7.15.2013

Tough Stuff

Life around here has been NUTTY and is about to get nuttier (is that a word!?!) my niece is heading to town, we are preparing to celebrate Gracelin Kayt's 1st birthday (sniffle, sniffle), and then I will be traveling with three children...and a teenager, to the west coast for one month...sans my handsome hubby! Oy! 

I'm super excited, albeit a little overwhelmed. I'm sure lots of pictures will follow, but if not...be patient, they will come! 

In addition to the coming things...we've been dealing with some heavy stuff at home lately. We began having Capri tested late last Summer to get a better idea of her delay, and how we can better meet her needs. As her educator, I'm always resourcing, trying to find the best things and ways for her to learn. No one knows her better than us, and I want to make sure that we provide her with every possible opportunity to catch up after such a difficult start in life.

We were recently contacted by Capri's doctor and told that she is severely developmentally delayed and that we need to be prepared for that to stay the same, or possibly get worse. The doctors aren't certain if it is caused from her stroke, when she had failure to thrive, the emotional turbulence she went through, or if it is genetic, as her biological parents are both developmentally delayed. 

I want so desperately to make it all better...I'm sure every mom would. I want to protect her from all the mean kids...and adults...that expect this beautiful girl to be "normal," then question why she isn't because she doesn't fit their idea of normal. In a sense, we are grieving normalcy around our house, and trying to prepare for the future the best we can. 

We know that GOD doesn't give us more than we can handle, and we knew that Capri had some special needs, it's just starting to become more of a reality with this recent news. My hubby is handling it all WAY better than I am...I guess I had on my rose colored glasses. I see her delay, but I also see that, since we started homeschooling, her emotional health is improving. Educationally, she's behind, but making amazing progress. We continually pray over our decision to homeschool...knowing that we always want to do what's best for the kiddos. We don't take the decision lightly. After much prayer,  we've decided we will continue homeschooling...and possibly add some additional outside resources. 

Capri takes a lot of work. We pour into her constantly...and often times feel like we are running on empty. But we're amazed at how GOD brings cup fillers into our lives. People who encourage us, pray for us, let us vent, and sometimes watch our kids so we can go on a date and regroup. We're forever grateful to you...you know who you are! 

So, as we continue to process this whole thing...we are finding that we draw closer as a family, a couple, and closer to GOD...we couldn't get through this without each other and we'd crumble without an amazing GOD...who trusts us with this little Dollie. We CAN do this through HIM!


6.04.2013

Pretty Lady

can't believe our little porkchop is ten months old already. she took her first steps last week and has been a bundle of naughtiness...all while being positively adorbs! this first year is flying by and this mama can't capture the memories fast enough (or blog them fast enough). here are some pictures from gracelin's 8 month photoshoot...she's a keeper for sure!!!

 love those kissable chubby cheeks
 what rolls!?!
such a happy, smiley, pretty lady

3.09.2013

out of the mouths of babes

i have a spiral notebook that i keep readily available to write down the funny things that the kiddos say...i love to read through it on those difficult days to remember that even when they are cranky, they still have a heart of gold and a child-like innocence.

2012's funny quotes... (as well as some pics to wrap up the year....only 3 mos. late...no biggie)

-GOD is peeling my ouchies ~ gaven
-dad, i can't sleep, my feet are too stinky ~ gaven
-can i please have some lamb (clam) chowder ~ capri
-my name is baben and that's my sissy dapri (how gaven spoke in 2012)
-i love doing sprinklesaults ~ gaven
-gaven, do you want to wear a dress? (asked capri) do i what? of course not, so don't ever ask me that again, it's disgusting ~ gaven
-mom, can eleventeen be a number today? ~ gaven
-mama, while you were at work today, i decided to pull out my tooth (we didn't even realize it was loose) ~ capri
-BUT I DON'T WANNA CALL HER GRACELIN, CAN I JUST CALL HER PORKCHOP? ~ gaven
-ooooh, i'm gonna put that cash in my piggyback ~ gaven
-daddy, change the channel, i'm allergic to football ~ capri
-my favorite color is....um....pizza ~ gaven
-(when asked what does a turkey say) no don't eat me ~ gaven
-i'm not a sadowski, i'm a frog! ~ capri
-crap dadddy! crap! crap your hands ~ gaven
-london bridge is falling down arg matey ~ gaven
-mama, do you think annie loves her daddy starbucks (warbucks) ~ capri
-i love my lobster (Leapster) from auntie christy ~ capri
-(while explaining to gaven that sissy is adopted and was in "Val's" tummy)...you mean like 'val shall not steal?' ~ gaven
-yay! i'm so decided!!! ~ gaven
~CAPRI LINAY~

 ~GAVEN KEITH~
~GRACELIN KAYT~
 ~HARVEST BLESSINGS~
 ~CAPRI WITH THE CUPCAKES SHE DECORATED FOR HER 7TH B-DAY~
 ~GRACELIN SACKED OUT AT CAPRI'S B-DAY PARTY~
 ~GRACIE'S FIRST CHRISTMAS~
~LITTLE GIFTS~


2.11.2013

genius!!!

have you ever had a "oh my goodness, i'm a genius" moment as a mom!?! i NEVER have them...i find myself thinking other moms have them all the time, but my moment came on sunday.

the monkeys are going through the name calling phase...you know, the one where every name ends with 'head' or 'bottom' and starts with silly words like 'pickle'...DRIVES ME WONKY!!! so, (enter genius moment) sunday, i'd had my fill and said, "picklehead, thats funny...but whatever you do...do NOT call me wonderwoman and i won't call you captain awesome!" they laughed, and we moved on.

today, gaven was getting mad at capri because she was touching his lego creation and i heard the magic..."LEAVE ME ALONE WONDERWOMAN!!!" DON'T TOUCH THAT! YOU'RE SUCH A CAPTAIN AWESOME!!!"

genius...pure genius

1.29.2013

Harvest Blessings (even though it's winter)

(somehow this never posted...so sorry for the delay)...fall is my favorite time of year for photo ops!!! i LOVE it!!! we took the kiddos to papa's pumpkin patch...GREATEST pumpkin patch EVER...and picked out cute little pumpkins for the big kids...and one GREAT big pumpkin for our BIG baby!!! and did we mention it was 70 degrees outside...NICE!!!

LittleMan...BIG POSER
CHEESE
 Capri's perfect little strawberry shaped pumpkin
 Goofy Girl
 this was completely UNPOSED!!! while waiting for me to get my camera ready, Gaven leaned over and kissed his big sister...so glad my camera captured it...and so glad that my littleman loves his big sister...makes my heart sing!!!
 My Harvest Blessings
My Sweet Lil' Punkin...who's not so little anymore!!!



and here's what happened after the picture.....(so thankful for daddy and his muscles...it's pretty hard to rock a 25 lb pumpkin with a 15 lb baby inside...but he had it mastered by the time all was said and done...HEART HIM BUNCHES!!!