Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

     Well, it's been a super busy week and I'm writing a day early beacause tomorrow we will be celebrating my step-daughter Kaitlyn's 10th birthday. It's hard to believe she's been here for an entire decade now! Thinking about all the good times we've shared has me reflecting on my place in her life. You know how the Oscar's have the category for best "Supporting Actress"? Well, I think of myself as the "Supporting Mom" in her life. I know everyone's situation is different but in ours, Kaitlyn has an awesome mom who does everything a mother is supposed to do and then some. So I've never felt the need to take on that role. I just get to be an extra person to love and care for her and to do "mom things" for her when she's with us.
     When my husband and I were first starting to get serious, he was working evenings and one night his parents were away and couldn't keep Kaitlyn. So I, wanting to be helpful (and impress him, of course), said I would watch her. We played and had a great time. Then I decided we'd take her daddy some dinner. I got Kaitlyn and her bag, grabbed the car seat and headed to my car. I got the seat all buckled in then sat her down in it. That's when I discovered this crazy contraption that I assumed was somehow supposed to strap a child into this seat. I tried and tried but could NOT figure it out. Kaitlyn was 18 months at most and even she was trying to show me how to do it. After 10 minutes we were both crying! Then somehow it finally just clicked and she was safely secured.
     When you first come into a relationship with someone who has a child, you wonder, "Is this little person going to like me?" I loved her instantly but was totally clueless about kids. What did you do with them? What did they eat? How did you communicate with them when they couldn't even really talk yet? Like that car seat though, somehow it just clicked. We colored together, drew on the Magna-Doodle, did puzzles and watched lots of Blues Clues and Barney. My very first experience planning a child's birthday party was for her 2nd. I ordered a Barbie cake, bought Barbie hats, plates, blowers and everything else Barbie I could find!
     I look back now and it's hard to believe I was just winging it all that time. I didn't know what I was doing but somehow it always worked out. It's ironic that it's actually been Kaitlyn who's been teaching and showing me what this whole parenting thing is all about. I feel so blessed to be part of her life and to be able to watch her grow into this amazing person. To say she's a "good kid" really doesn't do her justice. She's beautiful not only in appearance but but also in her generous heart and gentle nature. She loves her family and friends unconditionally, she's smart (straight A's), multi-talented in sports (soccer, basketball, softball). She's a great artist, always polite and respectful and bless her heart, she is PATIENT! She puts up with 2 little sisters and I can tell you that Mak pushes her to the limit!
     So tomorrow we will celebrate her 10 years and I must say it's a real privilege to be "Supporting Mom" to this wonderful child. Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!!!

A week of sickness...

     So I've decided to start a blog. It's something I've been considering for awhile but after seeing a few friends successfully begin theirs, I've been inspired to give it a shot. Do I have anything particularly inciteful or inspiring to say? Well no...just plan on writing about my life in general as a wife and working mom. My goal is to write once a week as kind of a re-cap of the previous week. Sunday seems to be the best time for me to do this after getting home from church. Which brings me to today...
     I decided to forgo church today and give Makayla another day to recuperate from this week of sickness. The last thing she needs is more germs that could lead to a relapse. It started Tuesday at 3pm with a call from the school stating she had 104 degree temp. Wednesday my husband had her at the doctors office as soon as the doors opened and after an almost 2 hour wait and an episode of projectile vomiting, she was diagnosed with the flu. The fact that she has asthma had complicated the situation, it was going into her chest and the wheezing/raspiness had begun. She was scheduled to go back the following day for recheck and possible admit to the hospital if her chest sounded any worse. In her 4 short years of life she has already been hospitalized twice for this very thing so we were extremely concerned this would be the third. Fortunately, with 4 prescriptions and breathing treatments every 4 hours we were able to avoid athe dreaded hospital stay.
     As a parent, I think the worst feeling is being unable to make your child feel better. It was especially hard for me having to be at work while she was at the doctor having her finger pricked and being given shots then having a chest x-ray and going home only to lay around and feel miserable. Luckily I do have a wonderful husband who is an amazing father and I knew she was being well cared for. Now it's 5 days later and she seems to be feeling much better. Other than the medications making her extremely hyper, she seems to be getting back to the normal, sweet, funny, always busy little girl we know and love.
     So I'm ready to begin this new week and see what life throws our way. School is out tomorrow so Mak will have another day at home with her dad while I'm stuck at work. Next Sunday we'll be having Kaitlyn's birthday party so my week will be spent running around getting  things ready. Hoping the sunny weather stays and the yucky sickness leaves us for good!