Keepin' Up with the Wilsons

Buddy Walk 2011 Invite

2011-09-23T08:52:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends & Family,

The 2011 Buddy Walk is right around the corner! I am late getting moving this year (surprise, surprise). Perhaps you're a little like me and you work better under pressure and at the last minute. :)

This year's Buddy Walk is on November 5th. Many of you are veterans, so you know the drill, but for anyone who might be thinking about joining us for the first time, here are some more details:

The DSAJ (Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville) Buddy Walk:

Who: All of Mylie's Friends and Family

What: The 9th Annual Buddy Walk

* This is a sweet, 1 mile stroll down the beach that sometimes involves getting a little wet, lots of pictures, followed by lots of family ~~chaos~~ fun. There will be carnival games, bounce houses, food, music, and at least one lost Wilson child.

When: Saturday, November 5th, 9am - 1pm (Walking starts at 10am)

Where: Jacksonville Beach Pavilion

How:

1. To register to walk with us as an individual click HERE. (This is also an easy way to make a simple $12 donation even if you are not walking and you get a free shirt at the same time- just let me know that you are not walking if you do it this way.) **If registering as a family please read the "Registering as a Family" directions in the left sidebar. For some reason it is tremendously confusing and I do it wrong every year!**

2. To make a donation on behalf of Smiley Mylie click HERE.

Why: To raise money for the DSAJ (Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville) which provides wonderful services to all of the children and young adults with Down syndrome and their families. (Mylie received supplemental funding to help pay for her speech services when we were at Hope Haven and they provide all kinds of other resources.) BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, we celebrate all of our sweet friends who happen to have Down syndrome and we want to raise awareness in others about the value that they add to this world! :)

Deadlines:

*October 12th: The cut off date for early registrations. This means that you will not be able to register online after this date and you might not get the Official DSAJ Buddy Walk T-shirt that has "Team Smiley Mylie" printed on the back. This is the typical race-type shirt with sponsors listed on the back, too. This year our shirts will be yellow.

*October 12th: The cut off date for the Official "Team Smiley Mylie" Smiley Face shirts orders as seen on Mylie above. If you already have one it would be fantastic if you could dig it out of your drawers so that we only have to order shirts for new or rapidly growing walkers. :)

Please let me know if you have any questions. We would love to see you all there, but we also understand a bit about busy schedules. :)

Love to each of you from each of us,

Ingrid, Erik, David, Mylie, Jack & Grant
See the Buddy Walk 2010 post here.
Last Year's Invite:

The Naked Bakers

2011-07-08T20:56:00.000-04:00

David has discovered the show Cake Boss this summer and he lives for it. He thinks the cakes they create are incredible and when we are at the beach on the weekend he tries to recreate some of the cakes in the sand. So he decided that he wanted to try his hand at a real cake. He googled the directions to make fondant and gum paste and we decided to use Dodie Walker's pound cake recipe. So we went to the store to get all the ingredients and I left the boy to his own devises. He needed some intervention because like me, he only read the directions as he went and he found himself in a pickle a couple of times. The fondant turned out ok, we think, but the cakes went really wrong. As they started to explode over the side of the dishes I realized what must have happened. I asked David how much baking soda he put in and he said "Only 1/4 of a cup." Needless to say, he was highly bummed and we will have to try again next week. :/

(We started this project before we even got dressed this am, hence the "naked bakers" who have no shirts on. Most of my pics of my boys are like this.)

In A Funk

2011-07-08T00:45:00.000-04:00

When I get stuck in a rut, an emotional meltdown of sorts, I struggle to find my way out. Oftentimes one of the only ways that I can get beyond my mental confusion is through writing and for whatever reason, this blog has been the place that I do that. I don't mean to put myself or my mess out there for all to read (not that many people read my blog), but something about writing here is cathartic. So, here we go again.

I am in a summer funk. I am not sure if it stems from the fact that my 4 kids are home all day everyday and that can be overwhelmingly exhausting. I used to LOVE summers home with them and part of me still does, but each morning I wake up and I dread the drama. The littlest of the bunch is a challenge. He finds it hard to get along with others. He doesn't know how to enter into play appropriately or how to handle conflict resolution. He doesn't know how to sit still or how to keep his hands and feet to himself. He doesn't know how to handle redirection, punishment, or even positive reinforcement. This makes life loud, fussy, and challenging for all of us. There are brief periods of time when he is happy and plays nicely and we are so grateful for those times. He is usually great if we are at the pool or doing something outdoors, only we don't always have the option to do those things. So, we survive the best we can and we look forward to the best time of day: bedtime!

I think some of my funk is due to the depressing start to our summer. Not only does the beginning of summer mark the anniversary of my mom's passing, but this summer we also "lost" dear friends to different cities. Mylie, Grant, and I are all dealing with life without our best friends. I don't know that we are adjusting well. It stinks, really. The whole cliche about friendship transcending all things like time and distance is bull. I know that our friendships will always remain, but they will never be the same again. I already have a TON of long distance friendships and though it is wonderful to have so many amazing people in my life at all, I like the deepness that comes from sharing everyday life. The thought of finding that again- establishing all of that from scratch- is exhausting. Who's to say that I ever will? I'm not great about putting myself out there, so it's a wonder I've made more than surface friends at all.

I keep telling myself if I could just get into a routine I would be happier. I should create a weekly schedule of what our activities will be and what house work and church work I will do when. Then maybe I won't catch myself wandering aimlessly, getting caught up in the never ending battle that is four children and the path of destruction they leave as they tear through the house. I find myself getting discouraged that their feet get dirtier from running around barefoot IN the house than they do outside. How is that? And I thought it was frustrating that they brought sand home in their shoes from the playground at school. I don't know where they find the dirt and goo, but they find it and they have covered the house with it and I don't see the point in cleaning it until they are back in school and I can enjoy it for at least a few minutes before they dirty it all again. There has to be more purpose in my life...right? Which leads me to another internal struggle...

What am a going to do when I grow up? I only have one year left of preschool and then I will have all kids in school full time (cue the singing angels). But what will I do with myself then? I really need to find some form of work to help contribute financially, but I can't see going back to teaching full time. I would have to go through the headache of getting re-certified and then I might not even be able to get a job with the way things are in the school system these days. I could continue my work at the church, but that doesn't really help with the finances much, though I do love that role. There are all sorts of things that I would like to learn, like photography, digital design, and programming but those would all be huge undertakings and the thought of school makes me feel as old as the dinosaurs. Mumble grumble.

My darling husband sent me sweet words of encouragement and prayer today via text. He said that I should (not necessarily in this order): read the bible, take my vitamins, walk on the treadmill with my headphones on, pray, schedule a trip to visit an old friend, reach out to make a new friend, and fix my eyes on Jesus. He is a wise man and I like his advice and his encouragement and I'm especially grateful for his prayers for me. There is comfort in knowing that I am covered and I need the reminder to not look inward all the time. I need to change my focus. I need to change the way that I think about things so that I can begin to turn the negative into positive change. I need renewal. I need constant reminders that these days are numbered, reminders that the day my oldest starts middle school and my littlest rascal starts elementary school I will cry tears for the time that is lost, forever behind us. I will want these days back. So I need to live them more fully while I can...with God's help. GOD HELP ME!

Summer Sounds

2011-06-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

I’m sitting in a beach chair on the shore of Salt Run on Anastasia Island. I left my "real" camera at home (a refreshing experience) so I am trying to capture the beauty of this moment with my memory and heaven knows that if I don't write down the memory it will be gone by tomorrow. As I sit here I am amazed by the fact that it is surprisingly quiet, yet noisy at the same time. Other than Mylie creating conversation with a shovel, concocting all kinds of interesting dialogue as she investigates with her shovel companion, there are no other human voices. The boys are virtually silent as the hunt for any creatures that they can find. Occasionally there is the belting out about an especially exciting catch, but for the most part they are silently serious about their “work.”

The only other sounds that fill the air on this unique piece of land are the sounds of nature. There is the light slapping sound as the water meets the sand. The constant chirping sound of crickets and other insects that we can’t even see becomes more predominant and loud the longer I listen. There are the sporadic chirps from the resident birds and the random plops of fish jumping out of water and landing back in with a splat. But the most surprising sound that I can hear is that of the thousands of tiny crabs that are scurrying all about my feet. As I am listening to them, I am trying to decipher what I am hearing. They seem too small and stealth-like to be heard by the human ear alone, but because there are literally thousands of them moving about together the sound that they make is actually significant to my ear. They sound like thousands of tiny soap bubbles popping in the sink as I soak one of my pots from dinner. I think that it is the sound of their tiny legs moving swiftly across the sand. I wonder what they would sound like in isolation, magnified loudly. I wonder what part they play in God’s orchestra.

These little crabs are fascinating little creatures. I wouldn’t spend a moment of my regular day pondering their existence, but in this moment, in this chair, I enjoy them like nothing else. I love that I have nothing else to do with this time but wonder about this little bit of nature and observe it and explore it silently just as my boys are doing in and around the water. I cherish this rare moment.

Oops! Moment gone. Gotta chase after Mylie and her friend, Shovel, who are wandering too far and are ignoring my words about staying within my sight. And here comes Jack who has cut his finger on an oyster shell and now he is ready to go home. Hopefully a colorful band-aid will buy us a little more time of this heaven before we have to pack up the van and drive the long journey back home. :) This is my life.

No offensive gesture implied here. Just documenting the injury. :)

Kicking Off Summer with a BANG!

2011-06-09T08:51:00.002-04:00

Yes, that is blood all down his shirt.

We really know how to get summer started with a dramatic BANG! On the very last day of school the kids got out early (10:45...really?) and so we hosted a farewell party for our dear friends who are moving to Chicago (or "Cago" as Mylie calls it). Just as we were about to start some seriously delicious fun with our friends there was a collision between David's perfect nose and a very sweet little girl whose head was at just the right height.

According to David, at first he wasn't really in that much pain and was more concerned that he had hurt the sweet girl. He asked her if she was okay and apologized. She said she was fine, but she cringed in horror and pointed out that he was bleeding. David pulled his hand away from his nose and it was FULL of blood. Blood everywhere! I think the quantity of blood freaked him out a bit and then he realized that he was in pain. I walked in at this very moment and rushed him off to the bathroom leaving a trail of blood behind.

Thankfully there were many moms around and they all went into survival mode. Some took over the party, initiating the whipped cream fight, others helped clean up blood, and thankfully one was a nurse who managed to get his nose to stop bleeding while toting a sleepy baby on her hip. During all of this I called the pediatrician who said we had to go to the ER and then I called Erik, who rushed to our rescue. At first I thought I would just send David and Erik to the ER together because we had a house full of people and I didn't want the party to end, but then David requested that I go, and I couldn't turn that down. My boy graduated from Elementary school that very morning and I know that from here on out there will be far fewer times that he really needs (or wants) ME. So off we went.

We were in and out of the ER pretty quickly with xrays that actually showed no break. Hard to believe based on the way that his nose looks, but we'll hope that the swelling goes down and his nose is back to normal soon.

Random Catch Up...Backwards

2011-03-02T21:25:00.010-05:00

Tuesday (3.1):
Last night Jack had a nightmare and came into our room. He wanted to know if it was time to get up, probably because he was too afraid to go back to sleep. He snuggled in close next to me and got situated with his thumb and hair twirling and tried to fall asleep, but woke up shortly crying that the scary dream was back. I tried to comfort him and offer him suggestions of happy things to think about, like our trip on the boat over the weekend. I then asked him if he wanted to hold my hand (even though we were already snuggled as close as could be) and so he held on tight. Soon I realized that his breathing was getting deep and regular and that his body had relaxed. I knew he was finally asleep so I relaxed and drifted back off myself. In the morning, when I made it downstairs he came up and hugged my leg and said: "Mom...remember last night when you held my hand?" I responded with a "yes," but that was all he had to say. :) Sweetness.

Monday (2.28):
Heavenly. A drop everything and go outside kind of a day. So...we did.

Enjoyed Monday night bible study at home with my hubby, but ended the night with a bit of a disaster: my laptop died! The horror! Thou shalt not covet one's laptop. I love it too much, and therefore I am forced to learn a good lesson in its absence. (Erik took it to the Apple Store for me and it is off for a week long trip to hopefully get fixed.)

Sunday (2.27):

Grant's birthday (see this post).

Saturday AM (2.26):

We started our Saturday in typical fashion...sports. Jack and David had their last Flag Football games for the season and Mylie wrapped up her first adorable season of cheerleading. It was a great season for all the kids, though they weren't technically winning seasons for the boys. David did a great job as quarter back for his team and threw pretty consistently. Jack learned a lot about football, including the fact that you don't cry if you don't get a turn or you don't perform well. One of his best plays of the season was an interception/run even though it didn't end in a touch down. (He did score several TDs during the season.) Erik did a great job coaching Jack's team. While he focused on the technical parts of the game, he also stressed seeking God in all you do, including sports.

Here Erik is telling the kids what a great job they did just before awards.

Here he is praying: they prayed before and after each game and practice. Sweet.

