Less Than Two Weeks!

Summer, as we know it, is quickly coming to an end. With school starting again in less than two weeks, I'm wondering how much more fun we can squeeze into the last days of summer break.

My kids have been plenty busy this summer, with camps, play dates, VBS, birthday parties, and typical every day kid stuff. We've played soccer and kickball and baseball in the backyard; we've captured lightening bugs and stayed up late watching movies. With the cooler-than-normal weather, we've not been to the pool as much, but the mild temperatures (low 80s in July in Ohio!) have made it more pleasant to spend a day at the zoo.

With at least one more big activity planned (a day at an amusement park), I think my kids would agree that they've enjoyed a great summer. I'm hoping our transition back into our school schedule will be an easy one; or, if nothing else, an uneventful one. The kids are excited to get back to school, and I'm more than ready to be back on a "normal" schedule.

Here's to a lovely last 12 days of summer...but who's counting?

Announcing: Team Alex's City BBQ Fundraiser!

It's time to focus on the next fundraiser for Team Alex!  On Monday, 8/4, we are partnering with City BBQ to raise money for Team Alex; we will get 25% of our purchases!

If you are local and can join us, we would love to see you there. If you are not local, or can't participate, we'd love it if you could help us spread the word.  Be sure to bring this flyer:

The 2014 Columbus Buddy Walk will be here before we know it!  Thanks so much for your continued support of Team Alex!

Silly String

Who knew silly string could be so fun?

After seeing many colorful cans of the stuff at the craft store last week, Addie asked if we could get them for her birthday sleepover. My initial reaction was the same I always give when the kids want me to buy silly string: "No way." But, after a second thought, I reconsidered and starting throwing cans of it into our cart; you only turn eight once in your life, after all! Addie's eyes lit up as she realized that I changed my mind, and she happily started helping.

The girls at Addie's party had an absolute blast with it. It was too much fun to watch them running around in the backyard, spraying each other with the colorful strands of gooey mess, and listening to them shriek in delight. It was a great addition to her birthday celebration.

Today, we found ourselves back at the craft store for another errand, and we discovered that the silly string is now on sale, 60% off! What else could I do but load up with 10 cans of the stuff (two for each of us in the family), and then after a split moment's pause, I threw in four more cans to deliver to my niece and nephew (as we would see them later in the day).

Once everyone was home for the evening, we launched the most epic silly string battle in our little family's history. We had a ball, chasing each other down in the yard and taking aim, then covering everyone head to toe in the neon strings. We made a huge mess, but it was totally worth it. I'm hoping this is one of those special memories that the kids will hang onto as school begins and thoughts of summer drift away.

Reruns

I've been sitting here for over an hour, trying to figure out what to write about tonight. I really have nothing interesting to share, and I keep getting sucked in to the episodes of Full House that my kids are watching (school bedtimes start next week!).

Writer's block is the best remedy for an overflowing email inbox. To avoid writing this blog, I've caught up on most of my emails and Facebook messages. When that was finished, I posted on Instagram, tweeted about Full House (it makes me feel really old to hear the kids giggling over the show that I used to love as a kid!), and took a BuzzFeed quiz. Pathetic.

So now, I think I'm going to post this sad little entry and just head to bed. Maybe inspiration will strike tomorrow.

Family Picnic

We were fortunate today to spend time with our extended family. It was so fun to watch all the kids play together, hear their giggles, play baseball (that's going to hurt tomorrow, ha!), and just sit and laugh.

With everyone's busy family schedules, it's difficult for all of us to find time to share these celebrations. I'm so glad when everything falls in place and we can spend an afternoon or evening together.

I'm guessing the kids will sleep well tonight.

Strike One

It was bound to happen: I missed a post.

My first thought this morning was "Ididn'tpostabloglastnight!!". I was so tired, after four days of birthday celebrations for Alex and Addie, that I fell asleep before 11pm for the first time in months. I slept until just before 7am, when Alex began a lovely keyboard concert in the hallway outside my room.

Oh, well. After seven months of consistent posts, I guess missing one isn't that bad, especially since my plan for last night's entry was this:

I survived Birthdaypalooza 2014.

Giggles

Addie is celebrating her 8th birthday tonight with friends. They are such a well behaved group of girls! They are all getting along so well, and the house has been full of giggles all evening.

