St. Louis Trip

Our trip to St. Louis was a nice one! The boys sang "God Bless America" at the Cardinals/Royals game. Unfortunately the Cards lost, quite a bummer :( The temperature wasn't too bad at all but the humidity was awful! Poor Addy was a sweaty mess!


Fredbird really wanted to hold Addy, she denied his request :) She did keep signing "bird" to him though :)

Cooper and Jake coming off of the field :)

My boy Albert :)

I don't think any of us slept real well in the hotel but we managed. Yesterday we decided we wanted to go to the Gateway Arch and then the zoo. Before we went we went to Union Station to get something to eat and walk around. We spent a little time at a really cool fountain at Aloe Plaza that represents the Missouri and Mississippi rivers merging. The boys loved it. Addy did not! She was quite grumpy! The lack of sleep was catching up with her :(



We went over to the Arch and Scott and Cooper decided not to go up, chickens!!! So it was just Jake and I. It was so fun! The little trams, which are more like space pods took us up to the top in 4 minutes. It was quite cramped but a neat experience! We spent some time 630 feet up looking at the flooding and the stadium. Quite cool. Jake loved it :) It was a little faster going down 3 1/2 minutes :) Seeing the building of the arch was really neat, such a cool structure!

Jake listening to actual footage of the workers during construction.

Jake in the pod to take us down.

By the time we were finished at the arch it was after 2pm and there was no way Addy was going to survive a trip to the zoo so we just decided to grab a late lunch at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries and then dessert at Ted Drewes, so amazingly yummy! I ate waaay too much and will need an extra workout or two this week! (I'm not posting after pix till I hit another big goal so you have to wait!)

You gotta love vacations!

New Specs

We picked up Addy's new glasses yesterday before feeding therapy. She went from a size 40 to a 43, she's really grown! Her script in May of 2010 was +250 in November we went up to +350 now these babies are +450 :) They make her eyes look huge, so glad I spent the extra money for the thinner lenses!!!

May 2010, first pair of glasses and first lenses :) It's amazing how much kids change in a year!

Preschool 2010-2011 at OneTrueMedia.com

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Water Play

I finally got Addy a water table to play with. Have you ever had dreams of things you will do with your kids that you know they are going to love and it turns out to be a fight? We have that a lot with Addy. I'm sure many of you have that with your kiddos too :) She LOVES taking a bath, I means LOVES taking a bath! However, only in her tub, not a big tub of course. Last year she wasn't too keen on her little pool so I thought she'd love a water table. Naturally for the first 30 minutes or so I thought wrong.




I even tried to have Daddy coax her into standing up and splashing away. He was unsuccessful as well :(


However, in true Addy fashion, when she decided it was okay to play in the water table, play is what she did :) Atta girl Addy boo!

Step Up for Down Syndrome 2011

Yesterday was our 4th Annual Step Up for Down Syndrome event in Springfield, MO! We had soo much fun! I was on the committee this year, I didn't contribute very much but had a good time trying! I was also fortunate enough to get to wear a blue shirt instead of orange :) I look like a big ole pumpkin in my orange shirt! The good thing is, is last year my shirt was a 3xl, this year an xl :)

Anyway, we got to the ice park early to help set up. Addy had a really good time "walking" around everywhere! I was really hoping she'd be walking on her own this year. I guess once again I'll be hoping for next year sigh... During the talent show warm up, my friend Debbie had Addy sing her ABCs into the microphone. Addy thought that was pretty darn cool! She ended up stealing the microphone from Marie Saavedra. We were all cracking up, she's such a little stinker :) I always get teary during the talent portion of the event, our kids are so awesome! We had a singer, two gymnasts, a magician, a piano player and a weight lifter!

Demonstrating how Cookie Monster eats :)

The boys dancing to Cotton Eyed Joe :)

Addy and I were doing the Electric Cha Cha, she LOVES the hops and stomps!

The weather really held out for us this year too, there was a chance of storms but they held off. The weather was in the 80s which was a vast improvement from the 90s we've been having lately! My mom, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, 2 of Addy's nurses, and their families, a friend from school and a couple of other friends joined our team this year :) We did really well, it was so much fun! Addy was soooo tired, she was fading but never complained! She didn't get a nap and we started at 9 am and didn't head home till about 9:30pm! She's such a trooper!!!



We also had a very special morning at church today! Cooper got baptized! Congrats buddy! I'm so proud of you!

No nap

After church this morning I headed back to Joplin to deliver a desk to Jarika and some other odds and ends. The girls have made their rooms look so cute!!! I forgot my camera so I don't have pix, Jarika is going to have to take some for me!!

