October 4.

Found out today that October raises awareness for all kinds of things, and is also National PIZZA month. Since I love pizza, I think that's cool. :)

Today feels like it has been a long day, and I am so tired. Annabelle crashed in her daddy's arms tonight as he was singing to her. Pretty adorable. She also just might be saying the word, "DUCK". I'll try to remember to get it on video soon. I have always thought that she says, "Dada", and sometimes I think I hear, "Mama". So, I can't say that duck is her first word. :D Good.

I gotta end the day, what 30 minutes might be left of it, on the couch with the husby. He is also not feeling great now, which means all 3 of us need a little extra attention. ;)

Night night.

October 3.

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause
between the opposing miseries of summer and winter."
- Carol Bishop Hipps


I really love this month! It is one of my most favorite!

This morning has been lazy, which is perfect for a Monday. I cancelled 2 ECI appointments because Annabelle and I are both feeling icky. So, today will be filled with coffee, couch time and time catch up on small projects! Even though I feel icky and a little bit worn down, the crisp air and sunshine have me feeling so refreshed. I can't WAIT to get my Scentsy order in so that my house smells of pumpkins and cinnamon and everything cozy FALL! :)

October 2.

Last year, I participated in the "31 for 21" Down Syndrome Awareness. You are to blog every 31 days for the month of October. October is Down syndrome awareness month. Down syndrome is caused by having an extra 21st chromosome, so hence the number 21. "31 for 21!"

This year, I will do my best. Even if it is just a picture or a couple words, I will do my best to blog for the rest of the month. I already missed yesterday, SO I will make it up by posting an adorable video! :)

Annabelle has not been feeling well this weekend at all, and it has been a little rough. I got only a few hours of sleep on Friday, and feel like I am still trying to catch up on that. She just has a gross cold, the worst I have seen her have yet. Poor baby. I wish I could take it from her. So, we have stayed home this weekend and done pretty much nothing. This little girl decided it was a good time to do THIS, all on her own:
I was pretty proud to walk into the living room and see that she had figured this out! Sometimes we try to help her with it, but she is all about figuring things out in her time. ;) Now, she looks for that little walker and just takes off. This is awesome, friends!

I also took the time at home yesterday to finish this cute outfit for her:

AND THIS is one of my new fave pics. She was playing puzzles with some little friends, and it looks like she is at school. I love it.

And, this snuggle time has happened a lot more this weekend than usual. She is pretty wiggly normally, so I have soaked up this sweet time with her:


I will do my best for this Awareness by blog, and please look out for a special post all about BUDDY WALK! This year we have a team: Annabelle's Angels.

Beautiful

Even with her face full of food, she is still SO beautiful. She is the MOST beautiful thing I have ever seen! Today, I was feeding her lunch, and we were both giggling and I couldn't get over how much I just love this little girl. There are definitely moments where my heart swells and feels like it might burst. These are some of my most favorite pictures. Taken with a cruddy phone camera, and in the middle of lunch, but it captured this heart-swelling moment.





I guess while we're at it with the meal time pictures, check out this series of pics capturing this gal try to feed herself with a spoon. :) Everything she does makes me proud!
(she was a little upset when I stopped feeding her, but it didn't last long when she realized she was pretty awesome at it herself.)





Please forgive momma for this messy hair do. Bath time was to follow so I didn't try. ;)

SEPTEMBER 11. 2011

TEN years ago today, I was 18 years old, and in my first year of Bible school at His Hill. When we were told what had happened in New York, I was a little confused, and not really understanding the impact of the events that transpired that day. They would change America. They would also change the class of 2001-2002 of this specific Torchbearers school. Specific things come to my memory when I think of that day. A friend from Canada crying and crying and only wanting to go home. No flights were going in or out of our closest airport, or anywhere in the states. She thought about driving, or about taking a bus or a train, and didn't mind that it would take a few days of traveling. She only wanted to be with those she loved. I was feeling lucky that my family was only 2 hours away, and I wanted to be with them. Someone else was being missed, and he happened to be in Wyoming. We all wanted to BE with those we loved, wondering if that might end soon. I also remember that the big screen TV in the Fish House was turned on for the first time since being at school. We watched smoke rise from the Towers in the same scene we have all seen over and over and over for the last ten years. It started sinking in how REAL this was, and like many Americans, I was fearful. Not only fearful, but analyzing life at that moment. That weekend, I drove home, bring along a great friend named Genevieve. We spent time with my family , which helped the strange loneliness we both felt, but only helped a little. Before heading back to school on Sunday, we went to church. The church was PACKED. The chairs were filled, the walls were lined and the doors were open to allow those in the hallways to hear. I believe that this is the way MOST churches in the states looked that day. Pastors most likely lost sleep over "the PERFECT SERMON" for their congregation that day. More people went to church THAT Sunday, than on Christmas and Easter. WE NEEDED GOD. AMERICA NEEDED GOD (again)!! We need God just as much, ten years later, as we did that day, and I pray that it doesn't take more and more tragedies, surprises, devestations for us to realize it. I will not forget the incredible men and women who fight and die for our country every day. I do not forget the President that did all he could to defend and protect our country. He fought for justice that just happened to be won only a few months ago. We live in a great country. A country to be proud of. We are blessed.