Mylie was so proud to be a cheerleader and looked forward to going every Saturday. Even though she got tired and bored halfway through, she did learn some cheers and LOVED being with her bestest buddy! Second to that were the snacks. :)

Here is Mylie and her best friend, Wyn!

What a trophy!

Thanks to my friend, Jill, who took these pics of Mylie. I had to duck out of the festivities early to attend my future sis-in-law's bridal shower. (I missed David's last game entirely, so I don't have any pics of that.)

Saturday Afternoon:
The Bridal Shower- This was such a delightful time. My mom's dearest friends: Penny, Becky, Cathy & Sharon threw the nicest shower at one of their favorite spots for lunch- The Rowe Bed & Breakfast Tea Room. Andi's mom, sister, and aunt were able to attend from out of town, and the locals included BJ, Tracy, Dodie, Debbie, and Lisa, in addition to Dani & her girls.
We all dawned our hats and gifts fitting our assigned time of day and enjoyed watching Andi so graciously receive them all while we snacked on finger sandwiches and desserts. Dani and I collaborated on our gift. It was her idea to create a family cookbook for Andi and David so that they could enjoy all of our traditional favorites. I then came across Tastebook.com and had fun sneaking around gathering recipes from Andi's sister, mom, and dad. We compiled our favorite family recipes from my mom and our own kitchens with Andi's family's recipes and put them all in the beautiful book:

(I had to take screen shots from the website because we forgot to take pics of the actual book. Another one of my favorite things about this site is that there is a coordinating iPhone App, so you can take all your recipes to the store with you!) We coupled the book with a traditional Norwegian Krumkake iron so that Andi and David can make their own traditional Christmas cookies (also Dani's great idea). The present was well received and even a tear or two were shed.
I know my mom would have loved everything about the day: the choice in venue, the inviting friends, the choice of gifts, but especially the choice of girl and the reason for the occasion. My mom quickly fell in love with Andi and anxiously awaited news that they were engaged. I know that she is smiling down on them and is already wondering "When are you going to give me more grandchildren?" (There were 4 bows broken, so I think they will have to get on it right away.) :)

Saturday PM:
There is nothing I love more than a family gathering at my dad's house. With all the happy noise and chaos of kids loving the chance to be together.
There is a feeling of home there that even my own house lacks because of all the years of memories and familiarity that being there brings. We got to celebrate Grant's birthday together and also Andi's (which was in January) with dinner, cake, presents, and of course...a show. The kids can't gather at "Gramma's" without putting on some sort of wonderful performance. Elle sang while playing the guitar, Gracie sang another Gracie original while playing the keyboard, and Mylie...she danced to her own composition. Life happens in that house. We catch up, we laugh at each other, and we soak each other in. It doesn't happen often enough, but when it does it is good.

(I'll have to repost later with pics from the shower. Andi looked so beautiful and had Princess Kate beat in the great hat department.)

Grant Turns 4

2011-02-27T11:53:00.000-05:00

Grant is officially four. I can't believe that my baby is so big. He loved every bit of turning four and was so excited about each present. Here is the loot he received:

"Moneys" from Pop

A cool monster for his Pirate stuff and a Super Heros card from the Walkers

Moon Sand from Uncle David & Auntie Andi

A Pirate Castle from the Family (Daddy was almost more excited)

Pirate accessories

This was almost the best present ever: the 2.99 ball

Grant and Auntie Peyton share the same birthday. Peyton turned 13!

There was a whole bag of goodies from Nana and PawPaw, including this cool BBall.

Because Grant got to celebrate his birthday with family and then again at school with cupcakes for his friends, he was convinced that he had two birthdays back to back and that he was then 5 years old already. We had a heated conversation while I tried to explain that this was not the case. Also, now that Grant is four he thinks that he is capable of ALL things, including making all his own decisions and other super skills and powers that somehow being four possess. The one thing I keep trying to get him to understand is that four-year-olds no longer throw screaming and crying fits at the drop of a hat or to gain all desires. So far that has not proven to be true for Grant. :/

Mom

2011-02-22T22:44:00.036-05:00

My mother's birthday brought about a flood of emotions that I struggled to succumb to for fear of exploding...imploding? Either way, probably a bit dramatic. I am a suppressor when it comes to emotions. I don't like to go "there." I don't think this is healthy habit, but it is something I have always done. I actually think that I get it from my mom. I aways viewed her as so strong, but now I think that she was just avoiding some stuff, just like I do, though she was definitely one strong woman, too. In fact, one of the life mottos she taught me was "Don't worry about it until you have to." Now, she by no means meant that she wanted me to procrastinate on a deadline (especially an academic one, back in the day), but what she meant was that there is no use spending time worrying about the things that we don't have any control over. We should wait some things out. We should not worry about them in the meantime. I have put this to use many times in my life. I can remember one very vivid time. My sister and I were together at my house awaiting a call. A call from our mom with a report from her morning doctor appointment. We were nervous about the results of some tests and we were together for support in the event that the news was not good. (We did try not to worry about it...). So, the call came. It was mom and she was very even with her report delivery. "It isn't good, but it isn't horrible," she said. She then went on to speak the words we did not want to hear. "It IS cancer." Lung cancer. Initial results seemed promising in some ways, but there was still more to investigate. She was easy on us. I'm sure she didn't share all of the news that she received that day and she certainly didn't share the magnitude of what she was feeling. She was protecting us, and she didn't want us to worry "before we had to." I immediately went into numb-mode. I convinced myself that there was nothing to be gained by worrying right now. We were going to move forward practically and steadily and everything was going to be fine. Well, I tried to maintain this positivity for slightly more than a year, throughout her illness, but as I look back on it I realize that I really was only retreating inwardly and avoiding feelings that needed to occur. I was even so numb that I didn't process some of the things that I needed to with my mom before it was too late. I needed to process what this life was going to be like when she wasn't here. How I was going to survive each day without her. How I was going to handle various things in my life without her as my sounding board. I should have asked her that. I should have asked her if there was anything that she needed to tell me. If there was anything she needed to make peace with before she left. I should have asked her. Instead, we sat. We watched the news and I worked beside her. We listened to each other breathe and sleep and we said simple things to each other that expressed our love, but not our fear. We were two women, who spent a little more than a month's worth of nights together in a hospital room, focused on basic needs and local and national news. We were too much on the surface to contemplate the things that we really needed to worry about right then. We didn't want to.

In the end, I had a peace I didn't expect. I felt a relief for my mom. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride for her. She really was an amazing woman in so many ways, and I got to know her. I got to be her baby. I was so proud of that. I AM so proud of that. I felt incredible gratitude for the time that we did have. It was beautiful. For the last eight years, we spent almost every day together being mommy's. She was mine (and my 3 siblings), and I was mom to my four littles. They were her pride and joy and she couldn't stand to be apart from them. She was involved with every aspect of their lives. She was the most amazing Gramma. She got on the floor and tussled with them and spent as long as they wanted doing whatever they wanted. She went to school parties and therapy sessions and doctor's appointments. She didn't waste a opportunity to be a part of their lives. She was like that as a mother to the four of us, too. We talked about everything and anything, though never to completion, because there were always little interruptions. Thankfully, we were more real with each other on a daily basis before her diagnosis. It was just that last year that we struggled to face the reality of what was coming. The thought was too much for either of us to bear, so we didn't. Or I didn't and she let me get away with it.
I love my mom. I miss her tremendously. I miss everything about her. I miss her friendship most. I miss processing this life together. I miss her smell and her voice. I miss her touch and her encouragement. I miss the piece of me that died along with her. I miss the days of not having to miss her.
On this day, I remember her and celebrate her and all she was to me and all who knew her. I have gratitude for all the life we shared, laced with sadness for the times that I am missing with her now. She has left a legacy of love for us to enjoy even in her absence. I will not dwell on the absence of today, but the joy of all the days we have shared and the time we will get to meet again. xo & GTF

Merry Valendent's Day

2011-02-21T21:23:00.000-05:00

I have been known to be late on the Christmas cards most years. Usually I am smart and get a semi-generic card that will be fitting for Valentine's Day as well because that is my second goal date. This year...I am so disappointed to say that date came and went and here it is President's Day and I still have all of my beautiful cards sitting on my desk unsigned and unaddressed. The especially sad thing is that my sister took our family picture early, designed a card exactly to my specification, ordered them and had them to me early! I was going to nail it this year! Not so much. It was a wonderful Christmas season and though I was ahead in many ways this year I still did not manage to accomplish the cards. So...here it is in digital form:

Merry Velendent's Day (Merry Christmas, Happy Valentine's Day, and Happy President's Day) to all of you. We wish you the happiest rest of 2011 possible. :)

(Sorry, Dani!)

Sweet 16!

2011-02-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

My nephew, Jordan, turns 16 TODAY! This means so much more than the obvious: driver's license...so stay off the sidewalks. You see, this boy is mine. He was given to me as a gift! Literally. I had just graduated from high school and my family threw me a wonderful celebration. My older siblings were home from their respective cities and friends from church were there for one of my mom's amazing gatherings. I opened wonderful presents that would help me feather my new digs at college and felt grateful beyond measure. What a transitional time it was in my life. As the party winded down and the last of the attendees walked out the door, my sister presented me with one final gift. An envelope. Within was a note which I was instructed to read out loud:

"I AM GOING TO BE AN AUNT!"

I started to read it and as soon as I realized what it said and more...what it meant...I lost it and couldn't speak. The room erupted! We all went crazy. My mom was over the moon. We couldn't wait! This baby was going to be the first of the next generation to be born in our family. This was going to be some serious fun. So...over the span of the remainder of the nine months we planned and shopped and dreamed of all the JOY that this one little person was going to bring to our lives.
   I left for college at the end of the summer but I was kept well up to date with all of the preparations for baby's arrival through my sister and my mom. My sister invited me to attend the birth, so I planned accordingly, alerting my professors and keeping up on course work so that I could take off when it was time. It was on this day...16 years ago...I got the call from my sister. I was just about to leave my dorm room to head to my early morning class (this was before cell phones were huge and I would have missed her call if she waited 5 more minutes). "It's time!" she said with excited tears in her voice, tears that were probably also laced with a little bit of fear. She was about to experience something huge! Childbirth! Our lives were going to be forever changed! I scrambled frantically to get my pre-packed bag together and rushed out the door shaking from head to toe.
   I was at Florida State University in Tallahassee at the time and Dani and John were living in Tampa. That is a good 5 hour drive! I admittedly exceeded the speed limit and prayed that my sister would have a long labor so that I could make it there in time. (I feel bad about that now and the reason will be revealed soon.) I drove. And drove. And I don't remember anything about that drive, except that my knuckles were white the whole time because I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly. I had no way of knowing what was going on at the other end. I was imagining that s/he (they opted to be surprised) was already here and that I missed the birth. I would have been extremely disappointed to miss the big event, but it was even worse to think that s/he was already in this world and that I was missing out.
   When I arrived at the hospital, I rushed to the room to find that my sister was still in labor. I made it. Our mom was there...pacing. My sister was laboring and it didn't look pretty. I cringed with sympathy because I could only imagine the pain that she was enduring with each contraction. My brother-in-law, John, was sweetly encouraging her through each painful contraction and rubbing her back to help her cope. As he modeled the deep breathing for her she scolded him mid-contraction because she could smell chocolate on his breath and she hadn't eaten in many long hours (Daddy's need their strength, too). Then...chaos erupted. In the blink of an eye monitors started beeping and nurses came rushing in flipping my sister over and trying to adjust monitors. There was panic and fear and all my mom and I could do was pray huddled in the little bathroom, so as not to be in the way. I kept looking to my mom for reassurance because at 19 I knew nothing about what was going on and all she could say was "This is not good." The next sequence of events is a bit of a blur. Things settled down for a bit, but they decided that a c-section was necessary, which shattered my sister's vision of how the whole amazing experience was going to occur. So, the doctor and anesthesiologist were called in and preparations for Plan B were underway. We put on our happy, excited faces for Dani, knowing that she was full of fear and disappointment about the way things were happening, but the bottom line was that very soon we were going to meet the baby we had already fallen in love with almost 9 months earlier.
   We waited anxiously. My mother and I continued with the pacing and the nervous silence until finally John emerged from the surgery room with the news: "It's a boy!" We finally were able to breathe again and relief and joy mixed into an overwhelming mess of emotion. I was an auntie. Never had I been more proud.
   I got to enjoy several days bonding with my little buddy after he returned home from the hospital. Every little thing was so amazing and exciting to us all. His first bath had us all huddled around with cameras flashing and the video camera going. He entertained us all with his surprising fountain of pee streaming across the kitchen. We snuggled and napped together and I was smitten. I learned a different kind of love the day Jordan was born.

