Live It Up.

Twice this week, I've been reminded that life is too short.  Because life is short, I want to live each minute to the fullest, both the joyful times and the less-than-joyful moments.  I want to be fully present in life.  I want to laugh.  I want to celebrate.

Here are some of the little (good and un-good) moments I've experienced recently.

Ellie and I celebrated the beginning of spring weather on Monday.  We sat outside on a blanket after our walk.

(Sleepy baby.)

One of the not-so-joyful moments for Ellie each day is tummy time.  I've mentioned her tummy time hating ways before.  I keep hoping her attitude will change, but no dice.  Now, note the photo above - she will sleep on her tummy (supervised), but if she thinks we're making her play on her tummy, run for the earplugs.  I can't help but laugh at the drama.

(Tummy time is torture time.)

(The aftermath.)

Ellie and I made some new friends.  Thanks to an online connection, we hung out with Bethany and her mommy at Starbucks.  Two cute little girls in pink, both of whom happen to have Down syndrome.  As these little beauties get older, they are likely to have both typically developing friends and friends from the DS community.  They will probably play typical and Special Olympics sports.  I believe that they will have fully lived lives, and that makes me happy.

(The girls.  They look done with Starbucks, but cute.)

Random visitors are a cause for joy around here, and we love where we live because we have plenty of them.  Since we got home from the hospital, we've had surprise knocks on the door and "Hey, are you home?" texts, and we have been blessed to share our lives with some pretty fantastic people. I've been getting up around 5 with the munchkin, so friends who come over with coffee and then hold Ellie so I can drink the coffee make my day.  (Thanks, Sherri!)

The mystery tulips bloomed and a couple now reside in our dining room.  The pop of color makes me smile.  Er, let me correct that.  Some of the mystery tulips bloomed.  Some of the mystery tulips seem to have been eaten by an animal, and that makes me pout.  I tend to blame the critters we not-so-affectionately named "the f-ing squirrels."  (Fun-loving squirrels, in case you were wondering.)  These guys are aggressive.  They are hungry.  They ate our jack-o-lanterns.  I'm not sure if squirrels eat tulips, but I will continue to blame my dead surprise tulip on the over-sized squirrels.  Guilty until proven innocent.

(Pretty tulips.)

 

(Halloween pic from phone- BUSTED.)

One of the greatest moments of the week?  Ellie is finding her thumb!  Pre-Ellie, I knew parents got overly excited about this feat.  Now I understand why.  The thumb is attached to the baby!  It doesn't fall on the floor!  It doesn't get lost!  The thumb is always there!  The pacifier on the other hand, falls out and causes tears.  We're still working on the thumb-sucking skill, but those moments of victory are wonderfully restful for the parents around here.

Of course, in a few years, we'll be whining that Ellie won't stop this bad thumb-sucking habit.  I'll deal with that issue when the time comes.