It's a Good, Good Life...

Do you have a theme song? A song that you can play in your head to help you focus on what you want to achieve, be it physical or a state of mind. Right now I have been watching a lot of "Ally McBeal" via Netflix and she is always talking about her theme song. I hadn't really put a lot of thought into the whole matter until the other day when I heard the song "Good Life" by One Republic. After hearing it, I decided it is the perfect song for Summer. Not caring, letting go, enjoying life...Sure there are parts about drinking too much and blacking out, but that's for someone else's theme song...

This past weekend the Rowe's were certainly living the "good life". We went to Chicago to pick up Harry from his Costa Rica adventures. On the way, we stopped and bought a puppy. That may sound rash and totally unplanned, but I can assure you it has been in the works for a few months. So here is the new addition to the family, Enzo.

He is only 3 weeks so he won't be with us officially until the 1st week of August. He is a cockapoo puppy which I have read about being very smart and affectionate. Look for many crazy details in the coming months. For those of you wondering, we named him after the dog in "The Art of Racing in the Rain" which is one of my favorite books and a must read for anyone who hasn't already.

Below are some of pictures from our trip to Chicago. During our visit we went to Millennium Park, the Taste of Chicago, and rode the train.

In Costa Rica there is a saying people use all the time. It is "pura vida". Guess what it means? Yep, the good life. Maybe it's their theme song too...

Nothing is Going to Stop Us Now...

Success makes everyone feel good. The feeling is even more intense when the success has taken a great deal of time and effort to achieve. Today Bella had a BIG success! She rode her bike totally independently.

With Bella's balance and right sided weakness issues, we knew bike riding would be a struggle. It was about two years ago that I asked her physical therapist for a time estimate, which for those of you with special needs children, know is like asking for a promise no one can really make. I knew that bike riding was one of those "rights of passages" for kids. Ask anyone when they learned how to ride a bike and most will be able to give you an exact age. I have been the mother of a special needs child long enough to know that I shouldn't try to compete on a "typical" level, yet I still yearned for her to accomplish this within a somewhat similar time line. Bike riding becomes a part of life with kids. Schools go on bike trips, friends ride bikes to the park or the store. Riding with training wheels past a certain point sets you apart and puts you in a different category. There's nothing wrong with that category, but that is a lesson most young kids haven't learned yet and it can lead to some severe teasing.

So my wishful goal for Bella to be able to bike ride by herself? The end of third grade. Yep, that's the grade she just finished. That girl just keeps on amazing me...

I Will Survive...

To quote the great Charles Dickens, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." And so describes the school year 2010-2011.  As I had predicted back in September, it was a time of transition and a huge learning curve for Becca and Harry as they entered new schools with greater expectations than they had faced in the past. I feel that as the year went on, they both began to "get the hang of it" and started to produce better academic results. They both enjoy being challenged, but learning how to accept the challenges took a bit longer than anticipated.

So now I have a sophomore, a 7th grader and a 4th grader. The sophomore is starting driver's ed (Lord help me!!!), the 7th grader is in Costa Rica for three weeks (with his grandparents) and the 4th grader is asking me why her life is sooo boring. Looks like it will be a long summer!

Truth be told, I really enjoy summer. At least for the first month. In MN the summers fly by as we fit in as many barbecues and pool outings as we can before the snow comes back. Don't laugh! It may sound funny to talk about snow in June, but in MN, it is nothing. Actually, the last bit of snow just melted in Minneapolis last week from all the huge snow piles this past winter. And that was with two days over 100 degrees. What a bizarre state I live in...

So what do two parents do to celebrate the end of the school year? Go out without the kids, of course! I mean seriously, I have 12 full weeks with those charming individuals. Mama needed a night out on the town as "prep time". And so Erick and I went out Saturday on a river paddle boat ride on the St. Croix after an afternoon spent in Stillwater.

 It was so amazing to get away. I know I am a better parent with a little time away for perspective (and adult sanity). We were going to just walk around and then grab a bite to eat but at the last minute we saw the paddle-boats and went to ask when they were leaving. We just made the dinner cruise and I think that because it was "spur of the moment" it was that much more fun. Seriously, we NEVER do anything that is unplanned. My father in law laughed when I told him that I use my GPS to calculate when I will arrive places so I know if I am on schedule. Sad, but true...

And so the summer rules have been set. Some of my decisions are not popular. Bella will continue her math program in an effort to finish 3rd grade math. Becca will be able to hang out with her friends, but not on the daily, every minute time schedule she would prefer. Her summer work will include assigned school books and SAT prep. Parenting is tough and sometime we do know what is best for them. There will also be plenty of fun including an upcoming trip to Chicago and one to the cabin. Better move quick before that lowly pile of snow comes back with lots of reinforcements...

Zero to Hero, Just Like That...

Things can change in the blink of an eye. A perfectly sunny, summer day can turn thunderous and deadly without warning. Our feelings can change that quickly, too. I mean look at the Almond Joy/Mounds bar ad campaign from the 80's and 90's. "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." We, as humans, can be pretty fickle and they used that to their advantage, covering both ends of the spectrum.  And so describes this past week...

