Brendan has a leg muscle!!!!

OH My Goodness Brendan has his very first calf muscle on his left leg. He has been riding his bike almost daily and is getting pretty good at it. He is peddling himself almost the entire time now and results are being seen! Unfortunately his right leg is looking smaller all the way around compared to his left which is his dominant side but I am so thrilled to see a muscle. I know this is partly due to PERCS allowing him to use his muscle and not the tone. He couldn't even pedle his bike prior to the surgery. I am on cloud 9 from one tiny calf muscle!
It is the little thiings......

Check out Freedom Concepts if you are interested in a handicap accessible bike. He is obsessed with it right now.

Bought the first baby items! Great deals this week!!

I just scored at Babies R Us. I was afraid to buy things too early but I couldn't resist. I had a 25% off clearance items coupon so I went to check it out. They had the sit and stand stroller I have had my eye on for $50! We saw it at Target for $150. I grabbed that and saw a chicco infant carrier for $80 so after I talked to my mom and husband I decided to grab it lol. I only spent $103 on both items after the coupon. It was an awesome deal. I even got to make sure the car seat fit in the van with the girls booster seats and everything fits! It feels very real now.

I also stopped at Target and only spent $9.59. I bought a 50 pack of huggies diapers ($6), got 4 free nail clippers, 2 free maybeline lip balm, 2 bags of starburst jellybeans (my favorite) for $1 each, and two 12.5 oz boxes of dog treats for a $.82 each. Great deals just with coupoons. The diapers before coupons cost $9.49 so I basically got everything else for free. :) My kind of shopping.

I am still feeling pretty good. The injection kicked my butt for a few days and made me have a super emotional day but it only hurt for 3 days so at least I get a pain free bottom until tomorrow. 20 more injections to go but if it prevents me from having a perterm baby I am on board. I seriously can not imagine having a baby in the NICU with 3 children at home.

We are starting to think about delivery day. We have nobody to watch Brendan. This baby is coming in the summer time which means all the kids will be home. The girls are easy and will go with anyone but Brendan being so heavy can not. If the baby comes on the weekend it won't be a big deal since my SIL can take him but if I go into labor during the week which is more likely to happen then we have no idea what to do. I am going to have to ask my x husband to take a day off from work and take Brendan. He did meet me at the hospital when Makayla was coming and took him but he could go to school so it wasn't that bad. Oh well. Such is life. Once again making me realize that having a disabled child does make life more difficult.

PASS is going great! Brendan is loving this weather and wearing himself out on his power wheels, bicycle, and walker. He is getting a ton of exercise and loving life. I am so thankful it all worked out when it did because being pregnant and having some issues to deal with already wouldn't allow me to walk so much with him so he could enjoy the outdoors. I am feeling pretty fortunate right now.

17 weeks! Loving this weather!

I am already 17 weeks, this pregnancy is flying by. I am feeling pretty good and have some energy. I am able to get out and about and actually keep up with the house. I don't need to nap anymore so I am loving the 2nd trimester....finally!

Could we ask for better weather in March? The kids are outside constantly. Brendan wouldn't come inside today. His aid took him on two bike rides. He refused to come inside until after 5:30 tonight. I think hiring his aid was the best thing I could have done while pregnant because I wouldn't be able to keep up with him right now!

I still was able to make some good deals this week. I only spent $47 at the grocery store and I brought that down from $83. I love saving us money especially being a one income family. It is my contribution in a way to cut our grocery budget down. We used to spend $150 easy a week and now I am staying below $70 most weeks and that includes all household items as well as food. How can you not love that?!

New Deals & loving his PASS worker!!

I am finally feeling better!!! The 2nd trimester relief has hit me. I am beyond excited to have some energy back. I hardly feel nauseous and haven't needed a nap in days. So what does that mean??? I was able to coupon again and got some really great deals.
I went to Target and stacked coupons (use target and manufacturer coupon together). I used two coupons on every single item I bought. The total came to $43 and I only spent $11.50. I bought 3 bags of dogfood, 6 boxes of cheese its/crackers, 6 packs of gum, 3 travel size bottles of contact solution, and two boxes of keebler cookies. You can easily spend $3 on one box of cheese its which would have come to $18 just on those so I made out very well!

I went to Stop and Shop yesterday and the total was $198 and I only spent $72!!! I couldn't believe how well I did. I saved $60 JUST in coupons! I bought a ton of stuff even meat and fruit. I am thrilled with my purchases especially spending $70 the past two weeks not using coupons and leaving the store with hardly anything.