Leaving him to go back to college hurt. My heart ached kissing his little cheeks goodbye, much like my heart aches today. That little boy has grown up into the most amazing young man. Today it is official. He is no longer our baby, though he is still my buddy. I have 16 years of amazing memories with this incredible boy and my heart is exploding with pride for him. But at the same time it hurts for all the time that has already passed and I fear the day that HE goes off to college. I fear it, because I know my heart will break then. I try to temper that thought of that pain with the excitement that I have for him and his future. He is already great, just the way he is, but I feel certain that he is going to impact the greater world much like he has already impacted me. This kid is incredible, I tell you. Words can't even do him justice, but his sweet smile and twinkly eyes (as seen above) say a lot.
I love you, Jornie, J-Mac, Jordan McLeod. You light up my world. I celebrate you today. I thank God for bringing you into this world safely. I thank you for making me the proudest auntie (and Godmother) on the planet. This is just a tiny part of your amazing story and the impact you have made in the world already. You will continue to hurdle gracefully throughout your life, because you are grounded in truth and you are surrounded by those who love you. And if you decide to stay home for college, that would be ok with me. :) xo & GTF, Auntie Ing

Annual "Revive the Blog" Day

2011-02-16T11:49:00.005-05:00

This happens once a year. I get an itch. I get the overwhelming desire to write. I get the desire to spruce up the blog, just like a spring cleaning rampage occurs in my house. I get all excited and ideas flood my mind to the point that I can't sleep, so I stay up and I redecorate my blog. I write down a list of all the millions of things I want to process "out loud" through this blog because if I don't I will never sleep again. And then...a post or two later I am done. The excitement has worn off or something more important...like life...takes over. I don't understand this strange phenomenon. I don't know what brings it on, or why it occurs at almost the same time each year. But it happens. Each year. In fact...let's take a look at all the past "Revive the Blog" days, why don't we. Perhaps in doing so we can figure it out together.

Revival of 2010: I'm Back!   (Followed by 5 total blog posts.)
Revival of 2009: We're Back   (Followed by 9 total blog posts.)
Revival of 2008: We're Moving   (Followed by 16 total blog posts.)
Revival of 2007*:   Valentine's Day   (Followed by 14 total blog posts.)
Revival of 2006 (Pt. 2): My Goal   (There were 20 total blog posts.)
Revival of 2006 (Pt. 1): Life Flies By
The First Post**: Had to Share   (There were 4 total blog posts.)

There appears to be a pattern. Do you see it? So, how many posts do you think I will actually accomplish this year? I've already posted one, and so this is the second. People...I think I am on a role. If you get anything out of my posts and want to see more, encourage me with comments. I refuse to make any promises, but if you encourage me I will try to encourage you. :)

* It appears there was no official Revival, but this is the first post that year.
** I don't think this is the official first post...I'm not sure when I first posted, but this is as far back as the posts go.

A Mylie Story: The Beginning

2011-01-27T01:25:00.010-05:00

Eight years ago, on October 23, 2002, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl through the single most amazing experience in my entire life. I had given birth once before, and it too was amazing and life changing, but this time was even more…special. Through a completely natural birth experience (in a hospital), we welcomed our second child. I was in heaven in the moments after Mylie’s birth and I basked in the exponentially increased love that our newly expanded family now contained. I had no idea that the bliss that I felt would soon come to a screeching halt, being replaced by fear and questions and anger and so much more.
It was 9 am the following morning when the pediatrician walked through the door to our hospital room. He had just visited with our newest bundle of pride and joy in the nursery and was there to confirm what we already knew: that Mylie was beautiful and perfect and already showing signs of brilliance. Only, that was not exactly how the report was delivered. He had us sit down and then led with the question: “Did you notice anything WRONG with your baby?” I think he followed with two swift punches to my gut because I remember feeling instantly sick and breathless and ready to kill him. “Ummm, NOOO!” was my response. “Well, after my initial exam I have reasons to suspect that your baby has Down syndrome.” I honestly can’t remember any of the words that he mumbled after that, though I think there might have been some mention of genetic testing, blah-blah, possible heart issues, blah-blah, followed by a few more lightning swift punches to my gut. It was then that my husband’s sweet voice brought me back to consciousness. I heard him say that he had suspicions in the delivery room, but because none of the doctors or nurses said anything he assumed he was wrong. And besides, my mother kept going on and on about how much she looked just like me as a baby, so his fears were put to rest. Again my mind started swimming around in circles replaying all that had actually gone down in the delivery room, trying to recall the faces of the nurses and the things that were said after her birth, searching for some sort of earlier sign that this could possibly be truth.

Was there something WRONG with my baby?? How could he ask such a thing? Even from those first few moments living with this new reality that our precious baby girl would face tremendous challenges in her lifetime- challenges that I myself had never had to face, I knew that there was nothing WRONG with her. In that moment, with those words spoken, I was forever changed.

I struggled for a while with this new diagnosis and the enormity of what it meant. I struggled with what her little life would look like. I struggled with what our son’s life would look like. I struggled with what MY life would look like. I knew that it was all completely different from what I imagined and dreamed that it would be. I struggled with the “why?’s” and the “how?’s” and the “now what?’s”. I felt the need to figure all of it out before I could step foot out of the hospital. I needed to know what our new reality was. I needed to know if I was capable of meeting her needs. I needed reassurance. I also needed to be angry. I needed to be angry with God and that horrible doctor who delivered the news in such a cold and heartless way. (I did ban him from our lives and refused to ever see him again...really healthy, I know.) And I needed to cry…like I have never cried before…uncontrollably…loudly…painfully, until there was nothing left and I was fully exhausted. And I needed to be held. By my husband. And I needed to hold tightly to our little baby. I think I went through most of the stages of grief in a very condensed period of time in that hospital room that day.

We did manage to make it out of the hospital even though I didn’t have all the answers, and we brought our beautiful baby girl home. That is when the supernatural occurred. There were people there awaiting our homecoming with balloons and flowers and presents and a big stork sign in the yard. There were cameras flashing and hugs given and heavy-hearted celebrating, all occurring in our driveway. I made my way towards the door of our home with my Mylie in my arms. As soon as I walked over the threshold it came: an overwhelming sense of peace and relief and the reassuring touch of a strong but gentle hand and the clear words “It will be okay.” I turned. There was no one there. In that moment, with those words spoken, I was forever changed.

My main focus for the next few weeks was nothing more than loving that little one and the enjoying the exponentially increased love that our hearts now contained. Watching Mylie in the arms of her big brother, receiving kisses and snuggles, melted me in a way I couldn’t imagine. She was our baby first and no diagnosis was going to take that from us. The time would come when we would need to know and do more, but right then…our only job was to love her fully (and to figure out how to master nursing this exceptional one). (We did both.)

Soon the time was upon us. Mylie was 3 months old and we were setting up appointments to meet with early interventionists. Mylie was going to be undergoing her very first round of cognitive and physical evaluations. Leading up to these meetings, we began receiving advice that we didn’t quite understand. It went against all my natural instincts as a mother. I was being advised to “downplay” Mylie’s abilities, not to brag about what she had already accomplished. I was being told if I shared how well Mylie was doing, that they would limit the services that she would be allowed and if I really wanted her to meet her fullest potential she really needed ALL of the services (including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and an early intervention teacher). “But…but…you’re telling me that I have to essentially lie in order to get her what she needs?” I questioned. The response I was given was: "You need to be an advocate for your child, because you are the only one(s) with her best interests in mind." In that moment, with those words spoken, I was forever changed.

So, three months into this uncharted adventure, I was armed with three very profound realities that I had no reason to bear before. One: The world was not necessarily going to perceive Mylie in the way that we did. Some were going to think that there was something WRONG with her and they might not recognize her value. Two: We were going to need an incredible dose of faith and trust in God to see us through the unforeseeable challenges that we would face, but ultimately...everything was going to be okay. Three: We were the only people who were going to have her best interests at heart and at times we might need to full-on fight, cheat, or lie for her. The first and last of these realities were perhaps the easiest for me to accept. I was already ready to conquer the world for her. To this day, I struggle with the second. I have a very hard time dropping my defenses over the first and the third to allow the second to occur. Which brings me to the need to write through all this on this very day.

Over the last eight years of Mylie’s life, we have been met with innumerable challenges ranging vastly in severity and origin. We have struggled with some health issues, her physical development, her cognitive development, speech issues, social acceptance issues, stubbornness issues, impulsiveness issues, hereditary traits, and educational issues- to name a few of the umbrella issues. Along the way we have had to take on quite a few bureaucratic battles in order to get Mylie adequate health care coverage for her therapies, in order to receive the right interventions that would continue to allow her to progress, in order to get her “included” in a classroom with her neighborhood peers, and in order to get her appropriate supports in said classroom. Most of these battles have been intense. For me, they have all been very emotional. I have never understood why ANYTHING could be more important to ANYONE than what is best for my little girl. What hidden agenda could lead one to perceive her needs and rights so differently than I do? Honestly, more often than not, I think that answer has been money. To some, Mylie is not worth the monetary investment because there will always be something WRONG with her, no matter what our efforts are, and we will not be able to fix her with any number of interventions. Huh. In all honesty, part of this is true. Mylie will never be undiagnosed with Down syndrome. Mylie will never be able to be “fixed.” Then again, there is nothing WRONG with her!! I don’t aim to fix her. I don’t aim to turn her into someone she isn’t. I don’t aim to place that burden or expectation on her on anyone else either. So what is my aim? It is my heart’s desire that Mylie will grow up to meet her fullest potential. That she will be pushed and challenged to be and do more…to grow. That she will be educated in a typical school setting with all the kids from her neighborhood and soccer team, because these are the same children and people whom she lives life with each day and will for years to come. That she will be viewed as a valuable member of our community. And that she will be allowed to touch people in a way that will positively change their lives. Then again, these are all the same desires that I hold for each of my four children.

Smiley Mylie at Buddy Walk 2010 with Auntie Dani

We are in the midst of one of these types of battles currently, and as I attempt to make sense of it all, and as I cry out to God for wisdom and understanding and discernment and peace in it all, I find myself asking the question: “Does anyone really understand what it is like to love a child like Mylie?” Can I even explain it? Can I get people to understand why it is that I come across like a half-cocked, raging maniac when it comes to my baby girl? Can I explain to them that I have spent her entire life FIGHTING for her? Can I explain to them that I don’t trust (some of) them with her best interests because I know that they have budgets, ratios, and all kinds of other bureaucratic problems breathing down their necks? Can I tell them that I don’t think that they fully understand her intrinsic worth, nor her incredible potential? Can I explain to them that Mylie is extremely special, but it is not just because she has special needs? Can I explain to them that, in that moment, with those words spoken, I was forever changed and that I have NO desire to ever go back to the way things were the moment before? SHE has changed me in ways that are indescribable, but they can be experienced…with an open heart and an open mind...and once experienced…others will be forever changed. I have an overwhelming sense of peace that “it will be okay,” but I also know that I will full-on fight until it is for my baby girl, my Smiley Mylie, so watch out world. I am fueled by the love of one amazing little girl and her three incredible brothers. There is nothing that I can't accomplish for them.

I Got a Bug

2010-10-13T01:03:00.001-04:00

Well, two kinds of "bugs" actually. Today I got a call from the school stating that my little Jack-Jack was in the clinic with a vomiting bug. Poor guy! When I got to him he just looked up at me with his big, pitiful blue eyes and then proceeded to tell me that he wasn't going to be able to do his homework because the nurse told him he should sleep until he feels better. He told me I would have to do it for him. (hehe) The little worry-wort was so concerned about not getting his work done.
So, I used Jack's little illness as an excuse to turn on the TV and he and his brother chilled long enough for me to soothe my bite from the creative/organizational bug. Every once in a while I have to clean out a closet or buy some storage item at target to give myself a little organizational fix. You see...in simpler days I used to be a very organized person. I didn't have to stuff things in drawers or closets in order to make my house appear put together. These days though, everything in my house is a loosing battle, especially the laundry. This is what I accomplished in my little bit of "free" time (instead of doing the laundry):

These are storage clipboards for each of the kids to keep in the car. I personalized the little ones' with their names using the handwriting technique I taught when I was a first grade teacher (by Frog Street Press). Now all they have to do for a little handwriting practice is pull out a plain piece of paper from inside the clipboard and a mechanical pencil or twistable colored pencil (no sharpening required). What fun, right? The kids were actually excited. And I did try to make David's a little cooler...fit for a 5th grader.

So, what can I do tomorrow to put off another load of laundry??

Up next...Mylie's new homework folder.

Buddy Walk 2010

2010-10-08T15:22:00.003-04:00

I don't even know how to do this post justice. There is such a flood of thoughts rushing through my mind that I will likely have to spend a lot of time on this one post for fear of leaving something out...or maybe I'll just have to add a bunch of mini-amendment posts as I remember things to share, things that I want to be documented so that they will never be forgotten by me and also so Mylie can visit it someday to see how blessed she is.

