Friday is the big day!

This Friday we will finally meet the newest member of our family.  She has made her presence known more and more dramatically in recent weeks.  She seems determined that we not forget she is with us.  Whenever Lily or Sarah is in my lap, she kicks.  When Daddy comes home, she kicks.  When I am hungry, she kicks.  I am excited to meet this little one.

She is still breech.  Naughty child.  The plan is to flip her over and induce right away.  That way we hope to avoid a cesarean and the surgery recovery time.

Lily understands, but is understandably a little worried.

Sarah is doing well.  She is still pretty sure she is the new baby everyone talks about.  I do not know how much she understands.  We have been telling her that she is going to be a big sister.  She will get it when the baby comes.

Both girls are more clingy than they were prior to our most recent hospitalization.  The longer we are home, the better it gets.  I can walk out of the room with Sarah watching me now, as I could not before.  But if there is another adult in the room and I leave, she cries.  I guess she knows I won't leave her alone, which is good.  Lily does pretty well during the day most days, but she wants to sleep in our room.  She says she is scared in her room.  She complains about nightmares.

She asks amazingly difficult questions, especially at night.  Last night she wanted to know how if Jesus was God, God could die on the cross.  She was confused, "because He is in Heaven.  He is everywhere."  The night before she asked me how God could make people well and how come some people get sick.  Earlier today she was asking why God made bad guys.  So in the past two days, I have fielded questions on the nature of the Trinity, miracles and evil from my four year old.  It wouldn't be so bad if she would a accept a short answer, but she keeps asking questions.  I should probably record some of these conversations because her questions are fantastic but challenging.  My answers..?

Lily takes care of Sarah.  She gives her her medicine and drives her around in the kidkart.  She makes sure Sarah is at the dinner table at dinner time, and she makes sure I can see Sarah's pulse ox.  She makes sure Sarah has toys.  And of course, Sarah loves her big sister.  They both get upset with me when I will not let Lily do everything for Sarah.  Sarah has to learn to ask for things.  Sarah has to learn to reach and play.  Lily does not think that Sarah should want for anything, and Sarah agrees.

Sarah has an evaluation this Thursday with the Infants and Toddlers program- which is the county program currently providing therapy.  We are going to reassess her needs.  We are also going to talk about school!  Apparently, Sarah is eligible for school.  We have to learn a little more about the classroom before getting too excited.  I think it could be really good, or maybe really not, depending on everything from the teacher to how it is decided to group children.  I have questions- a lot of questions.  In the best possible scenario, though, Sarah would be in a social atmosphere getting much needed therapy for a few hours every day.  She could thrive.  She is very smart, and was making daily progress when she had daily therapy.  She loves being around people.  But, she is young.  She will only have just turned two when she begins, if we go that route.  The alternative is to keep her home for another year, and make the best use we can of the infants and toddlers program.

Questions of nursing coverage and insurance remain unsolved.