Too funny!

I normally try to post flattering pictures of AnnaKate on this blog and I think there have been plenty...so forgive me as I post this funny one!!

One of AnnaKate's teachers texted me this picture today. Obviously, she was really worn out! She fell asleep during lunch!!

Supporting others

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to walk in two different events to support my friends. On Saturday, I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in honor of my good friend, Lori. It is was so special to walk with survivors as well as those currently battling this terrible disease.

On Sunday, AnnaKate and I participated in the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk. It was a beautiful day and another great way to support our friends with Down Syndrome. Anne and Marcy did a fantastic job organizing the walk.

AnnaKate giving her friend, Sarah, a high five!

Anne is so creative...Go Team Archie!
Anne, John and Archie

Just had to add this one in...

AnnaKate really got into wearing her sunglasses this weekend! What a ham!!

What did you do fun this weekend?

Favorite Photos

These are my favorite photos from this week.

AnnaKate is sleeping better but we are having problems with her waking up and wanting us to come and rock her. I don't want to go down this path so we have had some screaming-filled nights. October is going to be a crazy busy month--AnnaKate needs to sleep!! :)

Happy Fall

In honor of the first day of fall tomorrow, we had a special fall dinner celebration. Cassie and I have discussed on our walks how much we love fall and I think we have been looking forward to the crisp fall days since June! So tonight Billy, AnnaKate, Cassie, Dave, Taylor and I celebrated with a special dinner consisting of an apple and goat cheese salad, rosemary-garlic bread, butternut squash soup and a pumpkin crisp. We all had so much fun! Welcome fall!










One of the many great things I have learned from my friend Anna is to write in your cookbooks. It was so hard for me at first to do it but it turns the cookbook in to a memory book of sorts. Each time you turn to that recipe you are reminded of a special time when you made it. When I pulled out my favorite Susan Branch cookbook to make the Butternut Bisque I was reminded of Halloween 2002 when I made the soup for Billy and Cathy.


If you have never made Butternut squash soup, you need to make this one!
Happy fall!!

All better

I am knocking on wood as I write...All Better. It has been a rough week or so. AnnaKate's tonsillectomy really was tough for her to recovery from. We had lots of sleepless nights, rocking and crying (AnnaKate and me :). But today she really seems back to her old self!! Yippee!!!

Today AnnaKate and I met Cathy and Emerson downtown for Art in the Park. It was a good test for me to see how AnnaKate was feeling and if she was really ready for school on Monday. She did great! It was a perfect day and we all had fun.





*Do you notice anything about the pictures? They were taken with my new Nikon D60!! :)

Limited Edition continues...

I promise I will get back to posting about our dear sweet angel, but this is too good not to blog about!

Last year, a few coworkers and I got addicted to Sierra Mist Free Cranberry Splash. It is another one of those silly limited edition things that can only be found around the holidays. Amanda called me yesterday to share the exciting news that she found some! So while it is rainy here, my child is at home recovering, one student is pitching a fit...it does not matter-I am drinking a Sierra Mist Free Cranberry Splash!! Life is good! (It is the little things...right?!?)

Limited Edition strikes again...

As I said in a previous post that when a company puts Limited Edition on an item my heart immediately begins to pound. I get the "It is now or Never" mentality. I just have to have the item because it may be gone soon. Well, Dansko had a limited edition pair of clogs last year and I did not get them. I even looked on Ebay but they always went for too much. Today, I walked into a shoe store and there they were...they seemed to click their heels when they saw me coming. Dansko has put the Limited Edition Confetti clogs back on the market. (So why are they called limited edition I ask????)

I left the store without the precious clogs and told Billy about my find. Like the great husband that he is...he turned the car around and said, "Please go buy the shoes." So....I am the proud, very proud owner of my Limited Edition Dansko confetti clogs. And to all of the advertising people, the limited edition strategy works very well!! :)

Lil'Bug

My mom brought AnnaKate the cutest ride-on toy,a Huffy Lil'Bug. Even though she is a little under the weather, she enjoyed it. This is the first ride-on toy that she can push herself. I think this is great therapy for her and hopefully will help with her stability and learning to walk.

The video at the bottom cracked me up! Just watch it and you will see why... :)

AnnaKate is feeling better and better each day. She is still taking pain medicine and we are trying to take it easy. I think she is really beginning to enjoy all of the attention, Maisy videos and visitors!!

We are home

We are home from the hospital. Last night was rough. AnnaKate wanted to be held a certain way all night. I complied because she deserved it but I did not get to sleep. So we are all trying to catch up today. She is eating and drinking well. Headed out to the pharmacy to get the special lollipops to numb her throat. Thanks for all of your kind responses...we are so lucky to have you!!

Doing Fine!

Well, the tonsillectomy is over and recovery has begun. My blogging friends had warned me that this was the tough part...and they were right! No anesthesia or breathing tube issues related to RTS and that is what is most important! Miss AK is such a good child and has done really well for this type of procedure but it has been a rough day. She is really cranky (who wouldn't be...) and not easily soothed. Makes me reminiscent of the baby days and I personally did not need to remember those days! :) She has watched way too much Maisy and eaten lots of yogurt and pudding...but I guess that is what recovery is about. She is sleeping soundly now and I hope that it will continue through the night. Hopefully we will be home by lunch tomorrow.
Enjoy the pictures. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Before surgery...enjoying a little Maisy!
In recovery

Feeling better...wacthing MORE Maisy!
Tuckered out...zzzzzzzz
Getting in a little reading.
Yes....more Maisy (we had to what we had to do)...check out "passies" in each hand.

Tonsillectomy Time!

The time is here for the long awaited tonsillectomy! Thank goodness AK's surgery was moved up to 7:30am...it was going to be a challenge to keep her happy without food until 12:30pm.
Thanks for all of your prayers. We have our bags packed and most importantly our new Maisy book, Maisy Goes to the Hospital!

Test Driving a New Camera

I had a ball "test driving" a new camera this weekend. It is a Nikon D60 that is amazing! What do you think? (Call Billy and tell him I need it for a "surprise" Christmas present!!! he-he )

Growing so fast.....

Up to this point, I have never uttered those words about AnnaKate. She is just the most petite little girl and she stayed a baby for so, so long. But she really seems to be growing up so fast! Physically, she is still little (22.5 lbs) but she is really getting taller. Developmentally, things have really been "clicking" for her. She is communicating so much more. She can wave hello and bye-bye, sign yes, more and finished. I love to watch how she is interacting more with other children and really seems so aware of what is around her. She is trying so hard to walk. She will push just about anything around the house as her walker...chairs, boxes, etc. It is so fun to see her figuring things out on her own and expressing her likes (an dislikes) for things. AnnaKate is at such a fun stage and I am happy to say that she is "growing so fast"!


On another note, I spoke with the anesthesiologists today regarding AnnaKate's tonsillectomy next week. He had done some research on RTS and felt good about her surgery. It is a good sign that she has previously tolerated the anesthesia. So we are on for September 10th around lunch time!