Fine Motor Fun.

Guys.  Guys.  Ellie isn't a big fine motor person.

But she has a new favorite game and I have to share with you.

I can't even find an affiliate link, but this game is amazing.

It's called "Don't Let the Bugs Fall."

The game is basically baby Jenga and it involves color identification (which Ellie has been doing forever, but still), rolling dice, fine motor of selecting a bug and removing it, cognitive to figure out which bug to pick, and turn taking on top of it all!

A friend brought it over for her and it's awesome.  The video is kind of dark but it lets you see the game in action.

Ellies speech isn't super clear here but she says "I pull it up and put it on top!"

A video posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Jan 16, 2016 at 3:58am PST

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Jan 16, 2016 at 3:38am PST

I like that Ellie was working on fine motor (and this is without her glasses!)  Ellie liked the game because it's fun, and the biggest win?  I agree!  We played about eight times this morning and aside from the tediousness of setting up, the game was enjoyable for both of us.

What games do you like to play with your kids?

Book Review: The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome.

A week or two ago, I received a copy of "The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome" by Jen Jacob and Madra Sikora.  In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy because I contributed to the book.  Many parents I know in the Down syndrome community were also contributors.

The book is organized starting with information about Down syndrome and diagnosis, then by age of child, with lots of parent quotes as well as quotes from adults with Down syndrome.  There are abundant current resources, which is a pro and con.  Because online resources often change quickly, some may be outdated quickly, but on the flip side, there is plenty of great information available.  The information on prenatal testing is very current, but again, changes rapidly.  (In the five years since Ellie's diagnosis, the scene has changed dramatically, and even since we had testing with Caroline, the accuracy of the NIPS has been questioned a bit, especially for conditions other than Down syndrome.) There are also new general Down syndrome resources listed along tried and true, for example, the DSDN retreat which just occurred for the first time alongside conferences which have occurred for decades.  I liked that the book referred to my favorite source, www.downsyndromepregnancy.org and the books available there.  The book provides resources for parents in almost any situation, with lots of links, Facebook groups, and other books referenced.

In the early chapters, most of the common health issues were listed, many with parent stories.  I did note an absence of a duodenal atresia parent story.  This isn't terribly surprising, however, as there aren't a lot of parents blogging about that experience.  (An exception is right here!  Me!)  However, there were parent stories about plenty of other newborn issues including heart defects, breastfeeding and NICU time.  The book also covers some basics of Early Intervention and IEPs.  This is another case where the book is super-current, but law changes may cause a need for update sooner rather than later.  This is true of all books addressing education right now as we've moved on from No Child Left Behind.

Later chapters cover a nice to-do list for adulthood, specifically some of the paperwork involved, and include more self-advocate information.

Some overall thoughts:

It's an easy read, and easy to flip through to a topic of interest/skip a topic of non-interest.  Adults with Down syndrome contributed, following the creed "Nothing about us without us."  A lot of ground is covered in a  short space, making it a good glimpse into a topic with resources to dig deeper.  The tone of the book feels peppy, which I didn't mind, but which I've heard bother parents reading other resources.  Many of the contributors have young kids (including me).  While this makes our experiences very current, I would love to read the parents of older kids and adults sharing about their speech therapy or other early intervention to get a longer view.  I know many kids with Down syndrome bloom late when it comes to speech.

This book joins the existing and wonderful ranks of books by parents for parents. I love and respect a great number of the parents quoted in the book, which made it a fun read for me personally.

Who is this book for?  Someone who wants a general overview of raising a chid with Down syndrome from birth to adulthood who wants a lot of parent stories.  Compared to "Gifts" this falls onto the more informative and less inspirational side of the chart.  I think the age range covered would overwhelm many new parents, and I would send them first to the books here, and provide "The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome" later.  This book is more memior-style than "Babies With Down Syndrome." (Many parents feel "Babies With Down Syndrome" is too "gloom and doom."  I personally liked it, possibly because my daughter had numerous health complications and I found the book informative.  A few years on the Down syndrome board on Babycenter has taught me that I'm in the minority with that opinion.)

In fact, here's what I send to parents:

Everyone: Diagnosis to Delivery or Welcoming a Newborn with Down Syndrome, depending on if they have a prenatal or post-natal diagnosis.