This is day three of Birthdaypalooza 2014; one more day to go!

Halfway

Alex had a terrific evening, celebrating his 10th birthday with buddies from school. He insisted that he could only invite boys (I think because Ad is having a sleep over for her birthday and therefore is only inviting girls...), and so he spent the party bowling and playing arcade games with his friends.

He had a couple of meltdowns during the party; I think the noise, lights, and excitement got to him a bit, but his friends stuck it out with him, and tried to coax him back into the party spirit. They were successful, and Alex ended up having quite a lot of fun. He has such a great group of friends, and I was happy to see that they appeared to be having fun, too.

So this brings us to the halfway point of Birthdaypalooza 2014.  Tomorrow, we switch gears to begin celebrating Addie's 8th birthday. She is beside herself with excitement, and I hope she has as wonderful a birthday celebration as Alex had.

Happy 10th Birthday, Alex

Today was a big day. My first born is now ten years old. Hard to believe, but here it is.

We celebrated by sharing ice cream with friends, opening presents, and going out to dinner (the "friend party" is tomorrow night!). I told him about all the lovely birthday wishes on Facebook (because, of course I had to post one or four thousand adorable baby photos!), and he beamed over each one.

On our way to dinner, Mark turned to Alex and asked "Al, who loves you?"

Alex began counting: "Mommy, Daddy, Addie, Andrew, Nana, Papa...all the people."

And it seems he is correct. So many people love and care about our Little A (which is what we called him when he was born), or Big Al, as he is better known these days. It is beyond heartwarming to see so many people taking a moment to wish him a happy birthday, whether it be in person, on Facebook or Twitter, or by phone.

It makes him smile. He loves his birthday. And I love to see this kid so happy. Thank you for being a part of his day.

Happy birthday, Big Al!

Taco Tuesday

Ugh. I was foolish enough to declare today Taco Tuesday before realizing that I am too stinking tired to put that much effort into making dinner. I tried to convince the boys that Mommy Mac was a better dinner choice, but they aren't having it. My sweet Addie was willing to go for the macaroni, but the boys are revolting.

So, apparently I either make the tacos or listen to the boys cry over the Taco Tuesday Fake Out for the rest of the evening. Decisions, decisions. They've already started the whining, and I really don't know that I could listen to it much longer.

Goodness. It's like they expect me to put a meal on the table three times a day or something. (Be careful, or a little sarcasm might drip down onto your keyboard.) I guess I'll haul myself into the kitchen and pretend to be domestically gifted. Wish me luck.

Lukewarm Coffee

We can probably all agree that Mondays are rough. Today was really no exception.

Our typical household chaos got off to a quick start, and I soon found myself with only 20 minutes left to shower before our sitter arrived. Not a problem; with three kids, I am able to get myself ready to go in no time. With 10 minutes to spare, I stepped out of the shower, only to discover that there were no clean towels. Fantastic.

And then the doorbell rang. Our sitter was early; panic ensued.  I grabbed the last washcloth in the cabinet and frantically tried to dry off with that. Super fun.

After using the world's smallest towel, I threw my clothes on, grabbed my coffee cup, and went rushing out of my bedroom to greet the sitter. Before I made it out the door, though, I collided with Alex, who was running in to announce the sitter's arrival.

What. A. Mess.

My hand flew up in the air upon impact, tossing a big spray of coffee straight up into the air, and I watched as it splattered on top of Alex's head. Two thoughts immediately crossed my mind: 1) I am glad I don't take my coffee extra hot (it was actually lukewarm by that point in my morning, thankfully!), and 2) I bet that would have been hilarious to watch later had it been caught on video.

Poor Alex just stood and stared at me, wide eyed, as I looked down and realized that miraculously, none of the coffee had landed on me or my work clothes. I quickly assessed the damage, silently praised myself for having already booked the carpet cleaners to come this week, and helped Alex take off his coffee soaked tshirt. Not having time to dwell on much of anything, we trotted down the stairs and moved on with our day.

Somehow, I made it to work on time. My day actually went pretty well (until after work, anyway, when the boys got in a juice fight with a Capri Sun...oh, the sticky floors!), and now I'm winding down my day and heading to bed.

