Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Happy Valentine's day from the Stansel's!  I love Valentine's day.  It has always been one of my favorite holidays, a day to show extra love to our family and friends.  Yes, love should be shown year round, but Valentine's day is a special day to celebrate LOVE.  My husband and children are the LOVE of my life!

I have to admit, I love all the cute Valentine's outfits for kids and I love dressing up my girls in them.  My girls have at least a weeks worth of Valentine attire.  I'm loving their outfits for this years Valentine's photo shoot.

Kayla, Haley and Rachel

Rachel

Haley

Kayla

Rachel

Haley

Kayla

Rachel

Haley

Kayla

Special Kids Day - Humble Livestock show

The Humble livestock show and Rodeo held a special kids day on February 7.  All kids with special needs were invited to see and touch the animals.  This was Rachel and Haley's second year to attend.  They had a good time and enjoyed touching/petting some of the animals. Kayla didn't want to go near the animals, but I did get her to touch a rabbit.  Fun experience despite the freezing cold weather!

Haley ready for the animals

Rachel

Haley petting a goat

Rachel checking out the cow

Haley touching the pig's nose

Rachel

Haley petting another goat

Rachel petting a pig

Kayla's not wanting to be near the animals

Kayla did enjoy sharing a donut with daddy

Rachel and Haley are 4 1/2 years old!

Rachel and Haley are 4 1/2 years old!  I know I have said this a million times, but they are growing up way too fast and I can't believe they will be 5 years in just 6 short months.  August will be here before we know it.  These girls are amazing and true miracles.  They have accomplished a lot during the years since they have come home from the NICU.  They do have disabilities, they do have challenges and it will have an affect on their life here on earth, but they are daughters of a merciful God who loves them.  They have accomplished more than thought.  They were sent here to teach me and boy do I have a lot to learn!  They remind me daily that we do have a Heavenly Father who loves us and know us.  I was given these girls to raise and at times it is challenging, but its our life despite the challenges and what matters is how we travel the journey.

Rachel and Haley

Haley:  
Stats at 4 1/2 year check up:
27 lbs, 6 oz (less than 5%)
35.2 inches (less than 5%)
BMI: 63%

Haley really is a sweet little girl.  She loves to be held and tends to go to anyone to be held.  She is small and petite for a 4 1/2 year old therefore its easy to hold her often.  She can still wear some 24 month clothes though she mostly wears 2T and some 3T!  Seriously her and Kayla are almost at the same size clothing.  Haley is making some progress with eating.  She is very picky, but its due to her lack of vision.  She can't see her food well and therefore is afraid of most foods.  We are doing our best at getting her to try new foods and she has finally branched out to some new foods.  She loves McDonald's french fries so we tried a cheese burger with her and she likes it.  She will sometimes eat 3/4 of a McDonald's cheese burger.  Haley must be going through a growth spurt right now because all she wants to do is eat, but what she wants to eat is snack/junk foods.  These foods to her are safe and familiar.  We pretty much let her eat as much food (not all junk foods) as she wants to help her with her growth though I don't know where it's all going.  Haley is making some progress with other life skills and over time she will get the hang of them.  Like I said with her before she is slow to make progress, but I'm grateful she is still making progress.  She is still not saying any words, but we have heard her make sounds that almost sound like words.  We continually hope and pray she will talk someday.  She has her way of communicating and we know what it is she wants.  She does sign "more" and "done".  So thankful she has picked up on some sign language.  Potty training is still a work in progress.  It will take her some time to learn the potty.  I have heard it takes kids much longer to learn it who have cerebral palsy. Again with time, she will get it.  Haley is such a good sleeper.  She goes to bed well and stays asleep all night.  She is an early riser though.  She is the only one that likes to get up early.  The rest of us like to sleep in late.  Haley loves school and her teachers!  I am so grateful for the school and the teachers that Haley and Rachel have.  They are amazing!  As for Haley's vision.  There are no changes.  She is able to see some.  It always amazes me how she has learned to use the small vision she has.  Haley has such a sweet spirit about her.  She is a special little girl!  

     

Rachel:
Stats at 4 1/2 year check up:
36 lbs, 2 oz (43%)
40.7 inches (44%)
BMI: 54%

Rachel is so active!  This girl is stubborn and strong willed at times, but she is a sweetie!  She is a daddy's girl!  Her and daddy play on the iPad often.  She loves the iPad and is learning to use it better.  Rachel is very observant and looks at things in detail.  Since she couldn't hear for so long, she has developed a keen eye.  Rachel is getting tall and is growing so much.  She is average size for a 4 1/2 year old and wears 4T and some 5T clothes.  As for Rachel's progress with eating well we are still having to use the feeding tube 100%.  She wants and likes to put foods in her mouth, but she just has yet to learn how to swallow the food.  Sometimes she will swallow a very small amount of food and sometimes it gags her too.  She will learn how to swallow.  It will just take more time and therapy.  Rachel continues speech therapy and is making progress with her cochlear implant.  She is making new sounds which we are so happy to hear!  She is hearing.  The cochlear implant works.  Rachel is just learning how to understand and use what she is hearing.  Rachel will sometimes try to repeat a sound the best she can while she does therapy at the center for hearing and speech.  More therapy and she will talk.  Not sure when, but I know she will talk.  Her speech therapist is still helping her learn sign language and she is doing well at communicating with the sign language she knows.  Rachel is making progress with some fine motor tasks.  She sits with her occupational therapist and can match pictures to the correct matching picture for a good amount of time.  This is good seeing Rachel has a hard time sitting still and paying good attention.  She also loves school and enjoys the fun structured routine they have going.  Rachel does well at getting dressed.  She can't do it all by herself, but she can get a t-shirt on well by herself.  She likes to play with the dress up clothes and most of the time she gets them on correctly.  Rachel is not potty trained yet either.  Still working on it.  Rachel also likes attention from people and will lift her arms up to be picked up, but she is much heavier than Haley so its harder to hold her for very long.  Getting Rachel to bed has been a challenge lately.  She has learned how to get out of her bed so we moved her bedtime back about 30 minutes to an hour and she is now going to bed better.  She has to be real tired to stay in bed.  Rachel can wear us out since she likes to get into things constantly and she is tall enough to reach a lot of things.  We have to keep an eye on her a lot.  She is a fun loving girl and has a way of keeping us on our toes.  She has a lot of spunk!  That's Rachel!

