Levi, the Tow Truck Driver

Last Thursday, we played this game over and over: I would sit Levi on Adam's Elmo airplane and hold him so he could ride on it. Adam would ride his Winnie the Pooh car and pretend to get stuck somewhere. I'd push Levi over, and we'd pretend to tow Adam out to safety. Adam thought it was great fun. I'd loved hearing him yell, "Wee-dye, a widdo hep pees!" (which translates to: "Levi, a little help please!")



This was a great way to get them to interact a little more since often times they are playing with their own toys & doing their own thing. It was also great therapy for Levi as he worked to keep his balance. I held on just enough to keep him from falling and tried to get him to do most of the work to stay balanced. (It was a good workout for me, too!)

Then Adam wanted to go to the desert (something he saw on a Cat in the Hat cartoon), so we'd go over to the rug & put our feet in the sand.


Adam's pretend play is a blast to watch and be a part of. He comes up with the funniest games, like tipping over the laundry basket so it gets between us, then coming to rescue me. "I'll save you!" he says. Today he was pretending to tuck me in for bed. He'd pretend turn on the CD player & kiss me on my cheek before walking out of the room and shutting the door. Hide & seek was another fun one today.

When I asked him to carry something in from the car after church, he said, "Yeh, I'm a strong man for that." And he was calling me "Big Mama" for reasons still unknown. He is a hoot.

Levi was full of noises and giggles tonight before he went to bed. Fun stuff. I am trying to bask in the sunlight these little boys bring to me. Before I know it they will be grown.




(love that big space between his first and second toes...another extra chromosome thing)

My Sweet Friend Will be Missed

John & Adam (May 2009)

John passed away this morning. Since I couldn't be with him in his last hours. I imagined myself holding his hand and telling him it was okay to let go until I heard the news. Oh, how I worry about sweet Bobbie and how she is doing. I haven't been able to reach her, but I know her loving family and brothers & sisters in Christ have their arms around her.

John was such a funny person. He even found humor in tough situations in order to make them more bearable. When Bobbie had health problems, he'd joke that he was going to trade her in for a newer model. He always seemed to know how I was feeling, even when I was trying to hide it. He knew the right things to say, whether I wanted to hear them or not and was a trusted friend and confidant.

I am thankful John got to see Levi a few months ago and think it is so special that they share May 27th as a birthday.

John was a man of God. He knew and studied his Bible, and we had many deep discussions about Scripture. I have been distraught by the words of comfort given at many funerals because the words used to encourage aren't always in line with the Bible. The Bible tells us how we will meet Christ and to encourage each other with the explanation. This is what the Bible says about death and meeting Christ...

I Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. "

Prayers for John

We are saying lots of prayers today for our friend, John (who lives in Houston). He had surgery yesterday to remove some cancer from his eye area and was expected to lose his eye. When we talked Friday he said he went through many appointments to make sure his heart was strong enough for the surgery and was making jokes about how mean he'd look wearing an eye patch.

During the surgery yesterday, he had a massive stroke and is now on life support. We love you, John, and pray that Bobbie finds strength in this heartbreaking time.

Here are some photos, recent and not-so-recent of us with our buddy, John. He and Levi share the same birthday.

Notice Anything?

Adam sweet talked Levi's Occupational Therapist into a few whistle toys today. He used them to entertain baby brother.

Notice somebody sitting up all by himself?


Notice a theme to Adam's playtime?

a train on top of a train with another train following behind!

A Little Love for Valentine's Day

I am loving the payoffs of couponing! Yes, it took me forever to get prepared to go to the store, and I was there for an hour and a half, but...

And today I saved $21 using coupons at CVS, and I got $9 in CVS bucks in return! How about that?!

I love the beautiful, colorful mess this boy makes of our home. For so many years I dreamed of being a mama, and it never slips my mind that I have been blessed.

I love that when his baby brother came home from the hospital, Adam went running over to hug him. (I'm just now getting around to posting the picture.)


The boys & I loved spending Monday and Tuesday at Aunt Tammi's this week! Watching her entice and feed the deer in her backyard was one of the highlights!



I loved some extra time with my hubby this week. I love the way he took over and gave me some much needed naptime, and I loved that we were able to attend the Down syndrome Association meeting as a family today (because the company I work for is kind enough to work with me on scheduling it that way :)

And I am loving my boys.

In Mama's Arms

This morning, I was sadly informed about this news story, in which a teacher's aide allegedly locked a 5 year old with Down syndrome in the closet at school. I am disgusted by the thought of it.


Levi,

I am so aware and appreciative of the way your small stature allows me to enjoy the baby stage for an extended period of time. (At 8 months old, you are less than 14 lbs, and can still fit into 3 month pants. That is about the 25th percentile on a Down syndrome growth chart and not even on the chart for a typical baby) Us mamas often wish our little ones would stay tiny forever, and while it won't be forever, you & I get to hold on just a little longer than most. When you are older, there may be days when I really do wish to come back to this time on our road together. A time where I can protect you from the world. A time when you don't stand out from the others. A time when no one judges or looks down on you.

But when I think about your future, I imagine you & I being big buddies, enjoying lots of activities together. I know you will brighten the days of our family, and I look forward to many laughs and meaningful memories with you by my side.
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And, Adam, I can't into words what joy you are to us. The person that came up with the term "terrible twos" obviously didn't know any little boys like you.

You bring so much color to our lives.

Giggles from Levi (8 months)

Just so you can see how much better he feels...
(Scroll to the bottom of the blog and pause the music player before watching so you can hear the video.)