So much to report!

Wow, it has been a crazy busy month.  June has flew by, Caitlin is growing up so fast and time is such a whirlwind.  So here's a low down of what's been happening this month with little Miss Caitlin :)

Firstly Caitlin finally got her urodynamics test done.  She's meant to have this done every year to check to see if her bladder is healthy so after getting one done at 7months she was due to have a repeat last summer but waiting lists meant it was pushed back until this month, almost a year late!  But better late than never I guess :)  Caitlin cried but we were able to calm her when she sat on my knee and we kept her talking, her favourite thing to do :)  The results were worth the wait.  It showed her bladder was holding normal amounts for her age with NO high pressures whatsoever!  So no more indwelling catheter needed at night :) Woo!! Her muscles are a little tight so we still have to cath her every 3-4hours incase she doesn't empty her bladder fully.  To be honest the most I was hoping for was that what we were doing was keeping her bladder healthy, I didn't expect her bladder to be in better shape than it was 2 years ago!  Her bowel muscles are also tight but I prefer this to them being too loose - it will hopefully make potty training a little easier!  Talking of potty training her urologist and continence nurse are happy for us to try potty training.  Double woop!!  Potty training is of course going to be different for Caitlin than a child without spina bifida.  Her bowel & bladder nerves are damaged and this means she has limited (if any) feeling of when she needs to go, or when she is going.  I don't think she can feel it when she passes pee or poop but I think she may have some sensation of when she needs to go, for a poop at least.  We tried her on the toilet for the first time and she did a poo!  I nearly wrote it on Facebook I was that happy, then I thought better of it - it's not exactly what everybody wants to read about lol.  Since then she's decided she doesn't like the toilet so I bought her a potty but haven't tried her on it yet.  I just got her suppositories and the idea is we stop giving her her laxatives and instead pop a suppository in then sit her on the toilet, her bowel will empty and fingers crossed that will be her until the next night when we do it again.  Hopefully that will keep her dry bowel wise, but of course things like diet will come into play and there will be accidents but there are other options if suppositories don't work.  Caitlin does leak even with catheterization but her urologist is hopeful that as her bladder grows she won't leak as much.  So it was a GREAT result all round!

We also got to celebrate a very special ocassion,  Caitlin's shunt's 1st anniversary!  After 6 brain surgeries, getting to this point was such a big deal.  I honestly had moments that I never thought a shunt would last her a year but it has happened!  A year without any surgery is just amazing.  Medically, things are pretty darn perfect and I'm hoping my bubble doesn't burst anytime soon :)

Caitlin also turned 2 and a half this month.  Crazy.  Already half way through being a 2 year old.  I don't have the words to express how much I love this kid.  She is the funniest character and I've written down a few things she's said this month before I forget them :)  

Lying in bed last week we were playing Hide & Seek with her Peppa Pig teddy and I hid the teddy on her Dad's pillow.  When Caitlin seen this she gasped, crawled straight over & wagged her finger at Peppa telling her in a stern voice, "You don't sit on my Daddy's pillow, you are a very bold, silly pig!"

I thought it would be nice to curl up on sofa & watch Beauty & the Beast.  The film begins with the story of what happened, how the prince turns into a beast, and falls into despair.  The scene is very dramatic with sounds of a storm & rain falling with the beast howling.  Caitlin turns to me looking very concerned and says, "Mummy, I think he's going to need an umbrella."

She's been waking up really early recently.  I heard her the other day singing songs to herself at 6.20am and she lay playing in her cot happily until 8am.  She entertains herself by singing, playing hide & seek with her teddies and talking to them. Her favourite teddy at the moment is Spongebob and he has to go everywhere with her.  (Peppa has taken a Backseat!)  Naturally, Spongebob goes to bed with her too.  So while I listened on the monitor I heard her tell Spongebob, "When we want up Spongebob, we'll shout for my Mummy or my Daddy and they'll come get us."
A short while after...
"Spongebob, you can share my pillow because sharing is caring."
"Spongebob, were did you go?? Ahhh!! I found you!  Your so funny."
"Mummy, come here! Spongebob wants to see you!"

Then there's her sweet side.  I just love when she wraps her arms around me, gives me a huge hug and tells "Your so pretty Mummy and your my best friend".   She just makes me smile every day :) :) :)

Caitlin also participated in her very first sports day at daycare this month!  When I was told about it I hesitated.  Should I bring her when she can't walk on her own?  How would she take part in games?  Then I was annoyed at myself for even considering not letting her take part.  I always said & believed that Caitlin will do whatever she wants to do and get the same opportunities as everybody else.  I knew she would enjoy it and she did.  She loved it.  I have to admit when I saw them practising I got a little teary, all the kids were racing up and down the garden while Caitlin was last, being helped to walk by one of the staff.  But I focused on the huge smile on her face as everybody cheered her on.  Some of the older kids even asked could Caitlin be in their team!  And on the day she did so so well.  All the staff were great at adapting games for her to join in.  I helped her walk/run and she did so well - I was knackered by the end of it!  When she got her certificate and her medal at the end I had to stop myself from blubbing - she was beaming from ear to ear and wouldn't take her medal off for days :)

She's doing so well with her walking.  Her physiotherapist wanted to see if she could walk with a dolls pram rather than her walker.  This would be much harder for her as there is very little support from a dolls pram compared to her walker.  But once again, Caitlin did amazing.  She walked around the house a few times, with "her baby in her pram".  I notice how she's getting interested in dolls now, getting some practise in before her new baby brother/sister arrives.

Talking of her brother/sister we had my 20 week scan.  It couldn't have went better.  Apart from baby not showing us what gender he/she is.  But I can't complain, he/she looks very healthy and I couldn't wish for more.  Caitlin has decided the baby's name is SpongeBob.  She can forget it lol.

And finally...after months of filling out forms and assessments I got the call today that Caitlin has got a place at Fleming Fulton, a school for the physically disabled.  Spaces are very limited and it is an amazing school.  Its nursery unit has a fantastic reputation so I am absolutely delighted Caitlin got a place.  Believe me, the decision to try to get her into this school was not one I took lightly.  The reason why we decided on this school is because she won't get into mainstream nursery in our local area until she is nearly four.  In this nursery she gets an extra year, starting in October.  I'm paying for her to be in daycare while I work at the moment so it makes sense for her to go to a nursery instead that's free and caters particularly for children with physical disabilities.  She will have access to ALOT more therapy there than she does now.  It's a great school with dedicated staff and I think she'll do really well there.  After the two years at nursery we'll transfer her to a mainstream school.  I think Fleming is best for her for nursery when she is learning through play, and mainstream school is best for her for her education.  Of course, things can change but that's the plan at the moment!  I get teary even thinking about waving her off on the bus but I think every mother feels like that!

A new chapter is beginning in our lives.  I never thought having a child with spina bifida would bring me so much joy.  Spina bifida is in our life, but it is by no means our life.  Caitlin is a 2 year old who loves to play, draw, dance & sing.  Here are a few videos I took a couple of nights ago that just show off my little superstar having some fun :)