She Wrote...All Because Two Moms Blog.

At the end of my Buckeye video I shared with you this past Monday, I thanked a certain family for making that day possible for us. I know that family through the wonderful world of blogging.

Thanks to the internet I have met many families and we have gotten to know each other through our blogs. Even though many of us have never met in person we feel we know each other very well. These other mom's are my network of friends that I prayed and longed for after our world was turned upside down when we received Cayman's diagnosis.

Joyce is the mom to a girl named Sarah, who has a blog that I follow. They are the family we received the Buckeye tickets from. Joyce wrote a beautiful post regarding us and their enjoyment of sharing the gifts they have received. Circle of Life, she calls it.

Reading her words about how we have touched her, coming from someone that has touched us...well it was touching.

Circle of Life.

There is no other way to put it.

When you can find someone that truly understands and knows what you're feeling, it's surreal.

And Joyce captured in words what we were feeling on Saturday when Mike carried his little girl into that Buckeye stadium.

Want to read Joyce's words?

Click here.

Christmas Cards

Mike and I were married in the month of April. I had lots of dreamy ideas for our little life together, including places to travel and traditions to keep.

Christmas being my most favorite holiday, I wanted the tradition of sending out annual Christmas cards for our family. The December month before our wedding, I shopped the clearance aisles for the marked down Holiday cards. And that first Christmas we were married in 2004 I sent out our first annual Christmas cards.

In 2007 I broke our tradition. We were living in Indiana. I was 6 months pregnant with Cayman and still very nauseous. Mike had turned in his resignation after accepting a job offer in Ohio. We put our house up for sale, packed up and moved into my in-laws' home 160 miles away. Life was busy and chaotic that I failed to continue our 'Annual Family Christmas Card'.

In 2008 I broke the tradition again. Mike lost his job and money was too tight for purchasing cards and postage.

But this year, 2009, has been a year of rebounds for our family. Cayman has had only one surgery this year, compared to the seven she had in 2008. We are happily settled in our current residence without another move in sight *knock on wood*. Mike has a stable job that he loves. A steady income. We are slowly, but surely building our nest egg back up after last year's repercussions. And I am determined to not let another year slide by without our 'Annual Family Christmas Card' tradition.

So this year I am on top of things. Thanks to my blogging friend Tiffany I am able to continue our Christmas card tradition without breaking the bank this year. I won her giveaway for free custom made greeting cards, and I am designing our family's Christmas cards from scratch. I can tell you it's not going too well. I know very little when it comes to digital design. The cards might not turn out fancy or by far challenging to Martha Stewart's designs, but by golly, The Stamm Family will have a Christmas card in the mail this year!

Cheering on the Buckeyes

On Saturday, The Ohio State Buckeyes played Illinois at their home stadium, The Horseshoe. And we got to attend the game!!

The week preceding the game we had been watching the forecast and hoping for great weather. But we did not get what we hope for.

It was a gray and dreary day!

Cayman and I ducked inside for shelter while it down poured. Thankfully there were spurts when the rain let up and we were able to enjoy the game from our fantastic seats!

So the weather was drab...

So we got a little wet...

but the Buckeyes won...

and we came home with amazing memories!!

A Dr. Seuss Tale

For nine months Cayman had the "green eggs and ham attitude" about sitting.

I do not like to sit.

I will not sit here or there.
I will not sit anywhere.

Would you sit in a box?
or with a fox?

Not in a box.

Not with a fox.
I will not sit here or there.
I will not sit anywhere.

Would you? Could you?
Next to a tree?
Try it! Try it!
You may like it.
You will see.

I would not, could not sit by a tree.
Now please, let me be.I do not like to sit in a box.
I do not like to sit with a fox.
I do not like to sit here or there.
I do not like to sit anywhere.

You do not like to sit.
SO you say.
Try it! Try it!
And you may.

If you will let me be,
I will try it.
You will see.

Say!

I like to sit!

So I will sit next to a tree.It is so much fun, so much fun you see!

I will sit in a box.

And I will sit with a fox.
And I will sit here and there.

Say!

I will sit ANYWHERE!


I think it's safe to say, sitting is a conquered milestone for Cayman!
Yippee!!!

