Jumping and Swimming

On the last day the California Cousins were here we just had to end with a big bang!

We went to a place that has these foam pits with trampolines, trapezes, and a rock climbing wall. It was a great time for most of us. I say, "most" because Eddy didn't have to much fun because she tried a flip off the trapeze and landed wrong and wasn't really in the mood to have fun after that. But, the rest of us tried to trudge on and have a good time!

After jumping it was right into swimming. It was a great day to cool off an we even had a good time between swims snacking and socializing, and a lot of hugging from Sister.

We had worked up quite an apetite so we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for pizza and who can end a trip without roasting marshmallows over the fire pit and a good side walk chalk drawing by Grandpa Gary?

It was a great time having more cousins here and Brother and Sister have missed them very much. I love seeing relationships become stronger among family, especially ones you aren't able to see very often.

Sister's Birthday Party 1 of 2

So Sister is now 7 years old! Because her cousins were here we had a birthday party with the family a little early so that her cousins could join in on the celebration.

Sister was so excited about having a birthday party she could hardly handle it. I love her excitement. It is so contagious. She was so grateful and happy with each gift she opened and really had a good time. We even got to sing happy birthday to her! She was a bit nervous but she made it through. She wanted us to sing so I didn't want to disappoint her.

you can see her nervousness,  top middle

After she blew out the candles everyone got to frost and decorate their own cupcake. Baby really enjoyed the frosting and, I think, Melly wanted in on the fun.

After the festivities I took some pictures of all the grandkids that were there.

Grandpa Gary got all the "behind the scenes" shots for me

You'll notice one extra little person, he wasn't there and Lynne and Gary wanted a complete photo of the grandkids, so with a texted photo from the parents we got our little Bear in.

This one is definitely my favorite, Bryan's face adds to the whole candidness of it.

Then the games began and we had a LOT of fun altogether playing frisbee, jumprope, tug-o-war and a bunch of other great activities. Good memories were made!

Rodeo and Parade Fun

Marc was  on call most of the week the cousins were here visiting and that included the weekend. There was all kinds of fun going on down Grandma and Grandpa way, where we just moved from at the beginning of the year, so I decided to sleep over with the kids at their house so they could have as much fun with their cousins as possible during their short stay.

Am I crazy to try sleeping over at my in-laws by myself with 3 crazy kids? Nah!

So Grandma Lynne watched the girls while I took Brother to the Rodeo with his cousins, Grandpa and his Aunt Amy and Uncle Frank. (Oh and don't mind the dates on some of the photos, Gary needs to reset the date on his camera...)

Brother was so happy to be there, and especially happy that Kelsey was there (as always). Still a lot of "sibling" love there, I think.

Brother wanted to get in on our "boot" picture

Brother always has a flair for the dramatic

Then later Uncle Joel and his kids joined us on the bleachers to watch the rodeo.

It wasn't much of a rodeo this year but the scenery was fantastic and it was fun to be together. It has almost become tradition with the California cousins because they are usually here this time of year.

That's Brother at the bottom. He is running with the horse...

Then, because I didn't have the girls with me, we were able to stay and watch the fireworks. They were really cool and Brother thought they were amazing.

We got home and Lynne had the girls asleep and Brother was all excited to stay up and watch a movie with his cousins.

Baby ended up being awake pretty much all night and since me and the girls were all sleeping in the same bed it was a VERY long night. Thank goodness Sister slept through all of it. I couldn't even get Baby to fall asleep when I took a long drive with her in the car at 1:00 am. Thank goodness the parade wasn't until 10am so she was able to sleep for a bit since she finally nodded off at 4:30am.

So, although it was 7:30 when Sister decided to greet the day, I still woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and took on the challenge of bringing the 3 kids to the parade. All the kids came equipped with their plastic grocery bags for the candy they were to collect and they were all very excited about it. I was actually surprised that the kids all stayed together by the side of the sidewalk to wait for candy and I only had to grab Baby a handful of times from running into the parade floats... ya, that is actually good.

Brother loves to wave to the "princesses"

 

My favorite part, though, was when Uncle Joel's Credit Union entry came by, Brother ran out to join them to pass out candy. I was so proud of him for wanting to do something so out of his comfort zone. Jessie and the kids were passing out candy too and that helped having them there. Jessie told me later that Brother was smiling and waving to everyone he knew, and because it was in our previous home town there were many who knew him and were happy to see him too. I am so proud of Brother and all the new things he has been doing!

