A quick update on Josiah...

The big news...Josiah is finally "creeping" or doing the "army crawl!" This is very big for him. He can now move around from one toy to the next, or go get something that interests him. Now it's offically time to baby proof the floor, the kids got the lecture of keeping anything off the floor that can go in Josiah's mouth and choke him. It's so great to see his progress. He came home with such little abdominal and back muscle tone. He is now using those muscles and now working on his side muscles to get him to sit on his own. He is still so wobbly and unstable, but progressing! He also has glasses, which make him look so smart, (not that he isn't!!). He has started sleeping better at night, just up once for a bottle and then again around 6, (yuck). He's very attached to me, still a little insecure when I leave his sight, but will go with daddy and not cry. He is still sweet, happy and funny!!! The kids adore him and are the best helpers! He has PT (physical therapy) once a week, and OT (occupational therapy) one a month. We do his physical therapy ourselves,the rest of the time. He is still very stiff in his hips and shoulders, muscles still tight in his legs, but are getting better. He is continuing to build muscle tone in his abdominals and back, and his lower lip is getting better with muscle tone also. His speech will hopefully start progressing when he is able to move around more. We are always working on various movements to help him progress. Josiah is growing nicely. He is getting long, and is getting heavy! (21 lbs).
We will be going back to Gillette for his follow up on his little hand. He can do almost anything with his little hand, except "hold" things. We will also be getting a brace for his other hand because of the tightness, he is not able to "finger pinch" or hold things in his hand for very long. We will also be making an appointment for his feet. He will probably need foot braces to straighten them out and correct the curve, this will also help with the tightness in his legs.

We are moving in less than ten days and we still haven't packed yet!! It' s a little crazy here, so I probably won't be posting for awhile!

Busy...but here are some recent pics....

Graduation party day!

Josiah turns one!!!!.

To the hospital and back again...

After Josiah had his surgery, almost two weeks ago, we headed back to Children's hospital for IV fluids. (He was dehydrated and in pain). We did get to come home because his fluid intake was getting better. Three days later, he started going downhill with fluids again, and I could not keep his pain under control. He even stopped swallowing his own spit because it hurt to swallow, so oral med were out, then tylenol suppositories did nothing). Soooo, to the our dr. we went, with my other daughter in tow, (who ended up with an ear infection too). My dr. took one look at him and said he needed to be admitted back to Children's. So, we stayed for two days in the hospital on IV fluids and pain meds, and are finally home and hopefully over the "pain" hump. Josiah is taking pain meds fine orally, he is drinking regularly and even eating fine! In two days he went from a lethargic, feverish, booger faced boy, back to our happy and smiley little Joe!
God is good!
Now his 1st birthday is tomorrow, so off for last minute preparations for that too!
Sorry to say, I can't wait for June! May is wayyyyy to hectic!

A lot to report, such little time....

Josiah had his adenoidectomy on monday, we stayed for the 23 hours in the hospital, got no sleep or rest. Now that we are home, he is not doing so well. I will be taking him back to the hospital for IV fluids if he does not start increasing his fluids today. He is lethargic, but also on pain meds. The dr. did say these few days will be the worst, AND THEY ARE!

Our big news...we finally found a property for our hobby farm. It's 10 acres, a bigger home and not too much farther for Scott to drive to work. I fell in love with this house over a year ago. God told me a year ago that this was our house, but "me of little faith", I spent the past year looking and looking, thinking that the house would never be ours, the owners were not coming off their original price, then they accepted another offer from someone else, so I thought it was out of the picture. Well, God pretty much just plopped that house in our laps, and now we are closing on it the end of June!!! God is soooo faithful! Now we are in the midst of packing and getting this house ready for sale!! YUCK!!
All the kids are so excited to be moving. This house has everything I had dreamed about. Two story home, 4 BATHROOMS, character, 10 beautiful acres of pasture, woods, hills and even a creek!

Another busy thing this month, our son will be graduating!!! We have been busy with end of the school year activities. We are having family coming in from all over for his graduation. It will be awesome to have so much family here, (they are spread all over ). This will be the first time, since I was little, that. so much family has been together at once. I still can't believe my baby is graduating!!

Josiah's first birthday is also coming up in another week! The big "1"!

