A Thousand Points of Cuteness

 Point of Cuteness 1 - Presleigh hard at work perfecting the Jedi-mind-trick:

This morning, amidst the playing, she looked over at Mommy and suggested "Pway cards, Mommy?".

Mommy clarified "Do you want to play cards with Mommy?"

Presleigh replied, as if it was Mommy's suggestion all along: "Okay, Mommy." [Subtext: "Great idea, Mommy. Glad you thought of it..."]

Point of Cuteness 2 - Potty Training Milestone

For context, sometimes two year olds take immediate interest in potty training, the novelty of it wears off, and they just default back to the ease and simplicity of diaper use. Presleigh has her little training potty in the bathroom next to the big potty. But, she also has a step stool we use to help her up to the big potty only when we're trying to reinforce proper potty etiquette and only when she's being supervised by an adult. (To which she usually puts up a straight arm and a talk-to-the hand and commands "be back". She's kicking you out for some privacy when she does that.)

Was that a fairly couth way of putting it?

Great. From this point, tact evades us.

Today, Mommy and Papa were feeding and changing the twins while Presleigh eased off into the shadows for long enough to set off Papa's "She's Too Quiet" alarm. As Papa set out on a search and rescue mission, Presleigh came running (naked, of course) out of the bathroom to announce "poopie in the potty!" It turns out Presleigh not only decided to go to the bathroom on her own, but did her thing in the big people potty... with no help from the step stool.

Impressive. Well done, little lady!

Point of Cuteness 3 - "You okay?"

It's fun to try to predict what new verbal invention may come out of the mouth of a two year old. They're constantly refining their words, forming partial sentences, and stringing sensible phrases together in amazing collages of proper communication. Last week, Presleigh got a boo-boo. No surprise there.

Cue the tears and sympathy cry...

As the water works and sound effects kicked in, Papa asked "You okay, Presleigh?"

Presleigh's reply, a cry-coated "Yeah, mokay." Utter adorableness, packaged in a 2 year old child's body.

Recovery Update

Presleigh's made a fantastic recovery and has even returned to her favorite playground shenanigans, visits with Miss Paula, and (thanks to a one month scholarship) even Mother's Morning Out! We're thrilled that she's back to her usual self - full on or full off!!! Recently, she visited the Marietta fair with a family friend and even got a new babysitter (who Mommy gives two enthusiastic thumbs up).

Mommy's needed some relief and we're glad that it came in the form of an affordable, trustworthy babysitter. It also came in the form of a great, new (to us) stroller. See, when Papa's out at work, it's hard for Mommy to just pack up the van and go with three kids, two and under, especially if that means trying to push a twin stroller and the Presleigh stroller, right? So, Papa did some digging on Craigslist and found a used Baby Jogger triplet stroller for sale, cheap, reduced, and eventually free... What?! With some washing up of the liner, a couple replacement parts from the manufacturer and (soon) four new tires to replace the bald, leaky ones, it'll be as good as... used.

But, heck, free?

Well, Presleigh thought it was a cool stroller, but she wasn't to excited about getting into it the other day. With a little coaxing, Papa loaded all three into the blue bomber and went for a run around the neighborhood. Alright, more of a walk-jog. He ain't running 10 minute miles while pushing that thing around, you know? Well, after a brief hobble around the hood, the foursome arrived back home only to see the "no WIKE it" girl fast asweep in the stwower. Changed her tune a bit, huh? I won't be an "I told you so" - I'll let the picture say that for me.

My hope is that we'll find an equally good deal on a tandem stroller for 3 or a sit & stand for 2+. Why? Well, the only drawback to the mammoth baby machine is that it's a bit like a Hum-V in size and not so flexible. The point was to get Mommy something she could just throw in the van and tote the kids around in, not to shackle her to a boat anchor that has to be partly disassembled and then gingerly hoisted by crane into the minivan fuselage.

For now, Aunt Sarah was nice enough to loan us her double tandem to use as the babes get more accustomed to the sit up position - it still means carrying around two strollers, but it's nice to know they can sit up as they're getting bigger.

