A Visitor

We had a visitor in our yard the other day. We saw him as we were getting ready to leave the house. Obviously we had to get out of the car and check this little guy out before we could go anywhere!

We put him in our large recycling tub with some grass and water and went on to town.

When we got home, the boys were so excited to get back to the turtle before naps! Anything to get out of naptime!!

E was very brave and picked him up!

I just dont think that the turtle liked it! I am sure if he could have reach E's hand, he would have bitten him!

He was fun for a while! The boys wanted to keep him forever. They had named him Todd. But I thought that it was mean to keep him locked up in our recycling container for to long! So we put him in the back yard and he managed to escape one afternoon! But he was fun and I am glad that the boys had a turtle, even if it was only for 2 days!!

Swimming Lessons

We started our summer with swimming lessons this year. The boys both went to the Swim Ranch every day for a week. L was in the Water Babies class and I was in the pool with him. He did a great job and LOVES the water. He also loved it when the teacher would pick him to be the example. I am hoping this is a good sign for when he starts preschool! This is L with his teacher Ms. Kim.

L learning to climb out of the pool. The teacher always explained why it was good for the children to learn the different techniques. Most of it was for safety! You never know what could happen when you get around a pool!

Doing the Doggie Paddle to the side of the pool. He would always tell me to "let go of me" so that he could swim on his own.

This is E waiting for his turn to swim.

E's class was next. He was in Lane 1 with three little girls. His teachers were wonderful! He has always been afraid of getting his face wet, but he started to overcome that fear during swim lessons. He will now put his face in the water and not freak out if he accidentally goes under the water. He even jumped off of the diving board and swam in the deep end of the pool without his floaties. YEA for E!!

E did not want us looking at him while he did his lessons so he would turn his head away from us while he was swimming!!

Practicing the kick board.

After L's lesson he was always "starbing." So here he is eating his sandwich and playing while he waits on E to finish.

Overall this was a great experience and I wonder why I didn't start doing this a few years ago. It was a long week going every day, and we would not have made it without our helpers. Daddy, Grandma and Nanny each took turns coming out and sitting with E while I was in the pool with L. I can already see the progress that they boys made while at swim ranch and hope that as the summer continues they will make even more!!

Sewing

For a while now I have been going to a sewing class. It is my way to get out and do something for myself, and it allows Cale to spend some quality time with the boys.

Our latest project was a little girls dress. Since I do not have a little girl, I made this dress to fit my niece, Brynlee. I could not believe that it actually fit her perfectly and looked really cute!!

The back of the dress, including the zipper. That was very difficult!!

Sassy girl with her Auntie!!

The girls!!

I am very proud of this dress!!

Brynlee makes it look beautiful!!

Slippin' Slidin' and Swimmin'

Now that all of the rain is gone I am trying to keep the boys away from the tv and outside. It has been really hot lately and so that means WATER!!! Before my parents opened their pool we played in the Slip -n- Slide at home. The boys loved it!!

Running through the water.

Getting out more water.

Having fun!

He loves making that water spray up over L's head.

Mom and Dad opened up the pool and the water has been tolerable. We have been swimming several times.

Sassy girl!!

Laughing and playing! L loves to play with other kids!

Hopefully after swimming lessons we can get rid of the floaties!

Getting in the pool by himself.

Cousins

Blowing bubbles

It is shaping up to be a pretty wet summer around here! We are all getting pretty brown from being outside so much! But that is not a bad thing!

Party!!

Two posts in one day!! I must be really bored! Not really, I am just trying to get some pictures on the blog before I forget and get really behind! We had a birthday party for L and he had a blast!! He always like to have a party hat!!

Eating dinner with the grandparents!

Singing Happy Birthday!!

Blowing out the candles!

That sweet smile!!

Opening presents!!

Iron Man and Buz Light Year all at one time!!

Checking out his wings!!

L to the rescue!!

Being a stinker and shooting people in the house with the water gun!

Watch out Mr. Trevor!

L with Nanny and Pepaw!

L with Grandmother and Granddad!

L with Grandma and Grandpa!

Trying to spray the camera man!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet L!!!

On My Mind

This little girl has been on my mind all morning. I found these pictures on one of the therapists blogs and stole them! She is in an orphanage in the Ukraine. She also has the same diagnosis as E. In six years she is the only other case that I have heard of.

She has been swaddled in a bed, laying by herself because the workers were scared of what she had. They thought that it might be contagious. As you can see from the pictures she cannot even hold up her own head because she has never been on her tummy and had the chance to build up the muscles in her neck.
As I said, she has been on my mind all morning. I know that I will be lifting her up in prayer all day long.

Miracle League of Northwest Arkansas

We have some wonderful people in Northwest Arkansas that really care about kids with special needs. A few of the people that are involved with E's therapy clinic are helping to get the Miracle League started in Springdale. We have asked E if he wants to play and he is not really sure about it. He loves to hit the baseballs but he is not able to run the bases very well. We will just have to wait and see what he decides!!