Losing a Fight with Technology.

For the past five years or so, I've paid for this domain.  It seems that the process of doing so is changing, and guess what?  Hours of work later, I STILL can't figure out how to pay for it!

What does this mean?  This domain and blog will probably expire this summer.  And I am actually okay with that.

Ellie is a kindergartener now.  She loves school and her friends.  We are continuing to work through sleep and GI medical issues.  Ellie is a wonderful sister until Caroline gets into her stuff.

Down syndrome is an important piece of Ellie.  It's not the only important thing about her, but it's significant.  Yet nearly six years in (and well over six since her prenatal diagnosis), it's often in the backseat.

I will continue to update here occasionally as long as I have access.  I also will update on Facebook and Instagram.  You'll see more of our whole lives on Instagram - Ellie and Caroline, my work with Noonday Collection, friends, etc.

So no, I'm not trying to stop telling you about Ellie.  I just don't have much to say anymore.  Homework is hard.  Math is a challenge.  Reading is fantastic.  The composition and ideation part of writing is amazing.  The fine motor part is hard.  Ellie wears her glasses consistently now.  She still loves gymnastics.  I'm not trying to hide any part of our lives.  But blogging has become a smaller realm since social media has become bigger, and life with two kids is (shocker) busier than life with one.

Because You Need to Buy Gifts for About 8 Million People.

Ya know what?  Raising a child with Down syndrome comes with challenges no one tells you about.

Like having a billion people (it went up between titling the post and making the graphic) to buy gifts for.

Ellie has....

Two physical education teachers
Two gymnastics teachers
One general education teacher
One classroom assistant
One special education teacher
One occupational therapist
One physical therapist
One speech and language therapist
One respite care provider
One regular babysitter
One art teacher
One music teacher
One Spanish teacher
One librarian


and a partridge in a pear tree.

Some of these people can get a card and candy and I can call it good.

But not all.

So here's my gift guide.  Many these products are Noonday Collection, which I'm an Independent Ambassador for.  Some are affiliate links.  Some are just awesome.

Teachers, classroom assistants and other people who get significant gifts.

Noonday Collection Flora Jewelry Roll

If you know they put up a tree, this garland is so fun!

Noonday Collection Festive Paper Bead Garland

And for the guys or those who aren't into jewelry and cute accessories?

Carmen's Chocolates has lots of goodies!


For those gifts you have to buy en masse?

The Clustered Bead Bracelet is $12.  One friend bought five.  Done.

Or the Funky Paper Bead Bracelet, for your funky service providers.

Sweet Heat Jams.... so fun!  (h/t Meriah!)

For your nanny or someone SUPER special.

This bag... Noonday Collection Great Escape Bag.

A really, really big gift card.

To make it super special, a photo book.


You know your providers.  And these gifts are great, but the BEST addition to any of them is a thank you note and something your child made them!
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Thankful.

I'll admit, I'm finding it harder and harder to keep up with this space.

I joked that our 2016 card should say, "We are boring.  This year we didn't have a baby, buy a house, or start a business."

But I am expanding a business, I signed on as an Independent Ambassador for Noonday Collection, I have an increasingly mobile and daredevil toddler and a busy kindergartener.  And I'm tutoring.

I'm not blogging as much.

But I'm so very thankful.

I'm thankful that my photography business is growing.  I'm thankful for Noonday.  I'm thankful that my husband has been a trooper as business expanded faster than anticipated and he's solo parenting most weekend days in the fall.  I'm thankful that Ellie's teacher is wonderful, and her classroom aide has a sweet, special connection with her.  Together, her classroom teachers want her to succeed.  They're working hard to make it happen.

I'm thankful that I get to walk Ellie to school every day, that we live in a community with great resources, and that Caroline is growing and thriving without the intervention of multiple therapists.  I'm thankful for the way my girls laugh together, thankful for the (attempts at lovingly) room-sharing we just started.

I'm so thankful that I have these little girls to bring delight to the holiday season.  Ellie wants a tree, a reindeer and a watch for Christmas.  The tree is up and Grammie has located some reindeer antlers so it looks like Ellie is on Santa's nice list and will get her wishes.

BUT.... I'm not thankful for the Elf who comes back in a few days.

{31 for 21} Halloween Flashback.

{31 for 21}

I know, I'm behind, again.

But this.

{31 for 21} Glimpse at Our Life.

If you follow along on Instagram (@meganlando) you get a pretty good idea of life with Ellie.

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Oct 27, 2016 at 3:24pm PDT

At least one kid likes spaghetti squash.

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Oct 27, 2016 at 3:06pm PDT

From this morning. "A big bun like a ballerina! I'm a ballerina!" (She's never taken a dance class.)

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Oct 26, 2016 at 7:33am PDT

Pray for her gymnastics teacher today!

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Oct 25, 2016 at 12:16pm PDT

{31 for 21} Go with God.

Me: are you allowed to go outside by yourself?
Ellie: no. Only with you or daddy or Jessica or God. 
Me: not just God. God and a grown up