Life with Girly Girls and a Bonus Boy

Cute Shannon Thoughts

2011-09-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

Shannon came home from preschool and announced that Asher is in love with her. I'm not happy about this as we do not condone this type of imitating at age 4.

I was trying to tell her that she needs to play with everyone at preschool. She then said that she has other friends and preschool, 14 friends.

I said "That's a lot of friends"

She said "No, Mommy one hundred would be a lot of friends"

Ellie thoughts

2011-08-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ellie told me a few lovely things yesterday.

"Mommy, when I'm a grown up girl and have a house of my own, can I still come over to your house when ever I want? And will you cook me dinner because you are the bestest cook"

At bedtime she said,

"I store up all your hugs in my heart so I can keep them forever"

Back dating

2011-08-29T18:39:00.001-07:00

I'm going to back date some posts. I originally created this blog as an online memory of my kids lives.

I owe it to them to continue.

Deep Sadness

2011-08-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

That's how I've felt since Ian was born in February of 2010. I feel like I'm trying to crawl out of big, deep hole that I can't see the top out of. I feel like I take two steps out and the fall back five steps.

I'm not even sure of the nature of my depression. I've never thought it was true post partum depression. I think it just seemed to coincide with Ian's birth.

I can pinpoint exactly how it started. I have a relative who is very cruel to me. She's someone who goes out of her way to point out how stupid I am, how ugly I am, and every poor choice I've ever made. Unfortunatley, she chose to do this right after Ian was born. I've usually been able to make a quick recovery from her remarks but this time I just couldn't.

It was made worse by my husband. Bob is a great man. One of the many reasons I fell in love with him is his forgiving heart. Of course, now almost 15 years later, it's one of the things that drives me crazy. Since he is so forgiving, he practically gives this relative permission to speak. He strives to have a balance between being forgiving and being a doormat. Unfortunately, it didn't play out so well for me this time.

A year after Ian was born, in February 2011, I became the victim of work place bullying. Without my knowledge, pictures of me that were rather unflattering were taken and texted around my agency. Having to walk into a place every day knowing people were laughing at you behind your back is very difficult. I don't really have any options, I have 3 girly girls and a little boy who are dependent on my job. They've been the only reason that I drag myself out of bed every day.

I don't really have any friends. I'm not really a person that most people like. I'm usually tolerated and then quickly ignored. I'm pretty forgettable. My husband works hard for us and I really miss him. I keep trying to keep a brave face for the kids but they notice. Ellie asks me frequently to stop crying.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this but I hope by getting it out in the public internet that it will cause things to change

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

Sad Words

2011-04-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

Lauren had a meltdown at ballet which is nothing unusual. However, during the middle of it she cried and said "I don't want to be that girl with Autism. I want to be that normal girl. No one else my family is girl with Autism. I want to be like all of other people."

I knew it was coming, it didn't make it easier, but I knew it was coming.

And it sucks just as much as I thought it would.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

Scrapping the bottom of the barrel

2011-03-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Somtimes, when you are the youngest, you have to eat what you can find. Even if it's a raw potato.

St. Patrick's Day Parade 2011

2011-03-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

It was a great day for a parde. We were so sad to miss the 2010 parade but it was pouring and we had a brand new baby. Neither of those were true this year.

We spent some time waiting for the parade.

St. Patrick's Day Breakfast 2011

2011-03-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

Cake Massacre

2011-02-02T17:47:00.001-08:00

Obviously, Ian really enjoyed his cake.

Look at me!

2011-02-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Could it be??? Could I actually be one?

Yes, yes I am!

Light Saber

2011-01-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

Let the Jedi training begin

Flag

2011-01-20T15:23:00.000-08:00

Shannon has learned a son in preschool titled "The Red, White, and Blue". It goes

"The Red, White, and Blue
The Red, White, and Blue
The Stars and Stripes of Liberty are
Red, White, and Blue"

Well, no one told her that she's singing about the United States Flag. We'll be driving down the interstate and she starts yelling "Mommy, it's the red white and blue"

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

Go Upward!!!

2011-01-16T17:19:00.000-08:00

Lauren is cheerleading for Upward basketball. She loves it. Her favorite cheer is "Dribble It, Pass It".

Watching the game.

Sitting for prayer.

When I grow up...

2011-01-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be a princess and walk around the castle. That's what princesses do.

