A mAp Of MiMi'S dAy!

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It BeGiNs!!!

MORNING!
There is no such thing as a “normal” day for Amy Widmer. (aka Mimi) A year ago on a very cold morning just like today, Mimi gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Gavin Chase Widmer. For the past year, Mimi has not experienced a normal day. She tries to plan different events for each day, but having an one year old makes it very hard for a person to be able to follow schedules. Throught out the past year Mimi are her husband John have had many different surpises and challenges dealing with Gavin.

When Gavin was born we soon realized that he was different then most babies. In the hospital, Gavin Chase failed his first hearing test. The doctors believed this was because of the fact that he was just brought into the world and there were a lot of new things going on around him. Mimi and John were told that in a month they would have to come back and he would take the hearing exam again after some time to adjust to his new world. Before they knew it the time came were he was tested again, and once again he failed. before our family knew it, we were all hit with the news that there was a chance that Gavin may never hear right for the rest of his life. Mimi and John learned that Gavin would need hearing aids and many different doctors to help him develop the best hearing possibile.

Now a year later, Gavin is being helped by one of the best hospitals around. He is apart of a special program for children like himself at CHOP (The Children's Hospital of Philadephia).

Here he gets the top treatments and with everyday he is learning new things. About two to three times a week Gavin is visited by different theripists to help him with different ways to improve his hearing. After a lot of adjusting things are getting easier with each passing day for

the Widmer family.

There are two different ways that she has begun her days for the past year: 1- WAKING UP BY AN ALARM CLOCK 2- WAKING UP TO CRYING BABY GAVIN.

GoOd MoRnInG!!

WAKING UP BY AN ALARM CLOCK!
This is an event that hardly happens for Mimi. when Gavin was first born, Mimi never thought that she would ever have a full nights sleep again! Now, after a long year, she has realized that there is a possibility for sleep again. If Gavin sleeps in and she gets to wake him, this means that it is going to be a good day. Usually when Mimi gets up before Gavin this gives her some time to get things done around the house. Once she is done with her chores, she then wakes Gavin for BREAKFAST.

CrYiNg BaBy AlArM ClOcK!

WAKING UP TO CRYING BABY GAVIN!
This happens all to often for Mimi. Instead of hearing her alarm clock ring, she hears sreams from the room next door, Gavin's room. When Gavin starts his day off crying, its easy to say that he isn’t going to be in the best mood that day. Somedays, Gavin may get up before his mommy, but he may just play in his crib and never cry, but the days when he is up and crying for mommy or daddy means the day isn't going to be filed with too much fun. Usually, when Gavin gets up before Mimi it means that it is time for BREAKFAST.

BrEaKfAsT w/ TeLeTuBbiEs

BREAKFAST!
Gavin loves his food. The problem with him eating breakfast is that he has to be watching his favorite TV show to eat. TELETUBBIES (picture) is Gavin’s favorite show to watch while eating his breakfast. After breakfast there are two different events that happen depending on how the morning went. 1- GAVIN GETS CHANGED INTO HIS CLOTHES FOR THE DAY AND PLAYS WITH HIS TOYS (picture) 2- NAP TIME

NaP TiMe!!

NAP TIME!

This is time for Mimi to get things done again. She has time to get into the shower and maybe wash some clothes. Also depending on how her morning went, she can have some time to take a nap herself. While Gavin is sleeping, Mimi decides what outfit Gavin will be wearing for the day.

PLAY TIME!

If Gavin gets a full nights sleep, he may not feel the need to take a nap.

In this case, he will have play time. Gavin's play time isn't the same as most little boys.

This is the time the either my sister, Mimi or Gavin's theripists come and work with him. Since there is a possibility for Gavin to live a "normal" life and hear things, there are many different rountines that he must do everyday to build up his abilities. There are many different excrises that help Gavin develop the skills needed for him to learn how to hear and talk. It is very important for him to use these different everyday, throughout the day.

One thing that helps Gavin with these skills besides the daily activities that he must do are different classes that he is apart of. Gavin has a music class, little gym, dance class, and swimming lessons. These are all things that he is able to do with either Mimi or John that will not only help him with his hearing and talking abilities, but also with his interaction abilities with other children. This is very important because Mimi and John are both wanting more children and Gavin is going to have to learn that he doesn't always need to be the center of attantion and also learn how to share!

Today, Gavin has MUSIC CLASS with other little babies.

MuSiC cLaSs!!

MUSIC CLASS!
Once a week, Gavin gets to go and hang out with other babies that are around the same age as him. Here he gets to learn about music and how to interact with other children

Gavin gets to go to other classes like this-

Dance class

Swimming lessons!

Gavin loves to go to his different classes because he loves other kids.

In Gavin's dance class he had his first kiss.