Brother is the one in the black shirt behind the car

Well, as good as all that went I was still VERY tired and, frankly, a little edgy from lack of sleep so when we went to the carnival after the parade to pick up Brother and see my sister's booth she had set up for face painting you can imagine who frazzled I was as Baby continued to scream, flail and run around everywhere uncontrollably. I had to wait for Sister to get there because she had gone home with Grandma and Grandpa for a quick potty run. So while Brother sat at the face painting booth with Jessie I took Baby to the playground hoping that that would help out. It was nice for a few minutes as I was able to talk to some friends that were there and it was good to see there faces, but Baby was quickly finding more and more ways to make my life miserable. So when I heard that Lynne and Gary were back with Sister, I took Baby in tow screaming and flailing. My forehead was breaking into a sweat, tears were welling up in my eyes, and I am sure that I was forgetting/unable to suck in my sloshy tummy (sloshy from the snow cone Gary bought me earlier) and low and behold I see another old friend ahead of me. I want to say "hi" to be nice, but I am desperate to get out of there in one solid mommy piece. I thank everyone for the "fun" weekend, grab Sister by the hand, she starts screaming, Brother is whining because he doesn't want to leave his Aunt Jessie's side and Baby is now trying to pry my arm from around her and his wailing and starting to get slimy because she is also sweating in the heat and exhaustion of the fight.

But, the old friend (who does NOT read this blog) I was trying to pass by ended up right in front of me and she wanted to catch up on how everything was going and tell me about the news in her families life. I was trying to hold it together as we talked amongst 3 whining children but I finally just had to tell her that I really needed to go. So I turned to leave and she grabs my arm, looks at my stomach, and says very excitedly, "Are you having another one?"

...

It must have been the "glow" (you know how when a pregnant woman sweats they call it a glow)

Maybe it was the emotions written all over my face.

Or maybe, just maybe, I haven't lost as much weight as I should yet, because as much as I'd like to blame a snow cone for my tummy overflow, it just doesn't work that way.

...

I politely bob my head toward the flailing, screaming, writhing Baby in my arms and say, "Nope, she's our baby."

And I walked away.

Got in the car.

And tried to practice sucking in my tummy on the entire 40 minute drive home...

California Girls and a Boy

So our 3 nieces (who we'll call Bree, Zee and Eddy) and nephew (Champ) came to visit us from California and we had a great time! The second night they were here they slept over at our house and we had so much fun.

Bryan came over too so he could also see them and he was helping to keep Baby busy while we all had fun out front.

Baby wasn't too excited about the shoulder ride, but Bryan was going to try his best to keep her out of trouble.

After a few minutes of him trying Baby started a death grip on his hair and I just happened to get a shot at the right moment to capture the terror on both of their faces. Bwa ha ha! Oh man, I just can't stop laughing at this picture!

The kids all wanted to ride bikes so we pulled out all we had and they just rode around.

Then Bree and Junior had fun with the bike extension that we usually utilize for Sister. We got quite a kick out Bree's long legs on the tiny extension and when she decided to pull him behind, well, that was just funny!

They also played basket ball with the neighbors, talked, rode on Brother's 4-wheeler, and played on the swingset. Then we all had some popsicles together before Grandpa, Bryan and Junior left.

Then we all settled down to a movie and some home made kettle corn and popcorn.

It was so fun to talk to all of them. I haven't seen them since last summer and it was great to talk with them and just enjoy their personalities. Bree and Eddy are so grown up it faked me out. It was so fun to watch Brother's interactions with all of them. He idolizes them and was at his happiest when they were around.

About the last day...

So I am finally getting around to posting the pictures from the last day we were able to spend with Daniel and his family before leaving to his new work.

We had fun on Popo's new go-cart that his Grandpa Guy gave him.

Brother and Uncle Joel

I love watching LittleB hold on to her hat for dear life...

Check out Marc, he even makes a go-cart look good (smile)

Popo smiling for me while I try to capture a few last moments before they leave

Baby and Sister were so excited to get some Disney cups
left over from what Daniel and Tynelle couldn't take with them

Melly having fun on Grandma's horsey after she ate some really good watermelon

And of course I had to get pictures of Berry in "her" playhouse my mom painted up while they were here. This was the favorite spot the entire time they were here so my mom got it all fixed up. This place will have many memories as it was the one my dad built when I was younger. It even has a light that runs out to it so we could sleep out there at night.

We also had fun talking, playing games and eating.
We all wore ourselves out getting together everyday possible, but, oh so worth it!

What does "respite" mean?

Sometimes when I mention "respite" to someone they try to act like the know what I mean, but I can tell from the look on their face that they have no idea what "respite" means. It's kind of the same reaction I get when I mention "Occupational Therapy" or "Proprioceptive."

