Renovations

Our summer project was to redo our two upstairs bathrooms.   I can't say that they were the bathrooms that were original to the house, but they were pretty close.  It has been on our "to do" list since we moved into our house 2 1/2 years ago, and finally we decided to get er done!   I put together some before and after pics of the hall and master bathroom so you can see the updates that were done! 

Master bathroom - before and after

Looking into the new master bathroom

New master bathroom shower

Before and after kid's hall bathroom

Another before and after of the kid's hall bathroom

 What a transformation!   What's next on the "to do" list??? 

Buddy Walk!

It's hard to believe that 3 years ago we didn't even know that the Buddy Walk existed.  We were still a couple of months away from being introduced to the Down syndrome community.  We were so oblivious and unaware of this world.  Now, after schools are back in session and the leaves start to turn, the start of Fall means Buddy Walk time.  And each year, this walk reminds me of how wonderful a community we are a part of.   Imagine a place where kids of all abilities are laughing and playing together.  And nobody cares who has what number of chromosomes.  That is what the Buddy Walk is to me.  And it gives me hope that the outside world isn't too far behind.  

We are so so so thankful to our friends and family who are "Mason's Maniacs."  We raised over $2100 as a team  and over $175,000 as a community for local and national Down syndrome associations.  This money will go a long way in providing learning, research and advocacy programs for people with Down syndrome.

This year we had such a wonderful turn out and we are so glad to introduce new friends each year to our world.   "Acceptance" is an easy word to learn but not as easy to put into practice on the playground of life.  But, kids learn from example.  And we hope that by participating in the Buddy Walk, all children will begin to learn people are people first and that everyone deserves the same love, respect and opportunities.  Go Team Mason's Maniacs!!

Below are a few other shots from the day.

See you at next year's Buddy Walk!   (October 15, 2011) 

I leave you with a sign from the Walk that my mother in law photographed and I want to share with you... 

First Day of School

I can't believe that today I put my 2 year old little boy on a school bus.  All by himself.  Mason is growing up so fast.  It now seems like forever ago that he was my little bottom scooter who refused to walk.  Because in the past month, he is now walking everywhere and a PRE-SCHOOLER!  We prepared everyone for their first day in pre-K (Owen) and pre-school (Mason) by getting new backpacks.  They sat by the door, ready to go ...  Owen had Batman and Mason had Elmo.   Mason would have really loved a Dora backpack, but call me old fashioned, I could not send Mason off to his first day at school with a pink backpack, even if it was for his love, Dora.   :)

I was hoping to get at least one good picture of both the boys with their new backpacks.  It has become increasingly difficult to get pictures of both Owen and Mason looking a the camera, but today, they cooperated.  I'm not going to ask why.  I'm just thankful for the small things.

They were both reflecting on where they've been and where they are going... or maybe they were just having fun looking at themselves in the door!

Next we hopped in the car and drove off to Kindercare.  Mason will be going to the special education pre-school at the local elementary school (run by Fairfax County) each morning and then to Kindercare for the afternoon.   On Monday, Thursday and Friday, I will drive him to the elementary school and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (the days I go into DC), Mason will take the bus from Kindercare to the elementary school.  He will take the bus from the elementary school to Kindercare each afternoon just in time for nap.  Since today was a typical "bus to school" day, I went along to Kindercare to make sure that everything went smoothly.   The bus was supposed to pick Mason up at 9:13.  It didn't arrive until 9:25 so we waited patiently in the lobby...

Finally, the bus came and it all happened so fast.  We got on the bus and the bus drive installed the car seat..  I could tell Mason was confused but he kept on his game face.

I have no idea whether he burst out into tears when I got off that bus. I know he was confused.  But I gave him a kiss and told him to have a great day.  And this is the face that I took with me:

He seemed to have a great day.  The note from the teacher said he was a little sad in the morning :( but that he was happy the rest of the day and played and listened nicely.  That's my boy!   Back again he goes tomorrow.  Soon enough, this will become our routine but for now it was an exciting day of firsts!

