Steps....Baby Steps!

Last night, we were sitting watching TV...a very relaxing evening (hard to come by in our house)LOL....anyhow...I was on the couch with the laptop and Tony was on the rocking chair across from me. Kenny was standing on the ground near my feet and all of a sudden...started walking real slowly towards me...5 steps!!!!! THEN after I hugged and kissed him like mad, he took 5 steps over towards Tony at the rocker!!!! I just love that little guy more than life!!! He is trying so hard to do things so his baby sister wont out do him!!! He has also learned to come down the steps...again...thanks to Gina! Yesterday the two of them were going up and down the steps...it was almost like Gina was saying, "Kenny watch me, this is how you are supposed to go down the steps...feet first, backwards....not head first!"
What a good day it was...Kayleigh's Birthday and Kenny walked!

And Another Birthday

Our 5th child, Kayleigh is 4 today! She is a strong willed, loving, smart and very energetic 4 year old! When she was born, she was my first c-section baby who had a true knot in her cord! We were lucky that I went into labor with her when I did, or else she would have been still born. The funny thing is, is that Sydnie ALSO had a true knot in her cord too! So...both my birthday girls (last week and this) are little miracles!

Happy Birthday Kayleigh!!!!

Fortunate Friday

Wow... sorry for the delay in posting...its been crazy here at the Tomecko house. The amount of homework these kids get...everyday....mindblowing! I am literally sitting at the dining room table from 3-5 pm. And then I have Kenny and Gina getting into everything. Gina is now walking like a pro, so she is everywhere. It's way to cute! Kenny has had diarrhea for about 2 weeks now. Poor little guy. I know its got to run its course, but in the meantime, he has not been able to go to school for 3 weeks now! Yep, school started 3 weeks ago for him, and he has yet to go. I have a feeling its gonna be a very long cold season *sigh.

Since its Friday, I figured I write about what I am fortunate for having. I feel like I am at a new place in life, yes...still living in this stupid 1100 sq. ft., 3 bdrm home that is falling apart around us....but, something about fall makes me love this house. I love making it look warm and welcoming. It makes me feel good. I know that getting the extreme makeover is a very far-away dream. One that I was hoping would happen to us, but...its like winning the lottery...chances are it wont happen. So I am trying to change my frame of mind by thinking that we have to face reality and do with what we have. So, here is my list:



I am fortunate that I have a roof over my head...even though (see above).

I am fortunate that I have great kids with such strong spirits!

I am fortunate that God blessed me with 8 children (7 living), and also the 2 babies that I had miscarried.

I am fortunate that the newborn squirrel that we found 4 weeks ago is getting stronger and bigger everyday. Feeding it every 3 hours is paying off. I saved a life! I feel so good about that! Anyone have a cage I can borrow until he is old enough to let go back into nature?

I am fortunate that I have a great hubby! He works his butt of to provide for all of us. He is a very loving, caring and sincere man. I am glad that we share the same dreams! Driving around on Saturdays and Sundays going to model home....just to see and dream....we find fun in that!

I am fortunate that Kenny has not had to go to the hospital this year...yet!

I am fortunate that I have a great support system for Kenny and our family. Now that Gina is starting to do things that Kenny is still not doing...I am feeling a little sad about that. I am scared for his future but am happy that there are so many family, specialist and resources around us that are helping us.

I am fortunate that I have the memories of our old dog, Pepper. The kids miss him so much....and so do I. But....I don't miss cleaning up dog poop outside, or our house smelling like dog pee.

I am fortunate to see the leaves falling from the trees in the backyard this fall...God is an amazing artist!

I am fortunate that we have a Speedway right down the street from us....their coffee is the best...yes...it outdoes the expensive Starbucks...for just pennies! LOL!

I am fortunate that God gave me talent in art and crafts...I wish I had the money to utilize my talents, but that will come....God is good.

I am fortunate that there is such thing as sign language. Kenny is starting to sign again....and now Gina is too! At least we can communicate with Kenny and he can with us.

And finally, I am fortunate for the time I had with Nick. It was short, but meant the world to me. I pray that I will be reunited with him in Heaven, when the time comes. Miss you like crazy my little man.

So there you have it. I am working through all the tough times, forging forward and trying to make do with what has been dealt to us.

Another birthday....

Happy Birthday to my 4 child, Sydnie. You are a blessing to our family. We love you very much!