Thumb Brace, Part 3

When Cayman was 6 months old she wore this thumb brace...

Then when she was 9 months of age, that old brace was switched out for this clunky one that she wore only at night...

At 12 months of age she moved onto to this one, which is her current thumb brace today...

What is the purpose of these thumb braces? In case you missed it, here's the recap:

For Cayman, it is natural for her left thumb to stay in a flexed position. The problem with that is, it is an unnatural position for a thumb to remain. Picking up objects and sometimes holding them with her left hand can be a bit of a challenge unless that right hand is always there to assist the left hand's actions. Cayman has become right hand dominate because of it, and sometimes her left hand just gets left out (no pun intended). The brace pulls her thumb out of her palm, giving it a good stretch to those muscles that have become so tight. And without her thumb tucked into her palm, it is a lot easier for her to hold onto toys.

We have seen improvements.

This is her thumb at 6 months old...

Her thumb actually laid onto top of the palm of her hand, touching it.

Here is Cayman's thumb now...Her thumb, even though still in a flexed position, is much further away from the palm of her hand.

Cayman has gained some confidence in her ability with her left hand. Sometimes she will even reach for toys and try to pick them up without the right hand always there to guide the action.

She still cannot voluntarily unflex her thumb though. We're really not sure if she will ever gain that ability. But Cayman is adapting and learning how to use her hand regardless of the limitations the immobility of her thumb presence. I feel so proud of her for that. Perhaps that is just the beginning of her not letting any of her handicaps limit her to discovering the world as she pleases.


thumb brace, Part I
thumb brace, Part II

I Wonder...

I wonder, as she sits there and smiles at me...

Does she realize my view and understanding of perfection is clearer than it ever has been?

Does she realize that God has taught me a deeper beauty about wholeness and contentment?

Does she realize my life is beautiful, it always has been, but it's never been quite this enhanced before?

Does she realize, that she is the stepping stone that God laid before me to guide my path to a place of greater peace and joy than I ever known?

I wonder, does Cayman realize she is fearfully and wonderfully made, exactly how she is?

I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
-Pslam 139:14
(New King James Version)

An Evening Walk

We were feeling cooped up after recovering from our nasty head colds so we decided to get out for an evening walk.

The air was warm...

The sky was clear...

The fallen leaves were crunchy...















It was a perfect evening for a stroll to, none other than our favorite local ice cream shop. There is only a few more weeks left before it closes for the season. We have to savor its yummy goodness now.

I ordered my favorite; a Butterfinger Flurry.

I forget what Mike ordered. He picks something different each time. He likes to become familiar with the whole menu. Not me. I know what I like and I stick with it. I do get my chance to dip into variety though because I have a giving husband that will share a bite or two with me. And of course I share with him, but I make sure the bites are my size not his. :-)

And Cayman, well she eats from both of ours. She will get her own someday when she can be trusted not to throw the ice cream on the ground.

On the walk back we took an extra loop around our block.

We talked about the fun projects we have completed on our house and all the goals for the upcoming ones. Being outside, the most obvious home improvement project we thought about was the curb appeal.

I am intimidated by landscaping, but when I think about all the pretty flowers, blooming trees, and the fresh life it would bring to our monochromatic house, I feel brave enough to get down and get dirty. But for right now it's just talk. Maybe next year the budget will let these plans give way to real tangible results.

Our 'Home Sweet Home'

Sitting, Part 6

Cayman sat independently!!

I know you've heard me say that before but I hope that does not diminish the excitement my words wish to carry into today's post!

I have been talking about Cayman's sitting ability, and lack of it since January, nine months ago!

For nine months she would make progress and then lose it...

make progress and then lose it...

etc...

But yesterday, Cayman sat like she has never sat before.

I do not know if she will duplicate this again, or if like all the other times she will regress in it. But I do know that when she sat up and stayed like that for 10 minutes our hearts leaped for joy. We fell into a pile of shrills, laughter, tears, and kisses. What an exciting evening it was at our house!

sitting, Part I
sitting, Part II
sitting, Part III
sitting, Part IV
sitting, Part V

Cayman's Curls

For the past week our household has been hit by the awful seasonal head cold. It started with Cayman, then was passed onto me, and now Daddy has joined us in the misery.