Hopefully, tomorrow I can enjoy all of my coffee instead of accidentally showering one of the kids with it. Let's also hope that the coffee stains come out of the carpet!

Birthday Week!

Today kicks off our annual July Birthday Week; both Alex and Addie will celebrate birthdays this week. We will begin the party on Wednesday (Al's 10th birthday) and keep going through Saturday (Ad's 8th birthday).  Their birthday parties fall in between, and we'll cap everything off with a big family gathering on Sunday.

It will be a fun, extra chaotic week. Fingers crossed I make it through without falling over.

PS: This is your VERY LAST CHANCE to get a limited edition #Inclusion Matters tshirt!!  Do not miss out on this opportunity to support Addie's message and get an awesome shirt!  Go here to order and share!! Thanks.

Very Important!

This.

It's very important, so I'm posting it again.  We only have one more day, you guys.  ONE. More. Day.

Please show Addie that you support her vision of #InclusionMatters.  She's eight years old and trying to make a difference in this crazy world.

Thanks!

Drained

We had yet another very busy, but super fun, week. I am tired; the kids are wiped out. I'm hoping to have some down time this weekend, because next weekend is our annual Birthday-Palooza to celebrate Alex and Addie's birthdays.

Each week, I tell myself that maybe the upcoming week won't be as hectic. I can't do that this week. In fact, it's starting to become apparent that I can't even say that next month won't be as crazy. We are a busy family, so I'll just have to quit promising myself an empty schedule.

With that, I'm off to bed.

Sad Freezer

Days like today are exactly why there should ALWAYS be ice cream in this house.

Nothing particularly terrible happened around here, but the kids were especially trying and I have a lot to accomplish in the next week. Thus, the reason I wanted to sit back tonight, try to relax, and enjoy an ice cream treat.

But, we are out of any "good" ice cream (sorry, the kids' frozen fruit juice bars just aren't going to do in this situation). The freezer is sad, devoid of any mommy-appropriate indulgences. Really, is it too much to ask for a satisfactory supply of Magnum Double Caramel ice cream bars after a day like this?

Even more frustrating than a lack of guilty frozen pleasures? The fact that I do most of our grocery shopping and failed to recognize the urgency of a low supply. Ugh.

Eh, well, I'll scrounge around and find something to fulfill this craving, and then off to bed. Tomorrow is a new day, with fresh starts...and plenty of time to stop at the grocery store to refill the freezer.

VBS

Our summer has been filled with many activities; typically, we've had something different to do each week. This week, we're spending our evenings with our church family for Vacation Bible School.

My kids absolutely love VBS: from singing and dancing to crafts and games, they are having a wonderful time. Plus, they are learning and spending time with friends, so it really is a great experience.  We are blessed to have so many fabulous volunteers putting this program together for them.  It is a lot of work, but it all seamlessly comes together for a week full of fun.

It makes me happy to hear the kids chatter about VBS during the day, and then again on our way home. Our days this week are quite long, but it is more than worth it. I am grateful for such a fantastic opportunity for them, and I truly appreciate all the efforts which make the week possible.

My happy little monkey at VBS

Top Ten Reasons to Support #InclusionMatters

With less than a week left in our I Heart Garments fundraising campaign, it's time to kick our efforts into high gear! If you don't order your tshirt/hoodie by 7/21, you will not be the proud owner of this limited edition item. That would be sad, but even worse, you won't get to show your support for the awesome idea my (almost) eight year old daughter wants to share with the world.

So, to help motivate everyone to order in time, I present to you:

The Top 10 Reasons to Support #InclusionMatters:

10. This is an awesome shirt. It's super soft, way comfy, and ultra cool.

9. This video.

8. Inclusion goes well beyond the special needs community.  It's important to teach our children, as well as our peers, that everyone should be loved and accepted for who they are.

7. The design!  The real hand prints illustrate real people joining hands to represent inclusion, while the thumbs come together to form a heart to represent Addie's vision of sharing a message of inclusion via her foundation, Giving Hearts.

6. In a world which values potato salad fundraisers, this is a genuine fundraising campaign which is also trying to spread kindness. #InclusionMatters really should get more support than a picnic side dish, wouldn't you agree?