Our summer will be busy with summer school, building our barn and putting up our fencing. Hoping to have our alpacas with us towards the end of the summer!

To top off the end of the summer, my hubby and I will be going on a cruise!! All expense paid, (it's a "daddy's girl" thing!). We will be sailing from New York, up to Canada/New England. I have never been that far east. My wonderful mom will be taking on the "mommy" role here at home! I know, I am so blessed! She is always so willing to jump right in and take care of the kids when we go on our yearly trips!

Not sure when I will be able to post next. I am going to be pretty busy, but will try to get updates out.

God Bless!

The most beautiful baby boy in the world!!!

(Note the rag ready to catch the drool)!

Some fun pics...

Sleepy boy!



Handsome boys

My oldest and youngest baby

Andrew and his prom date!

Girls messy hair day!

Pandigirl!

Ta da! Our newest Cria!

Wide eyes!!!

Poor Josiah, his eyes had to be dilated for two full days in order for the eye dr. to get a good diagnosis. But, prognosis is...no glasses or surgery...for now. We will be making trips to the eye dr. every 6-8 weeks to make sure his eyes don't deteriorate quickly. He will need glasses or surgery in the future, he's just too little to keep glasses on right now, plus he gets sensory overload when anything like hats, sunglasses, towels, etc. are placed on his face or head. He literally starts thrashing and eyes tear up! Poor baby. To combat this, I do a lot of deep tissue massage on his head and face.
We also may be looking at braces for his feet. I will be making another Gillette appointment for the summer. He is getting a little thumb brace to help correct that tightness.

Oh, we have a new cria! (That is a baby alpaca). She was born last week, and is adorable!

Just a little update from our busy household!

Helping our Josiah...

We had our meeting here with all the specialist from our county program, it went very well. The results of his delays seem a little overwhelming on paper, but once we started on goals for the next six months, it seems very doable.
He is between 5-7 months behind in various areas. He will be turning 11 months this next week. He is still my toting baby! He is either on my hip, on my back, or propped up pillows and blankets. I do have plenty of helping hands most of the time. It is great having so many children willing to help their little baby brother. It is also easier with a baby at this stage in our lives, as far as so many willing hands.
As little as Josiah can do right now, he has shown some progress with a few motor skills. We are constantly doing physical therapy of some sort, with him. This week he was able to stay in the crawling position for a minute, once we placed him there. This is pretty big, since his trunk streangth is so low. I have been doing message on both his feet a lot, and we are working on correcting his thumb posture on his hand so he can learn the finger pinch method of picking things up.
Looks like we will be going in for another surgery for his adenoids. His breathing is so congested and stuffy all the time, just getting worse. We are just waiting on what the pediatric eye specialist has to say about surgery on his eyes. It would be nice to get these surgeries done at the same time.
In the meantime, he is such a gem! Always my smiley boy, big wet kisses and hugs, so funny to watch him discover how to make others laugh! I cannot put into words how much I love my baby boy! He is such an amazing gift! At times I am so overwhelmed with what God has given me. What an awesome God to serve, what a calling I have as a mom!!!! I can't wait to see what He has in store down the road!

A few updates...

Josiah has been evaluated by our county for services, and it looks like we will get quite a bit of help to get him caught up. He has been such a trooper through all the dr. visits and evaluations, everyone comments on how "good natured" he is. He is such a sweetheart! We are excited to see how God will work in his life!

I went to an alpaca convention this weekend, ALL BY MYSELF! I even stayed overnight at a hotel! I learned a ton about our alpacas and can't wait to get them on our farm, which by the way...WE ARE STILL LOOKING!!!!!
It is getting a little frustrating with the hobby farm search. I spent at least 20 hours a week looking, driving, at hobby farms. It has been over a year now, and we are still looking!

Spring is finally here! The birds are becoming active with their singing, and the weather is getting very nice to be out in. (I hate the cold)! I can't believe that May is just around the corner, and my Andrew will be graduating! I can't believe my first baby will be going to college and on his own. I still don't feel old enough to have an 18 year old! It's really a weird feeling!

I know I don't have much to report, but wanted to put a fresh update.

It's Official!!

Our readoption hearing was on Tuesday! Our baby is offically a Hoffman! Wahoo!!

My oldest baby and youngest baby...

My son rides his motorcycle in 35 degree weather!

March Pics...