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!!!!

Love Letters...Love Yourself...

So the hubs and I aren't huge "Hallmark" celebrators, but we do appreciate a good love letter.  Especially when our daughters are involved.  So I was just going to simply post my love letters to my lil' ladies...then I realized that I could benefit from a good ol' love letter to myself.  I think we could all benefit from this...am I right??  Social media and society these days put such pressure on us to be these "perfect" people...with our little homemade Valentines cards and our coordinating outfits. Nevermind the screaming it took to get our children into said outfits or the fact that it was really the parents who spent hours staying up super gluing Hershey Kisses together to look like a mouse with the saying "You're really mice" underneath it. Who has time for that??  I don't. And I am becoming increasingly more comfortable with my own limitations and what is truly important. We struggle everyday comparing ourselves to everyone else and what they see from the outside.  But that old saying "it's what's on the inside that counts..." well, if we could all just be happy and focused on that?  In the words of Sam Cooke...."What a wonderful world this would be....."

So here it goes...a love letter to myself.

I absolutely love the fact that I have no doubt my daughters know I love them with every fiber of my being. I know this because I tell them at least ten times a day, and even if I lose my temper (yes...sometimes I lose it) it always ends in hugs and talking and kisses and laughter. This stands true even for the hubby and I....and I LOVE the fact we can giggle after...even during and argument.  I know I am not perfect... but not acting like I am is half the battle.

I am not necessarily loving my muffin top these days...but I am loving and appreciating the fact that this body gave me these lil' humans that have forever enriched my life...so you know what??  I guess I am loving and appreciating that muffin top too.  And some day...when life eases up a little...I may choose to focus on losing said muffin top.  But for now...I will embrace and love my body and show my daughters confidence and self-love.

I love the fact that I know and am blessed to know what true love feels like...down to the deepest parts of my soul.  I love the fact that am I certain the people I call friends know that I love them and would do anything in my power to help them in any way I could.  My heart is so full of love and gratitude for all these peeps in my life, and I would not be the person I am today without them.

One last thing.  I am happy with the person I have become. All roads...even hardship, have led me here.  With each year I am able to ease a little more comfortably in my own aging skin..and I don't mind what I see. Grey hairs?  I see them as stripes of honor.  Wrinkles?  Each one tells a story...whether laughter or sadness...this is my life. I embrace every moment and love it and everyone in it to the best of my ability.

I love you!
luv,
me

ok...now here's the good stuff, oldest to youngest:

My Dearest Ella Mae, Sunshine of My Life

From the moment you came into my world my life has been infinitely richer and brighter.  I am so unbelievably proud of you and my love grows for you more and more every day, even though I never think it was possible to love you anymore than I do today!  I love watching your relationship with your sister grow too.  You are the best big sister in the whole wide world!  You are so patient and so willing to help Ruby learn and be the best she can be.  I love hearing both of your giggles from the other room as you play together so sweetly or run around chasing each other through the house like a herd of elephants. Your sweet hugs and kisses are mommy’s favorite.  You are smart and amaze me every single day with new things you have learned.  Your kind spirit is probably what I am most proud of.  You have the ability to make people feel happy and at ease when they are with you.  You are so funny and bring laughter to all those around you!

Ella Mae….I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THERE ARE LEAVES ON THE TREES IN SPRINGTIME AND FISHIES IN THE OCEAN!!  You, your sister and your daddy are my world.  Never forget that!

Luv you-

Mommy

To My Sweet Ruby Doobs, The Other Sunshine of My Life!

February 14, 2014

It is hard to know where to begin.  There are really no words to express how utterly in love with you I am!  My world is forever changed and forever more beautiful because you are in it.  I love how I see the world through a whole new set of eyes now that you have showed me the beauty in every little thing.  How I slow down and try to enjoy every little moment in life because I see you doing the same.  You are such a perfect example for us all.  You show the world that “perfection” comes in all sorts of different little un-suspecting packages…and we should never be afraid to take a peek inside.  You have taught me to never underestimate anybody or anything…not even myself.  I take such joy and pride in watching you grow and can’t wait to see all the things you will accomplish in your life!  You have the ability to touch people you meet so deeply and I have no doubt you will help make this world a better place just by being you.

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THERE ARE STARS IN THE SKY…(that’s A LOT!)

Luv you

Mommy

HallowThanksBirthmas...and a Happy New Year!

Ok...totally made up holiday, but this post is jamming Ella Mae's Halloween Bday, Thanksgiving, Ruby Doobs Third Bday Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, actual Christmas...and I may as well jam New Year's in there too.  I mean..why not?  I have got nothin' but time on my hands...ha!  Did ya hear that sarcasm?  Life is great over in these here parts...but super busy...lots to catch up on!