5. How often do your clothes make an awesome statement but also support a fantastic organization?

4. This video.

3. These super cute kids are way excited to share this campaign with you. Don't disappoint them. Share, share, share!  Share this blog post, post my Facebook updates on your own page, retweet my reminders.

Alex and Addie crack each other up!

2. WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL MONDAY, 7/21, TO SELL THESE AMAZING SHIRTS AND SHARE THIS VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE!!

1. A little girl with a heart of gold wants all of us to be included, all the time, no matter who we are. This is the essence of the campaign. In her own words, "please show the world that inclusion matters to you, too." 

Buy the shirt. Share our message. #InclusionMatters.  It really, truly does.

Such a Monday...

This was, by far, the most challenging Monday I've had in a long time.

Sure, everyone complains about Mondays; I'm no different.  But, my complaints usually don't have much behind them other than my reluctance to start a new week of chaos.  I typically get over my "case of the Mondays" without much drama, but then today happened.

We started the day with our typical morning madness, scrambling to get everyone up and ready and out the door.  Of course, as soon as it was time to drop off the kids, the sky opened and rain started to pour down. So, I arrived to work a little on the damp side; while unfortunate, I would have been happy if this had been the worst of my Monday saga.

After about twenty minutes of staring at a fuzzy computer screen, I was completely puzzled as to why my contacts had not "settled", and blamed my growing headache on the lovely, stress-induced cold I am not enjoying at all.  Then, it dawned on me that I never put my contacts in before leaving the house this morning. What?!?  How does one do this?  My tired, farsighted self didn't realize my eyeballs were naked until it was too late for me to run home and grab my contacts.  So, I somehow made it through my work day, but I could only do so by sitting about two inches from my laptop screen (try typing like that one day...good times).

Although I was on a tight schedule after work, I had to stop at home to fix my vision issues.  My plan was to stop by the post office, go to the bank, pick up the kids, and get to church for the first night of VBS...all in about an hour and 45 minutes. Ambitious, no?

I have never been so happy to put in my contacts, and since I was at home I decided to prep my bank deposit before leaving for the post office.  Only, I couldn't find my bank deposit.  I somehow managed to pull an Uncle Billy and forget where I put my bank stuff!  Ugh!!  My checkbook plus the cash Addie collected for Team Alex was missing, causing immediate panic on my part.  It wasn't that I couldn't replace the cash (and I absolutely would have!), but my checkbook was going to be more difficult to replace. Beyond that, I do not like losing track of my stuff.  I was irritated, my head hurt, and I was way behind on my schedule, but I headed off to the post office anyway.

Of course, there was a huge line and there was no air conditioning, but eventually I finished that errand and tried to focus on where I could have left my banking items. Then, it occurred to me that I had everything out of my bag at work when I was searching for a mirror to check for contacts; I realized that I must have left the envelope in my desk.  Back to the office I went; but, not before I was delayed by TWO trains.

Fortunately, I found the deposit locked in my desk drawer (HUGE sigh of relief!!) but by then it was too late to stop at the bank, so I headed off to get the kids.  By then, I was going to be very late for my volunteer shift at VBS, but I kept trucking on.

I was so over Monday by the time I got to the kids, but I loaded them up to head to VBS (although my achy head pleaded with me to just go home).  Through screaming kids and traffic, we somehow made it to the church, and eventually got everyone settled.

Then, with the kids herded off for a bit, I had a moment to stop and take a deep breath, more than eight hours after my difficult day had started.  It was a loooong breath, I'll tell you.  I got to stand back and watch the kids enjoy VBS; singing, dancing, crafting, learning, making new friends.  It was the perfect remedy for a bad mood.

We hit a couple more bumps on our way home, but the kids are now settling down into bed and I'll have an hour to myself before falling into bed.  Here's hoping tomorrow is not so brutal.

Worn Out

We had a hugely successful Team Alex fundraiser this afternoon, about which I'll blog soon, but I am throwing in the towel for today. 

Exhausted doesn't even begin to describe it. Excited about the event and the funds raised, but so tired it hurts. 

Have a great week, friends. 

Thank You

Fighting off a cold, but enjoying the quiet house too much to go to sleep, I'm finding it difficult to write anything. So, for today's post, I'll just say "thanks". 