Speaking of Aunt Sarah, Presleigh had a great visit from our friend, Shae, Sarah's daughter, last week. Shae just loves to dress Presleigh up and do her hair. Could be a real BFFL, no? This was such a cute photo, I couldn't resist putting it in. Proud Papa.

Oh, yeah, and Presleigh's going in, in about another 2 months for a follow up with the Pediatric Urologist. Hopefully, he'll just be telling us "I got'r'dun, and she's all good to go." Keep it lifted up and your eyes on Jesus. We all get to meet Him one day and account for what we did with what He gave us.

Grace and peace,

AP

Well, THAT'S Great News!!!

Yesterday, the doctor(s) visited the room and checked in on Presleigh. Their comment surprised us for two reasons 1) we thought her surgery was fairly simple and 2) recovery would be 2 to 3 days. Reality check - on a 2 year old child having four ureters snipped from their places in the bladder and reinserted in new places is not so simple. It's actually quite extensive. We would assume the next statement is only true as a response to all the many prayers in multiple countries lifted up on Presleigh's behalf: "Presleigh can be discharged immediately."

Woo-hoo!!!

So, last night, Papa got to make one more trip down to Scottish Rite (with a quick stop off at Northside for a surprise visit on some friends that just had their first baby!!!) and pick up Mommy, Presleigh, and all their belongings! The trip home was a bit extensive, since the pharmacy did not have the bladder spasm meds we needed on hand and we had to play some rapid-fire phone tag to find another pharmacy (that was still open at 8:45PM) that did have the much needed meds. After some searching around and some tedious waiting, Papa emerged from the store, victoriously clutching a bag of dark chocolate peanut M&M's and the vital prescriptions that will be a regular part of Presleigh's diet for the next week or two.

Presleigh, however, was not as amused by this visit, as it was wayyyy past her bedtime and we still needed to do a diaper change and feed her three meds before she could enjoy repose in her own bed again. This may sound simple to some parents and to most non-parents out there, but let me tell you: wrestling an octopus on their own home turf can be an easier proposal than keeping flailing arms and legs down on the changing table while an injured toddler screams "No WIKE it!!!" and you have to change not one, but two diapers.

Side note on the diaper thing - to guard and protect Presleigh's ouchie bladder, the docs made the following call: they'd insert an "indwelling" [as in Holy Spirit, right?] catheter. Not to get too graphic here, but this catheter has a balloon on the end that holds the bladder's shape as it heals, preventing Presleigh from having to use her bladder muscles as the surrounding tissues heal. This requires us to put one (size 4) diaper on, cut a hole in it to pass the catheter end through, and bring the catheter to a steady resting place inside a second, larger diaper.

Okay, staying away from TMI, it's quite a rigamaroll to have to change her diapers right now, especially when you add the flailing and fussiness on top of it. Hey, you'd be fussy, too if you had a hoobajoo in your doodlie-doo, wouldn't you?

Needless to say, Presleigh's got a week or two of limitations ahead of her - no rough play or straddle toys. What?! This means, no playground, no riding horsie toys, no climbing over the bedroom gate, no fun! BOR-ING!!! But, in her best interest, right? Yep. This also means she doesn't get to enjoy the last week the neighborhood pool is open, either... MAJOR BUMMER, you know? I mean, it's 90s here and complain, complain, Daddy, but your two year old just got safely out of the hospital after extensive surgery and you could start off with a little gratitude!!!

Glory to God, thank you for your prayers, and all honor and praise to the Lord Most High, who brought our little girl home early!

in Christ,

Happy Papa!

P.S. As you can see from this photo, Presleigh is back to her old, sly tricks. Don't you just love that grin?!

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde?

Presleigh's Mr. Hyde impression

Today, we had a visit from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - the Presleigh Pina version. Well, what would you expect from a two year old girl who just had extensive bladder surgery? To answer the hot question - she's doing great. Aside from periodic cases of fussitis (a common swelling of the fussy gland accompanied by prolonged fussiness, mild crabbiness, and insatiable appetite for being cuddled by Mommy), she's doing very well. As mentioned yesterday, Dr. Superbladderdude removed one duplicated ureter, one half duplicated ureter, and reinserted the correct ureters back into the bladder so it's all like new.

