Monday, October 31, 2011

can i get a hoot hoot!

I made it.  I know my post's didn't happen everyday, but I did 31.  I'm glad it's over. It was pretty hard to remember everyday and  I know most of my post's were seriously lacking.  I should write an earth shattering post now, and bring you all to tears. Let the world know how great it is to have a Ds baby.  But come on, I'm not an earth shattering kind of gal.  I think you can all see how much I love this girl. I will just end this month with the cutest owl.
and the hope you all were happy haunting.

Leighton actually liked dressing up.  I swear when I put her in her costume she looked at me with eyes that said.....This is fun Mom, and she smiled.  I just love this girl.
-JS

Sunday, October 30, 2011

hoo, hoo

I love Etsy. I find the best stuff there, and this is the first time I have ever been let down.  I picked that costume because it was unique, one of a kind, and super cute...just like Leighty bug. Since she lied and said she was going to mail it, but never did, I just made my own.  I can guarantee nobody will have a costume like her, and I think it turned out alright.  I don't make clothes, and I have never made a costume.  For a first try, and 1 hour, it will do.

(I think one of my other kiddos messed with the glitter and it sprayed really crazy.  The photo picks up all the unevenness.  Good thing this baby supermodel isn't walking the red carpet tomorrow. Rachael Zoe would die, and not in a good way, with how it's photoing)
When she has her tights, and little shoes, I think it just might pass.  Plus Leighty looks amazing in everything. She has the cutest legs, and belly.  She'll rock it out.
-JS

Saturday, October 29, 2011

good and not so good.

For some things it's good to be home.  We all really missed these two little people.
But that's probably the only reason.  I found out Leighton's costume I ordered from Etsy, isn't coming.  I still really want her to be an owl, so I'm stuck making her one.  Oh and I have a bunch of other things that have to get done this weekend too. I wish I didn't have so many responsibilities sometimes, and I want to make other things more of a priority, but I never seem to find time.  I always think if I can just get through this week, then I can do this and this like I want. Then the next week comes and it's just as busy.
-JS

The Beach.

The last day of our trip we decided to go to La Jolla Beach.  The Beaches in California a pretty, but a different pretty then Florida or the Bahamas.  Those are paradise to me, but the Beaches are pretty in Cali too. 
Eating Breakfast at the Beach. Leighton got her first taste of grits, Me too.  


Down by the shore.

-JS

Friday, October 28, 2011

the main event.

Now Leighton really is a baby super model.  At least for the day anyway.  They might not choose to use any of her photos for the packaging, but I don't really care.  It was just so fun to be involved it something that I believe is important. Oh and meeting the writer/ photographer of my favorite blog I didn't get to talk to her much, but shaking her hand and watching her kiss my little bug was perfect for me. 
and I just saw that she is also on Kelle's blog too. So go see my little bug there.  She is just so cute.
-JS

Welcome to San Deigo!

First thing we did when we got to San Diego is go to our hotel.  We stayed at the Marriott Marquis, and Marina.  Oh my gosh it was so nice. I just love Marriott's because you know what your going to get.  We got a room on the corner and had a balcony with the best views.
Views from our balcony...

The next morning we went to Seaport Village. 
We also decided to eat at some of the Dinners, Drive-in's, and Dives (from the food network show). That was really fun because it took us in Neighborhoods we normally wouldn't have seen.  Some made Daddy nervous, but Leighton and I loved being in the "ghetto" (dads word) because it was an adventure. 
-JS

adventure awaits.

Last week I had been feeling really worried about Leighton's heart.  So it was so nice to open my E-mail and find out last Saturday that Leighton was chosen to be photographed for Infantinos new Everybody Play's campaign.  I had read about it, and decided I would enter Leighton. Hey, I think she's the cutest.  I didn't really think they would pick her because what are the chances? I never enter my kids in things like this because I want my kids to just be kids, but this was something I supported. Plus their was a bonus that we would get to meet Kelle Hampton.  So I talked my husband into talking a few day off work and come on our little adventure.  We have never left our other kids for more then a night while we stayed in Park City for our anniversary.  It was so nice to get to leave the stress of Leighton's health behind, and just get to play with her. 
Leightons first flight, and can I say she was a perfect angel?
She loves when I tell her we are gong on an adventure, she get's the biggest smile. More to come as I am 3 post behind on my 31 goal (we had no internet in our hotel room).
-JS

Monday, October 24, 2011

busy, busy.