Jarika and I were running to Wal Mart for a couple of things and Scott texted me to let see when I would be headed back and was laughing that Addy didn't take a nap this afternoon. It seems when one of us really have something we want to do and would love our little Addy nap time when we are on single duty it never happens! This is what I found when I got home :)
Addy has had this rash on her face for a few weeks now. She constantly is chewing on her fingers right now and is drooling like crazy, she's cutting some molars. She's also still sitting with her finger up her nose which is STILL driving me crazy. I'm guessing the excess drool is causing the rash, a few spots almost look like little pimples, but not all of it. I guess I may have to take her to have it looked at just in case :)

Duh

If this post doesn't make sense I apologize, I am completely worn out! Yesterday was our first day of ESY at school so I had to work 8-12:30. Not a big deal but still had to be done :) I got home and Addy was napping so I went downstairs to start moving some of Jarika's bigger things up for my brother to come and get in his truck and trailer. Addy's nurse, Kim, was downstairs with me trying to decide on a game plan (she's one of those smart, quick thinkers that I am not!). We were looking around the room and in all of her brilliance, Kim says, "It's too bad that he can't just get into the backyard and move things out from down here.". I laughed and said "Oh yeah! He can! When we Scott designed the fence he was adamant that we had a gate big enough just for that reason!" Duh. So I abandoned that dilemma and got Addy ready for feeding therapy in Springfield. We took off for that around 2:30 for her 3:30 appointment. I needed to run by my mom's for a couple of things for Jarika's house. We didn't get there early enough though, traffic was a nightmare! We left feeding tx around 4:15 then ran by my mom's and got the stuff. Closing was at 4 (I didn't have to be there) and once it was finished my brother went to my house to start the unloading :) I was pleased to see when I came down the hill that he successfully made it to the backdoor (or so I thought). I changed Addy, got her parked in front of Sesame Street so I could go down and help Kent. I asked how things were going and he said, "Well, we have a little problem." "What's that?" I ask. He proceeds to tell me that as he was backing into the backyard he heard a thump and realized he hit something but wasn't sure what it was until he got out of the truck. He managed to hit our buried underground propane tank cover and ripped the majority of his muffler off! He asked if I had anything to attach it back so he doesn't lose it on the way to Joplin. Remember,I'm not much a quick thinker. I named off a few things and he said yes to all of them but then I decided to call Scott, he's the major brainiac of the entire family clan. I tell him what happened and without a second to think he says "Well, if it were me I'd use a coat hanger." Duh. Sooo, Kent spent quite a bit of time reattaching his muffler before we proceed. He finishes that then we have to fight with Jarika's bed frame, ugh. During this my friend, Cara, texts me wanting to know if we were coming to pick up her armoir for Jarika. I let her know we are on our way (about an hour or so later than expected). I called my other friend, Teri, whom we were buying a couch and love seat from to let her know we were running late. It was her bday and I knew we were messing up her plans. She assured me no problem that they'd just wait on us. We get Kent out of my backyard without tearing up our fence but it seemed to take quite a bit of effort to do so. Didn't know what that was about. We get to the main intersection that we need to cross and Kent gets out of his truck. I put on my hazards and get out to see what's going on and I hear "My truck's on fire." WHAT?? I could see the black smoke billowing out from under his truck and I smelled a nasty smell that seemed familiar and fortunately the neighbors that were outside did too. Apparently this happens when you don't take off your emergency brake! Duh. We make it to Cara's (much later than anticipated) and start to load the armoir. My friend, Angie, happens to be walking with her family and her awesome hubby, Brad, helps Kent load it onto the trailer. Thanks Brad! We leave to head to Teri's and Kent tells me to drive slowly and call Scott to have him wait in Springfield to make sure everything is tied down. Okay, no problem. Scott decides to just come home, it only takes him 20 minutes to get home and we haven't got the couch and loveseat yet and why take our two vehicles if we don't need to. Duh. We're heading out to the country and I see Kent for awhile and I look up and he's no where to be seen. Great. I call him, no answer. So I pull over and he calls right back. He says, "No problem, I got it back on. " Um okay what? "Her mattress flew off." Oye. We get to Teri's and her awesome hubby, Matt, had already brought up the furniture for us so we didn't have to! He helps Kent get it loaded and then they start talking about my dad (awe :) Matt worked for my dad for years. I love hearing what a wonderful man my daddy was! We make it back to our house (woo hoo!) and Scott readjusts things and gets them all squared away because he's all cool like that and we head out. Not without stopping at Sonic for Route 44s and dinner for my boys mind you! Kent rides with me and gives the truck to Scott, I think he'd had enough :) lol. It's a little after 7 now. We were planning on being in Joplin around 7, apparently we didn't make it! Kent and I are in the lead and we lose track of Scott but I have complete confidence in him! Jarika calls hysterical. She can't find Sophie (her dog)! I tell her to go look for her around the neighborhood. Duh. Fortunately a neighbor had her in his shed, she got under the fence. There were holes in the corner that we didn't see. They are being filled immediately! We make it to Joplin around 9:30 and get things moving! Scott and Jake were a little later, Scott had to save a couple of things along the way but no major issues! We got everything in and we obviously have more furniture than the girls need but they can always not use what's not necessary. The majority of the furniture we got was completely free :) We finally leave Joplin a little after 11pm! Addy was just a singing away in the backseat as we left! She finally fell asleep around midnight, what a stinker! I'll probably go back this weekend to help Jarika with some painting in her room. It's green and brown and her bedding is red, black and white :) Scott had to work extra early today and Addy and I had ESY again. I went to the store immediately after work, I knew once I got home I'd be worthless. So far I'm right! Remind me when I say that I want to move, tell me that I don't!