Dr. Jekyll, Presleigh-style

For a few extra bucks, he offered to throw in the 2011 passenger side airbag option, but we assured him Presleigh's lungs work great - she doesn't need any more airbags.

Regardless of the fidgetiness and fussiness that follows open surgery, Presleigh is just about back to her delightful self. Eating pizza, sipping water from her "Buzz and Woody" cup, dining on purple ice pops, and saying her favorite words "Mommy", "more Barney", and "hold you". What a wonderful child God has granted us. We are grateful for the many prayers and great support around us - what an amazing extended family we have!

Mommy and Papa had a most welcome visit from Aunt Sarah (our sister in Christ) and Shae. It's always great to have a visit from Sarah. But, how great is it when she brings Presleigh's favorite "Shaaaaaaae" and a bag of McDonalds McMuffins?! For real? It's not like God hadn't already come through on a successful surgery, NOW He's got to deliver morning yummies toted in by our bestest friend?!

Another welcome visitor is Aunt Shanua (THANKYOULORD!!!) - she came down from Charlotte today to help Papa out by watching the twins. See, Daddy has to rehearse for an upcoming show on October 3rd, and it's hard to watch, feed, and change the twins while rehearsing. Having an extra set of hands and eyes is a super help and it's incredibly generous of Aunt Shanua to make the trip down from NC.

Back at the ranch, Jezreel decided to take an afternoon nap in the swing, but Jovi couldn't decide: "Aunt Shanua's chest or the swing, the chest or the swing...?" Looks like she might go for the swing... after the chest! Aunt Shanua is pretty sure she made the right call, though!

It's possible that Presleigh could come home as early as tomorrow, but it looks like whether it's then or Saturday, she'll have to keep the catheter in until at least late next week. Double diaper heaven. But, hey, whatever we have to do to help insure she heals quickly and thoroughly, we're okay with. Glory to God. Grace and peace to all.

AP

Great News: A Road to Nowhere!

Presleigh's surgery went off without a hitch. Super Urology Doc Dude, who does hundreds of these surgeries each year, told us following the 2-1/2 hour procedure:

"We clipped the ureters on the one side which had the duplicating system [two ureters between the bladder and kidney] and reinserted them in the bladder. On the other side, we found another duplicating system. But, this one didn't connect to the kidney, it was more of a road to nowhere."

Even though he sees hundreds of these cases each year, he said that Presleigh's case was definitely a rarity. Well, regardless of her uniqueness, she is now in recovery and free from vasicoureteral reflux. No more prophylaxis!

We're grateful to God for His constancy and the talent and skills He has afforded doctors so very close to our back yard. There are children here from all over the country, even other countries, and we've got access to top quality medical care 30 minutes away (plus or minus, given the traffic on Georgia-400).

Presleigh's not too delighted about the lingering foley cath or the "boo-boo" that's healing just below her diaper line, but we know it beats the alternative. Thank you, to all who have lifted up prayers on her behalf, the doctors' behalf, and our behalf. Wait, that makes three halves, doesn't it?

Special thanks to our dear friend Tara for coming by to sit with us and pray during the waiting. We love your company and are grateful for your fellowship! Thanks, also, to all the other visitors we know are already planning to come by - pack light, the room is small!

in Christ,

Papa Pina

How, Then, Shall We Pray?

We've got the call from the scheduling department - Presleigh's procedure is scheduled for 10:30 tomorrow morning. We continue to pray that something comes up that prompts the docs to examine her and find out that God has miraculously healed her. However, we know that God's plans and our prayers don't always coincide. In the event that His perfect plan is "healing by surgery", we're open to that, too. He is trustworthy and praiseworthy, either way.

Pray for healing for sure. Also, pray that if surgery is the option, that the Lord guides and focuses the docs with utmost care. May all the training, craft, and art of surgery that He has exposed them to come to bear on the procedure. Bless their efforts and our little Presleigh for a simple, complete procedure and a swift, thorough recovery.

