As heard...

Before bed tonight, Hannah asked if she could look at pictures in bed on her IPhone (and by "her IPhone" I mean my old one that houses her music, a few non-internet dependent games of hers, and some pictures she has taken). She excitedly goes to lay in bed and I am sitting on the couch hanging out and taking pictures of Zach while he is deliriously sleepy and giggly.

After about 30 minutes I check on Hannah and she is almost asleep in her dark room while Little Einstein's Bedtime Lullabies is playing on her IPhone. I went in to give her a kiss goodnight and she looks up and me and this happens...

Hannah: Are there King Cobra's here?

Me: Um, What?

H: Are there King Cobra's here? (at this point I can tell she had heard something at school that clearly sent her mind on a tail spin)

Me: I am not sure

H: Are they only in San Diego?

Instantly I started laughing

Me: Sweetie, that is the most random thing you could have ever said to me. San Diego? Why would you say that? What did you hear about King Cobra's?

H: Why? Have you been to San Diego?

Me: Yes. Many times. I don't think there are King Cobra's there. At least I never saw one.

At this point Chris walks in to give her a goodnight kiss... so I tell him about her concerns and he assures us that they are in India. And Hannah drifts off to sleep.

As heard...

Every night at dinner we discuss the best parts of our days and the worst parts of our day. The other night we got to Hannah... she had a couple good parts of her day.. no bad parts and we'd moved on to someone else... then....

Hannah: "Oh! Mom! I have another best part of my day!"

Me: "Oh yeah? What is that?"

H: "For snack today... we had salad. With SARDINES!"

Me: "Oh yeah? Did you like them?"

H: "Yes! They were SOOOOO good"

Me: "Really? Can you tell me about them?'

H: "Yeah. They were like... these square crackers"

Me: "Ooooooh... you mean saltines"

As heard...

Driving along with Zach the other day and he says to me...

"Mom. My mouth wants to sing and my body wants to dance so when I say 'Hit It' you put on 'Call Me Maybe'... OK?!"

Parent Teacher Conference

There have been many days in my 8.7 years of parenting that I questioned whether or not I was doing it right. Wondering how bad I was screwing my kids up and running the numbers in my head of how much therapy would cost.

Today was not one of those days.

This afternoon we had Hannah's second trimester parent teacher conference.

Her teacher gushed about what a lovely child she was. She maxed out the report card. Everything was either the top mark she could receive or something they have not yet done evaluations on yet. Because neither Mrs. H, Chris or I had many concerns or pressing issues to discuss, we were chatting at the end of the meeting.

Then Mrs. H made me cry.

She told me about how today she was discussing the poem "Star light star bright first star I see tonight.....". She was asking the students what they would wish for. If they were to walk outside and it was dark and there was one star in the sky... what would they wish for. Kids were saying many predictable things. A new puppy. Candy. Then it was Hannah's turn. She stood up and while waving her hands over all of her classmates said "My wish would be for everybody here to be healthy". I instantly had tears. Mrs. H said she felt the same way when it happened. She was taken aback because in all of her years of teaching, no child had ever said such a thing.

This girl is amazing

Being reminded of why I blog...

Tonight I was reminded why I started blogging. Babies and Down syndrome. I started blogging when Zach was about 2 1/2 and I was pregnant with Hannah. I really wanted to start documenting moments of our lives and thoughts I had and remembering moments of my pregnancy with Hannah.

Finding blogosphere after Zach was born was a huge part of us learning, accepting, grieving, loving, following journeys and finding a whole new world of online friends that reassured me that we were going to be OK. That our family would make it.

This was the kids playing in the playroom tonight. I could over hear them while I did the dishes and I smiled as I could hear them being quietly mischievous. Because it is Friday night.. I was letting them get away with it. Hearing them do all the "typical" things that siblings do together... it warmed my heart.

This, right here, is why I need to keep blogging. To document these little loves. Last night I read Kelle Hampton's birth story of her son. I remember 2+ years ago reading the birth story of Nella. I cried. Every time I read it. I had lost track of her blog, and everyone else including my own, lately. Seeing her beautiful family together reminded me why I love to keep this online diary. I need to get back to it.

I got someone to help me clean off my computer so I should be back in action soon.

The dramatics of a 5 year old...

After tucking Hannah in tonight.. I could still hear her rustling around in her bed and she eventually called for me... I go in her room and she is clearly upset. Not to the point of tears upset... but her bottom lip is out a bit and her face was clearly perturbed about something and looked close to tears.I sit down on the edge of her bed and ask her what the problem is.

"I really don't want to go to school tomorrow mom...... My BEST FRIEND Grace moved and she is gone!"

Me: "oh really? I am so sorry sweetie" (in my head going through the names of the dozens of her friends that I actually know and trying to understand how I don't know the name of her BEST friend Grace!)

"Yeah. She moved to another COUNTRY!"

Me: "Oh really! That is so exciting. Where did she move to?"

"I cant remember the name. Something with a field....    Bakersfield!!

"Oh I am so sorry, That is very, very unfortunate."

"Mom. I am serious"

Me: "I know baby. Me too. That is very sad but think of all you other friends. Good Night."