Spring has NOT Sprung

There is snow/wintery mix in for forecast for this coming weekend, yet today is the first day of Spring.  Oklahoma, you are CONFUSED! LOL!  In all reality, this is typical of Oklahoma March weather.  I distinctly remember one Spring Break (I don’t know what year – it was either late high school or early college – it was VERY important that I call my boyfriend everyday!) I went out to Western Kansas to stay with relatives for a couple of days, and got stuck out there for the whole week!  The weather was fine there, and fine here in Stillwater, but I-35 was CLOSED between Wichita and Blackwell, so I had to wait it out!  Snow on Spring Break it not that uncommon, but my kids think it is the end of the world that it might snow!  Poor sweet souls!

Looks like I haven’t been on here to update in a bit.  It’s been BUSY!  As usual, I guess, but still...  Here are the highlights:

** Finn had his post op follow up with the ENT – all is well – go back in 4 months

**  Finn is taking steps and waving a bit!  Video Proof:

** Lara finished up her 6 week intensive Hip Hop dance class – still working towards her recital in June (next up – leaps and turns in April!)

** Nana the Wonder Sitter (aka “Mom” to me) and I attended ΑΔΠ State Day on the Oklahoma State Campus – it was WONDERFUL! Love my sisterhood! #WLFEO

**Jake played his last Upward basketball game of the season and served cupcakes to his teammates, and had the end of season celebration which was SUPER fun!

Instagram of the event!

** We went to an OKC Thunder NBA basketball game as a family (again.  Thunder Up!)

** Except for Emma who was diligently preparing for State Competition with her Odyssey of the Mind team

** Had our first “Restaurant Night” fundraiser for the Stillwater March of Dimes March for Babies ta Panda Express (YUM!) Click Here to donate to Finn's Fans!

** The Spring Version of the semi-annual Adorable Affordables sale happened last week – I spent 2 solid days helping set up, and shopped on 4 different occasions!  Had to re-shop for Jake, 10’s are too small, he needs 12’s!

** Had parent-teacher conferences for all three big kids!  Emma and Lara are crushing 5^th grade, aside from a couple minor bumps in the road we are working out, and Jake is head of his Kindergarten class as far as reading and helpfulness go!

** Britt and I got to be part of a surprise birthday party celebration for one of his longtime friends and co-workers.  The guest of honor was truly SHOCKED and surprised.  That was fun

** My father-in-love celebrated his 80^th birthday!

** Mom and I attended a cute bridal shower for my future niece-in-law (Is that what she’s called? My nephew’s bride?)

** Did I mention, IT IS SPRING BREAK THIS WEEK!  They love the time off.  It just means MORE babysitting for Nana the Wonder Sitter…

** Nana and Grandpa took the big kids to the Chickasaw Cultural Center  in Sulphur, OK for a day trip yesterday while Mr. Finn hung out at Krista’s Kids day care.  BIG day for all of them!

** I am enjoying the creative outlet Dream Weaver Prints is giving me!  Love to see the orders roll in!  (Check us out on Facebook!)  

Life just keeps moving forward, it seems!  And so QUICKLY!  Emma and Lara are gearing up for the BIG move to the Middle School next year, and Jake is ready for summer and baseball!   For some reason, I have been reflecting on Finn's NICU stay the past several days, which has led me to pin a few more things to his board on Pinterest.  I have also been working with a fellow NICU mom in her efforts to do some fundraising for her Oklahoma City March for Babies family team.  She has truly inspired me, and given me some GREAT ideas for our team, too!  Stay tuned for a fun event I am dreaming about!  Our March in Stillwater it not until late September, so we are not in full gear quite yet.  PLUS!  There is going to be a "Mercy Miracles" team for Mercy NICU graduates in the OKC March the first weekend of May, so the Six Dream Weavers are going as a team to that one as well!  We sure love our March of Dimes and NICU family!  Such a crazy time in our lives - yet it has made bonds and relationships that will last us a lifetime! #blessed

Finn Firsts: Haircut (and STEPS!)

Yesterday was full for FIRSTS for our Finn!  The first first was his first haircut!  In the middle of the afternoon, I met Nana the Wonder Sitter at Shine Salon for my friend (and Jake’s friend and teammate’s Mom) Mika to work her magic on Finn.  I remember for Jake’s first haircut Britt insisted I take him to a barber (for men).  Somehow, I got to side step that requirement this time around.  Maybe because Finn is SO WIGGLY and we knew Mika would take good care of him no matter how crazy he got!  And don’t be mistaken - he was VERY wiggly!  But, he did a good job of trying to cooperate while sitting my lap, and Mika worked wonders snipping off the crazy parts and shaping up the unruly parts.  He looked so handsome (if not a bit concerned about the whole process) when we were finished!  So proud of him!