Brendan is doing amazing with his PASS worker. He warmed up to her so quickly. He almost never asks me to take him to the bathroom or give him a bath. He lets her do it all. It is so helpful since I am pregnant. I really worry less about hurting the baby. She is great with him and he has a fun filled day from the time he gets off the bus until the time he goes to bed. I am thrilled with my choice and so glad he likes her. The weather has been great and he has been begging to be outside most of the day. He rides his power wheels, bike, walks in his walker. It is so great for him and great for me to not be lifting him. I do feel like I am not being his mother because of how little I have to do. I think it will be even wierder when I am not pregnant but I am sure I can be more involved. I should be able to start going on walks soon. I took a short one the other day and it felt great.

22 Days until the big GENDER REVEAL!!! I can NOT wait!

PASS has begun!

Brendan's PASS worker, Michelle, has officially started. Last night was her first night since Monday we had a meeting with the agency. It went very well. Brendan opened up to her right away. He even played a game with her and Makayla while I made dinner and wasn't constantly asking where I was. He acted himself and she did great with him. She hasn't done any of the transferring or lifting yet but hopefully she will soon. I just hope she is comfortable doing it. She seems open to doing everything. She is very patient but already holds him accountable for things and I like that. She makes him say excuse me after he burps..which he does often. He is such a boy.

She is very easy to talk to and get along with. Surprisingly, I don't feel awkward at all having her in my house. She even ate dinner with us. Hoping today goes just as well.

I am looking forward to the next few months getting to know her and seeing how she interacts with Brendan. He is already excited to go somewhere with her. He asked if she will get the handicap pass. He is supposed to go out into the community 2x a month and I think I will be able to trust her in a few weeks. She wants to take him bowling and out for ice cream. He will love all the attention.

The only thing that is difficult is keeping Makayla at bay. She was overbearing with Brendan last night...wanting to do everything for him instead of letting him do his own tasks. Not sure why. Michelle is only here for Brendan which is hard for the girls to understand but hopefully in time they will get bored of her.

I am thrilled this has finally begun. I am getting bigger by the day and it will be great to have someone here to help with the heavy lifting. Everything fell together nicely with this pregnancy. It was really meant to be.

Chores!

My husband and I have wrote out a chore list. The kids are 9,7 and 4 and we think it is about time they start helping out a little in this house. It is alot for one person (ME!) to clean up after 5 people day in and day out. They are simple things but they seem excited about it.
How much would you pay your children for chores? I was thinking $2 per week per child. We do not have alot of extra money and that adds up fast each month. We are also thinking of putting Makayla in dance and Chloe in gymnastics so that will eat into our budget as is. We are also thinking of maybe a point system instead. They would earn enough points to buy something special or go on a special outing. Brendan might be more motivated to do chores for a go cart ride vs. getting money.
* Brendan will feed the dog each night and help set the table (with his PASS worker)
* Makayla has to feed the dog each morning and clear the table before dinner. She also has to wipe down the bathroom counters once a week.
* Chloe has to sweep the floors and dust twice a week. She is also supposed to wipe down the counter tops in the kitchen but I am having a hard time finding kid friendly cleaners.
The girls also have to make their beds each morning.

Any thoughts or ideas?

The kids are being great helpers with my pregnancy. They understand I can't do a whole lot right now. They are willing to do more so I can rest. I love them!

ANNOYED!!! Neuro apt update and......

I am beyond annoyed today. I called the medical equipment company to check on everything I had ordered back in OCTOBER! The woman who answers starts to apologize over and over and said they had his file in the wrong pile and just submitted the paperwork to his therapist to get it signed off on. Basically it is like I just ordered this equipment this week not 5 months ago. I am so upset. I made sure I ordered everything so he would have it when his therapy room was built and now I am sure I won't be seeing anything for months afterwards. Everyone seems so incompetent lately.

Brendan had his two hour neurology appointment. Gotta love when Dr.'s can't stay on their time slots but I do really like her so I won't complain too much. I am used to it anyway. I figured we would be there until 6pm and we were. She said he still looks really good but would like to do some botox in May. She wants to see what his new orthopedic thinks first. I really don't think he needs it. Not sure what to do. Sometimes it seems Dr.'s just want to do things that aren't completely necessary. She said it was basically upkeep and would help him a little. Any advice?

The anatomy scan is scheduled! BUT not until April 5th which feels like an eternity. I have 5 weeks before I find out if I am right and this is a boy. I am having a difficult time lately with pain. I found out I have a uterine prolapse. I can only stand for a few minutes before I have major pain. It is hard to get anything done around the house. I am really fearing the summer now with 3 kids at home. I am just hoping I don't get put on bed rest because of this.

The PASS woker is almost ready to start. I have a meeting on Monday with the agency and my PASS worker and then we should be good to go. I am beyond ready!