Thank you for reading my crazy blog, keeping up as I attempt to blog every day in 2014. I haven't missed a day yet, but some of the posts are real stinkers, so thanks for hanging in here with me. 

I hope your weekend is going well and that you enjoy your Sunday. 

Quotes

Do you ever quote something, in conversation (spoken or written), then wonder if anyone recognizes the source you are quoting?

I do, all the time.  It really doesn't matter to me, though, because I am usually quite amused by my own antics.

Like tonight, when I RSVP'd for a family picnic; I offered to bring a couple of dishes, and quoted that tire commercial with Julie Bowen to back up that offer: "I have a lot of kids." This could be a pretty obscure reference, because you not only have to be watching television to see the commercial, but you also have to be watching a commercial, and who does that anymore?  (Besides me.  I kind of like commercials.  Always have.)  I then proceeded to chuckle about that quote; ok, honestly, I haven't stopped.  That's pretty funny, right there.  I do love Julie Bowen.

Or, it's just another sign that this busy mama has lost her ever lovin' mind...

Nah, I'm just that funny.

What have you quoted lately that may or may not have been obvious to anyone else?

Support a Cause, Get a Fantastic Shirt

I've blogged already about my amazing daughter's vision of sharing the #InclusionMatters  message.  Many of you have seen my relentless posts on Facebook and perhaps Twitter, and some of you have already ordered shirts.  Thank you!

But, we have a long way to go to reach our goal.  A goal that will not only raise money for Team Alex, but will also prove to my daughter, Addie, that kids can do important things, too.  Please, check out our campaign page (http://www.iheartgarments.com/campaign/inclusion-matters), order a shirt, and share our message on your Facebook page or Twitter feed.  Sharing this message far and wide could teach many people that #InclusionMatters; it really, truly does.

I know it is possible to reach our goal.  I mean, right now some guy (a local Columbus guy, in fact) is raising thousands of dollars...for potato salad.  POTATO SALAD.  Let that sink in.  People are tossing money at a campaign that may or may not benefit others.  My almost eight year old daughter wants to show people about kindness, and making everyone feel welcome.  That is surely worth more than a gag crowdfunding stunt, right?

I'd like to think so, anyway.

So, I'll leave you with Addie's words: "Please show the world the inclusion matters to you, too.  Thank you."

Summer Cold

Ugh.  The thing about stress, and trying to juggle too much at once, is that you eventually come to a screeching halt because you come down with an annoying cold.  At least, that's what happens to me.

Tonight, my head aches and I'm exhausted.  I'll need to find time in my schedule to rest so this doesn't become a full blown ailment.  Good luck to me on that one.

Crickets...

It's after 10pm.  It was a busy day, as always, and all three kids (plus the dog!) are refusing to go to sleep. As I sit here, bleary eyed, trying to catch up on emails and tasks and life in general, I can not think of one worthwhile thing to write on this blog. Nothing that will take me less than five minutes, anyway, which is about all I have left before I go fall over somewhere.

That said, good night.

Reunited

A few days ago, I posted about how it had been a year since Andrew's beloved blankies (or "kikis", as they are known) were declared lost forever.  I had sudden luck in finding the exact same kikis on eBay that same night, and decided to order them.

The new kikis arrived in the mail today!!

First of all, can I just tell you how amazed I am that they got here so fast?  They left Fullerton, CA on Saturday and we got them here in OH today.  I can't even get mail from my kids' school that fast.

Anyway, I quickly tossed the kikis into the wash, and just a bit ago surprised Andrew with him as I told him goodnight.  He was thrilled to see them again, but had many questions: "Where did you find them?  Did you sew these?  Oh!  I know!  You bought them in a store?"

We told him it was magic.

He was ok with that answer, and happily snuggled with his long-lost friends.

Reunited

Clutter

Twice today, while scanning through Facebook, I noticed posts discussing how clutter in your home can block the flow of positive energy.  After deciding that it was impossible that Mark could have planned that, in order to get me to finally help him clean out all the excess crap in this house, I decided to read them.

