Why

Baby has been changing a lot lately.

That last two months she has become a new kid.

Not just because she is getting taller.

She's talking.

All the time.

She even tells me what she needs.

It's so amazing!

Finally, at almost 6 years old, she is talking to communicate and not just babbling to hear herself make noises!

Not only is she talking but she is exploring the world in a more aware kind of way, like she's soaking it all in and not just focusing in on only one thing.

It's hard to explain, but it is easy to celebrate.

It is so wonderful to see her developing into the young child she is instead of seeing her trapped as an 18-month-old in a 5-year-old body.

Everyone who meets her for the first time always comments on how big she is for her age... I know then say this because they think she is 2 or 3 by her behavior and speech. It's funny to see reactions when I tell them that she is actually almost six. The excuses range from, "Oh, well she's still adorable" "She IS tall though... right?" "Oh, she'll catch on. You should have seen me when I was her age." Then I get the chance to plug a bit of awareness about Fragile X Syndrome, so they understand why she is the way she is—absolutely and undeniably adorable!

This is our sweet Baby on a Sunday in Grandpa Gary's back yard.
She loves rocks of all kinds and these big steps are very intriguing to her.

Have I talked about Fragile X in a while?

I think I have been doing so much catch up on here that I may have not focused on it much.

Fragile X pretty much runs my life.

I like to pretend like it doesn't, but...

it does.

I do a lot of the things I do because I am a Fragile X carrier.

We carriers of Fragile X have all kinds of things to worry about too.

One of those things in a physical ailment that can set on in our later years. It's called FXTAS (Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome). I find myself trying to do everything physical that I possibly can while I can.

I don't know if I'll have FXTAS, but I know it's a possibility.

I thought I was doomed when my back problems hit their worst point last year and I wasn't able to do much physically. I have been blessed with a second chance and through exercise, yoga and core strengthening, my back is now doing really well. What I once thought was going to lead me to back surgery now is allowing me to explore rock climbing, hiking, rapelling and dancing in musicals.

I want to do all I can while I know I can.

I don't know, really, what my future holds.

I could be perfectly healthy for years to come as I raise my 3 children until I'm gone, or I could be struggling with my health and well-being all while still having them in my care until I'm gone.

I'm hoping that the more active I am, the more positive I am, the more aware I am, that I will be OK.

So I make sure to take lots of pictures so that I can remember all that I am blessed to do now.

This is a trailhead just 5 minutes drive from my house. Ranger loves coming hiking with me. I love having the company. I always have my phone with me just in case school needs to get a hold of me about the kids AND so that I can take easy pictures on the trek.

Just showing you how happy I am to be hiking out in the autumn beauty.

That sage brush picture was the last picture I took on that hike... NO, no, nothing dramatic. I took a slight detour on the way home and lost my phone somewhere along the way. I back tracked the whole way back to my car to find it with no luck so I went home defeated.

Then I learned that iPhone has a way to find your phone and a few hours later I found my phone on the rugged slope in the steep hillside meadow I had trekked through.

It was in the middle somewhere. I am completely amazed and baffled by what technology can do!

I had learned my lesson and made sure to have my phone in a better place when I went on my next hike and listened to the promptings I had this time instead of ignoring them.

It was a short hike and was really more of a walk by the river.

Again, I am in awe that I live so close to so many beautiful scenes. I am truly lucky to be surrounded by all of it. This was was another 5-minute drive from my house.

And of course, my happy hiking partner. I had to take a picture of him in this perfect little hole in the side of a tree by the river. He's getting really furry. We're wanting to see how he looks shaggy... so far he's awfully cute... we'll see.

And this picture just says it all...

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