"Let's talk shop."

Ever heard that term? According to Dictionary.com it is an idiom that means, "talk shop, to discuss one's trade, profession, or business."

Have you realized that all moms, and I do mean ALL moms talk "shop" all the time.

You could start a conversation about fashion and it will most likely end up becoming a conversation about how to get stains out of your favorite blouse, what temperature to watch your whites in to keep them whiter, and the cutest little itty bitty outfit you just bought for your little girl.

No, really, I'm serious. Come up with any subject... go on... give me a few and I'll tell you where it will end up if it's moms talking.

Favorite food ---------> how picky your kids are

Best sit-down restaurant ---------> which fast food restaurants have the best play areas

How happy you are to finally be on vacation to get a break from the kids ---------> how much you miss your kids and can't wait to get home and squeeze them

...

Hee hee!

But here are a couple examples of conversations turned "shop" when you are talking to a mother of a child with Fragile X Syndrome:

Searching all over town and the next 3 towns over to find the one toy that [Billy] wants for his birthday ---------> Going to 5 stores to buy 5 of the same thing that is  your Autistic or FX child's favorite so that you have a back up for the one that breaks "accidentally" and 3 more back-ups after that

Getting embarrassed about some one walking in on you yelling at your children/child ---------> how to explain why you are laying on top of your child wrapped like a burrito in a blanket, unrolling them and starting over again

Talking about toilet training ---------> poop art stories and mishaps

Yep, those are a few of the funnies when it comes to "talking shop" with Fragile X moms.

You know why I have a sense of humor.

Right?

Yep, it's so that I can laugh at you while I enjoy my life... 

Kidding!

Really, it's because I have to so I can survive the constant barrage of the never-ending battle of Fragile X. I have had to learn to laugh at poop ground into the floor, permanent marker on the walls and computer screens, having a child blurt out something they shouldn't, like, "You're fat!" or "Your nose is crooked," take pictures of every tiny mile stone even though the milestone has been hit 2-3 years past it's normal time-frame and this is the stuff coming from the 8 and 14-year-old... I'm just happy that my 4-year-old has learned how to play with her dolls and has started to be able to jump on her little trampoline.

But, maybe all this is what makes Our Life so exciting! We get to celebrate every little thing, regardless of the age it was finally done. We are just so grateful they finally got to that point.

Our Life is beautiful and ugly, rewarding and painful, exhilarating and exasperating, joyful and tearful.

We all have to make a decision on how we are going to take on life.

I saw a quote today on Facebook that said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving on." —Albert Einstein

So true, you can't stop, you just have to keep going on, enduring each day and on the days that you are moving too slow to keep a steady balance God is there to make sure we don't fall.

I want to share some shop pictures that make me happy and keep my balancing act going... a bunch of them!

Sister found this deflated balloon in Baby's room and told her daddy it looked like a brain

Brother letting his fluffy little sister watch trains with him on YouTube

Sister's ever growing interest in collecting... anything... at any time...
Right now it's match box cars and Thomas the Train engines

Baby being curious in details (That's a green pencil sharpener she is holding,
 and above is her watching the shimmer of her Barbie doll's  dress.f

Baby getting into the hair stuff in the hall closet to do her own hair

I love seeing my daughters acting like sisters...
so cute sharing Sister's room to watch a movie together... probably Thomas the Train

Completely and almost literally into her My Little Ponies show.

Brother with his neighborhood peers at a youth activity. They had to finish the entire box of cereal and when Gracie texted me she said that Brother said, "We are not going to fail!"

Baby grabbing my camera and signaling to me the best way she can, that she wants to take pictures of us together.

Baby coming into our bed to snuggle and squeeze with us.

Brother getting so much joy in taking care of his little cousin,
He feels a special bond with Zac because they both have FXS.

Sister who is curious about everything, wants to learn everything and has realized she can learn a lot from her daddy. She was spotting hikers on Mt. Timpanogos with daddy.

So any time you want to "talk shop" with me about balancing life as a mom...

just make sure I'm not balancing anything at the moment and then I'll stop and talk shop with you (smile)