Emma had a great day at therapy yesterday! She was showing them how she's been walking around lately. The physical therapist was impressed at how she was balancing while standing still. Emma even caught herself one time as she was beginning to fall backward, and remained standing! She's such a tough little cookie! The occupational therapist said she wasn't chewing well, but that she was still chewing, and her jaw felt a little stronger than the week before last. When I asked the OT a week or so ago what the deal was with Emma spitting up lately, she wasn't sure. Yesterday she told me she researched a little bit and found it was part of Emma's disease. I'm hoping it's just related to foods that don't completely agree with her tummy. The PT also commented that Emma's movements didn't seem so erratic. So, little steps of improvement or lack of regression is a very good thing! We will definitely be thankful for the small things! What a blessing!
Count Your Blessings
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your blessings See what God hath done.
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings See what God hath done.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Good Napkins
Just to clarify, the following story is not actually about me personally, but it totally sounds like something that would happen around my house now. :) Be careful. This one is so funny, you might pee your pants!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The joys of having girls...
My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake).
One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping "napkins" in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen?
Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for 'special occasions' (her second mistake).
Now fast forward a few months...
It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner.
Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table.
When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then began giggling.
Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a 'special occasion' Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!!
My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter. 'But, Mom, you said they were for special occasions!!!'
Life is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly....and for heavens sake, use the good napkins whenever you can!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Not Me! Monday
Ugh! It's Monday. I woke up this morning at 4 o' clock to Emma's little bear grunting with a headache...hate it when that happens. Anyway, it's time for Not Me!, so I'll rack my pregnant brain to try and recall everything that didn't happen this week...
I didn't hear my son make up the cutest song about wanting a "baby boy brother" but loved all of his sisters anyway. He didn't come to me after his song was over and ask when he would get a baby brother, and I didn't tell him "never, you're the one and only boy!" He is just too cute sometimes! I didn't think about making the appointment for Kelvin at that very moment.
Carleigh did not make a mean face at me and growl the other day. She is much too sweet to do something like that when she doesn't hear what she wants to hear or doesn't get her way. She is only six, and six year old little girls don't do that kind of thing, right? What in the tarnation (is that how the word is spelled?) will she not do when she is in junior high!?
Emma didn't walk around the den and kitchen (kinda) all week long! She hasn't been strong enough for that lately, so it must have been some other cutie pie little darling!
I am not already in "nesting" mode around the house trying to get everything cleaned out and organized. I'm only 21 weeks along. That's not over half way there!
I was not almost totally out of breath the other day, (and the day after that and every other time I climb the stairs) when I was trying to carry on a conversation with my friend on the phone! I'm not that out of shape for crying out loud!
When our good friend who happens to cut and style hair for a living came by very generously after work the other night to cut Luke's hair, our conversation did not sound anything like...
Me: Luke do you like your hair cut?
Luke: NO!
Me: Why not?
Luke: Because!
Me: Because why?
Luke: Because all my hair is gone!
If that would have happened I would have been totally embarrassed!
Luke did not come to me later asking if he looked like the same boy and if his hair would grow back. He was not completely consumed with is hair for the next several days...he's a boy for goodness sake!
Kelvin did not blame Emma twice this week when he was the one stinking up the room! He wouldn't blame such a sweet little doll for something so foul!
We didn't get a call from the genetic counselor with the most wonderful news about baby Cora being totally fine and all her tests coming back normal! That didn't make my day, week, weekend, month! (Oh, yes we did! Thank you Jesus!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, it's your turn. I hope you'll join in the fun. Follow the link for instructions, and if you don't have a blog, at least comment so we can see what you didn't do! Have fun! Check out the blog that has the rules (click on the picture in my sidebar) and original Not Me! Monday post. (Click on the highlighted words.)
I didn't hear my son make up the cutest song about wanting a "baby boy brother" but loved all of his sisters anyway. He didn't come to me after his song was over and ask when he would get a baby brother, and I didn't tell him "never, you're the one and only boy!" He is just too cute sometimes! I didn't think about making the appointment for Kelvin at that very moment.
Carleigh did not make a mean face at me and growl the other day. She is much too sweet to do something like that when she doesn't hear what she wants to hear or doesn't get her way. She is only six, and six year old little girls don't do that kind of thing, right? What in the tarnation (is that how the word is spelled?) will she not do when she is in junior high!?
Emma didn't walk around the den and kitchen (kinda) all week long! She hasn't been strong enough for that lately, so it must have been some other cutie pie little darling!
