Growing Up

Baby Jayden

Jayden 2 yrs

I can still remember the night before Jayden was born, sleeping in our living room in the recliner having super annoying contractions all night long and going to the hospital in the early morning hours the next day.  I can remember waiting in the delivery room for the "show" to start.  Because my epidural had kicked in, I could have chilled out there forever if I needed to.  And then, 8 hours later, my first baby girl was born, making me a mommy......And now, almost 5 years later I am thinking about how those years have just flown by, almost like they never existed.

Jayden 3 yrs

Jayden 4 yrs

Jayden was my first baby, the little girl that I always knew I wanted.  SHE made me a mommy, and gave me my dream that I had dreamt of forever.  She is my mini me.  Beginning with the crazy, wild hair, all the way to the fly off the handle attitude.  We spent the first 3 years of her life as side kicks, partners in crime.  We did everything together, just the two of us.  She truly is my best friend.  I have had an amazing time growing and learning about motherhood with her.  She has always blown me away by how smart and independent she is for such a little girl.  Of course there are days where she thinks she is back to being a baby again, but there are days where I swear she's an adult trapped in an itty bitty body.  I can't believe how in just 1 year I will be sending her off to kindergarten!  All day!  All by herself!  Where someone else will be watching over her for the bigger part of her day!  And then it's all down hill speed  from there!  I love that my baby girl is growing up, I really do, but there is still that part of me that wants to keep her little.  I want to be her everything, forever.

Jayden 4 yrs 8months :)

Baby Sophia

Then there is Sophia.  She is about to turn 2 in a little over one month!  I can't believe it!  I feel like it was just yesterday that we were celebrating her first birthday, and I couldn't even believe one year had passed at that time.  Sophia didn't make me a mommy, but she definitely made me a better mommy.  I can still remember everything about Sophia from the time she was born till now, and it blows my mind away to realize how much she has grown.  She has accomplished so much and has overcome more obstacles then most 2 year old toddlers, to become the strong, growingly independent little person that melts my heart every time I look into those blue eyes.

Sophia 1 yr

There have been moments where I worried about Sophia and the fact that she would most likely meet her developmental milestones later, possibly much later, than Jayden for instance.  I worried about her not doing things on time as her peers, or still lugging her around on my hip at 2 years old, but the truth is, I am LOVING every minute that I still get to hold my little baby girl and love on her and teach her and watch her grow, at a slower pace.  Sophia is definitely growing up and getting bigger and doing LOTS of new things, but it isn't flying by like I felt it did with Jayden.  And who knows, one of these days Sophia may just take off like a rocket and flash right by me, but for the moment I am enjoying every minute that I get to keep her as my "baby."

Sophia 1 yr. 10 months :)

Before I was a mom, I couldn't wait to have babies.  Then I had a baby and I couldn't wait for her to walk and talk and be a toddler.  Then I couldn't wait for her to become even more independent and start doing things more for herself, like using the potty and getting dressed.  Then you think about school and sports and what they'll be like as they get older and how much freedom you'll have again once they fly the nest, but then I catch myself thinking about how nice all of these things will be, especially on stressful days, but the truth is I just want to keep them under my wing forever, because without them I feel lost.  I hope my girls will not necessarily need me forever, but I definitely hope that they will want me forever!
   

Sophia, Jayden and Mommy (a few weeks after Sophia was born)

   

Right planet, right child

I was reading this article the other day and it got me thinking about life and people and Sophia.  I see Sophia, just like I see Jayden, as ALMOST perfect.  Of course my girls have flaws, we all do, but they are as close to perfect as you can get, in my opinion, which tends to be a little biased. :)  I look at Sophia and always see Sophia first.  I never look at her and see Down syndrome first.  I sometimes wonder if people can look at her and see her different physcial characteristics yet, because to me that's just how Sophia looks, that's all I've ever known, and I think she is beyond beautiful!

I try not to let myself get caught up on the things that Sophia "should be doing" at 2 years old, and for the most part I don't.  I enjoy and celebrate everything that she accomplishes no matter how small it may seem to the "typical parent."  Sophia is already destined to be great, I truly believe that.  I don't know exactly what her future holds, but I know that she was sent here, to this crazy world, to do something spectacular and I'm just here to enjoy the ride with her.  I know that this world is far from perfect.  And I know that Sophia will be judged and teased and laughed at throughout her life, so was I, and Jayden will be too.  And that breaks my heart that my kids will have to go through parts of their life where they aren't accepted by certain people, or that their feeling will be hurt by ignorance, but MY GOALS for MY KIDS are to teach them to love, respect and accept everyone, no matter what.  I can't change the world or the people in it, but I can influence both my girls to be strong and respectful and live their lives to the fullest, and never let anyone stand in their way!  They both were meant to be here, on this planet, and they both deserve to be here.  I hope that together we can all make a difference in this world, that it's okay to be different, whatever that means, and that is what will make our world perfect!

T-Ball: First Game of the Season

We signed Jayden up for T-ball a while ago and tonight was her first game.  T-ball consists of 3 and 4 year olds and Jayden's team is IBEW, Randy's local union hall.  They've had practice for the past few weeks and did pretty well for their first game.  Each team gets to bat twice and field twice in a game, letting everyone on the team bat and run the bases.  Jayden really seems to enjoy playing and I'm glad to see her taking an interest in sports.  Whether or not she'll want to play again, just like basketball, it's something she can call her own and keep her moving and burning off ALL THAT ENERGY that she has plenty of! 

Randy, the assistant coach, covering 2nd base

Number 2, Jayden, running to 2nd

Good Job Jayden!

Waiting to run to third

SCORE!

What a cute little t-ball player :)

Keeping a close eye on the game.  (She put her hat on backwards all on her own?)

Getting ready to field

Team IBEW in the field

Coming back in to bat

Getting ready to bat, with a little sun in the eyes.

SWING!

RUN...

RUN...

SAFE!

sweetness

rain puddles

Rainy days make me think about being lazy, watching movies and taking naps, but then I remember I have two little nonstop munchkins and none of that is EVER going to happen.  So instead we go crazy inside until the storm passes and then we head out to play in the puddles left behind from the rain :)

teeny, tiny, artist

Coloring is something that Sophia just started doing one day while Jayden was coloring and it is a great passion of hers now!  She loves to color and she actually holds the crayon or marker fairly well and scribbles back and forth several times and then of course she always has to try and get a taste of it.  I see a masterpiece coming out sometime in the future with Sophia's name written all over it! 

She's a Climber

Sophia's up and down anything that will hold steady enough for her to climb on. She's still a little oblivious to where she's at when she's climbling and sometimes looks like she may just scoot her bottom backward off the step or chair, but she has definitely mastered her climbing abilities.

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