Today was another fun day with my cute kids. Lots of laundry to do, how can a family of 5 have so many dirty clothes? A doctors appointment, surprisingly not for baby bug. The best thing was putting a ponytail on top of Lieghty bugs head after her bath. She looked so cute. Oh I'm getting hugs form older sis, if you knew her that is something rare. Better go.
-JS

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Photo Shoot!

We just got home from church and Leighty looked so cute in her dress we had a baby super model photo shoot.

I think her fingers are bright red in this shot because she does what all babes her age do.  Chews, sucks, and slobbers on them.
We had to choose the hand to the face shot, because all super models like to give you options.
 The Check out the new throw pillow. Cutest one I have ever seen.
 and every good photo shoot ends with a silly face, right?
Love this baby super model.

PS-
 Just for an update this little bug tries to sit up all the time.  She actually has some good abs on her, but she always ends up falling forwards because her back needs some training. Sometimes I can get her to balance on her hands a bit. She actually pulled forward and fell back wards this time.
 Your getting there little girl!

-JS

Oops!

This is what happens when your kids are on a fall break.  My kids used to get along great, but this summer they have turned into opponents. So two days of breaking up fights.  And when they're getting along they are for sure getting into trouble together.  Like dumping out a whole bottle of cheap perfume while I'm feeding the baby.  Isn't that something 2 year olds do?  Nope mine are 9 and 5.  So I ended up with a headache and fell asleep before I posted.  So I guess it's two for today.
-JS

Friday, October 21, 2011

Can't Hardly Wait!

Some exciting news popped in my E-mail today.  The purpose of the trip I'm not supposed to post about, but you wont be in suspense for long (just a week).  Leighty, Hubby, and I will be going to San Deigo next week for a few days. This little trip is super good news, because now I will have something fun to write about for the end of 31 for 21. We'll hopefully get to take lots of pictures of our trip. Me and the Spouse feel super irresponsible, and a little bit crazy.  We're usually not this spontaneous, but I'm forcing him to take a few days off work, and join me on this little adventure.  We take off Tuesday, and I have lots of schedules to juggle (as the other two children are staying with family).  Hopefully this turns out to be a great time.
-JS

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Right now

This is what Leighton is doing right now.

I just love her little chunky legs, and tummy.  She's seriously so fun.  Sigh.....I just love her.
-JS

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Root Canal

So I'm sitting here with an icepack on my face, and a tooth that feels like it wants to explode.  How can my tooth feel worse now then when it had the crater in it?  I had a filling fall out, oh about 6 weeks ago.  Do you think I could manage to drag myself to the dentist before it was a problem?  Nope! I mean who really wants to go to the dentist? I kept saying, I'll call in 10 minutes, an hour, tomorrow.  I didn't I waited until it started throbbing.  So I guess it really is like the oxygen mask on an air plane.  We need to take care of ourselves too.  If I would have called fist thing I could be taking care of my kids right now, instead of dumping them on the husband. Also I wouldn't have and icepack on my face, and be contemplating taking one of those percocet's left over from having little Leighty.  
-JS

Monday, October 17, 2011

Super wonderful.

Leigh-sele
While Leighty's daddy is watching Transformers 3; I figured I better post before it hits midnight, and it's officially tomorrow.  The problem is I don't know what to write about today.  I actually don't even like to write.  I'm not a writer, but I like to journal.  So how about a journal entry?

Leighton is almost 6 months, WHAT?  It has gone fast and she is still pretty tiny.  She has slowly grown out of her 0-3 month clothes and fits in 3-6 months.  I love choosing one of her new cute outfits, that are lined up neatly in her closet. There are some outfits I packed up (on Saturday) that I'm sad she will never get to wear again.  I don't know if I will be able to pass them over to another family member to wear.  It will be hard to see anyone else fill them as cute as she has, but maybe after some time I will actually like to see a beloved new niece struttin' it up in her cute duds.

Dressing her is one of my favorite things to do.  I love making her mow-curl. Dressing her in something adorable. Putting on her bracelets, and get the headband that looks the best.  I call her my baby supermodel, and walk her to the mirror and say "look at my cute baby".  She smiles so big.  She loves seeing herself in the mirror.  Who can blame her, she is so adorable.  I think when I first had her I thought I will dress her so cute, and maybe people wont notice she has Ds.  That lasted about a day, and now I could careless.  She gets all spruced up because she has the cutest little body.  She has short little legs, and arms.  These tiny feet and the prettiest hands.  She's so cute  and I can't help but spoil her.  I know this is horrible, and I better get a handle on it before she a total punk.  For now, though, she is just so happy, and peaceful, and when she smiles she has those eyes that look like rainbows. She just makes my heart full. So until she's big enough to realize she's spoiled rotten, and all these accessories are a bit annoying, she's going to be dressed to the nines.

