Friday, January 27, 2012

I'm almost there...

Little bug is just a pinch away from sitting up.  She will do it for a minute, and by that I mean I can count to 30 slow.  
 So I thought how about some sitting pics.


She crashes right too.  She doesn't just tip, she pulls into a pre-crawl.  See how happy she when she lands.


She had her 9 month check up, and her heart check up this week. This baby girl is in 21% tile for height, 16% tile for weight and this is on a normal baby chart too. Baby girl is growing well! My part time job is doctors visits, but we get a heart visit break until April.  That will be nice since she's picking up a kidney specialist, and she will be visiting the Eye, and Ear doctor at one too.
She's such a Cutie Pie!

Love Her!
-JS

Monday, January 23, 2012

Claim to fame!

Leighton was chosen from a picture I sent in to be in the
Infantino Everybody Plays casting call.  
 This Picture
Husband, Leighty, and I got to fly down to San Diego, and take her to the shoot. 
 It was such a fun experience.  We met Kelle Hampton, and she took the pictures. 

It's been fun to find her pictures in the different places.  She's been on their facebook page a few times, on Theirs, and Kelle's blog, and also the face of their web page 
This picture 
 made an apperence in Kelle's 2 best 2 video too. 
I, of course, think she's the cutest baby, but it's been fun to have other people say she's pretty cute too. Even if she doesn't end up on any of the toys, she helps to show the world how cute little Extra 21-ers are. Oh and why did I write this post? So her family can always remember this. Plus she's just growing so fast.  She's 9 months!!! 
She's gone from this...
(this was her first dress -it's preemie size)

to this...
Way to fast.  I enjoying this little baby too much. 
-JS

Thursday, January 19, 2012

family ties..


Some people wonder what it will be like for their other children having a sibling with that extra genetic material.  When we had Leighton our Son was nervous.  One of his friends told his school teacher about it, and it made my son upset.  He was a little embarrassed, and wanted to tell her when he was ready.  He hadn't met his sissy yet, she was in the NICU,  and he didn't know how to feel.  That Sunday they finally let us open the window and hold her up.  He was smitten.   Our daughter doesn't really understand it, I think to her it just means that she has more shots, and doctors appointments.  I wrote before about a study done on Ds kids siblings, and the amazing results.  They're proud of their sibling. I see it in my kids. They love her, they each say she is their favorite sibling.  They freely admit it to each other, and they don't mind.  I was just playing with the camera last night, and this morning and when I looked at my film and I can see itLife is better with Leighton in our family.
 Leighty bug loves to play the iPad, and her Bro is helping baby play his games.


Her and sis this morning, love the look on sister face, it's like she's in heaven.


I know as they grow their relationships might not be typical, but there's a lot love there. There is caring, and a sense of protection. No one may have her, make her cry, or laugh at her. If you do then you will answer to them. Isn't that the core of relationships with siblings anyway. 
-JS

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Projects


A few weeks ago I was sick of feeding Leighty-bug on my lap so that night I had hubs bring up the old highchair.  We got it up and it was ghetto.  The padding was cracked, the plastic was yellowing.  It's 9 years old.  So husband said lets get a new one.  What? Did I just hear that correct? Husband has a master in accounting (and he grew up on a dairy farm) so you know what that makes him?  Cheap! So if Mr. Crabs was saying get a new one, then it must be bad.  When I was looking through the highchair selection on Amazon I decided I was through with my house being taken over by baby, and kid things. I wanted a highchair that was more me then rain forest themed chairs or the sleek modern contraptions that cost 500 dollars (no way I spending that on a spaceship looking highchair, just not my thing). So I found a website that had a unfinished wood highchair for 70 bucks, and I found a website with highchair pads that were so cute! Used some paint and stain I had. And this is Leighty's new highchair!
 Yes it's antique white, and Yes the pad's Gray (I know it's my favorite design colors).  Leighty picked out the polka dots.  They had other gray ones, but I asked Leighton if she's a polka dot kinda gal, and she said ahh-ya. 
And guess what?  
She LOVES IT!  
She rubs the tray and bangs her toys on it. 


 Plus Mom doesn't mind it, and I plan on keeping it for my Grand kids if it holds up. Can you believe I just wrote a whole post on a highchair?  Me either, but the pictures we're so cute, I just had to do it!
-JS


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Are you kidding me!

So today I wake up, and I look at this little face.
Goodness she's perfect!  
I noticed she's getting a lot of dark hair (She must have some red highlights cause sometimes in pics it look a little red) and so I have to take some pictures of this little girly with bedhead.
So I'm taking photos, and then I show her what they look like on the screen, and she starts whipping out these!   
first one, I was dying! She already has a little sass....
This isn't just snapping the camera quick and getting her expressions. 
She posses until the flash goes off!



