The Real Freakin' Santa...

So ya know we have a big holiday, Ugly Christmas Sweater themed birthday shin-dig for Ruby Doobs every year...right?  Oh...and Santa Claus comes and the kiddos get to sit on his lap and take pics.  The past few years it had been a good friend of mine dressed in a Target Santa suit (Thank you Dakus for your Santa Service and sweating your ass off in that outfit for the sake of the kiddos..It is Texas ya know and has been known to be in the 90's in December).  The first few years seemed to go off without a hitch...but the kiddos are getting older and wiser and last year in the line leading up to Santa all you could hear was "That's not the real Santa!", and "I can see his strap!"....and my favorite was Ella Mae looking at him with squinting eyes and then looking at me with confusion and going "whose in there?" in a half whisper, half disgusted voice. I gave her the ol' "Santa can't be everywhere" speech and "It's the spirit of Chrimstmas"...blah blah blah.  The plot will continue to thicken as the charade goes on I am sure of it...but I am willing to keep it up for as long as I can...

Ok...so maybe his beard was a little crooked...

AND... I'll be danged if I am gonna be the one to spoil anyone's Christmas Cheer or belief in the Big Guy in the jolly red suit!!  So this year we enlisted the guy who my kids have been seeing every year at another holiday party.  We told Ella Mae and Ruby that the REAL FREAKIN' Santa was coming this year and oh how I wish I could go back to my days of believing in Santa.  Ruby doesn't quite follow the story line yet (ok mom..I will sit in this crazy guys' lap and smile...) but Ella Mae...oh sweet Ella Mae...she is a believer.  The look of excitement, wonder and curiosity when he walked into the back yard...priceless.

He got there a little early so none of the kiddos would see his wife dropping him off (kinda loses the magic a little...right?) so Ella had about a half an hour with Santa to herself...and she stuck right by his side.  Girlfriend had all sorts of questions for him too..."When you come down the chimney and there is a fire...what do you do?"...and "Did you bring your Reindeer?" ...and the old favorite I am sure all kiddos ask "How do you make it around the world to all the kids in one night?". He was a professional though...answering all the questions with all the right magical answers.  We let the pipsqueaks take pictures with him for a bit...

Winner winner chicken dinner (get to that in a sec)

"Old Santa's" kiddo...

Me and Ty's mom may or may not have arranged a marriage for him and Doobs... 

One of my fave things about this party is seeing everyone get into their "Ugly Christmas Sweater" gear. Ok...and the margarita machine...that is pretty fun too.  Anywho..every year more and more peeps get into the "spirit" of the party and get "uglified"...

You go Tracy with your "Rhinestones"....

  No one gets more "uglified" then our "three year undefeated ugly sweater champions" though...

They are newlyweds ya'll..can you feel the love??

So there are trophies to be had and we also have a "Jr. Category" (this is serious business folks)...and one of our fave culde members actually made his own sweater this year...

Umm..how freakin' cute is that?

He was so excited about his trophy winnings that he took it to school the next day for show and tell.  That is the spirit of Christmas ya'll!!!

Winner winner chicken dinner...

Now I may or may not have been more excited about the next thing that happened at the party then the kiddos...but Santa read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (insert school girl squeal)...

Notice in the background Ella's "Pictures with Santa" sign :)

Just look at Ruby's face...

Oh my goodness...the spirit of Christmas was alive and well around these parts folks!  But I never forget the true reason behind this shin-dig. One of our greatest joys has graced our presence for four wonderful, inspiring years.  Four years where my heart is a little more wide open.  Four years where I have struggled wondering if I am enough of a mommy for her. Four years where every milestone, every smile she flashes me, every sweet kiss and hug I get from her assures me that I am.  Four years of her showing me the true beauty in everything.

Dr. Doobs to the rescue...

You don't think she likes her Uncle "Kook"..do you??

She kinda likes her Daddy a bit too...

One of the most simple things that I have absorbed from Ruby in the last four years is to just simply not take anything for granted.  She reminds me everyday that life isn't always easy for everyone.  There are many struggles that we all go through...she works unbelievably hard to achieve the smallest things that we might find easy. This is the first year that she was able to actually blow out her candles and I think my heart swelled with so much pride it almost exploded into her Daniel Tiger Birthday Cake...

Another amazing cake by Grandmother!!!  aka Baboo!

Go Ruby Doobs!!!

Happy Fourth Birthday my sweet Ruby Doobs.  Keep lighting up this crazy world we live in with that killer smile, sweet spirit and determination that warms our hearts and shows us that all things are possible when we put our minds to it!  WE LOVE YOU and can't imagine a world without you!!

Not just because is it Down Syndrome Awareness Month...