First I will start with a few quick pics from this years Buddy Walk ( yes...that's right..I am jammin one more  event into this post...but whose counting?)...it was a super mellow one but still lots of fun.  We actually carried one of Ruby's friends banners this year who couldn't be there due to Leukemia.  I am SOOOO happy to report though that he is in remission and doing well!!  Woot woot!! I am also happy to report that I actually made  it through the walk this year.  Last year we had to run outta there before the walk even started cuz some stomach bug hit me like a Mack Truck. I was literally laid out in the grass moaning like I was about to give birth. This year was much more pleasant.  It is always nice to be surrounded by peeps and families that have a common bond.  99% of them are strangers, but we are all connected by that one tiny little extra chromosome...either having one or loving someone rockin' one.  Here is Ella Mae huggin' two of her favorite 'extra chromosomers'...

Could they be any cuter??

  and you can't tell in this pic but Ruby and her Grandmother are rockin' matching pig tails, "dog ears" as she calls them. They don't look like they have much together...

Ok...moving on to Halloween...AKA Ella Mae's FIFTH birthday...un-freakin'-believable.  I just can't believe it has been five years since I gave birth (26 hours of natural birth...but whose counting?) to that lil' nugget of love.  And she is truly a nugget of love...she is about the sweetest big sister on the planet...

not to mention thoughtful and caring....loves princesses but is not afraid of digging for grub worms or crop-dusting me while I am laying on the couch.  I will call that last one payback. She is a daredevil and will be the first to try any new activity, like riding a bike, diving to the bottom of an 8 foot pool, or leaping from furniture like superman (or I guess I should say Wonder-Woman) flying between tall buildings.  Fearless I tell ya. I will also call that last one payback.  I see so much of both my husband and I in her...but most of the time I just see her. Ella Mae. This perfect lil' nugget of love with a mind of her own...discovering herself and the world around her...and I love love love being in the front row to watch it all go down...

So we did what we normally do on Halloween...got together with the Culde Crew and hit up some houses for some candy...

Ella Mae was going to go as a Wonder Woman "twin" with Doobs, but she had a last minute wardrobe change (wish me luck in teen years..gah!) and went with Snow White.  She really can't go wrong in anything she wears though...

I mean seriously...how cute are they??

I had a last minute wardrobe change as well and decided to throw on one of Ella Mae's wigs.  I had no intention of really being anyone...but three different people asked me if I was going as my mom...ha!!!

Tim was going as...Brett Micheals with a beard? 

Here is a photo for comparison...I think they were right on the money...minus a few hot pink highlights...what do you think?

Moving on Folks...got alot of ground to cover here.  I will post a separate post about Ella's actual sleepover bday party at a later date (maybe :)).  Several people asked me if I traveled for Thanksgiving this year.  I told them if you consider walking across the culde-sac traveling...then yep. We traveled.  We spent a wonderful mellow day with our neighbors again this year...and it was fabulous.  Bryan deep fried a turkey...and seriously...who doesn't love them some deep fried turkey??

and who doesn't love them a man in overalls...seriously.

Doreen and I shared some "not three dollar" bottle of wine with dinner...

and of course we had our one pm Thanksgiving lunch right on time at 5pm...(but whose counting?)  The kiddie table was bumpin' this year again.  And yes...mine are the naked one at the table and the one still in her PJ's at 5pm....that makes for an awesome day to give thanks...right??

And thankful we are...for so many things and for so many reasons.  Thankful for my perfectly awesome lil' ladies, for so much love and support from family and friends, for having such a wonderful crew of neighbors...this list could go on and on and on...that's how lucky and thankful we are!!  My hubby was not so thankful, however, for my love of the Christmas tunes a week before Thanksgiving...

So forging on through this celebrating and reminiscing of the holiday season...the hubby and I are trying to simplify life, shed things we don't need, not buy things we "think" we need but really don't.  Which is pretty much everything...am I right?  I mean...minus food, shelter and what-not of course.  The truth is...we don't really really need much.  I've got my beautiful lil' ladies...my hunky hubby...life is good...so we made the decision to cancel cable and move the gino Armour the TV was in out of the living area and into 'the garoom'.  We still have family movie night and stream "Castle" (that was one of my main concerns with cancelling cable...how on earth will we watch Castle??), but for the most part we don't even think about it...and it completely opened up the living space, bringing in more light...more room to play, read books...it just feels better.  Another great BIG plus was we brought out the record player and rediscovered our love affair with playing records....

Tim and I used to spend hours digging through old records at the record store.  It was a cheap date (although I have always been a pretty cheap date, I think that is why the hubby married me) and so much fun discovering old tunes you forgot you loved....like this beauty....