My life 10 years later:

This past week, my state was hit with out-of-control wildfires. In one town, only about an hour from my home, 1,554 homes have been destroyed and almost 35,000 acres. Other towns closer than that have also lost homes in the past week. It makes my eyes sweat, as my dad would say, to think of these families that now have NOTHING. All week, I have wondered what I could do. The community of Austin and surrounding Austin has joined together to HELP. To donate, to give, to pray, to be support. Today in church, I prayed that the people of these towns will FEEL the prayers of other people. Personally, when I went through the biggest trial of my life, I FELT prayers of others. Please pray, if that is all you can do, for the families that have lost literally EVERYTHING. Pray that they would feel peace and possibly realize where that unexplainable peace comes from. If you would like to donate to helping these many many families, you can, HERE to the AMERICAN RED CROSS OF CENTRAL TEXAS.


There are still things I would like to write about our personal life in the Schmidt house, and after some serious talk, I feel like this might make things a little lighter. We were blessed with some amazing weather this past week, and I know that it was just a little tease of some wonderful fall that is to come. The mornings were cool, and the grass was dewey. After a summer full of 100+ degree days, a high of 89 was bliss. I know, crazy, but BLISS I tell you! I FINALLY made it out to 'MY' running trail again, and it made my week. I missed taking Annabelle in the jogging stroller and missed being able to run OUTSIDE. This weather has made me want to fold up darn old treadmill and lock him away. It was incredible. So incredible, that I even broke some personal running records. :)

One morning, I planned to meet a friend at the park with her two kiddos. We were going to hang out a bit, then my dad and sister were coming to walk with Annabelle while I took off on a little jog. Just a morning to enjoy the 'cool'. Just before I was about to decide to take off, a gal and her sister came walking up with a few kiddos of their own. She was holding a sweet bundle in her arms, and immediately said, "Hey! I have a designer baby, too!" She turned her around, and I noticed the sweet little look of Down Syndrome. :) SO, my plans of going on a jog were immediately forgotten, and I engaged in sweet conversation for over an hour, with a momma that speaks my 'language'. DS language, as in words and phrases like, low muscle tone, ECI, DS, PT, OT, NICU, Kelle Hampton, DSACT, Buddy Walk, transport team, etc... It was amazing, and I know it was a gift.

Annabelle has learned a sign! Did I already say that in the last post? Anyways, she seems to be doing so well at communication the last few weeks. We worked and worked to get her to say "eat" and she does! Now, she is saying it just every time she wants something. Even if it's not food. But, at least she is communicating. so adorable. I am so proud of this girl.

We have ECI appointments every week now, between OT and a DS. It is overwhelming to me that there is something every single week, but I know it's got to be a good thing. I feel blessed that we have the opportunity to do things like this for her, and for our knowledge as parents. :)

So, I am a little distracted. Remember last fall how I LOVED Sundays!!!!! Well, Craig is OFF on Sundays, and now that it is FALL, we have football!! Yes! I love Sundays! So, i am going to end this post and hang out with this little family I LOVE. I am so so blessed. :) Happy SUNDAY!

Keep the Memories.

Today has been a productive day, and a mid afternoon ECI appointment is putting a little bump in it here. Messing up the house in order to GET projects finished is just part of it. Now, I have to clean up some of that mess to allow a guest into our home, so that she won't think Irene made it up to Texas. My little girl is not feeling great, and it is her nap time. Today her nap time will just be a small rest time in order to wake her up for this mid afternoon bump. My fault. My fault for scheduling it at this time, and my fault for thinking to call only an hour before to see if she could meet later. But, we have rescheduled twice already in the last 2 weeks. Gotta do it.

In the mean time, I have about 20 min to kill, so here I am.

Do you ever want to keep little tiny moments of memories locked away? I keep thinking about how much I should be taking more videos and pictures, and keep a journal of the little things that Annabelle is doing. I think there is NO way I can forget the way she looked, moved or sounded. I think, there is no way I'll forget that she pats her daaddy on the back when he picks her up. Or that she opens her mouth and sticks her toungue out when we say, "Kisses". How can I forget that she crawled like a little inch worm, or that she rolls her arms SO adorably for "PataCake"? There's no way I will forget seeing her little tiny thighs hanging out of her crib rails while her fingers are laced through her favorite pink blanket. Will I forget the way she laughs and talks at herself in every mirror she passes, or that she has wonderful stories to tell us when she wakes up? Seriously, I don't want to forget the small things. Over the last 16 months, I have loved every little thing, and wish there was a way I could keep all the moments tucked away in a box under my bed, to pull out whenever I wanted.

