Valentine's Day ~ 2013

I admit I can be a cynic. But I can also be a romantic. So Valentine's Day is weird mix of both for me. The cynic in me would MUCH rather prefer flowers, a note, or something special on any other day other than Valentine's Day. Wade lucks out there. :) But the romantic in me wants my boys to feel loved, to see that their parents sure love each other, and to learn how to show love to others.

So Valentine's has turned into a fun day more of showing love to our kids and the special people around us.

Starting with some flowers for Tate's wonderful Kindergarten teacher. I don't have a picture of Will taking flowers to his wonderful preschool teachers, because as soon as I put him down and handed him the flowers, he was running and the flower petals were flying all over the place. :)

We also enjoyed our tradition of a heart-shaped pizza and some yummy, giant red velvet cupcakes.

I love watching these two brothers love each other.

Misc. January

A not-so-fun part of January was the arrival of the flu. Wow I don't remember the flu being that widespread in a long time as it seemed as if half of the people we knew had someone in their family get it. Thankfully Tate's was a very mild case. He was pretty much himself and didn't even seem to feel too bad.

But I was still determined the rest of us were not going to get it. So poor kid got to learn all about a quarantine. And wear a mask. Yes I'm sure this will come up in his therapy sessions as an adult. But hey, it worked and no else got sick!

Plus he got to watch movies in his room. Never happens. Eat in his room. Never happens. And I was feeling really sorry him, so he got a new Lego set for no real reason. Never happens.  Lots of puzzles, movies, Legos, and time at home. Being sick with the flu may have been a little too much fun. :)

On a school holiday, we headed down to Belton for a fun Cousin Day. Love watching these five play together.

And back in January, Tate had a "defining kid moment" of riding the bus for the first time. Our school district finally figured out a better solution to the crazy pay-for-busing situation. So at 2.25 miles from school, his ultimate dream came true. Riding the bus home. Seriously when I told him the news, you would've thought I just gave him a million dollars. He was so excited. And I sure was excited to see this cutie running full speed to me with a huge smile the first day. :)

And a random picture. But a reminder that I LOVE living in a place where on one side of the road you can be minutes away from wonderful restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. And on the other side of the road you can see an adorable miniature horse on acres of land. Rural, big-city, suburbia. And yes, I think these animals are the absolute CUTEST.

Below is Tate's self-portrait from Art Class. He explained that the blue figures are Tony Romo & Jason Witten playing the Steelers. And they are all at a stadium near an ocean where jet ski racers are competing. He also remembered to color in what he calls his "brown tooth" from when he was 2 years old and fell. This kid cracks me up.

Wade's company was a PTA sponsor this year at Tate's school. Such a fun surprise seeing this on the marquee one day!  :)

I think this picture may have been from December. But these two cuties get to spend time together every now & then when the moms have big-kid activities. I love how Addison calls him "Wool." :)

And some more January fun:

Video Linky Love

Some fun videos from back in January...

Will was cracking me up one night with his Bible reading.



And this was a game Tate learned on our trip to Arkansas. Clearly Will enjoyed it as well. :)



Part 2 with the near miss and the burp, both of which are pretty much everyday occurrences.



And just so I can always remember. This was on a regular viewing rotation a few months ago. I can't stop watching. I LOVE her.

The Same Will

I've gone back and forth if I should even put this on the blog. Questioning how much of my kid's stories should be just that...their own stories to tell. Who knows, one day I may even decide to delete this post. But my blog has been something that for the last 7 years (!!!) I have used as a scrapbook, journal, and place to remember.

So it feels fitting for now to document the journey we are on with our Will. Although the term sounds quite melodramatic, I do see how this is a journey. And an important part of a journey is getting to appreciate how far you've come. So here goes...

Autism. A word that conjures up all kinds of fears, stereotypes, and preconceived misconceptions. It's a word that is now frequent in my thoughts and vocabulary.

Will has not received an official diagnosis at this point, but it is becoming apparent that he probably falls on the spectrum somewhere. I still have a lot to learn and am only allowing myself to take in the information at very small doses. It's a journey, and pacing yourself seems important, i.e., I'm not quite ready to hear about everyone's tried and true therapies, treatments, cures, etc.

Without rehashing the last year full of questions, fears, concerns, and more tears than I can count, we decided to go ahead with an autism evaluation. The results felt like good news/bad news. Bad news is that there are definite concerns, but good news is that they want to get him in early intervention and then re-evaluate in a couple more years to see how he is doing.

I'm reminding myself everyday that to Will, there is nothing sad or scary about this. I'm thankful for that. The hard part is on our end. I've already heard countless success stories and know wholeheartedly his future is still bright with or without any kind of diagnosis. But at this point in the journey, I'm still working through the sadness that we even have to deal with this. I'm not sure many parents would choose this path.

But it's the path we are on. It could very well change in years to come. I could look back at this and wonder what in the world I was worried about. Or I could look back and realize this was just the tip of the iceberg. Unknowns are no fun.

This past week, I have clung to 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. And I've learned something new about grace. We've been given not only saving grace, but sustaining grace. In Max Lucado's book he writes, "Sustaining grace meets us at our point of need and equips us with courage, wisdom, and strength."

As I try really hard not to project what the next 20 years might be like, I am fully aware of my weakness. Take any insecurities you already have as a parent, and then add these concerns. Yep, there is weakness. But in my same study about sustaining grace, I've been able to see how the Lord has provided courage, wisdom, and strength for me before. I'm confident He will do that again.

It is emotionally exhausting times like this that you appreciate so much the support of people around you. The ones that check up on you. The ones that remember big appointments. The ones that take the time to listen. The ones that find a special way to love your child. Words can't explain how much these things mean. I hope and pray I can be the same kind of friend. And I hope anyone reading this will be encouraged to do the same.

