Followers

Monday, July 24, 2006

Meet My New Friend!


I got a new camera today!! I am so excited! Last Christmas, my awesome husband bought me a brand new Pentax Digital SLR, because while we were on vacation, my standard film SLR got dropped and was no longer working well. Well, over time, the thing kept sucking up batteries faster than the energizer bunny could manufactuer them! The last straw was the other day when we went to a birthday party for a friends 4 year old. The theme was Superfriends, and can I just say that this mommy is the bomb digity! She went all out! She actually made superman capes for all the kiddie guests! The only little girl at the party got a Wonder Woman cape. They were the cutest things...alas I got no photos to show for it. The batteries that I had bought for my pentax the day before were already dead....not even 12 hours after I bought them! And just in case your scratching your head wondering, no I did not leave the camera turned on! As a mater of fact, I even took the batteries out of the camera after I snapped a few pictures to make sure it wouldn't suck them dry. So, I took my poor Pentax back to Costco today and exchanged it for the friend you see above. Afterall, with all of Little J's photo moments, I can't be without a reliable camera! I'm looking forward to a long loving relationship!

BTW: I hope to be able to upload some photos from the superfriends party afterall. Someone is going to share their photos with me!! I must say all the kids with their capes on were adorable! Little J even has one in his size!!!

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Shhh...don't tell my mom!


Mom is taking a nap, so I'm hijacking her blog right now. I was quite the busy little J last night! It was so hot in our house, that mommy and I had a camping night in the family room. Mommy said it was almost like a drive-in movie....whatever that is. Anyway, I was up to lots of shenanegans last night! When mom had my crib in the corner, I kept climbing up and banging on the wall! Afterall, I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to play, so I figured she should be up playing with me. She didn't take to well to that, so she moved my crib away from the wall, so I couldn't bang anymore. Darn! Luckly, I'm pretty resourceful, so I kept my climbing routine and resorted to whining a little...it got her attention! Finally, she gave up on trying to ignore me and sleep while I wanted to play, but she left me in my crib and went in to "pea" with the door shut. I finally gave up and dozed off about midnight....but I had plans! I set my internal clock for 3am! Mommy was fast asleep.....it was a shame I had to implement my plan, because she looked so peaceful...I climbed up again and banged my binkie on the side of the crib! Yay!!! She woke up!!! Now I know she'd play with me. Boy was I suprised when she layed me back down and left me in that crib and went back to her comfy spot to sleep. Oh well, I gotta get ready for the superfriends party tonight at my friend Jesse's house. It's kinda hot for a BBQ, but what the heck, I'm always up for a good party! Hopefully Mom will take some pictures at the party and I'll get her to post them later!

If you didn't read my Mom's previous entry, then you'd better, because I'm pretty happy....just look at my face!

Friday, July 21, 2006

Do you think he knows?



Do you think this kid knows that he's accomplished something big? Do you think he knows that Mommy and Daddy are proud? I do! I think he knows, that he's been working very hard to accomplish this major goal....He's standing!!!! Of course, when he decided to make this great accomplishment, Mommy was not at home. Thankfully G took it upon himself to capture Little J's proud moment!
He's been working very hard at this for at least a week now, and he has just kept at it like the energizer bunny! For awhile, I didn't think this day would come for quite awhile. Afterall, we just started therapy 2 weeks ago, so he's only had 2 sessions. So, either the physical therapist is a miracle worker or this kid is just full of determination to prove that he can do anything he puts his mind to! Can you tell that Little J likes to ham it up when the camera is out? Lucky for him we always have the camera nearby and mommy likes to scrap those photos!
So far, Little J's therapies seem to be going quite well. He really seems to like the two therapist he's started with. They are both really sweet and seem to really enjoy what they are doing. His physical therapist was so funny on Thursday, Little J was getting really tired by the end of the hour and she said that she knew he was working hard because she was sweating! She said that doesn't happen to often. Go Little J, give them all a run for their money!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Something to remember....


