MY blog is baaaack!

Word to the wise...never delete an account associated with Google because anything tied to it, including your blog, will disappear!!  I deleted an old gmail account that I never used and my blog was removed from blogger and I thought it was gone forever!  I found help online from some friends and was able to get in touch with someone from Blogger that reinstated my blog.  You just don't know how horrible it felt to think that all of my feelings, emotions, and memories through the pregnancies and births of my children were possibly gone forever.  This scrapbooking blog evolved into my diary of being a mom and there simply was no way to reproduce it.  There was info on this blog that had never made it into the baby books, too.  I am soooo thankful that it has been restored!

Progress on several counts

Well, it's official!  I called the therapist myself!  Since Tobin was the one to go to the last visit, I didn't feel like I had enough information as to what Tanner's final evaluation consisted of and whether or not his file was closed.  Jean said that when she first met Tanner, he walked on the balls of his feet over 90% of the time and quite high on the tippy toes, I might add.  She said that after the altered-shoe intervention, she saw him walk on his tippy toes less than 50% of the time.  Since Grandpa Tucker and Frances bought him brand new Justin cowboy boots for Christmas, he will be able to be up at the angle he prefers, yet have the weight of his body still on his heel! Therefore, we hope he improves even more.  I have never seen my son walk so normally, as he does when wearing the cowboy boots.  Now, don't get me wrong, you will still see him up on the balls of his feet, but the progress is that he is stretching the muscles in his calves enough that he is also comfortable flat-footed.  Now it is a matter of breaking a habit, rather than a physical development issue or comfort factor.  The more often he walks flat-footed, the more stretched out his calf muscles become.  So, in summary, Jean does not need to see Tanner again!  She said he was one of the sweetest little boys and always hugged her and she truly enjoyed working with him!  Likewise, Jean!!

Both of my kids are talking more and more.  Tanner said several sentences last night, not just sketchy phrases that only I would know (that's important to point out).   He said, with an old purse on his shoulder, "Come on Sis Sis, we go to Wal-Mart.  We need gas.  You go potty there?  OK.  Come on. We go to church on Sunday."   hahahahahaha  Cute, cute, cute.

Kinsey is in a phase where she likes to label everything she sees from the moment she awakes.  She will stand up in her crib, by only the light in the closet, and point and declare "blanket", "shoes", "jacket", or "dada?"  At that point, I carry her into our bedroom, where Daddy is soundly sleeping, and drop her off so I can get ready.  They snuggle and play for a bit prior to getting dressed and ready to go.  She names things all day long while at Amy's as well.  She has also started telling me when she has pooped or tooted.  haha

Christmas season has begun for 2010

This season is going to be different than last year! I'm soooo excited! Last year, Tanner kinda knew what was going on, but not really. I had to start the present opening by tearing a page, and he really didn't recognize the symbols of the season, and certainly didn't have any religious connection to the holiday. I ended up just opening most of his presents for him.  Now, that he has been going to church, he says funny things like "Obey the Lord." and "Jesus made the trees and the wind." So, my hopes of his understanding what the real meaning improves with each year! Having said that, Kinsey is such an observant little girl, that she watches every move big brother makes. I have no fear that she will rip into her presents just fine, especially if Tanner is in that mode!

We started off the seasonal festivities with the Christmas parade in a nearby town, followed by a drive through the park which was all lit up with Christmas lights and even hot air balloons. Tanner sort of liked the parade, mostly the candy and lights, but Kinsey cried a lot and really shouldn't have been out in the cold. A big thanks goes to my mom and Dave for helping me watch both kids during the parade!  The kids were cooperative with the lights afterwards, but it was past their bedtime and I'm not sure how much they really saw.

We took the kids to Bass Pro this past Monday night for some family fun with the cousins and a Santa photo opportunity. The kids had a great time and would readily go back again! Tobin had gone early to get the Santa Passes, so that allowed us to move up in line and basically fast track. Grandma met us there as well and she helped a bunch by watching the stroller which ended up holding all the coats and diaper bag stuff!  We experienced the ice slide, the train track, the remote control cars, climbing into several boats and sitting on 4-wheelers! Tanner would be happy behind any steering wheel as he always wants to "drive" anything possible. The kids did really well with Santa and no one cried. Kinsey did not want me to let go of her, and had absolutely NO interest in sitting on Santa's lap! The Santa was wonderful to work with and allowed me to sit on his throne, and he stood next to us! How nice! I need to get a few more pics of Kinsey by herself and all dressed up for the holidays. It was too much to handle with both kids. I found myself chasing Tanner and just letting Tobin hold Kinsey; therefore, I got fewer pictures of her!  After we left Bass Pro, we stopped by Donnie and Mimi's (Tobin's parents) and Tobin was able to catch a precious moment on his cell phone!  Kinsey has not been around Tobin's father, Don, to much and has never really warmed up to him.  However, Monday night, Tobin placed her on his lap and she snuggled right in and was just happy as could be for a good while.  Therefore, this picture means a lot!