Thursday, January 13, 2011

Winter Wonderland and Shriners

We had a long day but the kids are in bed now and I'm trying to relax. Yeah...right.

The kids had a one hour delay which was going to make us late for Shriners but when I called they wanted us to come anyway.

When we pulled out onto the road, we were amazed at the beauty. Oh my goodness...it was like being in a winter wonderland! I know I have talked about the beauty here, but it's definitely the prettiest place I have ever lived. I had my camera and I took photo after photo--each bend in the road seemed to bring a more beautiful scene than the next! It was seriously breathtaking. I know the camera doesn't do it justice, but I want to share some of the photos with you anyway. The quality isn't the greatest because they were all shot through my dirty windshield. I kept using my washer fluid but then some car would pull in front of me and get it all filthy again. How rude!









And then we arrived at Shriners...

Today is the day that Zoey was able to try her new leg! It's not completely done, but it's getting there.

We were supposed to bring both of her shoes today since she was going to try out the leg. In the mad rush to get out the door, I forgot it.
Parenting fail.
ugh.
This was Zoey's reaction when I asked her if she was excited to try out her new leg. She was a combination of fear and excitement.

The first fitting was without the foot attached. First a white sock goes on then a liner, then a knee-high panty-hose to help with friction...and finally, the leg itself.

Her new leg was measured next to her other one and we were sent to the playroom while the foot was attached at the perfect height.

And then...it was ready.
She's up!
{They had to provide the shoes--and then told us to keep them. Now I have guilt.}

She takes her first tentative steps with Mama, Jake and Kate offering encouraging words behind her.

Now she tries it alone, without holding onto anything!

A look at herself in the mirror...

Big smiles that she is walking on her own!

We were then sent to walk around the hospital so that she could be checked for any places her leg might start to rub. Within fifteen minutes, she was trying to run.
She's a maniac.

I cannot express how amazing it was to see her standing on two legs that are the same length! Since the day she was born, that has never been the case.
If I was a crying kinda girl, I would have cried.

But I'm not. So I didn't.

But I could have.

Just sayin...

We were not expecting to take the new leg home today, but they decided we should so that she could wear it and they could adjust it better next week. Unfortunately, we will have to leave it there next week. I don't think she will like that too much. I think we can go back the following week to get it.

She also decided she wanted the 'skin' look and we are just going to have one flower put on above the ankle. A good compromise.

She couldn't wait to show her siblings but that moment was rather shattered by the fact that Kate got carsick about five minutes from home and threw up all over herself, her carseat, etc.

GROSS.

It was one of those days. You know the kind. The kind that make you want to run away.

{More} parenting fail.

She did finally get her moment...after I cleaned up the barf and calmed down.
She wore her leg for most of the evening, but wanted to take it off when it started to rub a bit. A little while later, I was happy to see that she had it back on again--had put everything on by herself--and seemed to be getting very attached to it.

She didn't want to take it off and announced she was wearing it to bed. Mama had to be the killjoy and make her take it off.