I'm not certain yet if I entirely believe these claims, but I'm realizing that it can't hurt to start weeding things out around here.  This is what ten years of being overwhelmed by a child with special needs can do to you; papers accumulate, closets bulge, outgrown toys pile up.  I'm over it.  If I start sorting through everything now, I may be finished in a few years (ha!).

Seriously, though, we just don't need all this stuff and I know that there are people who can put some of this to good use. If positive energy starts flowing as a result of that, then it's an added bonus.  I'm game.

It may already be working.  After trying to restore the boys' bedroom today, I not only found some disgusting messes (slices of bread in the floor register...are you kidding me?!?), but I also found a library book that has been missing, as well as Addie's blankie that went MIA a few days ago.

Coincidence?  Probably.  But, maybe it's the start of a more positive chain of events in our home.

Have you heard of this "less clutter = more positive energy" theory?  What are your thoughts?

Going and Going...

My kids seem to have Energizer Bunny genes.  They don't stop; they just keep going and going and going. All.  Day.  Long.

I'm certain they aren't the only kids like this, and they do have their quiet moments throughout the day, but I feel like most of the time they are bouncing from one thing to the next without stopping to take a breath.  It's exhausting.

Add to it toilet training (I told Alex today, for about the 352nd time, that I am OVER it, and he just needs to get rid of pull-ups), behavior issues (Andrew has been closely studying Alex for more than five years, and thinks he can also pull some of the same behavior crap), and a daughter who goes sideways if her brothers so much as look at her, and you've got a full fledged recipe for chaos.

I figure we've got several more years of this coming our way before they grow out of these behaviors (and adapt new ones, fun!), so I will just have to suck it up and promise that I'll keep trying, day after day.  What else can you do?

And so, with that, I'm off to bed.  I hope you're enjoying the weekend.

Happy 4th of July!

Parade, hamburgers, corn on the cob, sparklers, a great view for backyard fireworks.

Happy 4th of July, indeed.

I hope your holiday was just as pleasant.

It's Been a Year...

It's been a long week.  A looooooooong week.  And we still have two more days.

As I was sitting here, trying to figure out what to write, I decided to look back and see if I posted a blog last year around the 4th of July.  In all honesty, I was just going to repost that entry and be done with it.  I was surprised to find this entry from 7/3/13:

The Death of the Kikies

I am heartbroken.

Before the birth of my youngest son (who is now 4 1/2), I purchased a set of Carter's security blankets.  Knowing how attached my daughter was to her blankie, I thought I should plan ahead and I just marveled over how Carter's knew to put two in a package.  It would be perfect: one for home, one to take with us.

And take it he did.

My sweet guy and one of his blankies

Those blankies (or as he called them, "kikies") went everywhere.  They truly fit the job description of the security blanket.  They got dirty, and my son would cry as they "went for a ride in the washer and dryer" only to rejoice when they were ready again.  They got lost, and I would panic and desperately retrace my steps until they were once again tucked into his little hands.  Those kikies became inanimate members of our family.

Seeing as they were more well traveled than I am, losing them for good was inevitable.  Two weeks ago today, I took my oldest son to meet his summer school teachers.  My youngest tagged along, insisting to bring his kikies, and of course I warned him that they would get lost if he didn't leave them at home.  This little guy, he's a tricky one; until today I honestly thought that he did leave them behind.  He has been insisting, though, that he left them on a bench where we waited while my oldest son completed an assessment with his teachers.  The day after that meeting, I had called to ask if the kikies had been found, only because I had already ransacked the house and was just hoping that I could put my own mind at ease.  I left a voice mail message, but never heard back, so I just assumed that they had been swept up in some random mess in this house.  I've been hoping that they would just magically reappear, as items in our house so frequently do.

Then, for some reason, he asked me this morning if I would call again to see if we could go pick up his kikies.  That's how determined he was that he left them there.  He wasn't asking if I would check to see if they were there.  He was asking if we could go retrieve them.  I kind of dismissed his question, yet promised I would try to call them, and we went on with our morning.

We drove my oldest son to day camp (40 minutes away), and on my drive home the van was acting very strange so I took a detour to a local garage.  Soon after I learned that the van would need a $500 repair, making it the third time it has been serviced in the last three weeks (nothing like putting over $1000, in three weeks' time, into a car that you hate).  Oh, the drama.  Fortunately, after some quick shuffling of the day's schedule, I was back home while the kids went to spend the day with my parents.  (I will say that I feel stranded at home without the van.  I'm not used to staying at home.  We're that busy, all the time.)

