Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2009!

Wow! What a couple weeks we have had...wrapping up a wonderful year 2009. So ready to start the new year 2010 though! The holidays were wonderful...busy to say the least, but a great time with friends and family. Jared's sweet grandmother passed away a week before Christmas...had a wonderful memorial/graveside service for her on December 22nd. Christmas Eve we always spend with my mom and my brothers and their families. We started out mid morning with some crafts and food all day long. The kids made stamped cards with their Great, Great Aunt June, made some hand-painted mugs, ceramic ornaments for the tree and some craft bead crafts...so much fun! We opened presents and had a kid talent show. Mom made a wonderful dinner for all of us. We were happy to have our Grandma Laverne spend the day with us as well.
Christmas Day started BRIGHT and early at 5:30...am! Kids were sooooo excited to see if Santa brought what they wanted. They were quite pleased to get the number #1 items! and so much more! My husband and I decided to give each other gifts this year as well, but I wasn't as creative as he was...MY FAVORITE gift of the season was my blog printed into a beautiful hardcover book. He used www.sharedbook.com and they did a wonderful job! So every Christmas I am hoping for another volume to be added to my collection. SO neat! Ok, so enough typing here...let's get on to so many pictures...:)






American Girl Bitty Twins : Morgan and Maile


A telescope and microscope from Grammy and Papa!

Nothing better than a huge coloring book and new crayons from Big Papa and Grammy!

Christmas morning chilling on his new lion! He loves snuggling and wrestling him!

Mind Flex...this is what he wanted sooooo bad! Santa brought it to him, but we had to return it...such a hoax! He got a RIPSTICK instead...:)

Holding up his stocking filled!

Kaylee holding hers...

5:30 am....waiting to come out!

Christmas EVE!

My mom with her 8 grandchildren...

Big cousin Alyssa hanging out with Brayden...

We sang Christmas carols with the chimes...Brayden LOVED it!

2009 was a wonderful year...hoping 2010 is even better!

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!

Our dear Great Grammy Rosie....

She is resting peacefully right now, in the hospital...surrounded by those who LOVE her dearly. This is Jared's grandmother. She is a wonderful lady and has come down with Pneumonia this past week...and has now taken over her body. She has been fighting it these last couple of days...I am sending a prayer request to have her feel comfort right now and know that we all love her and will miss her dearly, but know that we will be reunited someday! I had a few pics on our computer doing what she LOVED most...loving on the babies! This first one was with Kaylee as a newborn and then a few of Brayden and her...She loves her grandbabies and great-grandbabies, that is forsure....

Know we love you Grammy....HUGS! and kisses!

Wordless Wednesday....I Believe

2 years ago...

2 years ago ....December 5th...Jared and I heard the confirmation diagnosis of our youngest son...your Amniocentesis confirmed your child has Down syndrome. Something a parent never wants to hear...something is wrong with my baby? How could this be? How did this happen? So many fears, thoughts, tears, anger, heavy emotions....

Wow! I can remember this day like it was yesterday...IF only I could go back 2 years and hear that diagnosis all over again...and say, Wonderful...our life is going to be wonderful and we are going to be blessed beyond belief! I can not wait to meet this special angel from God...I hope at least one person can read this blog post today and be touched by it. There may be parents out there that have just found out prenatally like we did, that their child had Down syndrome, or there may be parents that have just had a baby and was diagnosed at birth with Down syndrome...I want you to know you are not alone and there are so many of us on this wonderful journey. YES, WONDERFUL! We all go through some kind of grieving process for the child we thought we were going to have, but trust me...with time...a calmness comes over you and you will begin to look forward to meeting this special blessing from God.

I couldn't be any happier in life...I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally and supports me in everything I do, I have 3 amazing children...having gone through the trials in life has made me that much stronger of a woman and made me appreciate so much more to life!

So yes, 2 years later...I thank God everyday for our special little angel baby and I thank Brayden for teaching us so much already in the 19 months he has been with us...Love you baby!

Some Thanksgiving pics...

