Julia and I walked our very first 5K today. I am so proud of her. She ended up running about half of it to keep up with me as I was trying to do a faster pace then her legs could handle. She got up early with me and only complained once during the whole event. We will be doing more of these for sure.





This was a really great 5K to start off with. very kid oriented. We got a free circus ticket for each of us as well.









Right before we hit the 2 mile marker, Julia started complaining she was tired and couldn't go much further. Then they had a water station, she got her drink and she didn't complain again and didn't slow down till the end.



Her running ahead of us.



She was out 5 minutes after we got in the car. So proud of her.

Today my Baby Girl turned 2. I can not believe it. She is growing up way too fast. All of them are. 





She sat on the edge of the pool and then proceeded to jump in. Ack! Luckily I was right next to her. Guess she needs a refresher course on swimming pools for the season.











Just a cool shot I took of Keira's little swim board. I am under water looking up at it. You can see the clouds in the sky above it.







And because none of the other girls were willing to go under for me, I had to do a self portrait.



All done!

Chera does it again! Here is a sneak peek at Julia's 6 year photos and Keira's 2 year photos. Keira and her BFF, Emerson are both turning 2 next month and will be celebrating their birthday together. So we had matching outfits made and then we invited E to come take some photos with K. Silly Sisters




Julia is having a bowling party, so we got her this adorable outfit for her party.


Say Cheese!






BFFs





Chera couldn't help but get a shot of this adorable little girl, Finley, Emerson's little sister.


And my favorite shot. The one that was not even planned. Sevi was not there to have photos taken. She was just there to play with Cayden while we got shots of all the birthday girls. But Chera has a special spot in her heart for Sevi because she has a daughter very similar to Sevi. Chera has been a HUGE help in teaching me about sensory stuff. Anyway, she went to take a photo of Sevi but Sevi was not in the mood. So she grabbed my leg and this photo was taken. I am so in love with this shot.

A lot of people have been asking me what SPD is. And honestly, I can't even explain it yet. I know what my child does, but I have not learned why she does it, yet. OT will teach me and her all of this. We will learn how to work with what she does and get her to be able to control it better. I will learn how to handle her issues better and to assist with them instead of trying to make her stop what she is doing.

I am angry today. Someone told me I would go through a roller coaster of emotions and they were right. Today...Anger.

Ever since Sevi was about a year old we knew there was something different about her. At first we just thought her motor skills were off the charts and she was just a strong girl with all the climbing. Then we just figured she was a genius with all the things she liked to open and take apart that were baby proofed. But as she got older, we realized there was something more. Our Ped started to agree that it was time to get her tested to see if there was something specifically unique about her. So about her 3rd birthday we really started to take notes, ask questions and then around 3 1/2 we started with the Behavioral Psychiatrist(Thinking Doctor). Started going every Friday but then quickly moved to every other Friday as Sevi was responding wonderfully. However, the thinking doctor felt there needed to be some more testing to make sure we were treating her properly. So she arranged some sensory and impulse testing for her. Several people had mentioned sensory issues to me, but I honestly had no idea what that all meant. But off we went.

My neighbor/friend just came over to ask us for some help. 

Her 4 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. It is too close to the ocular tubes or something and in a spot on the brain that they just can't operate. So she starts 15 months of Chemotherapy and tomorrow she starts getting hormone shots every 20 days. This tumor has affected her hormones and made her grow much bigger then she should be and that is how they found it. So the shots will try and help slow that down. She will have to have s hunt put in her chest to get the shot every 20 days. Then the chemo for 15 months.

This is all a 50% chance of working just to shrink the tumor. No idea what happens after that since they can not operate to remove it 100%.

Anyway, we will be helping them out any way we can since her husband works in San Antonio and is gone all week. 

If you could please say a prayer for them, I know they would appreciate it. She has 4 other children. This is her "baby".

A little irony...When she was explaining all of this to me she seemed like she had done years of research on this. I was amazed at her knowledge. Then she told me that she went to school to be a doctor in her country. She just never did the testing and such she needed to do to have her credentials transferred here. She is such an amazing and strong woman.