I found myself with a few spare moments, so I decided to make good on my promise to call and check on the possible whereabouts of the kikies.  Someone answered the phone this time, and after my rambling explanation as to why I was calling, the lady paused and said "I do remember seeing something like that...hang on, I'll check."

I had butterflies in my stomach as I imagined the look of pure bliss my son would have once he reunited with his beloved kikies.

Then, I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach when the lady came back and told me that "they were here, but now they're not.  We don't know what happened to them, but they're gone."

Cue the Mommy Guilt.

I ended the call, then dissolved into a blubbering mess at my dining room table.  Bawled like a baby.  If I had only listened to him insisting that he left them there, if I had been more persistent and made more than the one phone call, he would still have his precious kikies.

Then I spent the better part of an hour searching for identical replacements.  I succeeded in finding them, on eBay, for a mere $50 (unless I wanted a used one, for the bargain price of $20...does anyone else think that's gross?  I know how dirty these things get, with the slobber, boogers, and dirt...and I only tolerated it because I knew where all that was coming from...).  People actually stock up on these things, which get discontinued, and then they try to rip off poor guilt-ridden moms like me.  Search "Carters Snuggle Me Green Brown Tan Cream Circles Dot Baby Security Blanket Lovey" and you'll see what I mean.  

Knowing that spending $50 to perpetuate a habit he will need to break sooner than later would be ridiculous, I started thinking of other ways to soothe his little heart...or, perhaps, mine.  I called my mom, who sews, and asked if she would be willing to recreate the infamous blankies.  Of course she agreed, and my son will soon pick out material to have a new and improved, one of a kind kikie.

I think that the loss of kikies hit me hard because it forces me to realize that my baby boy will soon be too big to need a blankie.  He already runs around, yelling like a Jedi knight or his favorite super hero (which changes daily), doing things on his own without my help.  He's growing up, like it or not.  Apparently, this makes me very sad.

So, it's with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to the kikies.  You will be missed, you disgusting shreds of fabric.  Thanks for being my little guy's very best friends for the last few years.

I read this post from one year ago, and started crying about these silly blankies all over again (remember, I said it's been a loooooong week).  In my ongoing state of procrastination, I decided to do another search online for these elusive lovies.

Now, I really can't say that this was all in the name of Writer's Avoidance (this is similar to Writer's Block, although it's really more voluntary...); just the other day, Andrew mentioned his kikis to me.  In fact, we were driving past the place where he left them, and he piped up from the backseat "Mommy, remember when my kikis were gone forever from Alex's summer school?"

Might as well drive a dagger into my heart.  

So tonight, after searching for just a couple of minutes, I was delighted to find the kikis, and for only $14 (and FREE shipping!!).  I bought them.  Oh, yes, I did.  

They'll need a good washing, but I can't wait to see Andrew's face next week when his beloved kikis "magically" reappear.  Stay tuned...

PS: I don't know why this blog is in all different colors, but I can't revert it back to the original format.  It's late, and now I've got another kid hysterical over a lost blankie.  Seriously?!?  Looks like it's back to eBay for me...

Giving Hearts: #InclusionMatters

Close to five months ago, I shared the story of how Addie (my lovely, almost-eight-year-old daughter) decided to start her own foundation, Giving Hearts, to teach her friends about inclusion and raise some money for the organizations which help her older brother.  We hear more and more about how young people want to do amazing things to help those around them, and I was super proud to learn that Addie shares those goals.

Sadly, her dreams were rather crushed, as her peers began bringing her donations and the school kind of freaked out (understandably so, although it could have been handled a bit differently), and she had to return all the donations which had been collected.  Addie was devastated.  She wanted so badly to help, and then felt like she got in trouble at school.  She was embarrassed, yet fortunately, not discouraged.

She began brainstorming other ideas for raising money for Team Alex and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio.  Lemonade stand?  Difficult, as we live at the end of a court so there isn't a lot of traffic. Bake sale?  Um, I don't bake often or well, and there's only so much she can do with an Easy Bake Oven. She was determined to figure out a way.