I used to wonder why having her extra chromosome didn't make her super human.  Oh wait it does make her super, A baby super model!

 Leighty's "blue steel" look (zoolander).

 and "papa" razzi finally got Mom in some pics (just don't notice that lovely cold sore), she doesn't get her supermodel skills from me, but this is as good as it gets.
All us girls blowing raspberries!
-JS

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Adventure.

We went on an adventure today.  Leighty was so good. like always.  She's just so pleasant.
-JS

Friday, October 14, 2011

in love.

I just can't get enough of this little girl.  I will be busy doing something and look over and her cute little eyes will just be watching me and when she see me looking at her back she gets so happy. She smiles and tells me something in baby babble, and I just sigh and I fall more and more in love with her.  She just a ball of cuteness. 


I think she knows that she has her whole family wrapped around her tiny chubby pinkie.  We're going to be in trouble when this little girl gets bigger.
-JS

Thursday, October 13, 2011

future cheerleader

Having Ds makes you really flexible.
Check out Leighton's trick..

(looking at me like-are you ready Mom?)

(check this out)
She loves playing with her feet, and it sure does help that she can contort her body anyway she likes to get them. 
-JS

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

a good read

It's been hard thinking of something to write everyday. So I'm going to tell everyone to go read the Got Down syndrome blog.  She always has good stories of Ds kids doing things people might not expect them to do.  Like a little girl who plays the piano, or a nationally titled gymnast. Also their was a story about a little Ds couple who were married and mostly living on their own. It's fun to read all these stories and wonder what great things Leighty might do.
-JS 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Fuss Bucket.

Leighty's been a little fussy.  She just wants her Mamma today. Sister was ornery yesterday and now has a stuffy nose.  Hopefully Leighty won't get it, but most likely she will.
Love this baby!
-JS

Monday, October 10, 2011

Life

  Something that is brought to your attention more frequently when you have a child with special needs is the fragility of life.  You know that with your other kids, but for some reason it is easily pushed out of your mind and you live your life.  When you have this child and they don't come out pink and healthy and they are taken away after moments, you realize it.  Even if your child is for the most part healthy your stuck in the NICU, and you see little babies monitors beeping with feeding tubes and a lot more machines around them then your child has.  Your heart aches for their mothers because you can put yourself in her shoes and feel that pain, that tearing of your soul. You will hop on facebook and check what the other special needs Moms are talking about today.  You will be happily going about your day and click someones little baby is sick, or has another medical problem.  Sometimes theirs a picture of the cutest child, and an obituary under it letting you know they have passed on. You will cry for those Moms, and you have never met them or their baby.  You know how special that child was to their family, and wonder how they will go on now their child has passed. Their will always be someone missing for her.  Will that Mom get in the car and go to make sure everyone is in, and think she's missing someone? Then she'll realize wait, their no longer here. Will she feel that loss all over again?   You will get on the internet and up pops a story of a Mom who was going to sell her 2 week old so she can go on a trip.  It makes you so mad because you know a Mom who has been absolutely devoted to their child. They've had endless hours of worry and many sleepless nights over their perfect, but sick, special needs baby.  Then that lady had the nerve to just sell her's like its was a used car.  When the Mom you know would sell the clothes off her back, or never vacation again, for anything to help her child be well again.  You know this when you walk in for a heart check sure everything is fine, and they slap you with open heart surgery.  Hey it's no big deal (why are you crying) lady because it happens everyday, but do they know it's your child? They want to cut open Her chest, pull out HER heart, and stop it, fix it and then start it again.  Don't you know she's my heart too? I will be the one sitting with her all night waiting months for her to be normal again, and you will go home at five and forget all about it. I see these things everyday, and I choose to hold Leighty more. I skip doing the house work that needs to be done.  I wish I could say I'm more patient, and kinder.  That still slips away at times, but I reel my anger in faster.  I'm not always perfect but I try to be more careful of my words, and be less offensive to others who are different then me.  I'm not essentially different. By that I mean I don't go talk to every Ds person I meet, because I'm still shy.  My outlook is different. When I see someone missing 2 legs, but their up walking on artificial legs. I don't feel pity for them. I feel admiration.  I think how fulfilling their life still is, how strong they are, and how lucky their families feel.  It may come as a shock that this child isn't what you expected, but this is a child you will love.
(Leighty making a raspberry)
 -JS

Saturday, October 8, 2011

A little mimic

Leighton loves to watch her brother and sister. She loves to watch her sister at ballet.  It's so cute her little head just follows all the dancers.  So I was looking through my pictures and came across this..
I swear she is copying her sister.  I can't tell you how many pictures I have of her sister doing that same face.  She thinks it's a super model pose.  
-JS

Friday, October 7, 2011

lady luck.

