Friday, October 31, 2008

Pumpkin Parties/Fall Festival

It has been one big party this week at our house.  Wed. Sarah had her pumpkin party at school.  Elijah went with me and was a big help.  Mrs. Susan let him make a craft also.  Here is their fun:God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork Wow, looks like Sarah has a lot on her plate, but I broke up the cookie so she would not shove the whole thing in her mouth at once!  She ate everything on her plate.  On Thursday, Elijah had his party:God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

Tonight we had the Fall Festival at church.  We ate mummy dogs before we left.God's Handiwork We then got the kids dressed and made them pose for pictures. God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork Sarah thought the picture taking process was pure torture: God's Handiwork Then on to the fun we went.  They had trunk-r-treat and games for the kids to play. God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

Sarah got to see Mr. Todd(aka chicken little).  God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork We are home now and the kids are sleeping.  Doug and I are hiding in the playroom watching TV with all of the lights out upstairs praying the door bell doesn't ring and awaken the kids!!!

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Rough Day at School

Sarah had a really rough day at school.  I got 2 phone calls within an hour of each other.  You know those calls, " Hello this is ______(your heart drops at the name because you know it is the school), Sarah is okay, but________".  The first call Sarah and another child had bumped into each other and Sarah bit her lip.  Very small spot, but a little blood.  They have to call you if there is blood.  She was fine, did not even cry.  The second call was that Sarah had gotten scratched.  They did not know if she did it herself or another child did it, the teacher did not see it, but there was another child right beside her when she began crying.  Again there was blood.  Now to be honest, I thought one scratch that blood just came to the surface and no big deal.  I was really wondering why they called me the second time.  Now I see why.IM000169 IM000170

IM000171 The pictures really do not show it well.  She has multiple scratches around her eye, on her nose, and on her neck.  I was really upset when I saw her.  These are deep scratches.  I really doubt the other kid did it meanly, but I am still upset.  I had a hard time not saying something to the mother.  We had their pumpkin party today(I will share pictures tomorrow with Elijah's), so all of the parents were there.  The kid really needed their nails cut.  Guess we will be waiting on getting those 2 year old pictures for sure now! 

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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sarah coming and going

Here is a cute video of Sarah strolling her baby.  She loves the independence this gives her.  She still uses a wide stance with this stroller.  Normally her legs are closer together, but I think she is trying to accommodate for the slick floor.  She has started this week standing herself and walking over to what she wants without holding on to anything!  So I guess she is officially walking, at least short distances!!!!!  She is still insisting that she has to be down and walking holding one hand if we are out and about.  She is growing up so fast!!

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Tuesdays Tribulations

Today has been a great day.  Both of the kids have done wonderful today.  They are both in great moods.  Elijah got up ate and dressed for school.  He is at school now, I am sure he is having a great time.  He has forbidden me to pick him up early.  He wants to stay the entire time, even if the last hour is rest time.  He does not want to miss anything!  He is doing great this year.  He has really came out of his shell and has such a great personality.  Sarah is also doing good.  She had one accident at school yesterday with the potty training, but we were getting our picture taken and I did not think to take her, so more my fault than hers.  She has stayed dried today.  I went to walmart to get big girl panties for use at home for now and got everything but the big girl panties!  My mind.  She did great at therapy today, especially with Mrs. Irene.  In feeding therapy, she ate several baby carrots RAW!!  Do you know how hard they are to bite?  She did it and really liked the carrots.  Yippee!!  She got a little fussy with Mrs. Erin because she would not let Sarah throw the beans and rice out of the pool.  Sarah use to scream when she saw the beans and rice.  She could not handle all of the sensory input.  Now she loves them, but she also throws them.  She got several warnings, but continued so she lost the privilege.  She had to do other OT stuff, man was she mad.  She is napping now.  I am still struggling with the shingles, but I think they are some better now.  I still do not have much energy and the area is still pretty painful, especially to the touch.  It has made finding comfortable clothing a new challenge.   Here is a picture of Elijah and a friend that could not come to his birthday party, but made him a birthday cookie the last time she came to visit. God's Handiwork Here is one of the kids getting ready for Elijah's last soccer game:God's Handiwork

Oh, I forgot to tell you, we are officially waiting to adopt a little one.  We got our official notice today!!!  Let the wait begin!!

