Commitment has never been my friend. I'm full of good intentions and grand ideas. I even construct plans to carry them out and start off strong... Then when commitment starts to settle in, I get distracted by another pretty idea or just lose interest. It's not you, goals... It's me!
You hold so much of my heart. I had my doubts when I carried you in my belly. I didn't think it possible to love another baby boy as much as I loved your brother, Welles. But I was very wrong. With the extra attention he needs and receives over the years, I hope you always know that you are equally loved and in your own very special way. I already call you my little rock because that is just what you are... Calm and even keel like your daddy, who is also my rock. You sit back and observe the chaos happily. You let your two older siblings love you in their rough and tumble way. You take a good (loving) beating regularly and you hardly make a peep. You just seem to know when my hands are full and choose to be less demanding in those moments. It's like you have this mature disposition and a wisdom that I know will be valued in our home. It sounds funny to call a one-year-old as wise! But you didn't get the nickname "little old man" for no reason.
It's been slow, but we are finally getting into Christmas festivities. Sickness after sickness after sickness has hit our family hard this last month and we are just now getting back on our feet! Actually Scott is laying in bed next to me with a barf bowl by his side... But I'm assuming he caught the 24 hour bug and will be better by tomorrow. Not just assuming, I'm praying!!!
So proud to be the winner of this years #DesignTheGood challenge! Thank you so much to My Cents of Style for putting this together and donating proceeds to our favorite foundation, United Angels! We are so excited as that foundation was so instrumental in preparing us for Welles. Scott and I spent a lot of time volunteering before we even got married or had Welles. Now they are a big part of our lives in celebrating our little angel with us! Cents of Style has been so generous in this process of getting our message out there that NOTHING is down about children with Down syndrome. So much gratitude to them and this project!
Our lover/fighter, whimsical and imaginative, bossy and passionate little buggy is a beautiful five-year-old. What?! Lately when I look at her I feel like I'm looking at a teenager! I guess I'm not quite ready for her to stop needing me so much. She's looking much older and becoming so independent (in spirit). How does this happen so fast? She was a perfect newborn and I was a nervous new mom just yesterday! Time... you sly devil.
Home sweet home. Nothing beats going back for the holidays. While I have lived away for nearly 12 years, Northern California will always be where my heart feels is home. Taking my little family out there is always such a treat and leaves us with more wonderful memories that jog me back to when I was a kid.
Sharing the kids Christmas lists with you has been a great way to help me resist giving them all of their Christmas spoils now! I'm terrible with surprises and get too excited to wait on good things (sharing pregnancies, early birthday gifts, good news of any sort, etc...)! So thanks for letting me blab to all of you, instead! ;)
Since we got a great response over Scar's gift guide, I decided to share with my peeps what we're getting Welles. He is such a happy and content child and would probably be thrilled with a single ball from Walmart. This beautiful and grateful attitude of his makes me want to spoil him all the more! But I'll contain myself and stick to the items below, which are plenty enough spoils for any child. ;) I can't wait to see his reaction when he opens them.
Holidays are here! George Wyle really knew what he was talking about when he wrote "It's the most wonderful time of the year". I couldn't agree more with ya, Georgey boy! And having kids get excited over the season really ups the fun level by a few notches.
I am pretty excited for today's post. Mainly because it's centered around Christmas! Now, let it be known that gift giving/receiving is not my love language. In fact, I have been known to be kind of a lousy gifter. It's even gotten to the point where my husband just asks me to make him homemade coupon books... BUT now that we have a little girly in house who is holiday obsessed and writes santa new letters twice a week, I'm stepping up my game! I mean, this is a serious new leaf I'm turning here. #festivemomwannabe
As many of you know, I am mother to a highly emotional, passionate, feisty and incredibly loving four year old (almost five), Scarlett! Also, I have an extra cool, extra happy, extra life-loving and extra chromosome carrying son, Welles. And then there is my attached at the hip (or chest;)), goo-goo eyes for mommy, tough from being a rag doll to his siblings and generally super content lover-boy, Ames.
For a number of reasons, I am sure that Scarlett was made for Welles as much as Welles was made for Scarlett. I know that the teaching and guiding will go both ways. It already does. While she teaches him to try new things, to push himself and be brave, he teaches her to love more deeply, to have compassion and patience (still working hard on that last one;)). They both need each other so much and are a perfect match for the other. I feel so lucky that they have each other and almost wonder if either of them really need me!?It all goes the same for sweet little
What a perfect Halloween it was. Crispy air but not too cold. Leaves lining the streets and neighbors going all-out on out on the decorations and hospitality. Some friends were making scones on their porch and one home was passing out cotton candy as they made it in their front yard. Another cute friend was dressed as a witch and threw a snake into a cauldron turning it into sweet treats as she muttered her spell! We kind of live in the best halloweenhood. ;)
A couple months back, I got a call from a woman named Carole who had gone to great efforts to track me down. She was a board member for a foundation called "Sharing Down Syndrome" in Arizona. This amazing women has no children with DS of her own, but has a passion and love for them. I was so impressed as she is one of the few people I know that fully understands the beauty of this diagnosis without having it in own her family. What a beautiful soul my new friend, Carole has. When she asked me if I would come be the keynote speaker and their 25th anniversary gala, I jumped on the opportunity. I love meeting other DS communities and I don't mind speaking. Plus, this meant that I would get to visit my dear sister and her family whom I miss dearly.
As we are nearing the end of Down syndrome awareness month, I've been reflecting on our life before Welles and how humbling it's been to learn from him. I was laying in bed thinking of this post and my eyes literally filled with tears. So many days I wonder why we were chosen to be so abundantly blessed to get to learn from this boy. He is such a beautiful and cherished blessing. Below I've listed the top five things that Down syndrome, and Welles have taught me.
Okay, as promised, here is an update on our fall bucket list. Because I know you're all dying to see what we've checked off (little sarcasm;))! Click HERE to see the full list. With just one week until halloween, I've got to get the pumpkin-patch involved items, done! Thus far we have.....
I don't know how many more years of costume coordinating we've got in us! Lucky for me, Scarlett wanted to be Alice and Welles and Ames kindly obliged to being her caterpillar and timely rabbit. ;) Aren't they so agreeable?? But really, I kind of can't wait for the day when Welles is into superheroes or athletes and insists on a cheesy costume for Halloween. Sounds funny, but that will show some real cognitive development. Until then, I will dress him up like a little doll in the outfit of my choice... Or Scarlett's choice!
First off... Holy cow, what a week! I am in complete shock about the attention that last post got with our #StrongLikeYou video from Jane. So very humbled by the amount of comments, likes, shares and views. We are spreading our message so far and wide! I've been responding emails literally from around the world. It brings me to tears thinking about the way people could be changing their option of Down syndrome. I always knew Welles was born with a mission...
This here video made by Jane.com is so very personal to our family. Every time they've sent me the latest edits, my heart re-opens the flood door and all of emotions rush back like a tidal wave. Jane's film crew did such an incredible job of telling our story from Welles birth until this point in his life. All in just 3 minutes and 44 seconds! We were honored to be a part of their #StrongLikeYou series.
I know, I know... You didn't even realize such cuteness existed, right?! Maybe it's just my mommy goggles, but since having Welles, I find these kids with extra chromosomes to be extra, extra, darling.
