Vacation (finally) and tidbits

So, we enjoyed our first big family vacation a few weeks back. Seven wonderful days in San Destin. We went with some great friends and were even fortunate enough to have my mother come down for a few days to help out. We actually even went to dinner and out- TWICE! For the most part, the weather was great and there was hardly anyone else around, as the peak season is over. Ava was a fish, constantly in and out of the water. Also, she wanted to play/talk to anyone around other than us. This was a cause of irritation to a few grumpy vacationers. We pretty much let her do her own thing, to the dismay of others, but hey- we've had a rough year, and we will never see those people again. Wow, I used to hate people like me. Eli loved the water. Once again, he was such a good boy, hardly heard a complaint out of him. He had the best time floating around the pool in his tube. All in all, a very successful and enjoyable vacation.

As we began our trip home, we were quickly reminded that the vacation was over. My sweet, easy going, little boy screamed the entire way home. And I do mean the entire time. So, the trip home, not so good. Soon enough we were back to laundry, school, and a slew of doctor and therapy appointments. Did we go on a vacation?

Eli had his nine month (6 month adjusted) doctor appointment. HE IS ON THE CHARTS! My big boy is finally in the charts for his actual (that's right, actual, not adjusted) age. Eli is in the 5% for weight and 10% for height. I knew he would get there but am happy it is so soon! Also, Eli started his Synagis shots for RSV yesterday. He will receive a shot in each leg each month from now through May. It is horrible, he screams and I cringe. The only way I can tolerate it is knowing that this may keep him from any trips to the hospital as we hit cold and flu season. Luckily, he doesn't cry long, but it's still awful. My poor baby.

In other news, Ava has moved to a big girl bed. It was much easier than I anticipated, though you do have to stay in the bed with her until she falls asleep. for naps and at night. The best part is that Eli is now in his own room and bed. He has been sleeping though the night and seems to really like having a real bed.

GEAUX TIGERS!

Unclue Benny came to visit. Ava wore her Playboy shirt he and Aunt Camille got her.

Both have colds now.........I am off to suction a nose.

Mommy Instinct and hope

I was watching Oprah the other day, and she had Jenny McCarthy on as a guest discussing her new book documenting her life with her son, who has been diagnosed with Autism. During the show, McCarthy kept referring to her "mommy instinct" when discussing her life with her son. Her "mommy instinct" kicked in when her son was diagnosed with Autism (her instinct told her the diagnosis was correct), and as she learned to define a new "normal" with her son (her "mommy instinct" told her that things would be okay). I think every mother has that "mommy instinct", whether you have actually ever experienced it or not.
I think I first became aware of my "mommy instinct" when I was pregnant in the hospital with Eli and went into full labor after receiving steroid shots at 24 weeks gestation. The doctors and nurses thought a delivery was inevitable. Truthfully, that thought never crossed my mind. I spent three days in Labor & Delivery, but knew I would be leaving there pregnant (maybe the drugs clouded my thoughts a bit). Again, at 24 weeks, when I was advised to remove my cerclage because of the high risk of infection due to my membranes rupturing, which would have led to an immediate delivery, my "mommy instinct" told me to wait. I understood that there was a risk of infection leading to the death of Eli, and possibly myself, but mommy instinct told me to wait. "Mommy instinct" was still there at 27 weeks when Eli made his arrival. Not once did I ever think that I wouldn't be bringing my boy home. Though Eli had a much more difficult NICU stay than anyone could have anticipated, I knew he would be coming home. That doesn't mean that those 148 days that Eli spent in the NICU I didn't worry. I worried every minute of every day, crying more than I ever thought possible. As difficult as it was to leave him there every day, I knew he would eventually be coming home to us.
The worrying did not end with his homecoming, just a new set of worries replaced the old. As each day passes though, my "mommy instinct" tells me that things will be okay. We are slowly progressing toward Eli being "normal" but definitely getting there. Every time I look at him and he gives me that beautiful smile, my "mommy instinct" tells me that things will be just fine.
Which leads me to what I hope for. When you have a child that faces more than your average challenges, I think you spend some amount of time starting thoughts and sentences with "I hope". Some of my "I hope" list for Eli includes, in no particular order: 1. I hope that Eli's breathing quiets down, so that I don't have to hear comments like "oh, poor baby", 2. I hope Eli's breathing quiets down before he understands comments like "oh, poor baby", 3. I hope we make it though Eli's first winter home without any major illnesses or hospital stays (my "mommy instinct" says that all will be fine), 4. I hope I love, hold, and kiss Eli enough to make up for the four and a half months he spent in the NICU and not being held, 5. I hope Eli doesn't remember his time in the NICU, 6. I hope the scars covering Eli's body fade enough with time that they are not a source of future questions, 7. I hope that Vic and I some day forget the NICU, 8. I hope that some day soon that sentences spoken with Eli's therapists and doctors don't include "compared to a normal baby", and 9. More than anything else, I hope that soon, we and everyone look at Eli for the sweet, silly, beautiful baby that he is and forget that he was born three months premature.

Birthday Fiesta

Ava's birthday party was this weekend.

