Beyond Measure

Tooth Extraction

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Within hours of my last post, Caleb's loose tooth was literally spinning around in his mouth! Glenn couldn't take it anymore and decided to address the issue.

I know this looks very barbaric, but the tooth was ready. It came out on the very first tug. Caleb barely felt it come out. After Glenn was done, Caleb said: "Did you get it?!"

Proudly holding his third lost tooth.

I love how cute he is with missing teeth! For some reason it makes him look even more grown up. He could barely wait to get to school this morning so he could tell his friends. :)

PT, Frisbee, Tripod canes, and a "Tow Mater" look-a-like

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Caleb had physical therapy with Ms. Vicki yesterday. The weather was beautiful so she worked with Caleb outside. I don't always see Caleb making progress, and maybe that is just because I see him every single day so I often miss the big picture. Ms. Vicki helped Caleb walk with his tripod canes. I have definitely seen a bit of progress with those, he is able to stand up using the canes for several minutes which is something that he was never able to do with the forearm crutches. I am so glad I bought these canes because they offer him such a wide base of support. He only has AFO's to help brace his ankles so when using the canes or forearm crutches he really has to utilize a lot of strength in the hips and trunk, not an easy task for him.

Ms. Vicki had Caleb stand against the house and throw the frisbee. Sounds easy enough, but that requires a lot from him. I love that she tries to make PT as fun as possible so that Caleb is working....but he doesn't quite realize he's working. :)

He is leaning against the wall a bit for support but he is still working very hard.

Sometimes I just look at him and think: "This kid blows me away."

And just because this is too funny not to share...

Notice the arrows pointing at a giant white tooth!

Caleb has a VERY loose tooth up top and it is so loose that is will stick out really far past his lips when he smiles. It was totally cracking me up, I kept telling him that he looked like "Tow Mater"! I imagine that tooth will fall out before this weekend is over...maybe before this day is over. How cute is this kid going to be with a missing top tooth! Stay tuned for pictures of a big toothless grin!

Oh, and Caleb was featured on the Kidz blog again. Check it out!

At the farm

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:34:00 +0000

We took advantage of the long weekend and took the boys to see MeMe. We had planned to go over Christmas but Caleb's UTI kept us home over the holidays. The boys were so excited to be going to to MeMe's (great-grandma).

MeMe has a nice big back yard and thanks to some beautiful weather, the boys were able to spend quite a bit of time outside.

Benjamin mowed the grass.

I want to take a quick side note here to chat about Mr. Benjamin. When he turned 3 last month I really got to thinkin' that I better potty train this kid. I kept thinking that he would just decide to train himself or something, like he would wake up one morning and just want to use the potty. I realize now that was crazy thinking. Benjamin was perfectly happy in diapers and showed no interest in the potty, at all. So I did a bit of research and several people recommended this 3 day method, kinda like a crash course in potty training. The lady that developed it insists that your child will be potty trained (even overnight) in only 3 days. Sounds perfect, right? Basically you have your child throw out all the diapers and put undies on them right away. Then you pump them full of fluids, don't leave their side (not even to let the dog in because your child will pee on the floor-not that I know this from experience or anything). So I stayed with my eyes glued to Benjamin for 3 days, I barely left his side and tried to catch him before he had to go and rush him to the potty. We didn't leave the house for several days. It was a very. long. frustrating. process which involved the washing of many undies and cleaning the carpet on more than one occasion. I can't say he was completely potty trained in 3 days, but after day 5 he was no longer having any accidents and was letting us know every time he needed to pee. He has even stayed dry the past 3 nights! So, I think I can safely say that Benjamin is in big boy undies and is doing very well. Potty training is ridiculously hard and I suspect it is harder the longer you wait, in hindsight I wish I had started a bit sooner.

Okay, let's move on.

The boys had fun blowing bubbles in the backyard.

Because of Izzy and her giant crate we didn't have room for Caleb's wheelchair which meant he had no choice but to use his walker the entire time. He did really well all weekend. It's hard work for him and I know he gets so tired but he did great.

And no trip to MeMe's is complete until you take the riding low mower out for a spin. The boys had way too much fun.

Sitting by the water.

MeMe has a bit of land with some cattle so we took the boys to see the cows.

Caleb feeding one of the cows. I was so proud of him, in the past he has been very nervous around the cows because they are quite noisy when they all get to "moooing". He was still a bit anxious but he actually had fun this time.

Another side note: While we were out on the land feeding the cows Benjamin had to pee, so my big boy peed outside for the first time. I'm pretty sure that is a right of passage for boys. (I don't have a picture of that-which I am sure Benjamin will be thankful for)

I just thought this was so sweet. A mama and her baby. Ahhh.

Izzy Bell was totally in her element while we were there. She loved having all the space to run and explore (although she was terrified of the cows). And I mean terrified. It was hysterical. I guess if I was a 30 pound dog I would be pretty nervous around a bunch of huge cows! After all, she is a bird dog, not a cattle dog. :)

It was a really great weekend and the boys had so much fun.

Absolutely Stunning Family Photos! (my kids are gorgeous)

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:06:00 +0000

We got some family photos done recently and I just had to share (a lot of you have already seen these on facebook-but you know you want to look at them again!). Glenn's cousin, Leslie, is an incredibly talented photographer, she actually did our wedding and did some family shots for us when the boys were a bit younger (click here to see those). I've been wanting to get some more photos done because the boys have changed so much in the last year and a half. I could not be more pleased with how they came out.

We met Leslie at an abandoned warehouse for our first location. I am amazed at how an old, run-down building can make such a beautiful spot for pictures.

My sweet baby. It was quite chilly that day and Benjamin was less than cooperative (that is putting it mildly). He flat out refused to take any pictures unless I was holding him, touching him, or sitting very close to him. I doubted that we would be able to get any decent photos of Benjamin but, WOW, Leslie managed to capture some truly wonderful shots.

Absolutely gorgeous. Love it. Love this boy.

I love Caleb standing so proudly in his walker. He just looks so grown up.

I love this picture. Benjamin's face just says it all and really captures his little stinker personality.

Best. Picture. Ever.

Caleb was an absolute pro. He was so cooperative and gave the best genuine smiles, not forced ones. This kid could be a model. Seriously.

So good-lookin'. How are the ladies not falling all over him? We are going to have to beat them off with a stick!

We went to a local park for our next location.

GOOD-LOOKIN'

I can't believe Leslie managed to get this shot. Benjamin was flat out refusing to sit down unless his momma was sitting with him. This shot is a miracle and I love it. Love my 2 boys.

Since my sweet Benjamin was literally attached to my hip, I got quite a few "mommy and son" shots.

(love the sun shining through on this one)

"eskimo kisses"

(my favorite)

I'm tickling his side like crazy in order to get him to smile.

I love this one of Caleb and Glenn. I've used the word "love" a lot, haven't I?

I love my family.

That is a good-lookin' family right there! LOVE.

Glenn and I have our 10 year anniversary next week so I wanted to get some "just us" shots. What is so great about these pictures is the fact that Benjamin is clamped on to my leg, screaming "PICK ME UP MOMMY!!" I can't make this stuff up people! So, Glenn and I are trying to be all romantic (like we were before we had kids) and our wonderful 3 year old is having a full on fit.