- Shannon age 3

11 month Bear picture

2011-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Our year in number, 2010 edition

2010-12-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

Number of people in our family- 6, (that's it we are finally done)
Days Kristin was overdue- 7
Number of minutes from the time Kristin left work to the time she held Ian-94
Number of minutes from standing in the parking lot to holding a baby- 55
Number of times we said "I can't believe it's a boy"- 238,358
Number of people who said "so, you finally got your boy"- 239
Number of pigtails Kristin does before she goes to work- 6
Days spent at the pool- 45
Kids in school-3
IEP meetings-1
New jobs-0
Birthday parties Lauren was invited to- 1
Pounds of apples picked-14
Times we went to the pumpkin patch- 3
Milkshakes made-129
Drinks Bob drank for the world tour- almost 100
Days we snuggled Ian- 335
People who said "well, you certainly have your hands full"- more than I care to count
People who smiled and said "isn't that wonderful"- probably less than 10
Stitches received- 3
Children versus celing fan- 1 (celing fan won)

Days that we remain grateful and thankful for what God has given us- 365

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

From my house to yours

Christmas Eve Eve

2010-12-23T17:21:00.000-08:00

And the presents are ready...

And the stockings are hung....

And hopefully there are visions of sugar plums dancing in my girly girls heads.

O Christmas Tree

2010-12-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from the Jingle Breakfast at church this weekend.

Just like Santa

2010-12-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

We've decided to do something different for Christmas this year. We are having a gift exchange between the kids. They all pulled names and are very excited to be giving a present to another kid in the house.

Lauren has Ian
Ellie has Lauren
Shannon has Ellie
Ian has Shannon.

I took Ellie to the store to get her gift and she said "Mommy, we're being like Santa and getting presents."

First word

2010-12-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

Ian has his first word. He looks at me and says "Mom-mom". Definetly a first in this house. The girls always sad Da-da first.

I definetely perfer this.

Five Dollars

2010-12-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

I can't find my work ID and it's cold so I have to walk around the entire building. It's my fault becuase I never hang it up and the run around every morning looking for it. I have to get goning somehow.

I just offered the girls $5 if they find it. They are now running aroudn looking everywhere for it. However, Ellie just stopped and said "Mommy, if I don't find it, can I still have $5?"

My entrepanaur.

10 month Bear picture

2010-12-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

Pre and post Thanksgiving Meal

2010-11-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

Pre- meal

Post-meal

Thankfullness

2010-11-24T18:50:00.000-08:00

We are thankful for:

1. God, the author, creator, and sustainer of life.
2. Lauren
3. Ellie
4. Shannon
5. Ian
6. Having one last baby
7. The completion of our family
8. Teachers
9. Therapists
10. Jobs to pay our needs and some of our wants
11. A marriage that has been reedeemed.
12. Cars that run
13. Good neighbors
14. Lauren was invited to a birthday party this year.
15. Autism
16. Typicalness
17. Dancing ballerinas
18. A roaring dinosaur
19. A summer spent at the pool
20. a job I like most of the time
21. the ability to forgive
21. the ability to be forgiven
22. summer school and extended year services
23. food on the table
24. a church that loves kids with Autism because Jesus loves kids with Autism
25. That tommorrow is always a new day
26. that we get to experience the world for the first time, one last time
27. that our kids likes each other, some of the time
28. for extended family that loves our children
29. that we get to experience a baby boy
30. for health insurance, we sure used it this year
31. for a great delivery with Ian
32. that my reputation is the girl who almost had the baby at work
33. for a beginning relationship with a church family
34. that we have not had any extensive medical tests for L this year
35. that we do not know what it is like to leave our kids in the hospital
36. that it's only Autism

9 month bear picture

2010-11-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-30T08:29:00.001-07:00

Trick or Treat

2010-10-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Imaginary friend

2010-10-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

Shannon has an imaginary friend. It's the first one ever in our family.

Her name is Cinnamon and she lives at Cinnamon's house.

She has yellow hair like Shannon, is tall like mommy, and is smooshy like daddy.

Normal behavior

2010-10-10T17:40:00.000-07:00

One of the things that sucks about Autism is the signs or symptoms. Some of the signs and and symptoms of Autism are also normal typical 2-3 year old behavior. No wonder are parents are so scared.

Shannon did this. She's as typical as they come.

8 month bear picture

2010-10-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

iEllie

2010-09-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

Bob and I recently got iPods as early Christmas presents. Ellie really wanted one but again she's 5. So, she made one herself.

One last time

2010-09-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

We've put away the baby carrier for the last time. It's so very bitter sweet and I have such a difficult time that we are leaving the baby stage for one final time.

