Chloe Gymnastics

We joined the YMCA in January. This winter has been the coldest ever since we moved to Ohio. We've had several weeks where the temperature is often below zero, rarely above 20, and if it is above 20 it's raining. The girls have missed 7 days of school already. We don't play outside in the winter too often but I usually get out to run at least twice a week or so. Last winter was fairly mild and I trained for my half marathon all through the winter without too much problem. Anyway, I've been feeling stir crazy for the lack of exercise and Dave must feel the same way because he started researching gym memberships.

When we first moved to Ohio we were members of the Y and worked out a few times a week. Solana also took some swim and gymnastics lessons. As soon as I was put on bed rest at 18 weeks, though, we  quit. 4 1/2 years later we're back! There are two locations near us and the farther (20 min) is a larger and newer facility. Dave and I tried a yoga class together at the newer facility and it was ok but the girls were horrified at the behavior of the kids in the daycare. We had tasked Solana with looking after Chloe and upon our return she exclaimed, "I don't EVER want to come back here! These kids are horrible!" We didn't ask her to point out which kids because all of their parents were right behind us waiting to sign out their little monsters (according to Solana) from the child care, as well. We hurried out and, after a more lengthy conversation with Solana at home, Dave quickly resolved that we'd never put the girls in there again. 

Fortunately, there's an alternative in the smaller less crazy older facility nearby. I went there for Pilates last week and ended up signing the girls up for swimming. I also took Chloe to gymnastics on Friday. This is her day off from school and the time works out just perfectly. This also happens to be the exact same gym and teacher where my pregnant-with-twins self sat and watched Solana doing gymnastics 4 1/2 years ago! It didn't hit me until I was sitting there watching. The flood of emotions and memories was so overwhelming that the tears were streaming down my eyes. (I'm sure the other moms thought I was completely insane.) - Remembering what it felt like to be pregnant with twins before everything went wrong and mourning the clueless grief-free person I used to be. - Thinking about how blissful everything was before we pulled Solana from gymnastics and how hard the following years were for her. - Feeling guilty wondering if she'd have liked to stay in that class. - Feeling incredibly happy for and proud of Chloe running around and doing all this cool stuff after everything she's been through. 

It really was quite the experience sitting there watching little Chloe just.being.a.kid. I look forward to many more classes for the girls at the Y. My sisters and I used to take swim lessons at the Y when we were kids. I have happy memories of it and hope they do, too.

Muscle Surgery

Over the winter break I started noticing Chloe close her left eye whenever she read books or looked at pictures. My parents happened to be visiting at the time and they noticed, as well. Chloe's vision changes with the wether (literally) so I watched for a few days but after a week became nervous. I moved up her appointment with Dr. Bloom and he decided it's time for another muscle surgery. The problem was that her left eye was turning in again and this made it difficult for her to use both eyes together. The thought is that adjusting the muscle so that both eyes can point straight and she can more easily use them together. This is her second muscle surgery. She had good results after the first one so we're hopeful.

This was right after she fought tooth and nail against Dr. Bloom marking her left eye with his marker. She can be such a little turd.

 Chloe was so funny after they gave her the first sedative. She was acting so silly, drooling, giggling, and unable to sit up. I couldn't help but giggling at her.

There's something so sweet and innocent about sleeping children. Add an IV and hospital gown to the mix and your heart just melts.