Let me start with the good part. Or should I say the part that makes ME feel good? Last Friday, I decided to do something fun with the older kids. I had been reading about Skyzone for the last few months. It is an indoor trampoline park. There's all kinds of activities held for older kids, so I didn't think it would be too young for a 12 and 15 year old. Bella was very disappointed because with her broken toe she obviously couldn't go. But I have to be honest, that was kind of part of the plan. Bella gets to do a lot of fun things and as the youngest she is always in on the fun of the older two. With Erick home for the day, I thought it would be perfect to have some time with Becca and Harry only.

So after school we are off to Skyzone. I even bought tickets online beforehand so there was no disappointment about getting there and having it sold out (which I have read is a common occurrence). I purchased a 60 minute jump package, because I didn't want to get the 30 minute and have them whining it wasn't enough. As they changed into their special "Skyzone shoes", that are required for jumping, I handed them their tickets and Becca said, "60 minutes? That seems like an awful long time." My first clue that everything might not go as planned.

Here's an brief overview of the Skyzone park. There are three big jumping arenas. Each has trampolines on the floor as well as the walls. This allows you to jump off the wall doing flips if you want. There are also balls that you can shoot into basketball hoops, if you choose. In another area, there are some trampolines that lead to a foam pit. It was all very clean and well kept. There is also a small concession stand for treats. One feature I really enjoyed is that parents can sit on benches that are right next to the jumping arenas. Overall a very fun place to bring your kids to burn off some energy. And now for the rest of the story...

So there is a big clock on the wall so kids know when their time is done. About 8 minutes into jumping, Becca began to point out every minute that ticked away. Seriously, she was done wanting to jump after 8 minutes! She started to complain that she was tired and it was really hard. Here is the video I took of her (after I told her there was no way she was done jumping)

Harry was a little more enthusiastic, but he too was done after about 20 minutes. He enjoyed the freedom of doing lots of flips, but at some points, I think he was more focused on me catching them on video than actually performing.

 Always the performer. I must say, I was pretty shocked. They were both out of breath and looked completely out of shape. As Becca sat down for yet another break, I took her sticker, put it on my shirt (yes highly against the rules, I'm sure) and jumped. Now as most of you know, I am neither 12 nor 15 nor even those ages combined. Still over the last year, I have been working out regularly and feel I have a pretty high cardio endurance level. And after 10 minutes, I was done. So my advice is to buy the 30 minute pass. If you buy the 60 minutes or more, be prepared for lots of breaks.

And that brings us to the change. From trying to be supermom to just being, well below par, at best. Yesterday after picking up Becca from school at 3pm, I dropped her off and told her I had to stop at Target to get a few groceries. I pick Harry up at the Target parking lot at 4pm, so I had a little over 1/2 hour to shop. When I got home, I started unloading the groceries. Bella came up to me, with my back facing her, and said this, "Mom, the bus driver dropped me off right in front of my house!" With those few words came the feeling. You know the feeling. When you feel deep down in the pit of your stomach  that something has gone terribly wrong. I turned around slowly and looked at my little daughter's face. Then my eyes continued downward to the crutches she was using. The realization set in. That extra 1/2 hour I had spent running to Target was the time I was supposed to pick up Bella from school, so she didn't have to endanger her life getting on and off the bus with her crutches and broken toe.

I shared my "bad Mom" moment with some other Moms and luckily I found them to be sympathetic rather than preparing to dial social services from their cell phones. I think it's just part of the Mom code: "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you are a nut", no matter how hard you try...

Whatever Will Be Will Be...

Letting go...It's never been easy for me. Accepting the things I can not change and the wisdom to know the difference has been a constant struggle. This week I have been given another opportunity to practice.

Let's start off with the events of the week. Last Sunday, Bella had another swim meet. It was her first time using her implants during a meet, so her coach took extra time to help her understand the whistles which direct the swimmers on when to start. She was pretty tired since she had gone to swimming 4 times last week. Still, she is making continual progress. Her 25 free time went from 53.81 on April 30 to 47.19 on May 21.

On Monday and Tuesday, Becca had her choir concerts. It is always fun to see the talented kids in the Minnetonka music programs. In the Spring, they do more contemporary songs than for the Winter concert. They even had two songs with beat-boxers. Still, I wish there was a way to shave the time down. Over two hours long is quite a commitment.

And that takes us to yesterday. When Bella woke up yesterday, she announced, "Mom, I can't walk!" I must say this had me flying into her bedroom to see what she meant by that unsettling statement. And this is what I saw.

Truth be told, this is what I saw later in the day. After I sent her school and told her, "just take it easy and don't run around a lot." I know, super bad Mom award, right? Honestly, it wasn't as bad in the morning, from a visual standpoint. And in an effort of full disclosure (and an attempt to appease my guilt) the event that caused this (tripping on the way to the bathroom) occurred under Dad's watch the previous evening while I was attending said choir concert. What did she trip over? Well, that unfortunately, would be the basket of clothes I had not put away in the hallway upstairs...

So the verdict at urgent care? Bella has a broken pinky toe, right above the growth plate, which makes it more serious. So here is the picture for the next few weeks at our house.

