Whitney had her hearing tested again this past week…and it’s amazing to me how they test hearing for toddlers. If you’re like me, you remember hearing tests in grade school where you put big headphones on and lift your finger to point to the ear where you hear the beep. Well, you can’t do that with the little ones. So are you wondering what...
It’s time to say goodbye to the summer garden. While the harvest has been beautiful bit by bit in it’s perfect piece of nature-science sense…this year’s summer garden did not live up to my springtime eager expectations. I geeked out on soil and invested much energy upfront, but I guess the lazy gardener in me (that doesn’t fertilize, doesn’t pay close attention to...
Antics: foolish, outrageous, or amusing behavior. Lately…I’ve been witness (or victim) to: Opening the stall door in the public restroom during “mommy’s turn”. Climbing into the kitchen sink. Putting diapers and PJ’s on dolls and plush animals. Climbing in the bathtub fully clothed and turning the water on. Taking iPhone selfies of one’s forehead 20x in a row. Obsessions with replaying family videos...
Dylan Boy is TWO. This Little Dude came into the world on 10/14/11. At TWO he loves: climbing, jumping, shouting, dancing, singing, running music (profoundly Mary Poppins) FRUIT. anywhere. all the time. picking (and immediately eating) from the garden doing things on his own pulling up a chair to the counter to “help” buttons and switches building towers and “robots” with blocks recalling...
Last week we earned the “enjoyed a family vacation with toddlers” badge. It was our first excursion just us four. It was last minute, low budget (low pressure), low expectations and quite fun! I found a fantastic lodging deal on my favorite travel website, Travelzoo, it helped that we stayed Sunday and Monday nights. We brought one pack-n-play for one kid, and made a...
We’re celebrating family! Whitney has this next week off from school so we decided to kick off an adventure. Today we shared the morning with my brother’s family, then lunch with my cousin, a visit with Aunt Vicki, and topped it off with just us four enjoying beautiful views in Lake Tahoe, and an ice cream. Fantastic. Hotel with toddlers (note the door-they already...
Family fun at the park… The wonderful world of Dylan Boy: And then there’s the really truly sweet side: Cheering squad. (Dylan demonstrating the baseball “Charge!”) Enjoying the light through my kitchen window… It’s been a busy week with lots of photography, a new membership at the YMCA, and toddler wrangling. I really hope to do some more writing to share...
Two Highlights from today: Dylan figured out how to make noise on the Harmonica and is now obsessed: DylanHarmonica (hint: if you want to instantly sound musically talented, try Harmonica). And then, when I picked Whitney up from school a little girl from the class next door saw us and yelled “Bye Whitney!” and ran over to give her a hug. Whitney said “bye” back. And...
We all know showing love to someone sometimes involves sacrifice. Sometimes it looks like driving 56 mph on the freeway to conserve energy for the “perfect” driving score your husband currently has on the tank of gas in the car. Yes, it’s the efficient driving way to say “I love you.” I knew I would be cutting it close with a round-trip just at...
It seems Whitney is thriving at school! I’m especially appreciative of how her communication is improving as she attempts to speak more words. She loves singing along to songs with the few words she can remember. Today she had two fairy stickers on her hand for successful pee pee in the potty. Woo hoo! I get along with her teacher very well. I’m contemplating...
THE GOOD Kids and park Fountains—summer at its best. Our neighbors brought over a tub of Dinosaurs that have been bathed and introduced to the rest of the toys. Amusing communication: Whitney’s “potty” sounds a lot like “daddy” and “doggy”, she says “ra-raff” (Giraffe). Dylan says “perkle” (purple), “I love beers” (I love bears), and has been requesting “one horse open sleigh” (Jingle Bells)...
Every so often in conversation with people who know Whitney, someone will say something along the lines of “she hardly looks like she has Down syndrome,” or “you can’t really tell that much.” While I know that the heart behind these words is pure and sweet, and it’s meant as a compliment, I also find myself struggling with what’s said. Let me first say that...
What Dylan doesn’t realize in his 22 month self is that his mommy is trained to be a therapist. Because of this training a lightbulb went on this past week and now Dylan is getting personal communication training on how to be direct. Let me explain. Dylan’s new favorite phrase is “I don’t like ____” (everything from spiders and carrots, to ice cream and...
There is something magical about sleeping children. I can guarantee you that millions of parents have crept up on their sleeping babies tonight to take in a few moments of perfect peace. It’s a way of recharging the parental batteries and basking again in the miracle of life. Look, it’s a real person! Look how much he’s grown! It’s one of the only moments...
For some reason I’ve been neglecting the big camera lately. Nevertheless, I’ve taken a bunch of shots with my phone…so here are some of the latest phone strips… A Dylan-Mommy Date to Starbucks. I’ve enjoyed this sweet time just him and I when Whitney is at school. I marvel that he can’t stop talking about her… Whitney likes bus. Whitney’s asleep. Whitney wants pino jelly....
My sweet Big Girl. Oh my word, Mamas, how do you find it in you to let your kids go? Is this snack good enough? Do you need fishies AND graham crackers? or maybe cookies. oh what if she feels like string cheese. is this enough? too much? what if she wants what the other kid is having. what’s his mom packing him right...
Whitney’s Down syndrome was not a delivery room surprise. We found out late in the 2nd trimester. I wanted the delivery to be as normal and natural as possible, Down syndrome or not, birth is birth. Monday morning, and the room was buzzing with medical staff in anticipation. Buzzing because baby has Down syndrome and a known heart condition, and buzzing because Mama was...
Our sweet little girl is three today! Whitney loves…. hugs and kisses singing Old MacDonald, Wheels on the Bus, and any other song with motions books Signing Time and other movies petting dogs sand at the beach playing with clothes and dress-up the piano smoothies, cereal, noodles, cupcakes, graham crackers, milk copying her brother (especially if she hears “no”) swinging, jumping on the bed,...
Whitney’s Alphabet Party was my first Pinterest-inspired party…I scoured people’s boards to come up with ideas for all sorts of things….a fraction of which came to fruition or worked out as initially intended. All in all the party was great fun and I enjoyed all the projects that made the theme come alive. And I learned a bit in the process. For instance, make...
It was a big weekend for our little family. Not only did we celebrate Whitney’s upcoming birthday with a party and parade but Mr. Curls got his first trim. I had held back probably a lot longer than I should have with the mess of blonde. So we set up a video out on the deck, and after arming myself with a few youtube tutorials...
Whitney’s almost three! While the official day is not until Friday (8/9) she had a party and her annual parade with friends and family today. It was an Alphabet Themed Party. We played a simple game kind of like musical chairs but with letters and lollipops for prizes for landing on the letters I called out. The day we brought Whitney home from the...
You know how when you happen to encounter someone famous you instantly become cooler? Yeah. It’s true. Because somehow your breathing the same air ten feet away from her means you are equals. She might have even noticed you. Well I came close to making a scene for all of Barnes & Noble when I first set eyes on This is Paradise. It’s a collection...