Kenna turns 4!

It's hard to put together a post when we were not there for the big day, but I will try.

Thank heaven for Skype or we would not get to enjoy visiting with Lindsey family very often. I think it has made a huge difference in our ability to handle them living in Logan. I am writing this long after Kenna's Birthday, and since that time their camera stopped working so we haven't been able to use Skype for a few months. I am hating it! It is hard to feel connected to them. We can face time on the i pad but it is really hard, and it makes it really hard to see more than one person at once. The kids can't really move around so it seems like it's much less effective. I  can't really talk on the phone to Kenna and Reese although Reese will listen for a min.

On Kenna's Birthday however we did Skype and it was fun, but not the same as being there of course.
We had been there moving them a few weeks earlier and they were coming for Thanksgiving so we didn't go up just for that.

We watched her open our present to her. I had sent one and kept one here. We sang her Happy Birthday which she loved. The Girl loves music and it's a way for us to communicate with her. It was a  little awkward at first, but I usually sing songs with her and Reese when we Skype because they both love it. I used to use our puppets a lot and read stories to them too. (Dang Camera!)
She loves Oreos so we watched them eat those too! I sent her a bag of Marshmellows one of her favorite treats and so she got distracted by them as well. It was fun to visit with them but I couldn't get pictures or give hugs so it was kind of a bummer too.

These pictures I stole off  Lindsey's blog of her earlier in her day.

New toys and opening gifts!



Kenna Loves the Jump Zone!

When they got to our house for Thanksgiving we gave her, her other present. Some lacing beads. She wasn't too impressed, but hopefully they will help her and she will like them someday.

What do I say about this little sweetie that I haven't already said?
She is so sweet and loving and although she doesn't speak at all, she expresses her love to all of us in her own way. When we first started to learn the most effective ways to help her communicate, we were told for her to understand us it helps to word things differently. Instead of saying "I Love You" It makes more sense to her for me to say "Grandma loves Kenna" I added sign language to this and from then on I tell her this sometimes in play, but always when we are saying good-bye in person or on the computer. In person she now takes my hands and helps me do the signs while I say it. She smiles and we do 2 or 3 times together. First slow then a few times fast and she laughs after that. On the computer. Lindsey will usually help her even though she can do it herself. She likes to use your hands instead of hers to communicate for some reason.
She has brought us joy and challenged us. She has worried us with her health as a baby and her Autism since diagnoses. She has made us proud as she progresses and filled our hearts with love and understanding for things that could be seen as a trial to others. She has been the recipient of a million prayers. I worry for her future and the hardships she will face.
But she is ours and we love her so much that in the end that's all that matters to us.
Happy Birthday Kenna!
We know you understand far more than we give you credit for and I for one wish I could be inside your little brain for even a moment to see what you think of all of us. You are one of the few in our family, we will need to live worthy of. We want to be with you for eternity so we need to shape us for that to happen... Love you little bug!