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Monday, October 27, 2008

Monday Memories

Today I want to remember my handsome knight and the day we said I do.  We met online at e-Harmony.  I would have never dreamed in a million years that I would meet my husband online.  God had to be creative with bring us together, we lived over 500 miles apart!  We talked online for several months and then talked by phone for a few more months.  Our first date was in Aug at Rock City, Chatt, TN.  We were engaged on Sept 23, 2001 and married 6 months later on March 23, 2002.  I know I married my soulmate.  I feel like I have always known Doug.  I can not remember life without him.  My husband is so loving and affectionate.  He makes me feel so special.  Here is a picture of our wedding day as we began our life as husband and wife.

wedding picture

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Sunday, October 26, 2008

Potty training day 2

Yesterday went fabulous with the potty training.  Sarah had wet diapers in the morning when she got up, one mid-morning while I was cleaning the potty seats, and one after nap.  She was dry the rest of the day!!!  Today she was wet when she got up and has been dry since.  Doug took her and Elijah to church this morning, I could not go due to the shingles.  She used the potty at church and stayed dry the whole time!!!!!  Can you believe it?  I can't.  She is doing wonderful.  Wow, I don't have to do diapers tonight, I can wait at least another day.  We have been using the regular potty for her to poop on and she does fine on it, but I figured I could put the potty seats in the playroom and her bedroom and that the visual will help her to remember to use the potty.  She is not always telling me she has to potty, but I am trying to put her on the potty on a regular schedule for now.  I think once she gets use to it, she will just go.  She is already helping undo her clothes so she can use the potty.  Well, really she just likes to go naked!  Silly girl!

Elijah and Doug have gone to a roller skating birthday party.  Elijah had never roller skated!  He should have tons of fun.  Doug is suppose to video it so I will get to see.  These shingles are really getting in the way.  I so wanted to take him.  Oh well, maybe next time.  I will post the video when they get home.

Don't tell the kids, but they are suppose to get their school pictures taken tomorrow.  Then I am going to take Elijah to get his 5 yr old pictures after we drop off Sarah(school pictures are too expensive to get the number I need.  I will just get a few of them).  Then I hope to take Sarah later this week for her 2 yr old pictures!  Please pray they don't find out.  I have been trying to get Sarah's pictures since August!

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Saturday, October 25, 2008

Let the potty training begin!!!

Okay to be totally honest, this was the absolute last thing on my to do list.  I so am not ready to potty train.  I figured I had at least until summer to start this.  I don't want to potty train!!!!  The first one was easy, but I have heard horror stories and I am worried that one of my children might fulfill one of these horrors.  Sarah being as strong willed as she is, I figure it will be her.  So, about 6 months ago Sarah started wanting to sit on the potty to poop.  Remember this is the child that is allergic to disposable diapers, so we are, against my will, using cloth diapers.  I was more than happy to allow her to poop on the potty.  She always makes a sound and I know she has to poop.  Having low tone she really strains to poop regardless of consistency.  Sitting on the potty has really helped with the pooping issues.  Then she started peeing when she pooped.  I am okay with that.  Then she learned the sign for potty and would use it at times and I would put her on the potty and she would pee.  We did the potty song and dance.  She really loves the potty song.  So she has been signing to potty more lately.  I was really trying to not notice.  Then Wednesday at school I noticed that she stopped what she was doing and grabbed her diaper and concentrated.  Then after a sec or two she giggled and began playing again.  Hmmm, bet she was peeing.  I ran back to the van.  Then yesterday I felt horrible so I put the potty training in the very back of my brain.  Today Sarah gets up and wants to potty.  Yep, she peed on the potty.  So I got both potty chairs out and cleaned them.  I have been very casual about it and let her play with them and when she asked I let her sit.  We have only had one wet diaper all day.  My baby is using the potty.  Yes I am crying as I type this.  I want my baby longer!!!

