Cleft Palate Clinic

Yesterday was Cassies first cleft palate clinic at Childrens Hospital.  We had to be there at 8 am and didn't get out of there till 11:45.  4 hours in a hospital is a LONG time for a toddler!!!  

This is what Cassie was born with.  Even though it was fixed children can still have problems with speech so we follow up with the cleft palate clinic every year.

She had to see 4 doctors.   Speech, hearing test, ENT, have photos taken of her jaw and see the plastic surgeion.  None of the doctors have any concerns or worries.   Her tubes are still in and if they don't fall out by fall they may need to be removed.   She passed the hearing test with flying colors and the speech therapist said "She is doing very well" in speech.  There was some nasal emissions but it was not consistent so she knows Cassie can say things correctly.  The ENT also remarked on how good her vocab was.

We see the speech therapist in 6 months to follow up.  We just want to make sure the nasal emissions she makes with certain letters do not become a habit so I will continue to work at home with her on that.    We do the cleft palate clinic in a year again.

Afterwards we went to McDonalds for chicken nuggets and she fell asleep on the way home so no nap was in my future from her once we got home.  I took her to the beach and then we went for ice-cream.  She deserved a fun day after the morning we had.   

Cassie belongs on Xmen

I beleive Cassie has a mutation.  Have you seen X-MEN?   We saw it over the weekend and I am pretty sure she could have played Banshee on X-MEN.   His mutation is he has a super sonic scream.     The definition of Super Sonic Scream is this:  The ability to generate vocal sounds of a higher amplitude than a normal human.   Yep, totally Cassie.

We went to church on Sunday and during the announcments Cassie's mutation took over.   I could feel it starting so I went to pick her up to carry her out of the sactuary but by doing that I only made the mutation generate faster.   Her scream went super sonic in the sactuary during the announcments.  I fought to pick her up and she did that whole toddler stiffen up routine.  I finally got her out of there and she was a snotty teary mess.   I cringe thinking about it now.   A little old woman came up to me and said " I remember those days".   I thought she was talking about having a little one.  I said "She just had a freak out".  The sweet little lady said "I know, I heard".  Well of course, how could you not?!!    Super sonic remember?    She was in the sactuary and witnessed it and said she looked at her daughter and said "I remember those days"  and her daughter said "I do too".  Its so nice to have other Moms understand.

My 89 year old Grandma is a different story.  I talked to her today and told her what happened she said "I have never been around a child who suddenly does that.  Maybe you can find someone to talk to who can tell you what the problem is and what you can do about it."   Ummm...yea.   I told her its normal and thats where the terrible two term comes from.   I suppose when your 89 you forget what having a toddler can be like.

On another note, Cassie had a little cold over the weekend.  Just a really plugged up nose.  Friday she was eating a chicken nugget.   It is hard to eat/swallow well when you can't even breath, well she started gagging.   Then there was nothing.  I quickly picked her up and stood her and smacked her back.  Nothing.  No gag, no cry, no sound.  The no gag is what scared me and my gut was I had to do the heimlich.   I just had this feeling and I wrapped my arms around her, gave one quick thrust and out came chicken.  She started crying.   Scary but I'm glad I didn't panic and just did it. 

Under the Weather

but only a little bit.   Last night was a bit rough.  At 10:00 Cassie woke up and was crying.   It was more like a tantrum in bed.  She kept needing kleenex (which I thought was from crying so much), needing to go to the bathroom....you get my drift.  This went on for 1 1/2 hours.   Every time I laid down to go to sleep she would start crying for me.   She seemed fine, we thought she was just being sassy.   Well...this morning she woke up with a runny nose and it got runnier and stuffier as the day went on.   She didn't eat dinner last night, no breakfast this morning and no dinner tonight.  The only thing she ate today was :

and a few bites of pudding. 

We did alot of crafts and fingerpainting this morning.  She was really starting to sneeze with alot of snots being shot out her nose so we put pjs back on and cuddled on the couch.  I rubbed her head while she watched cartoons and she fell asleep.  She woke up in an hour with her nose bothering her so I put her in my bed propped on a bunch of pillows which did the trick.  She slept for 2 more hours.  Hoping for a better night tonight and a little girl whose nose isn't so stuffed tomorrow.  She usually recovers very quickly from things.

This morning I looked out my window and saw this:

And here I was blaming the squirrels for constantly dumping the birdseed out of my feeder!!  

The other day it rained so we went in search of frogs that jump into our window wells and get stuck.  We did our good deed and rescued them.  

Puppy Kisses

Just got Cass to bed!   Before she fell asleep we had a tantrum nice calm reasonable discussion about why she could not sleep with a balloon in bed.  That discussion is now settled....no balloons in bed. 

For Fathers Day we got Matt Kinect.   Its actually pretty fun.   We played the boxing game and my arms are still sore from it.  Tonight we had Cassie try bowling and she seemed to really enjoy it.  It was a fun little family game night.

This afternoon we had to go grocery shopping but someone was plain tuckered out and wouldn't wake up from her nap.  She looked so sweet and peaceful I had to take pics.  

 This little girl has changed her waking time from 7 to 6 in the morning.  She wakes me up by running into our room and giving me "puppy kisses" from her stuffed puppy.   The other day I was poked in the eye by puppys nose....that woke me up.  

This is what I'm heading off to do soon also.  Close my eyes and prepare for "puppy kisses" in the morning. I just wish the puppy kisses would move to 7 again.  I miss that extra hour of sleep!

Videos from today

Summer Days

Cassie and I had a fun filled summer day today. At 8:00 am we went for a run. I have been running for over a week now.  I am not a fan of running but love how it feels when I am done.   After we run we stop at the park and I listen to Christian music on my headphones while Cassie attempts to catch birds.   Its a great cool down and a great start to my morning.   We got home around 9, I showered and dressed and we went to our friends house for a playdate.

During Cassies nap I read.   I am LOVING my kindle...just like everyone said I would.  I am reading Water for Elephants right now and love it.  If anyone has any good book suggestions please let me know...I am always looking for a good read.

I also put on my bikini and got some sun...yikes to a bikini.  My abs just are not the same after carrying a baby.  

After her nap we spent more time outside, came in and fingerpainted then walked around the lake and stopped at another park.   It was crazy hot walking.   The temp said it was 100 degrees.   Blah.......

A few of my favorite things

These are are few things your doing/saying that I don't want to forget:

• Tonight you went potty and I picked you up to go to bed.  You wrapped your little arms around my neck.  I just swayed with you in my arms, stroked your hair and you laid your head on my shoulder...smiled and said "Were snuggling". 
• I love when you are eating something I have made and say "Yummy to my Tummy, thank you Mom"
• I loved our water fight we had in the backyard tonight
• I love when you take your little hands, put them on my cheeks and mumble something that I can't understand.  There is something so sweet about it.
• I love when you want to do something and can't.  You say "I have to be older to do that"
• I love the way you blow kisses
• I love how you try so hard to catch birds.  You squat down, clap your hands and say "Come here birdie"
• I love how you get up after a nap,all disshevled and say "Its morning" when it is really 4 in the afternoon.
• When I say "I love you" and you say "I love puppy more" and wait for my sad reaction and then tell me "its ok".