I'm smiling while a lunatic child is grabbing my leg.

He's still screaming and grabbing my leg.

Still screaming and he is hitting me now.

I think by this point Benjamin had stopped screaming and was just holding my leg while he sucked his thumb. :)

We are so happy with these photos. They truly exceeded my expectations. Leslie (Lane Portraits) is outstanding and I highly recommend her to any of you in the area. Her photos are impeccable. She is professional, thorough, and very talented. She works great with kids, even the young ones who don't want to cooperate. She has a true gift.

Now, I have to figure out how I can fit all these wonderful pictures on our walls. I ran out of room a long time ago. I can't bring myself to take older photos down in order to put up new ones.

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Our New Year's Eve was pretty low key (just how I like it) but still quite a bit of fun. We went to hang out with Caleb's buddies Bryce and Nathan. The boys hung out and played games for a few hours (while us moms chatted) before we headed home.

Benjamin is ready to ring in the new year!

(Caleb, Nathan and Benjamin)

Bryce lives next door to a train track and Benjamin got to see 3 different trains go by over the course of the evening. He was in heaven. He is still talking about the trains at Bryce's house.

Benjamin kept himself entertained as he waited for the next train to roll through.

Caleb and Landry playing "Guess Who"

Caleb and Bryce playing a game together.

All-in-all, a nice evening of fun. Boys in bed by 9:00 and mom and dad in bed not too long after...I know, I know, we are so lame. We can't even manage to stay up 'til midnight one night a year. I think the last time I actually stayed awake to ring in the new year was Y2K! I'm old and my sleep is very important to me. I figured 2012 was coming whether I was awake for it or not.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun New Years!

Choosing to Enjoy

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:03:00 +0000

Okay so I was having one of those mornings...one of those mornings when my Glenn's now 3 year old is threatening to hit me every 3.2 seconds, when my Glenn's 6 year old is sassin' me and talking back, when my Glenn's 5 month old puppy jumps on my couch with her muddy paws, when I hit my toe on the corner baseboard and scream "GOOD GRAVY!" (that's my form of a curse word), the kind of morning when I look at the clock in absolute exhaustion and see that it is only 9:15 am. Today was that morning. The kind of morning when I don't think I can make it through the day without pulling out my hair or screaming "GOOD GRAVY!" 20 more times. I felt myself getting very grumpy and not enjoying my boys or my time with them at all. I knew I had a choice, a choice to wallow in my grumpiness or to enjoy my role as mom. So I turned my frown upside down and had some fun with 2 very special boys.

I love Benjamin's ability to just play. He loves trains and will push them along the track while making his own adorable train noises. I love his sweet little voice that says: "Play with me mommy." I know there will come a day when he won't ask his mom to play with him anymore.

I played several games of "Guess Who" with Caleb. I love his reaction when I guess his character, its like magic to him or something, he always seems so surprised.

He's concentrating so hard on the game. Love that face.

"Mom, stop taking my picture!"

(have I mentioned that I love this face?)

Caleb got Legos for Christmas and so far I have made a house, I have made a car, and I have made a helicopter. And Benjamin has played with all of my creations. :)

I love this face too.

The weather was beautiful in Texas today so we spent about 3 hours outside this afternoon.

Benjamin got this t-ball set for his birthday.

Bubba gets a turn too.

The boys had too much fun on the see-saw today. They were giggling and laughing like crazy. It was too cute. They have really started playing more together the past couple of weeks. I'm not sure if it is because Caleb has been out of school so he is around more, or just Benjamin growing up, but it has been really nice to see them enjoying each other. Benjamin just craves Caleb's attention and is constantly asking his bubba to play with him.

A moment of giggling captured.

"Look Ma, no hands!"

Caleb's legs get quite a work-out with the see-saw. He would stand up and hold Benjamin up on the other end. Then he would squat down and push Benjamin back up. That is some serious work for those quads.

So a morning that started off very rough with the potential of turning in to a very rough day...instead became a wonderful day spent with my 2 boys. Sometimes I need to be reminded that they won't be young forever, they won't always be living in this house, they won't always be around for me to enjoy. Sometimes I have to actually make a choice to enjoy them, to take the time to focus only on them and our time together. I'm glad I made that choice today. It was a really nice day.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.

-Psalm 127:3

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 23-25 & Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:59:00 +0000

"Make cookies and take them to the neighbors"

Caleb helping to stir the ingredients.

The finished product. :)

"Open Stockings"

We let the boys check out the goodies in their stockings on Christmas Eve. The pictures above are "finger lights", these little lights that you can wear on your fingers (hence the name "finger lights). The boys thought those were pretty cool. We also gave them some "silly putty", candy, and a couple of other small goodies.

"Merry Christmas!"

I've mentioned before how much Caleb enjoys playing games and he was in major need of some new ones (I can't play another game of "Chutes and Ladders" people!) "Guess Who" was Glenn's idea and Caleb loves it. We have played it a dozen times and he really enjoys it. We also got him a game called "Story Cubes", this is an awesome game! So simple but such a great activity. It really requires some creative thinking but its a lot of fun.

We got Benjamin a "Monster Jam" truck holder. It holds 15 monster trucks (plus we got him a couple of monster trucks to add to his collection).

That afternoon we went to see Gammy, Grandpa Al, and Aunt Rachel.

Caleb got a big box of legos and a new Wii game.

Benjamin got a HUGE recycling truck that he LOVES. He answered to "trash man" the rest of the night.

Our completed Jesse Tree.

Our Christmas didn't go quite as we had planned, Caleb got a UTI and started running a fever. He hasn't had a UTI in over 3 years. With Caleb, UTI's are really bad news because they have a tendency to migrate up to his kidneys which has landed him in the hospital on two separate occasions. I was able to get some antibiotics for him that day so I think we caught it early but I have been very worried that we would be making a trip to the hospital. So far Caleb is improving, still running a fever but not as high and it is breaking easily. Because of the UTI we weren't able to go out of town to see some family and have spent the past couple of days hanging out at home (which has actually been kinda nice). I'm thankful to have the time to spend with all my boys at home. Sometimes it is just nice to have nothing to do for once. It's nice to have things finally winding down as the past few weeks have felt very crazy and hectic. I took all the decorations down yesterday. As much as I love all the lights, and snowmen, and ornaments, and Christmas cards....I was ready to have my house back. Everything starts to feel like clutter after awhile so I'm glad to have things feeling clean again. I'll admit to feeling a bit down this Christmas. Not because it wasn't a special time with family but because I have felt like Caleb was disappointed. We have always been honest with him about Santa but this was the first year that I felt like he was let down that Santa isn't real. I think he started to really believe in the jolly fat man because it was all he heard about the last few weeks of school. They even wrote "letters to Santa" in his class (he asked Santa for a CAT!). Caleb believed that Santa was coming and he seemed disappointed when he didn't. That made me feel bad for not letting him believe. But Glenn and I made the decision years ago that we weren't going to do the whole Santa thing with our kids. I've never doubted that decision but I hated that Caleb seemed less excited about Christmas knowing that Santa wasn't really coming. I have tried so hard to make our own Christmas traditions and create family memories and I feel like stupid Santa is stealing the show. That dude gets on my nerves. The other night after reading our Jesse Tree devotional we asked Caleb what Christmas was all about. His answer: "Santa!". Well good grief, we have been spending all this time reading stories about Jesus and his birth and the kid still thinks Christmas is about Santa! What in the world are we doing wrong? We have never ever told him that Santa is real, we have always shared the birth of Christ as the real reason we celebrate....how can he still believe that Santa is the reason for Christmas? Its maddening. I know a lot of families do Santa with their kids but still make it a point to share the real reason we celebrate Christmas and I wonder how they keep Santa from taking center stage. I thought we would have an easier time because we were leaving Santa out of the picture all together so all we had to focus on was Christ. But Santa still found a way in. For those of you that have chosen not to do Santa with your kids, have you found that they are disappointed that he isn't real? Does Christmas seem less "magical" to them because a big guy in a red suit isn't bringing them presents? I'm curious to see how others handle this situation. Okay, I'm done with my vent...I feel better now. :)

