Now we are three...

It's hard to believe, but three years ago Mitchell & Harrison were almost two weeks old and were struggling to survive. Every day I would drive the 45mins to visit them in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and would pray that I wouldn't be greeted by more bad news. Each day seemed to bring more challenges as the boys faced surgeries, procedures and infections. BUT somehow they finally came home - due in part to the wonderful caring medical and nursing staff at the hospital and also (I believe) due to sheer luck. Each birthday I always find myself transported back to those early months when we didn't know what the future held. I relive those memories and spill tears for all that our precious baby boys endured. I also cry for the lost dreams and for what may have been. It may sound terribly indulgent, but there is a part of me that still grieves for the loss of my pregnancy at such and early stage, that I never got to enjoy those last months of nesting and preparing the nursery and mostly, that Kev never got to feel his baby boys kicking...

And then I look at how far we have come. How these tiny little babies are now young boys with minds of their own, who know what they want to do (even when Mummy tries to convince them otherwise) and who are making friends. I am so grateful for the boys' social skills - that they are loving and caring and that they are confident and chatty (even if Mummy is not always sure what they are saying). Mitch who loves duplo, cuddles and his special sheet. Harry who has a great sense of humour, loves puzzles and drawing. These precious little boys who give so much love and only want a cuddle or someone to read them a book. I am in awe of their strength and their determination...

I don't know what I did to deserve such unconditional love - but I will be forever grateful for this precious gift...

I love you Mitchell Steven & Harrison Adam,

Mummy

On the road to recovery...

I just had to share this cute photo of Harry. He has recently become obsessed with wearing sunglasses everywhere...including the bath. So this morning he was adamant he wanted to wear his glasses in "the bubbles". As you can see he is well on the road to recovery, although at this stage we are still steering clear of playgroup and childcare until both boys are cleared by the doctor. We have had 2 1/2 weeks of virtual isolation, but somehow we have survived (grin). All of a sudden my baby boys are really growing up - they love having their little boxes of toys in the loungeroom and then they pack them up before heading off to bed. Harry is a much more willing participant in tidying up - Mitch requires constant encouragement. Harry is so funny he now praises himself - I will find him packing up a puzzle saying to himself "good boy Harry. Well done". This is such a fun stage - the boys want to communicate and are very sociable.

It is now less than 2 weeks until the boys' birthday - hard to believe they will be three years old. We are hoping that they will be medically cleared so their party can go ahead. But regardless we are sure they will have an absolute ball...

Hoping everyone is coping with the cold and wet...
Hugs,
Lisa

The Plague strikes again...

Don't you just love the diseases a toddler (or two) can bring into the household? Our family is currently in the grip of a salmonella outbreak! We are uncertain of the original source of the infection, but the consequences are being felt (and I mean truly felt) thoughout our family. Poor Harry was the first to be struck down and ended up in hospital with Mummy for 2 days on a drip. Then just as he started to improve, Mitch became ill. And then as luck would have it, just as both boys started to feel happier and more energetic...I got it. And I am not a good patient. I can't stand staying in bed if I can things going on and I have a insatiable desire to be in control from my "deathbed". So poor Kev has been home today, trying to placate the three of us.

Hoping that these things don't spread by the internet (grin)
Lisa

Scrapping up a storm...

Thought I would share some of my latest layouts. I was lucky enough to get the July scrap pack from Shelley at Scrapbooking 4 Less . It has been lots of fun looking through some of my old photos of the boys and creating my layouts...

Other than that life is great in the Reid household. The boys are happy and enjoying life - although battling more than their fair share of coughs and sniffles. Kev is enjoying work and getting an occasional strategy game. And I am still scrapping and loving being a stay at home mum. All of this contentment is in sharp contrast to this time last year when my dear Mum died. The past year has flown by, but I miss her more and more each day. Even now I think "I should ring Mum" and then the reality hits me. One thing that provides me with a great deal of comfort is the happy memories of the times we spent together. I just hope I can provide my boys with the same kind of precious memories...

Sending lots of love to my family and friends,

Hugs,

Lisa

A precious gift...

Today has been a very long day for our family - I have a nasty tummy bug, Mitch has conjunctivitis (again) and we are trying to potty train two very stubborn little boys. Poor Kev has spent the day at home with us and I am sure he is counting the minutes until he can get back to work. In amidst all of this chaos - I have had time to think about how lucky we are as a family. Yes! Lucky! Because despite our various minor ailments and the fact that the boys have hidden the puzzle pieces in the wood box for the hundredth time - our lives are happy.

This leads me to the reason for today's post. A short time ago I read online about a precious little boy Kaleb Schwade who was a normal happy little 5 month old when his Mummy dropped him off to childcare. And then he was allegedly shaken so severely by his carer that he sustained a major brain injury that has left him blind and fighting for his life. The doctors (from what I understand) hold little hope that he will have any quality of life and believe he will remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. And his parents are desperately praying for a miracle. And while the situations are vastly different - I can truly empathise with the parent's overwhelming grief at this time. For we experienced many months of wondering, wishing and hoping with Mitch & Harry.

This Kaleb's Mummy's blog - if you have time drop by and maybe leave a message of support.

So today, even though I feel crappy and the boys are driving Kev and I slowly round the twist. I will pause for a moment and think of another mother who would give anything to be thinking about potty training and common colds...