There is almost as much build up and anticipation for the Buddy Walk as there is for Christmas in our family. Then, the day comes....it is a complete whirlwind of amazing emotions, and then...in the blink of an eye....IT'S OVER! With it's completion comes a bit of relief, but also some regret (for me, anyway). For us, the Buddy Walk is mostly a really good excuse to get so many of the people we love gathered together in one place at one time. It is awesome to share with them the world we have come to know through our little Mylie in a small way, while also raising awareness and support for a great cause. I get so excited each time someone registers to join us, someone I haven't seen in ages (perhaps since the last Buddy Walk), and then in all the joyful chaos I don't even get a chance to catch up as I had been hoping. This year there were dear friends there that I didn't even get to hug!! I am brokenhearted about that! On the other hand, I have now had a chance to look back at the pictures that others have taken and have read sweet responses from others about the day, and I see what a fun time was had by all, especially Ms. Mylie, regardless of all the life details I never got to catch up on! Look at this face!!!

Mylie and Auntie Dani- My favorite pic of the day!

Or this one:

Mylie & Uncle Richard

Mylie knew she was the star of the show, that everyone there wearing a silly smiley face shirt was there for her and that they all love her. Look at this team!

We had 101 pre-registered walkers and came in 3rd place in that category!
My sister photo shopped all of the background people out...she was serious, people.

This year's team was so large that you can't even make out the faces of the people in this picture, but each fuzzy face is someone we love! How incredible is it to be part of such an amazing community of friends and family who support us so sacrificially?? Too incredible for words. (I should note that our "Team" is actually even larger than this because we have many darling friends who were not able to attend, but they still support us fully and we love them and appreciate them just as much!)
The most amazing thing about the collection of people who make up Team Smiley Mylie is that some of those dear people who were there...were there because Mylie alone brought them into our lives. They are not biological family, long-time friends, or church-family...they are people who have been added into our lives because Mylie connected us in some way. One was her very first physical therapist who now is only associated through a cherished friendship that has grown and changed throughout the last 8 years in crazy and wonderful ways. Another was her very first teacher, who built an amazing foundation of learning through play beginning at 4 months old. One was her current "assistant," who has "Burrow"ed her way deep into our hearts, making us all fall completely in love with her crazy sense of humor and endearing sarcasm which she shares with Mylie each school day. (And Mylie gets the sarcasm...cracks me up!)

Mrs. Burrows (right) with Mylie's first Kindergarten teacher (left) and
one of our awesome sitters (middle) throwing down some line dance moves. :)

Then there is this lady:

Sydney's Mom & her adorable little brother, Jaden.

Doesn't her smile say it all? She is as sweet as she looks, but can be tough as nails, too (she reminds me a bit of my mama). She is the girl I go to when I need encouragement in my role as advocate for Mylie (on the days when it is a bit overwhelming and I let my emotions go haywire). Because we both have little girls with Down syndrome, we get to hang out every Tuesday in the waiting room at Hope Haven, while our girls receive therapies. Our families just mesh. Our boys hang out like brothers, our girls like sisters, and Erik and I fight over the cutie above. We love Sydney's Squad and are thankful that Mylie is the reason we know them!

Much the same applies here:

This is Mylie's favorite friend and her mama is one of mine!
Aren't they adorable with their matching hair and freckles?

This darling girl was in Mylie's kindergarten class last year and she and Mylie just clicked. Wyn loves Mylie just as she is and Mylie adores Wyn. They are best friends, in spite of their vast cognitive differences, because love sees through all that. They go crazy when they see each other and have to hug and hold hands and it just melts me. [Side story: In preparation for joining us in her first Buddy Walk, Wyn wanted to learn all she could about Down syndrome. Her wonderful mama checked out any books she could find and they read them all. When they were finished Wyn said to her mama: "Mom, all the books told me was that children with Down syndrome are just like other children...I already know that Mylie is just like me, but none of them really explained what Down syndrome is." Good point, Wyn! Sometimes we focus too much on acceptance and not enough on knowledge and understanding.] And again...because of the friendship that Mylie formed, I got the bonus of my own special friendship with Wyn's mama which blesses me more with each passing day.

And then...there are these women:

Becky, Sharon, Cathy & Penny- I look at them and just feel loved.

These women do not fall into the category of friends made because of Mylie. These women *sniff, sniff* are my own Mama's besties, or "groupies" as they call themselves. They are 4 of the most incredible people and I am so blessed to have them in my life especially in the absence of my mom. They have kept watchful eyes over my sister and me, making sure that we are still surviving in the void. I can't even say more about that without choking on tears, but I sure do love them! (Two of them are wearing the memory pin of my Mom and Mylie over their hearts from last year's Buddy Walk.)

OK...I can't go on from there...I'll have to amend later, but if you want to see more pics from the walk you can view them here. Hugs to all of you!

Mylie's Homework

2010-09-14T08:56:00.002-04:00

Doing homework with Mylie is not easy. The last thing that she wants to do when she gets home from school is more work. The moment she walks through the door the girl wants to catch up on all the play time that she missed when she was at school. Even though it can be quite a battle of wills some afternoons and usually requires some chocolate reinforcement, I throughly enjoy watching her demonstrating things that she has learned. I am often surprised by the things that she knows and it makes me so proud. Nothing about learning comes easy for her, but she is surrounded by great teachers and encouragers and I am so thrilled with all of their accomplishments. Here is Mylie writing her spelling words 3x each! Phew! (You'll want to pause the music at the bottom of the page before playing it so that you can hear Mylie's enthusiastic response at the end.)

Pure Joy & Excitement

2010-09-13T17:46:00.003-04:00

I just had to share that this was the joy that I found in my mailbox today! Those are my little brother's big blue chucks. I am so happy for him and the lucky girl who gets him. :) Can't wait to celebrate them!

Lucky Me

2010-09-13T09:45:00.006-04:00

Each night at dinner, we all take turns going around the table reflecting on the happenings of the day. Tonight Jack shared that the Yellow Table laughed at his picture of Olivia the Pig in her purple polka-dot dress, which I happened to think was fabulous. See...

(I think he is a brilliant artist and he made the purple polka dot dress because he knew I would like it. Melt my heart!) Erik shared that his day was "hectic" and, with all the extra Friday excitement and extra friends over, that was about as far as he got. I started to think about my day, starting with the first debacle of the morning, then the next...and the next, and so on. And I suddenly realized: "Gee, I didn't really have a very good day." But, strangely, it didn't feel like that at all. Let me first run through the list of debacles and then I'll move on to why it is that I didn't feel like it was so icky.
This morning I dropped the kids at school and Grant and I stopped at Target to pick up a few things and then we headed to preschool. It was 9:00 am when my cell phone rang and "Erin McDaid" popped up on the screen. As soon as I saw her name I realized that I FORGOT TO PICK UP HER CHILD FOR CARPOOL! It didn't even cross my mind! We just began the carpool thing this Wednesday, and I blew it on the second day! I felt completely awful and like and idiot. (Erin was her usual sweet and humorous self about the whole thing, of course, but I felt like such a ding-dong.) Then, I went to church to meet one of the darling women who volunteers to help me prepare the Sunday materials for the preschool program. She and her little boy were patiently waiting for me when I arrived. All was going well until I SET OFF THE ALARM AT OUR SISTER CHURCH, scarring that little boy and again embarrassing myself. Thankfully, the police didn't arrive to take me away for breaking and entering!
There was a little lull in all the excitement until I went to pick the "big kids" up at school. Before we even left the school parking lot, we decided to make the most of our Friday afternoon and swing by David's friend's house to invite him over to play. I made the turn out of the parking lot and headed in the opposite direction than usual. Almost immediately, I was shocked to see police lights in my rearview mirror. I WAS NOT SPEEDING IN THE SCHOOL ZONE! And this I swear! The officer was either there to arrest me for breaking into the church, leaving supplies for little preschoolers, and then locking up and leaving, or he was there to compliment me on how SLOWLY I was going through the school zone. There was just no other explanation. Of course there was an explanation and apparently my registration has expired. Long story short, when we got this car in January the dealership did not handle the transfer of the registration properly and so, technically, it is not really my fault...fully...but the officer slapped me with a $111 ticket anyway. And lookie here:

It is indeed expired...only by a couple months, though! Mumble-grumble. The thing that bothers me most about the whole thing...is that all the other moms who drove by probably thought that I DID speed through the school zone. Thankfully, we ran into our dear friends just after it happened, and they managed to cheer us up with another impromptu playdate.

Aren't these girls adorable? I am so thankful that Mylie has a friend who loves her dearly and the icing on that cake is that I love her mama just as dearly and I'm so blessed to have her as my own friend, someone I can trust with anything.
So why was it at the end of the day, when I was sitting at the dinner table with my kids and husband and remembering all the happenings of my day, that I was not downtrodden about my less than perfect day?? Because I had the following sweet memories swimming through my mind all day and I spent the day composing the next portion of this post in my mind:

I AM a very lucky woman...not because I have the perfect life or the perfect marriage or the perfect children (or the perfect day), but because all of the imperfection in my life is swimming in a perfect love, a love that was placed in my life when I was just 17. You see, I am married to this man.

Oh my goodness...he is so handsome!

Here is the proof:

He is unlike any other. He is not perfect (and I wouldn't want him to be), but he is perfect for me and he loves me intensely. Just to give you a glimpse of how well he loves me...he conspired with the husband of one of my dearest friends, who moved away, and put together a surprise reunion for us. Nicole and I got to spend a wonderful evening together, first visiting a brand new babe and then enjoying a long dinner together chatting about all that we have missed in each others lives. In fact, we got so lost in our easy conversation that I think we were the last ones in the restaurant. We then got to spend the next day enjoying all of this fun with our families reunited:

Being towed by the boat.

What a slew of boys!

Captain Daddy in his element

Adventuring

Clam Digging

Notice the little baby peeking out...wanting to get in the water.

(To see more of these pics of our fun outing click here.) These are the wonderfully happy memories that carried me through the craziness of today and didn't allow me to focus on those few negative things. (I wish I could say that I am always able to focus on the positive, because I'm not, but I strive for that.)
I am blessed by the wonderful husband in my life, the wonderful children, the wonderful friends, and so much more. Someone remind me of all this the next time I look exhausted and frazzled! ;)

**Just a side note...it has taken me 4 days to get this post finished. That's just life as a family of 6, with weekends full of movie nights snuggled with my hubby, Saturdays spent watching all 4 kids play their first soccer game of the season (pics to come), and a little bit of laziness and housework worked in between. Wouldn't have it any other way. :)

I'm Back

2010-09-08T12:41:00.001-04:00

(Or at least I would like to be.)
After a long hiatus from my writing, I am finally feeling the urge to get back into it. I have been psyching myself up by updating the blog and website and editing pictures to share. Writing used to be therapeutic for me. It was the way that I processed thoughts, emotions, chaos, etc. I have not enjoyed writing, nor had a desire to do so since my mom's illness and passing. When she was sick I wrote as a means of communicating her health status, so I think that I internalized those icky feelings I was having during that time and generalized them to ALL writing...at least that is what I have decided using my Psychology 101 from college. I want to find joy in writing again and cataloging all of the going's on in our crazy world...not so much for the benefit of others, but as a means of preserving what's left of my failing memory and saving some of it for my children.

I would like to have the time to keep up with some of the more humorous events in our lives, the crazy things my kids say or do, the wonderful times we have as a family and with friends, the hectic-ness, the good-bad-and-ugly of our lives, and so much more. I would also like to use this blog as a place to reflect back on some of the things that have already happened that I haven't processed formally. Finding time to do all of this will be a challenge. I make no promises about my consistency. Maybe I will...maybe I won't. We'll see.

Oh...preschool pick up time. Gotta go. :)

Mylie & Dex

2010-03-25T23:06:00.009-04:00

At first is was just his toys that peeked her interest, but then Mylie decided she wanted to hold the adorable baby and just helped herself to some Dex. (Mom was a nervous wreak, but decided to snap pictures instead of steeling the baby back.) It was a sweet and tender moment, and Dex was such a good sport.

We all miss our Olinski friends who moved away to Melbourne, but it sure was a great Sunday spent with the dearest of friends. Thanks for having us for such a special time. Love you guys!

Jack's 4th Birthday

2009-08-11T00:17:00.003-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Motherhood

2009-05-09T23:49:00.001-04:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

"For You Mommy"

2009-03-07T18:28:00.002-05:00

Grant's 2nd Birthday

2009-02-27T07:48:00.002-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Valentines

2009-02-22T21:36:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Fridge Phonics

2009-02-14T22:12:00.006-05:00

Mylie can sit here forever "teaching" her imaginary class all about letters and their sounds. I love to listen to her, because I can tell that she gets what her teachers teach even though she doesn't always act like she is listening. She soaks it all in and then reguritates it later. She constantly amazes me. My little Ms. Smarty Pants. :)

Sent from my iPhone

Tunnels N Tumblez

2009-02-14T22:08:00.004-05:00

This was such a fun day. David was so great with all of the little kids, helping them through the maze and playing so nicely. I was so proud of him. He was genuinely joyful, and it made my heart melt. I want to go back for more fun just as much as they do. :)
Sent from my iPhone

Dangerously Silent

2009-02-12T22:42:00.006-05:00

In this house, if it gets quiet during the day, you know you need to start running to see what the kids are doing. On occasion, we have heard silence and the kids have all escaped the house in their pajamas and were found heading to the park. Or, they have broken into David's room and were ruining something that he spent hours building. This particular morning they broke into the freezer, grabbed the ice cream and a couple of spoons, and hid under the dining room table for a little mid-morning snack. I guess I should be proud of their teamwork, right?? Mylie was the mastermind behind this whole operation, but they all knew that it was necessary to keep completely quiet so that they were not discovered! Goodness, I love these kids! :)

My iPhone

2009-02-12T22:29:00.004-05:00

It is absolutely ridiculous to love a thing so much, but I can't help it. I am completely in love with my iPhone. It is the most amazing thing EVER! I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that I can carry around a phone, camera, and computer in my pocket! Never before have I had such freedom. I can take a fairly decent photo to capture something special or typical, and don't have always have my big camera with me. I can sit outside with the kids and watch them play while also sending out a few necessary emails. I can look up geometry information while going over David's homework and not even need to leave the room. I just love it. And when I fall in bed at night I can read my bible verse for the day and then play a quick game of solitare or check in with my friends on Facebook. Amazing. My darling husband bought it for me as a Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday present and I love him for it! Thanks, honey!

