Flooded. |
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| Lots of utility trucks ready to fix electrical lines as needed |
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Kayla's 5 year old pictures
I am struggling these days to keep up with a lot that's on my plate but I did get Kayla's five year old pictures taken back in March and got them finally edited. This post is so late but I wanted to go ahead and post these pictures because I want to remember her at this age. She is just growing up too fast.
Back when I took these pictures she was in a silly mood. So these pictures are full of sass, silliness and spunk. Love this girl!!!
Back when I took these pictures she was in a silly mood. So these pictures are full of sass, silliness and spunk. Love this girl!!!
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Rachel and Haley turned 8 years old!!!
On August 4th Rachel and Haley had a birthday and they turned 8 years old!!! Really time has flown by and they are growing up so fast. On their birthday we took them to a jumpy place called Jumpalooza and we had some cupcakes for them. Not really sure, but I don't think Rachel or Haley understood it was their birthday. None the less we celebrated them and remembered their siblings - Ashlyn, Dallin, Braden and Kaitlyn. We love and miss our precious angels. Happy Birthday to our miracle sextuplets!
Rachel and Haley had their 8 year old well child check so here are their stats:
Haley:
38 pounds
42 inches (3.5 feet)
BMI: 45%ile
Rachel:
54 pounds
51 inches (4.25 feet)
BMI: 38%ile
Rachel and Haley are healthy but of course have their disabilities that require on going therapy, special education and lots of watchful eyes and attention.
For this birthday post I'm going to write about what they CAN do and the things they like.
Haley:
- Haley can talk (as well as do some sign language). She is saying some words and is increasing the words she can say. She loves popcorn and has started saying it.
- Haley can understand what we tell her and she will follow what we tell her to do such as throw her trash away, go to the sink to get her hands washed, etc...
- Haley can get around fairly well in our house despite her very low vision. She does need assistance in unfamiliar places.
- Haley can hear well enough with her hearing aids and she loves music. She enjoys playing with her keyboard and any toy that plays music.
- Haley likes dogs and always enjoys going to her cousins house to see the dog. She can even say the dog's name.
- Haley loves to eat and loves junk food!
- Haley is very friendly and loves to be around people.
- Haley loves to make noise. We can always hear where Haley is at any given moment.
- Haley loves to tease and play. She gets herself into trouble at times as well.
- Haley is a very sweet loving little girl!
Rachel:
- Rachel can work the ipad better than me. She likes to take pictures with the ipad and watch kid youtube.
- Rachel likes to help do things/chores (with assistance) like wipe the table, hang wet clothes on hangers to dry, vacuum, wash dishes, etc.
- Rachel can do some sign language.
- Rachel loves to taste foods such as popcorn, pickles, cheetos. Just wish she would swallow food.
- Rachel can get her self dressed (with a little bit of assistance). She definitely knows how to get undressed.
- Rachel loves to cuddle in bed with daddy.
- Rachel can do hair. She is good at putting ponytails in her or her sisters hair.
- Rachel is very good at getting herself into trouble and typically breaks things easily (had to add as this is Rachel and a part of our daily lives).
- Rachel is a sweet girl and gives the best smiles.
We love our girls and just can't believe they are 8 years old already! I still remember the day the sextuplets were born and all the fear, anxiety and excitement. Looking back on that day I really didn't think we would end up with only 2 out of 6. I really thought that all 6 would live and grow up together, but that was not the plan. We are grateful to have Rachel and Haley and we will see our 4 angels again. I do look forward to that glorious day!
Here are pictures of Rachel and Haley on their birthday and their 8 year old pictures.
Rachel and Haley had their 8 year old well child check so here are their stats:
Haley:
38 pounds
42 inches (3.5 feet)
BMI: 45%ile
Rachel:
54 pounds
51 inches (4.25 feet)
BMI: 38%ile
Rachel and Haley are healthy but of course have their disabilities that require on going therapy, special education and lots of watchful eyes and attention.
For this birthday post I'm going to write about what they CAN do and the things they like.
Haley:
- Haley can talk (as well as do some sign language). She is saying some words and is increasing the words she can say. She loves popcorn and has started saying it.
- Haley can understand what we tell her and she will follow what we tell her to do such as throw her trash away, go to the sink to get her hands washed, etc...
- Haley can get around fairly well in our house despite her very low vision. She does need assistance in unfamiliar places.
- Haley can hear well enough with her hearing aids and she loves music. She enjoys playing with her keyboard and any toy that plays music.
- Haley likes dogs and always enjoys going to her cousins house to see the dog. She can even say the dog's name.
- Haley loves to eat and loves junk food!
- Haley is very friendly and loves to be around people.
- Haley loves to make noise. We can always hear where Haley is at any given moment.
- Haley loves to tease and play. She gets herself into trouble at times as well.
- Haley is a very sweet loving little girl!
Rachel:
- Rachel can work the ipad better than me. She likes to take pictures with the ipad and watch kid youtube.