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Friday, October 24, 2008

8, 9, 10!!!!

Hooray, we finally made it to 10!!!  Sarah now has 10 teeth.  Last week the top front tooth finally broke through and is really coming in fast.  Today I kept noticing her chewing on her finger.  I finally got her to let me look (after a few bites!).  She has two more teeth on her left beside the front teeth that have broken through.  Finally this kid is getting teeth!!!  Funny, I never thought I would be so excited about 10 teeth at the age of 2!  Sarah is really talking this week.  She has said her version of good girl, look, listen, animal sounds, even that the camel spits!  But, the one that is so special to me is "I uv u" (I love you).  She said this to me one day and I knew what she was saying, but yesterday she said it in front of Doug and he immediately knew that was what she was saying.  This morning when she got up that was the first thing she said to me.  It was so special.  My heart is so full of love for this beautiful angel that God sent to be our daughter.  Wow, what a great gift.

Please keep us in your prayers.  We are still dealing with that bump in the road I posted about several months ago.  This thing just keeps coming up.  God is in control and will provide for us.  We just can't see His plan, but we have total peace that He knows our needs and has met them already.  Also, apparently I am more stressed than I thought I was.  I have developed a case of shingles.  This is the first time I have had shingles.  The pain is intense.  I have not broken out, but I did notice several red spots along the area that hurts.  The doctor started me on some meds today and said I might not even break out.  Now if the wasp stinging pain and the burning would calm down.  I am so thankful Doug has been home today.  I feel horrible and have been of no help.  Guess the pizza dude( Elijah's terminology) is making a trip to our house tonight!

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Upwards Soccer Awards



Monday night Elijah had his soccer awards ceremony. They gave them a gift, not an award. Hmmm, guess I messed up there. Try explaining that to a 5 yr old who has been talking about getting a metal since Sarah got hers at the Buddy Walk on Saturday. Let's just say that did not go over well. In an attempt to make the scene less dramatic in front of the entire church, Doug gave him the key chain they gave the coaches and told him it was a metal. He then explained that all metals looked different, just like all of the metals that Doug has for running. Believe it or not, that actually worked. I would have never thought something that simple would have worked. Glad we settled that! Now, don't a single one of you spill the beans that it is a key chain. I will make you pay dearly if you do!! He is so excited for his metal and really likes his duffel bag, although he does not really know what to do with the bag! The metal is in his treasure box that he got in Florida. This is a prized possession. At least he is happy!


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Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Money Pit strikes again!!

OK, now I know I have had numerous post about our house and things that keep happening. I just had Doug beginning to think about possibly replacing the flooring in the kitchen, dining room, and living room with next years tax refund. If we get one! Well, our house must have ears. Apparently the house wants the hall bathroom updated. We noticed a wet spot on the ceiling in the playroom. We thought it might be from the new plumbing from our master bath that we remodeled at the first of the year. It would still be under the warranty they gave us. Positive thinking right? Well, of course it would not be something under warranty. That would be too easy! Nope, the area got larger, even though we were not using the master bath. So, we called the plumber. The plumbing at the hallway bathtub is leaking. GREAT. Now we can either cut out the ceiling in the downstairs playroom, or rip out the old disgusting in need of repair tub and replace it. The plumber patched what he could without tearing out the tub and that seems to be helping for now. Guess we need to figure out how to pay for this repair and how much we are going to go ahead and remodel while we have a plumber and carpenter (different one from the one that we had at the first of the year) here. This is not the decorating decision that I wanted to make next. Can you tell I am pouting. Is my lower lip sticking out enough?
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Wordless Wednesday/Special Exposure