People who wants stories and inspirational: Gifts, for the compilation.

For people who wonder where either achievement or God fit in, who are open to Christian themes: A Good and Perfect Gift.

People who like memoir in general: Bloom and Roadmap to Holland.

Fact people and teachers: Babies with Down syndrome and all the Woodbine House books on motor/speech skills.

I would put "The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome" somewhere in the middle.  It would be a good starting point after the initial diagnosis book to see what kind of information/stories resonate.

And a giveaway!!

And just for fun:

A photo posted by Megan Landmeier (@meganlando) on Jan 4, 2016 at 3:54am PST

* Affiliate links.

Motherhood Unexpected.

One beautiful benefits of parenting a child with Down syndrome is meeting the other moms of children with Down syndrome.  While I gotten to meet Deanna in person, we've exchanged messages back and forth and I've loved watching her little Addison grow up.

I've mentioned before that while I was pregnant and when Ellie was a baby, I received great comfort from reading about little girls just older than my own, and Addison's antics continue to keep me entertained.

I flew through Deanna's newest book, "Motherhood Unexpected," while holding a "sort of sick" Ellie.  Poor kid threw up on Wednesday after school, enough to scare me into keeping her home today, but not enough to convince Ellie that she needs rest.  All rest was strictly enforced by me, as I held Ellie, trying to convince her to lay her head down.  I read during pockets of this enforced rest and while Ellie finally napped, and I was drawn into the story of Claire, who is very surprised when her baby is born with Down syndrome.

Although Down syndrome plays a key role in the book, the book focuses more on perfection, loss, expectations, faith, family, and fairness.

I don't think it's a book that requires understanding of special needs parenting, although it's a faith-focused book which may impact some people's feelings in a positive or negative way.  I love that the special needs mom is imperfect, although Claire's character took awhile to grow on me.   Deanna also captures the voice of 15 year old Felicity authentically.

Read it.  Enjoy it.  And be sure to check out Deanna's blog.

And since the book is about babies with Down syndrome and I guess this is #throwbackthursday, here's an old shot of Ellie.

Affiliate links included.

{31 for 21} DNF and Small Talk.

I helped run a 5K today.

I didn't physically run the race, but I helped organize it, meaning I stood on a stage with a microphone and gave race reminders and MC'd awards and high fived kids.

At our 5K, we had a 1K Kids Fun Run.

Matt got Ellie all signed up.

And Ellie was not interested.

She ran maybe 200 feet and then decided to play with friends instead.

She ran the rest of the afternoon.

As an adult, I don't want to DNF (receive a time of "Did Not Finish.")  I don't want to publicly drop out of a race.  This may or may not have led to a hamstring injury a few years ago.  Ellie had no reason not to run, but she didn't feel like running.

I laughed.

But part of me wanted her to tough it out and race.

Except for one little problem…. that's not what Ellie wanted.  She wanted to run and then laugh.  She spent all morning running.  She befriended dogs.  She had a great time independently playing at the finish area.

Ellie isn't super competitive, and aside from her gymnastics skills (which are largely due to her flexibility), she isn't particularly athletic.

And that's fine.

As I was pondering this, I picked up a copy of a book I recently received, Small Talk by Amy Julia Becker.  She writes about what she's learned from her three kids, the oldest of whom has Down syndrome.  Although the book isn't about Down syndrome, Amy Julia writes about her daughter  Penny, and Down syndrome plays into Penny's story.  She talks about how Penny sees victory is listening and hitting the ball occasionally in tennis class, even if all the other kids are more talented athletes.

The book is full of little nuggets of wisdom and is easy to pick up and flip through.  True confession: I'm posting about it before I'm done.  I originally planned to read the whole book and write a full blog post on the topic next week.  Instead, expect snippets about Small Talk as I pick it up and ponder what Ellie (and other kids) teach me about faith.

Interrupted, by Jen Hatmaker.

This post looks at the book Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker.  Although I received an advance copy free of charge, all opinions are my own.  Also, just FYI, this is a book about Jesus and church.  

Sometimes, worlds collide.