Why, I do love a rainy night Mr. Rabbit...

 All I gotta say is jams....serious jams. It makes family dance party alot more fun too (as if that were possible!).  We had lots of fun putting the Christmas tree up this year...it's nice to have lil' helpers.  Well...it actually took about five times longer...but it was way more fun :)

We also added a new addition to our "spirit of Christmas" family....meet Jimmy.  Ella Mae named him and I am not quite sure where it came from...but he is pretty cute and waves at Santa, Frosty, Tree, Mickey, and Shivering Polar Bear across the culde sac...

So this is the Santa at the Down Syndrome Association Christmas party...I am thinking I am goin to have to hire him for Doobs party next year because Dakus in a Target Santa suit just ain't cuttin' it anymore...

There was a big line waiting for picutres with "Target" Santa at Ruby's Third Bday party and all you could hear was "Is that really Santa?"..."I can see his strap!"....and my favorite from Ella Mae  "Whose in there mommy??".  I gave the typical "It's the spirit of Santa...blah blah blah" theory...but next year we have to take it up a notch. I would hate for peeps not to come to her party for fear of ruining "the spirit of Santa"...ha!!  Maybe Tim could grow a long beard?

ok...maybe his beard was a little crooked...

  Anywho...there was a little more competition this year for the coveted trophy for the ugliest Christmas sweater...I mean who wouldn't wanna have this bad boy on their mantle...seriously.

So my cuz Courtney really went all out again this year...and yes.. there is a person hiding in that tree!!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner....

It was a perfect day for me because I got to hang out with these ladies...and got to hang out in my flannel doggy Christmas jammies all day....

Seriously...it doesn't get any more fun than this...the uglier the sweater the better.

The main thing is that Ruby had fun....

mission accomplished.

One of our bestest families oldest daughter turned fifteen.  Just. cant. believe. it.  They had a Quincenera for her and it was one of the funnest events of the holidays for us cuz we saw so many old school friends coming together to celebrate her.  The dance floor was bumpin...but Ruby Doobs captured the attention of quite a few of the gentlemen...

and then more came...

Honestly...it was so great to see high school kids being so sweet and attentive with her. Although she does draw you in like a moth to a flame!  We added a new addition to our family...can you feel the hubby eye roll from there?  Introducing....Colonel Hedgie Hogermeister....

He is actually very easy to care for but he is just a little prickly.  My thought process was that he needs to be able to defend himself from all our other fur babies in the house, but I didn't take into account there would be no "snuggle" factor.  Ella asked me if next time we could get something a little more "cuddly"..ha!

So Christmas was wonderful and uneventful...just the way we like it!  My brother and his family came and we just hung around, played games and caught up on life.  Our tree once again was packed with lots of goodness....

And these ladies were so much fun....

Whew!!  I am done for now.  Next post I will update on how Ruby Doobs is doing in her new PPCD classroom.  She started a program at her local elementary school that focuses on speech and language. She marches her lil' booty right on in there and with the big kids like she owns the place.  Watch out for this one peeps!

Happy HallowThanksBirthmus peeps....and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hopefully it won't take me this long for my next post...but whose counting??

I'ts Like Riding a Bike....

Well is has been quite some time since I blogged...but it's like riding a bike...right??  If you ask Ella Mae these days she would say that riding a bike is pretty darn easy.  She went from training wheels to balance bike to taking off on a regular bike in 10.2 seconds flat it seemed.  I have a feeling that will be the story of her life.  The minute she got on the bike with no training wheels Tim was running after her trying to make sure she didn't fall (what a good daddy) and he couldn't even keep up!  She was swatting at him like a fly at a picnic trying to get him to leave her alone on her new adventure....

  Sigh...our little lady has crept yet a little further into independence.  and she has taken the culde with her!  Since she started riding without training wheels three other friends in the culde-sac have joined in on the fun...shedding their training wheels like a dog in the Texas summer.  Even Doobs is getting in on the action...

It all happens so fast!  I can't believe I have a FIVE year old!  And that Doobs will be THREE in less than a month....geez.  That is what has drawn me back to this bloggin business.  You can't possibly remember all the cuteness that happens.  All the funny things that fly out of their mouths. ALL the sweet moments when they say "thank you mommy for this wonderful dinner you made.  I know you worked really  hard on it."  And yes...my five year old actually said that to me the other day at the dinner table.  She also told me she loved everything about me because I am her mommy.  Talk about melting my heart!  Of course she asked for a chocolate chip cookie directly after...but hey...she knows what makes me happy :)

Anywho...I am back and ready to document all the cuteness coming our way.  I am sure I will document some not so cute things along the way also....but that's just life.  It is hard not to have a pretty darn perfect day with these two super heroes on my side though!    Keep rockin' it peeps!