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas with your families. Wishing you a joyous New Year!

(I've decided to go on a major sugar purge once these holidays are over! And I will admit right now that I haven't worked out since Thanksgiving! Yikes!)

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 21 & 22

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:34:00 +0000

"Celebrate Benjamin's 3rd Birthay! Go get donuts for breakfast!"

Yesterday was Benjamin's birthday, and even though we had his party a couple of weekends ago, I wanted to do something special on his special day. Donuts are definitely a rare treat for us so the boys were beyond excited about going to the "donut store" to get Benjamin's "birthday donut".

Benjamin chose the glazed donut.

Caleb chose chocolate.

Seeing bubba with a chocolate donut made Benjamin want one too. :)

"Craft Day: Make a Nativity Scene"

This is such a cute activity. Caleb is such a fan of crafts and coloring, I knew he would enjoy this. Click here to view the activity. You can print them in color or in black and white and then color it yourself. We did a mixture of both.

So cute right?

(and yes, I realize that this is not an accurate depiction of the night Jesus was born.)

Caleb even enjoyed playing with the people.

For some reason there was a fire drill at the manger and all the kings, shepherds, the angel, Joseph and Mary had to line up and evacuate.

Happy 3rd Birthday Benjamin

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Three years ago today Benjamin entered the world with quite a whirlwind and full-on craziness (you can read all about B's dramatic entrance by clicking here). In celebration of my little guy's third birthday I thought I would reminisce for a bit, so bear with me as I write a letter to my second born son.

Dear Benjamin,

You are officially a big boy now at 3 years old. I say that you are a big boy but there is still so much of you that feels like a baby to me. It is remarkable to believe that three years ago you entered our lives. Your grand entrance was not what we had expected or planned but God is good and His ways are higher than ours. You were perfect, all 4 pounds and 7 ounces. And we were beyond thankful that you were as healthy as you were considering the fact that you were 8 weeks early.

I loved how you were covered in all these tiny fine hairs. It looked like peach fuzz. You were just so sweet.

Five weeks in the NICU seemed like an eternity but I cherished our moments together there. I was so anxious to bring you home where you could finally meet your big brother.

Caleb (or "bubba" as you like to call him) was smitten with you from the beginning...although he was not a fan of your crying. To be honest, he still is not a fan of your crying :).

I have so enjoyed watching your grow, develop, and explore new things.

I love your passion for play and toys. And I love your ability to play independently. I love that I can hear you playing with your trains and construction trucks in the other room, I love that you make all the appropriate train and truck noises. I love that you love anything that has wheels or wings. Such a true boy.

I love all of your expressions and your cute smile. I just love your face.

I love your ability to sleep in the strangest, most uncomfortable positions.

I even love your thumb-sucking, burp cloth obsessed self. (Although the burp cloths are beginning to look pretty worn and very well loved...they aren't going to last many more rounds in the washer...and I'm not buying any more).

I love that you will eat sour cream by the handful. I love that your favorite cereal is Honey Nut Shredded Wheat. I love that every time you eat a carrot you say: "I am a bunny rabbit". I love that you like your cheese stick cut up so that you have "cheese circles".

I love that you love Izzy Bell. I'm convinced that Izzy thinks you are a puppy playmate for her.

I could go on and on and post hundreds of pictures. You are such a blessing to our family. It is hard to remember a time when we didn't have you in our lives. You bring us so much joy and laughter. I love your personality (minus the tantrums), I love your independence, I love your imagination, I love that you are super ticklish, I love the way you say "vacuum cleaner", I love that you want to hold my hand, and I love that God chose me to be your mom. You are precious to us. Happy Birthday Benjamin! I can't wait to see how you grow and develop in the years to come.

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 19 & 20

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:30:00 +0000

"Family Movie Night"

Instead of a movie, Caleb wanted to watch a couple of holiday specials that were on t.v. So, we watched "Kung Fu Panda Holiday special" and "A Chipmunk Christmas". All 4 of us were cuddled up on the couch watching cartoons last night.

"Make S'mores"

It wasn't quite cold enough today for a fire so I made the s'mores in the oven....eh, just not the same as s'mores on the fire. But the boys didn't care.

I really hope the boys are getting something out of these Jesse Tree devotionals we are doing. I'm not sure Benjamin is listening to a word I say but Caleb seems to absorb some of it, although some of the devotions have gone way over his head. I guess they will learn more each year as we repeat these devotionals and maybe add to them.

Oh, and since it would not be cost efficient for me to send all of you a Christmas card, I'll just post it here.

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 14-18

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:35:00 +0000

So, I am way behind on my Jesse Tree ADVENTure posts. I better catch up!

"Make an "Elf Yourself" video"

We did one of these videos last year and Caleb got a kick out of it (Glenn and I did too). It is such a simple activity and so easy to do...and sometimes I need simple and easy! We included Izzy in our video this year and Benjamin thought that was the funniest thing he had every seen. It was terribly cute. Go to Elf Yourself to make your own video.

"Watch The Santa Clause Movie"

Although we don't do Santa with the boys, I am not opposed to them watching a movie with Santa in it. We just continue to explain that Santa is a character in a story, not a real dude. I think Caleb gets a bit confused every December though because he is basically taught Santa at school. It can be a bit frustrating when you tell your child that Santa is pretend but then he learns it at school. I always hear people say that they try to keep "Christ in Christmas" but I find that to be the easy part. The hard part is keeping Santa out of Christmas. Anyway, I digress. Let's move on.

"Drive around and look at Christmas Lights"

Another easy activity that the boys love and get so excited about. Although it seems like less and less people put up lights these days. It's slim pickings out there.

"Go to Granny and Paw-Paw's to celebrate Christmas with family"

I just love this picture. He was watching his older cousins throwing a nerf football in the driveway. I found myself getting sad that he wasn't able to play with them...and I looked for sadness in him but didn't see any. And I guess it's not that he can't play, he just can't play exactly the way they do. They did try to include him by letting him throw the football and he really enjoyed that.