I am greatly blessed! Somedays, I have a pitty party for myself, and wonder why Little J has his disorder. I wonder sometimes how this could have possibly happened, and I've even been angry with God. As I've said before though, I have seen evidence that God has not deserted me and that he is answering my prayers. When Little J was first going through the process of testing, I prayed over and over, for him not to have anything wrong. I prayed, that he was just a little behind and that he would somehow just catch up. Afterall, while we were going through the exams and everything, many of our friends had shared stories of their children or children they knew, who didn't walk or talk until they were older than 2 years. So, I prayed and prayed, that this would be the case with Little J. The more I thought about the testing they were doing, the more I prayed that everything would be fine. I would look at Little J, and all I would see is this perfect little boy. Full of joy and love...absolutely perfect! When we finally got his diagnosis my heart was broken and I was at a loss. Why had my prayers not been answered? What could I have possibly done to have caused this to happen? Why?

That night, I laid in my bed and I was thinking of my prayers. I no longer knew what to pray for. What could I possibly ask for now? When saying my prayers that night, that is exactly what I told God. I simply said, that I no longer knew what to pray for. I said, that I know there must be a reason for this and I wish I knew what it was. I prayed that God would help me to remain faithful. That he would show me the way on this journey and that he would keep us and our little J close to him. I can say 100% without a doubt, that I know that God has been with us.

Recently, I found a book at the local bookstore. I wasn't searching for a book on our situation, I was actually there to pick up another book for an upcoming bible study. I found this book at random. It's called Focus on the Family, A Special Kind of Love by Susan Titus Osborn and Janet Lynn Mitchell. It is full of stories about families and children with special needs and their walk with faith. Every single one of these stories spoke to my heart in some way. I felt like these families were sharing their intermost pain, joys and faith with me.

This is from the introduction by the authors:

If you've picked up this book, more than likely you love a child who has special needs. The awesome reality is that long before this child was born, God chose you to be a part of this child's life. Yes, God chose you with your talents, abilities, temperament, and inadequacies-knowing that you would be perfect fo the job

I am so honored and blessed that God chose G and I for Little J. He brings so much love and joy to our lives everyday, and I couldn't imagine our lives without him....just the way he is.

Something else that has been inspiring me these days...is the video in my sidebar. If you want to see something so inspiring that there are no words to describe it, then press play. Prepare to cry! When I say cry, I don't mean to cry in sadness, but in the joy of this love! Many of you have probably seen it by now, since it's been posted on blogs left and right lately. I'd seen it before, but it wasn't until Erin sent me the link in an email that I was reminded. Thanks Erin for sending this reminder...I needed it.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Turning on your blinker does not give you the right of way!

Okay, so I've tried being totally positive about everything. Sometimes a girls gotta vent about something though. So, here is the run down.
  1. Just because you turn on your blinker, it does not give you the right of way. It just tells me you want to come over and it's up to me if I choose to let you in front of me.
  2. Just because I let 1 person in does not mean I'm a pushover and I'm going to let in the other 20 trying to get over.
  3. Instead of trying to cut over about 2 inches before where you want to turn, you might want to consider trying to change lanes a little more ahead of time. I realize, that it is very important for you to get there before me, but sometimes it just doesn't work that way. You can't always get what you want. If you didn't know where you were going, that's fine, but is it really saving you that much time by cutting over in front of me rather than just going to the next opportunity to turn around?
  4. If you are sitting in the lane next to me and you are not in front of me or behind me, but next to me and you turn on your blinker...I CANNOT SEE IT! Remember, your blinkers are on the front of your car and the back of your car. So, if I don't let you in, don't assume I'm not being nice...IT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WANTED TO COME OVER!

which, leads me right back to my original opening.....Turning on your blinker does not give you the right of way and I am in no way required to stop my forward motion to let you in. So, keep your middle finger to yourself!

Vent over....Peace out!

Friday, July 14, 2006

Charles Swindoll once said......

