Speech

Happy November!  This is the month many stop more often to remember what we are THANKFUL for.  There are SO many things that I am thankful for, that there would be no way I could ever thank God enough.  My words fall short.  But, today, I am specifially greatful for my sweet little Annabelle.  Specifically, the way she communicates.  I really do love the way she communicates with us, but some days I have to remind myself to be thankful for this specific part of her.  Because it is also very hard for me.

Annabelle is an amazing and spunky 3 1/2 year old little girl.  She has much to express.  Through actions, sign language and words.  Unfortunatly, we don't understand most of those words.  Which make her actions to express those words, actions of frustration and anger.  She also uses actions to show us that she is thankful, and loves us, and is excited, happy, and content.  I've been having a harder time lately with this.  Sometimes tears well up in my eyes when she is trying so hard to tell me a story, or tell me something she wants or needs.  I try to hard to understand her.  It makes me sad that she doesn't sing her favorite songs along with us.  And it makes me sad that she can't tell me a story about her day at school.  BUT, she DOES sign language to her favorite songs.  And she does sign language to tell us things she wants.  And I am hearing more clear words come out of her mouth.  So, I am also thankful.  

Even though I am so thankful for who Annabelle is and for the way she does things, it doesn't change the fact that it is still hard.  

BUDDY WALK was awesome this year.  Annabelle wore herself out.  We had had about 20 people on her team this year, and I am always so thankful for our friends and family who come out to support Annabelle and DSACT.  

Oh, check out these cute kiddos in the pumpkin patch.... Happy FALL!!!!

Anyone else think this boy needs to get discovered?!?!? GOSH he's handsome!  

All the cousins...

Picture day!

This week we had picture day at school. Look how cute they are. It's hard to get good pics when you want them. so this is what I got before school. :)

He hangs out with me before school starts. And I love it. 

Annabelle putting her " makeup" on...

Just C.U.T.E.

My kids are cute. I like them a lot. I've said all this before, yes?

They went to their first costume party this past weekend with Craig and me. Annabelle was a fairy and Carter was a sailor. I could not find a costume for carter, and I totally refuse to pay $30-$40 on an outfit they will wear once or twice.  Not happenin'.  So, I found a sailor hat at a resale shop, and he wore a white polo and navy pants. The hat made the outfit anyway. See... 

This weekend was sweet with my awesome little family. The weather here has been SO amazing and I have been soaking it up.  We went to the park on Sunday to enjoy some outside time.  Here are a few pics...

Craig kneeling, talking to Carter.  Can you see them in the background?

There was an ice cream truck that came driving through the park and we HAD to get something.  This particular ice cream truck looked identical to the ones that were around when I was just a kid.  White van, playing music out of a rickety, fuzzy speaker and faded pictures of all the ice cream treats plastered on the side.  Kinda creepy.  Good thing everything comes packaged.  Somehow that makes me feel better about it.  Carter loved this Jolly Rancher bomb pop, even upside down...

This girl loves pictures of herself.

Quick Post

When I was typing in the post title ^ above, it first said QUACK post.  That sounds about right.  ;)

So I can't believe, once again, that this much time has passed between postings.  Whoops.  AND, it is October. Down Syndrome awareness month.  In the past, October has had more postings than almost any other month, because I really do want this blog to give support, info and awareness to Down Syndrome.  Looks like I totally dropped the ball this October.  Maybe I can make up for it and post something, a little something, every day for the rest of the month.  I don't think much about sitting down to write a blog because my mind is always busy with something else.  I actually don't even take the time to read blogs anymore like I did before.  Life's just busy, y'all.  (said in the most southern twang you can immagine)

Right now, I am sitting on the couch, watching Annabelle steal Carter's paci right out of his mouth for the 4th time this morning.  He doesn't care right now, which is good, but Annabelle should not be walking around the house with a paci hanging out of her mouth.  They are doing what they do best when they play, and DESTROYING the house.  No, I'm not kidding.  It seems like every room they walk into gets messy the moment they enter.  They are like little tiny tornadoes.  For real. Love those little tornadoes.  I do.

BUDDY WALK is happening in just a couple weeks.  Or sooner?  I am losing track of this month.  It is speeding by.  We are having TEAM ANNABELLE again this year.  I am more excited for her to go this year.  Now that she is older, she will enjoy the activities much more.  Can't wait.  I love Buddy Walk.

Welp, gotta go wrangle those little tornadoes.  Happy Friday!

