Goodbye October. My, you went by fast. Dylan, modeling optimal pumpkin carving stance. It was the kids’ first pumpkin carving experience…I adore their finished products. So they wore the same costumes as last year (except Leslie, though Fifi the poodle has been in the family for years now). There’s no rule against repeats, right? I gave the option to scheme up a different plan...
Late September and Early October… That last 100 degree hurrah – the only time our kids have played in a sprinkler (boo for droughts, don’t tell San Jose Water). And here’s Whitney, modeling the latest in safety-fashion – the Tile necklace. It’s one of the steps we’ve taken addressing the bolting problem. Of course, we haven’t had to use it since we’ve gotten it…in...
This dude. My life shifted course five years ago when I first held this bundle of passion, laughter, and amazement in my arms. When I look through my “monthly” collage for Dylan I can’t help but realize how fast those years have gone by – I vividly remember so many of those moments like yesterday and when I see how little he was and...
Whitney has been keeping us on our toes lately with new and improved escape techniques. This past week, it culminated with her first police encounter from the scariest breakaway disappearance yet. She has upped her game and can now climb over our side gate while covering her tracks behind her (looks like the doors are all locked behind her), and she is able to...
My heart swells with gratefulness for the gathering of Whitney’s all-star friends and family at her sixth year parade. We know that friendships for six-year-olds are pretty simple (hey – you like Ariel, so do I? My favorite color is blue, too!) and are grateful that Whitney’s school community has made a very accepting environment for her to have so many connections to her...
This sweet soul turned six today. The partying has begun – her uncle Jason (a.k.a. Mr. Festive) happened to be in town and made sure she was engulfed by balloons, streamers, banners, and everything Frozen when she came downstairs in the morning. We brought in one of her favorite books (Crankenstein) to class and she helped me read it to the kids. We also...
Leslie turned one today! From discovery and anticipation, through birth, and now this first trip around the sun this little sprout has been such a blessing. She’s almost walking (just a few steps here and there), says mama and dada and signs more. She loves chasing her siblings and laughing at them, giving kisses, flipping through book pages, everything active, pen and paper, eating...
Some shots from our Easter weekend. This is as good as family photos get right now…someone’s hands in her mouth, someone’s not looking, someone’s staring into space, mom and dad are trying their best not to move. The next best had someone lifting her skirt and someone else marching around us in circles. Oh the...
Happy World Down Syndrome Day everyone. I think it’s fitting that Whitney spent most of her day at her full-inclusion kindergarten classroom (I basically tout her school/teacher/staff to someone almost daily – we are so grateful for what it is right now), and then after school we went to a doctor’s appointment…because that’s the other thing people with Down syndrome do a lot, right? Well sometimes it...
Every year on March 15th my mom reminds me to “beware the ides of March.” Just kidding, right? But no, seriously, in reality I basically brace myself every time I flip to this page on the calendar. March is a month of remembrance for me, especially for very challenging experiences that have fallen on it’s pages. Yesterday (March 14th) was three years since Whitney...
This makes me laugh. I’m fully amused by these curls. (one of the triplet brothers in brave | Dylan | Michelangelo’s David) and I’ve had a few different people prompt this one (me | Kim Raver from Greys Anatomy/24/etc) over the years…I don’t know, I guess I can sorta see it. I’ve never seen any of her shows. and here’s an old...
My last post was a frustrated one about Whitney’s bolting away and how one result of that is choosing to stay cooped up at home to avoid the stress (and danger) of chasing her around public places. Well, I’m happy to report that we’ve had a few adventures since that post and while all involved wrangling her as she tried to wander, none involved...