Hugs,

Lisa

Grandparents...

Mitch & Harry love their Nana & Grandpa in Queensland so much! Each day is punctuated with discussions about them - and Harry often asks to go in the car to see Nana and Grandpa. I often wondered how well the boys would remember their grandparents - especially because we only get to see them once a year. BUT the boys obviously remember their recent holiday to Queensland and when they watch the TV and see the beach they tell me "Nana & Grandpa at beach".

And then there is Grandad. He visits every week and the boys love listening to him read their favourite stories. Grandad rides bikes and so when I mention visiting Grandad both boys start talking about bikes. Grandad has a great cubby house and swing set at his house - much more exciting than at home.

Aren't my boys so lucky to have loving grandparents who factor so strongly in their lives...

Hoping that you have someone who makes you feel safe, secure and loved,
Hugs,
Lisa

My weekend away and other things...

It has been ages since I last updated my blog - a fact that my dear friend Kate reminded me of today. I met Kate when I was working in ED in a place far, far away! There was something about Kate that I liked immediately - although she later confessed she was a little bit stunned to meet me. You see readers, I haven't always been the well balanced individual you see before you (grin). In those dark, distant days I was a Registered Nurse who took life a bit too seriously...

Then with the birth of my dear boys I had an epiphany (great word isn't it!) and came to realise that life is far too short too spend it worrying about everyone and everything. That the most important thing in my life was to love my family and friends and leave the rest to the cosmos. Now this works well in theory, but now and then I still need a reality check. Sometimes I still get caught up in trying to do too much to the detriment of my dear boys. I mean the housework never ends does it? So why obsess about it when I have two little boys asking to do "puzzles Mummy". Anyway today I was doing my usual afternoon clean up and both boys grabbed me by the hand and asked to do the "Wiggles puzzle" - so off the three of us went into the lounge room and for the next hour we did puzzles, cuddled and played. Maybe I need more of those kind of moments, when I stop worrying about the chores and just enjoy being a Mummy...

Harry in particular has been quite clingy over the past week as I had a weekend away last weekend. A whole weekend of scrapping and adult conversation. It was utter bliss. I sat with my friends Freya and Mandy and we ate chocolate, scrapped and generally caught up on each other's lives. We stayed at the Old Mill in Hahndorf in a self-contained cabin. It was lovely - but SO cold. Each morning the grass was frozen and so were the cars. But we rugged up and kept scrapping. The best bit was arriving home and having two little boys and one big boy waiting with open arms...

My last bit of news is that a photo posted on the boys' website has been used by the Boston Medical Center NICU in their latest brochure. A few months ago I was contacted by email to ask for permission to use the image and I agreed. As I looked at the image of my hand holding a tiny foot I realised just how far we have come...

Sending lots of love to all our family and friends,
Lisa

Our new beanies...

Don't you just love these beanies! The boys' Nana & Grandpa brought them back from New Zealand and from that moment the boys have insisted on wearing them (even to bed).

Just had to share,
Hugs,
Lisa

Growing up and other challenges...

I have been looking through some recent photos taken of the boys - like these ones of Mitch in March - and I have been amazed at how quickly the time has flown by. I remember hearing from many mothers that their children were grown up and out of their home in the blink of an eye and now I see my boys growing up so very fast. As they are growing up they are also developing more and more of their own distinct personalities.

I'll give you an example -
this morning after his bath Harry refused to wear his red jumper no matter how many times I told his it was the same colour as Murray and insisted on wearing his Bob the Builder Jacket...

Then Mitch became upset when I took his socks of because he wanted to wear them in the bath!

Where have those compliant little boys gone? They are long gone and in their place are two very different, but somehow very similar boys who have opinions and aren't afraid to voice them (hmmm.... who do they sound like?). I have said since the moment the boys came home that I have loved each phase of their development , but this new phase is so exciting. Both boys want to communicate so much - and although sometimes I don't understand every word, I still see their brains developing as they learn more about the world.

Another issue I have been pondering - since a recent post on Austprem - is how to deal with prejudice or misunderstanding from others when it comes to my boys. You see everyone that knows my boys and their story are full of praise for how far they have come and what happy little guys they are despite such a rocky start to life. BUT I already have had comments from other people regarding their small size and appearance - most of these comments are kind, but some are downright offensive. So as a Mum how do I deal with this problem? And how do I prepare the boys for questions which might arise later on in life?

All things to ponder as we enter the Queen's Birthday Long Weekend, which is not on her birthday, but is a lovely excuse for a long weekend.

Hugs,
Lisa

Such a special bond...

I just had to share my latest layout...
Yes! It is the photo from my previous blog entry. I must admit it is one of my favourite photos and I have made sure both boys have a copy in their own albums. My labour of love at the moment is creating albums for Mitch & Harry. They obviously share a lot of the same photos, but they are different. I made the mistake of getting carried away and getting all of Harry's photos up to date and then realised (belatedly) that of course I would have to repeat the entire process again for Mitchell. Kev did suggest I could just write in Mitch's album "see Harry's album", but I don't think that would go down too well in the years to come. I hope that when the boys are older they will be able to look at their albums and get a true sense of their childhoods and the special people that helped shaped their lives.

Hugs,
Lisa