Julia has a new favorite dress. And on the way to school today, she said "Mom, I don't want to put any dress up on when I get home from school because I don't ever want to take this dress off." So I would say it is a HIT!!!

Thanks to the lovely and talented Nicole for making it for us. Julia picked out the fabrics herself, which makes it even more special to her.

Steve and I have always said that when they came to us with a direct question, we would answer them honestly. However, I never expected to come at 6. Well, technically, she is still 5 for another month.

Anyway, today at lunch Sevi was talking about the Easter Bunny and baskets, etc. Julia turned to me and asked "Mommy, isn't the Easter Bunny really just a person in a costume?"

Steve and I both had to pick up our mouths off the floor to answer.

I explained, that yes, the ones at the mall and such were just that. She said she knew that, but wasn't the one who brought the baskets really just a person.

Sevi was sitting right next to her, so I told her we would discuss it later, just the two of us.

Now, do I bring it up with her and tell her, or do I leave it alone and wait for her to bring it up again.

Steven's only reaction to this was "So reindeer pulling a sleigh is more believable then an Easter Bunny?"

My Mom's Board that I run was on TV tonight. (www.DfwAreaMoms.com)

Steve was watching the news when he yelled for me to turn to 509. Right as it tuned in I saw my avatar and my siggy on the TV. (And I have to giggle because it is me breastfeeding Sevi ) Anyway, they were doing a story on ways to go green in Dallas and local sites that could help you and they found DAM!

DAM Goes Green

We have been having a bit of an issue with Sevina's shoes just randomly falling off places. Mostly in the car, which is not a big deal, but also at restaurants and grocery stores, etc. In her defense, it is usually her slip on shoes, so sometimes, they really do just slip off. However, today we were in the car when her shoes slipped off again...

Sevina - Mommy, my shoe slipped off.
Mommy - Hmm, that's interesting Sevina. How did your shoe just slip off.
Sevina - It was Magic.
Mommy - Really, Magic?
Sevina - Yep, Magic Mommy.
Mommy - That's some good Magic Sevi since you are wearing shoes with straps today. Those straps keep the shoes from just slipping off.
Sevina - Ok Mommy, I will tell the truth. Jesus kicked them off.

Sleeping Beauties...

We headed South for two days to visit with my SIL and her husband and their brand new baby boy, Reid. He turned 3 months old while we were there. He is so cute and cuddly. I just wanted to squeeze him. I even got to feed and rock him to sleep. Julia has been talking about Reid for months now. She couldn't wait for him to be born and then she couldn't wait to meet him. But sadly, I think it was very anticlimactic for her. She really didn't want anything to do with him once we got there. I think she forgot that babies don't do much.





















This is in their amazing backyard or should I say, back acres. Julia has an obsession with Cactus Plants. So I got a shot of her with one.









Then off to the hotel in San Marcos we went. It amazes me how exciting a hotel room can be to kids. They could not wait to get there and they didn't want to leave. But they did really well all three sleeping in the same room.



Next day it was off to Austin to see Gamma Vera. This is Steve's Grandmother, the girls' Great Grandmother. She is in her mid 90's and is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She really is. She has one of the warmest hearts a person could ever have. She took me in immediately and has treated me as one of her own since they day we met. Which, ironically, was on Mother's Day. I met my MIL and my GMIL for the first time on Mother's Day. But I digress. Vera is one of the strongest, smartest, most caring and giving woman I have met. I could brag on her forever. She has accomplished so much in her life. Things I can only dream of. She had a husband who traveled a lot and still managed to stay sane while raising her 4 kids. Who, by the way, are the most unique yet normal people, if that is even possible. Let me see if I get this right. I think Karen (my MIL) is the oldest, then Roland (oh please let it be Roland, otherwise he might disown me, LOL), then Mike and Barbee is the baby in the family. These are four very accomplished, very bright, very loving people. They all have kids of their own and you can tell that this is a very loved group of people. And it all started with Vera. I am very blessed in the In-law department.





And Keira just being silly with my glasses.

