Cochlear Implant surgery rescheduled

Today August 29 was suppose to be the big day for Rachel's cochlear implant surgery, BUT she has an ear infection in both ears.  I'm so bummed about this happening.  Rachel has not had an ear infection since May and then all of a sudden her ears get infected right before the cochlear implant surgery.  Such bad timing, but the GOOD news is that her doctor was able to get her scheduled for surgery on September 5th!!  That is just a week away.  So we don't have to wait too much longer.  Yay!!!

Haley & Rachel's 1st Day of Preschool

Haley and Rachel started a new year of the preschool program for children with disabilities (PPCD) today.  This is their 2nd year to be in PPCD.  I can't believe how fast they have grown and that this time next year they will be in Kindergarten!  As for this school year, they are in a great preschool program.  They are both attending the same school as last year (Lakeshore Elementary) and have the same wonderful teacher.  The girls and I love her!  This will be a great school year!

Haley, Kayla and Rachel

Girls getting on the bus

Kemah Boardwalk Adventure

On August 10, we and the girls went with a church friend to Kemah Boardwalk.  Kemah Boardwalk is 20 miles from downtown Houston and is home to lots of waterfront restaurants and amusement rides.  This is where Thomas and I had our first official date back in August 2006.  So the Boardwalk has lots of memories for us.  We have been here with the girls before, but this was the first time the girls rode several carnival rides.  Haley liked the rides, but Rachel and Kayla were a little more scared.  They had fun nonetheless.  Good times for all!

I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted of my girls riding the rides since I rode along with them on the rides.  Here are some of the pictures I did get.  

Daddy riding along with Haley in the jungle bouncer.  She LOVED it!

Thomas on the Drop zone ride.  He was nervous on this one. 

Riding the train - Rachel and daddy pictured 

Thomas feeding a stingray at the stingray exhibit

Kayla upset with the Gorilla behind us.  Of course it wasn't real, but it did sound real.

Rachel & Haley 4 yr old pictures & stats

I took and edited some additional pictures of Rachel and Haley in their birthday outfits.  I did these pictures in the same birthday outfits because I was finally able to locate a blue/turquoise wall background.  My original idea was a blue/turquoise background versus a white background, but I found this location after their birthday occurred.  Its never too late for more birthday pictures.

Also Rachel and Haley had their 4 year old check up and immunizations on August 14.

Rachel's stats:                                  Haley's stats:
34 lbs, 12 oz (49% ile)                  25 lbs, 6 oz (0% ile)
3 ft, 3.75 in (51% ile)                    2 ft, 10 in (0% ile)
BMI is 55% ile                                 BMI is 54% ile

Rachel is appropriate size for a 4 year old.  Haley is still below the lowest part on the growth curve for weight and height, but overall she is proportional.  Haley is my little petite cutie.

Haley & Rachel

Rachel making a funny face.   That's Rachel!

Haley & Rachel

Haley

Rachel

Haley & Rachel.  Love the backs of their shorts

Haley & Rachel

Kayla is 20 Months

Kayla turned 20 months on August 9th!  She is growing up so fast!  She is such a blessing to our family!

On August 9th, Kayla weighed 22 lb, 9 oz.  She gained over a pound the past month.  She loves to eat and especially loves to snack.  She loves fruit - her favorite is mandarin oranges.  Kayla is progressing with using a spoon and fork.  She gets so excited when she gets to use her spoon or fork.  She fed herself yogurt with a spoon all by herself on August 7th.

Kayla's language and communication continues to progress.  She is expanding her vocabulary as well as her sign language.  She picks up sign language well.  She sees the speech therapists working with Rachel and Haley and learns it as they are teaching it.  I'm also learning sign language and therefore practice by using it with Kayla as well as Rachel and Haley.

Kayla is a spunky girl!  She has a very outgoing personality and loves to have fun!  She makes everyone laugh.  Kayla is a wonderful sister to her big sisters.  Kayla knows her sisters and stays near them.  She loves them and she enjoys interacting with them.  Kayla is a sweet little girl.

Slowly but surely we are moving in the direction of potty training.  She recognizes after she has gone in her diaper so that is a start.  I read a book to her about the potty and sometimes she wants to sit on it.  She has yet to "go" on the potty, but it will happen one day.

Kayla is starting to enjoy cartoons.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse catches her attention the most, though she won't sit and watch the whole cartoon.  She is a mover and a shaker.  She is always on the go, go, go!

Getting Kayla to bed has gotten more challenging.  She knows her bedtime routine, but is getting more resistant to go along with it.  She says "NO" a lot these days.  She likes to stay up past her bedtime to be with mommy and daddy to play.  She is learning how to stall going to bed and how to be a drama queen about it.  Sometimes I feel I have a 2 year old already!!   Despite the typical toddler behavior she exhibits, we love her so very much and know she was sent to our family for so many reasons.  She is just perfect for us and her big sisters!

Sky Lobby Adventure

Back on July 24, we took the girls to check out the observation floor (sky lobby) on the 60th floor of the JP Morgan Chase building in downtown Houston.  The JP Morgan Chase building is the tallest building in Houston as well as the tallest in Texas.  It's 75 stories tall.  It's also the 13th tallest building in the United States.  The views from the 60th floor were amazing!  We could see so much of Houston from up there.  The girls enjoyed looking out the windows as well as running around the lobby area.

View from the ground looking up at the JP Morgan Chase building

 

Haley & Rachel

Haley checking out the view

Rachel

Kayla

Kayla

Part of Downtown Houston

View from the sky lobby

Highways leading to and from downtown

Rachel & Haley's Birthday Party

We had a small birthday party for Rachel and Haley.  Their birthday party theme this year was cupcakes and polka dots.  Their birthday outfits inspired the theme.  Rachel loved her birthday cupcake.  She enjoyed smearing the icing all over her.  Yes she required a bath after the fun she had with her cupcake.  Haley was not interested in her birthday cupcake.  She didn't even want to taste it.  All in all they had a great time!

  

Daddy with the birthday girls

Haley and I

Rachel playing with the icing from her cupcake

Kayla loved her cupcake

Rachel opening a gift

Haley checking out the gifts

Happy 4th Birthday Rachel & Haley!!!

Rachel and Haley are 4 years old!  Happy Birthday Girls!!!  These girls have come a long way the past 4 years.  They have worked hard to get where they are now.  They are active, strong willed, loving and true miracles!  We are blessed!

Below are some of Rachel and Haley's 4 year old pictures.  I am going to attempt to take more.  Birthday party pictures coming soon...

Rachel & Haley

Rachel

Haley

Rachel & Haley