I am not already in "nesting" mode around the house trying to get everything cleaned out and organized. I'm only 21 weeks along. That's not over half way there!
I was not almost totally out of breath the other day, (and the day after that and every other time I climb the stairs) when I was trying to carry on a conversation with my friend on the phone! I'm not that out of shape for crying out loud!
When our good friend who happens to cut and style hair for a living came by very generously after work the other night to cut Luke's hair, our conversation did not sound anything like...
Me: Luke do you like your hair cut?
Luke: NO!
Me: Why not?
Luke: Because!
Me: Because why?
Luke: Because all my hair is gone!
If that would have happened I would have been totally embarrassed!
Luke did not come to me later asking if he looked like the same boy and if his hair would grow back. He was not completely consumed with is hair for the next several days...he's a boy for goodness sake!
Kelvin did not blame Emma twice this week when he was the one stinking up the room! He wouldn't blame such a sweet little doll for something so foul!
We didn't get a call from the genetic counselor with the most wonderful news about baby Cora being totally fine and all her tests coming back normal! That didn't make my day, week, weekend, month! (Oh, yes we did! Thank you Jesus!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, it's your turn. I hope you'll join in the fun. Follow the link for instructions, and if you don't have a blog, at least comment so we can see what you didn't do! Have fun! Check out the blog that has the rules (click on the picture in my sidebar) and original Not Me! Monday post. (Click on the highlighted words.)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
To God be the glory, great things He hath done!
We are thrilled to let you know the genetic counselor called this morning with good news of great joy! For unto us will be born a healthy, normal (for a Dunnam anyway) baby girl around April 5, 2009!!! All the enzyme tests which they use to test for Batten Disease came back normal. We are so elated with this news. What a load off our backs! God is good, no matter the circumstance. He would have been just as good had the results not been normal, but I sure am glad they are!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Almost Wordless Wednesday
Pretty in pink with piggy tails! Gotta love it!I just couldn't stand it any longer yesterday, so I called the genetic counselor to see if she had received any news regarding Cora's results. She called Seattle and let me know we should know something on Friday. Please continue to pray. I'll let you know as soon as we do about the results.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Not Me! Monday
I can't believe it's Monday again! I thought about things I should have written down all week long to share with you on my Not Me! therapy session, and of course I didn't, so this might be short. If you've never read or participated in a Not Me! Monday, the directions will be at the bottom of this post. The precious and hilarious lady who invented this inviting blog therapy is truly blessed with an adorable family and a awesome miracle in her newest baby, Stellan. You can check out her blog for more details.
So anyway, here goes what I can remember for Not Me! Monday...
I have not threatened my oldest daughter with withdrawing her from school for her prissy pants attitude three or four times now to try to get her attention and change her attitude. That would be crazy psychology! I did not ask several friends and family members for recommendations for a boarding school to send her to for the next several years. Nope, not me! She's only six, so how bad could it be?
After losing his room privilege for over a week (I shut and locked the door), my son and I did not spend over an hour cleaning his room and making it walkable and playable only to have him dump on the floor every toy basket in his room two days later! I was not in tears after he did the dumping. Why would I waste my tears on something so trivial? Wasn't me!
I did not laugh hysterically again on Saturday when my knight in shining armor was giving our son a "talking to" and threatening the status of his bottom, when Luke decided to keep eye contact like he was listening, and then crack the slightest of smiles and start doing a little jig in the middle of the scolding! It was not me hiding my head in my husband's chest with my body trembling from laughter and tears rolling down my face!
I almost forgot...it's not me who has a terrible gnat investation in our kitchen! (ARGGG!) After reading that gnats don't like bay leaves, I did not get totally giddy after going to the backyard and breaking off some branches, then placing them in water all over the kitchen. When they seemed to have disappeared after only a couple of minutes, I didn't call my husband from shear excitement to tell him the good news only to have the gnats come back 100 fold within the hour! Nope, not me!
It's not me who is anxiously awaiting a phone call from our genetic counselor with good news regarding baby Cora. I'm not a nervous wreck and emotional basket case. Not me!
It's not me who would covet and appreciate any and every prayer lifted up for our adorable daughter, Emma and our baby-the-way, Cora for healing and good health...oh, wait, that would totally be me!
