Octoberwaitwhatdayisit?

I have totally lost track of what day it is. It's been kind of a long week, and I am still not feeling totally 100% yet. Bleh. 

On a positive note, we have a Buddy Walk team set up!  Our Buddy Walk is next Sunday, the 21st, and I am just now getting on top of this.  Better late than never I guess.  This year we are called The Annabelle Team.  WE would love love love it if you could come out and hang out with us during this wonderful event!  We have enjoyed this event so much the last two years, and always leave encouraged.  If you read about last year's walk, you know how blown away I was with the support we had from friends and family. We had a team of about 45 if I can remember right.   

I said a lot of this last year in my post about the Buddy Walk, but I'll just repeat myself a little.  It's always hard for me to ask people to for donations for things or to fundraisers, even if I know it is for a good cause.  I never want to make people feel obligated or anything.  But because I love my daughter to pieces, and I see how far our society has come when it comes to special needs and things like that, I feel the urge to break through that uncomfortable wall and ask.  If people are unable to make it to the walk this year and be a part of The Annabelle Team, then I want to ask for a small donation.  Even $5 would let us know you are thinking about not only us, but all of the individuals with Down Syndrome.  October is Down Syndrome Awareness month, and I appreciate anyone who participates in any way!   I also LOVE that there are people doing research and studies about Down Syndrome, so that we can help them to be a bigger part of our communities. After doing my own researches every now and then, I have found that we as a society have come SO SO SO far when it comes to special needs and disabilities. I am SO thankful for the parents that fought for our DS and special needs children to do something as simple as go to public school. Before having Annabelle, I knew nothing about DS, and I see that is the case for most people who don't know someone personally with DS. So, I will do my best, along with many others this month, to help others learn something NEW! :) 

If you would like to donate to The Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas in Annabelle's name, OR join us on her team, you can do so HERE.  You will never know how much it means to us, and to MANY others. 

DSACT BUDDY WALK

October 11

 My big boy was 2 months old yesterday!  We went to his well check and he is 14lbs. and 24in.  CRAZY!  He is growing up so fast.  Look at this solid guy....

  I SUPER love having a son. 

....and, this was our morning yesterday....  My grumpy kiddos.  They're so cute. 

 Even when grumpy.

 

Our family could use a bit of prayer right now.  After Annabelle's little stomach bug the other night, Craig and I caught it yesterday.  Terribly.  And that is on top of how I am feeling very frazzled and out of control, and am hoping life doesn't feel so heavy soon.   For the next few days, my home will probably smell like bleach as I try to get whatever this sickness has been OUT of my house.  FOREVER!

October 9th

Welp, missed a couple days.  :/  I have some videos of my cute kids to make up for not posting every day this month, like I was going to try to do. 

Today is a very good day to sit on the couch and allow Annabelle much more TV than is usually allowed.  We were up a lot last night.  Annabelle had her first ever stomach bug.  It seems to be gone this morning, and she is hungry and thirsty, which is a good sign.  But, she is pretty mellow and doesn't have her usual energy.  Poor kiddo. Since this was the first stomach bug that Craig and I have experienced with one of our children, we got to see yet another side of each other.  Y'all, Craig is an incredible daddy.  He is SO nurturing and took such amazing care of Annabelle.  He is so gentle, and I really think he made her feel safe and settled in the middle of the night.  This daddy/daughter relationship is amazing to watch. 

LOVE!!!!

CUTE Video!!

October 3rd

Look at this cute little girl...

Chasing the geese in the park.  Yep, fearless.  I was ready to kick some geese in the beak if they came after her.  ( I have heard that they can peck.)  They were seriously about the same height.  Pretty adorable.  

 We went jogging again today, and it was great.  The kiddos did great, and I felt pretty good.  Still a ways to go to get close to where I was before, but we are workin on it.  ;)  Annabelle felt the need to relax I guess after sitting in the stroller...

 Check out these cute cousins.  I love these awesome little baby boys.

October 2nd

Before I post a SUPER cute video, I have to brag about my husband real quick.  He is so amazing, and takes such good care of me and the kids.  I am pretty sure I have the husband that most women dream up in their wildest dreams. For real.  I am so blessed.  :)

SO, here is a cute video that totally touches my heart...

Annabelle has some awesome little friends, and they love her for who she is.  It means SO much to me when Annabelle gets an invitation to a friends birthday party, or when I hear that she is talked about at home and remembered by someone.
MOMS of Annabelle's friends,
You have NO idea how much you and your children mean to me and my little family.  THANK YOU!

October 1st

October is one of my most favorite months!  It welcomes FALL, there are birthdays to celebrate, the pumpkin patch, costumes, Oktoberfests, and cooler weather!!!  YES!  October is also Down Syndrome awareness month!  All over the country, Buddy Walk takes place, and this will be our third year to participate.  (More on that later in the month.) 

One way to spread awareness is to do the '31 for 21' blog challenge.  The year Annabelle was born, I did a really good job keeping up with the challenge, blogging every day for the month of October.  Last year, I did my best.  THIS year, I will again, do my best. I will TRY to blog for the next 31 days.  I may not make it every day due to life being a bit busier lately.  ;)  But, for sure, October will have more posts than any other month.

This morning, we celebrated the first of October by a morning in the park!  I haven't been jogging since I was about 16 weeks pregnant with Carter.   Today, I tried to pick back up with one of my favorite things.  It went ok, and I am just glad I did it.  Getting out and moving my feet was my only goal.  ;)  After the jog, I hung out with my kiddos in the park for just a bit, soaking up the awesome weather...

  Happy OCTOBER!