S'Mores

Marshmallows...

Big chunks of Hershey chocolate

Backyard campfires

Perfectly roasted

Greatly anticipated

Scrumptious Treats

As you can see, we've been enjoying the start of summer!

Good-bye EI! Sniff. Sniff.

For the past three years Nathan has been involved with Early Intervention.  We've had a social worker, speech therapist, and physical therapist in our home each week for nearly three years.  Today we said THANK YOU and GOOD-BYE. 

When the pediatrician called us when Nathan was three months old and told us that the visiting nurse felt that Nathan really needed Early Intervention we were, truthfully, less than thrilled.... angry that the visiting nurse didn't have the courage to discuss her concerns with us directly, overwhelmed by Nathan's needs, and not sure that Early Intervention providers would be helpful. 

We. were. so. wrong.  Our providers were wonderfully helpful.  They worked with Nathan, showed us how to help him when they weren't there, gave us information about insurance and programs and helped us wade through piles of medical documentation.  They helped us connect with other parents whose children have complicated medical diagnosis...  They provided a much needed "ear" when times were tough.  Last week Nathan's physical therapist joined us for an appointment at Shriner's.

I made this collage for Lisa, Emily, Becca, Betsy, and Jenn and gave it to them today.  They made a huge difference in our lives.  We will always be grateful for the head start that Nathan was given in Early Intervention... and I will always be an advocate for funding for the program!

Good-bye EI!  Sniff.  Sniff.

Now we enter the land of IEP's and pre-school at the public school.  We're apprehensive, but hoping we'll be surprised by how helpful Nathan's new providers are.  He starts services this summer... we opted out of having him start in a classroom next week when school ends in just a few weeks.

For KB's Mom & Dad

Faces and Flowers at I Heart Faces

This weeks theme for the I Heart Faces challenge is "faces and flowers".  While I have lots of "flower" pictures, I don't have very many pictures of flowers with faces  :)

I took this picture of Nathan last week to use as a thank you note for Nathan's Early Intervention Providers. Nathan is turning three this week and "aging" out of the program. Nathan's workers have been in our home a couple of times per week for the past three years. I'm gonna miss them! I wanted to do something special for them and created a thank you note with a picture of Nathan's first year (oxygen tank and all) and a current picture and wrote "You made a difference" on the collage. Then my printer ran out of ink... Coulnd't print the cards to give to the teachers on Friday... but will give them to some of the providers on Wednesday.

I didn't intend to have Nathan hold flowers for the picture... but ELizabeth had brought them downstairs and once Nathan saw them he wouldn't let go of them! Then I figured it would make a cute picture for the card as we are giving each of the providers flowers or a potted plant.

Want to see lots of other fun pictures of flowers and faces? Head on over to I Heart Faces to check them out.

I Heart Faces Challenge - "Smiles"

This week's challenge at I Heart Faces is "Smiles".  It was so hard to choose just one picture.  I may have to create a separate post to share some other "smile" pictures as we are only allowed to pick one for the challenge.

I took this picture yesterday at my daughter's rehearsal for the play Annie.  Love the smile on this young man's face.

Head on over to I Heart Faces to check out the other entries.

Bubble Bike

You all are in trouble.  I figured out how to upload videos to this blog!  :)  Here's a video of the kid's playing with their "invention" - a bubble bike.  They put the bubble maker on the back of Elizabeth's bike.  They think it sounds like a motorcycle engine!  They've been having so much fun biking around the yard.

Twinkle Twinkle 'Lil Star

Nathan has taken a liking to singing for us. Here's his version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

Sniff Sniff

Where did my beautiful

blond

curly haired

boy go?

He's now a beautiful

blond

short-haired

adorable

boy

Daddy is thrilled.  I'm sure a host of others will be as well (you know who you are!!)

Me...  not so much. 

It was time.  His hair was long and snarly and he refused to let me touch it with a comb or brush.  He looks so different now though.  I keep doing a double take.  He looks identical to Andrew at this age.

I take solace, though, in the fact that hair does GROW!  :)  And Nathan seems to have curly hair, so I'm sure it will be back!

Easter

This picture is my favorite of the hundreds I took yesterday.  I love how excited Nathan was to look for eggs, and love that Elizabeth was running by in the background.

Hope everyone had a very blessed Easter.

Sweet Alex

Our beautiful girl

Andrew dipping into his treat back from Uncle Tom and Aunt Jane Ann

The whole clan minus Mommy...

Why is it so difficult to get a decent picture of everyone?  You can dress them up but you can't make them pose for pictures!  :)

The only reason they were standing on the stairs is the promise of an egg hunt as soon as I got a decent picture... didn't get a good picture, but they did get their egg hunt. 

Not seen in this picture:  Nathan pitching a fit in the corner because I dared to comb his hair and request that he get in the picture.  LOL.  I should have known better...

Had lots of fun taking pictures of Nana's flowers.

He is Risen!

HALLELUJAH!

HE IS RISEN!

HE HAS RISEN INDEED!

Have a very blessed Easter!