I'm enjoying watching my kiddos grow and change. However, for me, there is just something about the snuggly baby stage that I adore.

Anyway, here's Ian in his little car seat, one last time.

Applepicking

2010-09-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Another rare picture of me and the kids

2010-09-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

I want to be

2010-09-19T07:15:00.001-07:00

"Mommy, I want to be a bird, and live in a nest. I flap my wings and I fly aways, Mommy can you please make me a bird"

Sorry Shannon, it would take a power far greater than I.

Face painting

2010-09-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

We went to the girls' dance studio's annual "Party in the Parking Lot". The girls got their face painted. Sadly, they don't last forever so I had to take pictures so we could memorialize them forever.

Nature

2010-09-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

Lauren had some very simple homework. She had to divide some objects into two categories. They objects included the sun, a flash light, a candle, a firefly, and a street light. She had to decide which source of light was Found In Nature and which was Made by People.

I pointed to the sun and she said it belonged in the Made by People category. I asked her why and she said "Well, God made the sun and Jesus is God and Jesus became people so it is made by People".

Good thought Lauren! She gets it!

Working on the car with Daddy

2010-09-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Just the guys.

I'm just going to be hopeful that it's finally fixed. We are a one and 3/4 car family. We have one van than can transport us all and then a car than can transport 3/4 of us. It can make life a little difficult

Trike riding girl

2010-09-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

She's working on pedaling.

Sitting pretty

2010-09-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Nothing nice

2010-09-09T06:41:00.001-07:00

I'm sure we've all heard it before. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I've heard it since I was little and now have said it more times than I can count.

Lauren got her one of her numerous report cards (it's special education, we don't do anything halfway). The report card from her regular 1st grade teacher really, really bothered me.

I can't remember exactly what was said on it but I know that it said that Lauren was "peforming well below grade level" and is "extremely unfocused". The narrative also wished her well this summer and told her to have fun in second grade.

There was not one postivite thing said about her. Her teacher could not come up with anything posistive just some generic remarks. And that bothered me a lot. So much that I'm writing about it over three months later.

I get that Lauren is delayed. I know that she is behind. I know that she can't focused. I go home with her everyday and live with her well beyond the 9-4 school day. I see her 365 days a year. I'm not stupid nor naive. I'm not turning a blind eye to the issues that she has. But when they write about what she is not doing, it doesn't surprise me.

But, there is something great about Lauren. There's a lot of great things about Lauren. I fail to see how after having her in a class for 9 months that you couldn't come up with something. I'm not really picky. "Lauren has a great smile." "Lauren has a great memory." Anything would do! This is especially important because at age 7, it is more about me than her.

I did speak to her principal about it. I know that her teacher didn't mean to hurt me. She didn't set out to make me sad about it but she didn't think. The principal did thank me and said he wants his staff to be aware of issues like this.

My friend, Leslie at www.mymommysplace.com, summed it up the best in her back to school haiku. "she may be the dark spot in your day, but she is the bright spot in mine". And that is my Lauren.

My guys

2010-09-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

I love them!

Ian's first bites

2010-09-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

At 7 months old, we are just venturing into the world of solids. It's not going so well.

Crying

2010-09-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Lauren is currentlly upstairs in her bed crying that she doesn't want to go to college. She doesn't want to leave her family because we will miss her so much. Goodness kid, you are 7!

I just told her about colleges she could go to and still live at home. She's now excited that she could be a Buckeye.

I also told her that this is her home and she doesn't ever have to leave. There will always be a spot for her in our home and house.

We've decided to live our life and assume Lauren will never be capable of living independently.

But on the other hand we're hoping that she will.

7 month bear picture

2010-09-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

1st day of Kindergarten

2010-08-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's official. Ellie is a kindergartner. She was so excited all morning to get on that big yellow bus. She's watched Lauren ride the bus since Lauren turned 3. It's finally her turn.

1st day of 2nd grade

2010-08-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Snuggly little guy

2010-08-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Ice Cream

2010-08-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

We've gone out for Ice Cream way more than I'd like to admit this summer. We all have our favorite flavors.

Me- Chocolate Almond
Bob- Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie
Lauren- Buckeye
Ellie- Blue Moon
Shannon- they give her a free "baby" cone

The girls love to sit on the fence and wait for ice cream.

Ice cream girls

My little leprachauns

2010-08-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Drinking beer at the Irish festival

2010-08-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is Bob drinking beer (or whatever it is he's drinking) at the Irish festival.