A rock star in the making?

This morning I heard the oddest most wonderful sound coming from the other room ... it was saying:

Moving makes you strong ... 
Eating makes you strong...
Sleeping makes you strong ...


All things I remember telling a particular little 4 year old when he didn't want to eat or sleep.  How you need to do those things to grow up to be strong and healthy.  And my little rock star turned it into his first original masterpiece.  I grabbed my phone and got him to sing... but he chose to sing a new song.  Let's call it his second original masterpiece.  And it goes a little something like this:

I like Balls... 
I like Balls...
I like Balls.


Boys!   But he's my little rock star.   And anything he sings is music to my ears.  

Toddler Steps!

About a month ago, while we were at the beach in South Carolina with my family, Mason spontaneously stood up from the floor to a standing position.  We were all quite shocked since he had not yet "really" taken more than a (lunging) step before that.  As soon as Mason was able to get up to a comfortable standing position by himself, something seemed to click for him and he started taking steps.  It started as one or two steps and has now progressed to more than 5.  I was also very hesitant to make a proclamation that "mason is walking" because I didn't want to (a) jinx it or (b) be premature in my excitement.  But, now that he is consistently taking multiple steps and standing from the floor, I feel comfortable in shouting from the rooftops .... MASON IS WALKING!!   I think we still have a long way to go until he is really walking long distances without assist since his delivery is not quite, shall we say, conventional.  But, I refuse to get ahead of myself.  I will let myself enjoy this phase.  And worry about his technique another day.   Below is a quick video of Mason taking a few steps!

Happy Birthday Owen!!

4 years ago ... I was a new mom.  4 years ago ... I was trying to figure out this whole baby thing.  4 years ago... I had no idea or rather I was probably just starting to get the idea.  I had no idea how much my first born would fill my heart with happiness, excitement, fear and love. Oh, love.  How can I possibly love someone this much?  And fear?  There is always fear in loving someone this much.  I remember a quote that I saw somewhere that having a child feeling like your heart is walking around outside of your body (I may have butchered the quote, but you get my point).  When your heart is walking around outside of your body, how can you protect it from being hurt or scared?  You can't always, but it is worth the risk.  Because what I get back in return from my two little monkeys is worth it all.

First a couple of retrospective pics from Owen's first "birth"day...

 And then on his one-year old birthday ....

And now my little man is 4 years old!!  Here is a picture at his school party and then at his superhero birthday party this past weekend.

Happy birthday, Owen!!

Play Ball!

Owen and Mason both went to their first baseball game at approximately 6 weeks.  So, they are seasoned baseball fans.  They always look forward to the Nationals game and Mason throws his fist in the air and shouts, "Ba-balll." 

We enjoy the game, the music, the snacks and all of the other "entertainment" Nationals stadium provides.   Since Owen's 4th birthday is on Friday, we let him go to Build a Bear (on-site, how convenient... :)  to make his own Screech doll.  Owen decided that his Screen would be named "Chicken" (it was not important that Screech is an eagle!) and he should be a catcher.  Here is Owen snuggling his Screech, Chicken:

Our favorite shaded seats (important for a 1 pm game when it's in the sunny 90's) is right by the bullpen.  Owen loves to watch the pitchers warm up ...

and Mason cheers on the team, dancing to every song they play and clapping his hands along to the chants!

On Sunday afternoons they let kids age 4-12 run the bases.  Since Owen is sooo close to being 4, we went down and stood in line to make the trek around the bases.  Owen was so excited and wanted to bring "Chicken" with him around the bases. 

We talked him out of bringing Screech and he was so overwhelmed, he tried to run straight from first base to the outfield!!   Luckily, one of the helpers reigned him in.  Here is a video of Owen taking his victory lap around the bases:

What a great day at the ballpark!   Go Nats!!