CLICK on picture for full size version!

 I think all the excitement wore him out, so he took a strange little after work/before dinner nap - which left us trying to decide what to do about church for the kids and LifeGroup for us.  In the end, we decided to go - and I think it was a blessing that we did!  The big kids OF COURSE had fun in their classes - Jake just started Konnect when he turned 6 a few weeks ago, and Emma & Lara always have a blast and come out of Roots all fired up with funny stories to tell!  And while Britt and I love spending time with our LTC LifeGroup, tonight we got a wonderful surprise!  Due to Finn still having lingering respiratory issues, and our church kids area being under construction with dry wall dust, paint fumes and carpet glue residue everywhere, we decided it best for him to stay with us and go to the home we meet in.  They have 2 little boys, so we knew Finn would find something to do!  We also had just a few people from our group in attendance, so it was a small audience.  I guess it was just the right size for Finn to show off for.  He has been standing unassisted for a couple of weeks, and he "tries" to take steps, but really just stumbles and falls face first.  But not at LifeGroup!  He took TWO FULL steps, stopped, then sat down!  Everyone who saw it cheered and clapped, and the look of accomplishment on Finn's face was priceless!  Later at home we were encouraging him to do more, and he took SIX steps between Dad's recliner and the couch I was sitting on!  YAY FINN!  I hope to get video of soon of some of his first few steps!

One Way (Finn's Way)

Hard to believe it is March 5 – ALREADY!  And Finn is 17 months old.  WHAT?!?  But, February was a blur.  With him being sick, in the hospital, and a short month, it FLEW by.  So, yes, Finn is 17 months old.  He is standing on his own for 20-30 seconds, babbling up a storm, has 10 teeth (2 molars on the bottom!), eats everything he can (but yet we still have to supplement with PediaSure – he just doesn’t GAIN), and weighed in at 19 pounds 7 ounces – fully clothed with shoes (Tiny Toms! So cute!) – at the doctor yesterday.  He is a SUPER FAST crawler, and is in to EVERYTHING!  If you can’t find it, check the drawers and cabinets he has been opening – Nana found a missing toy that way, and I found a missing remote control!  (These items had been missing several WEEKS when they were finally found.)  He is still a complete joy and such a happy baby!  His shirt today says it ALL!    Even if the sheer number of doctor appointments has been a bit overwhelming these past few weeks! 

Finn - 17 months - MY WAY!

Britt and I were going through old pictures and videos on our phones over the weekend, and we watched a few videos from our time in the NICU at Mercy.  It still seems surreal – to both of us – that THAT was our lives for over 3 months, and that the tiny struggling baby in those films is OUR son.  It doesn’t seem real.  Or that it happened to us.  But, it was our Finn!  As strong and crazy as he is now, he started out so tiny and frail.  God’s work blows us away.  To HIM be the Glory!

In the meantime, Finn had his first evaluation with the pediatric pulmonologist (physician who specializes in treating diseases of the lungs) yesterday.  We were recommended to see one after our stay in the hospital, and this Doctor came HIGHLY recommended.  While we didn’t really learn much from the visit yesterday, we are glad we went.  They did a chest X-ray (I think this was probably the 20^th one he has had in 17 months), a full exam, and tried to do a sweat test.  This is a test where they stimulate muscles, then collect sweat to evaluate the chemical content in it.  Unfortunately after the (long) procedure, Finn didn’t sweat enough to test anything.  Traditionally, this test is used to check for Cystic Fibrosis, but we know Finn doesn’t have this disease.  So, we assume (no one told us) they do this test routinely just to see what the chemical make-up of the child’s sweat is.  I have another preemie mom friend whose son sees this same physician, and she said they did it with her son as well, and he does not have CF.  So, we were told there is residual evidence of the RSV in his lungs, and to come back in 6 weeks for a follow up and to attempt the sweat test again.  And for Finn to drink LOTS of water before he comes!

(CF sidebar: The girls' father does have CF.  He has a rarer mutation that only slightly effected his lungs, but the end result is what caused us to have to do IVF/ICSI to conceive Emma and Lara.  Before we went ahead with fertility treatments, I was tested to see if I was a carrier since he had the disease, and I am not.  (Both parents have to be carriers in order for the offspring to inherit the disease.)  Each girl has a 25% chance of being a carrier.)

TOMORROW, Finn gets his first HAIRCUT!  I’m sure I will cry.  My last baby’s first haircut.  WOW.  (Emma was over 2 before I cut hers (because she was bald before that), Lara was 11 months,  and Jake was 8 MONTHS at his first haircut!  He had SO MUCH hair!)  I can’t wait to share pictures!