Oh, and she did it on her left foot, which was not the best case scenario. Due to her right sided weakness, using the crutches on her right foot is not the easiest for her. I am a little worried that using the crutches is going to add more injuries. The good news is that she can still swim, since the splint is removable. The bad news? Well that yearly Farm field trip that she was supposed to go on (and Erick was supposed to chaperon) will not be happening this year. There's just too much walking around. Erick is not really broken up about that part.

And so I have to accept this new difficulty for Bella, whether I want to or not. Wishing I had moved the basket of clothes is something I can not change. She's a kid. Things like this happen, I know. See, there's a glimmer of hope that I am gaining the wisdom to know the difference...

It All Started With a Big Bang...

Unsettled. In one word, that has been our family the last few weeks. As we head into the final countdown of the school year, the seams of our regular schedule begin to tear, and we are thrown into the abyss of daily chaos. Where to today? A end of year art show? A Spring choir or orchestra concert? A bridging to girl scout event? There is no rhyme or reason to where we need to be. I am good about writing everything down in my planner, but when things get so crazy, I am not so good about checking it. And so last week, as I was taking a minute to breathe, the orthodontist office called wondering why Harry had missed his appointment.

Last Tuesday, Bella spent the night at the Minnesota Zoo sleeping "with" the dolphins, "with" meaning on the hard concrete floor next to the dolphins' swimming tank. It was a special treat for the 3rd graders in an attempt to get them more independent as they move up to Upper Elementary next year. I had planned to chaperon (I know that spelling looks wrong, but I looked it up) the trip to help with her implants, but the teachers really wanted no parent chaperons so the kids could feel more independent. So, I met with her teacher to review the basics of turning on and off Bella's implants and that was it. Bella is a very independent little girl, so she was thrilled. It was way harder on me. By 5pm, I was in a fog of what to do with myself. Having only Becca and Harry felt so odd. It was in that moment I realized how much easier it was to have only 2 children, especially when those two children are getting so big. After I shared this with a friend, they said when you are feeling overwhelmed with your life, you should add another big thing like a foreign exchange student or watch someone's dog for a few weeks. Then when they go, your life feels so much easier.

On Friday, we attended Harry's art expo at his school. I have to say there was so much cool art there! It always fascinates me when people are good at art because no matter how hard I tried in school, I could never make my art projects resemble the sample, or really anything for that matter. Art is most definitely not my thing, which is apparent in the stick figures I still draw. Harry had his mosaic up in the art show.

Yeah, it was the same mosaic that nearly broke him (and me) when he was doing it. See previous post for more details: Harry's mosaic A lot of pieces were for sale, but not Harry's. He said it was "priceless" due to all the work he had put in. I have to agree...

And so we are gearing up for next week when Erick will go to a farm school trip with Bella, Harry and Becca will participate in school music concerts, and I will try to fit in some homeschooling for Bella which is getting harder and harder with this crazy season of activities/field trips.

 In just a few short weeks, Harry will be leaving to travel to Costa Rica to spend a month with his grandparents. I can't decide if I should adopt a dog, get a foreign exchange student or just read a book during his absence...

Amazing...

What do you get when you put together two waterproof diving bags, a swimmer's ear band, a swim cap and cochlear implants? Pure magic...

Tonight, for the first time ever, Bella could hear in the water while swimming. Using her back up implants, we used the set up that many other cochlear implant recipients. have used. We secured her two back up processors in military grade diving bags (aLokSak bags) with a swimming ear band to keep them in place, and covered with a long haired swim cap that allowed for extra room on top. It was a bit of a process to get all the pieces in place and I have to say when it was all said and done she looked a little like a being from another planet with a big bumpy head. But I knew the value was right around the corner...

There are moments that only parents of other special needs children can truly understand. I felt like tonight was one of those times. A lot of the other swimming parents were excited by her being able to hear in the water, but it was different. For me, it was truly like she had been activated again. I had butterflies in my stomach the whole way to swimming. While I didn't shed tears during her swim team practice, my eyes were dewier than usual. My level of emotion was heightened and I was on edge as I watched her experience sounds for the very first time.

Her coach signaled to me several times during practice with the "thumbs up" signal and other signs about how pleased she was with Bella's ability to hear in the water. She was able to correct Bella's positioning with simple words like "flatter" or "straighter arms", on the spot. The result? Improved technique in just one evening!

So what did Bella think? Well, it was a lot for her to take in. She was surprised about the examples the teachers gave about how to do things. She said they told for one stroke to pretend she was climbing a ladder. Before she could only watch and gain some instruction by lip reading. Having the actual auditory instruction made a huge difference. Another surprise? Bella said, "You know when you blow bubbles under the water? Those make NOISE!" The little things we take for granted. She was also surprised that you couldn't hear people talking above the water when she was underwater. She thought it would be quiet, but she thought it was something she would be able to hear. Finally, the splashing of her arms in the water as she swam was louder than she expected. I'm sure she will discover more things over time.

Was I nervous to try the "waterproof" set up with her back up processors? Yes! But I was happy when I took them out of the bags and their was not one hint of water or moisture. Bella hearing in the pool? Well that was priceless....