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...
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...
Dylan’s obsession with collecting “treasure” made it easy to do a birthday party theme for him this year….a gold treasure party. For the first time, we decided to have a small collection of kids WITHOUT their parents! Of course, I stacked my party team with grandparents, aunties and uncle to help out, but all in all I’m a fan of the party focusing on...
Whitney is 5! Whitney loves dogs, Clifford, books, Berenstain Bears, iPad (YouTube), dance parties, ballet, Frozen, Bear Necessities, playing piano, singing, cupcakes, Costco hot dogs, dressing dolls, baby Leslie, the zip line, hammock, swinging, “going to the beach”, “driving the car”, making smoothies, cooking in her play kitchen, going to school, circle time, riding the bus, greeting everyone, hugs, kisses, and life in general!...
Our little bundle made her peaceful debut on Friday afternoon. Leslie was due on June 3rd, and Tyler’s parents were able to be in town for a few days last week, so we were getting a bit impatient when baby hadn’t arrived. I started googling old wive’s tale suggestions for convincing baby to get a move on. Caster oil was out of the...
Happy World Down Syndrome Day to our friends with (and without) the triple 21st Chromosome. We had an extra special day with a birthday party for good friends we’ve known since before we had Whitney, and then a BBQ with a family we met because of Whitney – through her Early Start services (they also have a daughter with Down syndrome – who’s birthday...
This is what a ginormous 3 year old looks like: This is the first birthday I’d say he “gets it” that it’s his special day. He went to school (his 3rd day) and they sang and gave him a birthday bag to take home. He was proud of the cookies he brought to share. Then he went on a man-adventure with daddy that involved...
Whitney is four! Last Saturday we celebrated with family and she marched in her annual parade and blew out candles in a giant doughnut. We’ve been constantly talking about birthdays this week. We’ll sing her “Happy Birthday, Whitney,” and she smiles and scrunches her shoulders and almost always passes it along to someone else (“Happy Birthday, Mama!”). At lunch today she turned to Tyler...
[Great] Grandma turned 90 earlier this month. We were lucky to be with her on her special day. We consider ourselves lucky to be with her any sort of day! I was struck with how beautiful 90 years is. Grandma is the youngest of 11 from farmland South Dakota. She and Grandpa left farming and set roots in Southern California to raise their family,...
Most years since graduating college, a collection of Princeton friends have reunited at each other’s houses for a weekend to play, reminisce, and continue to be inspired by one another. This year the gathering was in Chicago. I love these reunions, but with a family of four seat-holders now, we weren’t sure we could swing the ticket prices this year. Rather than opt out...