 So it is Down Syndrome Awareness month...I feel like in the first few years after Ruby's birth I was way more active with my posts and words and pics and things, but I assure you it is not because there is lack of awesomeness, cuteness, triumphs and even struggles going on over this way.  Part of it is that I have tried to make a conscious effort to soak up every moment by just being present, spending time and not just writing about it.  And while I certainly want the world to know just how amazing and capable this lil' lady is, I have realized that she does a lot of that on her own...just by being Doobs.  She changes perceptions and raises expectations of those "rockin' it"....just by her determination to accomplish any task thrown her way.  Sure, it may take her a little longer than some of her peers...but she nails it every time.  I feel like my expectations are set extremely high for her....and she blows me away constantly!

Not only is she an extremely hard worker (working ten times as hard to achieve things that comes naturally to most)...she has a giggle that will melt your heart.  Thankfully she does a lot of giggling so we get our hearts melted frequently.  There is something so sweet and pure about her lil spirit that is absolutely undeniable. She will be the first to come love on you if you are sad or to high five you if you did something great (or even not so great!).

Not sure if you can tell...but this girl loves her some glasses....

The first time I held her in my arms I knew she was gonna rock our world.  I knew she was going to be ALOT to ALOT of people.  She already had that spunk and energy that just made me want to be a better person...made me want to try a little harder at whatever I was doing.  I was nervous about not being able to be the mom she needed me to be...but it was her that gave me the strength and confidence to rise above my fears and give whatever I had in my heart.

  And you know what I have learned?  That that is enough.  I have struggled trying to be sure she is getting all the right opportunities...struggled with the fear that we aren't doing enough.  Did I do flashcards with her today?  Did I work on her letter sounds today?  Did I work on her speech homework today?   Maybe not.  But did I spend the afternoon being present, trying to be the best mom I know how to be?  Does she know she is loved?  Is she fully included in all aspects of our lives?  Abso-feakin'-lutely!   With each year and with each milestone I get a little more relaxed and confident that this lil' lady has it all figured out. I will always strive to give her the best and greatest opportunities we can as a family...but I will also love and enjoy her in the moment. Enjoy her giggles and her sense of humor when she puts on funny glasses. Enjoy her unsolicited hugs and Eskimo kisses.  Enjoy just sitting on the floor playing farmhouse and not making a therapy session out of it.  We get wrapped up as moms trying to keep up with what "everyone else" is doing that I think sometimes we may lose sight of what is important to your own family. And these are the moments important to our family....

Seriously...she loves glasses!

Anywho...this girl has not only stolen our hearts but opened it up in a way that is in-describable.  We love you lil' Ruber Doobs and simply cannot wait to see what you have up your sleeve!!

       Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month ya'll!!!!!

This girl sure is rockin' this lil' life she was given!!!

Take this one to the bank...

Just had to lock this one away in the ol' memory bank.  That's all.

School and stuff...

So school started and DANG!  Why does it have to start so early?  Getting the girls up in the morning so vividly takes me back to my teenage years with my mom coming in singing like Julie freakin' Andrews...swinging the drapes open to bring in the sunshine to which I would bury my head under as many layers of blankets and pillows as possible while saying (or groaning is more like it) "go away".  My kids aren't even teenagers yet and they already do some version of this in the morning.  Of course I don't sound like Julie freakin' Andrews either...so maybe I should work on that a little.

Anywho...ELLA MAE STARTED FREAKIN' KINDERGARTEN!!!  And boy is this lil' lady lovin' it!  Several people have asked me..."did ya cry?"..or "how is mommy handling it??" With all the inquiries I almost felt like a bad mommy cuz their were no tears shed on either end and I think it is pretty kick-butt that she started kindergarten.  Now...maybe had she had a death grip on my leg and streaming tears this mama would have followed suit...but she marched right on in there and sat right down and there was no turning back!  Here they are right before heading out for the first day...do they look nervous to you?!?

This girl is ready to go!!

Doobs would sleep in her backpack if she could I think..

Sister hugs...

So NO, I did not cry or feel nervous or any of the above...I felt excitement for my daughters new journey. I felt proud of her strength, confidence and courage, proud of her sweet, kind heart as she sat down and starting talking to a new friend at her table.  She has gotten a "green" smiley face everyday since school started from Mrs. Sharp (except the one special day when she was line leader and making an excellent example for everyone and she got the coveted "purple" smiley face :))  No doubt in my mind this girl is going places...going wherever she wants to go...

Mrs. Sharp

AND this one made herself right at home..

silly girl...

Such a BIG girl!!!