"Girls!"

2009-02-09T16:04:00.003-05:00

The doorbell rings and all the kids scream "I'll get it!" and go running for the door in usual fashion. The whole way to the door they each guess what they will find when they get there: "Daddy!", "Pizza!", "Friends!", etc. This time there is a new face at the door. Mom immediately thinks "Oh, great...a solicitor!" but it is just someone dropping something off for Daddy. All the the kids lose interest immediately, except for Jack, who takes this opportunity to be adorable.

"I'm Jack, J-A-C-K!"

"I want to be a teacher!"

"So do I," she replies. "What grade do you want to teach?"

"Girls!" he replies excitedly.

We're Back

2009-02-08T19:36:00.003-05:00

OK, so it has been over a year since I have posted to this blog. We had moved to our website, but I found it too hard to post there, so I didn't do it very often. But, the blog has been calling my name and I have returned. I did a little revamping for 2009, and I hope to be posting more often. There are too many funny things that I need to be recording for posterity, and if I don't I know I will forget them. (I hated that a whole year went unrepresented so I went back and posted our Smileboxes from 2008.)

Snow Fun

2008-11-25T21:38:00.002-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Have you heard me say this before?

2008-11-11T11:22:00.005-05:00

Life is disappearing right in front of my eyes. I have no clue what goes on in a day, except that somehow I survive. Why is this? Because I am a mom of four?? Probably, but I don’t want it to be this way. I pride myself on being a historian of sorts, documenting everything that my children do so that I won’t forget and so they will have clearer memories from their childhood, but I have not recorded a single thing since...I don’t know when. Poor Grant. He is really getting the bum end of things...Jack, too, for that matter. I keep comforting myself by telling myself that I am going to go back and write things down, but I am pretty sure they are already gone. I am going to try to do it anyway. So, if you notice a lot of random short tidbits pop up you will understand that I am trying to recreate memories that I am trying not to loose forever. Boy...a huge cup of coffee late at night sure makes me a bit wacko. :)

October Review

2008-10-31T21:32:00.002-04:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

6th Annual Buddy Walk

2008-10-18T11:23:00.002-04:00

Just a few pics from the big day:

Jack's Class at the Patch

2008-10-08T21:21:00.004-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

My Sister

2008-10-03T11:09:00.002-04:00

My sister just celebrated a significant birthday...I won’t reveal which one. In preparation for her small, unpretentious family party, I had the fun task of putting together a photo/video presentation. It involved going through all of my mom’s photo albums and scanning photos of my sister throughout her life, then compiling them and setting them to music (I posted it in the “Movies” section, but it is a huge file, so the quality is not great). It was no small task, but it was really enjoyable and at the same time very emotional. It has been a long time since I have taken the time to reflect on my life or my special relationship with my sister. It is something that I appreciate, but definitely take for granted on a daily basis.

My sister and I are seven years apart...she is the older one. :) We are very different people, but I think we compliment/balance each other well. I need her. She is my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on (not that I do that often), my greatest encourager, and everything else. I can be totally real with her. I am so thankful that we are close friends, that we can share our lives and our children with each other, and that we get to help each other through this crazy thing called life.

Dani...I love you, and I am so lucky to have you as my sister and friend. xo

Danger Boy

2008-09-22T11:14:00.049-04:00

Grant has already proven to be a bit of a daredevil. He is only 17 months old, and has already been to the ER twice for stitches. I fear that this is only the beginning. The first visit was due to an early morning coffee table injury when he was just 8 months old. He was trying to cruise for toys and lost his balance cutting his forehead on the edge of the table. Luckily, it only took a little skin glue to fix him up and there is only a faint scar.
This second injury occurred because he managed to climb up on my desk and got a hold of a pair of scissors. His big brother, Jack, at only 2 1/2, knew this was not a good thing and tried to take them away. In their struggle, the open scissors closed on Grant’s thumb, cutting pretty deeply. It took 6 real stitches to put him back together again, and it was very traumatic experience for all of us. I was certainly thankful that it wasn’t any worse than it actually was, but I hated to see him go through that. Honestly, I hope he doesn’t put me through many more times like this either. The latest incident involved a cornered cat. Grant loves the kitties, but they are not all that fond of him because he is quick and rough. The oldest kitty has claws and when Grant cornered her in her favorite hiding space there was a lot of screaming and hissing. By the time we got to them, Grant was covered in several superficial scratches and one big one right beneath his eye. There was blood pouring down his face, and we all freaked out. It turned out to be only a minor cut, but I was certain that we were heading to the ER again for a moment. Talk about a close one.
(Here you see the wound a couple of days later and the remaining bruise has already begun to fade.) Keep in mind...these are only the stories that have accompanying pictures. There are more that I have managed to permanently block from memory. *sigh*

First Day

2008-08-19T21:04:00.001-04:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Soccer Girl

2008-08-06T21:13:00.001-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Orlando Vacation

2008-07-28T20:57:00.001-04:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Jack-Jack at Almost 3

2008-07-17T11:16:00.034-04:00

Jack cracks me up. He is such a funny little dude. He is super sweet and still cuddly, and I can’t get enough of him. He has changed so dramatically this year. He went from a clingy, shy little guy to a total socialite. He introduces himself and the rest of the family to everyone he meets. He is also quite a flirt. Mylie is his best friend and they are almost inseparable. They play so nicely together. They speak the same language and understand each other so well. They support each other and stick up for each other. They don’t like Grant to join in very much, because he just takes their toys and interferes, but Jack looks out for him, too. He worries about him when he cries and tries to make him feel better by giving him his boppy (pacifier). Jack and David love to be crazy boys together and dig in the dirt and play basketball and tussle. They remind me of the book Where the Wild Things Are, because almost every evening the wild rumpus starts just before bedtime.

I joke that Jack will be my couch potato as a teenager because really he already is. He loves to watch TV! David, Mylie, and Grant are all too busy to watch an entire program, but Jack could sit for hours if I let him. He also loves the computer and is a regular wiz kid. Perhaps he will follow in his uncles’ footsteps. He loves to play the games on playhousedisney.com or nickjr.com. (I had tons of educational software from teaching that would be perfect for him, but it is all for PC, not Mac, and we have completely switched over.) He also loves the

Leapster. He and Mylie both have one and they play them side by side in the car. Here they are playing together on a lazy Saturday morning.

Jack has a new passion for puzzles. He has already moved on to 100 pieces and is finding that adequately challenging. His latest aspiration is to travel to “Arica” to see the elephants.

We are in the process of mastering the potty training thing. He has not been at all motivated to start, so we have been putting it off, but he starts preschool in the fall, so we are in crunch time. Though he understands the concept and is doing very well there are a few things that we have to refine. For instance, as soon as he decides he has to go he strips down...completely...anywhere. Then when he is finished he enjoys running around naked. We think it is funny, but his teacher might not. David has been very helpful with the whole process by motivating him, taking him to the potty, and even giving him “potty prizes” (he’s so sweet).

We're Going Green...or at Least Trying

2008-07-16T11:17:00.007-04:00

I have switched to the eco-friendly “g diapers.” They are a hybrid type of diaper...sort of cloth, sort of disposable. I happened upon them accidentally as I was surfing the web one night, and after watching the tutorials I decided that I had to try them. Did you know that it takes regular disposable diapers 500 years (!) to disintegrate?! It only takes a g diaper 50+ days! That is a huge difference. So, I ordered the starter kit to give them a whirl, and I really like them. They are adorable, super soft, and fit well. I haven’t had a leaky accident yet. Plus, how cute is Grant with a little “g” on his bottom?? They do require a little more work and planning, but I think that it is worth the extra effort (and even the extra expense) to save the planet from being overcome by stinky diapers. I have realized that it is not exactly practical to give up the disposables altogether, however. I don’t think that grandmas, babysitters, or church nursery staff would really appreciate that. I love the feeling I get from using them, and I just wish that I knew about them 8 years ago! We’ve been through a lot of diapers since David was born!

(And to help the diaper situation even more, I am happy to say that I have officially potty trained Jack. He will be 3 in a couple of weeks, so it was past time. I kept waiting for him to want to potty train, but I realized that might never happen. Only one more to go.)

Can't Catch Up...

2008-06-30T11:18:00.012-04:00

I don’t think that there is any way that I will be able to catch you all up on everything that has been going on in the Wilson madhouse. I will touch on only the biggies so as not to bore, but brace yourselves...it’s been crazy.

The photo above is peaceful and beautiful, isn’t it? It was taken on the North Shore of Oahu, where Erik and I spent a couple of amazing days with our friends Bevin and Chris. We celebrated Erik’s birthday and Chris & Bevin’s anniversary enjoying the beauty of Hawaii and the sounds of Jack Johnson in concert. It was a trip like no other. Erik even surprised me by arranging a renewal of our vows in the very church where I was baptized. It was absolutely heavenly and definitely the calm before our personal storm.

When we arrived home we returned to the reality that is our lives and some of the biggest changes, too. David turned 8 on May 10th, which was a happy family celebration even though I am sad that he is growing up so quickly. On May 22nd, he sadly celebrated his last day at Grace Episcopal (the best school ever), but next year he and Mylie will both be attending our neighborhood school. On that same day, we got the most devastating news that my mom has lung cancer, beginning a very dramatic roller coaster ride for us all. The very next day, Mylie graduated from preschool, and we again said goodbye to an amazing school and family at Mandarin Presbyterian. That day was also Erik’s last day at The Hutson Companies, where he has spent the most of his time over the last 6 years. It was a bittersweet day for him as well, especially because he was stepping out into the unknown, in hopes to find self-fulfillment and perhaps even a new direction. And the last major change came at the beginning of June, when we closed the chapter on even another book: our restaurant, Bagel Bagel Cafe. We turned the keys (and heavy responsibility/burden) over to a family much more equipped than we were. Soon the store will be reopening under the ownership of the Carlos family, and we couldn’t be more relieved. We certainly pray that it is a blessing for them!

So, today...we are enjoying having Erik home more often. It has been very nice that he has been available occasionally so that I can spend time with my mom and attend appointments, etc. with her. I have created a blog to keep everyone updated on her news, and you can subscribe for updates on her here. Other than that, we are spending our mornings at swimming lessons and as much time with family as we can. It seems like the summer is flying by already, and before we know it everyone will be headed off to school. (YUCK!) In the meantime, I’ll try to be better about staying up to date and posting pictures, too (of course that means I will actually have to take some!). I hope your lives have been at least a little bit less hectic than ours. Please feel free to drop us a line anytime to let us know your latest happenings. We would love to hear! xo, ing

Grant Turns One

2008-02-27T11:19:00.013-05:00

I can’t believe that Grant is already one! My baby is not supposed to grow up so fast! If I could freeze time I would do it right now. David is still sweet and innocent (most of the time), Mylie could stay in preschool forever, and Jack and Grant can stay cute and adorable and home with me. (Though there are days I fantasize about all of them going off to school and me being at home in an empty house.)

Grant is quite a character. He is so busy and into everything. He is sneaky and quick. He thinks getting into trouble is funny. He has a temper and knows how to throw a fit. He is just starting to get steady on his feet and is trying to take a step every now and then.

We had a nice quiet day at home on his birthday and then had a little party with family and a few friends over the weekend. He enjoyed his Cookie Monster cake, but ate it with a fork instead of his fingers. He was still blue all over. He enjoyed opening his presents and partied late into the night. He then slept all night (until 7 am!)...for the first time. It was wonderful! I know this next year will fly by just as fast, and soon he will be 2. Ugh. I will be sad to be finished with baby days.