Caleb loves seeing his cousins (Megan and Andrew in this picture).

Benjamin enjoyed seeing cousin Andrew until Andrew tried to play with his toys. Apparently, Benjamin does not like to share.

Me and my baby! Can't believe this big kid is going to be 3 years old on Wednesday. How did that happen!?

Caleb got the "Angry Birds" game. It's really cute and I think it will be good for him. You have to look at the picture cards and build the structure based on the picture. It requires some decent fine motor skills and it exercises his brain a bit too.

"Go to Holiday in the Park"

This was definitely a spur of the moment, unplanned activity. Caleb has asked to go to Six Flags on numerous occasions but given the cost we have been putting it off. Well, we decided to go yesterday. I haven't been to Six Flags in YEARS and let me tell you, it was WAY more expensive than I remember! $$$$

The boys were so excited though which made Glenn and I excited as well.

We went to the Looney Tunes area first because we knew there would be rides that both boys could do.

Getting ready for some FUN!

We rode this first. Now, this being our first trip to an amusement park with Caleb, we quickly learned that the traditional line is not wheelchair accessible as they usually have stairs. So, we often had to use the accessible entrance to the ride which meant bypassing the line all together. This sounds like a really cool thing but it felt like we were cutting. I felt like all eyes were on us and I didn't like it. Maybe it just takes getting used to and one day we will LOVE that we get to "cut" in line.

I was reminded very quickly that I do not like heights, at all. Get me off this thing (that is a big fake smile on my face).

This kid loved it!

The boys rode the planes next. This was surprisingly fast and I expected Benjamin to try and jump out at any given moment but he loved it.

Benjamin was begging to ride the train, so we did that next.

Waiting patiently for the train.

Enjoying some very expensive "cheesy ranch fries".

Caleb got to meet Sylvester. He thought that was pretty cool....Benjamin wanted no part of it.

So the verdict on Six Flags...the boys really enjoyed a couple of the rides...however, they were terrified on this one ride (daddy's idea) that involved very large robotic Looney Tune characters with shotguns and explosives. Benjamin just kept saying "Don't like these peoples in the dark!" And Caleb hated it because it was too loud. He covered his ears and closed his eyes the entire ride. So, after spending a ridiculous amount of money, Glenn and I decided that we will wait a couple of years before we return to Six Flags. :)

So, that just about catches you up on our Jesse Tree ADVENTure!

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 10-13

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:18:00 +0000

"Benjamin's 3rd Birthday Party!"

The boys had no idea we were having Benjamin's 3rd birthday party until Caleb opened the Advent activity for that day. I don't know who was more excited, Caleb or Benjamin. Benjamin doesn't technically turn 3 until the 21st so we celebrated a little early with the grandparents.

Someone really should have explained to Caleb that this was BENJAMIN'S party and BENJAMIN'S toys. I could not keep Caleb from ripping into all of the presents.

Waiting to blow out the candle on his cake.

Originally Benjamin wanted a Monster Truck party and then last week he changed his mind and decided that he wanted a "train party" with a "train cake".

I love how this simple cake with his Thomas train on top made him so excited.

I think Caleb got just as messy with cake as Benjamin did.

This R/C Percy train was definitely a favorite with Benjamin. He loves all things trains.

"Make Cookie Recipe Jars for your teachers at school"

Most of the Advent activities are just fun things for the boys to do but I wanted there to be a few things that required Caleb to do something for others. So, I had him help me assemble Cookie Recipe Jars to give out as gifts to all of the wonderful teachers and staff at his school.

This was a very messy and very time consuming project (mostly because I made 15 jars) but the end result is very cute and will hopefully make great gifts.

I got the recipe on Bakerella. Last year I made cookies to hand out as gifts but I know people are often so sick of sweets during the holidays, so these jar recipes allow them to have homemade cookies when they are in the mood. You just add butter, vanilla, and egg. So easy. And so cute.

"Make Snow Globes"

This was an inexpensive, really easy and quick craft for Caleb to do. It was really simple but Caleb enjoyed it. He loves that there is something new to do each day, even if it isn't a big deal, the anticipation gets him excited.

"Make Christmas bookmarks for your friends at school"

Caleb's class is having a book exchange this week so I thought bookmarks would be a cute gift for him to give to each of his classmates. He sat at the table forever yesterday after school working on these bookmarks.

I really enjoyed the devotional for this day. We talked about Samuel and his search for a new king within Jesse's family. I love that God didn't choose the son that everyone would have expected, the oldest and strongest. He chose the youngest son, the least likely to be king. I told Caleb that all of us are capable of big things because God gives us what we need to accomplish the task before us. God doesn't look at the outside appearance, He sees the heart.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 7-9

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:48:00 +0000

Have a Family Game Night!

Caleb LOVES playing board games. I admit that I don't always take the time to sit and play a board game with him every time he asks. So, I knew that he would love an activity that included a board game. He chose "Chutes and Ladders" (probably my least favorite game...I really need to get the kid some new games). Benjamin wanted to play too, but he quickly got bored and just started driving his fire truck all over the board.

Caleb was just excited that he won! He gets a bit grumpy when he loses.

Make Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

We did this same activity last year and Caleb loved it. These ornaments smell so good and they are super easy to make. This year has been a lot of fun because Benjamin is getting older and he likes to participate in the activities.

Mixing the ingredients.

They came out really cute and the boys had so much fun making them. I swear I still have the smell of cinnamon on my hands.

Watch "Frosty the Snowman"

I love that Benjamin has an IPOD in his hand!

We briefly talked about the 10 Commandments tonight and we asked Caleb what it means to "steal" something. His response: "Stealing is when you are playing with a toy and another kid comes over and snatches it." (I think he may have looked over at Benjamin when he said it...)

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 5 and 6

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:08:00 +0000

I love how the smallest thing (like watching "Charlie Brown"), can get my kids so excited. We did an early bath so they could sit on the couch and enjoy the show before bed.

(my 3 boys)

I chose this activity especially for today. Caleb was scheduled for a MRI this morning and I knew that he would really appreciate a special treat afterwards. It was a quick MRI, non-sedated, less than 10 minutes but Caleb had such anxiety over it because he knows how loud the machine is. And if you know Caleb, you know that he is not a fan of loud noises. At all. But he did really great during the whole thing. I could tell that he was very anxious and was working really hard to keep it all together but he was such a trooper. So proud of that little booger. After the MRI we headed to the hospital cafeteria (his choice) to pick out a special treat.

To my surprise, Caleb chose the Mint Grasshopper Cheese Cake! Such a strange choice but it was his choice so I just went with it.

(talking to daddy on the phone)

I couldn't resist getting a picture in front of the tree.

I've been really impressed with Caleb's understanding of some of the devotions we have read these last few days. After I read the story I ask Caleb questions to check for understanding and he always gives a thoughtful answer that shows he has been paying attention. Makes this momma proud. You can't go wrong when you are teaching your kids God's word. And I love how all of these stories point to Christ and God's plan. I'm really glad we are doing the Jesse tree this year. It will definitely be a new tradition in this house :).

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:51:00 +0000

The boys were so excited to go back to the airplane museum, they still talk about last year.

