GiGi

This pretty lady went home to be with her Lord yesterday. 

Our hearts might be hurting but she is rejoicing and I'm certain even God was impressed with how awesome she is at giving hugs. ;0) 

Please continue to pray for the family.  I don't have childhood memories of Gigi but from the minute you met this woman, and I do mean the minute, you could not help but love her. 

My goal is to make this short. My to do list is long today. Bricen was sick again at the end of last week and still fighting it now. More of a respiratory issue this time. So the pictures are mostly pictures at the Dr. office visits. :0) It's been a whirlwind. Bricen sick, I worked last weekend, little extra mandatory education on Monday, taxes Monday evening, therapy Tuesday and meet with the dietitian Tuesday, two therapies yesterday, and schedule in there me catching a minor cold and time for myself to be a drama queen about it, makes for a busy week so far. Not to mention I went Tuesday night to Richmond to see Gigi. I am so beyond thankful I did that. I knew I'd be pulling almost an all nighter with us needing to leave the house at nine Wed am for therapy but it was so worth it. So, family is in town and Gigi's services will be this weekend. Time to get my house and things in order.

We are using the backpack. We've tried a few out. I think we've settled on the one that comes f/the insurance simply because it's smaller and easier for him. He has lost weight of course. The dietitian will be weighing him twice a month. In the back of my mind I'm getting more concerned with the weight and growth. As of now I'm telling myself we have had a rough winter and he has had pneumonia, stomach bug and now a respiratory virus. I have to get him healthy and go from there. I just don't want to be missing anything. So, smaller bag and we went and got some patches, added Velcro to them and the bag so that he can change them out daily and make it fun. 

Our fav bag which he loved. But it is just too big for him at this point. We have another bag that is softer but still bigger. It is pretty cute with little cars on it though! I've got to teach myself to use a sewing machine so I stop spending money on this stuff.

He has managed some play time/feel good time in these last few weeks. Yes, and by the way he is naked here. He took off his pants, I sat quietly and watched. Then he started with his diaper. He started laughing at himself and continued. Then he went over to the from door which was open and I thought I better get him out from in front of the door! Crazy Kid! He did have a pretty horrible rash from being sick so I figured he was just doing what felt good!

Showing Daddy his muscles. He does this with his arms and says "grr". Haha

It's hard to be a one man band sometimes. ;0)

Visit with our "park friends". Aka my friends from work. Us mom's have great intentions. I'm talking Christmas parties, etc etc. But someone is usually sick or something comes up so when we do get together we all really enjoy it. Ryker now has a baby brother we were visiting. (awww)

He loved this slide, it was perfect. If we can get Capt Safety on board we might get Bricen one. 

This hat was given to Marty when he went to pick up stuff for the stool sample. Never used. Repeat, never used....except for Bricen a cowboy hat. 

Both our outpt therapist and our in home therapist recently went to the same feeding conference. They have come back to us with big ideas. Building on colors of foods he's okay with and cutting foods into sticks like the pretzel sticks he does eat, etc etc. We will give it a shot. 

Oh feeding. We have some homework to do. Dietician made the suggestion and therapy tweeked it a little but our new homework is to put Bricen at the table for one to three meals a day and the first five minutes let him sit with the food in front of him and then add the tube feed. I get the point that we want him to associate getting full with sitting at the table. Love it. But isn't this going to make him not eat any by mouth? And more than that, he still fights this book bag and feeding pump. Still adjusting to it. I don't want anything negative associated with that feeding chair. This worries me. So after talking with outpatient therapy we decided to try for one to two sits. We already sit at the table for one to two meals a day but this is just adding the feeds. We feed every three hours. I will do it all gladly but it will be a change and adjustment to life. We have to be able to leave the house at times. My sanity, household errands, dr appointments, and Bricen simply being a kid all count on it. It's homework. We will work on it. Probably not until next week with Gigi passing and services this weekend, etc. 

This was the first time wearing this little backpack. It was a risky move trying it in the toy department at Kohls. haha What better distraction than a toy section. And of course, Brilynn was there to help. I watched from afar but Brilynn and Bricen both did a great job. We keep the cord coiled but this was the first time and a hurry up and put it on and get him to the toy section. 

I had to cut his hair again. I was a little worried we were going to have a case of beginner's luck when I first started, but it turned out okay. Did I mention Bricen gets spoiled by my family sometimes?

The cutest most handsomest little man just came out of the bedroom yawning. Privilege calls. Gotta go. :0) 

One last pic. At the Dr I think he was trying to literally go through this wall to keep from going back.