18 Months

Some quick photos as Kamalee turned 18 months on March 3rd. WOW! Where did my baby go??!?!?

A few things that have been going on...

Well, we are recooperating from all of our driving to MN and SF and the first PoshTales show.

Kamalee is busy tearing the house apart. Everyday. She has suddenly popped a total of 7 teeth, 4 being molars. Still no front teeth on top. Guess she will have something to look forward to wishing for this Christmas. She has also mastered a hard top sippie. Oh, the long days I spent forcing it in her mouth with no luck. Then her Dad gives it to her ONCE and she ... just does it. No biggie. What a stinker!

She is still refusing to walk alone. But is slowly mastering the push toy. She could do it, she has plenty of strenghth and control, she just likes to use up all that West stubborness she has. Also, she learned stairs. I am not sure how as she has never even seen them before, but last weekend at Aunt Donna's, she went up a couple and back down.

I am currently busy planning, edited, uploading, designing and redesigning (and redesigning and redesigning) my photography website. This is a VERY difficult task with my snail paced internet connection. High speed will be installed next week. YAY, YAY, YAY!!!! So I am hoping to have my newly designed and organized sight to go live in a couple weeks.

Keep checking!

PoshTales first show

This weekend we launched the first show for PoshTales. To be honest we didn't expect much here. It was in a little coffee shop in Brandon and we basically wanted this as a run through for our next show. (Which is the Sioux Falls Mall, March 19 and 20. Come see us if you can!) But we actually had a great turnout and did really well. I took a couple days off to start focusing a little on what was supposed to be my actual job (designerGENES). But I am guess it will be back to hitting it hard towards then end of this week and ALL of next week to get ready for our mall show. I think that is going to go really well!!

Here are some snaps of our little display. Some nicer photos will be coming soon thanks to Donna's friend Amy Lawrence. She was nice enough to drop by and get some good photos.Donna

Bubbles at work cutting out some signs, last minute.

This little girl tried on one of my headbands. She was adorable!!!!

Remembering last year

One year ago, yesterday....this is what we were doing.... waiting and waiting. praying. keeping ourselves, somewhat, occupied. waiting and waiting.

One year ago, yesterday, Kamalee had her surgery. We are so glad that is she is doing well and are very blessed. Last year at this time, was really hard. But she is such a fighter and now it feels like we missed a whole year. She got too big, too fast! :)

This is Kamalee after surgery, sedated and sleeping.

And now today....
We had cake and ice cream to celebrate!Ok, so I tried my hand at the 'heart' cake....If you follow Holly or Kristi's blog, you will have seen what this should have looked like. I kind of rushed and didn't think through my carving. the top point of the heart got a little low. I decided it looked like lips instead. Mom thought angel wings. Either way...I decided I am pretty dang good to be able to do all 3 in 1 cake!!!! =)

All sorts of good stuff....

Our first attempt at snow play...

We celebrated the January, Feburary and March birthdays for my family last weekend by sledding. Kamalee had been sick and was sleeping so we missed out on sledding down the big hill, but since we were all bundled we decided to pull her in the sled for a little bit. She didn't seem to mind or enjoy it much. Being sick may have put a little damper on it. But she did smile for a few pictures.

Kamalee and cousin Jordyn



This week I have been super busy trying to finish up projects and getting 'somewhat' organized for the first premier of PoshTales (which is next Saturday everyone, mark your calendars). And busy with doctors. Tuesday, Kamalee went to see her cardiologist. After an EKG, ECHO and whole work up...no news is good news!!!!! Everything is holding the same. There is a very small leakage but it hasn't increased. Some leakage is normal....dr. says it is rare to not have any. We just need to keep monitoring it to make sure it doesn't increase. We see him again in 6mo. then if all is the same we start looking at the long term situation. YAY! She will have to have a yearly check up, but if all goes well there hopefully is no more surgerires in her future. It is possible that after years of many heartbeats it could losen and wear and she made need a 'tune up' but we won't know until it happens. So we just pray her little heart holds strong!

Wednesday, we ventured to SF for another video swallow for Kamalee to be tested on her drinking of cups. I came prepared as our last visit didn't go well. The PT we had was horrible and didn't allow us to use our own bottle....blah, blah blah. Another story. Anyways I had 4 cups types to try. Kamalee did awesome, drank from all of them and the results were awesome!!!! GOODBYE mr. THICKENER!!!! She has officially kicked the thickener from her liquids. She passed all of her tests and could drink out of any normal sippie with thinned liquids. OH yay...she is staring to seem 'normal' in some ways! We don't have to worry about people just handing her something to drink anymore. What a releif. We shouldn't have to go to that dr. anymore. So as of today, we shouldn't have to see any 'extra' doctors other than the cardiologist once a year. I think we can handle that.

Third good news...I discovered Kamalee sprung yet another molar! Bottom this time. That makes 5 teeth. 3 being molars. So she looks like she doesn't have very many cause only 2 are in front. This one just snuck in with no warning. She is also working on an eye tooth on top. Hopefully she will get some front teeth soon.

Well we have a busy couple days planned and then are heading to MN for school with Justin on Monday. Better get my work done so we can go along!

Introducing Posh Tales

Please join us for coffee and a little shopping!

Exploring and Learning

Kamalee is getting to be a very busy bee and likes to check EVERYTHING out. Here she was helping with supper dishes...putting them away and taking out.

Her latest fun news...she has been signing 'puppy'. She doesn't do very many signs but really likes this one. Our ST says she has never seen a child this young do puppy so we were pretty excited the first time we saw it. (BTW the sign for puppy is the patting of your leg...)

Don't mind the end when Momma is asking for a high five. She had become very good at her selective hearing and only doing and listening to things she wants to!

And she isn't saying DOG when I ask what that is. There is a duck on the next page which she is saying. So we sign puppy and say duck. The sign for duck must be too hard. :)

A new experience

This past weekend brought a new experience to the Ulschmid family. Justin's sister Kathy invited our family to a Monster Truck show in SF. We, the unkowing, we in for a treat. We didn't realize how loud this place could get and were not prepared. We did end up buying some earplugs for Kamalee. It was somewhat difficult making them stay in her ears; however, she didn't seem to care. She actually enjoyed it for the most part until the very end when all the big trucks got wound up to race. We tried to hold her down and cover her ears in preparment, but I think she was more mad about us holding her down than the noise. About 10:00 we decided to leave before the ramblings of all the big trucks. We only missed about 20 minutes so all in all she did very well. It was quite an experience. I actually think I was more nervous about the whole situation than Kammers. It brought back horrible memories of the circus bike riders I saw as a kid. I hated seeing them go round and round in that circular cage...just knowing it would end terribly. I couldn't watch. (Thanks Mom for letting me leave the circus early and not having to see the horrible ending...) Thanks Kathy for taking us along with you to see these crazy people. (I am very glad to say the ending was not terrible.)

This is before the show began. They were giving rides in the big General Hazzard truck...much like elephant rides at the circus but more expensive! She like watching this big guy go around.

These are kids racers. Younges is 4!!!! As soon as they came out, I looked at Justin and immediately saw the wheels spinning as I shouted "NO WAY!"

This was our favorite part. Two motorcycle riders came out and did jumps and tricks while in the air. Each time they went back to do it again, Kamalee would put her hands out reaching to them...wondering where they went. It was very cool to watch but I would hate to have known them...my heart was beating so fast!

This guy did back flips!!!! Here's a video of a few jumps and the backflips....