I feel like my head is in the clouds...I can't think...all I want to do is sleep.

I have lost all creative spark to blog. So I almost left you all high and dry this morning, with no daily post. But as I searched back through my picture files I found this photo of Cayman's curls I took a few weeks ago. And since I know how much everyone adores Cayman's curls, in fact, right now, it is in the lead of what she gets the most compliments on...I thought I would share this photo of her beautiful locks with you.

Empty Cradle

Today is a tough day! It is a day a mother and father will say their final good-byes to their baby girl that they lost to this world. They will place her in the ground and wait for the day they will be with her again in Heaven.

For the last week, posted on my sidebar, I have spoken of our dear friends, Nick and Valerie. Valerie was only a few short weeks away from delivering their second daughter, but an auto accident took the unborn baby's life.

I keep thinking about what great parents Nicholas and Valerie are. Their two daughters would have been just a little over a year apart in age. Nick and Val would have handled that kind of active attentiveness with such finesse and great balance. And they would had a blast while doing it!

I have thought about all the things Valerie and I have talked about in the past couple months as they prepared their home for the arrival of their baby girl, Miranda Lyn Irene. All the enthusiastic stories and dreams Valerie shared with me about watching Miranda play with her big sister, Ashalyn and planning play dates with Cayman...all those conversations came back to me.

It feels like this can't possibly be real.

I thought about the day when the accident happened. What was it like for them when they received the news that Miranda did not survive?

I remember what it felt like when we received the heartbreaking news that our unborn baby girl's chance of surviving outside of the womb was unlikely. For awhile we grieved like we had lost her. It was the darkest time in my life.

It was a time...

when there were more tears than words...

more questions than answers...

What Nick and Val have experienced is even worse. They must figure out how live and go on without Miranda by their side.

In those kind of moments it is hard to believe that a good, gracious God would allow us to hurt in that kind of way.

I do not have the answer to why God allows this kind of pain and tragedy to leak into the lives of those that faithfully walk with Him. I do know that everything God sets His hand at work on it can turn out more amazing than we could ever dream.

Miranda's life in this world may have been short, but I believe her story is one that God is working on to turn it from tragic to beautiful.

Sometimes we have to trust Him more than we can explain Him.


Please allow this dear family to enter your prayers today. They need the kind of strength that can only come from a higher power.

Happy Birthday...

To my big sister, Stacey
{Cayman's Aunt Ney Ney}

"Stace - I hope your day is filled with all the things you love!"

Cayman's 1st Blog

Today's blog is written by Cayman herself.

Here is what she has to say:

qdsaw4x3z2aoijjuiuu

(Can anyone interpret?)

Caught in the Act

My blogging friend and another fellow Hydro mom, Josephine, was curious about how Cayman gets her pants off.

So I set up the camera, and caught her in the act.

Thankfully, Cayman has been leaving her diaper on.

Bare Bottom

One way Cayman is a typical child:

If she is being quiet, likely she is up to something.

When the sounds of her toys become silent, or her babbling ceases, and the room is still, I know I better check in on her.

It's not because she's trying to be sneaky or hide her naughtiness. I just know that when she has found a new object her whole entire focus goes to that item and she becomes very quiet as she takes it all in.

I have found her trying to pull the Wii off the TV stand, which is down low, almost to floor level. In her defense, it is lit up by pretty blue lights and she probably thinks it is just another one of her flashy toys.

Or she's after the black cord to the laptop's charger. I do not understand what is so interesting about a black cord but she is crazy about it.

On one particular day last week though, I found her in a whole new way.

Cayman was laying in the middle of the family room floor. Her pants were crumpled, thrown at her side, and she was tossing her diaper around, playing peek-a-boo with it.

She had undressed herself.

At least she had the decency to cross her legs.

No joke, that is exactly how I found her.

That Face...

absorbed

focused

determined

a little silly

Where have I seen that look before?

*

*

*

*

{Daddy's face while playing video games}

Botanical Gardens

Walking...

Posing...

Capturing...

Enjoying...
















Happy 09.09.09 today!