Since Ruby had been in the PPCD program at the elementary school last year this was 'old hat' to her. She felt very comfy in her old stompin' grounds...although, because of the amazing team of caring and loving teachers at their school, I requested her to spend some time in the pre-k class...and they agreed!  She is a year younger then most of the 18 other kiddos in the class, but it is a great fit for her.  I am so grateful for her teachers and the learning environment they have created for her.  I get positive reports daily and have seen a huge jump in language and confidence.  We started learning some sight words and she is also doing really well with that too.  It is mostly family members names at this point...although fish is one that she has down pat.  Hmm...could it have anything to do with those little orange, salty crackers she stuffs her face with daily?  I wonder.  Anywho...super proud of this one too.  And it is another one of those moments when I can take a big, deep breath....and relax.  Relax into life...our life.  Relax and know that Ruby will get there when she gets there...and will bring so much joy and so many smiles to others along the way.  I mean...how can you not smile when she comes around the corner lookin' like this...

At least she has panties on...right?

She is ready for school!!

So much more to talk about but remember...I have to get up at the crack of dawn and sound like Julie freakin' Andrews!!!!

Rock on peeps!!!

Thriller...

So one of Ella Mae's favorite things these days is to dance.  Specifically to the Michael Jackson Thriller album. In the dark. With the candles lit. Oh, and in her tights, leotard and hot pink leg warmers.  She calls it "Spooky Night". And girlfriend actually has some dance moves (like her looks, she didn't get that from me either :)).  She has to go around the entire house and make sure all the lights are off, every curtain drawn so not a single ray of light is coming in...and then crank the jams. And you know Doobs gets in on the jams.  She is usually naked cuz that's how she rolls around the house these days...so it is quite the scene as you can imagine.  I would take some photos...but it is dark..and Doobs is usually naked, shakin' her "booty" all over the place.  I write these things down because I don't want to someday forget...forget the simple joys of life (yes I mean Thriller) and just how simple utter happiness can be.  How free the girls make me feel when they are running around without a care in the world...shakin' their "booties" to some amazing jams.  These simple little joys are what life is all about and I hope my girls always keep a bit of that innocence and that free spirit...even when they are 'grown ups' and have crazy stressful lives.  I hope when they hear 'good jams' that they can be immediately transported into a space in time that makes them feel like they are in leg warmers listening to MJ, shakin' their booties with the lights off, not a care in the world. We all deserve a little bit of that in our lives...Am I right??

So KINDER-FREAKIN GARTEN has started but I am obviously a little behind on all of this.  I will write about that soon but here are the haircuts leading up their first days of freedom..

Ella Mae marched right into the salon with no problems or worries about the hair choppin...and she got quite a bit chopped off.  She went from 'surfer girl' to 'cutey patooty' in a matter of minutes.  The little one was a bit skeptical at first, but eventually let us transform her into 'I have NEVER had a professional haircut' to 'look how clean cut I look!!'

Honestly, I know it is good for their overall hair health...but the surfer look was definitely working for them both.  I LOVE how they look now though and am so excited to head into the new year (no pun intended :))   I love seeing how each of them blossom and grow with each new turn of life and CANNOT wait to see what the future has in store for these two!  Stay tuned!!

Well...HELLO!  It has been a bit since my last post but there is lotsa cuteness to catch up on.  For starters Ella Mae graduated Montessori School.  HOLY SHNIKIES!!  How did that happen?!? She will be starting Kindergarten in a month.  Geez.  I want to just freeze those sweet hugs and record all the "I love you Mommy's" so I will have them to unfreeze and listen to in the teenage years....but for now...this is what I am dealing with....

If you chopped her hair off and added a beard...just sayin.

Pure sweetness (well 98% of the time).  She had a solo where she sang a song about Martin Luther King during her "Transition Ceremony" as they call it in Montessori School.  The song went something like this:

I have a dream, said Martin Luther King 

We're gonna make that dream come true. 

Let freedom ring, said Martin Luther King, 

It's up to me and you. 

It's not the color of your hair, 

It's not the color of your skin, 

It doesn't matter what you wear,  

It's the character within. 

I have a dream, said Martin Luther King 

We're gonna make that dream come true, 

Let freedom ring, said Martin Luther King 

It's up to me and you.

 Here she is singing her solo....

Pretty smart that Martin Luther King guy. Mrs Gayle (pictured below) told me once that Ella Mae was one of the sweetest souls she had ever met and it was such an honor and pleasure to teach her and watch her grow...

Ruby and Ella are in the same class for the summer so that has been pretty cool. I can ask Ella..."How was Ruby's day?"...and she can give me the scooby on what went on that day.  It also has some of her friends asking about the differences in Ruby..."Why doesn't she talk as much?" and "Why doesn't she play the game the way we want her to?"  We have talked  with Ella about Down syndrome some, but we don't make it a point to emphasize it...ya know?  We want her to understand what Down syndrome is...but not let it seem like it's a big deal.  Cuz it isn't. I think, in part, because she is surrounded by individuals rockin' that extra chromosome all the time that she doesn't see any difference.  The hubby and I were chatting with her the other day and asked her "Do you think there is something special about Ruby?"  Her response?  "Yeah....there is something special about her.  She is a great sister and has a great heart and imagination."  Be still my mommy heart!  She is genuinely so proud of her sister and I know that they will make each other better everythings just by having each other to learn and grow old with.  I know Ella Mae will help guide her friends and help them understand when they have questions about Ruby because that is just the compassionate lil' being she is. 