   

The pictures below are of Rachel trying to hold Haley's hand.  They are too cute and these two sisters are forever friends.  Haley likes to be near Rachel.  They are inseparable.  Love these girls!

              

Night out with the Houston Rockets

We had a night out at the Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs basketball game on January 28 at the Houston Toyota Center.  This might be an almost annual thing for us.  We last saw the Rockets vs. Spurs game in December 2012.  Thomas loves basketball and is a big fan of the San Antonio Spurs.  His favorite player is Tim Duncan (#21).

This time around, we were able to go court level during pre-game and I had a media pass which allowed me to take pictures with my camera and 75-300 mm lens which is typically not allowed in the Toyota center.  I was able to get some great pictures before and during the game.  After the game, Thomas and I had the opportunity to shoot some free throws.  We each got to shoot twice.  I of course missed both times, but Thomas made one of the shots.  Good times and an awesome time out together!

Me with my media pass on the court pre-game

Thomas and I pre-game

Clutch the Rockets mascot

Thomas and I post game

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary.  Seven years ago we were sealed in the Houston Texas temple for time and all eternity.  It was a wonderful day, a day I thought would never happen.  I was 30 years old when I finally got married.  I really didn't think I would ever find my true love, but I did and I'm so happy we are celebrating our 7th year of marriage together.
In the past 7 years there have been challenges and trials, but there has been happiness and joy as well.  Thomas and I have grown stronger through the hard times.  I couldn't have gotten through the tough times without him.
Happy Anniversary Thomas!  I love you!

Kayla's 2 year old Update and Pictures

Kayla turned 2 on December 9th so this post is late due to Christmas, family visiting and New Years.  Also I finally finished editing her 2 year old pictures.

Kayla at 2 (December 9) weighed 24 lbs, 2 oz (17%) and was 31.75" (7%).  Her BMI was 16.8 (61%).  Her 2 year check up at the doctor's was great beside the fact she had to get one shot and was scared of her doctor.

Kayla has grown and recently gained so much developmental progress.  Kayla is an active girl and is always on the move.  She is an outgoing little girl as well.  She goes up to other little kids and adults easily and really enjoys playing with other kids.  She also enjoys her nursery class at church.

Kayla is a very loving little girl.  She gives us hugs and kisses freely.  I have to say that melts my heart every time.  She just makes everyone around her smile.  Her fun, loving personality just radiates to everyone around her.  She loves to be tickled.  Her laugh is just too cute!

Kayla is very curious, alert and aware.  She likes to see what is going on around her.  She pays attention and learns quick.  For example when a therapist is working with Rachel or Haley, Kayla watches and usually picks up on what they are doing.  Kayla likes to be included in the therapy Rachel and Haley gets.

Kayla is talking more and more.  She is saying so many new things and is saying 3 to 4 word sentences.  I love it when she says "I love you mama".  She also says "thank you mama" when I give her something.  Her talking is just so cute!  She makes me smile and laugh at the things she says.

Kayla loves to eat, but she can be picky.  Of course, she prefers junk foods and doesn't like vegetables at all.  She likes some fruits, but I have noticed recently her decreasing her like of them.  She has never liked bananas.  I'm not sure why.  Most kids love bananas.  She really likes pickles, cheese, yogurt and hot dogs (cut up of course).  She loves her snack times and signs/says "eat" when she is wanting food.

Kayla is not potty trained yet.  We are still sort of working on that.  She has shown a small amount of interest, but I don't want to push her if she is not really ready.  I talk to her about it as well as read books to her about it, but she doesn't really want to sit on the potty consistently.  I will keep working on that with her.  With time it will happen.  Still can't believe she is already 2 and that potty training will happen sooner than later.

Kayla is definitely a typical 2 year old.  She has the typical temper tantrums when she can't get something or get her way.  She loves to run from me when I need to change her diaper or get her dressed.  She says "No mama" often.  She definitely tests the rules.  She hates to go down for naps and for bedtime at night.

Kayla can be very helpful.  She will help me pick up her toys and she likes to sing the clean up song when we do it.  She will put things away even sometimes without me asking.  I love this and I hope she will always be a good helper around the house.

Kayla is a mommy's girl!  I love the mother and daughter bond we have.  She and her sisters are my everything!  I love my girls!  I really love it when I walk in the door after getting out for a little while and Kayla happily greets me with a big hug.  I just love it!

Again I express my gratitude for all my girls!  I am so blessed to have each of them and they bring such joy to Thomas and I.  Together we are a forever family!  Nothing is greater than that!

Stay tuned for Rachel and Haley's 4 1/2 year old update early February.  They are growing up so quick!