This museum is just so cool. There are dozens of airplanes to look at and even get into. The boys had so much fun.

Benjamin had a blast pretending he was "driving" the plane.

You could climb up this tower and be an air traffic controller. I took Benjamin up there and it was quite difficult navigating the platforms to get to the top. Glenn decided to take Caleb up there which was quite interesting to watch.

Getting Caleb down was amusing, Glenn just kinda rolled down the platforms while holding Caleb. Made me giggle.

There was a "Creature Teacher" at the party. She had a variety of critters with her and Caleb touched every single one....even the tarantula and the snake! He told me that he was "brave". :)

I almost forgot our Jesse Tree devotional tonight but Caleb was sure to remind me. And Benjamin got to hang the ornament :).

Jesse Tree ADVENTure: Days 1-3

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 04:34:00 +0000

On December 1st the very first words out of Caleb mouth: "Can I open door number 1 now!" He was so excited about the Advent box, he could barely stand it. Opening that day's door is the very first thing he asks to do each morning. It's so cute to see him so excited. I'm excited because he is so excited.

Caleb loves crafts so I knew he would get a kick out of decorating his own stocking. We all made a stocking, except Benjamin-he doesn't like to sit still long enough to do a craft-so, Caleb and Daddy did his for him.

We are doing the Jesse tree study at night either after dinner or right before bed.

(so glad I made the ornaments ahead of time, there is no way we could have squeezed in time to make an ornament every single day)

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of might,

the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD

The boys helping put up the tree? No, they had more fun playing in the box.

This year we made the decision to put the tree in the playroom. I knew there was NO WAY the tree would survive in the living room because of Izzy. I wouldn't be able to keep her off of it so instead of going crazy we opted to put it in the playroom. Speaking of Izzy, here is a picture of her resting in my lap.

I'm starting to like her :)

Caleb really enjoyed hearing about God creating the world and everything in, on, and around it.

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate today so we didn't get to take the boys to the parade.

Caleb seems to really enjoy the Jesse tree devotional each night. I've been using the Jesus Storybook Bible the past couple of nights and I really like it. We read the story or the scripture, talk about what we learned and then hang the ornament. The boys usually argue over who gets to hang the ornament!

Benjamin feeding Izzy...sorta

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Earlier this week Benjamin was outside with Izzy Bell. Usually Benjamin hangs out by the sandbox but when I peaked outside I didn't see him in his usual spot. I scanned the backyard and found him and Izzy sitting together by the fence. I watched them for a second and then I realized that Benjamin was feeding Izzy grass!

"Here ya go Izzy, here is some grass for you."

(that is a direct quote)

"Uh oh, mom is out here. I wonder if she saw anything. Just act cool Izzy, maybe she won't notice that you have a mouthful of grass."

"Here is some more grass for you."

(another direct quote)

"I know you have a mouthful Izzy, but here is some more. Keep eating this grass I am shoving in your mouth."

"I didn't do anything mom! I'm just sitting here minding my own business."

Preparing for our Jesse Tree ADVENTure!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:21:00 +0000

As you may know, we don't do Santa, so last year I set out to make our own traditions. I stumbled upon the Advent Calendar on another SB moms blog. I loved it, so last year we did our first Advent Adventure (you can read about all of our Advent Adventures by clicking here). This was a HUGE hit, especially with Caleb, he absolutely loved opening the door and reading what our "adventure" was for that day.

Given the success of last year, I knew that we would definitely do this again, but I wanted to add to our traditions this year. I decided to do a Jesse Tree with the boys as well. Here are some of the resources I am using this year.

(this isn't a Jesse Tree or Advent Book but I'm going to use the stories in it along with our scripture readings)

I also found a cute e-book that I downloaded.

Really cool book for those with younger kids that want to make an ornament for the Jesse tree every single day. I originally wanted to do this but the thought of making an ornament every single day stressed me out a bit. Caleb loves doing crafts but a simple craft that should take about 15 minutes will take him well over an hour because that is just how Caleb is. And I love that about him. I didn't want to stress over the ornament part of it but this is still a really cute book with really cute ideas.

I found this today, which I LOVE!

This offered all the Jesse tree symbols and scriptures! This was such a lifesaver for me. So, I followed the tutorial on the site (minus the fancy boxes) and made all the ornaments today and I'm going to use all of the resources listed above for our devotional each day. There were things I like and didn't like about each book so I'm going to just pick and choose what I want. I've learned that there is no right or wrong way to do a Jesse tree, it's just about the daily journey of discovering Christ from the Creation to His birth. I'm really excited about it and I think the boys will enjoy it too.

And yes, I know that Advent technically started this past Sunday but since my Advent box is a 1-25 calendar, we are starting our Jesse Tree AVENTure tomorrow on December 1st. I'll share our activities and devotions as the month goes on. If you have any great resources or ideas you want to share then leave a comment. I would love to hear what you do with your family.

Family Camp 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:57:00 +0000

This past weekend was a weekend I look forward to all year long...Spina Bifida Family Camp!! So. Much. Fun. I feel so blessed to live in an area that has such an active SB chapter and has such a wonderful camp available for all of us families to get together. Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures...go ahead and have a seat if you aren't already sitting down.

Our local SB family! This was the biggest Family Camp ever with 24 families!

There was a huge get-together the first night. It was great to see so many familiar faces and also have a chance to meet some new ones. This was our 5th year to camp so I feel like I have truly seen many of the kids grow up.

It is so nice to spend a weekend with people that "get it". I don't have to explain anything about Caleb because they are on the exact same journey. They understand our day to day because their day to day is similar. The know all the jargon and lingo. It's just nice.

I think Benjamin felt a bit left out that he didn't have a wheelchair after seeing so many other kids with one. He stole Caleb's chair several times over the weekend. I think he was just trying to fit in with everyone else. It's funny that Benjamin was the minority because he didn't have a wheelchair!

Caleb enjoying a snow cone. He got to eat a variety of food over the weekend that he doesn't normally get to enjoy.

Caleb wanted to take the cooking class. He got to make and eat a bunch of junk and he loved it. Although I didn't let him eat the "squid dogs" (middle picture). There is just something gross about a boiled hot dog with pasta noodles shoved through it. Yuck.

Caleb climbing the rocks at the outdoor chapel.

The chapel has several large stones with scripture engraved in. The chapel is probably one of my favorite locations at camp.

I have no idea what I am laughing at in the picture but it cracks me up. Something must have been pretty funny.

I took over 200 photos at camp and this one, without a doubt, is my favorite. This picture just captures my life.

Since Benjamin was less than cooperative (see picture above), I decided to just get a nice pic with my first born. I love this kid.

Best smile ever.

Daddy taking Caleb to read one of the scriptures.

Playing dress up with some silly hats. Benjamin refused to participate...see previous uncooperative photo a few pictures up.

Hanging out under the bell tower.

Caleb with his buddies, Bryce and Nathan.

Playing with Taylor.

Benjamin found a ball as big as he is!

Time to fish! (we didn't catch anything-but Nathan's mom did!)

Watching Bubba fish.

View from the fishing dock.