And this one....

She had a HUGE language spurt while on vacation last week.  We went to Indianapolis for the NDSC Conference and then to Michigan to see G-Ma and G-Pa.  It was doubly cool cuz the G-parents got to witness the action.  She is putting two and three words together, adding new words to her vocabulary everyday (can you say octopus??) and closing out her words with final sounds.  And she does it with total flair....."buusssssssssss! "  

I have to say it has been pretty darn awesome as we have been working on these things for a bit.  She even knows her entire alphabet!  All that bathroom reading is paying off...

Anywho....she has one proud daddy...

Dang he's handsome...

And one proud grandmother AKA "BABOO"...

And of course the most proudest mommy in the world!!  

More soon about the conference, our Michigan trip, the Rockin' Rainbowl, our new Rockin' Recipients and how we are rockin' this beautiful like we were given!!

Eyelashes and Fairies...

So Ella Mae had an eyelash on her cheek the other day and I carefully  picked it off and told her to make a wish and that we would close our eyes tight, blow it off my finger into never, never-land, where it would go  try and make her wish come true.  You wanna know what this kid wished for??  Her wish was that "everyone would be funny and peaceful."   Not for the new Frozen movie that just came out, not for a Barbie motor-home like her neighbor friend has...not even for that dang scooter she has been saving her hard earned dollars for.  She wished that everyone would be funny and peaceful.  Gah...talk about a mama's heart smiling and swelling with pride.  This girl was born with a sweetness in her soul that I see so clearly in her everyday life...

The way she loves life, the people in it...she is one remarkable lil' lady already at the ripe old age of five.

G-ma and G-pa  were in town, or if you ask Ruby "Papa and Nana" were here for a visit.  I know I have gushed about my hubby's parents before...but I sure do love me some G-ma and G-pa!  G-pa did his usual "fixing things" that needed some luvin around the house, while I would come home to a house full of the wonderful smell of G-ma's famous apple pie.  She always lets the girls help her in the kitchen...and this trip was no different. She even brought them matching aprons!

She lets them get in there and do the dirty work even though it doubles the amount of time it takes to finish.  But that's what grandma's do...right?  I can remember sitting with my own grandmother on her front porch snapping peas and rocking back and forth laughing...feeling happy.  I know my girls will have many, many of these memories with their grandparents...

It makes the pie tastes even better knowing these lil' hands helped make it too!  While they were here there was a "Fairy Trail" going on down at the Botanical Gardens.  Along the trail they had hidden some super unique, handmade fairy houses...who would't want to see that?!?  Well I guess the hubby and G-pa weren't as excited as us women, so it ended up being a "girl" outing which was very fun.

Ella Mae squealing with excitement once we found our first "fairy house" was all we needed to solidify this was one of the coolest trails ever...

 Each house was nestled into the trail and looked like it was awaiting a little fairy to come home to it soon.  Ella Mae kept asking us if we could come back at night so we could actually see the fairies.  Oh to be that young and have that kind of imagination and hope for magical things again!!  There is definitely something to be said for seeing the world through a child's eyes..I think even I almost saw a few fairies flying around while we were there. almost.  or maybe they were mosquitoes, but magical nonetheless!

Anywho...very cool and very fun.  The boys sure missed out on this one!  

Ruby has been super chatty lately which is exciting, but one of the things I am really diggin' is she is saying people's names (like Nana and Papa!).  She has also gotten really good with the names of peeps in the culde-sac. The "grandparents" of the culde are Nani and NooNoo, neighbors who sit in their garage and are always friendly with the kids or anyone for that matter.  When the garage door is up these days you just can't keep Ruby out of there.  She will run across the culde-sac saying "Nani!!! NooNoo!!!" and pointing.  It never fails...everytime we are outside. One of her favorite past-times is to sit and rock with them in their garage..

She sure does love her some NooNoo.  No doubt she will have memories, similar to mine with my grandmother, of rocking with them in their garage and feeling happy. And then of course there is this....

an entire different level of fun!  My kids are surrounded by so many people that love them and bring out the best in them it is fabulous...

ummm...can you say framer???

Nani trying to get Doobs to "peace out, dude.."

Here is Nani really trying to get Doobs to show her "peace" sign..

Life is good folks!  Peace out dudes!!!!