The Wee People

2010-08-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

At the Irish festival, there was a very good Irish story teller at the kids section. The girls ended up being in an impromptu play and were "wee people". They wore green coats (cut up green T-shirts), a green sash (piece of the T shirt) and red hats (bandannas). Here are my cute little actresses!

Face painting at the Irish festival (2010 edition)

2010-08-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Irish festival 2010

2010-08-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

We love the Irish festival

Only 11 more years

2010-08-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

Until Ellie gets her driver's liscence. That what she told me. She already has a plan. She's going to go to the store for me while I'm at work.

She'll buy:

milk
bread
eggs
peanut butter
ice cream
chocolate

Guess she knows what we buy!

Plans for the Irish festival

2010-08-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

We been waiting for 372 days to go back to the Irish festival.

The girls have big plans. They are going to:

get their faces painted
drink juice boxes
eat fudge
watch the dancers with the curly hair
pet the doggys
walk around
go on the play ground

I asked them what daddy was going to do and they said "Drink beer". Not sure what to make of that one!

Exercise

2010-08-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

I've decided that I'm tired of looking the way I do. I'm tired of weighing so much.

Plan A was simply to complain and moan and cry when ever I tried on clothes. And then eat ooey, gooey deserts after crying. Plan A was a dismal failure. I can't figure out why.

I've now enter Plan B. Plan B involves me wrestling and herding three active girls to the Y at least nights a week by myself while carrying a carseat. The worst part is getting in the door.

Once I drop said children off a child care, I actually exercise. I've decided that I'm going to run a 5K by the time Ian is one. So, I have six more months.

I've been walking for 4 minutes and then running for 1. Yesterday, I actually managed to look like I was running and not dying. I was feeling really good about myself.

That is of course until SHE showed up. By she, I mean the lady who climbed onto the treadmill and began to run continuously and effortlessly.

That wasn't the bad part.

She was 7 months pregnant.

It made me almost result to Plan A.

Almost!

Why sister's shouldn't....

2010-08-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

cut hair!

We won't be opening up Ellie's house of hair anytime soon.

6 month bear picture

2010-08-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

Can I have?

2010-07-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

From Ellie.

"Mommy, I saw a phone. I need that phone. I need one that is pink or purple and then you can take it out and watch videos on it. I saw a girl at gymastics with one"

I've never decided when it would be acceptable for my child to have a cell phone but I know for sure that it's not 5.

I don't even have a cellphone that advanced.

In my heart

2010-07-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Ellie made a new friend, Isabel, at VBS. She told me that "we're going to be best friends forever"

Lauren, the realist goes "Ellie VBS is over this week, you might not see her again".

Ellie said "That's OK. After that, she can live in my heart"

Just like me

2010-07-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

Shannon looked at me and said "Mommy, I want to be a mommy just like you one day".

Doesn't that just make you go "Awwww"?

The best laid plans

2010-07-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

I had some awesome plans for last weekend.

Bob was off on Sunday and Monday and so was I. On Sunday, we were going to take the kids to see the Toy Story 3 and on Monday I was going to clean out their rooms.

Well, we did take them to see Toy Story 3 but I had a very difficult time cleaning out their rooms because we had just seen Toy Story 3.

I have a garbage bag full of stuff including some old toys that I can bare to get rid of. Darn Disney!

But the movie was good. It does make me remember that I try to cherish all of the times I spend with the kids. Irregardless of whether it is a good time, a not so good time, or a stressful time. I attempt to love it all.

I desperately try to remember to things. One, tomorrow is a hope not a promise. Two, one day my kids will do things for the very last time. Someone will call me Mommy for the very last time. Someone will run back to give me a hug for the very last time. Someone will pour lemondae all over the kitchen floor because they did it "ALLBYMYSELF" for the very last time. Someone will come up and tell me that I am their favorite mom for the very last time. Some day it will be the very last time and I will miss it. Thanks for the reminder Disney!

However, as an added bonus Ellie now will drop to the floor randomly with her mouth slightly open and say "I'm a toy"

Sad day

2010-07-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

We were walking to our car from the fireworks and Lauren was the only one awake. She kept telling me things and then all of a sudden said "I call you mom now because I'm a big girl. I'm not a baby that call you Mommy"

I can't describe how incredibly sad that made me.

4th of July 2010

2010-07-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

This morning we've been watching "The Story of Us" on the History Channel. We were watching a segmentabout the Revolutionary War. Lauren pointed and said "Mommy, were you there." When I said No, she wanted to know if Grandma or Grandpa was there. She has no concept of age.