Benjamin found a friend :)

This is the Saddle room. The families hang out here in between activities so they can chat and let the kids play together. So much fun.

We were cabin neighbors with Bryce. The boys found it fun to play in the water fountain.

This is at the entrance to camp. I have wanted to get a picture here every year and I finally got it this year!

Caleb and Landry (Bryce's big brother). Caleb adores him.

It was a long, exhausting weekend for both boys (mom and dad too) but no one was more tired than Benjamin. He fell asleep pretty quickly on the way home. It was just a lot of fun for such a little guy. By Sunday morning he was saying: "I'm ready to go home. Let's go home."

All in all, it was a really great weekend. We look forward to Family Camp every single year and the older Caleb gets, the more fun camp is.

Here are links to previous years:

I would also like to thank my mom for watching Izzy for us so we could go to camp. This was my mom's ~~first~~ last time dog sitting Izzy. When I called her to let her know we were back from camp, the first thing she said was "Thank God". I think Izzy gave my mom a run for her money :). My mom enjoyed having a playful puppy in the house but she ran out of energy long before Izzy did. God bless you mom for taking care of our lunatic dog. We really appreciate it.

Zoo Field Trip!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:56:00 +0000

Caleb had a field trip to the zoo on Friday. Glenn went as a chaperon because I had to get us packed and ready for Family Camp. Glenn managed to get a few really great pictures that I just had to share.

In the days leading up to the field trip Caleb kept telling me that he wanted to be "buddied-up" with 2 of his friends. I hear about these 2 kids all the time. And I believe that there is genuine friendship between the three.

Holding hands (cue the "ahhhh's")

I LOVE this picture. Glenn told me that Caleb hopped out of his wheelchair and just started climbing up these steps so he could sit in the carriage with his friends. I am so proud of him, not just because he was able to climb the steps on his own, but because he had the confidence to try.

Picture with Daddy

Caleb and his friends.

Roller skating, petting zoo, pooper scoopers, and more!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

I feel like it has been forever since I have made a blog post. That either means there hasn't been anything to blog about....or I've been so busy that I just haven't gotten around to it. Not sure which is the cause of my lull in blogging but regardless, I am blogging now. I know you are so excited.

Caleb just wrapped up the second 6 weeks of school. He is doing really well and seems to enjoy it quite a bit. I really like the kids in his class this year. They all appear to be friends. It just really feels like a close knit group of kids. It has been a busy month for birthday parties, Caleb has received 3 invitations in November alone! Last weekend he went to a classmate's birthday party at a skating rink. I'll admit to being a bit concerned about how this would go considering Caleb can't roller skate (well, I assume he can't, but you never know with this kid) but he was allowed to just take his wheelchair onto the rink. The boy had a blast. I couldn't get a decent photo to save my life but I thought I would share a quick video clip of Caleb having fun at the skating rink.

I am seriously considering having his 7th birthday party here because he had so much fun. They have a smaller, private rink that you can rent out for parties which I think would be perfect. I would love to strap some skates on Caleb (with the wheels pretty tight) and just see what he could do. I kinda think he could skate a bit using his walker.

And yesterday, we had another birthday party to go to. It was at a petting zoo/farm kinda place. We went to a birthday party there this summer as well. The boys were so excited and the weather was beautiful. The kids played on the playground first, which had a huge wooden train (Benjamin was in heaven-the boy loves trains).

I thought this was such a cute picture and then I realized that there are 2 port-a-potties in the background! Nothing like a couple of portable toilets to ruin a good picture.

Daddy thought it would be fun to put Caleb on top of the train. Caleb is smiling...but trust me, he's terrified. Oh well, it made for some cute pictures and isn't that what really matters?

For some reason there are about 115 cats just roaming around this petting zoo place. Caleb got to pet one of them. This poor cat was picked up by every child at the party and was totally okay with it.

While Bubba was brushing the goats, Benjamin went to say "hi" to a pig.

And run circles around this tree.

Then it was cupcake time!

(I love him)

That's my boy biting into that cupcake like there is no tomorrow!

(I love him too)

And I figure I'll go ahead and throw in some random pictures as well.

Benjamin and Daddy. I just love Benjamin's face. He makes this face a lot.

Now that we have a dog (don't even get me started on Izzy) I find myself picking up after her in the backyard (you know what I'm talking about). So, I bought a pooper scooper. Benjamin loves it and played with it for several days until I finally had to actually use the pooper scooper in the way it was meant to be used. Benjamin was not too happy to see me scooping up poop with his new toy. Maybe I'll get him one for Christmas.

Being silly. As usual.

Benjamin's position of choice for nap time.

And finally, Izzy has grown a good bit since we got her. She is an absolute mess, she drives me so crazy. It's like having a really hyperactive toddler. Glenn and I look at each other at least 8 times a day and say "Why did we get a dog." But the boys love her. And one day, I will too :).

A Reminder and a Re-post

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:11:00 +0000

A dear friend and fellow SB mom reminded me of this post I made back in January. It is one of my favorite posts but it had been quite awhile since I had read it myself. As I read through this post, I found myself getting very emotional. Even I need to be reminded of how far Caleb has come. I know this post meant a lot to some of the parents out there and since there have been new followers in recent months, I thought I would re-post. Enjoy.

I follow a lot of blogs, blogs done by other SB moms (and one dad) from all over the country...and a couple folks in Canada. A shout out to you gals in Canada! I love reading about all of these other kids that are living life with Spina Bifida. I love reading about their many victories. I pray for them when they are facing surgeries. I care about all of these kids and their entire families. Recently I have noticed that many of the moms out there are struggling. It seems like the moms that have the younger kiddos, under 2 years old, are struggling the most. It is to you that I am writing.

So many of you are hurting because your baby isn't sitting up yet, isn't crawling, won't roll over, can't stand up, and can't walk. You are frustrated. Beat down. Exhausted. Sad.

You feel like you are giving everything you have to help your child reach these milestones, but it's not working. Or maybe you are beating yourself up because you don't think you are doing enough. It's your fault.

I remember those days so well. I cry sometimes when I read your blogs and I hear the pain in your words. That pain is very familiar to me.

I had several friends that had babies right around the same time Caleb was born. And I can vividly remember how different he was, even as an infant. Caleb struggled to keep his head centered, even when he was laying down, he would just look to the right or the left. He had to work so hard to keep his head straight.

I remember having a play date with some former co-workers and their babies could hold their heads in the center, but Caleb couldn't. Something so simple. My son couldn't do it. I remember leaving that same play date crying. And honestly I eventually stopped going to play dates altogether. I didn't want to be reminded of all that was different about Caleb.

So, getting Caleb to hold his head in the center became my priority.

That was the goal we would work on.

As an infant, Caleb did not move his legs at all. And I mean no movement. They just flopped out to the side like a frog.

I saw how other babies would constantly kick their legs and could even stand up a little when held. Not Caleb. No movement, no feeling, nothing. Just sweet little legs that flopped out to the sides.

That became my priority. I just wanted him to try and use his legs. That was the new goal.

Next was head control. I called Caleb "bobble head" because the boy could not hold up his head. It was just too heavy.

