Fun with Hair.

I know I am so behind on updating this blog. I will get caught up hopefully this weekend and then stay caught up. Some time ago, Josiah and Greg went to a baseball game with Uncle Troy (Greg's cousin). Naomi and I decided to try something fun with her hair while they were gone. After bath time I put on a movie and while she watched I sock rolled her hair. IT is really simple to do and the result the next morning is so worth it. She was very excited about having socks in her hair and equally excited when she saw the curls the next morning. It was a lot of fun watching her twirl and spin.

Naomi Starts Pre-School

This year Naomi started pre-school 2 half days a week. She has been waiting so long for the day when she would be old enough to go to school. We told her for the longest time that when she turns 3 she can go to school. We were hoping she would forget and not bring it up again, but in June as soon as she was 3 she wanted to know when school started. So, we had to tell her that when we come back from South Africa she will be going to school. We didn't learn from the first round. The day after we arrived back stateside she wanted to know when school starts. I had no idea she wanted to go so badly. Finally the day arrived that the school was ready for her and of course she didn't want me to take her picture. She was such a big kid. I dropped her off in car pool line and she just ran up to the door and just like that my little girl was gone. It was a little sad for me, but she loves every minute of school. He friend Audrey is in her class and they are so cute together.

A First And Some Fun

This week I was outside playing with Naomi. She wanted to ride bikes so I got her tricycle out for her to ride. She does OK with it, but not great. Several months ago we were given a 2 wheeler with training wheels on it. She has been way too small for it for the longest time so we just had it hung in the garage. On Friday I decided to let her sit on it while I pushed her, thinking she would still be too small for it. I got it down and sat her on it and low and behold I had to raise the seat up for her. She took off on it right away and is loving her new pink princess bike. The other thing that is new with Naomi is that she refuses to sleep in her toddler bed. She wants a big bed like Josiah. The past month we would put her to bed in her toddler bed and then she would sneak into the guest room and sleep on the queen size bed in there. Today we went out and bought her a twin bed, a new comforter and sheets for her room. She is happily sleeping in her own room again tonight. She is very excited about the new bed. I don't have pictures of it yet, but will post them when I do.

A Warm Day

Today we had a little bit of sunshine again. It was warmer outside than it has been for a very long time. Naomi loved being outside just laying on her back with the sun warming her face.

Our Little Daisy

Graduation

About a year and a half ago Naomi started speech therapy through First Steps. Her therapist, Laura Mize, is the best. When she started she would not imitate sounds or words, she would not say very many words and we were just starting sign language. She progressed nicely through the year and was able to express herself with her few rehearsed phrases. She said what she needed to say in the same way every time so that she wouldn't get confused. If we tried to get her to add words to what she was saying or lengthen the number of words she could say in a row her speech would come out garbled. In the last 6 months so much suddenly changed. She is able to imitate well now and she can say almost anything she wants to. When she get excited her speech still comes out garbled, but if we slow her down and listen carefully she is very understandable. I didn't want her to be discharged from therapy because we love Miss Laura so much, but when strangers started telling me how well she talked for her age I knew it was time. Laura came over one last time last week to do a discharge test. Naomi has now graduated from speech therapy. Check out Laura's website, Teach Me To Talk.

When it Rains it Pours

So Naomi has been healing nicely from her hand surgery, but now she has hand foot and mouth (coxsackie virus). If you click on the pisture you can see the blisters better.

The Difference Between my Two Kids.

Greg and I have always said that Naomi is our daredevil and will some day ride all the roller coasters with Daddy while Josiah is more timid of new things. He is definitely not a daredevil. This video shows a new game Daddy and Naomi have been playing. Listen carefully for Josiah's reaction.

Just in case you didn't scatch it he said, " That looks dangerous!" She asked for more right after and he wanted nothing to do with this game.

Update on Naomi's Surgery.