Hiatus...

So I have been on a little hiatus but we are alive and well... will be back soon....stay tuned....

Who I am...

Who is Ruby Doobs?  It has been said that people with Down syndrome are more alike than different.  This is a great statement for individuals who may not know much about having an extra 21st chromosome...because yes...my daughter eats, sleeps, grows, learns, cries, laughs, has opinions...very strong opinions...just like you or I. She walks and talks and is about the sweetest, most loving little human I have ever met.  But for those of us who really know someone with Down syndrome...I mean the lucky ones who really have had the opportunity to be around these individuals....I think we can all agree that there is something different about them. Something amazingly different...something that we would never want to change.  They are who they are...no apologies, no second guessing. The energy...the infectious smile...it's like a bear hug that you continue to feel the rest of the day...they are all such raw, true and real emotions. So I like the fact that Ruby is "different"....I love it actually...we embrace it.  She makes it hard not to....so if I had to come up with a few things that I think is a big part of Ruby...I think Ruby might say:

I am a painter....

I am a lover...

I am a social butterfly...

I am a daddy's girl...

I am a sister...

and she would definitely say that she  is Rockin it!!!!

and Ruby....Mommy would say that you are a teacher.  One that teaches me about how cool and precious life is everyday!

And most important Ruby...you are you.  The perfect lil' version of our sweet Ruby Doobs and I would not change a single chromosome or hair on your head.  I thank my lucky stars when I wake up and when I go to sleep at night that you have come into my world and opened my eyes to a brighter way of life!

Check out this video from the International Down Syndrome Coalition for World Down Syndrome Day!  They believe that all life is precious...just like we do :)

We are helping them spread the word by sharing their video "Who I Am"...

Happy World Down Syndrome Day Peeps!  Spread the love!

Cardboard, Feathers and Kites...

Oh to be four again....I have to say I have been struggling with some emotions lately.  Emotions related to everyday life, feelings of hurt from my past, stress from trying to be the best parent I can be, fences being blown down by 45 mile and hour winds that need fixin'....just life  in general.  These feelings are pretty new to me..not that my life has been all rainbows and unicorns...but most things seem to roll off my back...like a duck in water, cruisin' through the big pond of life.  I haven't been feeling so 'laid back' lately...which basically makes me feel like an alien (sorry to all the aliens out there..).  So when I got home yesterday and Ella Mae had brought home a piece of cardboard from Montessori school it put things into perspective.  Her excitement and enthusiasm for this simple piece of cardboard (about the size of my hand) that her teacher let her bring home was just what I needed to snap me out of it.   And then...she passed by a tiny little feather moving an inch at a time with the wind...I mean tiny lil feather.  As if her enthusiasm for the plain ol' piece of cardboard wasn't enough to  make me remember  how simple life can be....she screeched when she saw this feather "a feather mommy!!!  Look...a feather!!!"  It was like Lenny Kravitz had walked by with his shirt off (ok...mabye she wouldn't have been that excited but mama would have).   Anywho, just witnessing that state of mind and being in that undeniable carefree energy rubbed off on me and I am starting to feel somewhat back in my laid back lil' duck pond again.  Thank you my lil' lady for reminding me that it's the little things that keep us smilin'..

On that note...we tried to go the the Kite Festival this past weekend and failed.  We waited in the line of cars for an HOUR to park...and 20 cars from the finish line we were shut down!  We were told to ride the shuttle from some other destination...no thanks!  We decided to create our own kite festival...Plachta style!  Way more fun if you ask this mama...and way less stress.  We took our $2 kites to a local park....

And viola!!  Kite Festival 2013...we even had a picnic and a few other peeps came up and joined. 

Ella Mae's "'spidey kite"...

Even Ruby Doobs got in on the action. Here she is right before take off...

And here she is flying that thing all by her tiny  lil' self!!!!!!

Seriously folks...she is flying it by herself!

And by the way...remember that hole she had in between the top two chambers of her heart??  Well I do.  Dr. Wong had the pleasure of telling me after her last cardio appt. that the second hole in her heart had indeed closed on it's own, just as the first one did at 6 months.  Raise the roof peeps!!  He told us her ticker was perfectly perfect....just like her.  These are the things that matter peeps.  Cardboard, feathers and a day with your family flyin' $2 kites....oh...and dancin' ..you can't forget the dancin'...

Doobs checkin' her moves out at the dance studio...

She actually participated a bit in Ella Mae's class this week..pretty cute :)

Keep smilin' my friends!!