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...
It was about 5:45pm, I had just turned off the burner where dinner had just finished sauteing. I rounded the corner and saw this. Whitney. Oh my gosh. It’s deafeningly quiet, when did I see her last? hear her last? I didn’t even look around the house, I yelled up to Tyler (who was working in the office upstairs) and ran out the door...
We’ve been cycling through a series of celebration and survival modes the past two (and a half?) months…and I have a lot of catching up to do. If you were wondering where your Christmas card was I’m sorry, we didn’t get one out this year. But I LOVE getting all the cards and catching up and seeing snapshots of people’s lives. Thanks to all...
There’s some extra cuteness going around and the smiles are especially contagious. And I found the first little tooth poking through this evening! We had a 4yr (Dylan) and 4month (Leslie) checkup last week. These kids are healthy and thriving! Dylan is the size of the average 5 1/2 year old. The doctor encouraged us to “put a basketball in his hands.” I just...
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...
This boy. The fourth year has meant a lot of things for him. To begin with there was an unquenchable desire for building (legos, marble runs, blocks), farm boy early morning wake ups, lots of bursts of energy and silly words and sounds. He has collected thousands of “treasures” in all the empty boxes and canisters he can get a hold of. Treasure means...
We recently returned from our inaugural Disney family adventure….and now we study the Disney map at breakfast every morning. “Mom – what’s the scary parts in Indiana Jones?” “Why didn’t we go on Yeti Mountain?” Seriously, though, while totally exhausting on my end with baby back on an every-three-hour feeding schedule, Disney did not disappoint – it was every bit as magical and as...
I blinked and it’s now five weeks later. We are a whole different family now. Dylan’s hair seems a few bushy curly inches longer, Whitney is almost to her first break for school, and we heard the beginnings of Leslie’s laughing today. It’s been a whirlwind of change – we have been weathering tons of parent meetings and trainings for these co-op schools we’ve...
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!...
How will she know which is snack and which is lunch? Is it enough food? healthy? too messy? what are the other kids going to have? Let’s practice opening the container at breakfast to make sure she can do it. Braids. Can’t have her hair falling out all over the place or dropping in her food or art. Is this skirt too short? Gotta...
I guess it’s only fitting to have a motherhood post after the fatherhood, sisterhood and brotherhood ones. The thing is, motherhood for me is an ebb and flow between the sane and the insane. Fortunately most of the time we’re in the sane zone. I’m good, I’m good, I’m good, and then all of a sudden I freak out, and then I’m good again. ...
Have you heard of Breast Milk Jaundice? I hadn’t. Leslie had jaundice in the hospital when she was born, glow blanket and everything. The whites of her eyes have yet to be bright. While common among newborns, jaundice is less common now at 7 weeks. The pediatrician told me to take her in if not cleared up by 5 weeks, so we went in...
I can’t believe it’s been more than 6 weeks since this moment……and of course I’ve had this post *almost* done for probably three weeks now. A third child means I am three times as slow (and patient) right? It’s an adjustment. Speaking of adjustments, I have been so pleased to see how Dylan has adjusted to becoming a BIG brother. Perhaps 3 1/2 years...