I can't even express how thankful I am for this little girl.
I pray and express my thankfulness for her all the time.
I prayed before her birth, when I knew her kidneys were dilated she wouldn't have Ds,
but He knew it wouldn't matter. I would be so grateful she does, and I would
love every way that extra chromosome changed her. She's so content that I enjoy every second with her.  I don't know if it has to do with the fact I decided the first time I "really" held her that I would give her enough love to make up for all the love she might not receive from others.
She would have her Mamas whole heart, and she does.  
Every tiny crevice is filled up with love for this little Leighty.
-JS


Friday, January 6, 2012

on a soap box.

*Warning rant a head!
(NOTICE -this photo was not staged for post!)
Has anyone else been noticing an abundance of articles about marriage. Headlines about unconventional marriages, or how it's healthy for Men to cheat, or having a relationships outside of marriage (being "swingers") is really great for your marriage.  Are you kidding me, any of these ideas would surely ruin our happy union? 
I just read one today about how nice it was that her an her husband have separate houses, and how it's the best thing not to have to be annoyed at each other because she's a neat freak, and he's a mild hoarder.   "My husband's girlfriend brought him flowers, and he was still giddy from the encounter" that was one from two days ago. Hmmm your really cool with the fact your husband brings his new girlfriend over to your house?  What is this world coming to? 
The one today about how they live separately really boggles my mind too.  I felt like it was an excuse for them to act like babies.  This way we can stay married, but we don't have to make sacrifices, grow up, or have learn to deal with someone Else's behavior. "We never nag at each other anymore, and if he comes home frustrated from work he can go to his own house."  She was commenting on how healthy it was for her child to never see them upset at each other.  I think actually their child might be pretty messed up by that.  I'm not a marriage expert, but I have been married 11 years.  Yes I get annoyed by the fact he dumps his sock off in the hallway a mere 2 feet from the laundry basket (see picture at top). We disagree about money, how to discipline our kids, and many other things.  Life isn't a fairytale, life isn't fair. Should my hubby hit the laundry basket? Well he is a 34 year old, but I'm also 31 and is it really that life altering if I just pick them up and put them in the basket for him?  Remember it's only 2 feet away, I think I can handle it.  I also think it's healthy for your kids to know that sometimes someones behavior is going to annoy you, but you work it out with each other, not head for your own home.  Do you think next time her kid spills her milk she will ask if she has to get her own house too.  Isn't it good for your kids to know that when they do something bad they wont be cast from your presence. My kids see us disagree, and life isn't perfect but just last night my Son said to my Husband "What are you doing? Trying to look at your hot wife?"  He knows we still love each other, and isn't fazed by the fact I just had gotten mad at his daddy for being late from work, yet again. 
 One spouse isn't always going to be working as hard as the other.  When my husband is getting up at 5:30 to make it to a meeting I may still be snoozing away on the pillow, and when a baby is awake at 4, from a stuffy nose, he might be snoozing. That's just life. No it's not fair.  She thinks marriage needs to adapt to this new society.  Maybe we need to realize life isn't always handed to us on a silver platter.  There have always been the same challenges in every generation.  Temptation to cheat, and being annoyed at our spouse for this, that and the other.  A few generations ago basically zero husbands helped with the rearing of the children.  I don't think marriage needs to adapt to our changing society, maybe we need to adapt back to real marriage. Maybe be a little more tolerant of each other, and learn to have some self control. Come on we have same sex couples fighting for this right. 
I read this a while ago-
Why are we always trying to make our Spouse think like us, act like us, do it just like us.  We married them for thinking like them, acting like them, and doing it just like them.  
 I married Hubby because I loved him, and I still love him.  Sure life would be easier if he was just like me, but then he wouldn't be just like him, and I love just like him a lot.  I repeat that to myself when I putting those black socks in the hamper.  Hey I don't always let things fly bye, but we get over it quick or eventually, and our Son knows we still think the other one's pretty hot. It's called growing up right?
From this...

To this, in just 11 short years, and 3 kids later!
We've been through a lot of happy times, and a lot of stressful times. 
Here's hopping for 11 times 11 more!
-JS

Monday, January 2, 2012

progress.

Last week Leighton started drinking from a straw, with help from her honey bear (from talk tools).  Not only can she drink out of this now, she can suck out of regular straws too.  
She's so cute when she drinks because you can see her adorable dimple.

During the break I took time to work on her crib set.  Bumper pad is DONE!

I need to find something to make the ruffle stick up better.  
We also need to get Daddy to hang up the quilt rack. 
Crib skirt here we come, probably during Spring Break.
-JS