Scene 1: Sitting at our neighborhood summer kick-off cookout, I was chatting with a friend, a neighbor who goes to my church.  I mentioned that Ellie and I would be road tripping to Florida, and I was looking for a good audiobook NOT about education, educational theory, special education, or English language learning.  (I love all of these topics, but I had been reading almost exclusively from these categories.)  I added that since I'd be with Ellie, I needed an "appropriate" audiobook.  My neighbor recommended 7 by Jen Hatmaker.  She warned me that it would "change my life" or "rock my world" or some such large statement.  I downloaded it and Ellie and I listened to the book on our drive south.

Scene 2: Texting with my friend Kelle in Naples, FL.  She couldn't meet up, as she was going to Rwanda a few days later on this super cool trip with Noonday Collection called #StyleForJustice.  I know Kelle through the Down syndrome community, as her sweet Nella has Down syndrome like Ellie.  Oh, and Noonday works with IJM, and one of my best friends hosts a table at their fundraiser every year.

Scene 3: Sitting in Florida posting photos to Facebook when Jen Hatmaker's page showed up as a recommendation…. she was going to Rwanda and a lot of my friends were "liking" her posts.  But these weren't my Down syndrome mama friends, these were my church friends.  I clicked on Jen's page.  She was going on the same trip as Kelle.  I emailed Kelle and learned they would be roommates.

So why was I just now learning of Jen Hatmaker's books?

In 7, Jen writes about what she calls "An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess."  This experiment involves living on less, giving away more, caring for people and the planet, and praying more.  Interrupted is described as the prequel, or what made her open to try the experiment of 7 in the first place.

Some background on the author: She lives in Austin, TX.  Her husband is a pastor.  She's an adoptive mama and a biological mama to a total of five kids.  She flies around the country speaking.

Interrupted appeals to not only the churchy people seeking depth, but to the "I like God but not church" people seeking more of God.  Interrupted is an easy read because it's a compelling story, but it's not an easy book.  I kept highlighting, stopping, thinking.

I live in one of the most expensive areas of the US.  I work as a teacher.  That makes me one of the richest people in the world.  That's a challenging thought; as a teacher, I am in the top 1% of the world's wage-earners.

Jen and her husband moved into a new community to start a new church and to really live out the whole "love your neighbor" thing.

What can I do?

What can I do?

Any book that drives the reader to question and then to action is a good book.  How can I love my neighbors?  My world?  What can I do?

After reading 7, I began sorting through some of the excess we own.  I can't even claim unselfishness; my house is simply too full of junk.  I boxed up about 100 books to donate in one day.  Four or five huge bags of clothes I never wear sit upstairs, ready for a homeless shelter.

Interrupted is the reason giving things away changes us.

You can buy it here.  There's a 20% discount through July 31.

Here are some teasers:

"[Jesus] seems to favor unmerited grace… I'll just err on the side of mercy and let Jesus sort it out at the harvest."

"The problem with Christian segregation is that God asked us to be on mission with Him, sent us to some group of people somewhere, and wants us to minister to them in a way that meets their needs by speaking their language."

I'm thankful for a break from work this summer that gives me time to read, to think, to rest.

Happy summer reading.

P.S. The whole Noonday thing?  I'm going to try to host a party this fall.  Details TBA.

I Read a Book.

I read a book this week.

Given that I'm a teacher, that's not terribly surprising, although it was nice to read a book that wasn't about Wayside School.

The best thing about the book I read this week was the author.

Megan Abner has Down syndrome.  I learned of her book through the fantastic world of social networking, when someone posted something like this:

"My friend Megan just wrote a book about having Down syndrome.  Anyone want a copy?"

Um, YES.

I devoured the book.

(You can get a copy here.  I don't get a kick back or anything.  All I got was a free book.)

(Cover photo via Amazon.)

Megan writes in her own words, and the book isn't highly edited.  She writes in little vignettes, sharing stories centered around a theme, so the story isn't in chronological order.  The writing is honest, which provided this mama joy (Megan is articulate and happy, she works, she has a great vocabulary), fear (Megan's middle school stories broke my heart) and laughter (wine tasting, injuries, normal life stuff).

I recently sat in a meeting with some colleagues and discussed a writer's voice - that hard to define skill of writing as though you were speaking.  Megan has voice.  Her writing isn't perfect, but even my special education teacher self was impressed.  Time to raise the bar for my own kid.

Megan uses her voice, and I'm grateful.

When I was pregnant with Ellie, I found a lot of books and blogs by parents of children with Down syndrome.  I felt less alone, but resources by individuals with Down syndrome weren't something I even thought to seek out.

