Category Archives: Daniel

observing the busy nineties

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Mom, what were the 90′s like?

Well, I started working as an RN in the NICU in 1990. Your sister, Hollie, started school in the 90′s. Zoë was born in 1992, then Abby was born in 1993 and they also started school in the 90′s. And then Jodie was born in 1996.

WOW! Woman, you were busy!!

(laughing) Yeah, I guess I was a little bit busy in the 90′s.

Yes, he did refer to me as “woman”. Who is this child, this beautiful boy with the dilated pupils from his annual visit with his opthamologiist? Perhaps it’s the influence of the eye drops?

Oh son! My beautiful, wonderful son…what an adventure your preteens are becoming; an adventure with the promise of lots of questions and lots of thought and lots of laughter.

And to think I was a busy woman back in the busy nineties!

Oh, and who said boys were easier? Who?

overheard under the Big Top #616

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Just another day running errands with my favorite 11 year old boy last week including a stop at Target. Yes, it seems that I am there a lot. Perhaps that is why the Target lady is a little too familiar with me. While there, I ask Daniel if he has thought about anything he might like to give to his Dad for Father’s Day.

Well, there is this trophy I saw the last time we were here…I know it’s probably real expensive but I really think my Dad should have it.

Yeah, we HAD to buy it.

I have to say that he is indeed the best Dad, the best dad that I know. My kids and grandbabies are so lucky.

noodle magic

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One thing that I have definitely learned living on preemie time with Daniel is to sometimes step away…let others step in…let him figure out…just trust.

Daniel still does not know how to swim. Being the person who (barely) learned how to swim in her Senior year because one HAD to swim the width of the pool in order to pass PE, I resolved as a mother that my kids would know how to swim…dammit! Mom is not water safe so my kids better be. Who else will save me if I were to get in the water.

Right?!

And so my girls learned. And they swim. They swim well….if they choose to. Daniel, on the other hand still can not even put his face in the water.

SIGH!

Sensory Processing Dysfunction Problems.

I can’t explain it in a way that “normal” folks can understand. Yes, we tried this…we tried that too…OMG, we did nothing but that thing all the time…and that, that was a major FAIL! In other words, the advice, well, unless you are living it, you don’t get it because if you were living it you would likely NOT offer advice.

Just saying.

Meanwhile, while Daniel does not know how to swim, he is at least water safe around a pool under our watchful eyes. He knows his limits and he would be the last kid to push those boundaries because…

put his face in the water?!

Are you freaking kidding me??!!

No.

Around a pool, I trust him, as we watch him.

While swimming this weekend with his cousin, whom he adores, my sister in law noticed Daniel’s cautiousness in the pool. He and Kaya are just a year apart in age so it is hard not to notice the difference between the two in the pool. One is a confident fish in the water and the other hangs out in the 3 foot side of the pool and rather than dive for objects picks then up with his feet. He has some mad skills but still, he is a landlubber, definitely.

Then Teri got in the pool with him with a noodle.

What mom can not do, what dad can not do, even what privately hired swim instructors could not do, Auntie Teri does.

Daniel can float around in the pool with a noodle!!! True, it is in 3-4 feet of water, but he is floating!

It’s like it is magic this noodle that makes one float like this!!!

Absolutely, positively, totally magic all in one a styrofoam noodle.

Magic!

Dudes, we are thismuchcloser to someday Daniel putting his face in the water. Such is life living on preemie time.

because he can, breaking boards for good

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Remember six months ago when Daniel traded in that green, black striped belt for a blue belt? What an amazing day it was as we realized that it was just three years before that he had his very first tae kwon do class and learned how to break a board with his foot. I still marvel over what he has done with tae kwon do discovering his own strength, focus and determination. Whether he has ever realized it or not, these traits have always been a part of who he is ever since he was a one pound baby fighting for his life. The most willful, or feisty of micropreemies are not only the ones who drive their NICU caregivers to crazy exhaustion, but are the ones who survive AND thrive. I’ll let you in on a little secret; they are also NICU caregivers’ most favorite patients. Yes, watching Daniel practice tae kwon do I am reminded of the fact that he is part of a small community of the strongest humans on the planet. How lucky he is to put on that uniform and tie that blue belt around his waist.

With that thought in mind, Daniel and members of his martial arts studio have signed on to Martial Arts for St. Jude to break as many boards as possible next Saturday all to benefit the incredible work done at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. How could an amazing kid like Daniel not want to help out amazing, strong and brave kids just like himself?

Exactly.

Oh, and he gets to break boards. It’s always fun to yell real loud as you kick a board with your bare foot and break it.

Seriously.

Daniel’s goal is to raise $251, one dollar more than what he must raise to receive a silver medal. Why not go for the $500 to get the gold medal, I wonder. Well, he likes the silver.

Okay then.

If you can, won’t you help Daniel reach his goal? Your tax-deductible donation helps to ensure that families who seek treatment for their children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital never pay for anything as well as help fund lifesaving research that benefit not only patients at St. Jude’s but also pediatric cancer patients everywhere.

As fans of Daniel you all have always been so generous whether it be for the March of Dimes through TeamDaniel or just to help a kid out with his jog-a-thon so his special ed class can win the school ice cream party. That’s one of the many reasons why we love you all…because you care, you really care for this amazing little man of ours. So if you can…no amount ever too small…help Daniel reach his $251 fundraising goal…for the patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital…for the silver medal Daniel wants to earn…for all the boards he is planning to break..

Thank you!

ready to cash in

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I never really said anything about my Mother’s Day this year, have I? For what it’s worth, it was uneventful with no drama, no trauma and lots of sleep because I worked the night before. So although I would have loved the epic Mother’s Day breakfast in bed, I much preferred the sleep. Still there is the breakfast in bed and all the awesomeness that it brings when your kids (and husband) are presenting you with breakfast…

a rare treat in the busy life of a mother…

in bed…

for a mother?

Honey, please! Ain’t no mommy got time for that!

But I did have time for five uninterrupted hours of daytime sleep and lots of pampering and delicious food and bling and The Great Gatsby and wine and….

Oh my heart!

Can there be anything more precious or sweet or that warms your heart?

No.

Absolutely not.

And it comes with coupons!!!

This awesome! No, really. School’s out for summer. The boy has nothing but time on his hands. Oh yeah I am so cashing in these coupons this summer.

Especially this one.


His hugs are awesome!