In my eye

2010-07-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

We got pizza at a sports bar we used to go when we played softball in 2002. As usual, the kids wante to know who was there. I told Lauren that she was in my belly. Shannon said "where's me?" I told her that she was a twinkle in my eye.

She now comes up to me and says "Mommy, Lauren grew in your belly and I grew in your eye".

5 month bear picture

2010-07-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

Kids at the Pool

2010-06-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sibling love

2010-06-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

Ellie loves Ian

4 month bear picture

2010-06-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Ellie!

2010-05-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Five entire years with Ellie. Ellie has been our first glimpse of normal. Our first experience of the journey that most people go on. She has reassured us with her normalcy when everyone else tried to blames us for Lauren.

She's been to the doctor exactly one time this year, on her 4 year well check. She so boringly and wonderfully normal and we love it for it.

Ellie has learned to copy letters. She has a great joy for life. She is a leader in her class. She is compassionate to the kids in her class that have special needs, if only that could translate to our home.

She was just telling me the other day that she didn't think she ever be 5. It was taking so long to get there. She's the only one that thinks that.

Ellie became a big sister for the last time this year. She loves Ian and he just adores her.

We went to DQ for her birthday per her request and had ice cream in lieu of a cake.

Here's some pictures of my birthday girl.

Hey, I'm trying to get some sleep around here

2010-05-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Old versus new baby

2010-05-10T17:37:00.001-07:00

We have a new member of our family, well our extended family. My sister had her first little girl. Karleigh made her arrival on 5/5 and weighed in at 6lbs5oz. She's a tiny little thing compared to my tanks.

We've been talking about Karleigh a lot and we had the following conversation today.

Lauren- Karleigh in our family now.

Me- yes, she was born on Wednesday

Laure- she's the new baby. Ian is the old baby. We call Ian Old Baby Ian now.

It was a good run as the youngest Ian but you've been dethroned now.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T17:24:00.001-07:00

We started out the day with pictures in the yard.

We went to Ian's baby dedication and we received a book that I promptly through out. It's a good think I'm pretty secure in my baby rasing style.

We went to lunch at an old inn.

And then we sat and did next to nothing. It was a great day.

Happy Birthday Bob!

2010-05-07T19:37:00.001-07:00

Bob is 32 today. We've now celebrated many birthdays together. In fact, we celebrated his birthday ten years ago by graduating from college.

I've picked out many presents for him over the years we spent together.

Now, that we have four kids, I was able to get him exactly what he wanted.

Two and a half hours to do what exactly what he wanted which was to play video games.

I wish I had known it would have been so simple when we were in college

SBS

2010-05-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

I went to a training confrence at work this past week. It was a series of talks and lectures with some directly relating to my job such as a discussion on the effects of obesit. There were some more indirectly related to our job such as the speech on SBS.

SBS is Shaken Baby Syndrome which is a subject dear to my heart. According to a 2003 study, over 1,300 babies a year are vicitms of SBS. Thanks to the work of advocates, you are not able to leave the hospital in my state without being given some information about SBS.

I delivered Lauren in March of 2003. My recovery room TV had very few chanels to chose from. I had two choices: coverage of the new war in Iraq and March Madness. Neither appealed to me.

I did watch a video about SBS. I remeber very few details about the movie but I do remember thinking "Well, that was a waste of time. Who would ever shake a baby?" That was back in the era when I was still a perfect parent. I was able to be a perfect parent because I had not yet left the hospital with my offspring.

Enter Lauren, enter sleepless nights and unrelenting crying that lasted for 15 hours a day. Lauren cried more in one day then many newborns cry in one day.

After that, I got it. I see how people shake babies. I see what happens. In those moments in time, all I wanted her to do was stop crying. I didn't even want her to stop crying for days, I just wanted her to stop crying for a few minutes and I would have done anything.

Sitting and listening to the speaker I was struck with a few thoughts ranging from how far I've come since 2003 and how easily Lauren could have been included in the statistics fro SBS.

For more information, www.dontshake.org

Art shows at schools

2010-05-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Gummy smiles

2010-05-05T17:10:00.001-07:00

He has a very small hint of a tooth but you can't see it so it's still a gummy smile.

I'm not

2010-05-02T18:12:00.000-07:00

Shannon was fooling around at dinner and I looked at her and said "Can't you eat like a Human Being"

Shannon: "I not a human, I not a being"

3 month bear picture

2010-05-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

Bugs

2010-04-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

From Bob to Shannon, "you don't have to run in here everytime you think you see a bug."

