My debit card expired this month. I had gotten the new one but had accidentally left it on my computer. I didn't realize that the old card would not be good through the end of the month or I would have been more careful. So I went grocery shopping after the gym on Friday with the three girls on the way home. When I tried to check out and it rejected my card, I was really out of luck as I didn't have any other way of paying. I really didn't want to reshop for all the things I had and was trying to convince them to leave it in the cart so that I could pay for it after coming back. They wouldn't do that so I called my husband so that he could bring the new card. While I was doing that a couple of customers paid for my groceries and left. So I couldn't even thank them properly. When the cashier told me to call my husband back and tell him never mind, I burst into tears. To anyone that has done anything like this before, THANK YOU!!! Anyway, I intend to pass it on and will be donating the amount of my groceries to one of the Reece's Rainbow kids.
After I had gotten home, it occurred to me that I knew the new expiration and the security code on the back and that I should have asked them to key it in. Le Sigh.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Making Bibs
I decided to make my own bib pattern. Darth Baby has pretty bad reflux and we go through a stack of bibs for her each day. On top of that, she has taken to leaning over her bib to spit up so that she gets everything past the end of a normal length bib dirty. The bear cub is still teething so often she'll soak a bib, too. So I was in need of a new design.
First I tried this free bib pattern. It definitely covers a lot, but it is big even on the nerdlet. Also, it takes a full hand towel, which I don't really want to waste on a single bib. Here was the result.
Next, I tried this free bib pattern, which was much smaller and covered most everything except the sleeve area. I used one of the newborn cloth diapers I had to make it. The bear cub did not seem to think this one was comfortable and complained until I took it off of her.
So I decided to make my own. I wanted one that I could use the wash cloths for that you can get a stack of new ones fairly cheap (I think you can get a stack of 20 for around $5.00). I also wanted one with sleeves so when Darth Baby leaned over like she does before spitting up, it would still catch most of it. This is what I came up with. I think I'll applique a heart in the pink from the sleeves on it later. All of my models are napping right now.
And if you're interested a quick picture tutorial of what I did.
If anyone is interested in the pattern or a more thorough tutorial, let me know.
First I tried this free bib pattern. It definitely covers a lot, but it is big even on the nerdlet. Also, it takes a full hand towel, which I don't really want to waste on a single bib. Here was the result.
Next, I tried this free bib pattern, which was much smaller and covered most everything except the sleeve area. I used one of the newborn cloth diapers I had to make it. The bear cub did not seem to think this one was comfortable and complained until I took it off of her.
So I decided to make my own. I wanted one that I could use the wash cloths for that you can get a stack of new ones fairly cheap (I think you can get a stack of 20 for around $5.00). I also wanted one with sleeves so when Darth Baby leaned over like she does before spitting up, it would still catch most of it. This is what I came up with. I think I'll applique a heart in the pink from the sleeves on it later. All of my models are napping right now.
And if you're interested a quick picture tutorial of what I did.
If anyone is interested in the pattern or a more thorough tutorial, let me know.
Audrey's Day at the Beach
Saturday, Q and I took the bear cub and the nerdlet to Audrey's Day at the Beach, a meeting in Rockport of families with children or relatives with Down syndrome. We wanted to do this last year and the year before but family things kept us from going this year. We actually missed my nephew's eagle scout meeting to go this year and almost cancelled it again, and although it was a difficult decision for us, we decided that it was important for us to spend a day celebrating the bear cub's extra special chromosome with like families.
I often say that every family should have a child with Down syndrome. This trip really brought this feeling to a point. It was so wonderful seeing almost every family around you being blessed by trisomy 21. There were people on the beach that were not apart of our group. About 20 feet from us was one such family. The mother was smoking and the father was yelling at the two kids about how to properly build the sand castle to hold water. The two kids were working hard trying to please their dad. Watching them I kept thinking that there family was missing something, and to me it was obvious what it was.
The bear cub had a blast. She kept waiting for us to turn our backs and each time she did this.
We got to see dolphins, all kinds of birds, and George Strait's home.
Q and I spent a lot of time in the sand digging holes and making arches, which the girls loved.
On the way to and from the beach we got to see the wind farm in Sinton, TX, which I though was just beautiful and I couldn't get pictures that really captured the beauty of it. I would love to see these around my city all the time.
It really was a great trip and I hope to be able to take my family again in future years.
I often say that every family should have a child with Down syndrome. This trip really brought this feeling to a point. It was so wonderful seeing almost every family around you being blessed by trisomy 21. There were people on the beach that were not apart of our group. About 20 feet from us was one such family. The mother was smoking and the father was yelling at the two kids about how to properly build the sand castle to hold water. The two kids were working hard trying to please their dad. Watching them I kept thinking that there family was missing something, and to me it was obvious what it was.
The bear cub had a blast. She kept waiting for us to turn our backs and each time she did this.
We got to see dolphins, all kinds of birds, and George Strait's home.
Q and I spent a lot of time in the sand digging holes and making arches, which the girls loved.
On the way to and from the beach we got to see the wind farm in Sinton, TX, which I though was just beautiful and I couldn't get pictures that really captured the beauty of it. I would love to see these around my city all the time.
It really was a great trip and I hope to be able to take my family again in future years.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Nerdlet is an Artist
The nerdlet loves drawing, especially when she gets access to permanent markers. She's been at it all morning, about 2 1/2 hours so far. She also has an incredible attention span.
She started telling me about a specific picture she was drawing. "The boy wants to go to the gym."
I was only half paying attention. "You want to go to the gym?"
"No, Mama. The boy wants to go to the gym, but his mom says no. She's driving the truck. She's not going to the gym, and she yells 'Get out of my way! Get out of the way!' She's going to get gas for energy for the truck. Here are the pipes that the oil is in under the car."
