Improvising during renovation

We are in the midst of the bathroom/hallway/doorway/closet remodel. We are taking down the old in hopes of more space and more accessibility! The tub is out so we are bathing in the kitchen.

Sights of Fall (part two)

Flowers at the Madison Farmers' Market

Fall Picnic with Pete and Carrie

Peppers from a friend

Leaves starting to change along the Mississippi

Mud Removal following the first official school fire drill

31

Noodle Soup

The colder weather is coming here in Minnesota so we took the opportunity to warm up to homemade chicken noodle soup. I couldn't keep the kids away from it!

Sunshine

Smile, it's picture day at school today! We were all excited.

And then someone's milk spilt on the floor, someone broke the TV stand, and someone managed to throw some toys in the trash... for a moment I wanted to hide.

The bus came, the girls left, the babies and I took a walk in the rain. We sorted our shapes and began to remember to enjoy all these moments.

Even if sometimes we need our blanket and our thumb.

We are treasuring these days because I know someday, their messes won't be so easily mopped up. Smile!

Identity Crisis

Small Victories

We are officially a wheelchair accessible house (minus the bathroom). Claudia is quite excited about this "home improvement," and is looking forward to zipping around with her siblings in and out of the house.

Eloise has helped the builders for the last three days, in her afternoons following school. They were very impressed with her work ethic. Way to go Eloise!

Free time

Just in case you were wondering what I'm doing with all my free time now that the big girls are in school. This is what happened while I loaded the girls on the bus.

Mark Andrew

As some of you know my brother was traumatically injured in a van vs. bike accident this last Sunday. Our mother is now there with Mark and helping guide him through the maze of medical care. This of course is all too familiar for both. He will need lots of care and time to heal all the wounds. Please visit his BLOG to send him a note!

Packages

If you know me at all, you know that I love getting mail and even more I love packages. Snail mail excites me and especially surprise packages top my list. Today was extra special in that I received two packages. One from Italy sent by my very beloved host family.

A great cookbook with both Italian and English text from the Lombardy region of Italy. Hmmm... I can almost taste the Polenta.

Now that second package came in two huge boxes (which Eloise already has dibs on) and was manufactured in Denmark. It's a special shower seat for Claudia. Assembly is required and some of the essential parts are missing however the manual is printed in multiple languages.

While the cookbook certainly will be more fun, there is satisfaction in knowing that Claudia will be one step closer to bathing herself in a roll-in shower.

Until we get the missing parts I'll be brushing up on my Italian and Danish.

Sights of Fall (part one)

Julianne holding a McIntosh apple

Vincent eating on the run

Girls waiting for the bus (day one)

Sunflower from our raised gardens

First Day

We made it! The girls had a great first day. They checked out their lockers, delivered the milk sticks to the office, met the Principal (Mr. Scripture!), and reviewed the rules. Their teachers were more than kind and enthusiastic with the girls. And to top it all off the principal let us know that the cement around the playgrounds will be replaced and made accessible for Claudia within the next two weeks. Not too shabby for a first day!

Complications

Unfortunately, Claudia has been dealing with a complication from a lumbar puncture. Thursday she underwent the procedure and has been having a spinal headache and vomiting since. Saturday we ended up in the ER and spent two nights in the hospital getting IV fluids, pain medicine, and anti-emetic. With the headache no more improved but well hydrated we headed home to wait it out. Right now she is resting comfortably in the horizontal position with Eloise by her side. We all hope that the pain vanishes and that she is back to her chipper self soon.

In the meantime, the babies have become little raccoons getting into everything, the trash included. Eloise has been spending her time making all sorts of interesting play scenes and creative stories. She has been a wonderful source of "normal" for Claudia. She makes sure Claudia still has access to sweets, shares her cool treats, and has fun all while laying on her back! Above is her Bear Island, Below is her Baby Animal Nursery, and Way below is her Chalk River and Lake.

Back to School

(Yellow T-ball team of kindergarden and 1st grade students pose for a group photo)

We have joined the PTA, filled in the blanks on the paperwork, met the girls' teachers and opened their lockers... we are ready for school. Or at least the girls are. I, on the other hand, am breathing. I'm trying to relax and let go of my little girls. I have made all the phone calls about the bus, talked about adaptive equipment, written e-mails about computers, attended IEP meetings. Their once 2 lb and 10 oz bodies have grown and matured into little girls who love to read books, draw pictures and make friends. They relish in any independence that we afford them. It's time for me to trust that my BIG girls are going to have a blast and learn a TON. So very soon they will board that yellow bus and off they will go to the first day of kindergarten.

Remember

when we started the dance of life together. Happy Anniversary!