Week 99

Last weekend I came down with a stomach bug and we found ourselves in the Birthing Center at our hospital for most of Saturday.  An ultrasound was done to check on the baby, and all looked great!  Ryan was with us for the first hour until we were able to get help from someone to watch the kids.  The nurse said he looked scared.  He may have been a little scared seeing me in a hospital bed.  He walked over to me and rubbed my leg.  He also wanted to know if he was going to watch the doctor take the baby out!  Here's an updated ultrasound picture:

The ultrasound tech at my recent checkup printed a picture out in triplicate so that Ryan and Julia could have their own copy.  Ryan took his picture and held it up to my stomach and said, "Yup, it's the same size as your belly!"  Both kids were so excited to tape the picture to a wall in their room.  Ryan put it on the wall next to the picture he drew of Helen.

During the weekend we headed over to a house on the next street over from ours for an impromptu outdoor play date with their family.  Ryan goes to Kindergarten with their little boy.  The boy and his three sisters were riding bikes.  It seemed like Ryan felt left out that they could all ride without training wheels and he couldn't.  But he used one of their scooters and after getting the hang of it, he did a good job.  It is a rare occasion for Ryan to be able to remain outside for over an hour without having a meltdown.  Hence the reason we have been unable to teach him how to ride a bike.  Even with his bike with training wheels, as soon as he has difficulty getting over a bump, or Julia peddles faster than him, or he has trouble steering the handle bars, he takes off his helmet and goes inside full of disgust.   He gives up very easily and gets frustrated.  I don't know when most kids learn how to ride a bike without training wheels.  I guess it comes to certain kids at certain ages.  I just worry that Ryan will be behind with many tasks like these.  We are fine with him going at his own pace, we just don't want him to feel left out and allow the part of the disability that makes him get frustrated easily, to prevent him from doing something he wants to do. 

Last week I wrote about Olivia.  This week was her wake.  It was one of the most difficult things I've had to do; I can't imagine what her family is going through.  The room was filled with enlarged pictures of her, photo collages, flowers, her toys scattered about, and a video montage playing in the corner.  Her casket was white, and she was dressed in white.  She looked like the little angel that she is.  There was some comfort seeing her at peace, but sadness that she had to suffer the way she did.  God bless her family that gave her best life she could have had and showered her with love every moment!  It amazes me at how much sadness there is in this world and the strength of the people who survive through it.

DC