Plateaus and Peaks (and a few changes)

Annabelle.  I love this little girl in a way that I can not explain.  Tears well up in my eyes, and a lump forms in my throat when i really take the time to sit still and think about this crazy love I have for this little girl.  We are bonding in a mother-daughter sort of way.  We 'get' each other in a new way lately, and I am loving it.  We are the girls of the house, and it's like we know it, and know that we need each other because of that.  ;)

I recently read a blog post written by another mom with a daughter with Down Syndrome.  She said something about how the development of her daughter hits mountain tops and then plateaus.  I TOTALLY related to that because that is what we have also experienced in the last 3+ years raising Annabelle.  It seemed for a while, she was at that plateau stage.  Things get really tough sometimes because we can not communicate with her the way we wish we could.  She can not express her feelings and thoughts the way SHE wants to and it's tough for her.  We can really see that it is hard for her.  She gets frustrated.  She throws some pretty nasty fits at times.  I try so hard to be patient when I can see that she is just super frustrated.  Even though I am super frustrated, too.  But, we are learning about each other in these moments and learning how to communicate with each other even if it isn't totally in words. 

The past couple days, I have seen that Annabelle is reaching a little mountain top.  Craig and I have been looking at each other with that mutual, unspoken, "Awwwww, I'm so proud"!!  You know, that parent look?  Where you are both just so proud you want to cry a little?  1,2,3....rabbit trail.....kids change marriage.  In ways that are so so tough, and ways that are just amazingly bonding.  Ya know?

Potty is going ok.  She has done AWESOME the past few days.  Like, more awesome than I expected at this point.  She's really getting it, and I am so excited! :) 

Oh, we (Carter, Annabelle and I) are all going to school.  It all started when Craig and I made the decision to not put Annabelle back into public school this year.  For many reasons, but i am so glad we decided this.  BUT, I knew she had to be somewhere.  She needs a bit of a classroom.  Then, we realized that it would also benefit me to be out of the house as more of a part of this community we live in.  Long story short, I got a very part time preschool teaching job, AND get to be at the same school as Annabelle, AND as Carter.  We are at a small church preschool, around amazing women and some super sweet kiddos.  Annabelle's classroom is right around the corner from mine, and Carter is right down the hall.  I am teaching a class of 3 year olds, and it;s kid of fun to be back in the preschool saddle. Especially when it's SO part time.  I think this will be a good thing for all of us, and i am looking forward to the school year.  :)

Carter is doing amazing as well.  He is seriously growing like a weed, and impresses us all the time.  He is so super smart and also becoming very adventurous.  His newest thing is to climb.  Yikes.  He is also saying some things that sound like words.  Things like, "mamma", "dadda", "book", "ei ei ohh", "no no no", "bath" (with sign language) and it sound like he tries to say cracker and Belle.  Seriously.  so cute.  We are so in love with this boy.  SO in love!! 

We are all well.  I know I needed to update, and could possibly continue to write, but I promised my hus a little back rub.  Gotta do it.  ;) 

Day 4...Potty Time

It's been a long four days and Annabelle has been a super star. She has been so patient and is persevering through the potty training.  We have spent most of our week in the bathroom. For real. Today, I put her potty seat in my bathroom for a change of scenery.

Day one consisted of about 11 accidents. A little less day two and three. And so far today, only two. And two potty victories. She is holding it for so much longer than ever, even at nap time. I have really wondered if she has been drinking enough and really just doesn't have to go, or if she is learning to control it a little more. Not sure. She is much more aware of what she is doing when she does have an accident, but would be ok with it if I left her in wet clothes. :/ 

So, a little bit about what we have been doing...

~Potty immediately in the morning. And use no diaper unless we go somewhere or for nap and bedtime. 

~I have an alarm set on my phone to go off every 20 minutes. Now even carter heads for the bathroom when he hears it.

~If we are playing outside, I bring the little training potty and she sits on it outside. (In the fenced privacy of our back yard of course.)

~She usually does not go when we are in the bathroom. She will sit for seriously about 10 minutes at a time. I know that seems like a lot. We read books, she listens to music, watches shows on my phone,etc. We are back within 20 minutes after leaving the bathroom any ways, so i figure if she didn't go the two or three times before, maybe maybe THIS time.

~ If I am in the middle of making dinner or something, she uses the little potty and has gone in it twice. 

Anyway. That has been our week. I am praying for patience and perseverance every day! It's been kinda hard. To sit in the bathroom all day with nothing happening and then two minutes out of the bathroom, an accident. I really hope and pray she gets it. That something clicks with her. She has not told me yet if she has to go, or told me that she had an accident. So, I'm really hoping for that communication with her. I'm also very hopeful to see her self help skills and some of these motor skills really develop.  Such as pulling her pants up and down without assistance. 

I have taken some cute potty pics the past couple days, but I'm not sure how Internet appropriate that is. Even if you can't see anything, I'm still not sure if that is considered 'over share'. So, I will leave you with this cute pic. M&ms mouth just after a potty victory. She gets to choose between skittles and m&ms. And I just let her grab a handful if she wants them cause I am just so excited if she ever goes!! :) I hope it just gets better and better and that she really is ready for this!