- Rachel likes to help do things/chores (with assistance) like wipe the table, hang wet clothes on hangers to dry, vacuum, wash dishes, etc.
- Rachel can do some sign language.
- Rachel loves to taste foods such as popcorn, pickles, cheetos. Just wish she would swallow food.
- Rachel can get her self dressed (with a little bit of assistance). She definitely knows how to get undressed.
- Rachel loves to cuddle in bed with daddy.
- Rachel can do hair. She is good at putting ponytails in her or her sisters hair.
- Rachel is very good at getting herself into trouble and typically breaks things easily (had to add as this is Rachel and a part of our daily lives).
- Rachel is a sweet girl and gives the best smiles.
We love our girls and just can't believe they are 8 years old already! I still remember the day the sextuplets were born and all the fear, anxiety and excitement. Looking back on that day I really didn't think we would end up with only 2 out of 6. I really thought that all 6 would live and grow up together, but that was not the plan. We are grateful to have Rachel and Haley and we will see our 4 angels again. I do look forward to that glorious day!
Here are pictures of Rachel and Haley on their birthday and their 8 year old pictures.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Brandon is 19 months old
Brandon turned 19 months on July 14th (he is acutally 20 months so I am late with this post as usual). He weighed 22 lbs, 6oz. This is a slight decrease from his weight at 18 months old so I will have to keep a watch on that. Brandon is a petite little boy though. He is currently wearing size 12-18 month clothing and still in a size 3 diaper. He has been in that size for a long time. Brandon had a urologist appointment on July 7th where he had a renal ultrasound and a bladder test (VCUG). The ultrasound showed no kidney damage and a normal bladder. Also the bladder test showed no urine reflux into the kidneys as well as good bladder emptying. He did have some overactive bladder episodes during the test but the doctor was not concerned. The doctor actually talked to us about potty training! I didn't think that was possible with kids with spina bifida, but according to his doctor there are kids with spina bifida who are able to be potty trained. So it is a possibility that Brandon can be potty trained but we will have to wait till he matures more to know for sure. We are so blessed and so very thankful that he doesn't need to be cathed.
On July 18th, he had his tonsils and adenoids removed as well as ear tubes put in. He also had his tongue clipped for a possible very mild tongue tie. He had to stay overnight for one night at Texas Children's Hospital. Poor guy had a tough time with it and it took about 10 days for him to get back to his normal self. Removing those tonsils and adenoids have helped him tremendously! He doesn't snore while he sleeps and he doesn't sound like Darth Vader when he breaths. We are so glad that is done and over with!
Brandon is doing better at crawling. He is getting up on his hands and knees more often when he crawls. He is also getting better with sitting up. He can sit up because we have seen him do it, but he is always on the move and therefore he won't stay sitting. He's a busy boy! He has been "W" sitting and his PT is working on reducing that. We know its not the correct way for him to sit. Brandon prefers it because it gives him a wider base for support. As I always say with time he will get it and do it correctly with time.
He is getting PT, OT and speech therapy. He is taking his time with talking. He is now saying mamma, daddy (da-dee), bye, baby and ball. He is also still on the bottle, but I think I have found a good cup (take & toss sippy cup) that he will drink from and will try another cup to help the transition off that bottle.
He loves to look at pictures of babies and gets excited when he sees a baby. Brandon also loves to look at pictures of mommy and daddy. He just has to look at the pictures of Thomas and I that are hanging on our walls.
Brandon also loves to be read to. I read to him every night before he goes to bed. He is my sweet little boy and I love him so very much. He definitely completes our family.
His 19 month pictures:
On July 18th, he had his tonsils and adenoids removed as well as ear tubes put in. He also had his tongue clipped for a possible very mild tongue tie. He had to stay overnight for one night at Texas Children's Hospital. Poor guy had a tough time with it and it took about 10 days for him to get back to his normal self. Removing those tonsils and adenoids have helped him tremendously! He doesn't snore while he sleeps and he doesn't sound like Darth Vader when he breaths. We are so glad that is done and over with!
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| Right before surgery |
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| After surgery |
Brandon is doing better at crawling. He is getting up on his hands and knees more often when he crawls. He is also getting better with sitting up. He can sit up because we have seen him do it, but he is always on the move and therefore he won't stay sitting. He's a busy boy! He has been "W" sitting and his PT is working on reducing that. We know its not the correct way for him to sit. Brandon prefers it because it gives him a wider base for support. As I always say with time he will get it and do it correctly with time.
He is getting PT, OT and speech therapy. He is taking his time with talking. He is now saying mamma, daddy (da-dee), bye, baby and ball. He is also still on the bottle, but I think I have found a good cup (take & toss sippy cup) that he will drink from and will try another cup to help the transition off that bottle.
He loves to look at pictures of babies and gets excited when he sees a baby. Brandon also loves to look at pictures of mommy and daddy. He just has to look at the pictures of Thomas and I that are hanging on our walls.
Brandon also loves to be read to. I read to him every night before he goes to bed. He is my sweet little boy and I love him so very much. He definitely completes our family.
His 19 month pictures:
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