Life with the Nielsens: September 2016

March started out finishing our hospital stay for Brady’s intussusception. Due to some complications we ended up doubling our predicted stay in the PICU. There is a kind of reverence that falls over the children's hospital when visiting hours are over and the only people left are the parents of the children and the staff who are working hard to get them well. As much as I dislike being there I can't help but feel so so grateful to have this place so close. Without Primary Children's hospital I wouldn't have either of my kids with me today. What an incredible work those people do!

Luckily Aunt Shelby was able (and willing) to take time off work to come stay with Kimber and help keep her life as “normal” as possible. She helped me keep up with her therapy and doctor’s appointments which this month included our yearly Prader Willi Clinic. Kimber did AWESOME. The message we took over all was "keep doing what you're doing!" We have been given the OK to check out of PT whenever we feel ready (but I'm not so sure I'm ready!) and the speech therapist was BLOWN AWAY by the conversation she had with our Bean.

After the clinic we got Kimber's yearly scoliosis screening done (because why not right?!) I'm not a doctor but everything looked pretty darn straight! She had the xray techs laughing SO hard they actually couldn't operate the machine so it took twice as long and for her standup comedy she earned a Doc McStuffins sticker, which she cherished and showed anyone in the hospital who would look at it... Until she saw Brady when she decided that he needed the sticker "to help him feel better and come home to his Kimber". Oh my heart!

"Look Mom! That's a number one and a eight and that's a 18!"

She told me all about the adventures she's been having with Shelby, thanked me for taking her to lunch and to see "her friends the doctors" over and over, and when I told her we couldn't come home with her yet she was so brave, looked at me with little watery eyes and said "that's ok mom. Brady needs you to help him feel better." I've been blessed with INCREDIBLE kiddos!!! We were SO happy to finally be discharged two days later.

We got out of the hospital just in time to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. My husband is AWESOME! On our anniversary he brought me roses (so sweet. He had to work 13 hours that day) and promised dinner out this weekend. I thought we were going to Texas Roadhouse, our usual. NOPE! He surprised me with Coopers over in Bear Lake (seriously SOOOO good!) AND a night away from the kids! Seriously he arranged it all and just kept revealing one little surprise at a time. He's the best!

When I first met Shawn we were on a group date and a guy drove his truck off a cliff. We spent the evening calling life flight and helping search and rescue. Our first date the tire fell off the truck. We spent the night up the canyon combing the dirt road for lug nuts until deer hunters saved us in the morning. I should have known our life together was going to be "high speed" and far from ordinary but even with all the craziness our life is so SO good! Life with him is certainly a big adventure!

Kimber had her first run in with the rooster this month. Apparently she wasn't pouring the food fast enough for him. As she was running away she didn't make the connection between him and the can of food she still had her arms wrapped around. It's a good thing Wrangler was there because I was pretty much useless doubled over in laughter. As Wrangler chased him off her heels she spun around and yelled "Ha! Not today angry shicken! Not today!" Growing up in the country - the best way for a kid to grow up.

She loves playing doctor and will give anyone a checkup who is willing to sit still for two minutes. The other day she was convinced that I was deathly ill and kept telling me "oh mom, I know you don't feel well... But don't you worry. Kimber's here. I am here. Let's get you home. You need a bwanket and a toke (coke) and a little bit rest. Don't worry mom. You feel better soon. Rest is best!" She often tells me "Mom, someday I be a REAL Dr Miller..." I’m sure she will be!

What I thought was a onetime ice-skating trip with Uncle Jared has become a full blown obsession. We ordered her some little skates off amazon and she goes any time he is available. When we arrived the other day there was a figure skater doing twirls in the center of the ice. I pointed it out and said "Look at her! Isn't she pretty doing twirls? Do you want to learn how to do that?" Kimber glanced up from her skates and said "Ummm no... I just want to play hockey...." I think it about brought a tear to Jared’s eye.

The end of this month we started testing for placement in preschool. We just left our appointment testing all areas of her speech. She has to get 7 answers wrong in a row for the test to stop. We went for over an hour and got up to the level of a 6-year-old when Kimber pushed her chair back and said "Whew! This is exasperating!" The speech therapist decided at that point it was best to reschedule a time to come back and pick up where we left off... Take THAT PWS!

Here are some of my other favorite Kimber moments this month:

While helping me cook dinner Kimber starts hitting the can opener on the counter:

"Hey Kimber please don't bang the can opener on the counter. We have to be soft so we don't break it."

"Oh ok, sorry mom.......... Hey mom? How about you close your eyes for just a little bit.... Ok, you close them tight?" (Bang, bang, bang)
If I had a dollar for every time I dish out a consequence and then RUN to the next room to crack up where she can't see me I could buy a can opener manufacturer!

At the grocery store Kimber runs up to the display of bell peppers at the grocery store: *gasp!* "mom! This is my FAVORITE begatble! Can I please get it! Oh please oh please oh please!"

Employee: "Did I just hear what I thought I heard?"

Kimber has been singing all morning. She just came around the corner singing "Jesus climbed up the mountain to the garden to pray because He loves me! He loves Kimber!"

We absolutely cannot imagine our family without her sweet spirit and hilarious personality.

Brady is 7 months old! He has a hilarious personality and is already such a tease. He loves pulling Kimber's hair and then he just laughs and laughs! Don't be fooled though! If anyone ELSE tries to give Kimber a hard time they will hear the wrath of Brady! He babbles CONSTANTLY and has the cutest little soprano Tarzan yell :) He has finally recovered from his hospital stay and is sleeping through the night! It's been a long time coming with lots of snuggles and late nights on the couch but now he happily lays down for naps and bedtime with no crying! He snarfs down a jar of mashed peas like nobody’s business but gags on mashed bananas about three bites in. He is SO happy all of the time. We LOVE him so so much!

Here's some other favorite photos from this month: