Party Anyone?

Eliza had another fun filled birthday party in honor of her 6th birthday.  This year's theme was a combination Pokemon and Kirby characters.

The birthday girl woke up early to make sure the festivities got off to a proper start.

Eliza and I (and about 25 other children) had our faces painted with Kirby, Waddle Dee and Pikachu courtesy of Aunt Bonnie and Otto's mom, Jennifer.

Nana declined the face painting, but did take her place in the Queen Bee chair.

We had lots of arts and crafts, including custom coloring books and t-shirts to paint (a bold move with 25 Kindergartners and Preschoolers) and an assortment of Pokemons.

There were tasty treats for both young and old.

James served once again in the role of "brave Pinata holder" and for a second year in a row walked away unscathed.

The expected mayhem ensued when the Pinata was successfully broken.

And thanks to cousin Peter we had a beautiful and tasty Kirby cake and an equally delicious Pokemon cake thanks to Aunt Bonnie.

Eliza waited patiently for her cake, until once again cousin Adriana volunteered to hold Eliza over the cake so she could blow out her candles.

I think a good time was had by all, especially Eliza, my beautiful little girl.

The R-Word

Please think twice the next time you think it is funny to use the word "retard" or "retarded" to describe someone.

You probably don't even realize how often you do it.

It is not funny.  

It is not "slang."  

It is demeaning to millions of people with cognitive impairments.  

People like Max.

   


Just don't do it.

OK?

My Legs Tell My Feet to Have Fun

But my lungs tell me to rest.  This was Eliza's own commentary tonight on her frequent coughing and shortness of breath.  It is sad to hear her say this.  And it is sad to know that after almost six years of pulmonology appointments and breathing treatments, there is no end in sight to it.  Tonight Eliza also told me that she thought music would help her lungs.  I have no idea where she got this idea, but given the failure of everything else to help her lungs, it could be worth a try.

It is hard to hear your six year old sound defeated.  It is hard to hear her say that she has to rest during Physical Education or Tai Kwon Do because her lungs need to rest.  It is hard to know that this is all because my body failed to carry her for a full nine months.  It is hard for her to know that people don't understand that she isn't coughing because of a cold, but because she trying to catch her breath.  It is hard for her to hear her friends tell her she is gross because she produces an astonishing amount of mucous and when she sneezes, well it can be an impressive sight.  It is hard to hear her ask when the coughing will stop and not having an answer.

I know that other kids have a much harder journey.

But it is still hard for my little Eliza.

City Photos By Eliza

Not bad photography for an almost 6 year old.

And if you could only see the videos she takes when no one is watching :)

Little Bed Big Bed

In honor of Eliza's upcoming sixth birthday, Eliza moved from "little bed"

To "big bed" (yes they have names).

Biscuit, Cracker, Todd, Smutty, Cowy, Baby Biscuit and Kaloo all successfully made the transition as well.  I was beyond thankful that she picked out lovely bedding for "big bed" since she was first aiming for the hideously striped orange and red bedding!

Eliza also has a new writing table and insisted she needed garden flowers to help her write better.  Apparently the flower lights will contribute far more to her fine motor function than any number of sessions with her occupational therapist.

Eliza continues to impress me with her art work.  Eliza is currently in the Pokemon characters in oil pastels phase:

Her photography is coming along too!  The Canon DSLR weighs almost as much as she does but Eliza is able to hold the camera pretty well.  This is a Pacific Sailfish and a Barracuda (I think):

A Date With Matthew

Eliza can work "attitude" with the best of New Yorkers.  She can do good "tough girl" face, even while sporting a striped pompom hat and polka dot coat. 

Eliza is also branching out into the family business of photography.  Her photo of Matthew, taken with a Digital SLR that weighs almost as much as she does isn't too bad for a beginner, especially given that it was taken on a moving city bus.

But the tough girl face fades as she heads out on a play date with her cousin Matthew:

They both love the American Museum of Natural History.  The Rose Center for Earth and Science is the one place where Eliza weighs 85 pounds.  Well, at least that's what she would weigh on Jupiter :)

You can spin this around and see how the winds on the Sun appear and disappear.

Or you can just get really excited watching your pompom hat spin and the heck with the Sun.

Or you can learn that somewhere, to some people you are the center of the universe.

And after a great day with Matthew, you can just laugh out loud and let the world know you are one happy kid.

In Between

My mother is 89 and Eliza is almost 6.  They are both deeply loved and cherished.  And they can both be a handful.

Luckily, I have 2 hands.

There seem to be certain genetic traits that have passed from grandmother to granddaughter.  They are both, shall we say, stubborn, perhaps set in their ways, often very, very certain they are absolutely right and they share a deep seated dislike of the medical profession (although each oddly has one doctor they actually like, but just one each).  

Trying to care for both of them can be, well, trying at times.  I am pretty much midway in age between my mother and Eliza (OK, well a tad closer to my mother's age, but let's not quibble). I've never liked the phrase "sandwich generation" but I suppose it applies.  The type of sandwich depends on the day.  Some days things are going smoothly and it's a nice crunchy messy BLT that I can sit back and enjoy.  Other days it is more of a sticky peanut butter (no jelly) sandwich and it is all one can do to hold those two pieces of bread together.

Some people question my choices for Eliza when it comes to how she spends her free time and suggest she would benefit from classes or sporting activities on the weekends.  Rather than join a gym class or take swimming lessons on the weekends, we spend time with my mother.  To me it is more important that Eliza get to know her grandmother and spend time with her now.  While none of knows when the end is near, as mother points out, at 89 years old you can do some basic math :)  I think it is also healthy for my mom to have Eliza near her.  The change in my mom's spirit is almost visible as Eliza sits on her lap explaining the intricacies of the world of fire and water Pokemon or teaching my mother how to use an iPad.  Watching the iPad lessons alone is worth foregoing some Saturday ballet lessons.

So the next time you want to get all cranky on me that Eliza isn't learning team spirit by playing soccer on the weekends, remember that she is learning compassion by helping her Nana get her cane and empathy by comforting her Nana when she doesn't feel well.  Eliza is learning that the older generation is not to be cast aside and forgotten, but rather to be loved and cherished.  And she is learning that you can teach an old dog new tricks.  Just ask her Nana who knows all about Pokemon.