Tonight after Leighty's bath I dressed her.  Then picked her up.  She grabbed my hair and pulled me to her mouth and gave me a huge kiss.  While I was wiping my cheek off I had a big smile and I thought how lucky I am to have her.  She is just the best.  I can't get enough of her.
Nahhhh? Funny Picture, but I love it!
-JS

Thursday, October 6, 2011

good news.

We found out today that our insurance is going to cover Leighty for the RSV shot.  One thing we wont have to worry about this year! Small post because older brother has 2 test's tomorrow, and we have to help him study.
-JS

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Photo class

My photography class wasn't what I thought. It said we would learn how to run our SLR cameras.  Well apparently it's more like and art class from a professional photographer, and he kept talking about our clients. I was like Huh?  What clients!  I'm not really planning on being professional here. I just want to learn how to set my timer, and maybe turn the flash on and off.  We didn't learn any of that. I decided I would try and get the most I could from not knowing anything about photography. So this is what I learned.  Aperture, and shutter speed.  
Subject: Leighty bug ( with trimsomy 21)

Here's a picture with camera settings...
and here's the one I did with what I learned....
Can you see how much brighter the light is. Well I guess I'm going back even if I am really intimidated, and I might just sign up for his class on lighting.  I still don't want to be a professional, but it might be nice to have pictures that look decent.
-JS

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Sisters.

It's a good thing this little girl has siblings.  I can get a lot of pictures like these on my own,
But getting one like this...
Looks a lot like this behind the scenes.
Plus what's better then doing this?
Not much (she loves to play with her sisters long beautiful hair). I start my photography class tonight.  I know nothing about taking pictures or running my camera.  Poor resolution? What does that even mean?  Well, I will find out tonight, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be totally embarrassed by the fact that I didn't know.
-JS

Monday, October 3, 2011

Our internet sucks.

We have the worst internet and it's not letting me load a picture, but I have to post. 31 for 21! Leighty had an unexpected trip to the doctor.  Her other ear is infected now.  Not really bad and it's up the canal so she just has some drops that go in it.  Anyway that has thrown my whole day off, and I feel like I haven't gotten anything done that I was supposed to.  There's a bowl full of bottles (I know that's weird. I store them in a big bowl because I don't want them in the sink, and I like to boil them I feel like it's cleaner) that need to be washed and I didn't get my spaghetti sauce made.  Oh well there is always tomorrow, and Leighty's health come first.   Did you know that my little girl is a smarty pants?  She has been waving for a month now.  You wave at her and she holds her hand up in salute or she actually waves it, and sometimes if she doesn't feel like lifting her arm she will wave her foot at you.  She always waves at her Dad, and if she really likes you she might wave at you too.  My Brother, and Mom are often waved at. Dad's the luckiest though.  She also opens her hands now to clap.  I say open your hands, and she does it, and then we clap (it makes the noise that way) and she laughs.  She likes to slap my cheeks now too, she finds that really funny.  She's pretty much the cutest ever.  
Got one to finally load, it's a day late...But oh well.

Kisses

-JS

Sunday, October 2, 2011

31 for 21

October is National Down syndrome awareness month.  31 for 21 is a challenge to write a blog post for Down syndrome awareness everyday in October.  I decided I would take on the challenge.  Also you can click on the 31 for 21 button and be linked to other blogs participating.  Hopefully I can think of enough things to write on, and I always have cute pictures I can post of this little Leighty.  
-JS

Saturday, October 1, 2011

new toy & pics.

Leighton got a toy yesterday.  She loves this ball (called and Oball Rattle find one here).  When I showed it to her she held so tight to it.  I had to pry it out of her hands to check out. Then when she got it back and the checkout girl tried to cut the tag off for her, she held it out to her, but wouldn't let go.  She's been playing with it all day. 
It's hard sometimes to find toys she can hold really easily.  It rattles too so it's been a big hit.
Also I am so obsessed with this little bambina.
Oh and also with her outfit.  I can't tell you how much I love this brand.
-JS