Circles

Avery loves to draw circles.  Sometimes, we call them “O”s, sometimes it’s “zeros” but really, they’re all circles, and he’s very good at making them.  When he works, his face tightens with concentration as his little fingers grip the pencil.  His tongue peeks out, a wisp of golden hair falls in his eyes. 

Honest Scrap, SheWrites, and other benefits of community

 

 

 

 

 

 

This place I’m dreaming of

When I was in my twenties and early thirties, before Tom and I had kids, we lived on a dryland wheat and cattle ranch in the eastern part of Montana.  It was 10,000 acres of sage and grass and sky and much to my surprise, I fell in love.  I loved the clean, crisp smell of the sage; I loved the seamless blue horizon; I loved the way eagles traced looping circles in the sky above.  It made me feel both very, very small and also impossibly big. 

Nothin’ says “summer” like S’mores

Spinning

Lately, Bennett has been giving Tom and me little performances in the evening, usually a combination of dancing and karate moves.  He twirls and then chops the air with the heel of his hand, or bends over and kicks his back leg up into a handstand.  By this time, Avery has joined him and they jump and spin all around until they become dizzy and fall down.  I always worry they’ll bump into each other, accidentally konking heads, or that a stray kick will land in someone’s eye. Especially, I worry about Avery.

How did this happen?

This is the longest interval between posts here at Pinwheels since I began scribbling down my notes and thoughts more than 2 years ago.  I want to say I don’t know how this could have happened, but really, I already know the answer.

Still more good things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good things

Here are a few good things I’d love to share, that have come across my desk (does anyone even have a desk any more?  I don’t know why I typed that.  I don’t have a desk…I have a basket on top of my microwave, which holds all my important papers, and my computer.  I suppose I should have typed “desktop”!).

And now we are 6

This is what six-years-old looks like at our house. And if you’re wondering why there are 12 candles on the cake? 

Down Syndrome New Mama

Here’s a new blog I just learned about that includes discussion about lots of topics of interest to parents of babies with DS, such as supplements, developmental toys, NICU stays, and best of all:  pictures of adorable babies! 

And if you know of any new blogs you’d like to share, leave the addresses in the comments and I’ll be sure to check them out, too.

It’s like a Whitman’s chocolate sampler

On Mother’s Day, Tom and the kids brought me flowers and a box filled with assorted chocolates: dark raspberry truffles and milk chocolate with peanut butter and cappuccino truffles and milk chocolate pralines.  These sampler boxes are just perfect when you want a little taste of, well everything!

Which is exactly how I feel about literary anthologies–of course, minus the calories.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here’s a beautiful new slideshow from Kurt Wilson of The Missoulian.  This is a post-surgery Avery, but you can see how busy, and active, and happy his recovery has been. 

And this is the link to the accompanying article by Vince Devlin, also of The Missoulian, who was with us the same day the photos were taken.

A beautiful gift of love and time…

is here.  It’s from CJ, one of my very early inspirations when I was thinking about beginning a blog.  And now, she’s inspiring me all over again, with her wonderful and creative way of reaching out across our nation and the world to spread Down syndrome awareness.

What am I talking about?

Meet Pip,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggs X3

Because of my newly-rediscovered love of spring, because of the extra-low prices on cartons of eggs, because of the goodness of my 3 boys, who just wanted to dye eggs this Easter, well all of these things are to blame for my most recent predicament.

I’m drowning in hard boiled eggs.

Hello, my blog!

It’s very quiet around here, lately, and for that I’m so grateful.  We had another appointment with the cardiologist last Friday, and at that visit, Avery’s heart looked so good that we’ve been released from the weekly checks.  In fact, we don’t have to go back for 6 months!

I love playing hide-and-seek with all the boys,

but I especially love playing it with Avery. 

Believing in Achieving Conference

My weekend involved, in no particular order: 4 plane flights, a blizzard, an unexpected 2 hour detour on a Glacier Charters bus, a wonky computer, a plastic baby doll in my suitcase as it went through the airport security X-ray, a few tears, some excellent questions, and laughter–lots and lots of laughter.

I love this!

Thank you, Connie!

The tale is told in the unpacking

I’ve been slowly removing items from the back of the car, things I’d thought we might need on our trip to Seattle, and with each box or bag, I’m realizing the car was packed by a crazy woman.

We’re home!

Isn’t that amazing?  That such a big thing could be accomplished in such a relatively short time? Avery is sitting on the couch watching Sponge Bob and bossing everyone around (very imperial) and I can’t find words big enough for how good it feels. 

The surgery was a success

and Avery has been moved from the CICU to the regular hospital floor.  I can’t thank you enough for the love and concern, it helped me so much, especially through the long afternoon of surgery yesterday, and the longer night in CICU.

Update on Avery

Hello everyone,

This is Jennifer’s faraway friend Rebecca. I just had the pleasure of talking with Jennifer in Seattle. Avery’s surgery was a success. Jennifer was very calm and collected, and wants everyone to know that even in her most nervous of moments she felt lifted by our love and prayers. She mentioned twice that the surgeon was happy guy, so happy that she felt assured that things went well.  She is waiting to see Avery who is in the ICU right now, and plans to kiss every inch of his body that isn’t covered in tape, lines, and wiring.

In the best case scenario they will be headed back home in about four days, provided that the baby steps to wean him off everything goes as planned. If Avery needs more time the stay could be extended. Jennifer will be calling with a report tomorrow after the doctors have made their rounds. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days as Avery recovers from surgery.

Thank you

Just last night, after Avery’s bath, when he was walking around in his underpants and refusing to put on his pajamas (it’s a stage, very defiant, can you believe it was annoying to me just last week?) Tom said, “It’s really going to break my heart, seeing the scar.”

Avery’s heart

Every post I’ve written since this one is about more than whatever I’m writing about: it’s about coming to terms with the recent news we’ve had about Avery’s heart.