Thanks for praying. And as you pray, could you also say one for Carleigh and Luke and Kelvin and me too?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, it's your turn. I hope you'll join in the fun. Follow the link for instructions, and if you don't have a blog or don't want to play along, at least comment so we can see what you didn't do! Have fun! Check out the blog that has the rules (click on the picture in my sidebar) and original Not Me! Monday post. (Click on the highlighted words.)
So anyway, here goes what I can remember for Not Me! Monday...
I have not threatened my oldest daughter with withdrawing her from school for her prissy pants attitude three or four times now to try to get her attention and change her attitude. That would be crazy psychology! I did not ask several friends and family members for recommendations for a boarding school to send her to for the next several years. Nope, not me! She's only six, so how bad could it be?
After losing his room privilege for over a week (I shut and locked the door), my son and I did not spend over an hour cleaning his room and making it walkable and playable only to have him dump on the floor every toy basket in his room two days later! I was not in tears after he did the dumping. Why would I waste my tears on something so trivial? Wasn't me!
I did not laugh hysterically again on Saturday when my knight in shining armor was giving our son a "talking to" and threatening the status of his bottom, when Luke decided to keep eye contact like he was listening, and then crack the slightest of smiles and start doing a little jig in the middle of the scolding! It was not me hiding my head in my husband's chest with my body trembling from laughter and tears rolling down my face!
I almost forgot...it's not me who has a terrible gnat investation in our kitchen! (ARGGG!) After reading that gnats don't like bay leaves, I did not get totally giddy after going to the backyard and breaking off some branches, then placing them in water all over the kitchen. When they seemed to have disappeared after only a couple of minutes, I didn't call my husband from shear excitement to tell him the good news only to have the gnats come back 100 fold within the hour! Nope, not me!
It's not me who is anxiously awaiting a phone call from our genetic counselor with good news regarding baby Cora. I'm not a nervous wreck and emotional basket case. Not me!
It's not me who would covet and appreciate any and every prayer lifted up for our adorable daughter, Emma and our baby-the-way, Cora for healing and good health...oh, wait, that would totally be me!
Thanks for praying. And as you pray, could you also say one for Carleigh and Luke and Kelvin and me too?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, it's your turn. I hope you'll join in the fun. Follow the link for instructions, and if you don't have a blog or don't want to play along, at least comment so we can see what you didn't do! Have fun! Check out the blog that has the rules (click on the picture in my sidebar) and original Not Me! Monday post. (Click on the highlighted words.)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Ultrasound & Saturday stuff
The kids went to our check-up for the baby yesterday. They thought it was pretty neat to see the baby on the screen. We saw her kicking around and even yawn! Such a little miracle! Our midwife let Carleigh find the heartbeat with the doppler wand. She got a big thrill out of that! It seemed that even Emma was interested in what was going on in that new place. Our midwife said the measurements from the ultrasound looked perfect and was impressed at how little weight I had gained! (hee-hee) Of course, I'm feeling like my belly is growing at mach speed recently.
We had a great Saturday of cleaning and cooking. Our small group came over for an early Thanksgiving dinner...YUMMY! I think my favorite meal is turkey and dressing with all the sides. Chef Kel put it on the top shelf with his incredible turkey cooking skills. It was the best ever! I must say my dressing, his Nanny D's recipe, was pretty darn good too. As always, I ate too much and my stomach feels like it is about to pop! Here's a picture of the post dinner nap...
Emma's had a pretty good day. She made several steps today, and Kelvin was successful in getting some sweet giggles after blowing on her belly.
The weather is downright cold tonight, and I'm wanting to light the fireplace and drink hot chocolate or tea...or put on my pjs and go to bed early. It's only 8 o'clock, but the bed sure sounds inviting! What a party girl I've become!
Weekend blessings to you!
We had a great Saturday of cleaning and cooking. Our small group came over for an early Thanksgiving dinner...YUMMY! I think my favorite meal is turkey and dressing with all the sides. Chef Kel put it on the top shelf with his incredible turkey cooking skills. It was the best ever! I must say my dressing, his Nanny D's recipe, was pretty darn good too. As always, I ate too much and my stomach feels like it is about to pop! Here's a picture of the post dinner nap...
Emma's had a pretty good day. She made several steps today, and Kelvin was successful in getting some sweet giggles after blowing on her belly.
The weather is downright cold tonight, and I'm wanting to light the fireplace and drink hot chocolate or tea...or put on my pjs and go to bed early. It's only 8 o'clock, but the bed sure sounds inviting! What a party girl I've become!
Weekend blessings to you!
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