Tommy, Elizabeth, and Susanna have been taking piano for two and a half years, but with all of our travels, we’ve never managed to be in town when the teacher or studio was having a recital. We also had three different teachers in our first year and a half, which was a bit confusing for the kids. This year we were blessed to find a wonderful teacher, Kevin, who comes to our house for our lessons before heading across campus to teach the Daughritys and Sofia. He’s even become a vendor with our charter, so we’re able to use our funds to cover the lessons! With all of his students sticking around this May, we decided to have a studio piano recital at the Daughrity’s house. The kids were very nervous, and there were some bobbles along the way, but everyone was brave enough to play through their whole set of pieces, then we enjoyed Kevin playing an original composition for us! This was Annie’s first concert, and she danced along to the music and told everyone who was playing the piano each time.
We’re trying to spend more time with homeschool friends on the weeks I don’t have too many extra dr appointments in Hollywood or Simi. Last week, the Hamiltons invited us to an outdoor performance of Twelfth Night, and the Cardonas came, too! I often get pictures of the big kids, but here’s proof that the younger contingent is getting cultured, too.
We’ve had this kiddo around for a decade. Her sweet temperament hasn’t changed with the addition of three little sisters, and everyone who knows her comments on how nurturing she is. I honestly don’t know if I could handle everything with Annie if I didn’t have Elizabeth helping me get her out of bed, change her (wet) diapers, dress her, and even do some of her g-tube feeds. She is always asking me what she can do to help.
Elizabeth is also refreshingly happy being a little girl and is in no rush to grow up and be a teenager. She loves playing with dolls and using her imagination. Her taste in books runs to historical fiction and biography.
At long last, I took her in to get her ears pierced yesterday! Dr. Vallance did a great job, and we celebrated afterwards with a lunch date, just the two of us.
Annie sang “Happy Birthday, dear Wizzie,” and we all enjoyed the special request carrot cake. Another birthday season in the books!
Last week, we found out that some amazing World War Two aircraft were going to be touring the Camarillo Airport, so we met up with our usual Conejo Valley Homeschoolers crew for a tour! The timing was perfect, as we had just watched Tora! Tora! Tora! last weekend as part of our WWII history unit. The kids’ big takeaways were how hot the inside of the bomber was and how small the fighter planes really were.
Ari turned four this month, and the big kids and I went and partied with her last weekend. We sure do love the White kids, and we’re looking forward to a lot more playdates once school gets out!
We didn’t really get a good shot of all of us with the right lighting, but here are some of our attempts. I also attempted to get a decent picture of Annie smiling at the camera in her Easter dress, but it proved impossible. The lamb cake was underdone in the middle, but otherwise, dinner was yummy, and we celebrated with the Hans (of course) and our newest neighbors, Bobbi, Emery, and Bobbi’s mom!
Stuff with Annie has been intense. Those of you on my prayer emails know that we’ve just dealt with a lot of diagnoses, therapies, appointments, and the like. This past month, we got the official cerebral palsy diagnosis, which was supposed to help get us more resources, but has thusfar only resulted in a new med that makes her vomit again and extra therapy sessions only offered an hour’s drive away, because we’re in the middle of nowhere. We’re pretty much living off of various Costco prepared meals that generous friends have brought us, and I’m walking around in a state of mental and physical exhaustion. Today while I was on the phone talking to the CCS nurse who is handling our Cerebral Palsy extra assistance, finding out it is actually all going to be not that helpful, after all, the Movement Disorders Clinic at Children’s Hospital LA called to cancel our appointment this month with their CP doctor who was going to hopefully agree with me that the CP meds she’s on are causing more harm than good. The doctor had a medical emergency and is out for two months. Rescheduling will happen this summer, if we’re lucky. Then my social walker walked in the door for her biweekly visit, and I almost cried at how this, coupled with the news yesterday that she no longer qualifies for speech therapy because her expressive language is all caught up (even though she still needs oral help) and Derek’s report that she had cried nonstop all her new occupational therapy session this morning, just has me worried and stressed and feeling inadequate. Alicia looked at me and said I’ve got this, Annie is thriving, and it’s going to be okay. I’m trying to believe her. I just sometimes want to curl up and cry.
But. When I look at this beautiful face, there is no doubt in my mind that all the stress, paperwork, driving, medical drama, birth family complications, and the like are all 100% worth it. And I’m going to keep doing it all, as long as it takes, because I am her Mommy, and I love her more than life itself.
We started the day with breakfast in bed, which I didn’t get a picture of because I was flipping pancakes and feeding the baby. Susie requested plain pancakes and butter with mint tea.
Susanna ripped through her presents with the rapidity she’s capable of when in the right mood, and she very quickly settled down to her spy work from Grandma W, wearing her new outfit from Grandma M. She spent the day spying, reading, and making Chinese pork dumplings for dinner. Then after cake, Daddy played Go Nuts For Doughnuts with all the big kids while I kept Annie out of trouble. Pretty much Susie’s ideal day!
This is very much the reality of my life right now. Janie reading herself a new birthday book, with Annie’s feeding supplies (entertainment, clean-up, vomit collection) taking up half the table. More Annie stuff trashing my kitchen counters in the background!We took the big kids to homeschool class last week and got Janie her free Barnes and Noble cafe birthday treat. And I got coffee. Tommy scored his first goal in hockey this weekend!Saturday morning brunch, just because.
Our little Bugaboo turned into quite the little birthday diva last week.
Breakfast in bed: chocolate chip pancakes When Mommy accidentally washed our first copy of The Boxcar Children with a load of pukey sheets last month, this girl was devastated. Fortunately, I found a new copy at the library book sale in time for her six books for turning six!It has been rough to be the only Muller kid doing roller hockey without her own pair of roller blades. Now she’s been out practicing every day!This is the last year she’ll need help reading the big words on her cards!Triple chocolate birthday cake. The girl does have a little Willett in her, too. =)
