Update

(see previous post first)SIDENOTE: Bree's Halloween outfit for preschool today...they don't dress up, they were just supposed to wear orange.

Ok so yesterday I went to Bree's dance class to observe and for the first half of the class, I was SO proud of my girl! I was SO happy as I watched her walk right in and find her x on the floor, then when the teacher called them over to do the circle, a cute little girl went and took Bree's hand to bring her over to the circle with her. Bree did EVERYTHING the other girls were doing. She pointed and flexed and stretched and even said the words with them and in between everything Bree would look back at me and just smile! She knew how well she was doing and I was SO proud of her! She followed every move the teacher was teaching to their dance and then totally did the playback afterwards! It was awesome and SO cute to see her trying so hard and doing what the other girls were doing. Then the second half of the class was individual turns...the girls all stood on one side of the room and then one by one they would dance across the floor to the other side. Bree loved it when it was her turn and she did well when it was her turn but she didn't understnad how to wait for her turn, she just wanted to keep going over and over. So I stepped in and helped her wait. The teacher and I decided that if she had someone there to help direct her like this, mainly on the waiting turns part, it would probably work. So I am going to take Kyra back next week and teach her what to do with Bree and then we are going to have Kyra stay each week and help Bree. I really think that if Bree has this one on one help, she will figure it out and be fine(I hope). It was so cute to see a couple of the girls being so kind to Bree. The one who had helped hold her hand, kept coming and sitting by her and wanting a hug, so then a few other girls saw that and came and asked Bree to give them a hug. It was really cute! And Bree didn't try to hit or push one time while I was there. I was very impressed with Bree and so proud of her!! I hope this new plan will work out!

Holland anyone?

In the world of down syndrome this is a popular poem and comparison about what it is like to have a child with down syndrome (or special needs for that matter)

Welcome to Holland

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Emily Perl Kingsley

Last week I had one of "those days" where being in Holland, didn't seem fair. Bree has been having some issues in dance classs , a little hitting phase, invading other girls personal space, and one day she kept trying to run out of the classroom, so the teacher emailed me saying that she might not be able to keep Bree in the class. So of course I cried. I cried because I look at my sweet Bree and I know how amazing she is and I know that she CAN do this, she just need s a little more direction and help, and I want others to see that and give her that chance. I cried because I don't want her to not be liked my the other girls because they don't understand why she acts this way.I cried because I knew this is only the beginning of this heartaches and struggles.I understand where this teacher is coming from because she has a big class of 3 year olds and so I can't blame her and I don't think she meant anything mean by this.So I am going to the class to watch today and I hope we can work something out that will keep Bree being able to attend because she LOVES dance and music. And then as I was struggling with what to do with all this, I had the opportunity to attend another primary (kids group) program at church. As the stake primary president, this is the best part of my calling, to get to see all these sweet children testify of Christ and share their amazing spirits. Well this one program in particular started out with a boy with special needs who is almost 12. He walked up to the pulpit, with the assistance of his teacher, and struggled to get the words out, He said "Jesus Christ lives"! I lost it....I cried hard! this boy had not spoken before until very recently so this was HUGE and his spirit was so pure it was tangible! And at this moment as I felt how close this child was to our Savior, I realized, this Holland journey is TOTALLY worth it and I am grateful to be here!

Pumpkin Patch in Idaho

While we were in Idaho visiting Whitney a few weeks ago, we went to this really cute pumpkin patch (Lexi's visit will not be in order but oh well)

Me, Lex and Whit
They had a cute corn maze that the kids had a great time going through



This picture series is funny....this first one is the best we got from Bree
She screamed through all the rest of them
and only Kyra could get her calmed down....
New little Grayson

Bree waiting for the train ride


I had to ride the train with them because I was afraid Bree would jump off...it was fun squeezing in the little bench
Paige and Kyra

Whitney and Presley


K & A

It is amazing how we can live so far apart and only see eacch other every other year and we still pick up like we have never been apart! We had SO much fun together!!
After we gave Bree pretzels she perked up and we snapped a non-crying picture
The devious K & A pose
This one is dedicated to our moms! Their classic poses!
Dedicated to grandma Linda

Bree wanted to do the grandma Linda pose too!

31 for 21:Gathering of Angels

We had a really great time today with our down syndrome playgroup at our house! It was so much fun to meet people we have known via the internet but never met in person, and see people again who we have come to know through these groups, and meet new people! It is strange and wonderful at the same time, how you can have a room full of people who barely know eachother, yet we have this bond that makes us feel like family.....all because of an extra chromosome!The minute Lyla got there, Bree went running to her and insisted on holding her. Lyla is still not sure about Bree squeezing her so much
They both look a little "deer in the headlight"-ish
Bree and Max
Bree kept trying to hold Max too, only he is a little bigger than Lyla
Justin...right before the smiles came
Cute Jayne smiled right when I showed her the camera
We all loved how Macy was sitting and so glad to get to meet her and her mom! They traveled all the way from Canada to meet us! (ha ha, really they were visiting family here but we were SO glad it worked out to meet them)
Look at Justin cruisin around now! He looks great with the doll and pink shopping cart! He must have a house full of sisters!
LOVE Gage's cheeser!
We just visited and shared concerns, triumphs and experiences and it was so nice to feel like you are not alone in this journey. You realize that we are all "normal" happy moms, with normal happy families, that happen to include a child with down syndrome, and it makes you feel good to see just how "normal" it is to have a child with down syndrome. One mom and I were talking about how nice it is to be together and feel like your child is not the odd ball and to be able to look around at all these kids and moms who are just like you!

Amy and Frankie (as if I wasn't baby hungry enough and then you put all these cuties in my house and I am going crazy! It actually makes me want another baby with ds....you can't help but want to cuddle and smooch on them)

Bree and Macy shopping
A quick attempt to get the kids to all stay in one place
I think in the end we had 15 kids with DS there and then a few more siblings and it was wonderful!
Sammi and her mom, Amy showed up after the group pictures but we caught a few of Sammi and Bree playing their duets on the piano!
These two were ADORABLE together! I only wish we could have caught their hugging on camera! When it was time for Sammi to go, Bree hugged Amy and then Sammi and then Sammi hugged me and than Amy and then the two girls wrapped their arms around Amy and I (as we were each holding them) and we then instigated a big group hug and they just giggled! It was SO stinkin cute! Not to mention that Sammi won my heart when she walked into my house and flashed her beautiful smile and gave me a huge hug and she doesn't even know me! I loved it!

Porter and Meagann
Abigail
Abigail's twin sister Natasha....seriously we were all in heaven watching these two! How lucky are they to have eachother?!!
We partied Lyla right out!
Bree was quite proud of herself for getting her crown on by herself
Macy, Bree and Abigail
Heather also came after the group photo so we snagged her for this one! We missed those who couldn't make it today! Thanks ladies for a fabulous afternoon! I am totally ready to plan a moms outing next so we can visit even more!