KAFO Baby

When picked up under their armpits, most babies will put their feet down and eventually want to stand. But not Grace. She does things her own way and immediately pulls her legs up. I appreciate her resistance to conform and be like "other babies", but unfortunately putting weight on your legs is pretty important. Especially if you want to walk someday and give your poor mom's back a break from carrying you. So Grace is receiving a little help in the form of KAFOs (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis).

Grace's KAFOs

To have these made, we had to take Grace to Midwest Orthotics and the nice people made cast-like molds of her legs while she screamed at them. They didn't seem to mind much. You can choose from tons of different designs and since I was worried I wouldn't be able to tell the right from the left I had them made in two different colors. It's actually pretty obvious, so now it's a fashion statement.

Putting the KAFOs on Grace is the absolute worst part of my day. I try to sing and talk to her and be happy but she HATES it. The whole process looks like this: (Mom, you may want to skip this picture!)

Tears and pantyhose. Reminds me of a job I once had.

After they are on, I sometimes will let her take a break for a bit to calm down.

Grace's KAFOs have a hinge on each side of her knee, so she's able to bend her knees. But once she stands upright, a bar slides over the hinge to keep her legs straight.

We then stand for a bit - her physical therapist wants her to do it twice a day for 15-20 minutes at a time. She mostly will play on her laptop or the iPad, but occasionally she will just want to stand in front of me and lay her head on my shoulder. That cuddle is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

Standing like a big girl!

We've had them for about a week and she's doing really well so far. Our goal is to make her realize she can stand on her own, which will lead to pulling herself up and walking.

I can't wait to see her running around the backyard this summer!

Hey! It's Okay Tuesday!

It's okay to...

• Wonder when Easter became a second Christmas. Judging by the ads in Sunday's paper, children across the area will be getting piles and piles of presents from the Easter bunny. Not my kids.
• Have your "me time" include a cartoon. Every morning at 8:30 I drop what I'm doing, grab my coffee and watch "Charlie and Lola". I love that cartoon. Thanks for bringing it back Disney Jr.!
• Keep your kids home from school every now and then. Riley was up last night coughing and complaining of a sore throat. He's now running back and forth through the house "shooting lasers" out of his eyes. Totally could have gone to school, but as long as playing hooky is a rare treat, I won't feel guilty about it.
• Desperately wish I was a morning person. How do you get yourself moving in the morning? I could use some tips. :)

Leave me an idea on how to get going in the morning, then go  visit Airing My Dirty Laundry to see what else is okay.

Hey! It's Okay Tuesday!

It's Okay to...

• Wear jorts when you are pregnant. (You're welcome Bridget!)
• Be tempted to pack a super-healthy lunch (that will go uneaten) when you find out your son will be having lunch with his teacher. "What? My son always eats spinach and arugula salads with pomegranate seeds and wheat grass juice!"
• Wish we'd start seeing some of these thunderstorms the weathermen keep predicting. Nothing too serious, but I love a good thunderstorm.
• Sometimes prefer actual books as opposed to an e-book.
• Not solve all the worlds problems in one day. I really need to remind myself of this sometimes.
• Just now remember that a friend will be texting me at 5:45 to help me start waking up earlier. It's midnight. Crap.

Go see what else is okay at Airing My Dirty Laundry! 'Night all!

Repeat After Me

The weather has been unseasonably warm lately and while it's been nice, I have to admit I'm ready for it to be cold again. My closet is not ready for Spring. I've never been very fashion conscious. If it was comfortable and fit, I'd wear it. Especially if I bought it from the clearance rack. But now I'm finding my lack of attention has left me with a very sad wardrobe. I have one, single, solitary pair of shorts. They are Jorts. Not at all flattering. And to be honest I'm not sure they fit anymore.

So I'm looking to boost my wardrobe with some classics and a few fun pieces - and keep it very, very frugal.

I'm researching things that are best for my body shape, checking out classics that should be in "every wardrobe", etc. But I'm looking for tips. So my well-dressed bloggy friends, where do I even begin?

I do know one new fashion mantra I will be repeating:

                      Just because it's my size and on clearance doesn't mean it belongs in my closet.

Hey! It's Okay Tuesday!

It's Okay to...

• Realize that the dance to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" goes well with the Phineas and Ferb song "Backyard Beach". How do I know this? Um, a friend told me. *ahem*
• Totally Facebook stalk a complete stranger because one of my friends "liked" the picture of her new haircut. I really like it too - and it's hard to find cute haircuts for curly hair! It's a lesson for you all - put your pictures to private! You never know who is examining your pictures to get specifics on your hair!
• Be frustrated with the cost of groceries. I do well couponing, but still feel like Kroger bleeds me dry with each visit. And don't get me started on the cost of ground beef!
• Be a history geek. My new favorite show is 10 Things You Don't Know About...

Dance on over to Airing My Dirty Laundry to see what else is okay!

Frustrated.

I have a bone to pick with a certain phrase people use. Several people in my life have recently had some crappy things happen and one phrase that keeps being repeated to them is, "God wouldn't give you more than you can handle." And I think that phrase is bull. God doesn't give people cancer. God doesn't make babies have strokes. God doesn't terminate pregnancies. God doesn't make people lose their job.

But he allows these things to happen. He allows things to happen to you that you can't handle. Alone. That's the point, I think. You can't do it alone - so you can turn to drinking, food, drugs - or Him.

But I'm still ticked about it. Why would He allow these things to happen to good people? Why doesn't he stop it from happening? Where is the lesson in losing a child? A parent? What good can come of these things?

I imagine that to Him, right now I look like an angry teenager, shaking my fist, slamming doors and throwing tantrums. Maybe He wants to ground me. But I think He is just smiling and saying, "Someday when you're older, you'll understand."

I certainly hope so.

Hey! It's Okay Tuesday!

It's Okay to:

• Write blog posts on the backs of envelopes. Maybe I should keep a notebook with me.
• Feel that seeing no bills in the mail makes a day just that much brighter.
• Find it strange that I have broken 3 cooking utensils just this past week. Either I need to stop buying cheap utensils or be on the look out for radioactive spiders and kryptonite.
• Think magazines have an "anti-resolution" conspiracy. They know everyone has failed at their resolutions by this time so they are plastering pictures of cupcakes everywhere.

Read what else is okay at Airing My Dirty Laundry.

So Pinteresting! {Valentine's Edition}

I tried a few things I saw on Pinterest to help celebrate Valentine's Day this year.

For breakfast, I wanted to try this: 

Pinterest Link

But I didn't wake up in time. But my family did get cinnamon rolls! Just not heart shaped. They didn't seem to mind. I didn't take a picture of the ordinary cinnamon rolls.

I printed out some free wall art, painted frames I got at the dollar store and made some cute decorations (Sorry for the crappy pictures. Guess I'll be starting a "photography" board now!):

Pinterest Link

Pinterest Link

Did you notice the bonus Pinterest tip that slipped in there?

Pinterest Link

"You put toothpaste on the picture's hanger, eyeball where you want your picture hung, press against the wall, then place the nail in the toothpaste spot on the wall. Wipe off toothpaste and hang picture!"

I clearly missed the "wipe off toothpaste" step because it's still there from a sign I had up for Christmas.

It's gone now.

For dinner, we had a family favorite - homemade pizza with extra special heart-shaped pepperoni (and mushroom added to mom and dad's side)

Pinterest Link

Follow me on Pinterest! Not on Pinterest? Let me know and I'll send you an invite!