We went to my Aunt Tammy and Uncle Todd's house for Thanksgiving dinner this year and had a wonderful time. It's always nice to catch up with all my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas...we all live near by...but with such busy lives, we don't always find the time to all get together at once. We enjoyed great food...good company...and Brayden enjoyed this dog bed the most!!! I am thinking I need to get one for him for Christmas...he curled up in it, laid in it, sat in it, laughed in it...luckily it was brand new and their dog doesn't go in it...lol.

Look at him? What a little cheese ball!

He enjoyed getting all kinds of books read to him.

My girl and I....

All 3 getting involved in a floor puzzle.

My cousin Candice with Kaylee and Cody...she loves children and we have used her to babysit...funny thing is I USE to babysit HER!

My great aunt June, my mom, Grandma and cousin Kris

So much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving...my family, health, wonderful husband and many, many friends near and far! Thankful for this blog, and so many I have reconnected with on FB...never thought I'd be giving Thanks for internet stuff, but here I am...

We decorated for Christmas today...the kids were so excited to put the tree up...Brayden LOVES the tree and decor. We still have a busy weekend ahead with soccer. Kaylee came down with another cold, so we will see if we get to make all the games? Luckily it is indoor soccer this weekend. Until next time...:)

Ok...I failed...

Seriously I had such great intentions in finishing my THankful A-Z posts...but here comes my excuses...we got sick, busy with day to day stuff, and well I am still soooooo thankful for so much! So I will stick to saying what I am thankful for when I posts my pics and videos I have captured. I do want to say I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of my blogging friends Thankful from A-Z posts though...

Yes 4 out of the 5 of us were sick with a nasty cold for almost 2 weeks...for a mom being sick herself, it was a very tiring week. Glad to say I am feeling almost 100% better! Brayden is still on antibiotics and will be for another 6 days. Thankful we got this before the holiday celebrations begin.

Brayden is up to some new tricks...he is pulling to stand on EVERYTHING and taking a few steps side to side, starting to cruise, he is doing Patty-a-cake all by himself when we sing the song to him...his favorite part is "Roll 'em and Roll'em and THrow them in the pan!" He loves rolling his arms. I was only able to capture the rolling part on video, but will get it all I promise...He was doing it and doing it, then of course when I got the camera...he didn't perform it all. He is still dancing to music...(love this) and standing in the middle of the room all the time now all by himself...if he falls down, he gets right back up and will continue to practice and practice and practice...such a determined little guy...He is also waving bye-bye and Hi...

Cody had an award ceremony and made honor roll. We are so proud of you buddy! Keep up the good work!

Kaylee is doing amazing stuff with her reading capabilities and spelling...she is soaring academically as well and we are so proud of her!

Our pediatrican finally got the H1N1 vaccines in and so today I loaded up the kids and got the flu mists for Cody, Kaylee and myself. Unfortunately they didn't have the dosage for kids under 2 so we are waiting for that. Now I hope I am not kicking myself for getting the mist because after I got home and got on the computer to search out possible side effects ( I thought I did my homework) it stated to be careful around suseptible people after receiving the flu mist since it is a live virus and can stay in the nasal cavity for up to 2 weeks...UGH! Seriously...just when you think you have a little less stuff to worry about, now this PLUS Brayden didn't get the vaccine...so you better believe I will be calling everyday to see when his dosage will be in!

As Thanksgiving is fastly approaching I just want to say thanks to the many friends and family that continue to support us with our journey...I never knew how thankful I would be for Down syndrome...that sounds wierd to say...but the friendships I have made, some I have never met in person, yet they all feel like family to me. I thank you all in the blogging world! I love my family as well and thank you for your love! I never knew how much LOVE I had for people and kids I don't even know in person that is...the tears that flow from my eyes somedays as I read other blogs...the great advice that is given to me and others...what a blessing Brayden is to our family...I can not thank my Heavenly Father enough for him! This is such a great time of year! So sorry I am not finishing out my Thankful A-Z...but know I am thankful for so much! and I will continue to let you all know!!! :)

Thankful A-Z.....D

D

Thankful for Brayden starting to DANCE...He just starting swaying to the music of a Disney Princess book of Kaylee's....I know he isn't totally boogying down quite yet, but this was a first time seeing him responding to the music in a dance fashion...normally he just stares and smiles at the music...so this is a start to Dancing!!