Sigh!

"It's going to be a long summer."

Spring is upon us

2010-04-29T17:02:00.001-07:00

Spring is back and with it comes all kind of fun such as using the slide in a variety of ways.

Ian enjoys his bouncy friends outside for the first time.

Here's my cute little bunny rabbit named Ellie.

Ellie and Shannon played tag for the first time this year, well the first time outside.

We are so glad spring has come back this year.

12 weeks old

2010-04-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

Ian is twelve weeks old. It feels like just a moment ago I was in bed at the hospital getting to know my newest little guy.

He's changed so mcuh. He attempts to talk to us. He smiles all the time. He is very intersted in what those big girls are doing.

Ellie is still in love with him.

He got his first little tooth yesterday. His second one isn' far behind. I'm going to miss those huge gummy grin.

He's still nursing and nursing well. He drinks about two bottles a day when I'm at work. Daddy takes great care of him while I'm away.

He can roll over from belly to back and he's always shocked when he does. He's working on rolling the other way.

His hands are his best friends but the celing fans aren't a far second.

Not bad for twelve weeks of live, huh??

One happy minivan

2010-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

A 7 year old still harnessed

An almost 5 year old still harnessed

An almost 2 year old harnessed

And a two month old rear facing.

It's one full sometimes happy, somtimes not, always loud, usually messy minivan. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Ellie loves Ian

2010-04-24T04:41:00.001-07:00

Free at last!

2010-04-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the couch last night while Bob was at work and I heard a ruckus from the downstairs bathroom. Ellie ran upstairs and yelled "Mom, Shannon is stuck in the bathroom".

I went down and tried to convince her to open the door but with her being almost three and laughing, it didn't go so well. I waited and waited. I started wondering how long I could leave her in there without Children's Services doing an investigation.

I called Bob. He ignored me. I called his work and he figured there was blood involved. I think he was disappointed to learn that Shannon was stuck in the bathroom.

I then tried to pry open the door with his encouragement from the phone. That didn't go so well.

He was pretty convinced she could get out on her own. I was doubtful. He then hung up on me.

I said "Shannon, do you want to make Brownies?" The door opens and Shannon walks out singing "I freeeeee".

Just another day.

Favorite Brother

2010-04-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Lauren- "I love Ian so much. I'm so glad we have him. He's my favorite brother."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that he's her only brother.

Mixed up family relations

2010-04-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

From Shannon.

"Ian is my baby brother. Soon he going to be my baby cousin"

First park day

2010-04-11T19:42:00.001-07:00

Or at least the first day we went to the park and I remembered my camera.

Hard work

2010-04-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

It sure is hard work holding this big ol' head up but someone's got to do it.

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

2010-04-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

Autism and other special needs can be life altering and life consuming. It makes what should be no big deal turn into a big deal. It can make a simple trip to the grocery store something that needs to be well thought out and well planned.

I've seen my two typical toddlers learn to speak. I've seen Ellie learn to write her name with ease. I've seen them meet developmental milestones and I've been proud.

Since having Lauren, I've stopped caring about when my children did something. I've learned to rejoice that they've done it. But I've always assumed that the would do it.

With Lauren, I make no assumptions. I do not assume that she will learn to read. I'm just happy if she does. I will jump for joy if she learns to write her name because I no longer assume she will. I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic. I no longer look at normal child development as a given. I know it is a gift.

So, that's why this week my heart leaped with joy.

Lauren was invited to a birthday part and I am so extremely happy.

Things Shannon Says About Ian

2010-04-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

She walks around the house going "Hey, big guy"

"Ian come to my house"

"Ian burp like a man"

She definetely pays attention to what I say to him.

Eggshell Land

2010-04-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

I grew up going to this exhibit. It is the only one like it in the world and celebrated it's 52nd anniversary this year. I love taking the kids there.

2 Month Bear Picture

2010-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Boy or Girl?

2010-03-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Asked to Shannon,

Is Ian a Boy or a Girl? Boy

Are you a Boy or a Girl? Girl

Is Mommy a Boy or a Girl? Girl

Is Lauren a Boy or a Girl? Girl

Is Ellie a Boy or a Girl? Girl

Is Daddy a Boy or a Girl? He's a Bob.

I always knew Bob was in a class by himself.

Student of the Month

2010-03-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Guess who was student of the month in March?

Lauren was!