When we got home Thursday Naomi was a little cranky, but really not too bad. The surgery went well and her thumb is straight now. She is able to move it like she is supposed to. She hasn't complained much of pain until last night, but still it is minimal. This surgery is supposed to be pretty rare in children, but the little boy that had surgery before her had the same thing done. The other crazy part is Naomi and this little boy play together when we go the the YMCA. His mother and I take the very same class. Small world! Naomi has to keep the dressing on her wound for 11 days and we are not allowed to get it wet. So far so good with the getting wet part, but she has taken the bandages off twice now. I told her is she takes it off again she is going to get a spanking on her bottom. Now when she goes to bed I ask her what will happen if she takes the dressing off. She says, " I get panking on bobbom." It's very cute. Since she knows she might get a spanking she has left the bandages alone.



These pictures was taken soon after we got home from the hospital.

Surgery Tomorrow

Tomorrow morning bright and early Naomi and I will be at Jewish Hospital for her Congenital Trigger Thumb Release. Her surgeon, Dr Thom Gabriel, said that he didn't know why it is called this because it is neither congenital (from birth) nor does it trigger. Her finger is stuck in a flexed position and needs to be surgically released so that she will develop normal hand function. I am a little nervous about the procedure, but am told that it is simple and that he has done many of them. Please pray fro a quick recovery. Here are pictures of her finger now and if you click here you can see pictures of what the surgery will be like - they are graphic. On the picture of the
tendon they will cut open the sheeth that looks white to expose the fibers of the tendon.











Her right thumb is stuck in this position. She is unable to straighten it and it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to use therapy techniques to get it straight either.

Pictures

Naomi and I went to Penny's today to get a birthday present for Grandma's birthday tomorrow and while we were there decided to get her picture taken. Here are the result.

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I am so Big!

Last week my friend Amy gave us a toddler bed for Naomi. Greg had decided that we should wait to put her in it until she gets rid of her pacifier and then make a big deal of it. Naomi has been asking to sleep in a big bed for at least a month now, so when she saw the bed she thought we should put it in her room right away and let her take a nap in it. About a week went by and Greg all of a sudden decided it was time. He didn't care that she still has the pacie, but thought she would like the bed. On Sunday afternoon we took her crib apart and put the toddler bed in her room. She slept in it Sunday night for the first time. She loves her new bed. It is a princess bed and that makes it even better. Naomi calls all the princesses Tinkerbell. It is fun to watch her climb into bed and be so proud of herself. So far she has not figured out that she can get out on her own during the night or when she wakes up. So now she is not only potty trained, but she also sleeps in a big girl bed. When did she grow up so fast from being my little baby girl?

This summer we have been very busy and I have been very bad about keeping up with everything both on my blog and with pictures. So here are the latest accomplishments in the Hayworth household.
About a month ago we switched Naomi from diapers to underwear at Naomi's request. We went with the all or nothing and no looking back method of potty training. Underwear went on and we didn't use diapers at all during the waking hours. She still uses a diaper when she sleeps, but I am OK with that. We did not stay home during this time, but kept our regular routine. I carried extra clothes with me and just changed her when she had an accident. I am glad to report she is daytime potty trained.
Tonight we finished Josiah's "Strider bike". Thanks Wammy for the idea. We took the pedals and chain off his old bike and dropped the seat way down so that he could practice balancing on the bike before we take his training wheels off his big bike. It has proved to be a little harder for him than we thought it would be, but I think he will catch on soon.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl.

On Friday June 26th Naomi will be 2 years old. Where does the time go. She was just 8 months old when she came home and now she is a 2 year old. She is definitely not a baby anymore. She is so wanting to be big like her brother. She wants to do everything that he does. In the last few months she has gone from using almost exclusively sign language to talking in full sentences. We can;t always understand her, but we are learning what her words sound like. She is still in speech therapy working on her articulation and sequencing. Other big changes are she decided she doesn't like diapers anymore and pretty much asked to wear big girl panties. She is doing very well with it considering she is just now 2. She is not completely potty trained, but we are so far down that road now there is no turning back.
Greg and I are going to be out of town this weekend so we celebrated her birthday last Saturday. She loved opening her gifts. She enjoys playing with her Mrs Potato Head and she loves her new chair. Her Thumbalina dress up outfit - not so much! We spent the day with family and had great fun swimming and eating. The cake was especially good.