Grateful

I am sitting in bed. The kids are asleep. Feeling so blessed by the utter bounty in my life. Looking at Lupe sleeping here next to me...she is so unbelievably gorgeous.
And Liam. I still get caught up in worry wondering if I am doing enough and still the occasional "Why me? Why him?", but really, LIFE IS AWESO
E.
We live near family. We have friends. we live in a gorgeous city with perfect weather. We can walk downtown. We live within our means and are doing good. We are surrounded by love.

Good morning!

I wake up to see his face THAT close. Hard to be mad about all the times I woke up through the night.
He laughs. He tries to kiss me. He looks back at his sister who is watching. And he gets even closer.

Tracking our progress

Yesterday was a great day. Something very satisfying about seeing all those check marks Now it's the next day and 1:30 in the afternoon and we've done almost nada! Liam patiently accompanied us in the stroller for two hours(!) while we hit up a neighborhood garage sale. Looking for good CAUSE AND EFFECT toys: all in the name if Liam's therapy!

Art after dark

We went diwntown tonight after dinner and were at a store looking at kids art and a woman was studying Liam for a minute. Then she said, "he's very cute. I used to work with special ed". And it was an interesting moment. It made me think: was it necessary to even mention that? But then I said, "Oh thanks! Yeah, he has Downs.". And then I wondered, was it necessary to say that?
It's the first time a stranger in public has brought it up. Earlier today I was thinking about how we're starting Parent Participation next week and wondering if I will mention T21 from the get go so people aren't wondering. I was thinking of even saying that the other parents could feel free to ask me questions. I myself didn't know anyone with DS until Liam was born.
What would you do?

Lupita's little worlds

This is Lupe's every day. She sets up her toys in every corner or surface of the house. Recently she likes to group them by size or type or color. I wonder what she would do if we had no furniture to set up her scenes on?
I want to remember this so that when she is older and has developed some amazing talent for something I can look back at her early childhood and remind her of how she used to play.
It's like a friend of Pedro's, when they were little he used to find dead lizards or rats and cut them open to see what they looked like inside. Can you guess? That's right, he is now a surgeon.

Back to school supplies

Our support person for NACD, the neurodevelopment program we do with Liam said that Target had great flashcards for a dollar. So I went a little crazy!
The best set was the animal flashcards with the real photographs. Ideally I would find flashcards of many different subjects using real photographs. I also found some great materials to use with Lupe to practice the ABC's. And something I have been looking for for a long time: stickers in español! These will be great for story time and music time in Spanish.
Back to school is fun!

Art by EPLU

Dear Maestra

Dear Maestra,
Today we took Lupe to meet you and do the paperwork for the preshool.  And.....she can't stop talking about the school.  When we got in the car she said, "I like the maestra Mama, she's fancy. Do you like her?" And when we got home, you entered into her pretend play.  Lupe does this all the time, whatever situation we've just had or people we've just been with, she comes home and decides who she is, who I am supposed to be, and then fills the rest of the parts with her babies and animals.
So, finally, Lupe is pretending that she can be a mommy and something else. Everyone once in a while someone asks her what she might want to do when she is a grown up- "A mommy, that's all".  No, she can't be anything else at the same time.  This is very real to her.  You may think that a lot of little girls are like that, but let me tell you, Lupe is REALLY into babies.  She can tell you about the day her baby was born, explain her breastfeeding problems and triumphs. I mean this girl could be a student doula or lactation consultant at age 4. She is now going to be a teacher.
And here I was wondering if she would have a hard time starting the 3rd preschool in one year. She went to one at the high school near our house and cried the first few days but ended up loving it. I thought it would be hard to tell her why she wasn't going back there.  "Mom, am I going to Pacheco tomorrow? I just can't wait to start. I love that school!"  That is what she said to me suddenly in bed after I thought she was already sleeping.
And I felt a good connection with you too Maestra. I think this is going to be a fabulous year.  I write you this letter because you're going to spend a lot of time with m'ija. She's really special. And I know you can already see that. Gracias. Todo pasa por una razon (bien que sabe Usted eso!) y se que tenemos a nuestra hija en el mejor lugar.  I had such mixed feelings about her being at school 5 days a week, but I'm feeling a little better about it after today. I will do Liam's therapy at home con ganas, knowing that Lupe is in a supportive and inspiring environment. (Your dad was the first to work with Down Syndrome kids in Kuala Lumpur? Seriously? Amazing). So, thank you in advance for.......todo!
Con carino,
la Mama de Lupe

School Daze

Lupe's starting preschool next week- Pacheco's new bilingual preschool. What's different than last year at Tiny Tigers is that now it will be M-F, 8:30-12. To me, that's like kindergarten already. Deep breath. How can my girl be that big already?
And Liam and I will start Parent Participation. I assume most every other baby in there will be crawling. Will they help motivate my little guy? He's getting too good at scooting, I can't wait to see him crawl!

Big Sur

At 10 am we decided to go to Big Sur for the day. Actually, Pedro said "Let's go camping!" but we quickly realized there was no way to prepare for that on such short notice.  We were on the road by 11 and we drove straight through until we reached Julia Pfeifer State Park and we took my absolute favorite kind of hike: redwoods, ferns, light filtering through the branches, creek, a waterfall! 

(pictures are out of order)

I couldn't stop smiling and proclaiming about the beauty of it all. You'd think I'd come from some city and never been in the woods before.  But the thing is I grew up there. Well, not in Big Sur, but in Cambria during the 70's and 80's. And we went to Big Sur when it was a lot more tranquila. By God there were a lot of people everywhere. Bicyclists. Motor homes. Cars and more cars. Below is a picture of Lupe at Nepenthe, having cocoa and pie before we drive home.

Ah....end of an awesome day. I love my life.

Breastfeeding: you can do it anywhere.

The day couldn't have been more gorgeous.

Guiness at the River Inn.
And, after eating lunch there, we got to swim in the pool, for free! Hot damn if we didn't feel like we were really on vacation. Seriously, our total trip was 12 hours start to finish, and a total vacation!

My lovelies, aren't they gorgeous?

River Inn (Pedro and I have a picture in these chairs when we first came to California)

Photos

August outdoors

Runny noses.

He's been sick this week and now he won't nap on the bed! The 104.9 fever is gone and the congestion has set in. hopefully he will be better in six days when we go to the bay area again for his re-evaluation.
At least Lupe is occupied on the back deck: stones and sharpies, she's been at it for hours! (a project we started yesterday making story stones with our cousins. Fabric and modpodge)