A New Day is Dawning....

at least we hope she will witness the dawn from a new perspective.... a BIG GIRL BED.

She still is very happy in her crib. She has never really cried to get out. Each morning she lies there and patiently waits for us to get her up. She can easily climb in and out but never does except during the day when she goes in to rescue a doll or stuffed animal.

Of course, she is closing in on 5 years old so it is about time to give it a try. If we don't, she is going to have to start sleeping with her knees bent. We only have a couple of inches left to go! I guess the upside of this is that I really put to good use those crib sheets which I wasn't even sure I would need!

The crib is moved, bring on the bed!

Baba bringing in THE BIG GIRL BED

It looks like fun to her so far!

Wish us well! We will see how tonight works out.

A Busy Couple of Weeks

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Last weekend, we got to meet our FCC playgroup at BlueBird Gap Farm. We LOVE this place so to enjoy it with our new friends makes it an extra great day.
Daddy worked that day so we had the whole day together. After the farm we went to the gym, lunch, shopping and back to home to do spring cleaning in order to get her room ready for the incoming big girl bed.
This week she was adamant about making "foamies for Ganny!". After dinner she spent about a half an hour pouring all her energy into her art project. Ganny- don't peek, it is coming in the mail to you!



This weekend, I went to the NASCAR race in Richmond. Elizabeth was helping with the collection of items for my trip (except I would never wear THAT hat, sorry Mark Martin, she is too young to know better!)

Yesterday, it started pouring on our way home from our Special Olympics Swim Meet and picnic. We decided to take a few minutes and dance in the rain! That smile just lights up my entire world!!!

Just a random picture of my pretty girl!

I love her like crazy cakes!!!!

Bound and Determined....

to turn the lights off while mommy is reading the newspaper! Good thing those socks have the treads on them!

Just for Fun

Easter weekend

We had a wonderful holiday. We had the opportunity to travel to Delaware to see my family. It has been a long time since I spent Easter at home.

Before we left we spent some time with Uncle Max making Easter Egg Cookies! Both had a great time! Elizabeth loves "party cake" aka sprinkles so this was quite the experience!

Saturday morning, we got up and went to my parents favorite joint for breakfast. We then went to the mall to see the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny has received far less hype than Santa so I don't think Elizabeth realized that you sit on this huge bunnies lap! She refused at first but I am not above bribery so we headed straight for the Disney store to buy something Mickey. No surprise that she then sat with EB! I haven't scanned those pictures in yet. Saturday afternoon E's cousin Domi came down so the girls could decorate Easter Eggs.

Those scooper tools only work to keep your hands clean IF you use them!

Such determination! Her belly still has the pink stain!

Domi enjoyed coloring her eggs and was happy to show off her work!

Saturday was also our 6th wedding anniversary so my parents took us all out to dinner. After we got E off to bed and we ran an errand to the grocery store we stopped by a local tavern for a celebratory toast! It was the first time we had been a restaurant by ourselves in a year. It was a real treat even if it only lasted 45 minutes. Thanks Mom and Dad for keeping your ears open for her so we could escape for a few!

Saturday night, the Easter bunny came. Elizabeth loved her Easter basket full of treats. We tried to explain to her about finding the eggs but she just didn't get it at first. We practically had to point directly to eggs that she walked right past in plain view. After about 4 eggs, she got it and tore around looking for them.

What chocolate goodness so early in the morning!

Baba and Lizzy!

After our hunt, we went to church with my Aunt and Uncle. My aunt sung in the choir which did a special performance for Easter. It was wonderful! After church we went back to their house for lunch. It was then back home for a Daddy-style Easter Egg Hunt (plastic eggs in the yard). Both Domi and Elizabeth found lots of eggs, unfortunately my camera decided it was nap time.

Elizabeth with her Poppy

My sweet nephew, Baby Gabe

Mommy and Elizabeth

Aunt Janet and Elizabeth

Elizabeth and her Gammy

My beautiful Sunshine!

Happy Easter baby! I love you like crazy cakes!

PS. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

A Great Weekend

I have finally recovered from a great weekend! Laundry has been caught up so now I can share a few pictures.

Saturday, our friend Fin came over to go to and Easter Egg Hunt at our church. Elizabeth had a bit of a difficult time at first but then settled in and had alot of fun. I enjoyed having Fin's mommy to hang out with!

Fin showing off her haul!

Elizabeth trying to keep that egg on her spoon!

Taking a break after the big hunt. The pressure was HUGE!

In the begining, Elizabeth was still deciding if she was going to have a good time.

One cool chic~ I think the pastor called her a DIVA!

On Sunday, Elizabeth dressed in her pretty dress for Palm Sunday. This is her "Happy Face"
After church we had a surprise visit from our friends. They have adopted a Baby M! We are sooooo happy for them. They were traveling from the state she was born in to their home up North so they stopped in to visit and let us have a few minutes to meet and love on Baby M! She is tiny!!! You can just see the joy on my friends face. I am so happy a baby has joined their home. The will be fantastic parents!

Introducing Little Miss M! Oh my, the seat buckle is bigger than she is!

As soon as they left, we headed out the door to Busch Gardens. We got season passes. Elizabeth had a ball! We weren't too sure since she tends to be a nervous nellie but we did about 6 rides and she enjoyed all of them. It holds great promise!!!! To make it an even better day, we went with some friends whom we really enjoy spending time with.

A little Gatorade to engerize me!!!

The Dads!!!

Now a little popcorn break in New France!

I LOVE the swings.

If I must.....

After we left the park we headed to Pierce's BBQ. While the Dads got dinner (which took about 45 minutes) the girls ran and ran and ran around in the yard. We had a picnic dinner by the dim of the parking lots. All in all, breaking bread with friends for dinner was a great way to end an absolutely wonderful weekend!

Be A Fan

Special Olympics is my passion. Special Olympics is my vocation. (How lucky am I!) I believe will all that I am that people with intellectual disabilities have value. I believe they have value to their famly, their school, their place of employment, their neighborhood and their community. I was blessed many years ago to have been told that I had to attend a Special Olympics practice as part of a college club that I belonged to. It forever changed my path. Today, I work for Special Olympics. I volunteer for Special Olympics. I call many people with intellectual disabilities my friends. I am lucky to be guardain of Max, a wonderful man with Down Syndrome. Elizabeth LOVES her Uncle Max without any regard to his differences. To her, he laughs, he can carve a great pumpkin and can make some really good dinner!! We will continue to make Special Olympics athletes a normal and regular part of her life. I hope she will be part of a new generation who will understand that words hurt. They hurt of they are said on a playground or on the Jay Leno show. Join me today to help eliminate the R-Word. Click www.r-word.org to make sign a pledge to stop using the R-word. Encourage your kids and the community around you to do the same. It is important to some very special people!!!



Special Olympics is changing attitudes where lessons of ability, acceptance and inclusion are taught on the fields of competition by our greatest teachers – the athletes