Bless us and keep us in complete dependence on God, that His name may receive the full glory that only He deserves. Watch over our work as we are away and pray that God breathes a fresh wind of funding into our ministry at a time when we need it most.

May God bless Aarron's efforts as he prepares for his performance of "That Day" in just 11 days, that it may be not for his glory, but for God's. May we open to a sell out crowd and may the story we tell be heard for years to come for God's kingdom and not for ours.

Bless Cristine as a godly mother who desires with all that is in her to learn greater and better things than she has learned from any past generation of mothers, with all respect due to those who have mothered her. May the Lord grow her faith in His ability to do the monergistic work only He can do.

To God Be the Glory!

AP

Houston, We Have a Problem...

Moments ago, Presleigh picked up a toy phone and said "This is my friend, 'Beckett'
. O... M... G... When I catch that little Beckett, he's going to have some 'splaining to do!!!!

MIsposted....

Last Wednesday, the following post was accidentally posted on the twins' blog instead of Presleigh's. My bad.


Presleigh's surgery is officially scheduled for next week - Wednesday, about noon. We're eternally grateful for everyone's prayers for her and also grateful for Aunt Shanua making the trip down from Charlotte to help out with the twins while Mommy and Papa are in the hospital for Presleigh's recovery.

You'd never know there was anything going on with her from the outside - running, jumping, climbing, shouting, singing, counting, watching TV, playing with the twins, giving kisses to Mommy, Papa, and the babies... Wow. She's growing up so quickly.

As Mommy and I watched "old" videos from earlier this year, we were amazed at how much she's matured, from the walking to the talking to the facial gestures. Words, words, and more words "Thanks, Mommy!" "My try it!" "Jovi's crying"... Let's hear it for toddler language acquisition and development skills, right?

We threw Presleigh a last minute party and only invited a handful of folks - sorry if you were left out - we realized with all the kids we now know, the house would be overrun with toddlers very quickly. We were right! Cake everywhere, kids all over the place, but a great party nonetheless. And, now, we present to you, Presleigh Pina - 2 year old. We officially no longer have 3 under 2. It's 3 under 3, but thank God for the strength He has given us thus far!


AP

How Shall we Pray?

Last week, we brought Presleigh's most recent VCUG (voiding cysto-urethrogram) to her urologist, Dr. Mac-daddy-of-urology. Her last results from over a year ago showed grade 3 on one side and grade 5 on the other. (Remember, class, grade 5 pretty much means there's practically a two way street between the kidney and bladder...) This time, the grade 3 side looked marginally better and the grade 5 side showed little, if any, improvement.

Dr. Smith's recommendation was for corrective surgery. Not what we had hoped to hear, but good news for three reasons:

1. We have prayed for her healing and not received it, yet. And also, yet, we have prayed for the faith to heal her - which does not come without trial. As we persevere through this trail, God will build our hope, regardless of the outcome. Can you see that? Romans chapter 5 opens with an idea - "okay, if I have peace with God through faith in Christ, why are there un-peaceful circumstances around me?" The easy answer - we live in a broken world. But, in light of this text - now that Christ has given us access by faith to the Father, the Father desires to refine our hope thourgh suffering that produces perseverance, perseverance that produces proven character and exposes a clearer and far less temporal hope. If you just breathed a sigh of relief - you get it. I think I get it, too.
   
   
2. We've all heard the story about the guy on top of his roof who died in the flood after telling the other guy in the boat, the rescue worker, and the Coast Guard helicopter "No, thanks, God will save me". He gets to heaven and asks God why He didn't save him and God says - "What did you want? I sent a boat, a rescue worker, and a helicopter!!!
   
