Busy Busy Busy

WOW, We’ve had a busy few days!  I’ve put so many more miles on my oldy, moldy van that I’m surprised it’s holding up! 

Thursday Laila and I travelled down to Indy to pick up her new stander.  It’s a very neat new piece of equipment that I think she’s really gonna like!  We’re waiting on PT to come and tell us more about it but for now I know how to put her in it and if we can get the right toys in front of her she really seems to enjoy being upright.  Check it out!

We’ve had a few visits with some fun people.  Here’s one with the Petersons.  We’ve seen them a lot but this is the first time we grabbed the camera.   We swam with them in their pool when they were home (how nice are they for letting us swim when they’re not home?!?!)

And Laila got to meet her cousins on my side and Uncle Chad!  (Aunt April met her over memorial).

Friday night we packed up and went to the lake for the weekend.  I forgot how much more stuff you have to pack when you have a baby!  Even with taking one of the seats out we still weren’t able to bring her wheelchair because we were packed to the limit!

Saturday was a big day because for the first time I left Laila with Grandma Kathy to babysit.  My mom is not big on heat and neither is Laila so the two of them stayed back at the house in the nice air conditioning while the rest of us went out on the boat all day.  Grandma did a great job taking care of her.  She even kept a little log for me of the things she did with her, when she had her medicine, what she played with and when she took a nap!  I think maybe we should hire grandma to be the new nurse!!

Amanda & Stephen came down to hang out at the lake too so we had a great time enjoying the sun and having some fun.

Jackson Tubing

Amanda & Stephen Tubing (it took some convincing for Amanda!)

Emma tried her hand at skiing again this year.  She’s getting there!  Check her out!

Everyone catching some rays on the boat

We after all the playing we took a boat ride up the lake and saw the dam and then found a little cove to anchor and do some swimming.

We even got Jackson to jump off of the boat.  I know I mentioned it before but I am SOOO proud of him for the way he has come around to the water this summer!

Sunday morning when we got up everyone else was gone so we did our morning routine with Laila and we were off for our busiest day yet!  We had several things planned for the day but before we went we had already decided that when she’d had enough we were going to just head home and possibly skip whatever was left.  Well, she was a trooper for sure and we even added a trip out for pizza to the end of the day.

First we went to see our friends from Indy that were in town and introduced Laila to them.  We didn’t get a picture of them all together but here is Laila playing with her new friend Dylan.  They gave her this cute toy for a gift.  She really likes it!

Then we headed off to my dad’s family reunion.  We were worried that it would be too hot for her but there was a really nice breeze blowing and we also brought a fan.  She did really well visiting with everyone while she hung out in her wheelchair.

Emma was excited that the girls were wearing matching dresses again :)  These were the ones I got for them in Mexico so they were extra special :)

From the reunion we headed up to a pool party for our friend Matt at Camp LRCA.  Matt got done with his apprenticeship this past spring so we celebrated his big accomplishment.  We have found that Laila LOVES the water.  We’ve had her swimming a lot and she stays so happy (and cool) in the water.

I was excited to be able to swim in the pool at the camp because I’ve never been in it.  Emma goes to camp there every summer and I’ve always been jealous that she gets to play in this fun pool with a water slide!

There were several kids from church at the party and I just love how all of them have been gravitating to Laila.  They come and play with her and ask me questions about her.  They’re very curious about her tubes and wheelchair but then once I explain it to them they are like “Oh, OK!” and then just go on their way.  They are so accepting.  I love it!!  Here is Laila with her buddy Alex.  Alex’s mom had been talking to him about her for awhile and explained that God just made Laila’s legs a little different than his.  The first night he met her I saw him sneak over by her when no one was looking and feel her leg.  It was SO cute!  He was checking out what was different.  Dawn told me yesterday that Alex said “Laila can be my friend.”  AWW! 

Speaking of our friends the Purdys, when we were leaving the party they called to invite us out for pizza with them.  It had been a long day but we were hungry and everyone was still doing really well and since we had a pipe break in our house and we had no water….. we said yes!!  It was a great time.  I think all of our kids behaved the best they had in a restaurant and that was great for the long day we had.  Here’s Laila with the whole Purdy clan at the pizza place :)

Phew!!  I’m tired just from recapping all of that!  Well, I hear Laila waking up so on to another day we go.  Emma starts another session of swim lesson this morning and this time Jackson’s going too!  I’m excited for what this week will bring!

(just an update about the birth parents.  they didn’t show up last week.  this Wednesday is their last chance.  Please be praying for them.)