Get used to the Stairs

A year ago today I announced our pregnancy to some of you with this facebook post, " Our 4th is expected to arrive in August. The ultrasound showed a perfect spine, brain and feet. Relief! And, it's a girl!" I vividly recall my 17 week ultrasound.  I was nervous, yet confident everything was fine.  The tech confirmed my feeling, the baby looked perfect...no spina bifida.  Once I got in the car, I cried tears of joy and thanked Heavenly Father for sending me a healthy baby and for the opportunity to heal and have a normal pregnancy.  On my drive home, I called Matt, my mom and sister to share the news.  I didn't realize how much anxiety and worry I'd been carrying.  The unsaid gloom had been lifted.  I felt healing and peace for three weeks. 

I've been working long hours lately which means I do less around the house and everyone else does more. Matt is awesome at household chores, homework and dinner.  When he gets home from work, he takes over and does it beautifully. Kate changed both Maggie and Davey's diaper while I was on the phone with a client.  Then she said, "Mom you need to teach me how to do the catheter, so I can do that too."  Wow! Josie's job around the house is to make it beautiful.  Her decorations have a paper theme and are hung with tape throughout the house.  It's a process that starts from the time she wakes up and continues late into the night.  All of the cutting and coloring gives her plenty of opportunities to clean up after herself.  She also loves to wash dishes. Davey's responsibilities are tough.  Even small tasks take incredible effort and energy for him to complete.   This morning as I was dressing him,  I wondere...

Maggie's a little perplexed with her new accessory.  She does not like them and has cried a lot today.  Luckily, her developmental delay means she doesn't grab at objects, so the glasses stay put...bonus!  After picking up the glasses, we ran some errands.  Davey with his wheel chair, Josie with her bright lipstick that she's not supposed to wear in public, and now Maggie with her goggles. Get used to the stares.