   Do we honor God when we pray for healing but refuse His method of healing? The bible teaches us "I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16.23)" Of course, this is governed by the rest of scripture - we can't ask God to do something evil or outside His will and expect it in fairness to be granted just for the asking. Even Christ asked "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. (Luke 22.42)"
   
   I love the faith my wife has about this - "I'm going to keep praying until they wheel Presleigh into surgery, because all I know to do is to knock until God either opens the door or the door is no longer there." As the Spirit does not war against itself, I am in one accord with her in this mindset. My desire and hers, too, is that God still performs some unexplainable miracle in the 11th hour. But, as the men in the fiery furnace protested that their God could save them, "But even if he does not... (Dan. 3.18)" No parent wants their 2 year old to be cut open, even if only for a "routine procedure" with a 2 to 3 day recovery. But, my faith explodes when I see my wife steadfast in prayer saying "I will give God the glory, win or lose."
   
   
3. Is it an accident that God has us 30 minutes away from the top pediatric urologist in the nation, if not the world? Could be. But, I choose to follow Him. He is faithful and He will bring it to pass (that is, sanctification) and this trial is a road toward sanctification.

Pray for Presleigh - her future is bright as the noon day sun!

Glory to God.

AP

August, already?

You know, when I started this whole baby blog thing, I figured it'd be easy to maintain. Well, it is simple, but simple doesn't mean easy. So, today I post for the first time in a month and a half. Presleigh continues to amaze me as she grows closer and closer to two years old...

She does seem to have a gift for cleaning. Picking her up from MMO, the teachers would be cleaning up and there's Presleigh with a Clorox wipe, mopping up behind them. Perhaps she'll grow up to be a quality control manager? Mommy isn't allowed to clean anything up unless Presleigh gets to use the broom. And, just the other day, I spotted her lining up these sponges on the kitchen floor... What a big girl!

Today, she counted from 6 to 10 with no help from Mommy or Papa. One through five are a little rusty as she prefers 5 to come before four. Even cuter, she had a visitor yesterday and as we continue to fight the battle over "share your toys", after company had left she actually used "toys" and "share" in the same sentence. Actually, that was the whole sentence. I think to our chagrin, she might have meant that the toys shared children instead of the children shared the toys...

We're quickly... alright, I am painstakingly slowly learning what foods are Presleigh-friendly and which ones she absolutely, positively must eat with supervision. Carrots? Okay. Apples? Okay. Ice cream or yogurt? Uhmmmm... notsomuch. The Presleighish word for "lotion" is "shushin", which does not derive directly from the French word for "yogurt", but in Presleighish it's the same root word. She likes lotion. Lotion on her hands. Lotion on her face, hair, shirt, and of course, all over the high-chair tray.

"Splash, splash", says the lotion. "Drip, drip", says the floor. "PapaaaaAAAH!" shouts the Mommy. "Ouch, ouch", says the door...

Yeah, let's not have a repeat of that episode.

You'd think I'd have learned. Of course, Mommy hears the tinkle-tink of the ice-cream truck bells coming down the cul-de-sac, which means Papa has to race downstairs out of the office, run across the hot (good GAWWWWD, hot!) driveway where he stands charring his feet in the molten lava temperatures of our road's black asphalt, waiting for the ice-cream man to huck a few nice, melty, sweet treats at him as he stands tap dancing on the lawn. All that effort and Presleigh makes shushin out of the ice-cream treat, too. SpongeBob on the hands and arms. SpongeBob on the shirt and hair.

Thank God for the bath tub, the hose, and the fact that Mommy was not in the kitchen this time around.

Ah, Presleigh. We love you.

Papa

Praying for Presleigh

Lord, don't let her grow up too fast.
Father, please, draw her to You, that she may walk with You all of her days.
God, if she ever parts from Your path, may her explorations be short and shallow.

All these things go through our minds as we watch little girls around us grow up too fast. Presleigh has this mature, confidence as she walks around like Fred Sanford - strutting across the room like she owns the place. And yet, she's every bit the little babygurl that we brought home from the hospital - hugging on Papa, calling for "Mommy... Mommymommymommy!" from behind the gate in her bedroom when she doesn't want to go to bed yet. We haven't taught her the words "one more thing..." yet. I hope she doesn't figure those out too soon, you know?