He required so much support. I just wanted him to be able to hold his head up.

That became my priority.

My goal for him.

He was probably 7 months old before he could hold his head steady.

We bought him an excersaucer but he was just too unstable in it so we had to wrap blankets all around him.

His PT had to make him a special seat to go in his high chair so that he would have more support when eating.

It felt like we were constantly having to do things, adapt things, to help Caleb. Things that every other baby could do with such ease, was such a chore for my son. Everything was a reminder that he was different.

The next priority was rolling over. I worked and worked with him. Desperate for him to just roll over. Begging him too. Bribing him with toys just out of reach so that he would roll over to get them. Nothing. I was convinced that he would never roll over. While other babies his age were sitting up, crawling, and even standing...my baby couldn't even roll over. Caleb was 10 months old when he rolled over for the first time. It was to get a teddy bear that was out of reach. I cried. Rolling became his means of getting around for a long time. He would just roll across the living room to get to what he wanted. He found a way.

And then came the milestone that I thought would absolutely break me. Sitting. Caleb could not do it. I did everything the PT told me to do, I worked with him daily. I prayed and prayed. I asked family to pray. I was desperate for him to sit up. I remember calling my mom and just sobbing because I didn't understand why my one year old son could not sit up on his own. Caleb was about 15 months old before he could sit up well on his own.

With every milestone reached, there was another one that needed to be worked on. For every mountain he climbed, there was another one waiting.
Each goal became my priority.
Each mountain became my focus.

I made myself a calendar that listed all the things that his PT wanted me to work on. I put the list on the fridge as a reminder of what I was supposed to be doing to help Caleb reach his goals...which were really my goals to begin with. I would highlight the things I worked on for that day. And I would beat myself up endlessly on the days that I didn't get to everything. I felt like a failure when I didn't work with him enough. I carried a heavy burden. Every day. Every time I went to the fridge, I saw that list, the things I was supposed to be doing. A constant reminder that I wasn't doing enough. I wasn't enough.

I think us moms are way to hard on ourselves. I know I am. This idea that we have to do it all, be it all, every single day. I think all moms carry that weight but us moms with special needs kiddos have additional weight to carry. We have to be caregiver, nurse, advocate, physical therapist, chef, maid, chauffeur, teacher, administrative assistant, mom, and wife. And that's just naming a few. We wear a lot of hats.
We have to be experts in UTI's, shunt failure signs, tethered cord symptoms, non-verbal learning disorders, and more. We fight for our kids. We argue with doctors who think they know more about our child than we do. We push therapists to get our child the braces and equipment they need. We deal with stares from strangers.

I hear how tired so many of you are. How sad you are. You love your child so much and your heart is breaking because he/she isn't walking. Or sitting up. Or talking. Or standing. Or whatever. It's always something. There is always something to work on, a goal to achieve, a milestone to reach. A mountain to climb. It's exhausting.

Caleb is 5 1/2 years old now. I've learned over the years that Caleb does things in his own time. He works hard and he does as much as his body will allow him to do. And I've seen him climb many mountains. I've seen him find a way. I've seen him succeed.

I've seen him find joy in mobility.
Something that many people would considered a burden, a hindrance, something that he is "bound" to, means freedom and independence to Caleb.

I've seen him do things we were told he wouldn't be able to do.

I've seen him do things I didn't think he would ever do. Like crawl on his hands and knees. He crawled on his belly until he was 3 1/2 years old. I had all but given up on him ever being able to get his knees up under him. But he did it, he got stronger, he figured it out. In his own time.

I've seen him graduate from HKAFO's to just AFO's.

And I have seen him walk. I have even seen him run.
I've seen him get stronger and stronger. I have seen him use legs that he can't feel.

And I have seen him redefine.

I don't have it all together, I still worry, I still beat myself up on occasion. As Caleb has started school, I have found new things to worry about. New goals to reach. But I'm learning to just appreciate all that he is and all that he has accomplished. My burdens aren't his to carry. He isn't sad, so why should I be? Caleb's a happy kid. He always has been.
Even when he couldn't hold up his head, he was still smiling.
Even when he couldn't sit up on his own, he was having fun rolling all over the place.
It didn't bother him that he crawled on his belly instead of his hands and knees, he still got to where he needed to go. Getting a wheelchair didn't make him sad. He loved it. It changed his life and his personality for the better.

So, to all of you moms out there that are just plain tired. Beat down. Sad. Defeated. Go look at your the precious child God has given you. We have beautiful, strong, resilient, determined kids. Our kids have and will achieve great things. Our kids may never blend in with the crowd, they may always stand out, but they will change this world and the people around them. They already have. There is great joy in that.

Don't let yourself drown in the milestones. Don't let each goal not yet reached consume you. Your little one will climb that mountain, just maybe not as fast as you would like. So, take the time to enjoy the scenic route up the mountain, and anticipate the beauty and the joy that awaits at the top.

(so, I'm totally crying all over again! I'm such a baby)

Halloween 2011 and some random stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:05:00 +0000

Now that "Faces of Spina Bifida" is over (until next year), I guess I better get back to blogging about my own kids. Warning: This post is going to be long with LOTS of pictures. So brace yourself.

Both boys had Halloween parties at their schools. I had fun visiting Benjamin at his preschool. He looked so big sitting at a table with all of his friends.

He was eating this giant "bat" cookie with black icing. Seriously, the cookie was the size of his head. I have a totally unrelated Benjamin story to share. It's just one of those things that I want to remember so I figure that sharing it on the blog is the best way to record it. Last week the boys and I were outside playing in the back yard. Benjamin goes inside by himself to get his cup. He locks the dead bolt, from the inside, leaving Caleb and I in the backyard. So picture me freaking out and yelling at Benjamin through the door to turn the lock and open the door. Well he just stands there and grins at me. Keep in mind that I have bread baking in the oven and stew stewing on the stove! I start to panic and then remember that the front door is opened but the storm door is locked. I know Benjamin can unlock the storm door. So I jump the fence (Caleb found this to be quite humorous) and run around to the front of the house to the front door. Thankfully, Benjamin was able to unlock the storm door and let me in. Good grief. Never a dull moment folks. Anywho...let's move on.

I always enjoy going to Caleb's classroom and seeing how he is interacting and getting around. For their Halloween party, the kids went around to different centers.

They got to plant pumpkin seeds.

Benjamin ~~played in the dirt~~ planted some seeds too.

Coloring.

Being silly.

I watched how much harder Caleb has to work to get around the classroom. It isn't easy navigating his walker through tables, chairs, kids, toys, etc. He struggles and stumbles....but he does it. He gets to his table, he gets to his seat, he gets to the centers, he gets to the carpet, he gets to his locker. He gets there. And while it was painful to see how hard he has to work to do those things that are effortless to every other child in the class, I was proud of him. He gets it done.

This past weekend we took the boys to see Granny and Paw Paw. We decided to take Izzy too because we thought she might like getting some fresh country air. Paw Paw and Granny have a dog, Nikki. Nikki is a super sweet dog but she is HUGE compared to our little pup Izzy. To say that Izzy was intimidated would be quite an understatement. I don't think Izzy could have gotten her ears down farther or gotten her tail any further between her legs! She was definitely nervous around this big dog, who really only wanted to play.