Then, while at work, I was fortunate enough to learn about a local company, I Heart Garments, that provides a fun and innovative way to raise funds for organizations.  I thought and thought about submitting an application, but for some reason, didn't jump on the opportunity right away (hey, I'm a busy mom!).  But, after debating it, I suddenly realized that this was the perfect outlet for Addie to share her story.  So, we applied.

We titled our story #InclusionMatters; this is a hashtag that I often use on Twitter.  Inclusion is a hot topic around our house, as obviously we strive for Alex to be included in as many ways possible, but we also believe that inclusion goes way beyond our little realm of the globe.  I believe that we are not alone in these beliefs, and because of that, #InclusionMatters was born.  Addie and I drafted out the story we wanted to submit, and then we waited.

We were so thrilled that our story was selected, and now, just a few weeks later, we have this:

How AMAZING is this design?!?  Addie and I love it; it is very meaningful to the message we want to share.  Ad chose red for the shirt, as it is Alex's favorite color.  The two hand prints represent inclusion, and they form a heart to incorporate Ad's original idea for Giving Hearts.  Of course, our hashtag also appears on the shirt, right above the hands. Love, love, love it!

To get a better look at the design, you absolutely must check out our full story on the I Heart Garments page.  There is also a fantastic video that will completely melt your heart.

To think that my young daughter has the hope of teaching others that #InclusionMatters is incredible. Inclusion benefits everyone. It goes beyond Alex and his peers with Down syndrome; it goes beyond the community of individuals with special needs. Inclusion matters, to everyone, everywhere. I strongly believe that if our world was a more inclusive place, we would all be so much happier.

In Addie's words, "please show the world that #InclusionMatters to you" too! Help us spread this message by sharing this post and supporting her mission. Thank you for helping a little girl's big dream become a reality.

Lego Fun?

This evening, I took my little Lego enthusiasts to the Lego Store for their monthly free build event.  We had never done this event before, but I noticed on Facebook that they were planning to build a cute little beach vehicle.  After checking our schedule and discovering that we could swing it, I offered to take Addie and Andrew.

I wish someone would have hit me over the head before we left.  That would have been less painful than the experience.

The event was slated to begin at 5pm, and I was advised by someone at the store to arrive no later than 4:30pm to get in line.  I wasn't worried, because we arrived by 4:20pm, and the parking garage I chose was just down the block from the Lego Store.  As we approached the store, though, it was clear that we should have arrive closer to 3:30pm, as there were easily 50 people already in line.  In the sun.  And humidity. Ughhhh.

Our view from the line.

I made sure that the kids really wanted to build that particular item before we hopped into line.  No more than 24 seconds into our wait, the whining started.  "The sun is too bright!", "I'm hottttt", and "How much lonnnngerrrr?" were quickly met with a look, a raised eyebrow, and a "Ok, let's go!" from me.

They shaped up and we ended up waiting about an hour (did I mention how hot it was?!?), so we were very grateful when the line finally started to move and we inched our way toward the air conditioned store.  About 15 more minutes after we entered the (very small) store, it was finally their turn to build.

Addie building.

Andrew building.

As I stood there while they did their thing, I couldn't help but think that there should be entertainment for the adults while we wait.  Bingo, maybe?  I started keeping a list of all the things that could appear on the board:

• Kids trying to cut in line
• Angry dad who shows up at 5:30pm and yells at store manager because all the free kits are gone
• Mom wearing obnoxious amount of perfume 
• Crying kid because their Legos fell on the floor
• Lego Store employee who looks like they want to bang their head against the wall
• Oblivious dad gazing wistfully at $400 Lego Star Wars set while their kid destroys the Lego Mini Figure display
• Irritated mom who just wants a bottle of water and five minutes of peace and quiet (if you guessed that this one was me, you are correct!)

After looking over my list, I realized that I didn't have enough things to create an entire Bingo board.  Maybe a drinking game would be better?  You make the call.

So, anyway, after all the nonsense we endured to build the Beach Cruiser (Andrew calls it the Beach Boozer, which makes the suggested drinking game even more appropriate!), I had two happy kids and 82 new tiny little Legos.  Lesson learned: next month, we'll just go buy a stinking $10 set and call it a day.