7-ELEVEN

Next week there is a Grand Opening Celebration close to my heart.

7-ELEVEN click here

I have always lived by a 7-eleven. Growing up, my dad would take my sibilings and I to get a slurpee about once a week, maybe more, maybe less. I have continued to get slurpees on a regular basis. My children know the store and flavors well. I even had cravings, while pregnant with Michael for my beloved frosty beverage. And so it is with great enthusiasm that I share 25 cent slurpee day at the Madera store.

About that time!

We went to the doctors on Friday for our ultrasound. This was the most in depth, ultra detailed ultrasound we have ever had. It was such a great learning experience. After 45 minutes and an earlier sneak peek, we finally found out that we are having a BOY! The umbillical cord was all balled up when the doctor was actually trying to show us, but he knew from the earlier opened legged shot exactly what it was. Darren actually caught it before they were ready to go there when they were just trying to get the legs. Stupid me, I had to ask a question, so I was distracted and didn't see the full shot.

I..just..can't..make..it..

Apparently it is too far to get to Michael's room from the couch. I went into his room, to put the comforter and pillow back on his bed, waiting for him to follow. He said he was tired and wanted to go to bed, so this wasn't a defiance thing. This is the living room about 15 feet from his bedroom door.


He doesn't take naps anymore. Bed time comes a little faster than it used to and has always been an easy task. Once his head hits the pillow, I think I have about 45 seconds to say good night and I love you in hopes of getting a response before he is snoring. That's right he snores. He always has. Most moms wake in the middle of the night just to check if their infant is still breathing. For me it was when the snoring stopped that I would get panicked. I didn't learn the basic anatomy of a downs kid till we visited the ENT for the first time. Michael's face is set back about a half and inch compared to a typical kid. How much of a difference would this really make some people wonder. Well, best example would be, a normal straw versus a cocktail straw. Pour a table spoon of veggie oil through a cocktail straw and see how much longer it takes to get the whole thing through compared to a regular straw. Now imagine trying to suck air through that and how much harder it would be. Same goes for his ears and throat. That's why he is sick for longer and snores.

Getting crafty

While Michael is at school, Lily and I try to come up with fun things to do. This time was face painting. It didn't suprise me that she would like something like this because she likes make up, paint and colors, so why not put it on your face. We did a butterfly and a ladybug. When we picked Michael up from school, everyone thought we had been somewhere and nope, moms just a little nutty. When Michael came out of class he was fixated on Lily's face. "whats that?" he repeated the whole way home. When we got home Lily offered Michael some face paint. This is funny to me that he was so excepting because he doesn't like anything out of the ordinary to touch his head. He kept telling me "no ears, all done" (We have been talking about going to the ENT and he is not excited) So I opted for the easiest and fastest way to paint his face. I got one good green dot with a round sponge brush and when I went back for the touch up with a regular brush, the look he gave me was like "hey, what the heck do you think you are doing!" I had to switch back and then go to the otherside. After almost a half hour, we had finally finished Mike Wazouski from Monsters Inc., and Nemo from Finding Nemo. After that he was a happy camper and showed everyone we saw for the rest of the day and was sad when they had to get washed off. (Smarty me, lotion before I put on the paint would have been a good idea. Michael's one cheek was stained green for 2 days and Lily's purple.)
Now would this be the end of our face painting... Nope. A week later, Lily told me as I put her to bed pinching her cheeks together, "Tomorrow you paint my face,... Hearts" again while Michael was at school we did this again. This time Michael was too terrified to let me near his face, but was pleased to show off his sisters.

Pinkalicious!

Lily likes pink! Shocker right? She's a girl and I mean that in every sense of the word. We got some new church dresses that she picked out. Each dress had pink of course. Now for the shoes. We had to get something to match, although she has black they don't go with much of her wardrobe. I went with the idea that white goes with everything, Lily had a better idea. She said "akly (her word for actually) mom, I like pink." This I have figured out... and she was right. She had picked out the perfect color to match each dress. Pink was the winner. So we went to take some pics at the studio in her new dresses and pink shoes. She was ecstatic to wear them but refused to have her picture taken, so sadly, none of this beautiful occasion. However, the pink shoes go with everything according to Lily so... she wears them with everything.

Haircut!

Ahh.... I feel human again. It's amazing what just a trim and a little shaping can do to your hair and your head. I feel so refreshed and presentable. Some may wonder who a stylist goes to for their hair. Most who work in a salon go to someone in that salon. I however don't work in a salon, so I go to my friend Jena at Play Hair Lounge. I don't do her justice when I style it myself afterward, but she makes me feel pretty again. My brother even noticed! Lily asked if I got my hair cut and if I cried like Michael. No, I reassured her that even mommy likes getting a haircut like Lily.

New things

Things are always changing here, even if I say "nothin' new". Lily is ever so talkative, sometimes making me wonder why I ever wanted a baby genius or to hear my name spoken by such a tiny voice. It is a beautiful thing though to carry on a conversation with a 2 year old, ever wonder what they are thinking, she will gladly tell you! So when I dislocated her elbow last Wednesday and she screamed at me that she needs to go to the doctor because "lily broken" I took her and he taught me how to pop it back into place because this has happened a couple of times (she has a loose joint, common in young kids). She is also a good mom to Michael, telling him what to do and helping him do everything. "One... Michael say One! Good job buddy" They made me laugh when she got to 3 and said 6 instead and he told her "no 3" and she responded with "UGH Michael!

I was so excited when we went to the park the other day, he walked up to a little girl and introduced himself and asked if she wanted to play with him. To some this may seem to simple and not really note worthy, but in our Michael world, this is a huge accomplishment for him. Since he turned 5 at the start of the year, Michael seems like a totally different kid, between his interaction with others, his speech booming, and his rocketing height (almost 40" thank you very much), I feel like he's such a big boy! He told me tonight that he wants his favorite "frieschicken", (that's right one word) but not just that, he wanted me to go to the store and get it. That means he wants McDonalds or Carls, not our microwave goodness.

They also make me aware, often, that I have a baby in my tummy. Michael pats me and says "hi baby" and likes to listen to the heart that he can't really hear. Lily, I told her i have a funny in my tummy and she was quick to remind me "no a baby, Mom"