Random Pictures...

Alyssa enjoying a HUGE chocolate bunny from Easter. This girl loooovvveeees her chocolate!

Alyssa and Reagan fell asleep on the couch one night...if he had been awake, there is no way she would have been laying on him! Aren't they cute?
My impish little nephew, Campbell...he is getting so big!
Emma asleep in a very weird position. Notice the boo-boo bunny in her hand - she probably bumped something again...also the remotes are strategically placed!

Alyssa's Big Girl Bed

A few months ago, we got the girls a bed from Craigslist. It is a single bed, with a drawer-like trundle that you push underneath at night.

With the new baby coming, we moved her over to the big bed several weeks ago. She did very well - really seems to like having more space.

It is funny...sometimes at night when she is tired - she puts herself to bed. One night, she put herself to bed in our teepee and we couldn't find her for a few minutes! The girl likes her sleep!

Here are a few pics...

Reagan's Pre-school Graduation Party

Reagan attended preschool at Christiana Elementary this year...he will also be starting Kindergarten in August...

Instead of a "graduation" ceremony that the kids wouldn't sit through, Reagan's teacher chose to have a party at Barfield Park for the kids and parents.

They had a lot of fun - but it was sooooo hot! We also had a little scheduling conflict, Emma's graduation party was going on at the same time - so we had to divide and conquer for a few hours.

Here are a few pictures...

Pre-K Graduation for Emma

I realize that this is a little late, but I finally sat down long enough to blog about a few events that have happened over the past few months - and I know that once the baby arrives, I won't have any time to do this "catch up" at all!

Emma graduated from Pre-K at the end of May. They had a little reception thing for the kids, sang a song, and got their diplomas. She was very excited!

She also actually ate a piece of cake - not a big deal to some, but Emma usually won't touch cake or cupcakes...makes birthdays fun! I am posting a picture, to prove to my family that she actually ate it!

My girl is finally starting Kindergarten - amazing that it goes so fast...Pre-K was a great stepping stone to get her ready...I believe that she will do very well...

Congratulations, Emma! We love you!

M is for.....

Miserable
Munching on snacks
Motrin - I wish
Marshmallows - to bribe kids with
Meat to have an aversion to
Meals to freeze
Morphing body
Messy kids
Messy husband
Messy dog
Messy house
Messy kids - oh wait - I already said that one...
Mystery things in the fridge that I can't reach
Mint chocolate chip ice cream
Missing cradle screws - this one is a big problem
More painting to finish the darn armoire so that Ashleigh's clothes can be washed - another big problem...
Monumental sized stomach that makes it impossible for this short mama to reach into the plate cupboard
More high 95+ degree heat to keep the kids, dog, hubby, and me from going outside to actually enjoy the next few weeks...
Minor contractions that won't amount to anything - just like the last 2 pregnancies

Oh, and did I mention how MISERABLE I am????

Yes - I guess I am complaining, but in good spirits - not ready to do myself in or anything - just very tired...if it wasn't so darn hot, I'd be all good...

3 1/2 more weeks - I can do this - hopefully, some of these last minute issues will be taken care of this week...

Goals for this week:

Finish painting armoire so that Ashleigh's clothes can be washed
Finish packing hospital bag - I actually started this today, so not such a big task
Track down missing screws for cradle - and call the company that won't return my emails
Order twin stroller
Persevere until the end...I can do this!

Welcome to Holland...

I had forgotten about this poem - when Reagan was diagnosed with autism 3 1/2 years ago, it made me stop and think...every once in a while, I pull it out and remind myself how special our kids with disabilities really are...and how much they teach us.

"Welcome to Holland"

By Emily Perl Kingsley, 1987. All rights reserved.

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Something to remember...

Tonight, after putting all of the kids to bed, and I was making Clay's lunch for work, I heard sobbing coming from the boy's room. I went to the door and realized that Reagan was extremely upset for some reason.

Going into the room - I asked him what was wrong. The most frustrating thing about having a child with a major speech problem is not knowing what to do for them when they are upset. I knelt by his bed (not a small feat when you are almost 9 months pregnant) and asked again what he needed. He pointed to his little face and said "I crying...I sad." Sturdy little arms went around my neck and clung. I inhaled the freshly bathed smell of his little body, and my heart melted.

Taking him by the hand, I led him to the kitchen. Poured him some milk and gave him a brownie. The tears miraculously disappeared. After eating his snack, I led him back to his room. He happily climbed into bed, no further tears. Apparently, it wasn't something that a little bit of chocolate and some milk couldn't cure.

I am extremely behind on blogging - will be catching up over the next while - bear with me! It has been a crazy few weeks...All is well, but I have been in hyperspeed mode trying to get ready for this baby girl to come...see you in a few days!