Megan, thank you for providing a resource for new parents.  Thank you for sharing your family photos.  Thank you for giving me a smile.

Ellie's WDSD photo from last year is here.

Happy World UP Syndrome Day!

From Grief to Celebration: Review and {Giveaway}

When Gary (Margaret) Bender emailed me and asked me if I'd like to give away a copy of her book on my blog, I was excited.  I'd read a few reviews on the T21 Writers Alliance page, and although I contribute to that site, I hadn't picked up Gary's book yet.

What first struck me about From Grief to Celebration was the fact that Gary is the parent of an older child with Down syndrome; her daughter Alex was 17 at the time the book was written.  While I loved Bloom and A Good and Perfect Gift, both books were written by parents of younger children.  Gary offers the distance and perspective years can bring.  The book is a fast read, and I read it on a flight as Ellie napped in the Bjorn.

From Grief to Celebration is based around ten verbs that Gary and her family contributed in processing Alex's Down syndrome diagnosis.  I appreciated Gary's story of receiving the news that Alex was not going to be the baby she expected, although that story is now a familiar one.  Gary's writing style is tight, and she gets to the point without becoming dry.  Her descriptions of advocating for Alex encouraged me, because I'm grateful for moms who have gone ahead of me to promote inclusion.

My favorite passage of the book was something that surprised me.  While I desire for Ellie to be included with her typical peers, I want her to find her place in the special needs community as well.  I want her to thrive.  In the chapter on "Include," Gary writes:

"What I didn't believe at the time, but know now, is that Alex shines when she's with other people with disabilities.  She can interact equally, both socially and competitively.  She feels genuine friendship, pride, and success."

Another mom of a child with special needs that I know has mentioned her daughter having "many circles," and I think Alex's social life as described by Gary reflects a bit of this.  School, general education, special education, Special Olympics, our local Down syndrome group - I want Ellie to find her place in each.

I would recommend From Grief to Celebration to any parent of a child with Down syndrome looking for a memoir that takes them farther down the road, beyond early childhood and into adolescence.

And now, it's your turn to read.  In order to enter, leave a comment on this post telling me why you want the book, tell me why you want to read about Down syndrome, or just tell me why you're awesome.  

THE FINE PRINT: The winner will be chosen via random.org, and entries will close on July 10 at 11:00 PM Eastern Time.  The winner must be in the United States and over 18.  I was given a copy of From Grief to Celebration to review, but the opinions are all my own.  The winner will be announced on this blog and notified via email if possible and will have 3 days to respond, or a new winner will be selected.  I cannot be held liable for random.org mishaps, Blogger malfunctions, email malfunctions, broken iPads, iPhones, Blackberries, or other technology related issues.  I can't be held liable for shipping issues, weather problems, or crying babies.  I was given a copy of From Grief to Celebration, but the opinions are all my own.

The Doctor is Online.

Thank you to 2nd.MD for providing me with a $200 stipend to test-drive this revolutionary online medical service.



If you know me, or know Ellie, or have ever attempted to make plans with either of us, you know that we spend a lot of time visiting various medical specialists.  We visit some due to Ellie's corrected GI blockage and repaired heart defect.  We visit others because the list of specialists that kids with Down syndrome visit in their first year of life is about a mile long - Ellie's eyes and ears and thyroid must be checked. And she needs bloodwork frequently.  Add those appointments to the general well-baby checkups, immunizations (including the monthly Synagis), physical therapy, speech therapy, and developmental therapy, and you have one very busy baby girl.

I had the opportunity to review the services of 2nd.MD.  The concept is fairly straightforward.  Clients sign up for the website, type in key words or symptoms, and can schedule an appointment to speak with a physician.  Looking through the physician list, I saw names of hospitals I recognized, which gave me confidence that the doctors would prove to be well-equipped to answer questions about my child's medical needs.

I logged onto the website and searched for pediatrics, GI, and genetics, and found a physician who seemed well suited to answer my questions.  I clicked on "Dr. Isreal Kochin."  He was unavailable, so I requested an appointment.  I had some trouble at that point, because I couldn't seem to find available appointments, but an email to customer service was returned promptly and I'm fairly certain the problem was operator error on my part.  I set up an appointment and was given the opportunity to upload medical records, summarize my concern, or even request medical records from the hospital to be sent to 2nd.MD.  The video setup is easy if you can use Skype, and if you have the newest version of Adobe Flash Player.  If (like me) you need to update Flash Player, this is the point at which you will email customer service again because you've been outsmarted by your computer.  I never did get the service to work on my Mac, but I could have pursued a phone consult if that was my only computer.

