What we've been up to....

Yes that is my daughter eating sand. I blogged a few days ago about how we bought some more sand for Danya's sandbox. Well it appears she really likes sand, and not just for playing with. She is told many, many times a day not to eat the sand. Ahh toddlerhood.

I found a new setting on my camera. It takes 16 photos and then composites them into one. It might be hard to see the pictures but if you click the photo it will open in a new window. We've been out and about lately trying to enjoy the parks in the area, but once you've been to one you've been to all of them. Honolulu must have gotten a good deal on this structure because it's at every park. When the lawn mowing guys essetially kicked us out of the park the other day we went down to McDonalds playland. It was much more toddler friendly. She is learning how to climb up the towers from following other kids, however Mom still has to rescue her every once in a while which is not really my idea of fun.

A couple of weeks ago when the speach therapists came they brought a little tea set and dishes with play food for her to practice words with. She loved it! She got quite angry when they packed it up to leave. So we've kept our eyes open for how to capture that same fun. We found these great chairs at Target on summer clearance, an odd concept here, but that's another story. Then we moved around some furniture so that we could have one of the end tables from our living room as a little table for her. Danya loves it. She allways wants to play in her woo woo (room) and tells me to ssssss (sit) and pats the chair. Then we sit down with our make shift dish set and play until Mommy's butt is too sore. (FYI, Danya doesn't know it yet but she is getting a tea set for her birthday, Can't wait to see her play with that)

This is Danya's potty chair. This has been our number one task this month, but I haven't wanted to blog too much about it because it always seems like the minute you do everything goes backwards. Anyway, she is doing really well now, we are still not quite there but its coming soon.

Almost 2 years ago this was the first day I saw Danya in clothes. She was about 8 days old here. I was looking for something else and I found lots of fun photos and things, including these photos and all of her hospital bracelets. This is the reason why we are doing the Danya's Gift Project. A nurse took these photos for me right after they dressed her. This was the day I got to hold her. It's a day that's almost like a second birthday, because I knew at this point that she was getting well. These are some of the cute little things I've been sewing. They are quite a bit smaller than the preemie outfits but the nurses assure me that they will be perfect and run out very fast. Like I said sewing is my therapy and I really enjoy it. Especially sewing for others and creating things like this.

In honor of her birthday -- A Project

It's that time again, Danya is fast approaching 2 years old. Last year I introduced you all to a project to give a little something to other families who find themselves in a surprising and stressful situation with a child in the NICU. Today I learned some of the benefits of the gift we gave last year. For some of the parents it is hard to allow themselves to bond with their baby because when they are so little and connected to what seems like hundreds of cords they really don't seem like a baby, but when the nurses are able to put a sleeper on the baby it changes the perspective a little and parents find it very comforting. Their baby no longer looks like a patient but they now look like the baby they've been waiting for. So thank you again for the gifts you gave last year. This year we are hoping to collect even more. Here is a list of items we are collecting this year:

Sleepers -preferably with snaps so that the monitor cords can come out. Justborn, newborn, and preemie sizes
Booties- or newborn socks perhaps with a fun design.
Hats- simple newborn hats
Onesies - If you can sew and want to sew up some teeny onesies let me know and I will get you a pattern. Otherwise newborn or preemie onesies from the store.

Remember the NICU is a very sterile environment so a little color is a wonderful thing. I am so excited to share Jesus with these families in this way. If you want to include a little note of encouragement or a drawing by your kids for the baby who will be getting your gift please do. We want these families to feel the love of others near and far wrapped in these gifts.

For those of you on the mainland, if you live near my parents they will ship them together otherwise e-mail me and I will get you our address.