Changes...

Most people fall in to two categories when it comes to change. Either they thrive on it and anticipate it with excitement or they dread it and avoid change at all cost. Which category do you fall in???

I use to think I was the one that thrived on change. I would pick up and go and change my schedule at the drop of a hat. I love to move and change states and welcomed change whether it be work, meeting new people, finding a church, etc.  However, lately change seems a bit overwhelming.  Maybe cause I'm not a young 21 year old seeking adventure and the unknown but a 34 year old mother of two very busy little girls and 6 months pregnant with another.

We have A LOT of change coming in the next few months. Some of which I'm anticipating with excitement and others I'm overwhelmed and dreading.

Let's start with the Exciting changes: 

1.  In a little over three months we will be welcoming our third daughter. I get so excited to think about adding to our little family and wondering if she will favor one of her sisters or look completely different. I wonder what her personality will be like and what her talents will be. This is a very HAPPY change and one that I know will impact our family in many positive ways!

2.  We are moving Sept. 1st! We absolutely love this neighborhood and are excited to start as a family of 5 in this house. I'm excited to purge and get rid of a lot of junk. We are even having our very first family Yard Sale.  I'm excited to decorate and get the girls both in their new big girl beds. I'm excited to set up the nursery and I'm excited because I will finally have a laundry room!!

3.  Grace is returning to Atlantic Shores Christian School. She thrived last year in K-3 and I know will do wonderful things this year in K-4.

4.  After three years of attending the same church and finding out that we were parting ways, we have found an AMAZING church (after searching for a few months) that we absolutely love and are excited about. God is moving mightily in the church and in our personal lives and I'm excited to see all the change that will take place in the near future.

Okay...so the not so exciting changes:

1.  We are moving! hahaha. I know that I listed this in exciting but all the work that will need to be done up until Sept. 1st is overwhelming and daunting when you are 6 months pregnant with two busy toddlers.  Three years and two kids in one house = a lot of stuff. Hoping to get rid of most of it and that makes it a little bit easier to deal with.

2.  Reese is going to school. While I am excited that she will be learning and interacting with her peers on a daily basis, a part of me is not ready to send her out in to the world without mommy or daddy by her side. I'm also dreading the IEP (which will be happening in the next 30-60 days) because of the horror stories I've heard from other parents. We just have to pray and trust that the Lord will help us when developing and approving her IEP. Any suggestions you other parents have for me, I would love to hear them. I have learned some great tips already and plan on utilizing them.

3.  Matt has been working a ton of hours. Running your own business requires that and I understand this however, lately it's really taken a toll on me and the girls. I miss my husband and the girls miss their daddy. The change in our nightly routine without him has not been easy. However, I know this change is temporary and once things slow down and he is able to schedule out his work better, we will get back to normal. I don't know how single mother's do it and I have a lot of respect for them after the past month that I've "felt" like one.

So whether you welcome change or avoid it like the plague, it's a part of life and it's how we grow and learn.  I do find comfort knowing that no matter what the change, God is there to hold my hand through it, that I have a supportive husband, family and friends that are embracing these changes with me. :)

Ace Bandage

We've recently incorporated an Ace bandage into our therapy for Grace. The technical term is called Modified Constraint Induced Therapy. Basically we wrap her dominant hand (lefty) with an ace wrap so that she is forced to use Righty. Then on righty we wrap the last three fingers so that she is forced to use a pincer grasp (which is important for buttoning or manipulating smaller objects.) She currently uses the Palmer grasp (her palm) to pick up most things with her right hand.

Today during OT I watched as Grace patiently picked up several puzzle pieces using her pincer grasp (her therapist draws a smiley face on her thumb and pointer finger and tells Grace that they have to kiss:).  I also learned about a three buck chuck. It's basically when you use your pointer and your middle finger and thumb to grasp larger, heavier objects. Overall, Grace did very well and didn't get frustrated. I love to see the look of determination and concentration on Grace's face while she is trying ever so hard to use Mr. Righty.

So our homework for the next week is to try to use the MCIT at least 30 minutes 2 x day during play and see how well she tolerates it.  We also have tried and do kineseo taping but she usually takes that off within the first hour.

We also found out that starting in August we are going to take a slight break from OT. We are at a place now where we know the fundamentals of what we need to work on. As she gets older, she will have a better understanding of the importance of using Mr. Righty and better problem solving skills of how to use it.  She will never have "normal" use of that hand but with practise, she teach Mr. Righty how to assist and be helpful in every day life, something you and I don't even have to think about.

Overall we have come a LONG way since we first started OT. It took several months for her to realize she even had a right hand. Now she proudly announces to me at various times in the day, "Look mom..I'm using Righty!"

Daddy's Girls!

God not only blessed me with an amazing husband but an incredible father to our girls. They are the apple of his eye and my heart melts to watch him with them. 

Here is one of my favorite pics. Grace was either sick or having trouble sleeping so Matt climbed into her crib and lay with her until she fell asleep. 

Here is a recent picture of Matt with Reese where you can just see him beaming with pride and love.

10 Things (and there are many, many more) that make Matt a wonderful father.......

10.  He works long, hard hours to provide for his family. 

9.  Every night he bathes and reads books to one if not both of the girls.

8.  He paints their fingernails and toenails.

7.  He regularly conducts daddy/daughter dance parties in our living room and acts just as silly and crazy as a toddler.  

6.  He sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" over and over again for Grace when she asks.

5.  If mommy is at the end of her patience, he can tell and steps right in and takes over so that mommy can escape for a few minutes to regain my composure. 

4.  He is the one that can't say no when the girls want to sleep with us. He is also the one they want to snuggle with. 

3. He changes diapers and when the girls were babies would get up with them when he could so that I could sleep.

2.  He tells them everyday how beautiful and special they are to him. 

1.  He loves them unconditionally and never holds back his emotions when it comes to expressing that love to them. 

You could say I'm pretty excited to be adding another Daddy's girl to the family in just four months. I know she will hold a special place in his heart, just like his other two princesses.  And I know he will be her Prince.  As Grace tells him... "You are my prince Daddy and we love each other!"