I cannot believe that Mikayla's 2nd birthday is a month from today!!!! This past 2 years has absolutely flown by me. She is getting to be such a big girl. Her communication skills are amazing and she is getting around with ease now. She can get wherever she needs to go now(except for the obvious places) and gets into everything!!! Mamaw says that Mikayla does not need to walk to get into trouble and that is the truth. We are one hundred percent in the terrible twos now. I will say that her terribleness is not anywhere near where it could be... guess that means I am in for a real treat in the threes, hahaha!!! Mikayla is very conscious of what she wants and will definitely let you know what it is. She loves pretending. Her favorite thing to do is make a cake in her kitchen she got for Christmas. She has some of the Little People sets and she loves playing with her "girls". We have sing-a-longs in the car. She knows all the songs on one CD and sings them all. Her favorite songs are "Happy", "b-i-n-g-0", and "apples and bananas". She loves her animals (Pootie, Duke, and her "fishies"). Breakfast is her favorite meal and she loves to "help" Mommy make it. She eats pancakes six out of seven mornings- that is what she likes so I am not going to argue with her. I know that is one meal that will be all gone.

Over the last week I have really come to the realization of what people think of kids in wheelchairs... they think it is a death sentence. Yes - for me, her mom, I would love for her not to use a chair but that is life for her right now. She gets where she needs to go independently, to an extent. There are some places she cannot go and some things she cannot do but she does everything she can do. I don't want people to feel sorry for her or us... we feel blessed!!!! She is here and breathing and thriving with an unbelievable life ahead of her. I am not going to lie there are days when I wish things were different but those days are becoming fewer and fewer. God has a wonderful, magnificent plan for Mikayla's life. Her story and what God has already done through her has touched lives and ministered to people... I cannot imagine it any other way. On the other end of the spectrum, we have a president who does think very highly of people in wheelchairs- comparing his bowling game to that of the "Special Olympics". Talk about ticked off... you could say I was that!!!! I will not go into that anymore... I have had time to simmer down. Writing more will restart the fire!!!
Hope that everyone is making plans to join us for our March for Babies walk on April 25th. I do need to know how many people will be walking with us. We are having shirts made so I need a number set in stone by next Friday- April 3rd. I will be ordering the shirts that day so if you want one let me know that morning... the cutoff is 12:00 noon! Please sign up to walk or donate at www.marchforbabies.org/teams/641903 . We appreciate everyone's help in our cause. We are so excited about being able to be Ambassador Family and to share our story. The day of the walk is also special because is Mikayla's birthday and party!!!
Speaking of her birthday... I had a request for ideas for her birthday so I registered her at Toys R Us. They have a wish list kiosk in the store that you can print out. That will be easier for people that want to know.
We started today with a new Physical Therapist. For the past little while, maybe a year, Mrs. Julie had been coming to the house to do therapy but recently her husband had to take a job in another state so she is leaving us. We will miss her!! This gave us an opportunity to expand Mikayla's horizons and start therapy outside the house, where Mommy is not in the same room. We will be going once a week to Vanderbilt Pediatric Rehab facility at 100 Oaks(about 50 minutes away) to work with Ms. Ellen. Wish us luck with that. This morning we just played(I did stay in the room this morning) because Mikayla just wanted to cry. Each time should get a little easier, remember I said should.
Sorry, I have not been keeping up with the blog like I should, I will try much harder. Enjoy the pictures below. The first two were of Mikayla using her artistic side to paint and use marker on her face, um I mean paper!! The next few I took today after lunch. She got bead necklaces today at therapy and she loves them. She is such a girl - loves jewelry!!!

This last one I told her it was time to give Mommy her necklaces so we could go "night, night". She did not like that idea!!

My husband told me I have to update the blog so I am taking a few minutes to do that. We have had so many things going on and I just have not taken the time to sit down to update. A few weekends ago we (with Mamaw) took Mikayla to see Playhouse Disney Live. She really enjoyed herself and she actually stayed attentive to the show the whole time. I think it lasted about an hour and a half. This past Saturday we(along with all of middle TN) went to the Nashville Zoo. Mikayla is so much fun to go to the zoo with now. She loves animals!!! The elephants, merekats, cows, and sheep are her favorites. She thinks the merekats say "meow"... it is the cutest!

When Mikayla is not in her chair at home, she scoots around on the floor. She has gotten very good at getting around- long distances very quickly. It is one of those things that you really have to see to understand REALLY what I am talking about. Her new favorite thing to do is feed Duke his food from his bowl- she throws handfuls of food at him. The other day I was unloading the dishwasher and Mikayla was feeding Duke. During this time she has her back to me. A few minutes into feeding him, she turns around to face me. I then see her put a piece of dog food to her mouth. I told her not to eat the food that it is for Duke. Well, she gets this I know I am in trouble look on her face and kept her hand in front of her mouth. I asked her if she had dog food in her mouth. Well, the little stinker shook her head yes, gave me a huge smile, and had a mouthful of dog food. I guess while she had her back to me she tried the ole' one for Duke, one for me. She even had dog food in between her teeth. I actually laughed out loud for a second. By that point she had already swallowed most of the food so I just let her finish it (that sounds really bad now that I write it). Just so you know, I did get on to her and now I keep more of an eye on her when she is "feeding" Duke. We have actually made her quit feeding him because it was so tempting for her. If you ask her if she liked Duke's food she tells you "yes".
She is getting so grown up. Since she had her tubes put in her ears it is amazing how much she talks. I thought she was a jabber mouth before but that was nothing. She seriously never stops talking from the time she opens her eyes in the morning until she goes to sleep at night (unless we are at church- and then she says nothing!) She loves playing with her kitchen. Her favorite thing to do is make a cake in her oven. She also loves her "girls"(fisher price- little people sets). And books, she loves looking at them. She loves singing in the car. We have one CD that we listen to over and over and Mikayla has memorized the songs. I could go on and on about all the cute, big girl things she does that I love to watch. I just can't believe that she will be two very soon. She is very excited about her Abby Cadabby birthday party.
Oh - yeah - Mikayla is going to have a cousin. Uncle Philip and Aunt Ammie are expecting, due in late August. I am really curious to see how Mikayla will do with sharing the spotlight and attention of the grandparents.
Anyway- sorry to write so much - it has been a while. Hope everyone is doing well.
Mikayla with her new fish that Daddy bought her the day of her tube surgery. She loves sitting on the table and watch them.

Playing with Pootie.

At Playhouse Disney

With Daddy at Playhouse Disney(Mamaw in background)

All the characters of Playhouse Disney(Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and Handy Manny)

Daddy and his girl at the zoo on Saturday

Watching the ducks