So for now, I try to adjust my expectations of what these next couple of years will look like. Instead of the preschool our family has been at for several years and absolutely loves, Will is able to go to a school with services and education tailored specifically for this kind of early intervention. This is something to be thankful for, I know.

And the other thing I know is that he is the same Will that was fearfully and wonderfully made. He is the same Will now as the day we took him home from the hospital. He is the same Will that can give the absolute BEST hugs. He is the same Will I can't imagine our family without.  For that, I am thankful.

A Road Trip

In early January, I had a Mommy & Son Road Trip with Tate. I really enjoy so much any time I have when it's just the two of us. His first three years of life, there was a lot of that. Now it rarely happens, so it is a treat.

We had four fun days together logging almost 1,000 miles on the road. He got to get out of school early one day and miss school the next day. That in itself was absolutely crazy, funny to him. (I made sure he knew that wouldn't be a regular occurrence).

We started like every road trip should...a stop at a gas station convenience store where I let him pick out any drink and snack he wanted. Again....this won't be a regular thing, so enjoy it now. :) He picked Gatorade & Mini Oreos, I picked Diet Coke & frosted donuts. Snacks of Champion Road Trippers!

Our first leg of the drive was to head to Little Rock. A random moment I want to remember: We stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner (another road trip staple). I was explaining that he would soon have a school holiday for MLK Day. We talked for almost 30 minutes about Martin Luther King, Jr. I've told Tate about him before, but in pretty vague terms. This was the first time I really explained the injustices that were happening, and what King did to try to stop them. This moment felt so memorable and truly made an impact on me as the realization he's getting old enough to start hearing some of the hard parts of the world we live in.

Anyway back to the trip...We made it to Little Rock late that Thursday night to be greeted by our dear friends, The Reynolds. I need an entire post in itself to describe our friendship with these people. Lifelong friends that feel more like family than friends. So as a result, our kids are destined to be friends. Good thing they like each other. Tate actually thinks Anna is a blast...and hilarious (just like her mother, of course). And as soon as Max & Will are old enough, I'm convinced they will become BFFs. :)

The next morning, Paige, Anna, Tate, and I got on the road for the second leg of our trip. A short drive to Memphis. I have to say that Memphis is such a kid-friendly city. We were fully entertained with so many fun options. We spent the majority of the first day at their very impressive Children's Museum. Both Anna & Tate absolutely loved it, and we were some of the last to leave.

I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of the hotel, because in the life of an (almost) 9 year old and 6 year old, staying at a hotel is monumental. Maybe I have no pictures because I have a negative mental block since this was the location where I got zero sleep. Tate's asthma started acting up, which makes for a horrible cough...all night long. Oh mercy, it was a looooong night.

But we still woke up ready to go. After breakfast, we headed to another museum, The Pink Palace. It has a lot of science and historical exhibits, and both kids enjoyed it.

Paige & I most enjoyed the display of the dress from the Cotton Carnival's Queen of Cotton. This is not made up. Totally legit dress and totally awesome.

We also saw a wonderful documentary at their IMAX theatre. Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the road to Little Rock. One more night there with my favorite pizza ever for dinner, several games of Battleship & UNO (Tate's new discoveries there), and wonderful time with our friends.

It's always sad to say goodbye. Sure wish we all lived closer but so thankful for these times together making some pretty fun memories. And so thankful our kids are creating their own memories together as well.

Thank you Reynolds for being such great hosts. And thank you to my Tater Tot for joining me on a fun road trip. Can't wait to do it again!

Misc. December

Wrapping up December...

This picture just makes me laugh. 

A family portrait drawn by Tate. If you look closely, Wade is holding a very tiny Will. I do appreciate the long, thin legs he gave me. :) 

Macy had to wear the "Cone of Shame" for almsot 2 months because of a cut that wouldn't heal. When she finally got it off, Will decided it was his turn.

Handsome guy.

Lego was the theme of December. My parents gave Tate a set of 30+ minifigurines for his birthday. He was in Lego Heaven.

And from Wade's parents, he received this Lego set. I have to give the kid some credit. 400+ pieces put together completely on his own. I remember a year ago when he first got into Legos. There were screams, tears, etc. with Lego frustration. He has come a long way. We are all happy about that! :)

Just have to document this. When Will sees something on a show that makes him a little nervous, he comes into the kitchen or hallway to hide until it goes off the screen. :)

Will had a great time at his friend Addison's gingerbread birthday party. He didn't eat a single M&M but used them ALL decorating his cookie. :)

The psychoanalysis from this inkblot/cloud art: Tate is very competitive and/or football is on A LOT at our house.

Loved getting a chance to have a girl's night while also celebrating the upcoming birth of Baby Charlotte. Kimberly is a new friend, and one I am already so thankful for.

Will loves putting on my sunglasses. What's funny to me is that when he puts them on, I think he actually looks a lot like me.

And I can't believe I left this off the post from the Sunday School program. Oh my word, when I'm having a hard day and just need a laugh, this may forever be what I turn to. Is he a giant, or is the chair really tiny? Brian is such a great sport!

Tate, some friends, and their Dads all had a fun Guy's Night riding the train to Dallas and going to see Batman Live. Wade said the train ride there may have been the loudest one he has been on. They all had a blast.

And a sweet friend had a birthday party at a local ice rink. This picture crack me up. 6 year olds looking like elderly men with their walkers. :)

And of course a highlight of December was what looks to be our only snow this winter. It was a White Christmas, but the real fun was playing in it the day after Christmas.

And to end the festive season, enjoy Will's rendition of Jingle Bells. He has been working hard in speech therapy, so this song is music to our ears!  :)