It is not often

that toddlers stand staring up at the naked impaled bums of potatoes.

This was such a cute activity... would have been even better had the toddlers been able to reach the pieces for the potatoes!

(but that is what Mommy's and Daddy's are there for)

:)

"The Good Ones"

You guys know that I have my key phrases that I use for a variety of situations.

I have added a new phrase and I am starting to think I just need to write a survival guide for special needs parents.

My new phrase is, "the good ones".

This phrase began when I was so incredibly frustrated with a situation lately and I was venting to the director at Addie's school.

The phrase just came out of my mouth and stuck and then I realized just how many times I have said it since that first time.

I have said it concerning physician's, therapists, friends and other parents.

It is so very fitting and it basically sums up my thought process...

It is "the good ones" that work harder, strive further and go beyond what they feel their "job description" entails.

It is the good ones that I keep and that we surround ourselves with.

I personally hope that I live up to the standards that I expect from others.

This is not a negative post

This is an informational post.

An informational post about what we encounter all the time....

For starters - please notice the smile that is plastered on my face.

Chunky Monkey wanted to get into the car with this little girl, so I helped Monkey up into the car.

This little girl immediately acted like my little Monkey had the plague.

Since Monkey got into the car and thought she had to invade the little girls space, I moved Monkey over to her own side of the car and sat her on the bench.

It was at this moment that the little girl looked at me and said,

"she has a small head".

With that same plastered smile on my face I looked at the little girl and said,

"Yes, she does and she is still beautiful".

That was the conversation ender and the little girl left...leaving the little Monkey by herself in the car.
I am still trying to decide what type of t-shirt the little Monkey needs in order to display the quote:

"Carrier Monkey"

I think it should be in rhinestones on top of cottony soft blue fabric.

(Chris was on the other side of the little wall taking pictures and had no idea that he was capturing the little episode.)

(Yes, I know kids are kids and they have no filter...I just don't get why kids think she has cooties. I mean really...what the heck?)

Typical? You bet!

I don't know who ordered up this weather for Memorial Day weekend, but it is just horrible!

We had all intentions of spending the day at "our" pool today and going to a friends house on Monday.

The weather was just irritating today. We were stuck in the house all day until 6:45 when the weather finally broke. I grabbed Addie and decided to head to the pool for an hour.

I realize that it was way too close to bedtime and so Addie was crabby. She did fairly well after she got into the water and played for a few minutes, but when it was time to go...

life fell apart.

Addie started fussing, screaming and saying, "no".

I went over to her, picked her up, looked her firmly in the eyes and told her,

"please don't be one of those children".

:)

The whole time all I could think was "how typical".

Aaahhh...life is good!

100% Certainty

I can say with 100% certainty, that Mr. Potato Head and the Chick-Fil-A Cow are evil.

Not as evil as clowns or scarecrows, but pretty high up on the demonic scale.

We had a great time visiting The McWane Science Center today...

just as long as we didn't get too close to Mr. Potato Head...

or the cow.

Just a bit of information and a great recommendation

Most of you have read before that I don't broadcast our entire lives on the blog, there is quite a bit that I keep private

Part of the information that I have kept private is the hard, hard work that Addie's daycare, awesome therapist and I have put into trying to get her ready to move up to the next classroom at school.

This is a process that started over seven months back and we are still not there yet.

It is a painful and difficult process.

Part of that process includes Chris and Me buying any type of item that is needed to adapt the new classroom to fit Addie's needs.

One of those adaptive items is a potty stool.

I took major issue with the thought of Addie having to use metal handrails - it just felt too "institutional" (if that makes sense), so I looked far and wide for the perfect item and found what I was looking for on Amazon.

We finally received the potty stool on Monday and after we put it together and put it into the powder room, it took Addie all of three minutes to figure it out.

I let her try it the first time and my silly baby girl didn't understand that she wasn't supposed to try to step UP onto the potty, so I had to redirect her and show her how to take her right hand and put it on the left rail along with her left hand and turn around.

Then came the process of getting onto the potty.

I will leave out the boring particulars, but I have two reasons for sharing this story.

~ I try to remember each day not to take for granted how easy it is for me to stand, sit, walk and turnaround. It is an effort and sometimes a struggle for Addie - it is heartbreaking.

~ If any of you are looking for the perfect potty stool to use for potty training or just as a "safety net" for your toddlers, I have found the perfect one! See below for the information for anyone interested!

Now that Chris and I have purchased one for daycare and feel it will work perfectly, now we have to buy three more for our house!

We use The Potty Stool in combination with the BabyBjorn potty seat!

Just a little tip from a Mom who has spent months researching potty stools!

Here is a look at it before we put it into the powder room.

It is very well built, sturdy and the perfect size.

:)

Julien

Julien left tonight for an almost three week vacation.

He will be hiking, rafting and camping in Utah and Colorado.

I ask that each of you please say a daily prayer for him until he comes back home safely to us June 13, 2010.

I will keep a reminder posted at the top of the blog.

Any updates that I make to the blog will be made below the reminder, so just scroll down to see the newest postings.

I know I ask an awful lot from you guys, but prayers are needed.

I am ever so grateful!