Normally, she just draws abstract shapes, but today she drew two about cars and roads (in addition to a stack of abstract work). While her daddy was leaving this morning, she said she was drawing a blockade on the road. The red is the blockade and the gray is the road.
She's clearly an artistic genius!
She started telling me about a specific picture she was drawing. "The boy wants to go to the gym."
I was only half paying attention. "You want to go to the gym?"
"No, Mama. The boy wants to go to the gym, but his mom says no. She's driving the truck. She's not going to the gym, and she yells 'Get out of my way! Get out of the way!' She's going to get gas for energy for the truck. Here are the pipes that the oil is in under the car."
Normally, she just draws abstract shapes, but today she drew two about cars and roads (in addition to a stack of abstract work). While her daddy was leaving this morning, she said she was drawing a blockade on the road. The red is the blockade and the gray is the road.
She's clearly an artistic genius!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
See Me For Me
Copied from Melissa'a wonderful blog.
See Me For Me
When you look at me -
What do you see?
When you look into my eyes
Do you see beautiful blue,
sparkling with joy, delight
in my accomplishments
Or do you see that "almond shape"
or "brushfield spots"?
When you look at my hands
Do you see them reaching
for toys, writing the alphabet,
throwing a ball, doing a
meaningful job
Or do you see a "simian crease"?
When you look at my face
Do you see the resemblance
to my parents, that I have just had
my hair permed
Or do you see a "flat face" or
"epicanthal folds"?
When you look at my behavior
Do you see my feelings of
pleasure and anger, my desire
to achieve, my frustration in
being treated like a baby
Or do you see the "stubbornness"?
When you look at my development
Do you see me playing with peers,
participating in sports, growing
into a productive adult
Or do you see "low muscle tone" or
"the eternal child"?
When you look at my family
Do you see loving parents wanting
to challenge me to my ultimate potential,
sisters and brothers who have a better
understanding of the differences in us all?
Or do you see a family torn apart by my
difference, constantly in crisis, unable
to accept, never to feel the joy of
having a "normal child"?
What Do You See?
Look At Me.
Look Closer.
See Me For Me.
See Me For Me
When you look at me -
What do you see?
When you look into my eyes
Do you see beautiful blue,
sparkling with joy, delight
in my accomplishments
Or do you see that "almond shape"
or "brushfield spots"?
When you look at my hands
Do you see them reaching
for toys, writing the alphabet,
throwing a ball, doing a
meaningful job
Or do you see a "simian crease"?
When you look at my face
Do you see the resemblance
to my parents, that I have just had
my hair permed
Or do you see a "flat face" or
"epicanthal folds"?
When you look at my behavior
Do you see my feelings of
pleasure and anger, my desire
to achieve, my frustration in
being treated like a baby
Or do you see the "stubbornness"?
When you look at my development
Do you see me playing with peers,
participating in sports, growing
into a productive adult
Or do you see "low muscle tone" or
"the eternal child"?
When you look at my family
Do you see loving parents wanting
to challenge me to my ultimate potential,
sisters and brothers who have a better
understanding of the differences in us all?
Or do you see a family torn apart by my
difference, constantly in crisis, unable
to accept, never to feel the joy of
having a "normal child"?
What Do You See?
Look At Me.
Look Closer.
See Me For Me.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
My First Embroidery Applique
I did my first embroidery applique. I bought my sewing/embroidery machine as my graduation from college present about a decade ago. I used this machine like mad, but never used the applique abilities. It just never appealed to me. I've been reading Cole's Corner and Creations blog and she has completely inspired me by the beautiful appliqued projects she makes for the little ones in her life.
I started with a dress that my MIL just made for the nerdlet which she stained on her second or third wearing (in the first two weeks).
Then I downloaded a freebie from GG Designs Embroidery.
I love how it came out and now want to applique on everything in the girls' closet.
In other news, I went garage sale shopping today. I found this really cool website that allows you to plot a number of different garage sales and it will print out the directions to each from one to the next. It lets you choose from about 50 cities, and since Austin and San Antonio are choices, I think I'll be using it again. I don't go very often, but when I do, I think this will make it less hit and miss. We also hit ones that weren't on my list that we found on the way.
My mom and I had a blast, though we didn't buy much. I did find a mini trampoline with a bar that will be great for Chloe's therapy in learning how to jump, which I read about in one of the book on Ds I read (I think one of the Woodbine ones, but I'm not positive). My mom said I was wrong because I bargained $10 off of it, but my original intention wasn't to bargain but to explain why I wasn't going to buy it. I feel a little guilty but have been rationalizing by saying they didn't have to come down off the price. It's in great condition and they claimed it had never been used.
I started with a dress that my MIL just made for the nerdlet which she stained on her second or third wearing (in the first two weeks).
Then I downloaded a freebie from GG Designs Embroidery.
I love how it came out and now want to applique on everything in the girls' closet.
In other news, I went garage sale shopping today. I found this really cool website that allows you to plot a number of different garage sales and it will print out the directions to each from one to the next. It lets you choose from about 50 cities, and since Austin and San Antonio are choices, I think I'll be using it again. I don't go very often, but when I do, I think this will make it less hit and miss. We also hit ones that weren't on my list that we found on the way.
My mom and I had a blast, though we didn't buy much. I did find a mini trampoline with a bar that will be great for Chloe's therapy in learning how to jump, which I read about in one of the book on Ds I read (I think one of the Woodbine ones, but I'm not positive). My mom said I was wrong because I bargained $10 off of it, but my original intention wasn't to bargain but to explain why I wasn't going to buy it. I feel a little guilty but have been rationalizing by saying they didn't have to come down off the price. It's in great condition and they claimed it had never been used.
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