Seasons of change

Happy Fall everyone! I have finally come out of my 2 year funk, and decided to take it upon myself to decorate our home. Since Extreme Home Makeover hasn't called...and probably wont, I needed to make our house feel warm, cozy and inviting...so the fall scented candles are burning (in the kitchen of course), the leaf swags and garland with orange lights are everywhere! Mums, pumpkins and scarecrows....I absolutely adore this time of year! I now know that when it is time to sell our house (not for a while), to sell it in the fall...while its decorated!

Haven't done much in terms of blogging lately due to the fact that the kids have just not been feeling all that great. Kenny was supposed to go to his first feeding therapy on Monday, but because he has this upper respiratory cold...cough, out of breath easy and wheezy at times...they told me to keep him home until next week. He is in need of this therapy very badly. His eating is getting worse and worse. He is fine on stage 2 (pureed) and does OK on stage 3...even though he is starting to spit out the chunks of food and just swallowing the pureed part. When it comes to finger foods/solids, he wants so badly to eat. He puts it in his mouth and either spits it out or pockets it for a while. Then he takes everything on his tray and smashes it and pushes it off his tray...it is such a mess.

Today is his first speech therapy... should be interesting. I am trying to figure out how they will teach him to talk. I am hoping for a miracle! I would love to hear him say mommy and daddy!

He is also starting is first day of class this Thursday. Again, he was supposed to start last week, but his cold hindered that goal. So we will shoot for tomorrow! I know he is gonna cry...and its going to break my heart, but it will be good for him (and me) that he gets an all day, well rounded therapy.
We are cutting his day short tomorrow though because he has his doc appt. at Comp Care. I have a lot of questions for them and I am hoping for good answers.

On a different note, Gina is now a walker. She is EVERYWHERE! I love it! Its such a relief and a change of pace from Kenny (not saying anything bad about Kenny). It's just....seeing Gina do simple commands, like "go give that to daddy"...and she walks over to daddy and hands him whatever...its so...ah...whats the word I'm looking for...refreshing. It makes me feel that I am NOT a bad mommy. I am doing everything for them to grow, develop and just be...ah...normal.

Kenny is such a challenge, Ive said this many times before. I love him more than life itself...just like the rest of my kids, but its very hard to think I'm a good mommy when he doesn't respond or cant walk, or...talk, or...eat.

Oh, and then I have my oldest son. He decided to quit football. He loved playing but was very hurt that he was only playing for 1 quarter and sat the rest of the game. We were pretty upset ourselves. Here, you get a kid who has played on the team since 4th grade and they make him sit most of the game...when most of the kids (and new kids) play at least 2 quarters...its just not fair! Yes, we tried to tell Tony that he shouldn't quit...don't be a quitter, but in this circumstance, I think he made the right decision. There is a lot of favorites being picked on his team and for a kid to be put through that...its not right. Especially for a Catholic school team! So, anyhow... we'll see how it plays out.

Thats pretty much it for now...just busy with the kids, their homework, the laundry, the cleaning and oh...the decorating! I love the change of seasons!!!!

Sick, sick, sick...let the school year begin!

Today was supposed to be the first day of school for Kenny....well...he wont be going this week because we have this bad upper respiratory thing on in the house. You know...fever, coughing, sleepy, crabby...which bring....lack of sleep, breathing treatments, nothing accomplished because yesterday I had 4 kids laying around the living room coughing and miserable. We are going today to get them swabbed to see if they have the flu or not. The fevers broke, its just the lung issues now. Gina and Kenny are the ones I am most worried about. They have been up for 2 nights straight coughing so bad, they end up throwing up...so that leaves me with even MORE stuff to do...laundry...oh..and I am still up every 3 hours feeding a the baby squirrel! Oh JOY! LMBO! Its sheer craziness!!! I am hoping this "whatever they got" isn't the swine flu, but it wouldn't surprise me. My anxiety has taken a turn for the worse because of all this.

Here are just a few pics to entertain you all:

Leo the Squirrel...Oh...look what I picked from my garden...Jimmy Durante!!!!!Just a sweet picture of Tony and Kayleigh...I love it!And Gina eating a tomato (no...not the Jimmy Durante one) She LOVE eating them!!! Here is a picture of Tony playing football while Taylor is cheering for his team...Tony is the one with the short socks!

I am keeping this short today just because...well...I am exhausted. I will be updating everyone as soon as we get back from the doctor today.