Braska Bear

Sorry to be getting behind in posts.... want an excuse? Here's my best attempt ... The important part of our last week was the One-Year Day O' Visits, as I've been referring to it. Tuesday we spent all day, 9 am to 3 pm, at St. Louis Children's, seeing multiple people in 7 different visits. And no, there was not time for lunch, it was just one to the next. We're hard core. First we saw the audiologists, where we went in the big walk-in soundproof box so that Braska could ignore pretty much every attempt to get her attention. She liked the lights but she wouldn't cooperate with the process as they wanted her to. So nothing conclusive there. I have no worry about her hearing. I can whisper across the room when I return from being out of the room for a while and she immediately responds and looks. She is the queen of selective hearing though. Great at ignoring, that one. They want to try again in 3 months. Then it was back to the waiting room to wait for...

Saturday we played more games at Grammy and Papa's house in the morning while Mommy got ready to go. Grammy helped me on a horsey that bounces. I think it'll be more fun when I get a little bigger. Mommy says this toy has been around for a very long time. Then we left and drove a while to Mr. Justin and Miss Julie's new house. They live farther away from our house now, but they live closer to Grammy and Papa's house, so we went to see them for a quick visit. I played with Macie and Morgan, but their little sister Millie is still in Miss Julie's tummy. I can't play with her yet. Morgan was napping when we left, but Macie came down to tell me bye-bye. When we finally got to Grandma C's house that night, Miss Karen A. was visiting from Kansas. Mommy always tells me how good Miss Karen took care of us when I was a tiny baby. We miss her since she moved away far. She brought me a birthday present! I got to open it and play with the paper, which is my favorite par...

Today is Christmas. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. That's what Mommy says. I'm not sure that's right, because everyone else seems to think that Christmas is a little bit away. She said it's because we won't be seeing Grammy and Papa and the aunties and uncles on this side of the family at Christmas. So here's how it went... Auntie Rachel and Mr. Patrick came on Thursday morning. We got to play a little and I showed her how cute I looked in one of the outfits she got me. I found a nice, comfy place to sit, too. She wanted to see the beginnings of my teeth that showed up. Yup! I'm getting teeth! So I was checking out her teeth too. All Mommy's sisters played with me and took lots of pictures. Auntie Joy and I watched some Baby Einstein. After Thanksgiving dinner, and after alot of football watching by the big people, we decided it was time to open presents early. We didn't want to wait til the morning time. Uncle Jody was there and he had to go h...

This morning when Mommy came to get me out of bed, she said it was my birthday. That means that one year ago I came out of Mommy's tummy. She said today was going to be my day every year. When I get bigger, I'll get to do some big kid fun things, but since this is my first one, I'm just gonna hang out with Mommy and Pop as we go to Grammy and Papa's house. That sounds like a good day to me! Pop's cousin Larae (yeah, that's right..she's got my name!) from Alaska sent me a really neat blanket for my birthday! Isn't it pretty?! I love the bright colors and I just look at them and roll around on it. It's so fun! Thanks Cousin Larae! Since we're leaving to go to see family today and we'll be gone for a bunch of days, I will try to tell you about all my fun times in a few days. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Today I got to see a friend from when I was a tiny baby. Miss Dayna was at church! We didn't even know she went to our church! She said that her family just started coming a few weeks ago. Isn't that fun?! She was so surprised to see me and said I was so big! Mommy gave her a few of my new pictures, and she gave me some good hugs. Tonight Mommy and me went back to church for a soup supper. I'm not sure what that's all about but there were alot of people and they all kept talking about all the pie they were going to eat. I just walked around with Miss Debbie, then I fell asleep.

This morning when Mommy came in to get me out of bed, I was watching for her.

For those who are skimming and in a hurry, read this... if you are one who is planning to get Braska something for Christmas (I realize that's not all of you, of course) please grant us this wish... FIRST donate to one or more of these Angels , then if you choose, feel free to wrap up something for her. But I would largely prefer that you spend your money on them...they need every penny, and we simply don't "need" for anything. If this means that Braska has no "actual gifts" under the tree, then so be it! And the same goes for gifts for me! Let us know who you donated to, so that we may add them personally to our prayer list of special friends. Here's why... Lately, I've had an especially sensitive heart toward the kids of the world, especially disabled, who are in such poor conditions in institutions and orphanages. This is a new thing for me, not new that I care, but that it's been bothering me so much. Braska and I have been praying every si...