Ok, not so wordless, I need to explain!  Yesterday Elijah was playing and came into the kitchen crying while I was feeding Sarah her yogurt.  I looked up and he was bleeding.  I jumped up and took him to the bathroom to clean up his busted lip.   He is okay.   While I was gone, Sarah fed herself the yogurt.  This is the first time she has achieved getting food on the spoon and into her mouth(well, at least some of it!).  YooHoo!!  We are so proud of her!  I think the clean freak in me was preventing her from doing this sooner, but she can do it!!!!

God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's HandiworkGod's Handiwork

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Monday, October 20, 2008

Monday Memories

Last week I talked about Sarah as part of Down syndrome awareness month.  This week I want to talk about Elijah.  I want to share 5 thoughts I had the day he was born.

1.  The first thing the doctor said when he was born was "Wow, look at those big toes!" .  I was worried at first that something was wrong with his toes, but there was not, he just had really big toes!  He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. 

2.  I was able to hold and bond with him the entire time they finished my c-section.  I was then able to carry him back to recovery with me and give him to my mother for her to see him for the first time.  This was a very special moment.  Only Doug was allowed in the surgery room with me.  Mother had been so upset that I would miss the birth.  She did not realize with the epidural I would be awake and remember all of it!

3.  I told Doug to stay with Elijah while he was in the nursery so he would not get swapped by mistake and to video everything.  I did not want to miss anything.  He literally did what I said.  We have over an hour's worth of video of Elijah laying there!  I did get to see his first bath and first checkup though.  I bet those nurses were worried that we were looking to catch them in a mistake!

4.  I will never forget the feeling I had when the doctor came to my room and said that Elijah had a heart murmur and she was referring him to a cardiologist.  I just cried.  I was so sick at the thought that he was ill.  He had an echo cardiogram and did have a VSD, but it was minor.  They said if it did not close by 1 year of age they would do surgery.  It closed at 9 months of age.  Praise the Lord.  I have had to really trust God over the last 5 years to protect my son, the beautiful gift from God.

5.  I thought my heart would burst with the love and joy I felt at his birth.  He was the most beautiful little boy I had ever seen.  I love him more than I could ever imagine.  He is really growing into a beautiful young man.  I am so proud of him!

Children are a blessing from God.  I feel so privilege to be the mother of 2 beautiful angels.  God has been so good to me.  Here is a picture of Elijah that was taken at the hospital 2 days after he was born.

God's Handiwork

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Saturday, October 18, 2008

BUDDY WALK FUN!!!!

We had tons of fun today at the Buddy Walk.  It was a bit cold this morning, but the sun was shining and warmed us up really fast.  The kids loved the fun games and activities and I got my exercise in all for a good cause.  Sarah really loved the ducks in the pond and kept saying duck, duck, duckie!  Quack, Quack, woof (a dog went by!).  She is getting so much more vocal.  She has also decided the AFO's are not that bad and really likes to walk in them.  In fact, she was up last night with leg cramps.  Guess I need to watch the walking for a bit until she get use to using her muscles differently.  Here are pictures of our fun day.  Kathryn and some of the ladies she works with at First Steps and their spouses(or soon to be spouse) also walked with us.  I did not get a picture of Sarah with Irene(speech therapist) who was also there.  Several others did I will have to get a copy.  Elijah decorated the wagon for us.  God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork Here we are warming up before we walked.  God's HandiworkGod's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork      And we are on our way!  God's Handiwork God's Handiwork Waiting to get our award! God's Handiwork And the winner is SARAH!!! (and all kids with Down syndrome!) God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork And the upset brother who only got a ribbon.  God's Handiwork I explained to him that this was for Sarah and on Monday he would have his soccer awards to go to and Sarah would not get anything.  On to the fun! God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork
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