Sevina had her second appt. with the therapist and I am a bit overwhelmed. She wants to have Sevi tested for her Impulse and Sensory Motor Issues. Something like that. So I called the place and they were very nice and explained so much to me. It really sounds like this is what Sevi may in fact have, but to get her tested, it will cost $750. And while she is worth every penny, we have already been paying a lot of money for this therapy stuff. None of this is officially covered under insurance, but we can submit a request for reimbursement but we don't know if they will approve it or not. It's frustrating because I feel like we might be very close to some hard answers but we just can't quiet reach them.

I think I am finally getting my groove back. At least I am trying really hard. 3 kids does a lot to your body physically and it does a lot to your mind emotionally. I have not taken care of myself in a long time. I rarely do my make-up, dress nice or even do anything to my hair. But that is all changing.

So in an effort to let Sevi have some "controlled chaos", I gave her a can of shaving cream and let her go to town in the shower.

Sevi has her first appt. with a Behavioral Psychologist today and I LOVED her. She is exactly what we are looking for and was great with Sevi. Sevi calls her the "Thinking Doctor". 

Steve and I went in knowing we did not want any labels put on Sevi nor did we want any mention of meds right off bat.

She did neither.

Half way through, she had already mentioned two new ideas for us to try with Sevi and THAT is what we were wanting. She is perfect. She sounded very excited to be working with her and can't wait for our next appt. She said she had so many things going through her mind. Questions she wanted to think about, ideas she wanted to research, etc. And she will work with all off us, not just Steve, Sevi and I. She wants the other girls to come on occasion. She even wants to see me by myself to help me with all of this. Sometimes she will only want Sevi, but for the most part she will want Sevi and a parent since our goal is to learn how to work with her and not about trying to "fix" her. Which she agreed with 100% and was so happy to hear how we were explaining what we wanted out of this and not trying to change Sevina.

So, for now we will go every Friday.
I have to set aside some time for some "Controlled Chaos". She thinks Sevi HAS to make messes, be creative. It is just who she is. And I can't stand messes, so I have never been big on playdoh, etc. So during Keira's naptime, Sevi and I will work on "crafts". Things she can be creative with and make a little mess. (I totally need ideas for this)
We have to set one day aside every week for "Sevi Dresses Herself" day. On this day, she will get to dress herself all by herself and we will get to fawn all over her. She will get to change as many times as she wants, etc. Just once a week to let her get that control and get the clothes thing out of her system (we hope). She is going to research the 6 layers of clothes though to see how it relates to sensory issues.
She wants us to use time-out more and she has gone over how she wants us to use it. We have always used it, but it is not affective anymore. She gave us new things to try to see if it will work.
She has assigned Steve and I to date nights. She wants us to get out, relax, bond again so that we can affectively work better at doing all of the above with Sevi.
Next appt. she is going to teach me a 10 second time out for me to do to help me calm down and approach Sevi in a calmer manner. 

Steve and I were very happy with her. She seems to be exactly what we were hoping for and of the same thought process we are in wanting to learn more about Sevina.

I am trying to make light of this or else I will get frustrated. Sevina has a clothes issue these days. Heck, these months. It has become a major issue in our house that is requiring locked rooms. Anyway, I'll go more into that when I am not so tired. Today she came downstairs to take a bath. And this is what I found. Now mind you, these are her older sister's clothes because Julia's room is the only room that doesn't have a lock. At least it was until I went to Lowes today.Shirt #1


Shirt #2


Shirt #3


Shirt #4


Shirt #5


Shirt #6

I thought this quiz about your designing style was pretty cool. It was dead on for me.

Or any rings you wear on a regular basis.

I learned the hard way that you should not wear your wedding ring 24/7. Especially for 7 straight years and through 3 pregnancies.

I had to go get it cut off today.  It had a little bit to do with my weight gain and a lot to do with the fact that I never ever take my ring off.

Luckily we have a jeweler. Actually, he is the jeweler who made my ring in the first place since I designed it. It was very sad. I have to keep it off for several weeks till my finger gets back to normal and then he will resize it and fix it and get it back on...as long as I promise to remove it when I am just hanging out at the house.

So here is a photo journal of my ring being cut off. 

Before (See how it has squished all my fat  up above it?)