The customer service response time was impressive.  I believe in good customer service, and 2nd.MD delivers.  My call was returned about three minutes after they opened.  I successfully installed the Flash Player, and was off and running after I checked my microphone.  Five minutes before appointment time, I logged into my 2nd.MD account and was sent to a virtual waiting room, or "Consult Lobby."  Instead of reading outdated People magazines, I sat on my couch and finished a cup of coffee.

(The virtual lobby also offered random facts and inspirational quotes.)

The doctor logged on and I felt like I was using Skype for the first time, "Hey, I see that guy!"  He had the goals of the appointment (a question about reflux) and we reviewed Ellie's history.  Since I've listened to rounds for Ellie frequently, I was able to succinctly list her concerns and needs.  "Eleanor is a full-term 8 month old baby girl diagnosed prenatally with...."  (I felt like I was on Grey's Anatomy.  But I didn't say that out loud, because that would be super geeky.)  We had some connection issues with the microphone - Not sure if it was on my end or his, but the physician quickly obtained my number and called so we could continue the appointment.

(Hello there, doc!)

The doctor answered my questions, and proved to be quite knowledgeable about the specifics of Down syndrome.  I'm not sure if that was based on his prior knowledge or research specifically for this appointment, but he was helpful.  I'll give him extra points for exclaiming at Ellie's cuteness and using people-first language, calling Ellie a "baby with Down syndrome" instead of a "Downs baby."  At the end of the consult, the Dr. Kochin ran through the expected disclaimer that an online consult does not take the place of an exam.  He was able to answer my question and met the goal of the appointment.

The services of 2nd.MD aren't cheap, most appointments cost $150-200 for twenty minutes.  However, for anyone who lives far away from a specialist, $200 may be a small price to pay for a consult, especially when factoring in time away from work and travel or hotel expenses.  I would imagine the same is true for anyone paying out of pocket for specialists, or who is facing a lengthy wait for an appointment.  I joked with a friend yesterday that I need a personal assistant to handle Ellie's appointment scheduling, and I cannot imagine if I lived hours from the nearest Children's hospital or Down syndrome clinic.



2nd.MD is on Facebook and Twitter. Their staff is amazingly helpful, and returned calls and emails far faster than most doctors I've contacted.  I filled out a survey after my appointment and received a call within hours asking how they could improve the experience.  Yes, I had some technical difficulties, but effective troubleshooting made the process overwhelmingly positive. 

Thank you again to 2nd.MD for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about 2nd.MD. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #Clever2ndMD #spon

Thankful for a Great Read and New Friends.

Note:  This post is not sponsored.  The book was just that good.

Over the course of the last several months, several friends from various church groups have suggested I order Good and Perfect Gift, by Amy Julia Becker.  "Okay," I thought, "I will eventually."  I noticed that the Down syndrome community was falling in love with the book, too.  When my bloggy friend Meriah hosted a giveaway, offering one lucky reader her own copy of the book (which she was replacing with an electronic version) I decided that if I didn't win, I'd go buy my own.

I won, and a week or so later, my book arrived, as Meriah had promised, tear-stained and well-loved, the way I like my books. Once I picked it up, I couldn't set it back down.

If you have a child with Down syndrome, you'll probably recognize the story.  You know how it goes: You get a diagnosis, you cry, you fight through pain, you watch your child develop a personality, and sometimes Down syndrome makes you sad, and mostly, you are okay, your family is okay.  If you have a child with Down syndrome, you want to read this book for the articulation of the questions of value, intelligence, and the role of God.  Even if you don't share Becker's faith, trust me, the questions she asks are familiar.  (Yes, I know I do share Becker's faith.  But I've heard that the book is great from women who are not part of the Christian church, and I think you will agree.)