The longer I live the more I realize the impact of attitude on life....the remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the strings we have, and that is our attitude.

-Just something that spoke to me today. :)

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Big Brother is Back!!!














I can't believe this show has been on for 7 seasons already. What's even more shocking is that I have been addicted since season number 1! This I think though will be the best season yet! I'm really hoping that the team from Big Brother season 6 can pull off a win for one of them. I was so rooting for Janelle and Kaysar last season. Anyway, while I have to say that I am addicted to this show like crack, I can say that I have yet to hit the internet dealer for the 24/7 live feeds. I keep thinking about how much scrap stuff or what cute pair of shoes I could buy with that $40. Hmmmm....

Why have I been such a shop-o-holic lately? I have no idea what has gotten into me, but I've had the urge to shop like I've never shopped before! Thankfully, I've been very good at controlling myself. Talking myself out of things, being rational and all. I did hit the mall today, but I came home with nothing...nada...zero...zilch! I tried some stuff on, found a pair of pants, that I'm sure I'm gonna decide that I really do have to have, but I'm thinking on it first. We'll see how I feel in a few days.

I need to follow Jen's lead and get with the program and start purging the excess, because everyone who knows me knows I have excess. I am a pile maker. I make piles of stuff everywhere...books, mail, scrap stuff, pieces of useless paper, catelogs. You name it, I have a pile of it. I need to get rid of these piles! In my defense though, I come by this trait lovingly and naturally from my Dad. He's a pile maker too. Thankfully, G is okay with my piles. I think he's even starting to think it's homey. LOL. Hmmm...maybe I should take this time to start purging my piles instead of blogging....I'll have to think about that. Peace!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

So Proud!


Little J is just so stinkin' cute, and he is making G and I so proud! He's really becoming a little stunt boy now! For the last few nights, he's been testing the waters at pulling himself up in his crib. He has been so motivated to get himself up! When he was born, my parents bought him a music box, that plays a little light show and tells a story and sings songs. It's called the Dreamscapes Soother by Leap Frog. He's always loved this thing, but since we came back from Switzerland and got the voice activated Winnie The Pooh Moonlight Dreamshow , we've been using it. Well, in the last couple of days, he's decided that he wants both of them playing at the same time. So, now we've been determined to climb up to it. It's not just enough though to be able to reach up and turn it on.
The goal now is to actually get to it and look directly at the light screen. Usually, this kid is asleep by 9:30, but lately, he's been staying up till about 10 trying and trying to get to that standing position. At 19 months, most parents are complaining about chasing after their little one, or they are beaming with pride that their little one is learing to be potty trained or even speaking in sentences. Sometimes it's hard when your little one is behind, but I can't help but beam with joy and jump up and down as I see little J trying all these things. He as such amazing tenacity and such strong motivation to do anything and everything. Everyday I see just how big the little steps he takes are. I also know, that this amazing little boy is going to take us on one heck of a journey!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Little J is pooped too!


So, this photo is from the other day, but I can say without a doubt, that Little J was tuckered out today. What an amazing little kid this is! He had his first physical therapy session today. Before the therapist came, she told me that they usually run anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how long the little one is willing to work. Little J worked his little booty off! He worked the entire hour. By the time the hour was winding down, you could tell he was so tired out. They were moving him this way and that, doing some resistance training, some muscle building and working on the cues to get him up on those knees and eventually those feet! What a wonderful day, watching him work and move and interact with others. SWEET!

Monday, July 10, 2006

So Stinkin' Cute!


So, what have we been up to this weekend? Well, if you ask G, he'll say work! He's been painting and washing cars and hanging out with Little J. If you ask Little J, he'll say just having fun! It has been a busy weekend, since G does not get very many of them off, we have to take advantage of them when we can! G finished up painting our living room and hallway. OMG does it look awesome! I got some shopping done...YAY! First I went to the annual flea market at Stampers Warehouse. I didn't spend too much just $32 and I got quite a few Stampin'Up and Close to My Heart stamp sets. I love getting these sets! I also picked up the new A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper by Ali Edwards. This book is AWESOME!! Run out and get it now!!! I did a little more damage at the mall...but again not too much. Sorry, no shoes this time :(. We also had a great dinner at Outback Steakhouse with some friends of ours that it seems like it's been ages since we've hung out. Must make it a point to do this stuff more often and not let the time run away.

