Cole is 8!

Holy Cow!  I feel like life is at warp speed sometimes!  How is it that Cole is 8?  

His birthday was on a Sunday this year so he awoke to a quick present opening and then off to church.

He was so cute to his sisters.  He loved what they got him.  

Cole's friend party was scheduled on another day so we had the family over for a Brownie Ice Cream Sunday bar.

So pleased to be 8!

Cole's main present form us was his "dream set".  

A Ninjago set.

When this boy is on to something, he does not rest.  He is totally into this ninja Lego thing.

Naturally, he wanted a Ninjago party.

Since Ninjago is such a new series to Lego, I had to make up all the ninja stuff.  

I made this invite in photoshop.

Keegan, Nalu, Peter, Cole, Charlie, Frankie, Jonny. 

 Thankfully the week of Cole's party Target had a Ninjago sale and I bought the Ninja Cole set at $2.50 each for the party favors.  I love the sushi idea I found online.  Rice Crispy treats, Swedish fish and a fruit roll up.  All the boys devoured the treats and water.

Thanks to Fresh Market, they always do the BEST cakes for me for the best deal!  Remember this one? I tell them what I want and this is what I get.  For $20, an awesome ninja cake!  Cole LOVED it!  Jay (blue guy) is Cole's favorite ninja.  

Kevin as Sensi Wu had a fun Ninja training course.  Which lead them on a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood.  The boys loved it!  They each had to earn their Ninja mask.   

To make Lord Garmadon, I bought a smiley face pinata and spray painted it.

Their last stop on the scavenger hunt was to fight Lord Garmadon.  

It was a really fun party.  One I think Cole will always remember.  

Happy Birthday Cole!

We love you! 

A Club

Last fall I joined a local group for mothers of children with Down syndrome.  I have loved getting to know these mothers and feel an instant connection to them because our children share the designer gene-T21.  We have monthly play groups which usually take place while Cole and Sadie are at school.  

I haven't told my kids that Frankie has Down syndrome.  I didn't want them to worry or put a label on him.  I just wanted my children to know him and love him first.  I didn't want them to be afraid of Down syndrome.  I wanted them to experience it first and learn the joy of loving someone with Down syndrome.  As questions arise, I answer them honestly.  They have been so accepting of Frankie as he is.  Even with his "stuck together" fingers.  

Not knowing I was creating my own label for Frankie,  Cole asked me one day why Frankie was needing Physical Therapy.  I explained that since Frankie is a little bit special, he will be a little weak and slower at some things and PT will help him become stronger.  Well, "little bit special" seemed to stick with Cole and that's what he refers to Frankie as.  

During Spring Break I was able to take all my kids to the play group.  I was curious to see how they would interact.  Beforehand I explained to them that this is a play group for Frankie and his friends. 

Cole says, "Oh, you mean a little-bit-special kids like Frankie?"

Yes Cole. :)

We went to the play group and the kids had a great time playing with the other siblings who were also off for spring break.  After we left, Cole asked me if we would be able to see those friends again.  I was so happy they had a good time.  I told him, "Aren't we lucky Cole to have those friends?  If it weren't for Frankie I would never have met these nice Moms and their children.  How lucky are we to be apart of this fun group?"    

Cole thought for a moment and then said...

"Like a club, right mom?"

That's exactly right Cole!  How did you know?

I have felt part of a club since the very first play group I went to

"We often think that having a child with Down syndrome is like gaining membership to a secret club, a club you never knew you wanted to be in or even existed, but once you are in, you are so thankful that you were chosen."
Nicole Maher 

I'm so grateful that I get to experience this kind of joy and love.  

*****

Here is a play date I had at my home with Henry, who also has Down Syndrome and is 4 weeks younger than Frankie.

Henry lives just a few blocks away.  

He is such a happy and smiley baby!

So cute!

Henry also had Syndactyly like Frankie but on all fingers.  He has already had his surgeries on his hands and is doing well.  I'm so grateful to have made this connection with Henry and his Mom!    

Meeting smiley Henry made me realize that Frankie's seriousness is just his personality.  Cole was just the same.  We would have to do head stands to get him to crack.  He was as serious as a judge.

Friends.

Easter 2011

I know, I'm way behind.  

Better late than never right?

We had Easter at my SIL parents beautiful home.  

Cole, Luke, Austin, Kate, Sadie, Zach and MaryJane.

I love watching the kids hunt for eggs in their Easter clothes.

Nice crocs Cole.  There is always something, right?

Getting Frankie to look at the camera is quite the challenge.

Grandpa and Nana

Frankie is not quite sitting up on his own. 

Some how I managed to snap this while Kevin's hand was out view.  

Video: Frankie

Can you believe that this little boy is almost one?!  

I love all the faces he makes!

Here is proof that Frankie is not always so serious.  

He loves the changing table and I love trying to get him to smile.  

Highchair Redo

Finally, I got around to replacing our old Peg Perego Highchair Cover.