THEREFORE, I NEED to take more videos and pictures, and write more.

Annabelle at 16 1/2 months...
~ Crawls on her hands and knees as if she has been doing it all along.
~ Has learned the sign for "eat".
~ Has a 'thing' for oyster crackers and those Gerber yogurt melts.
~ Rubs her face along the netting of her pack and play.
~ Tries to talk, and seems to have something pretty important to talk about.
~ Lays her head on Craig's shoulder every time he picks her up. But, doesnt do that for me.
~ Can still wear some clothes between 9-12 months.
~ Still loves music, and rocks back and forth to 'dance' to it.
~ Likes the same kind of pacifier that she did when she was born.
~ Seriously loves milk, but not juice or water.
~ Claps her hands if she hears anyone else doing it.
~ Snuggles her bears and baby dolls with hugs.
~ Has the MOST adorable smile and giggles.
~ Enjoys being in a shopping cart.
~ Could care less about TV until this cartoon about squirrels finding an acorn comes on. (I found the app for my phone and it saved us a few times in fussy, public situations.)
~ Plays with her hair when I tell her she has pretty hair. Sometimes she even brushes it and it messes up whatever "do" I have done.

SO much more than that I want to remember. Gosh, I love her.

In no order.

Since my little family and I got back from our trip to Minnesota, I have meant to sit down and post an entry. Every day seems to be busy and I do my best to keep my priorities in line. Annabelle trumps any priority I might have, of course. When we are not out running around, having appointments or get togethers, I try to make the most of my time at home. I have to do lists in different corners of the house, piles of laundry on the couch, a guest/sewing/craft/work out room that I rearranged and promised to reorganize, a disaster of a bedroom, and dishes that are bottomless. I also have a body that wants to get it's fitness on, but today, I bumped all of that down and stuck a blog post right at the top. (During Annabelle's nap of course.)

Annabelle has gotten to an age, or stage, where attention is a little more demanded than it was before. Although I wake up with great intentions to do a million housewifey things, and have a clean house and supper for Craig when he gets home, the mommmy things have been taking over. Most of the time, I don't mind. Most of the time. So, I stay up a little bit later, but surely don't wake up any earlier. ;)

Summer has been so busy, that I am not even believing that it is nearing the end of August. Our trip to Minnesota came and went, and it was fantastic. Like usual. We LOVE and adore our friends and family there and pick up exactly where we left off, every time we see them. It's awesome that our friends take time out of whatever busy lives they may have, to spend the minutes they can with us. Their daily lives might have to be put on hold, and they are ok with it. It makes us feel loved. <3
I hate distance and miles between our friends, better SUMMER weather, family and my cute little niece and nephew. In a perfect world, everyone would be in the same place, and it would ALWAYS be as fun and relaxed as VACATION.
Grandpa kisses.

Enjoying vacation....


My older sister moved home just a couple weeks ago, and it has been amazing to spend time with her. She has not lived here since Craig and I moved here over 2 years ago. She is always away, in another state, and sometimes in another country. I am so glad she is HOME. It's been a long time. She has been soaking up some Annabelle love and just adores her.

The weather here has been so gross and I am so over it. I am CRAVING everything Fall right now. My sister went back to work this week, and all the students go back next week. Once school starts, if feels as if summer should end, and Fall things should come. I have a feeling that since the summer heat has been SO BAD, that the Fall cool will come a lot later. I hope hope hope not. Like I said, I am craving EVERYTHING Fall. Football, cooler weather, pumpkins, cozy crock pot meals, cooler weather, taking a hoodie when I leave the house, cozy candles, opening the windows, cooler weather, Buddy Walk, fall colors, and I will even take goblins, ghosts and vampires. Whatever works. Fall, I am ready for you.

I would like to get back to this long to do list before the afternoon nap ends, So I am going to cut it short(er). But, before I do, I want to brag about my well deserving husband. He is amazing. He works SO SO SO hard for Annabelle and I, and because of his super hard work, I am able to stay home. Financially not easy one bit, but possible. He sacrifices his wants, and sometimes even his needs. He wakes up early and does not moan and groan and grumble and complain. (And I KNOW he wants to bad!) Ok, sometimes he may vent, but that's needed. Before leaving the house, He takes time to pray for his family and friends, and reads The Bible, even if it is just one verse. He makes sure my needs, and sometimes complaints are met, even before his, after a super duper long and draining day at work. He gets up to take care of Annabelle if she wakes up in the middle of the night, or TOO early in the morning. He ADORES Annabelle. He not only tells both of his girls how much he loves them, he SHOWS us. He never would have to say anything to me again about how much he loves me, I would just know. He is the MOST selfless person that I know, and that challenges me daily. We are blessed.