Sunday, November 28, 2010

Lewandowski Tailgate

My side of the family came down and spent Friday with us- which was so much fun! My older brother lives in Utah and my younger brother lives in Kansas...so getting all together is wonderful!

Here are the three eldest grandchildren... Notice the guilty looks and slingshot!?

Pucca and her 'friend'

These three spent two hours digging for worms in the gardens- thank goodness for the beautiful weather!

My grandparents!

All of the grandkids minus the littlest one...he was done with all the picture taking

Both my brothers and their families, my family, my grandparents and my mom

AND the newest addition to our family....my nephew, Stanley! Isn't he cute!!!!!




Sunday, November 21, 2010

Kelly-pa-looza!

We had our Kelly family Thanksgiving/cousin get-together this weekend at Davey. It was really alot of fun!

Here's a quick recap!





Playing Uno with gma Kelly!

The "twins"...Pucca and her second cousin kept family confused...from the back they look identical...same haircut.
Trying to get some family photos...and avoiding deer poo at the same time!

cousins and second cousins chillin in the hay

Oooops! This is an attempt to get the whole Kelly clan on the stairs, but accidentally blocked my flash- thanks Luke for the heads up!


Much better!


It was a great weekend...would have loved a Husker win, but we're looking towards the Colorado game and trying to put that horrid display of playing, coaching and reffing behind us! Sheeesh!

Love you Kelly Clan!


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Reflection on recent Mayo Visit



Pucca went back to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to visit the uber talented neurosurgeons that helped her to regain use of her right arm. Pucca was injured during birth- her injuries resulted in a condition known as Erb's Palsey.

She had surgery at 3 months of age. And since then we have been going back to Rochester to check in and make sure her progress and development are on track.

Before this visit I was a bit apprehensive and had several specific questions regarding her present condition and shoulder usage. All the answers we received were great and positive. She's a super star! Some of the best surgical results they've ever seen on Erb's Palsey patients. One doctor even called her a miracle...which is pretty impressive coming from a science-fact based neurologist. She can climb trees, go across the monkey bars and even do pull ups. She was flipping over the trapeeze bar on the swing set when she was two. She crawled at the normal age. If you didn't know she had Erb's Palsey- you would NEVER know there was anything wrong with her.

Which makes how I'm feeling, conflicted, all the more upsetting. I should be happy she's done so well. That we were blessed with such talented doctors and that she healed so well. But I can't help feeling frustrated that they can't make her perfect. Which is very selfish- I know that. But she wasn't just born this way...someone made her this way. And when she comes home upset because she can't jump rope like her friends or when the swim teacher flunks her because she doesn't do the swim strokes correctly...well I sometimes just want to scream! Its definitely harder on me than on her...she doesn't know she can't do things. She's been this way for as long as she can remember.

Her right shoulder has become distended (her shoulder blade sticks out abnormally far in is rotated up because of weak muscles) and one shoulder is visibly shorter that the other. Both things will become less notable as she grows, matures and puts on a little more weight. The orthopedic dr wasn't concerned with her shoulder and said it look perfect. And when I should have been over the moon thrilled with her prognosis...I was actually upset that they didn't say - oh that's an easy fix...surgery or physical therapy or stretches...or just anything to have us work on to help her.

I'm a horrible person. I should be overjoyed and thanking my lucky stars...and I do! I DO! But I also wish I could do more. And maybe that's it. Maybe in some remote way I feel responsible for Pucca and her condition. If I would have insisted on a c-section, or did more during the delivery to facilitate a less stressful birth, or if I had been born with good baby bearing hips. UGHHHHH....

A boringly serious post...but one I want in writing. I write how I feel...and this is how I feel.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Choir


Kwynnie had her mid-semester choir concert...and somehow amidst all the chaos and craziness that has enveloped our lives...I was able to attend! A freakin miracle, really!

I was so excited that I brought our little flip to immortalize the event!

Battery charged- check!

Empty memory card- check!

BUMMER! I didn't consider that a gi-gantor 7 foot bald man would sit 2 rows in front of me. So after the first song- I moved to the only empty seat left. LOVELY- chronic cougher lady was sitting right behind me...you know that loud-hacking-want to pass them a hanky for all the phlegm they must be spitting up- kind of cougher!? Ya...she was sitting right behind me!

And as if that wasn't bad enough...gi-gantor's son was standing in front of Kwynnie.

See...


Kwynnie is in a yellow shirt right behind the boy in dark jeans, glasses and tshirt in the middle. If you can't find her- uh ya...like I said "gigantor"

It was a great concert! They even sang Green Day...complete with guitar solo and bass!



In the end- I think Kwynnie was glad I couldn't actually get her on tape singing, but still managed to tape the concert. A happy medium!

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

rantings of a diva


All three girls had their semi-annual teeth cleaning and check-up yesterday.

Pucca comes out of the office into the waiting room with a scowl on her face... the dentist following behind. She raises her left hand and points at me, saying "It's all your fault mom! Who schedules a dentist appointment the day after Halloween!?"

YEP, she has a cavity and its my fault.

Gotta love how little kids rationalize things!