As you can tell after 3 kids, it was major yucko!

The replacement covers are $60, so my options were to either by a new highchair for that same amount or make one.  Since I love how this highchair reclines and has a 5 point harness I decided to make a new one.  I found a tutorial online here that inspired me to cut up the old one a create myself a pattern.

I found this darling laminated alphabet fabric at Piper's Quilts for $20 a yard. 

I love the idea of the laminated fabric because the covers I found on Etsy were made out of cotton fabric. I wanted something more wipeable.

I had some of the materials on hand so the total I spent on this was $30.   

I loved the way it turned out!

Not having a true pattern to follow was a little tricky but it was also fun to figure out.

It took me three tries to get the binding right.  But once I figured it out the rest went pretty smoothly.

Some parts would look a lot better if I had an industiral sewing machine.

But all in all it's suits the purpose well and it's cute.  

Frankie enjoys it too.

I know he's wearing a girl bib.  But when its your fourth, anything will do.  At least he's wearing a bib.

A Spring Break for Mommy

In April, Frankie and I took a little trip with my Mom out to see my Brother and his family in Costa Mesa, California.

It was a perfect little getaway for me!  Something I don't get to do very often.

Frankie was a great travel buddy!  He's so easy that my brother kept wondering if I had really brought a baby with me.  Frankie made no fuss at all!

I didn't take many pictures.  It was just so nice not to have to do anything. :)

We shopped at the beautiful South Coast Plaza Mall and ate at the yummy Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

Aunt Insun and Frankie.  He loves to touch faces.  I love that about him.

a borrowed pic from my brother's blog

My adorable nieces!  They loved Frankie!

While we were there, I got to help out with cute Olivia's birthday party. 

We made a tea pot cake like Sadie's.

Why is California so dreamy?  I loved walking off the plane at the Long Beach airport to be welcomed by that beautiful coastal breeze.  It just feels heavenly!  And thankfully my brother lives so close to the beach that I was able to enjoy that breeze my whole trip in their home with the windows all open.

After making a pit stop at the world best donut shop, we had a beach day at Newport which was again, heavenly!!  The perfect temp.  

So relaxing.  Frankie and my niece Sophie were lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean waves.  My favorite. 

I love Frankie's little "Sandal Gap" on his toes, a marker for Down syndrome.

I finally got a picture of this face he makes.  It just cracks me up!  When he does this, I call his name and his eyes will pop open all big, hello!  A total face transformation.  Ha.  

While I was gone, the kids got to stay home with their fun daddy who made them their personal hot tubs and let them build and sleep in a big fort.  Grandma was a big helper too.  

My flight got in so late that the kids were all asleep when I got home.  The next morning Frankie and I went to greet them.  I sat on the floor with Frankie on my lap and said "knock knock" on their fort door. They all jumped out and the second they saw Frankie they all exclaimed in unison, "FRANKIE!!!!!!!!!!!"  And they hovered around him repeating his name with excitement.  It was the cutest reunion ever.  Mommy who?

Thanks Nate and Insun for a great trip!  And also thanks to Stormy and Kevin for holding down the fort at home!  It was a nice treat!

A Flower Party

For Sadie's friend party, she wanted a flower party.  

I can't find the invitation to post. Darn.  

My kids have a friend party every year.  I grew up with the every other year thing, which is nice for the mother.  But I've given in to Kevin's motto of "they're only kids once" and "they won't want friend theme parties forever".  I hope the latter is true.

I didn't follow a color theme.  Just flower everything.  Sadie was really involved with the whole thing.  The flower buckets were from the $1 spot at Target.  I actually got them for 50 cents (long story). 

Having a spring birthday with a flower theme is really easy.  Flower decor is everywhere!  I bought silk flowers at the dollars store and made them into pens with floral tape as part of their party favor.

Kindergarten friends!

Lilly, Elle, Lucy, Ruby

Jane, Sadie, Leah, Cousin Kate and MaryJane 

MaryJane was very much apart of the party.  She really believes that these girls are all her friends too.

For our craft we made mini pom pom flower bouquets from napkins.  I had them all ready to be separated but I think they were a little on the hard side for them to make.  Some did just fine and others needed help.  

Once their bouquets were made they loved holding onto them.  

We played a little toss-your-bouquets-into-a-pot game and the girls got to choose a felt hair clip that I made for making the shot.

These were really easy and fun to make!

Sadie determined that there HAD to be face painting at the party.  Flowers.

Her face with that special birthday glow again.

A "pink flower cake with yellow in the middle".

There's nothin' like a homemade cake.  I love the look (and taste) of it.

My first attempt at buttercream frosting.  Yum!

I'm so bummed that I didn't have time to put ribbon in the cake stand.

It's a pain to do but looks cute in the end.

Sadie dreamed of having a "smash cake".

All her friends got a kick out of the idea.

After presents, cake and ice cream, we had a dance freeze party.  Lily gave Sadie that adorable masquerade mask.  A great way to wrap up a fun party.