pneumonia

Tyrin had a rough week...he started showing some symptoms: fever, lack of appetite, low energy, etc. I knew something was off and we went to Urgent Care. They did a chest xray and sent us to the hospital because of pneumonia and low oxygen levels. Four days later (NEW YEARS EVE!) we were home. He started to regain strength quickly. It was a hard situation - a very dark and lonely place to be, however I think we created a unique bond for sharing that experience together. Tyrin was great - I'm so blessed!

Christmas 2011

New Friends

Spent the morning with some co-workers and their kids. It was fun to see them interact - I hope we do this again sometime!



Tyrin was enjoying all the toys!

Funny stuff

He is obsessed with the remote controls!



Holding on for dear life!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was nice...many of us were in the kitchen working hard to prepare the food, so this guy decides to work his way into the shelf of the hutch.



These two are a few days apart in age - it was fun to spend time with cousins and our family for Thanksgiving!

Man's best friend

Priceless...

Our trip to Michigan

The airplane ride was a huge success. Tyrin was at a good age for his first flight and slept both ways. Time with the Miami girls was precious. The Richardsons were wonderful to us and we enjoyed being together for the weekend. It was fun to meet Nathan Scott and to see the girls! I wish we didn't live so far...but luckily our friendships have remained and memories continue to happen each year. I'm already looking forward to the next rendezvous!

Justin gets his bible

It was fun to share in this moment with my nephew and Godson! He is such a cool kid. I'm so proud of him and love to watch him grow and develop in his faith and activities. I know he will be a great friend and role model for Tyrin too!

Halloween Fun

Excited for the Halloween party at daycare. He loved the feel of his costume and kept looking at the bright colors. I think maybe he wanted to eat it

My first trip to a pumpkin patch in a l-o-n-g time! We had a great time, but Tyrin refused to smile for the camera. It is hard to make faces and movements to grab his attention in the first place. He is such a funny guy!

Washington, DC

I had a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC in October. I spoke at an event at the National Press Club on the work we're doing at Medica in collaboration with Insignia Health to deliver tailored support to individuals through our comprehensive suite of wellness programs. I admit to being nervous about the presentation and was relieved when I learned the audience was primarily Nurses and Social Workers rather than politicians. I probably spent more time at the airports than anything, but I did walk around to see some of the sights for a few hours. There was such good energy there - I can't wait to go back and continue to explore. It will be fun to bring Ty!

Uncle Ben Rocks

Fall2011

The weather has been incredible - we went to the MN Landscape Arboretum for our morning walks and I tried to sneak a few pictures of Ty while we were there.

On the move

This is the best - I'll dance around the room or we'll make funny faces at each other and then just laugh it out. I'm loving this stage - he is so much fun!!!

He is also on the move...Tyrin likes to explore and do the army crawl. I probably need to lower the crib soon - I'm just waiting for the day that I come in and find him standing there.


My friend Hannah made these "City Blocks" for us. (She sells them on Etsy!) He loves to be next to me, so I can no longer run into the kitchen for something - he's right behind me. I love it when he stops to feel the texture of something. I think his other senses (smell, touch, sight) are heightened because of the hearing loss.

Daycare

The best part of my day is when I pick up Tyrin from daycare...he usually hangs out at the table, just waiting for me to show up. I couldn't resist getting a picture of this!

Learning about deaf culture

I found this pilot for a TV series called "My Deaf Family". I'm trying to learn about deaf culture and continue to explore resources - both online and through other parents in our school district. Marlee Matlin is coming to the Mall of America next Saturday and I'd love to go. The more we can connect with other deaf or hard of hearing families, the better. Tyrin has an appointment with the audiologist on Monday...I hope to have an update on the effectiveness of the Hearing Aids and more clarity on next steps.

Beautiful landscape

I'm fortunate to be a mile away from such a beautiful place - the MN Landscape Arboretum. I bought a season pass so we can take our walks among the plants and flower. I think Ty will enjoy the scenery! Here are a few pics I took along the way.