I am also thankful that Kaylee is in such an awesome DANCE studio...she is on a COMPETITION level team this year, so we will be doing some competitions during the Spring and doing FINALS in Las Vegas! She is quite the dancer!

I had to make a couple of posts today for lost time...I am behind!

Thankful A-Z.....C

C

So Thankful for my CODY. He is such a joy to be around and a wonderful son to have. We are so proud of him and such a great example to so many around him. In fact today he is getting some awards at his award ceremony...can't wait to see what you get buddy! Keep up the good work...WE LOVE YOU!

Thankful A-Z.....B

B

Of course I am thankful for my little BRAYDEN. There are not enough words to thank my father in heaven for giving our family the such a blessing from him. Brayden has opened up our world and already shows so much to us. I love you BRAYDEN.

Brayden amazes us everyday with all he can do...I love that he is an inspiration to so many. I seriously wish I could of taken back ALL of the FEAR I felt with my pregnancy from 20 weeks on...But that is another thing he has taught me is to not look back...just to live for today and dream about tomorrow....it is the little things in life I have always taken for granted that I no longer do...I thank BRAYDEN for that.

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Just wanted to share what Brayden has been working on...this was yesterday morning and by last night he had mastered this!!! But I haven't gotten it on video yet...so bare with me I will try and capture him today or tomorrow... So funny! He thinks he is HOT stuff doing this too! He also starting walking all around the house with us behind him holding on to our two fingers! Tiring...but so fun to see him being so independent...his little steps are so cute ! So I am getting my workout now with him because he comes over and wants to walk with me EVERYWHERE! Enjoy these funny little clips...

Thankful A-Z.....A

(These pics were from last November)

Here it is the beginning of November already...My blogging friend, Cathy from A Walk in Lily's Garden came up with this wonderful idea of blogging everyday for a letter in the alphabet to say what we are thankful for...I am not the best at posting a blog post everyday, but maybe somedays I will double up...lol..So I am going to start with the letter A!

A

So thankful for AUTUMN....Autumn is such a pretty time of year and a reminder to me of my childhood growing up in Minnesota. The amazing trees that had colored leaves that surrounded the 40 acres I grew up on. What I would do to have my children experience just some of that beauty...We get a few colored trees here in Fresno, Ca...but not like the AUTUMN feel I felt when I was growing up amongst trees everywhere in the country. I am thankful though that I have fond memories of that time.

Autumn is my favorite time of year...sweatshirts being worn in the crisp morning air...hot chocolate shared with my daughter...(can't get Cody to like it, maybe Brayden will like it someday), family time spent indoors with each other playing games, cooking and baking together...getting ready for the holidays...Yes, LOVE AUTUMN!

Halloween Fun!

We had so much fun this year on Halloween. Brayden LOVED playing in the candy...and this is him the morning after dumping out the bowl of candy.

I couldn't get over how many houses gave out FULL size candy bars and candy...SCORE! (For mommy and daddy)..Thanks kids! :)

We have been going to my brother's house for the past 3 years...she decorates so cute and has yummy Halloween dinners...this year we just had jack-o-lantern pizza's...and my niece made some YUMMY desserts...This is a pic of my three...Kaylee was a 50's girl...Brayden was Humpty Dumpty and Cody was Scream...

My niece Alyssa and her 3 best friends....they were so cute! Reminds me of when I was 11 years old!

Daddy and his princess trick or treating!

My mom and her hubby Skip with Brayden...they were so sweet to take him home and put him to bed so mom and dad could go trick or treating with our older 2...Thanks MOM and SKIP!

THIS IS SOME VERY EXCITING NEWS! Ok, for those of you that don't know...I have been working on SELF-FEEDING for ummmmmmm.....like 12 months! Well, guess what happened on Halloween???? Daddy handed him a saltine cracker and he fed himself 4 that night!!! I was soooooooo excited , I cried...this has taken him so long to conquer...but we are so happy! So the next day we tried graham crackers...and he LOVES them too! I love that I can put him in the high chair and he can preoccupy himself with some food, while I get the REAL meal for him...Way to go buddy!

Kaylee and her 2 little friends at school dressed up...

We had a wonderful time and now it's time to get ready for Thanksgiving! Just around the corner! LOVE this time of year!!!