The theme was a Dora the Explorer fiesta.

We had Mexican appetizers and burritos (hotdogs for most of the kids). Vic and I bought Ava a giant inflatable for her birthday, so the kids were able to entertain themselves in that despite the fact that it was nearly 100 degrees outside. Every so often, the sun went behind the clouds and there was a reprieve from the sweltering heat that actually allowed you to be outside. Vic held the pinata on a stick while the kids whacked at it- he is very brave considering the kids' heights.

Ava had a great time. At the after-party, we stripped her down and let her and a buddy swim and bounce. Daddy made a HUGE mistake and allowed Ava to play during this time in her actual birthday suit. She proceeded to poop in the pool and yard. Probably spending too much time with the dog.

Eli, of course, was an angel. He never really fusses, just a sweet boy. In addition to teething though, he was wondering who all these people were in his house.

The Sponge

Ava is the Sponge. Lately, her vocabulary has increased significantly. Unfortunately, there are a few words that should never be spoken by anyone so young (okay, probably not anyone). For example, we stopped by a restaurant last night to pick up dinner. I went to a door marked "to go orders". I pulled on the door, but it was locked to which Ava commented "sh#t" to voice her disappointment. This morning, she was eating yogurt and dropped her spoon, getting yogurt on her chair. Again, there was another "sh#t". Luckily, so far, she has only done it around me, at least that I am aware of. I am dreading the impending moment that she mutters the word in public. Hopefully, Vic will not be around, and I can say something like- "I told her dad he needs to watch what he says around her". The lesson here being that you must always choose your words carefully, you never know who is listening (and filing away to repeat later). However, if sh#t, is the worst of what she repeats, I will consider us lucky and remember that the Sponge is always listening.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Well, the Goodins continued their streak of bad luck all the way to Pensacola. First, a four hour car ride took us 6 hours. Then, it continued to rain for the next three days, only to stop on the fourth and our final day in Pensacola. So, we had about two hours of sunshine the entire trip. And, Ava got eaten alive by bugs not to mention scrapes and bruises covering just about every inch of her.
The good news is that I love my family even more after being trapped in our car and then our condo for hours. We are fun. We laughed, played, watched TV (e.g. Dora, Cars, Cinderella, and Mickey Mouse), cooked, and drank (us, beer,Ava, juice). We are beginning to officially feel like a normal (but, fun) family. Eli is off oxygen and almost all of his meds, so things are good. We still look at him and can't believe he is the same baby that weighed in at 2lb 14 oz and spent three and a half months on the ventilator. Now, we see a 14 pound baby that laughs and is developing a real personality. Also, other good news is that no one got sunburned.

Ava was such a blast this trip. She wore her floaties at all times and got in and out of the pool completely on her own. Her being able to get in and out of the pool, however, was tiresome. She runs really fast. She ran around and around the pool, really fast. She chased people that weren't even running from her, yelling-"I get you" and cracking herself up. She even liked the beach- loved getting knocked down by waves with her daddy. Eli was not so crazy about the pool, which is understandable why a 4 month old would not be comfortable in a big cold bath tub with other people when he is just getting used to his blue baby tub. However, not once did he cry- just kept a look of fear on his face. Such a good boy.

Well, we're home now. The vacation is over. Ava and a pen were a quick return to reality. And she is back to her favorite pastime- TV, though not quite ready to leave the beach behind.

Sh#% Fingers

This is not an adjective and a noun (not in this particular case, anyway) but a verb, an action. An action performed by Miss Ava Claire. Lately, Ava can't seem to keep it in her pants- poop that is. Her new favorite pastime is to poo, stick her fingers in her diaper, then run at you yelling "oh, no!!". As a result of this act being performed numerous times over the past few weeks, Ava has learned lots of new words (most she probably shouldn't)- like, nasty, stinky, and shewwwww (okay, this isn't a word, but we're not playing scrabble here). Sorry I don't have a picture to post for you of this. I know you are disappointed but not as disappointed as I will be when I am recounting this story to Ava's future boyfriends.

Ava, be sweet please

These are the words muttered over and over in our house these days. Ava REALLY loves Eli, but she also likes to test the boundaries with him. She likes to hug him (not so gently), kiss him (again, not so gently), feed him her snacks- he likes goldfish, all,very sweet things. However, she also likes to cover his nose and mouth with her hands (not good for a baby who already has airway issues), drag him by his legs/arms/head, and ride him like he is a horse, among other things that are not so sweet. So, we find ourselves saying over and over"Ava, be sweet please". And Ava is, a very sweet girl. Probably, the sweetest girl ever.

We spent most of the weekend in our backyard pool. Actually, we have two pools. Daddy likes to mix it up and throw in the slide sometimes, too. Ava loves her pools. She has no fear, sliding down at warp speeds and smashing into whatever happens to be in her way. She has the battle wounds today from a weekend spent in the water. Luckily (or maybe not for me), Ava is off school this week, so I can avoid explaining all of the scrapes/bruises/marks covering her. So, Ava, Mommy, Daddy, and dog spent the weekend in the pools. Eli enjoyed watching from afar in his swing- out of danger's (Ava's) way.