The week ahead is looking busy! Little J starts his physical therapy on Tuesday. He's already trying to do so much before they start! He's really been amazing me this last week with all the new things he's trying to do. It's kind of weird, that here I am with this amazing little kid who is already 19 months old and behind on his milestones, and I'm jumping around doing the happy dance for all these seemingly little things he's trying to do.

Today, little J spent some time in the bathtub....he just loves being in there! Whenever we pull the camera out, you can count on some huge grins and smiles! I love this photo of him peaking out over the top of the tub.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Elmo's Pooped!


A few weeks ago, my Auntie JoAnn and Uncle Doug came for a visit. You know they couldn't come see Little J without something in hand. Little J has a huge love for anything Elmo! A great example of this love, is a couple of months ago, Little J and I were shopping at Wal-Mart. Little J was sitting in the cart while I was bent over picking something up from a lower shelf. All of the sudden, I feel something hit the back of my leg, and then I hear this little whine. I look up at Little J, and there is this one GIANT crocodile tear on his cheek. I look down, and what do I see at my feet, but a Ginormous Tickle Me Elmo. This thing is bigger than Little J! Somehow, he had managed to grab hold of it from the shelf and pulled it off. So, I pick up Elmo, and Little J immediately starts smiling and hugging Elmo. I go to put it back on the shelf, and here comes the whine and another little tear! I put Elmo in the back of the cart thinking, that when little J is not looking, I will quietly put this Elmo away...afterall, who would pay $40 for a ginormous Tickle Me Elmo? Little J did not take his eyes off of this Elmo! Elmo made Little J so happy, that I am the one who paid $40 for a ginormous Elmo! Anyway, the photo you see at the top is Little J's newest addition to his growing Elmo collection. My Auntie and Uncle of course did not come empty handed, they brought Hokey Pokey Elmo! Elmo does the whole dance! After you make him do it three times though, he tells you "Elmo's Pooped!" G and I love that part the best! I can tell you for sure, that Little J will be giving any and all Elmo's a run for their money. This kid can watch, play with, hug, love and laugh until all the Elmo's are pooped!

The current Elmo population at our house: 3 and growing!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Whew! Time to settle down!


We have been getting inundated with visitors lately! I love having company, but it is also nice when your house settles down and you can get back to your routine and just being lazy sometimes. We don't get very many family photos, so I had to share this one. We took G's mother and sister to San Francisco for the day. We made a stop on Treasure Island on our way over the bridge and got some great photos. We really just spent the day wondering around being tourists. G's sister had never been down before to visit us and had never been to San Francisco. We did the whole Pier 39 thing, including hot clam chowder soup in a bread bowl, then we tood a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and down Lombard Street. After all the hot weather we've been having, we pick the cold and foggy day to head over there. Little J just loved having his Auntie here! He actually whined when she was getting ready to leave.

Auntie K really helped G out. She painted our entire living room for us! G's been finishing up the hall way, and soon we will be able to move our furniature back in....along with a few new pieces I'm looking for ;)! I can't wait to get it all done and enjoy the calm of the space.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Little J and I spent it shopping! Poor G had to work, so what better use of the day, than to shop a little! No shoes today, but I still have a pair to put a photo up of (I know
Jen your still waiting for the photo)! I did get Little J a cute new outfit from
Gymboree at an amazing 60% off! Gotta love that! I also made a killing at New York & Company. I love their coupons! I also finally caved and bought some
Bare Escentuals make-up on QVC.

Well, it looks like I've written a novel here tonight! Now it's time to go tackle my lists of things I need to do, things I wanna do, and such. Let's hope I can clear all those lists!