When I looked up the official meaning of the word "respite" (that, to me, means, "relief") on Wikipedia, this is the basis of the meaning: Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home.

I read all the way through the definition and the last two paragraphs were what hit home for me. So I want to highlight a section on Wikipedia's definition of respite care:

Even though many families take great joy in providing care to their loved ones so that they can remain at home, the physical, emotional and financial consequences for the family caregiver can be overwhelming without some support, such as respite. Respite provides a break for the family caregiver, which may prove beneficial to the health of the caregiver. Three fifths of family caregivers age 19-64 surveyed recently by the Commonwealth Fund reported fair or poor health, one or more chronic conditions, or a disability, compared with only one-third of non caregivers.

Respite has been shown to help sustain family caregiver health and wellbeing, avoid or delay out-of-home placements, and reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect. An outcome based evaluation pilot study showed that respite may also reduce the likelihood of divorce and help sustain marriages.

Yesterday it wasn't my family or a group of student volunteers who gave me respite for our children, but it was women and children in my own neighborhood.

One mom came with her 3 eager-to-help children and played with our kids, taught them some ballet steps, and spent time getting to know them. Another volunteer is a young soon-to-be student who didn't even know me until yesterday, she just wanted to help and get to know my kids. Amazing!

My kids loved it. They were so excited to have people show that they care for them and spend quality time with them while I was out getting so many needed things done without 3 overstimulated children in tow. I was able to make the final payment for our conference room for the Fragile X Association of Utah's Parade of Pumpkins, get a lot of grocery shopping done, and get some errands I needed done for myself but, never seem to get to. I felt like a new person.

And when I got home, despite my worry as to whether the volunteers would survive my children, everyone was in high spirits.

My heart was so full.

After I gave many hugs to the women and children who gave respite care to our family I sat down.

Yes, I actually sat down.

My kids had been played with and given so much attention. I had accomplished so many things that I wasn't bogged down by my stress of how I was to get things done.

So I sat.

Then Baby walked up to me with her sippy cup in hand.

And, for the first time in a long time, I just sat with Baby and held her.

Not because she was crying.

Not because she needed sensory input.

Not because Sister or Brother had used her as their sensory input device.

Not because I felt obligated to give her attention.

I held her because I could.

Because I wanted to.

I squished her little thighs,

cupped her little knees,

tweaked her little toes,

smelled her little chin,

listened to her drink,

watched her eyelashes flutter,

and just sat in an atmosphere of relief and contentment.

You can bet that this kind of care and involvement in my neighborhood will make a world of difference  for me and my family and we will not fall into the statistics of poor health, neglect or marriage woes.

Thank you all.

One of those grateful days...

You know, sometimes it just feels good to sit back and think of all the things to be grateful for. I haven't done that much lately only because I have been spending so much time dwelling on how much sleep I am not getting, how overwhelmed I am with three children who have Fragile X, the money we don't have, the money we do have, projects looming around me that need to be done, etc., etc., etc...

But I just have to kick myself in the butt and say, "Rachael, knock it off and suck it up!"

That's the point I have to sit down at my blog and remember all the great things going on in my life.

Baby is talking more! Ya! Talking! It's like light went on for her and she is actually saying things that mean something instead of just repeating what we say. OK, so maybe it is mostly repeating, but, I think she is actually getting it, like lately she has been telling me, "You're funny." I love it. She says it to make us laugh. She also will tell me what color of popsicle she wants. She is mostly saying it just because she hears her sister say then she repeats it, but she is starting to say it on her own, like, "green, peach, orange, purple." It's awesome. My heart soars to hear her voice and how well she is starting to pronounce her words.

My sisters both showed up two days in a row just on a whim. They came to lift my spirits and see my kids.

Brother hung out at a friends house down the street practically all day and had a blast. The friends mom even fed him lunch and said her son was having a great time! Then the next day some friends had been out riding bikes with him and they stopped by to ask me if he could walk down to the local yogurt place for a treat. I am not sure how I looked when they asked because I was so excited that they wanted him to come along and Brother was standing behind them shyly waiting for my reply. He was so excited to be with friends. It makes me giddy with happiness that he is so accepted by his peers.

Sister has started to be able to swallow pills so it has become less of a hassle to get her meds in the morning and evening and that is a definite plus for me. She has also been singing a lot and making up a lot of her own songs that make Marc and I giggle. It's the best when she does it on long car rides.

And to top of my fantastic life, my neighborhood has set up respite care for me every week! They are volunteering their time to help me and my family! I will be able run errands, go grocery shopping, or just fall apart in my bedroom if that is what I need. I am so thankful to have some help.

So thankful.