Today we went to St. Louis but now we're home. It was alot of time in the car, but I napped a little and I talked to Dollie some too. Here's some stuff that we did: They put me on the silly scale, and I was 14 lbs 10 oz, so I got a little bigger. Then they tried to put a tight thing on my arm, but I didn't want to wait for it, so I decided to play with it instead. The nurse lady just decided that she didn't need the numbers anyway, so she let me play. I also found plenty of the toys I like that Mommy calls tubes and cords. There were lots of them there!! There was one on my bed that I liked alot, and I kept playing when Mommy was trying to keep me still. Isn't this a neat curtain? It has a picture on it that looks just like the big silver thing that we see by the big water river when we go to St. Louis! After they did some stuff to my belly that I didn't like very much, Mommy came back in. I felt better then, and I even told her Hi. Mommy and me went to get so...

(I don't have time to write two posts...so for those who check both, sorry to be repetitive.) Wow, that was quick. I laid her on the bed, walked out, played a little solitaire on my phone because they said I wouldn't have time to even log on to my computer, and they came to get me in about 9 minutes. That's quick. They didn't even give her ANYTHING, just pulled the PEG out (that HAS to hurt!) and then put the new button in. I'll have pics later, but for now, we're good and grabbing a bite to eat before we swing by Grandma C's house on the way home. They said she screamed when they held her down and such, but by the time I returned to the room, she was calm and happy and not even red-faced. She is such a tough cookie! Thank you, God, for such a tough little girl!

I'm at the hospital today, we just checked in, and Mommy says they'll start getting me ready soon for my new button. I'll tell you more soon. I'm just talking to all the nice people in the waiting area while they wait too.

During feeding therapy today, Braska decided to try a few new things, and show off a few others. She ended up taking almost 7 oz total (finishing 1 partial jar, downing a whole one, and starting a 3rd), which is a record, for sure. She showed off for Miss Louis with some raspberries, mouth full of food, of course, and with some very passionate short bursts of some apparently important information that we couldn't quite decipher. Here's some visual evidence of the other recent mealtime fun. A common theme during feeding therapy sessions has been Louise telling me that I have to let Braska make a mess, which I'm not good at doing. I tend to want to keep hands clean and all mess on the bib only. Today, I succeeded in letting her go at it. And we ended up covered in mush...both of us.

Today I went to a place where they took a whole big bunch of pictures of me. Mommy kept asking me to smile and trying to get me to laugh, but there was just too much to look at. She said she was proud of me that I did good, though. Hope you like my pictures. I'm almost one! Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com Message from Mommy: The lyrics from the song for the montage are below. This has been a favorite song of mine (by my fave guy SCC ) but only tonight, after I'd already put it in, did I realize how really fitting it is. Funny how God does that... I can see the tears filling your eyes And I know where they're coming from They're coming from a heart that's broken in two By what you don't see The person in the mirror Doesnt look like the magazine Oh but when I look at you its clear to me that CHORUS I can see the fingerprints of God When I look at you I can see the fingerprints of God And I know its true You're a masterpiece That all creation ...

Tonight I got to play with my Pop a little. He was letting me roll around on the couch, and Mommy doesn't let me do that because she says I'll fall off. Pop told her we should just see if I could do it. Silly Pop...of course I can do it! I didn't fall though, don't worry. They caught me. Once Mommy had to catch me quick, but it was ok. That was the end of that game though. Mommy said that was all. I tried to roll back to the other side, but I kinda got stuck a little. It was fun, but when it was all over, I just thought I'd rest a bit.

Today we went on a trip to see some of our friends who moved out of our town a while ago, Miss Nico, Mr. Matt, Connor, and Lucas. It wasn't too long a trip in the car, and I napped most of the way. When we got there, I sat by Lucas and we played a little. Mommy wants me to be sure to tell you that she didn't leave me this close to the edge of the table except just for the picture. I'm not going to jump out or anything... While the big kids played in the playroom, I sat in Lucas's bouncy seat. It had neat noises and some little fish on it. Connor had lots of toys in his new house, and his cousin Audrey was visiting to play with him. When I get bigger, I can play with them too. I played in Lucas's gym too, but Connor wanted to come play with me in there. We played the "I'll let go if you will" game. I told Connor some secret stories, then he told me some too. I took a nap all cuddled in the couch when I got tired of playing. And when I got up, I...

I'm not feeling so icky the last couple days, but I have had some stuff in my nose that makes me try to itch it alot. We have done some fun things, so I have a few pictures for you. A few nights ago me and Mommy went to see Miss Sara and Ali. Ali wanted to play but I didn't feel like it so much. I was a little grouchy, Mommy told me. She brought my toys and my blanket, but I just didn't want to play on the floor. Ali goes all over the place real fast. Mommy says I should take lessons from her. I did find a fun thing that Miss Sara had. It's like one we have at home. Mommy pushes the buttons and the people on the TV change. I have been playing with my chewy tubes that Miss Louise gave me. I like to shake them alot even though they don't make noise. Mommy says I'm supposed to put them in my mouth, but I don't think so. When I did try it once, it was kind of fun to chew on them, but mostly I like to shake them. Tonight we watched some TV while Pop got his decks...