We had a nice, relaxing evening at home for New Years celebrating with our friends, the Coullahan's. When you have two kids under 5 it's much easier to stay home and why not?! We kept the tradition we started last year with Johnny streaming last year's ball drop on the TV over YouTube at 8pm. The kids don't really know the difference and they had fun counting down to "midnight". With the craziness of the holidays they are completely off schedule, but that will come to an abrupt end Thursday morning when the bus arrives at 7:28am.
As I reflect on the last year it's amazing to think about how much we've done and how much progress we've made! I took Reagan to 106 appointments this year and she had another 48 therapy sessions while at school. I took Cole to 17 appointments with another 36 therapy sessions while at school. That means driving to an average of 2.4 appointments per week (not including those during school). Needless to say, both kids worked very hard this year and it shows! Both have shown amazing improvements and I can only imagine what I will be writing next year at this time! I learn so much watching Reagan and Cole and feel so blessed to be their mother. Many days I wonder if I push them too much, too hard or too often. And then I wonder if I'm not pushing enough. But in the end I see the amazing progress they are making and know that it is defining who they will become. We all have hard days and we all shed tears, but Reagan and Cole know that I love them unconditionally, no matter who they become, what they can do, or where they take the gifts that God has given them.
We went into 2013 hoping for a year without hospitalizations and we almost met that goal. Both kids were in the hospital - Cole was in the ER with a shunt scare in June and Reagan was admitted and put under anesthesia for Botox injections in July. We did have a year-over-year improvement, however, in that no one SLEPT in a hospital. Although who really sleeps in the hospital anyway?! We have 5 appointments coming up in January and February with specialists (not including therapy) so we will start 2014 with a busy schedule. But we are very hopeful that 2014 will be THE year without hospitalizations!! We haven't had a year like that since 2007 so we personally think it's WELL over due.
We had such an exciting year with camping, museums, a beach trip, and several visits to amusement parks including our first trip to Disney. Reagan had a full year without seizures and we're hopeful to keep them under control. Cole made it through his third year without a shunt malfunction and we're hopeful to continue that winning streak in 2014. Remember - there's a 99% chance of a malfunction in the first 10 years and I know several kids who have had multiple revisions in the first 5 years. So we are very blessed that he hasn't had any problems.
And with that, I'd like to end this year with the following poem, "Look Well to This Day" (Anonymous).
Look well to this day,
For it and it alone is life.
In its brief course
Lie all the essence of your existence.
The Glory of Growth
The Satisfaction of Achievement
The Splendor of Beauty
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is but a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Live like you are young again. Play in the leaves just because you can.
And always let those around you know how much you love them.
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