Comparisons

In recent news these to munchkins went back to school.

 Since the kidlets are in School I have been able to be so much more productive. Granted it's only 2 days in, but the kitchen floor has been mopped and nobody wrecked 5 other areas of the house while I did it, so I've come out ahead for the first time in a long while.  Although I miss their cute faces.

 (their first day)

Leighton has started crawling a bit, it's only a little break in her usual form of travel, but it's getting better everyday.  She has been mobile (in a very breaker, ninja style way) for a while, but the crawling is new and I'm loving it!  I was starting to think it would never happen. 

So the other day I heard someone say 

Comparison will destroy Joy. 

I liked it so much I'm seriously thinking of putting it in my house.  I thought of all the situations that comparison comes into play in my own home.  

When I have my kids clean the playroom its an all out war of who is doing the most work.  Usually (OK, always!) it's brother cleaning and Sister "oh I haven't played with you forever" sidetrack and start dressing up Barbie.  Then brother sees her, and gets mad, and then the war breaks out.  

The.... how come they get a treat/to play/a new something!

and then there is so much comparison I can do with Leighton.  She is over a year and barely starting to crawl, and I can so easily compare her to kids her own age who are running all over and instead of Joy I could feel sadness, or I could compare her to other Ds kids who aren't doing it yet and then instead of Joy I feel guilt. 

Comparison can take an accomplishment or something your completely content and happy with and destroy it.  Even comparing your spouse to someone else can deplete the happiness of your marriage.  I can think of so many situations it will destroy Joy. It's already something I try to teach my kids, and it's going to be hammered in there little heads even more now. I am going to be more conscientious when comparison is rearing it's ugly head.

-JS

winding down.

I have been such a slacker with blogging.  I always think next week/ month I
will be less busy,and then I will have time to sit down and write about what's been on my mind. 

Plus do a million other things. Like quilting, making crafts, reading more books....all the fun things I enjoy.  I should just realize that next week or month isn't going to be less busy.  I guess it's just a dream and I don't want to let that dream die.  I can't believe summer is over next week.  Sister is going to be going to school all day now.  It will be an adjustment for Leighton and Me.  

The plan for the first 3 weeks of September is swimming lessons for this little water baby. She will be learning Safety Swimming techniques so she know what to do if she falls in the water.  She is by far my most scary child when it comes to water. She has loved it from her first bath.  Now in the bath she is like a little water skeeter sliding her tiny self around our big tub.  It's really very very cute.  She dunks her face in at the pool too.  Her teacher is who taught bro and sis, and they are excited that Leighton will learn with her too.

We have so much to look froward to in the next few weeks.
This Saturday is the first activity that I planned for Untied Angel's, this actually makes me nervous (what is nobody comes). I guess Leights will have fun though,
even if no one comes, because she loves singing.

The Walk with Angels is next Saturday, and it will be fun to see our friends
there (and there is still time to join our team).
The biggest and best is we planned a trip to Disneyland.  I'm SO SO SO excited.  I think Leighton will LOVE it. I know the other kids will they just cant wait.  Leighton is the funnest because she is such a go with the flow baby, and she enjoys adventure.  She'll go down the hugest noisy slides and smiles the whole way.  Plus her favorite commercial is the Get Away Today one with all the Disney shots.

I'm going to miss summer, but there is a lot to look forward too in the Fall.

Some Instagram Shots for the month

-JS

My life, The Big Balloon!

I haven't really been taking pictures very much lately. 

We did get family pictures taken last week though.  I can't wait to see them. 

Leighton LOVES to eat out.

(Leights eating with her BFF)

So maybe I haven't ordered a new hard drive and I haven't been motivated to take pictures because I know how hard it will be to save them.  

I really need to.  I need to do a lot of things actually. 

I have a huge to do list.  

The biggest is cleaning out all the closets and going through clothes before school that is only a few weeks away,  But really who wants to do that?

Some fun news I've had lately...

Is that I got asked to be the newborn play group coordinator for United Angels.  I'm really excited and nervous. (because what if no one wants to come to the activities I plan?)

One of my life goals is to volunteer for a non-profit organization. Something I believed that was important for the community. I thought it would be something I would do in my older years when my kids were raised. How exciting that I get to be a part of it now.  

Having my little Leighton has broaden my life.  

I have had so many great things happen to me since I've had her.  I guess the best way to describe it is to picture my life as a balloon.  It felt comfortable a smaller size, and being pumped fuller was a little uncomfortable and scary at first (I have even thought I might POP a few times), but I've stretched and I'm better for it.  It's just helping me be that great big balloon I want to be.  

That was pretty stupid, but it describes how I feel pretty well.  

It's how I want to think about my life when hard or different things happen...

Don't worry YOU! Your life is just being pumped a little fuller, you'll appreciate it soon!

She helps me continue to broaden and grow.  She is the air my life needed.  Plus she is a complete and absolute joy. I look at her and can't help but think how lucky I am.

 Ms. Popeye....

 

-JS

save the date!

It's that time again....The Walk with Angels!

Leighton was not diagnosed with Down syndrome before birth.  Little did we know what an amazing blessing she would be, and how her extra 21st chromosome would change our lives for the better.  Two days after her birth two amazing mothers from United Angels walked into my hospital room, and help to change the negative outlook of her diagnosis for My husband and I.  They each had a child with Down syndrome who had blessed them, and their lives were better for it.  United Angels does one fundraiser a year.  Every position in the foundation is by volunteer. The money donated for the walk helps the foundation provide learning materials, educational classes and activities for families with children who have special needs.  They have been an amazing support for our family. We are always excited to get to go to a party or class with the foundation. I know it will be a huge blessing for Leighton as she grows up knowing, playing, and befriending other children her age with special needs.  It's also a great place for my other children to learn, and befriend children with special needs their own age and also make friends with other kids who have special need siblings as well.

The walk is on August 25, and our team is called Chrome Cousins. If you want a team shirt this year please let me know. They should be 5 dollars. I will have more details on that soon, but they are going to be super CUTE!  We formed a team with Leighton's Cousin this year.

Please visit our team page. Even if you can't come you can still donate. Every little bit counts.

Chrome Cousins

-JS

last bit

We cleaned out a bunch of movies and now I can upload some of my favorite 

pictures of the last few weeks. 

 

 Leight's got a baby this month.  Sister said she needed a prize for doing so well at her kidney appointment.  She's always hanging her upside down and stuff, but she does feed her.  Bah-bah's are important things.

Brother was at another baseball camp all week.

Topped off the week with sister and cousin being in a parade.

and I started to Instagram. 

That's my kind of social networking because I love pictures. 

Here's a group of mine from the month.

-JS

BROKEN

Broken? What's Broken?  

Oh don't worry it's nothing too essential, not anyone's leg. Nothing like that.

It's just my computer!

Oh wait I take it back, that is something kind of essential.

My hard drive is full, my lap top is old.  It's a big huge pain to try and save any of my photos. This is the reason why my post have slowly been dwindling into complete silence. Don't worry I'm ordering a new and bigger hard drive ASAP...like within the hour. 

Here is the one and only photo of Leighton's life lately.
It has taken me FOREVER just to put a watermark on, and import into my
photos, but this IS an important day.

Leights can rock the pigtails now....

See you in 3-5 days when my new hard drive gets here.
-JS

the 4th

We have been so busy.  Therapy, Specialists, sharing times, baseball games 

(brothers team won the city championship) 

and then to top it off our traditional 4th trip....

not our best family pictures..wind/bugs that sound like rattle snakes!

room service..

swimming

night walks to 7eleven.

great trip.

-JS