So Far...in 2008

2008-02-16T11:21:00.017-05:00

I feel this year has been a total blur already. I don’t even think we have done or accomplished anything grand, we have really just been surviving. Mylie got new tubes in her ears and had her adenoids redone in January. That was pretty big. Jack has come out of his shell and is turning into a fairly social child. He’ll even stay in the nursery at church with minimal screaming. Grant got three new teeth and is just learning to stand for a few seconds and already wants to start walking. We are STILL waiting for him to sleep through the night! David has had a nice break from sports and has taken up Wii in the meantime. :) Erik injured his back playing flag football (again) and so he has been forced to take it easy. (He has an appointment with a neurosurgeon in March to discuss his “options.”) I’ve just been trying to keep my head above water with all of the typical going-ons. My biggest project for the next few months is preparing for Mylie’s next IEP meeting, which will determine what Kindergarten will be like for her next year! YIKES! I also need to shop for pre-schools for Jack. Unfortunately/fortunately we will not be making the drive across the bridge for pre-school next year. As much as we feel that Mandarin Pres. has been our home for the last 4 years, we really look forward to being close to home. Both David and Mylie will be at our neighborhood school, which is basically in our backyard. We will walk to school every morning! I’m so excited.

(The photo above was taken by my talented sister. We loved the pictures she took of the kids at Christmas, but we needed some of the kids in regular clothes. I think this is the first “formal” family picture that we have done since David was 2! I think it is great!)

Gotta love the outtakes of our attempts at a family picture.

Mylie's face says it all!

We're Moving...

2008-01-04T11:13:00.001-05:00

No, we're not packing boxes and changing our address, thankfully, but I am playing with a new website. If you would like to check it out visit us at:

This might not be a permanent move. I just wanted to play a little with something new.

Our Little Spooks

2007-10-31T13:43:00.001-04:00

This was an especially fun year for our little trick-or-treaters. Jack and Mylie were very into going door to door for candy. Mylie got a peek at the inside of several houses, and Erik had to go running in after her. Grant only made it half way down the street before he feel asleep in PawPaw's arms. David wanted to brave the spookest house on the street this year, though he asked me to hold his hand...I was thrilled that he still needed me (I'm sure next year will be totally different). Hope you all had fun time, too. :)

Make a slide show, scrapbook or ecard

So Behind

2007-10-26T21:54:00.001-04:00

So many things have been happening lately. The children are changing so dramatically that I can't even keep up. Every time they accomplish something new or do something sweet or amazing or awful I think: "Oh, I should post that on the blog." Be glad that I have been having computer issues for the last few weeks, or I might have! Unfortunately, because of my computer problems I lost a couple of months worth of pictures. Ugh, it just kills me. I rely on my pictures to help preserve my memory, so I have lost a couple of months worth of that as well (well, maybe a little more than that). Let me jump into the main things...
Grant is crawling on his hands and knees and pulling up to stand. He is everywhere and knows to look for me in the laundry room when he can't find me. He is one of the big boys and likes to get right in the middle of their full-out tussling sessions. He is a major flirt, and loves to "walk" into a room of potential people to entertain. He is still not sleeping at night, which is becoming a major issue for me and I'm getting a bit discouraged. I am thinking he might be like his oldest brother, who didn't sleep in his own bed, through the night, until he was 2! Besides that, it seems like he is growing up even faster than the others, and I just want him to stay my baby.
Jack is too smart for his own britches. He knows the whole alphabet and most of their sounds. In my attempt to immerse Mylie in letters he picked it up and it is his new obsession. He even writes O, J, C, U, W ("du-a-woo"), V, and I, with more emerging everyday. I think it is a little scary to be honest with you. He is now trying to add counting to his talents, as well. We might have a future novelist on our hands. I have noticed that Mylie seems more motivated to learn because of him, which is great! Yesterday she wrote an "H," while Jack was writing all of his letters. (I didn't even know she knew the letter H.) Jack is talking a whole lot more now, though there are some things I still can't understand. He tries so hard to be patient with me. He is much more shy than his flirty little brother and hates it when people try to console him when he is upset. He just doesn't like to be the center of attention. (He and Grant could not be more opposite!) But he is just as sweet and loving and playful. He has a bit of his daddy's and David's sensitivity, too. When Grant is crying hysterically he must check to see what is wrong and then tell me about it, though usually it is just me changing his diaper.
Mylie is now 5! I can't believe it. She was very into this birthday, and is proud to finally be able to say that she is 5 without me correcting her. She is doing fairly well at school. I wish I could be more enthusiastic, but she bit someone the other day. I think the hardest thing for her is fitting in with her peers during play. She is so great at independent play, but has a hard time inviting others in to her little world. I'm sure that comes from the language barrier, and that breaks my heart (it could also come from the fact that she has two little brothers who are always stealing her toys, so she is a bit defensive). I am trying to keep perspective and not feel discouraged, because she really is doing pretty well otherwise. She did manage to (mostly) potty train herself so that she could go to school, which was one barrier I was glad to break through. She and Jack play well together when they are not driving each other (and me) crazy. They know how to make each other mad and love to see the reaction that they can get. Such fun!
David is doing very well in school. He has become such a good reader, and my favorite time of the day is bed time when all the others are tucked in and we sit together and he reads to me. He is reading with fun tone and inflection and I just love that he enjoys it. He is thrilled that football season is back and has started playing again himself. I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that this phase will never go away. (The apple doesn't fall far.) He just lost his second tooth. At this rate, he will still be loosing teeth in college.
Erik and I are trying to keep our heads together. Some days we do better than others. Life is certainly busy right now, but it is soooo much fun. We hope to have a date night sometime in the near future, but it would be silly for us to hold our breath. (I do catch myself fantasizing about what retirement life will be like for us, which is so funny, because we sure keep our parents too busy to retire!)
Hope you all are well...xo

Mylie's 5th Birthday!

2007-10-23T00:10:00.001-04:00

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Buddy Walk 2007

2007-10-13T22:25:00.001-04:00

This year's Buddy Walk was great. We have an amazing team of supporters and I love that we are able to share it with new people each year. This year we had some of Mylie's classmates join us, friends from our church/neighborhood, and her great-aunt and uncle from Maryland, to name a few. We were so happy to see how large the walk has become. There are so many new families who are taking part and the past teams are gaining support, too. It really has become an impressive event.

Though the weather was great, the conditions on the beach were a little less than favorable. We were battling Red Tide and high tide at the same time. Yuck. Everyone trudged on through the seaweed anyway and we didn't have too many ill effects.

It is never about awards or winning, but...Team Smiley Mylie took 3rd place for the most amount raised and 3rd place for the most amount of walkers. I think that is impressive! Mylie really got into "winning" and was disappointed that we did not get to go up again for more goodies. She turned to me after receiving one of the awards and said: "Team Mylie won!" I loved that she felt so proud of herself and her team. When we got home she was reliving the day and listing all of her "friends" who walked with "smiley Mylie." She appreciates all of you just as much as we do. Thank you!

First Day(s) at School

2007-09-01T22:45:00.002-04:00

Well, much to my dismay, school has started again. David started 2nd Grade, and on his first day he said that it is more fun than first grade. Though I get few details about what happens during the day, he always says that his day was "good." I guess that says it all. On Mylie's first day of school, she told me as we were getting out of the car: "Mama, I scared!" I was thinking..."Me, too, honey, me too!" But, by the time we got to her class, she seemed fine. She went to hang her backpack up and put her lunchbox away, and found something to play with and that was it. I teared up and said my goodbyes. This year she is in the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program, and it is 3 days a week...full day! (It was a very long day for me.) Thankfully, she did fine, and the next day was even better. I hope this is her year to blossom. I am thankful that I still have my little boys home with me. We enjoyed some peace and quiet this week, and I do look forward to getting some undivided time with them this year. Before long it will be their first day, too.

Pictures Too Cute to Keep to Myself

2007-08-20T23:05:00.001-04:00

Here Mylie and Jack are taking turns pushing each other around in her dolly stroller.

They'll hate me for this one some day, but I knew that this might be the last time they were all in the tub together...so cute!

No need to say anything about this...

OK, this one is funny. Grant is now mobile. He scooted all the way across the room in pursuit of this baseball, but every time he got it, it rolled away again. He somehow ended up under the chair in the corner. I, of course, had to take a picture...

and this is what he thought about that! MOM! Don't just stand there laughing...help me!

Jack Turns Two

2007-08-05T20:41:00.001-04:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

A Good Summer Read...well, it might take all summer to read...

2007-07-03T20:51:00.004-04:00

Adapted from an email to my dear friends, Kaylie & Noelle...I warned them they would see this again:

Were you guys wondering if I had dropped off the face of the planet? I'm here. I rarely have time to sit down at the computer long enough to write these days until the kids are asleep at night, and then I am too tired myself...wonder why! Here is the latest about our little ones:
Grant is awake a whole lot more these days, with his nice long naps becoming fewer and far between. As much as I adore him, I don't know what to do with him when he is awake. We do tummy time...and I try to keep the kids from stepping on him as they play. He keeps me company while I fold laundry, cook, clean, etc. (He's the only one who doesn't have anything better to do...yet.) He is always smiling...always. I can be totally distracted by something, and then I catch a glimpse of him in the corner of my eye, and he is staring at me with a huge smile on his face. Gosh, I love that. He is totally entertained when watching his siblings. He is starting to spin in circles on his stomach and I've even caught him trying to tuck his knees up under him as if he is ready to crawl. No, not yet!
Jack is my little whiny hiney. I'm not sure why, but he always has been. He wakes up from naps like a grumpy bear and wants to be held but doesn't want you to touch him. Phew...it's ugly. BUT, at the same time, he is sooo darn cute! He is starting to say a lot of things...the other day I sneezed and he said "bessvu." Oh my gosh! Too cute for words. You have to see his cute chubby cheeks and plump little lips as he does it. It makes me want to squeeze him and drown him in kisses. He is really into animals, and can identify a TON of them. He has his own way of saying quite a few of their names, and makes the sounds of most of them. He reads Brown Bear, Brown Bear unintelligibly, but uses all the same intonations that Erik uses when he reads it...every night (same with Moo, Ba, La, La, La and The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear). He is not my little snuggle bug anymore, which I miss terribly, but I do get an occasional "just checking in." He is taking swimming lessons and loves it. He is practically jumping in to his teacher even before it is his turn. (Note: At the time I first wrote this, that was the case...he has since decided otherwise.) He is a maniac on the plasma car, and can beat his cousin Jordan in a race. Jordan claims he has a size advantage, but we think that he is a potential FSU recruit someday.
Mylie just graduated from swimming lessons! I can't tell you how much of an accomplishment this is for her (and me)! After starting at 7 months, she is finally swimming from the middle of the pool to the wall and she can float on her back. I am just amazed and am so proud. She totally hated lessons this summer, and told her teacher that very clearly over and over, but she did it and she's done! It left me with such a feeling of empowerment...like anything is possible for her as long as we are willing to work for it. I needed that encouragement after a really lousy IEP meeting in which the school psychologist basically told me that she was not worth the effort...that she was not smart enough to benefit from language therapy and she'd never be able to keep up with her peers in a typical classroom. (Please note that those were not the words that were actually used, but as her mother, that is what I heard.) Anyway, we are now taking on a reading program and learning to ride a tricycle. Hopefully, we will meet success with those as well. Mylie has also tamed herself some. She will actually get in the car when it is time to go instead of running to the street or lake. She will walk with me at the mall for very short periods of time without being overtaken by curiosity and her own agenda. She even tells Jack the rules, though she chooses not to follow them herself (at least I know she knows them). She plays so nicely with Grant on the floor and keeps him highly entertained with her dancing dolls. And, she is letting me experiment with fun hairdos...gosh she is so cute with braided pigtails! We still need to work on potty training and not driving her brother, David, crazy, but we are so pleased with her current successes and strengths.
David is the tortured soul in the family. He is constantly being asked to give Grant a boppy, buckle Mylie in her seat, clean up after himself, get his daily reading done, brush his teeth, and so on. His life as a big brother is pretty tough. And on top of that, he only gets to play his Nintendo game while we are driving in the car, and have sleepovers once a week. He only gets to play baseball in the backyard with his Daddy until the sun sets. Rules and responsibility...Yuck! He and Jack are best buddies and once they get into their full blown tussling sessions, the laughter is hard to beat. He thinks Grant is the cutest baby ever, and thinks his spitting up (on mom) and burping are hysterical. He and Erik are extremely close (he and Mylie...um, not so much), and talk about sports 24/7. I'm always amazed at how much information he retains and how many stats he has memorized. It's crazy. He is his father's son. On top of being so smart, he is extremely athletic, and has the makings for a great commentator someday, too.
Erik is doing well, though he thinks he broke his rib in a neighborhood game of pick-up kickball. (Note: Since first writing this he did have an x-ray and cat scan that ruled out a broken rib and other internal injuries.) He just finished coaching his first season of flag football, and though they only had one win, he loved it. We are now enjoying a few weeks of quiet Saturdays before soccer season begins again and it starts all over. During this bit of down time, Erik has taken up match making and fishing. I am spending some of the summer enjoying a little less hustle and bustle and more play. I'm also mentally gearing myself up for my rematch with Mylie's (public) school, while arming myself with a group of professionals to help.
Well, I think that about covers all the bases here. I apologize for being so lengthy and in depth, but who knows when I will get to catch up with you again.
Love you guys.
xo, ing

Our Disney Vacation

2007-05-30T23:05:00.001-04:00

We had a most fabulous vacation at Disney.