Then again, she's mastered the words "more" and "again". Lately, she's taken to leading Papa around by the hands and playing one of two favorite games: 1) "Dance around in a circle until we're dizzy" and 2) "Get Papa to lay on his back, then step back and count to three and Flop on Pop". I almost took a top tooth to the chin on that one once or twice. But, what are you gonna do - it's Presleigh.

AP

Sleep, Come Swiftly!!!

Not a lot of posting going on, but Presleigh sure is active. She's up to close to 50 or 60 words now and can identify things with their photos, including some people, too!

Puppy, kite, circle, cracker, nose, toes, elbow... The list goes on and on - what an amazing kiddo! We're so blessed to have her as our own!

Lately, Mommy and Papa are working on getting some sleep when the twins aren't feeding, so as sleep increases, so will posting of photos and the like. Hope you enjoy this month's batch!

AP

Back in the Spotlight

Presleigh Gabriella Pina has adjusted very, very well to the arrival of not one, but two newborn siblings in the home. Mommy and Papa arrived home on a Saturday night carrying her new baby brother and baby sister and she was overwhelmed with excitement. The past week and a half have been filled with wonder at what these two kiddos are all about.


For the first few nights, she didn't want the party to end, insisting on coming back out of her room every time we put her in bed... Sadly, that meant a few days out of the toddler bed and back in the crib - otherwise, Mommy & Papa would have gotten zero sleep instead of the smattering of two hour sleep "chunks" they've grown accustomed to.

The great news is, she's back to her normal routine after a mere week. She loves her twin sibs and frequently asks to hold and help feed them. Here's a few great shots of her for the week. Hopefully, things will get back to "normal" around here soon and we'll be able to post wonder-filled photos of her everyday goings-on more regularly than "catch as catch can".

She's getting SO big!!!

Gonna Be a Big Sister!!!

Last post kind of left you hanging, didn't it? Yeah, we were off to the hospital expecting to bring home Presleigh's little bro and sis, but after 6 hours waiting around, discovered that Mommy was no more dilated than when she came in. "Thanks, for playing. See Jane on the way out for a copy of the home game."

Back to the waiting, right?

Presleigh's just enjoying her time in the spotlight and knows the twins will be here before we all know it. Regardless, there's nothing like being a big sister and that's coming sooner than later! For more details on the twins, head over to Jezreel & Jovi's blog!

Proud Papa

Catching Up with Presleigh

The past several months have been filled with wonder, the likes of which most of us rarely witness. As a first time Dad, I'm blown away by the changes that take place right in front of my own eyes. Gross motor skills develop on a regular basis, but suddenly Presleigh goes from picking up the kickball to actually kicking it.

She goes from making barely intelligible sounds and shouts to words like "peeeease" (for "please"), "fsssh" (for fish), "Poppa", catker (cracker), and my favorite "ah-meen", which she says after our prayers before nap time and bedtime.

More recently, as the due date for the twins grows closer, she's made an excellent transition from crib to toddler bed and has been sleeping through the night and naptimes very independently. She's very proud of her attempts to understand potty time, too. She's not batting 1000 yet, but has actually done "pee-pee-in-the-pot-TAY" two or three times now, with some disrobing assistance beforehand. It may be very early for this kind of a feat, but she's been so ready for every other change, we didn't want to discourage her from another leap forward!

In no particular order, here are a few photos I've been able to shoot of her first day at pre-pre-school, wearing Mommy or Papa's shoes, gloves, or other clothes, playing chef with pots and pans, or just chillaxing with her big sister, Bee-bee.







Yes, that is her hair getting much longer and yes, she got it from both Mommy and Papa.


Gotta run, Mommy's having CONTRACTIONS!!!

For more details, keep an eye on www.babiespina.blogspot.com!

Ooops!

Hey, it looks like there are several of y'all following Presleigh's blog and I've left you hanging for a few months. We (meaning I) misplaced the camera cable and finally discovered it again, so I should have some Presleigh photos up tonight or tomorrow to catch you up on what's been going on since LAST YEAR!

Needless to say, Presleigh is well, keeping us all very entertained and is very excited about the advent of her brother and sister to be!

Soon,

AP