Izzy kept going to Caleb for protection, which made Nikki more curious. Caleb got knocked over a couple of times (gently), he was having so much fun with these 2 dogs all over him. Izzy just kept trying to hide behind Caleb. It was hysterical.

(love this picture)

(sniffing an orange bush)

During the dog chaos, Benjamin decides to just head for the gate.

I guess he thinks he can just sneak out whenever he wants.

And steal Bubba's walker whenever he wants.

We went to Chipotle for dinner over the weekend. Glenn and I love this place. The boys find it too spicy but they love being able to eat outside. I love that I can get a burrito the size of my head...and yes...I ate the entire burrito. Don't judge me, it's delicious.

The boys running around like maniacs.

Checking out the fountain.

Pretending to play baseball.

And still running around like a maniac.

And finally, HALLOWEEN! To be honest, I really did not want to do the whole Halloween thing this year. I didn't feel like buying costumes. I didn't feel like taking the boys out on a school night. I really didn't feel like spending hours transforming Caleb's chair into something awesome. I secretly hoped that Caleb wouldn't realize Halloween was coming and we could just forget the whole thing. Then one night at dinner Caleb says: I want to be Batman for Halloween and I want my wheelchair to be the Batmobile." Well great. I still didn't want to do it. We didn't have big plans for Halloween so I just didn't feel like putting forth much effort. But I did it anyway, because I love my kids and I wanted to make them happy. I knew Benjamin wouldn't care but it seemed to mean a lot to Caleb. So I had Glenn design the batmobile. I did all the painting, gluing, and finishing touches. And here is our version of the Batmobile.

(pretty awesome right?)

We took the boys to a "Trunk or Treat" at our church.

Benjamin was pretty fascinated with the Batmobile.

Gotta have the flames coming out of the exhaust!

He loved that mask! He pretty much refused to take it off. I'm certain he would have slept with it on if we had let him.

Caleb with 2 of our favorite friends, Ruby and Lily.

I know you are asking: Where is Benjamin? What was he dressed as?

Well, Benjamin is in the very fun stage of not wanting to do, wear, play, eat, anything I want him to. Just this morning the child refused to have milk in his cereal, so he ate his cereal dry, with a spoon! So, I decided not to spend any money on a costume that I would be willing to bet my right arm he wouldn't wear anyway. I decided he could be a construction worker since we already had most of the things needed for that. He had a hard hat and a tool belt with tools and he refused to wear either one, although he did carry around the hard hat! And that is why I put this on the back of his hard hat-

"Hard Headed"

Despite not being in costume, Benjamin had plenty of fun finding rocks in the parking lot and putting them in his hat.

So that is about it. The Batmobile was a huge success and Caleb had a lot of fun. And really, this wheelchair costume wasn't terribly hard. We are pretty happy with how it came out, although I still think Mario Kart from last year will always be my favorite.

Faces of Spina Bifida: Meet Carter, Lewis, and Bryce!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Meet Carter

"The thing I wish I would have known before: Is how happy we would be. After hearing the diagnosis of SB, I was so worried that our family would never be happy again. We were just so sad and being happy seemed impossible. Wow, was I ever wrong - nothing could be further from the truth! Yes, we have our tough days, but we have a better appreciation of the little things and the small blessings of life do not go unnoticed. I'm so glad that God chose me to be Carter's mom. He has taught me so much about what's important. And seeing his smile and hearing his little giggles everyday make me very HAPPY! :-)"

Caringbridge: Carter

Meet Lewis

"I wish I had known that life will still be normal! The things I worried about when I was pregnant- some of them will happen. But they don't take over our life, they're just a small part of it! SB is not the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and it's not the last thing I think about before falling asleep. It's just a small part of our family's life and it makes me appreciate the rest of it so much more!"

Blog: Our Little Man

Meet Bryce

(6 years old)

"I just wish I had known how amazing my little boy would be. I wish I had not spent so time grieving about what I was not going to have than what I was going to have with him. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I cannot imagine my life without him."

And that's it folks! The final day of "Faces of Spina Bifida". I hope all of you enjoyed meeting these wonderful kids and reading about the impact they have had on their families. Hearing about what a blessing these kids are is so important to those parents out there that have just received the SB diagnoses. I would have given anything to stumble upon a blog like mine and all the other blogs out there when I was pregnant and terrified, so I could see that these kids are just kids. They look like kids. They play like kids. They smile. They laugh. They bring incredible joy. What a blessing. I have enjoyed doing this so much! Maybe next year I'll ask all the dads out there to contribute something, it might be nice to get their perspective too!

I think I featured everyone that contacted me, I tried to stay organized but it is certainly possible that I left someone out. I apologize if you contacted me and I did not feature your child.

It occurred to me that I never featured Caleb, but I figure if you have followed this blog for any amount of time then you already know Caleb. But if you haven't had a chance to read his story, then I encourage you to do so. I guess I should answer my own question:

"What do I know now, that I wish I had known then?"

I wish I had known how beautiful he would be. I wish I had known how much he would change me and my heart. My purpose in life is different because of Caleb. I am involved in things and doing things that I would never have attempted if it weren't for him. He brings out things in me that I had no idea were there. I wish I had known what a sweet heart he would have and how preciously sensitive he would be. I wish I had known that he would have the best belly laugh ever! I wish I had known that he would be a kid, just a kid, doing kid things. I wish I had known that the ability to walk doesn't define a person. A wheelchair is a blessing not a curse. I wish I would have seen that God was in control and that He would give me the strength and peace I needed. I wish I knew all that God would work in me and change in me because of Caleb. The world is a better place because Caleb is in it and I am a better person because I was chosen to be his mom.

Faces of Spina Bifida: Meet Rennick, Justin, and Kasey!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:27:00 +0000

Meet Rennick

"If only we would have know a year ago what joy Rennick would bring to our lives. He is 10 months old and the most precious gift God could ever give us. We are so proud of every single thing he does. We never could have imagined the love our little boy would bring to us. His infectious smile is enough to make every day wonderful. Rennick is our little chubby face of spina bifida and we love every single part of him. Yes, the journey is difficult...but the rewards are immeasurable."

Caringbridge: Rennick

Meet Justin

"I wish I had known that being a special needs parent is a lot easier than anticipated. Despite the positive feedback I had from family, friends, and bbc, I wish I would've realized that doesn't mean EVERY DAY will be easy. It's still tough. there are things I am having trouble dealing with, but overall, it could be worse. I wouldn't know the good if I didn't have the bad. We are so proud of Justin and his accomplishments, regardless of how long it takes for him to reach them. We treasure them more because we know how hard he works to get to where he is."

Blog: Mountains and Miracles

Meet Kasey

"I wish I'd known then that despite the dark picture painted for me by her doctors- Kasey would bring brightness and happiness to everyone she meets and that things would not be that bad. Sure, there would be times when things would be hard but it would not be as bad as the doctors said. I think that would have made things a lot easier for me emotionally."

Blog: The Long Road Before Us