He went over and kiss another little girl that is in his class.

Sometimes Gavin does get himself into a little trouble. If they get to play with drums or other toys he loves it, but the problem comes when it is time to put the toys away and he cries! He doesn't like to give up things that he enjoys playing with. This is something that he is learning to deal with. These different classes are very good for him because he gets to learn how to share with others!

KiKi is HOME!

At 2pm everyday, Monday through Friday, Kiki gets home from her ong day at work. Kiki is Gavin's grandmother, Mimi's mom. On the days that Mimi has work, Kiki babysits little Gavin. He has tons of toys that stay at Kiki's house to play with when he is there. Kiki watches Gavin on these days until Gavin's Daddy, John gets home from his work arounf 5pm.

Mimi works as a dance teacher at Elite Dance Academy.

When Mimi was little she was a student at Elite. She has been working there since she graduated from college. Dance is one of the loves of Mimi's life. Now that Gavin is getting older, Mimi is going to stop working after this season. With all of Gavin's different classes and all of his doctors appointments, Mimi doesn't have enough time in a day to both work and raise her little baby!

Gavin's favorite person in the whole world is his Pop-Pop. Mimi's dad.

He gets home from work right before John comes to get Gavin and they are able to have some one on one time together! This is very important time for both Pop-Pop and Gavin! Pop-Pop was Gavin's first word!

OuT aNd AbOuT sHoPpInG w/ ThE gIrLs!

On the days that Mimi doesn't have work, Mimi, Kiki and Gavin love to go out shopping.

The first stop is usually the mall. They love to go to Babies-R-Us and to Baby Gap. Gavin has more clothes and toys then anyone I know. For X-mas and his birthday, Gavin got more clothes and toys then anyone I have ever known. Because of Gavin's hearing lost he needs certain toys to help him with this challenge.

After going to the mall, they go to Wal-mart.

You never know what you are going to need so Wal-mart tends to be their one-stop-shop.

After stopping by Wal-mart, they all get back into the car and make their way to their next stop, the deli. Mimi and Kiki tend to go to the deli at least once a week. They have the best food there.

After stopping at the mall, Wal-mart, and the deli Mimi, Kiki, and Gavin go home and have their lunch! The girls get something to eat from the deli and Gavin gets his veggies and fruits. Now that Gavin is getting older, he is able to eat more food. He loves fries!

Once lunch is over, Kiki watches Gavin at her house and Mimi makes another shopping stop at Shop-N-Bag. Here she gets what is needed for the coming up week. Having a little baby means having a lot of different baby foods in the house at all times. I went with Mimi to the foos store once and her whole cart was filled with different baby breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!

At Shop-N-Bag, Mimi also has to get food for dinner and for John's lunchs.

Once a week, Mimi and John have "Wednesdays at the Widmer's!"

This is when Mimi has Kiki, Pop-Pop, and others over for dinner. It gives everyone a chance to relax and play with Gavin!

DiNnEr @ KiKi and PoP~pOp'S

On the nights that Mimi has work, Kiki makes dinner for both Gavin and John.

This happens two times a week. This gives Pop-Pop more time to hang out with Gavin and John. Pop-Pop and John have a few different television shows that they enjoy watching together on the nights that Mimi has to work.

Also, once a week, Kiki makes dinner for the whole family.

This is when Mimi's brother Kevin and his girlfriend Kasey come over also. When Joey is home from Virginia and Meg(me) is home from WVU, it is a whole family affair! Kiki is always under a lot of pressure when we are all home and under one roof!

TiMe 2 Go hOmE!!

After a long day, it is finally time for the Widmer's to head home.

Depending on the day the Widmer's goes home at all different times.

AfTeR a LONG dAy!

After another long day, it is time for Mimi and Gavin to hit the bed.
Depending on how Gavin is feeling and what mood he is in is how Mimi and John decied if there is time and energy to give the baby a bath.
This is a job for daddy!
John takes care of Gavin on weeknights because he doesn't get to spend too much time with him because of work.
This is their father/son time!

If they have the luck of giving Gavin a bath,
this is time for Mimi to relax and get herself ready for bed.
This is also the time that Mimi gets to reflect on her day with the LOVE OF HER LIFE!

NIGHT NIGHT!

After a LONG day, Mimi and John sit down with Gavin and read him a good night story. Each night they read him a different book. As Gavin Chase falls alseep, Mimi and John are happy that they have created this little boy. They think about what he is going to be like once he is older. They think about what kind of man he will be and how his life is going to turn out. After the story is over, Mimi takes Gavin's hearing aids out and they both kiss him good night. Another day has succussfully come to an end and all is well that ends well!

GOOD NIGHT BABY GAVIN CHASE!!!!