We found a new favorite place to stay: The Ginn Reunion Resort, where we had all the luxuries of home, and all the luxuries of a private resort. We spent one jam packed day of Disney fun, cramming three parks (MGM, Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom) into one with only one meltdown.

We spent the rest of our long weekend relaxing in our private pool and watching nightly movies with popcorn.

We felt so great getting away, that we almost didn't come back. It was just what we needed and a great way to kick off our summer.

David's 7th Birthday

2007-05-19T22:48:00.001-04:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

To catch you up...

2007-04-21T16:57:00.001-04:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Worth the Wait

2007-03-03T09:11:00.001-05:00

Grant Larsen Wilson is finally here! Due on February 21, Grant took his sweet time and entered the world on February 27, 2007. Labor began the night before at 9 p.m. with contractions that slowly gained momentum and strength until we decided it was time to leave for the hospital around 3 a.m. When we arrived, they told us that we could stay, as I was already dilated to 7 cm. So far, things were going per plan and as expected based on Mylie's and Jack's births. We decided that we would tell all of the nurses and doctor how things would work so that they could be prepared for a quick delivery, and that's when things changed. We spent the next few hours twiddling our thumbs, counting contractions on one hand, and wondering what to do next. We hesitantly decided that we would use a little pitocin to get things going again, and that seemed to do the trick. The contractions picked up, we turned the pitocin off, and after a couple whopper contractions it was time to go! About 10 minutes later, at 9:14 a.m., a blue-faced Grant came screaming into the world and his tough, little life began. Because there was light meconium present when my water broke, they took him immediately for a thorough suctioning and evaluation. Though I wasn't able to snuggle him right away, it was a great relief to know that he was perfectly healthy and, other than a little bit bruised from his quick delivery, perfectly beautiful, too. Just as his unique delivery proved, he is his own little person, not resembling anyone entirely, but all of his siblings in some way. He has his own cry, which is more like a high pitched scream, and perfers to sleep during the day and eat during the night. His brothers and sisters seemed to like him immediately, and Jack Jack even greeted him with a ton of kisses. He is already an integral part of the family, and continues to bring us as much joy and excitement as that first moment we met, as we now are enjoying little smiles and longer stretches of allertness (and sleep). We look forward to introducing him to all of you soon. He is a lucky boy to be born into our wonderful group of family and friends.

Valentine's Day

2007-02-19T13:03:00.001-05:00

Here are just a few pictures from Valentine's day.

December

2006-12-30T20:53:00.001-05:00

December seems to always be a whirlwind month of activities and excitement. This year it was crazy but still so enjoyable. I credit this to all the help I got from my dear husband, from the decorating to the wrapping. I didn't have to get caught up in all the stress, and I was really able to enjoy the magic. I am so grateful for that, and it was definitely the best gift of the season. (Thanks Honey!) Here are just a few of the highlights of our Christmas season. I hope that your holiday season was filled with many happy memories.

1. Old Friend, Amy's, Wedding 2. Bribing kids with candy to get a Christmas card picture 3. Baking Cookies at Gramma's 4. Screaming with Santa 5. Visit with the Katrowitz's 6. Christmas at Nana's with Bob & David 7. Christmas at Home 8. Christmas in Virginia

Gingerbread Houses

2006-11-25T22:21:00.001-05:00

My sister started one of my favorite family traditions...the annual Thanksgiving weekend Gingerbread House decorating party. She spends hours baking all the molds, putting the houses together, and preparing the icing so that we can all spend an evening eating candy and creating masterpieces. This year we got to enjoy the festivities in Gramma's and Papa's freshly finished remodeled kitchen, which was certainly designed with all of the grandkids in mind. The kids were adorable in their new aprons as they worked diligently over their houses, paying close attention to every detail and adding all kinds of personal touches that reflect their individuality. There was a ton of laughter and lots of sugar overdosing, and the final products were stunning.

Thanks Auntie Dani for all that you do that allows us to have such a fun night of cherished memories!

Our Thanksgiving Feast

2006-11-23T21:58:00.001-05:00

We had such a nice Thanksgiving, and hope that all of you did the same. We enjoyed two feasts, one at Erik's parents house (forgot the camera) and then again at my mom's. YUM! Here you see a picture of the ever expanding "kiddie table," and an overzealous Mylie, who couldn't wait to dig in. Then there was Jack, who must have been traumatized over the turkey bib, because he wasn't having any of it! I think the full day of play with all of his cousins wore him out. David looks anxious to dig in, but really he is thinking that he just has to get it over with so that he can get back to playing. As part of our tradition, the "grown ups" sit and share what we have been most thankful for, and I always leave the table thinking that there was so much that I forgot to mention. Isn't that a blessing? There is so much to be thankful for, that there is no way to list it all! We have such amazing family and friends, and we spent the day being thankful for all of you.

For the First Time

2006-11-03T22:08:00.002-05:00

If I were to have a theme song, this would be it: For the First Time, by Mark Harris. I think somewhere in the wonderful world of motherhood and married life, I have lost who I am outside of those duties. I love my children and my husband more than I can even express, but in the process of caring for them and dealing with everyday life I have forgotten to love myself and be my own person. I feel like I have started the process of getting to know who I am again and I am trying to get used to feeding my self, my soul, without feeling guilty. I find it so amazing that we are creatures who continue to evolve even in our adulthood, changing and improving with time if we so desire. Just thought I would share this great song...perhaps you can relate to it in some way.

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T21:30:00.001-05:00

Though ghosts and goblins aren't really our thing, we sure enjoy dressing the kids up in adorable little outfits that fit their current interests. David is sooo into football right now, and gets more excited about games than his father does. He will sit and yell at the T.V. and argue with calls that are made. On Tuesday and Friday mornings he expects me to have the scores from the previous night's game. Erik is really enjoying this enthusiastic interest and the fact that he has a game-watching buddy. Mylie has many interests, and one is "Mylie Mouse." She actually saw this costume in the store and wanted it desperately. Her favorite part of the whole thing were the gloves. She was quite adorable with her candy bag on her arm as she tried to keep up with the big kids. She would call out "I'm coming!" as she hurried behind to each door and was so gracious with her manners. She fell once stepping off the curb, so after that she had to sit and scoot down each driveway. Her excitement was infectious and we were all laughing at her cute antics at each house. Jack-Jack was really just along for the ride. He got a lolly pop (or three) and was happy to just sit back and drift into a sugar coma. We thought that "Jack-Jack" from the Incredibles was fitting for him this year, since that is really where we got his name. He is a bit like a Super Kid who can take down his 6 year old brother and his dad, and can kick his sister out of my lap when he feels it is his turn. The best part of Trick-or-Treating this year was the fact that we got to meet so many new neighbors. Our street is full of people who have just recently moved in, so it was nice to have an opportunity to say hello. :)

Mylie's 4th Birthday!

2006-10-22T20:41:00.001-04:00

It is a big month for Mylie. We observe Down syndrome awareness month with the Buddy Walk and Mylie's birthday every year. It is very fitting. We always end up celebrating Mylie's birthday with a "quiet" (HA!) family party just following the Buddy Walk, because we have already exhausted all of the friends that we would have invited to a party, and we consider their gift to her is either walking with us or supporting us, and nothing could be more perfect than that.

Somehow, though, she still ends up getting too many presents, which she is always very excited about. Here are some pictures of the celebration. Our wish for her, as she blew the candles out herself, was for a calm, quiet, and uneventful year. (We already blew that this morning at church! I think I'll spare you the details this time around. Never a dull moment!)

Team Smiley Mylie 2006

2006-10-17T21:45:00.001-04:00

We cannot thank all of you enough for either contributing your time or your money or both to the Buddy Walk this year! We are always so overwhelmed by the love and support that we receive from all of you and we are so proud our team. The Buddy Walk was flooded with yellow t-shirts with silly smiley faces on them, and each one of you in those shirts is special to our little girl in some way (and to us as well). We were excited this year to have, among the walkers on our team, all of Mylie's Godparents: her Uncle Richard, Cousin Tyke, and "Auntie" Kaylie. She was also supported by her saintly pre-school teacher, Ms. Laura; her doting pediatrician, Dr. Paton, and her first physical therapist, Ms. Sarah (and their families). She had all of her "soccer buddies" there this year, and so many long-time dear friends. Mercedes Homes has been one of our best sponsors each year, and they put together a fabulous team of people who came to walk as well. Of course, Mylie always has the unfailing support of all her grandparents, aunts & uncles, and cousins galore.

With all of the excitement and activities and children to chase, we never have as much time as we would like to spend with each of you wonderful people, but we left yesterday filled with such emotion and an uplifted feeling as our thoughts drifted through our memories of the day and recalled each of your faces. You really do play a major part in our lives, and give us the umpfh that it takes to make it through each day with such a spirited, unpredictable little Mylie, who teaches us all so many lessons about life, while keeping us jumping (and running & praying & crying & sighing & smiling). Thank you! We couldn't do it without you, and we were proud to show you all off on Saturday as our support group! You are our village! xxoo
I should mention that Team Smiley Mylie won a spirit award...we missed the announcement, but went home with a trophy! GO TEAM! ;)

The Pumpkin Patch

2006-10-15T22:17:00.001-04:00

I think fall is officially my favorite time of year. I wish that it lasted longer here. We took the first opportunity on a slightly cool day to visit our favorite pumpkin patch and pick up a few to bring home. The kids always have a blast and I always take a ton of pictures. Mylie loved that I followed her around with the camera...she posed often and said cheese. David, on the other hand, had to be bribed (and threatened) to smile, as you can probably tell in the group shot. I think he is getting to the "too cool" phase already. (Notice that he has spiky hair...totally his idea, though I did agree to help a little. I'm not ready for all this kind of growing up!) Jack was very busy. He had lots of pumpkins to move. I had a hard time keeping up with him. David finally had to wrangle him up so that we could leave. Hope you have a happy fall!

Thank Goodness for Angels

2006-10-03T23:07:00.001-04:00

I lost Mylie today. Not in the regular minor way, but in a horrible major way. We were on the fourth floor in a parking garage getting ready to load up in the car after a doctor's appointment, and while buckling Jack in his seat Mylie disappeared without a trace. I immediately panicked and began running around in circles trying to figure out what to do. I searched everywhere, including down the one foot opening that dropped to the first floor, but I saw no traces of blood or Mylie. I grabbed my cell phone and called the receptionist to report her missing and request back up, but as I was trying to get the words out the elevator doors opened and out came Mylie and the security guard. I couldn't speak. I scooped up my little Houdini and began to cry my eyes out. I remember the guard telling me that it happens all the time, but all I could do was cling to her for dear life, thanking God that He brought her back to me. I think I mustered a weak "thank you" to the guard, but I certainly didn't repay him enough. I had to share this bit of drama...I'm not sure why. I certainly don't like admitting that I lost my own child. Perhaps I'm telling you this because we all need to cling to each other for dear life once and a while, and hopefully not as the result of something like this. Hug someone tightly today!

Time for the Tooth Fairy!

2006-10-02T22:40:00.001-04:00

This was such an exciting event in our house. David has been feeling very anxious that he might never lose a tooth. Everyone in his class had already been visited by the famous fairy, and his hope to join them on the class tooth chart was dwindling. I tried to explain to him that it was a genetic thing...that I didn't lose my first tooth until I was 7, so he might have to wait until then, too. This was not very comforting. But, finally, we felt a slight wiggle and a few weeks later here we were...pulling out a not-quite-ready tooth. It took me two twists and a good pull and out came David's first little tooth. (Erik thought we were crazy.) For him, it was a major step toward manhood...for me, it was another step further away from his baby days. I was definitely a bit sad, but couldn't help but be happy for him. His smile will never be the same, and I'm afraid that as those big teeth come in we are going to find that we are some day destined for.....braces!

By the way...inflation is a horrible thing...David got $5 out of that tiny tooth. I assured him that the tooth fairy could not afford to spend $5 on all of his teeth, but that she must give a nice bonus for new customers!

BW4 is Coming

2006-09-14T21:01:00.001-04:00

Surprise! It is true! Baby Wilson #4 is on the way! Perhaps we are crazy, but come late February we will be adding another personality to the mix. Here you see our littlest one at 11 weeks and at 16 weeks. The pictures and small and grainy and hard to "read," as most sonogram pictures are, but if you click on both individually you can see them better and one will even tell you if we will be adding a boy or girl! Yes, we actually found out this time. It is a different experience for us, but will mean that we only have to pick out one name and wash one set of clothes in preparation. According to these sonograms things look pretty good. I'm feeling good now, and I even have a bit of energy. We'll keep you posted on any other news. :)

Mylie's First Day of School

2006-09-12T20:34:00.001-04:00

Here is Mylie on her first day of school. Can you tell that she was sooooo excited? She had to miss the first week of school because she was on "Bed Rest," recovering from her surgery, so boy was it a happy day for all that she was finally able to go back to "Mylie's School."