If you don't have a child with Down syndrome, please read this book.  Amy Julia Becker pulls from her journal at the time of her daughter Penny's birth.  The outward story isn't surprising if you read this blog, or if you know us.  Penny's diagnosis was a surprise, and Becker writes about the feelings I experienced with Ellie's prenatal diagnosis more eloquently than I ever will.  I want to go back and edit my "Faith and Down Syndrome" post, and simply leave a link to this book. You will understand more of our family, more of the hope, more of the pain, more of the love.  But that's not why you should read this book.  You should read it because Becker addresses pain, surprise, love, redemption, and the general hurts and victories of our shared human condition.  You should read it because "this could never happen to me" happens, whatever "this" may be.

Becker explores her own theology and determines that Penny has value, regardless of her IQ or the age at which she meets milestones.  Becker also questions her own values, admitting with raw honesty her faith in academics, athletics, and hard work.  She articulates her changing perceptions and arrives at a beautiful place of hope, high expectations, love, and acceptance.

When I was pregnant with Ellie, one of our pastors preached on the story from the bible of a man born blind.  The disciples ask Jesus, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that this man was born blind?"  Jesus responds, "Neither, this man was born blind that the glory of God might be revealed."  I remember tearing up in church that day, praying that this would be the case with our little girl with an extra chromosome and a heart defect.  Becker relates the same story from Scripture in her book, and I was again moved to tears.  As I read, Ellie napped beside me and I reached over to hold her tight.

Becker goes beyond the platitudes of "special kids for special parents" and discusses Penny's diagnosis with a rawness and a depth that speaks to any shocking situation, not just having a child with special needs. 

Go read it.  And check out Amy Julia Becker's blog, too.

***

And now, we all know a post wouldn't be complete without some Ellie photo love.

(After a long day of shopping, the pigtails came out and looked... like this.)

(Love my car.  Love it.)

Today we are also sharing some new friend love.  The other day, Ellie got to meet a new friend who also has Down syndrome, along with her big brother.  Thanks to Baby D and her mom and brother for letting us hang out, and for letting me use the photos!

(Try to resist pinching those cheeks.  Just try.)

(Playing at the park.)

PS. This week is Down Syndrome Awareness Week in Canada.  We love you, Canadians!  Here's an article from Canada this week.

PS#2. Check out I Heart Faces photo inspiration for Halloween.  You might recognize some pudgy little hands.

Hey Mr. Postman.

The mail has been exciting this week.  

After a crazy storm featuring rain, thunder, lightening, wind, and flickering power, I stepped outside to check out the storm's impact.  I found a box covered in some very soggy plastic on our front step.  Ellie's grandma and grandpa sent her a piano.

Okay, it's more of a keyboard.

(Please don't stop the music!)

(Stretch!)

I happen to be married to a man with a fair amount of musical talent, and I hope Ellie takes after Matt in that respect.  When Ellie is a bit bigger, we'll open her big piano from Aunt Danielle, and she can really rock.  Or play Mozart.  Whatever floats her boat.

In the meantime, I've been putting Pandora on "Glee Cast Radio," because all kids need to hear Madonna show choir-style.

Oh, you know that storm?  I was worried about Ellie getting scared.  Not a chance.

(Power outage?  Thunder?  Whatever, Lambie and I are good.)

A rockin' hair clippie from Patti came this week, too.  We're continuing to tame the mohawk.  I know I mentioned the clip before, but this time, I have a photo.

(Thanks, Patti!)

And I received a sweet treat - Earrings from Sweet Little Chickadee!  You can too, if you enter the {Giveaway} this week! 

A little background.  I have three holes in my left ear, and five in the right, including two cartilage piercings.  For a wedding gift, Matt gave me beautiful little studs that I wear all the time.  I've worn them since the day we got back from our honeymoon, and I never bothered putting other earrings back in any of the other holes.  Someone (who happens to be a reader and a dear friend) has been giving me a hard time about my lack of earring creativity for about a year.

Well, I did it!  I am wearing different earrings!  And I even moved my normal studs up to the second hole.  Thank you, Juli! 

(Beautiful!  Love 'em!)

I tried to take a self-portrait, but it didn't work out too well, and Ellie refused to help by snapping my photo. 

(I promise, the earrings rock.  Also, I'd just gotten out of the pool.  Not so cute.)

(Oh, and we got the normal assortment of bills and junk in our mail, but those are boring.)

Almost the weekend!  We're celebrating Ellie's baptism with family and friends, what are your plans?