This year Mylie is in a typically developing 3 year old class, and Mrs. Laura is her teacher. (Mrs. Laura is actually my inspiration for this blog, because she created one for Mylie's class and it is too cute...you can click on the link below.) I'm a little apprehensive about how Mylie will do in relation to her peers, especially because her behavior is so unpredictable and her language skills aren't up to par, but I know she has the most wonderful teacher possible, and Mrs. Laura knows Mylie well. ;)

When I took Mylie into her classroom, she went straight for the dollhouse and, through the window, sweetly greeted the little girl sitting on the other side. She was too busy to say goodbye and I had to tear myself away. As far as I know, the rest of the day went well, but all she shared with me was that Mrs. Laura gave her a hug. Sounds pretty good to me. :)

P.S. You can refer back to September of 2005 to see Mylie's first day of school picture from last year. It is funny to see how much she has changed, and thank goodness she has overcome that awful haircut!

Mylie's Class Blog

2006-09-11T08:21:00.001-04:00

Mylie's fabulous teacher has taken the time to create this cute class blog so that we can see some of the going's on in the classroom. There are some cute shots of Mylie from her first day, so check it out. :)

(All you have to do is click on this title.)

Take the Quiz

2006-09-08T21:13:00.001-04:00

OK, everyone tells us how much David and Jack look alike...what do you think?
Can you tell them apart? Which one is David and which one is Jack?
Post your answers in the comment section and I'll reveal the answer soon.

My Goal

2006-09-07T10:37:00.001-04:00

This blog is my way of keeping in touch with family and friends...near and far. Life has a crazy way of keeping us from enjoying what is truly important and so this is my attempt to preserve some of the closeness we lose just as a result of our daily responsibilities and routines. This will replace my occasional "Update" and hopefully be easier for you to view. I'd like to keep it up to date with the "goings on" in our family, though I have a hard time keeping up with anything these days. You can check back anytime to see if I have added something new, but I will also send out the link any time I have something exciting to share. I invite any of you to create your own blog too...it is really easy. If I can do it...anyone can! We'd like to know what is going on in your lives too. xo

Mylie Has Surgery

2006-08-31T12:06:00.001-04:00

Mylie went in on 8.31 to have tubes put in and her tonsils and adenoids taken out. The surgery went very well, though the few hours following were hard for her and her guilt-ridden parents. She stayed overnight in the hospital, and hated all the wires and beeping and nurses coming in to force down medicine. She did, however, get to eat icecream for breakfast and watch unlimited runnings of Mary Poppins. The greatest highlight was the Hello Kitty present from Bob and Debbie that arrived just in time to ward off tears of pain. (The first picture here is of her pre-surgery. The second is her post-surgery. She is smiling in both pictures, though it is hard to tell in the second.)

Once she arrived back home she turned back into her normal busy self. Ironically, I thought we would at least get a little "down time" out of the deal, but I should have know better. Thankfully, nothing keeps our Mylie down and her recovery was amazing. Today is the first day that I have not administered any pain medication, so I think it is safe to say that we are done with this experience, and I hope that she never has to go through anything like it again. Nothing is worse than helplessly watching your child in pain and feeling that you are somewhat responsible for allowing such awfulness to occur.

David Starts First Grade

2006-08-15T12:12:00.002-04:00

Boy the summer flew by! The first day of school came all too quickly, and we didn't accomplish all of the fun things that we thought we would. Though we all were dreading the return of school (you can see the dread in David's face...or perhaps he just didn't want to deal with the Mommy paparazzi), we are adjusting well and getting used to all of the new responsiblities and expectations that come with being a big first grader. Luckily, David is in the same class as his best buddy from Kindergarten, so he is content and it made the transition a breeze. He did say on his second day that there is not enough time to play and way too much work. Ahhh, those were the days. :)

Though there are no cute pictures like Mylie's school link, here is the link to David's school: http://geds.net/

Jack Turns One

2006-08-05T11:59:00.001-04:00

I probably shouldn't admit this, but the third child gets slighted a bit. Both David and Mylie had elaborate parties for their first birthdays, which I spent months planning and preparing. Poor Jack got a cake at the Owen's Family Reunion, and a couple presents from his loving aunts and uncles, but that was about it. Actually, the only thing he liked about the cake were the plastic balloons that came on top...the rest was more torture than anything (though notice the cousins and siblings were into it).

I finally got around to throwing together a last minute shindig at the end of the month so that we could have a few pictures as evidence that we do love him just as much as his siblings, though now I just don't have the kind of time (or energy) to go all out anymore. It was Curious George themed, because Jack loves the cute monkey and is quite the curious monkey himself. Here he is watching everyone open his presents as he shows off his brand new trick...standing up. As it turns out, I took very few pictures from the party, but it was a great time that continued late into the evening.

Life Flies By

2006-03-01T21:59:00.002-05:00

It's been such a hectic day, week, month, year, that I had to stop and reflect to put it all in perspective and catch up with all of you so that I might find the "ground" again. When I think about all of the nagging things in my day that keep me running around in circles (i.e. the carpool, the laundry, the dishes, the toys, the bills, the appointments, etc.) I start to loose my focus and I get consumed. But, when I sit down here at my computer to think of each of you and catch you up on this end then I am able to think about all the other little "nagging" things of my day that give me my real purpose in life...the things that I would like to have more time to just enjoy...my kids (and husband, too, of course).

I have been so amazed by all of the changes that have been going on in the lives of my kids. They are growing up so fast. (Don't I say that every time?!?) Mylie has just been blowing my mind. In the last three months she has had to give up her crib, give up her diapers, and give up her high chair. She is no longer the baby of the family...she is a big girl. She sits across from us at the dinner table now, and you can barely see her eyes up over the edge of the table, but there she is...just hanging with the rest of us. She is pretty much potty trained, which is a major accomplishment and even bigger surprise. She is saying so many crazy things like "Hey, Missy" and "Oh Man!" and "Yummy in my Tummy." The inflection in her voice is so hysterical that you just have to hold back your smile so that she won't notice that you think she is too big for her britches. At the same time, she is torturing her brothers...hitting, pinching, biting, snatching toys away, and they both fear her...heck, I fear her. She is tough. I haven't quite figured out how to handle these things with her, because so far none of my tactics have helped. But I look at her as she is napping in her big bed, and I think that there has been no greater gift than her. If she can overcome all of her obstacles and still conquer the world, then there is hope for me.

David is a star at school. He is well behaved and is soaking up everything like a sponge. He knows things that I don't know. He will come home and tell me things he has learned and I sit in amazement, because I find myself learning from him. That is scary! Erik takes great pride in all of his athletic accomplishments. He seems to be a natural athlete, and he loves nothing more than tossing a football with his dad. I had fun working with him on his bike riding in preparation for "Bike Day" at school, and in 5 minutes he went from a wobbly kid on two wheels to a dare devil jumping the curbs and screeching the breaks. I loved the look of pride on his face. I find myself relying on him for help way too much. He is my little helper with both Mylie and Jack. He can get Mylie to behave much more often than I can and he can turn Jack's tears into full out belly laughs. He is a sweetie.

And Jack-Jack is my little buddy. He is in that "I love my mama" phase, and nothing melts my heart more. He is a cuddly little thing and loves to suck his thumb while holding a clump of my hair. Of course there is the flip side to this...he wants his mama all the time. So, I will be forever crooked from carrying him on my hip and I may never get another full night's sleep again. He has two cute little teeth on the bottom, and drools and chews like there are four more about to pop through. He is starting to get the hang of "solid" foods and thinks that he is ready for chocolate milk. He has a real issue with the fact that his brother and sister don't share theirs. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to be at all ready to crawl, though Erik keeps trying to ruin that for me.

Here is a fairly recent picture of the three together...they are watching Saturday morning cartoons:
No matter how hard I try, I know that one day I will look back on these days and think "Why didn't I just enjoy it more instead of worrying about the laundry and cleaning and bills?" I know this time is short. I thank you for taking a moment to enjoy it with me. I hope that all of you are doing well...I hope that you are enjoying the things in life that make you happiest.
xo, Ingrid

Uncle David's Got a Blog, too!

2006-01-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

Every now and then I check out David's blog, but he knows way too much about music and I get overwhelmed by all the descriptive words that I am not privy to...it really just reminds me that I am old and not with it anymore (was I ever?). But, the music links are always good.

More Goings On

2005-09-14T22:49:00.001-04:00

From: IngridAnnie
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 8:50 PM
Subject: More goings on...

I just had to send out a quick update with some pictures. Mylie was too cute on her first day of preschool. She was so proud to wear her backpack and carry her lunch box, just like her big brother. Her backpack was so heavy with changes of clothes, etc. that if we took her lunch box from her she would fall backwards. Too cute. She is in a typically developing classroom with other children her age, and we were concerned that there might be some unforeseen problems, but her teachers assure us that she is just as "normal" as the other kids. Is that a good thing?? I'm not sure. We have no doubts that she is a smartie, but because of that she can get into some things that other kids might not think to. Oh, the stories I could tell.

Jack decided that he needed a little more excitement in his life, so he decided that a trip to the ER would be fun. He scared us with a high fever last Friday night and after a traumatic spinal tap the doctor said that he had meningitis. That bought us a three day stay in the children's hospital until they could tell us for sure that it was not the "bad" kind and then we got to go home. He is fine now, and we are grateful for the amazing care he received. Of course, I had to take some pictures for his scrapbook.

Never a dull moment in our lives! Hope all is well with all of you.

xo, Ing

The Wilson Update

2005-08-23T22:37:00.001-04:00

From: IngridAnnie
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 9:55 PM
Subject: The Wilson Update

Hi Everyone,
I know I promised to send out more pictures much sooner, but I have found myself to be a bit busy these days. Not only am I the mother of an infant, but I am now also the mother of a Kindergartner. Phew. I was so busy this afternoon signing a ton of permission forms and finding pictures about the letter C for homework! I don't know if I am ready for this...our carefree days of staying in our pj's until 10 am are forever gone. (And I am choosing to leave out how busy Ms. Mylie keeps me...let's just say that both my mom and I together can't keep up with her!)
All of these new developments are exhausting, yet exciting. David definitely likes having Jack around and he seems to be enjoying school as well. Mylie is still a bit undecided about Jack. She can love him one minute and then attack him the next, and she definitely doesn't like the fact that David is in school all day. She asks about him as often as she asks about her Daddy, so I spend my day reiterating the fact that David is at school and Daddy is at work. I am starting to get a complex that I am not good enough. Jack is proving to be very easy going and flexible, not that he has a choice in the matter. He sleeps pretty well at night, though it doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get, because I am always pooped. We are enjoying him very much, and are already depressed about the fact that he is growing up too quickly. By his two week appointment he had grown 2 inches and gained almost 2 pounds. Boy, this phase passes too quickly.

(Pictures from original update were ommitted due to frustration with trying to figure out how to add them all in an easy way.)

:), Ingrid

Here's Jack

2005-08-08T22:40:00.001-04:00

From: IngridAnnie
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 7:34 PM
Subject: Here's Jack

Hi Everyone,
It's a boy! We were pleasantly surprised to give birth to a bouncing baby boy on August 5, 2005 at 6:11 am. Jack Ryan was 8 lb. 12 oz. and 20.5 in. Everything went very smoothly with his delivery, and we are all happy to be recovering from all the excitement at home. David and Mylie have received Jack with loving and open arms, and Erik and I are trying to get used to being newly out numbered.

Here is just a peek at Jack (he strongly resembles his big brother), and I'm sure more pictures will follow soon.

:), Erik, Ingrid, David & Mylie

Had to Share

2005-03-12T22:59:00.001-05:00

From: IngridAnnie
Sent: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 8:06:46 AM
Subject: Had to share...

Hi Everyone!
I don't even know when I last sent out a Wilson Update...I didn't even get my Christmas/Valentine's Day cards out this year! So, I had to share some adorable pictures of my little ones, and let everyone know that we are alive and doing well.

(The pictures were not reinserted in the transfer because it is too frustrating and time comsuming!)
They are as sweet as they appear!

Mylie gets glasses!
3/11/05

After 5 seconds of having them on...

After 10 seconds...

YUM!

Yes, this is Baby # 3!
Due July 31, 2005!

There you have it...you are all caught up on the news. The kids are growing and changing everyday. David starts Kindergarten in the Fall, and Mylie will start preschool! YIKES! I need to stop feeding them so they will stop growing up! Mylie is walking (like a duck...not a pro) and David is starting his third season of soccer. Mylie is into everything...no matter how disgusting, and David is into animals, animals, animals.

Erik is doing wonderfully at his job and handling the stress beautifully. I am definitely "Mom's Taxi" carting the kids here, there, and everywhere. I, too, am growing everyday and will certainly be the size of our house come July. We reach the halfway mark this Monday, so only 20 long weeks left to go! No, we are not finding out the gender of this baby. I guess I'll have to send out another update when the day arrives.

We hope all of you are doing well. We think of you often, even though we don't show it near enough!

Love to all,
Ingrid & crew