Conversations and insights:

Friday night, Chad and I were talking about families and kids with friends. Sometimes we can't believe that we of all people have four kids! We're both pretty impatient--not touchy, feel-y types--and we both have just enough selfishness to make it a battle between doing what the kids needs vs. what we want to be doing. And we both love us some freaking peace and quiet! Impossible with four little ones about.

Chad made a passing comment that resonated with me and I couldn't believe that I had never put words to it, he said, "yea, I don't really feel like we have four kids though; it seems closer to three. We have the older three but Jack, well it feels like he's all of ours."

 

And it's so true; he is all of ours, and it's more than the baby of the family feeling too.

We simply adore him; his victories are our victories because he is ours. He learns how to give five? Well, that boy is giving fives out like it's going out of style, yesterday Lily said to a stranger, "hey, if you hold your hand out my little brother will give you five!"

When Owen's friends come over to play, Jack is in the mix the entire time. All of Owen's friends love Buster (why Buster? well, because he busts things, of course!). He cries for something and Garron or Eli will pick him up and soothe him all on their own; he belongs to a lot of people. It's an interesting insight into our family dynamic that I hadn't quite pinpointed yet. An insight that, as a mother to a child with down syndrome (and all the uncertainty that comes with that)--is calming. Fears of who's going to take care of Jackie when we are gone? melt away into the backdrop of three small faces who are pulling for our boy.

I need to keep a running tally. . .

of things to teach each differnt child: 

Lily--when wearing a dress keep your knees together.

Luke--when taking photos, smile and open your eyes.

Jack--keep being darling.

Owen--you too.

 

They're a pretty cute bunch, even if their mother is sometimes derelict in her duties.

We did stuff in Mexico.

 We struggle with family photos--it's hard being a family at times.

 Someone got to the bag of granola bars and was outraged to discover that things like this exist.

September took us to Mexico twice; we just couldn't get enough. First we went with our friends and neighbors to their house in Rocky Point and then Cabo as you will probably recall. When driving into a foreign country (especially when it's freaking Mexico) it is best to:

• a) know where you are going (directions such as turn right after you see a house with a darkened sign that if it were light you could see it says, Buen Viaje will not be accepted)
• b) not be going in the dark of night 
• c) not driving through a freak storm where the crappy Mexican roads are washed out from a flash flood and you have to decide whether to sit on the side of the "road" or go through the river that is flowing through aforementioned "road"
• d) wear long sleeve shirt if driving so passenger doesn't claw your forearm when you decide 38 years is a pretty good run.

"When I get older and get me a kid, I'm going to name him Kevin."--Owen 8/6/13

Life is a blur. It's going a hundred miles per hour and I want to slow down and just enjoy for a moment but don't because there's so much to do! This blog is nice because it allows me to take a moment, look at pictures and events from our lives and see how much is changing. Hopefully it also means that I slow down a tiny bit when I can...

 

Owen is ten. He started insulin about a year ago and has gradually had to take more and more shots. Towards the end he was taking about six shots per day--that's alot of pokes! This past week he got his first diabetic pump, The Omnipod. So far it's been great, one poke every three days! Had some lower blood sugars and 1am checks but that's just par for the course.

Owen is such a great first child, he's my right hand man. Always there to help and trying to see how he can make things better:

• mom shouting? --clean the kitchen.
• mom rushing around trying to get out the door?--get Jack dressed.
• mom demanding quiet? take all the kids to the furthest room in the house and play.
• mom exasperated about messy house?--organize Luke and Lily and start a cleaning team.
• mom looking frustrated?--give her a hug and tell her something nice.

He is just such a great kid. A friend to everyone, life of the party and doesn't let the trials of his life get him down. Last Monday we were driving to the hospital to start his insulin pump and I was looking at him thinking how fast he's growing up. That just yesterday he was the fat little baby who was afraid to swallow food so he would chew it up and then spit it into a napkin. I was telling him how much I love him and how proud of him I am and I started to cry a bit. As I was talking I saw him wiping away little tears; he's still my little boy. He may have his first crush (Tatum Pile) and have plans for what he's going to name his children (Kevin?-really??) and maybe I have to drop him off at parties and pretend we don't know each other (Oakland party--Halloween 2013) but he's still mine. 

Stepping up and revelations

Last month we participated in the Step up for Down Syndrome parade for ASU Homecoming (that school looks like a par-tay!). This is the third time we've done the parade and the first time Jackie was able to walk it! Walking in the proper direction will be reserved for next year.. 

When a break was necessary either for his own tiredness or for us wanting a break from going the wrong direction he rode on Chad's shoulders and would high five people cheering; that was pretty darn cute!

 

Now for the revelations portion of this post; Jackie had his first milkshake after the parade. Flavor-chocolate, location-In-and-Out Burgers, result-a life long love affair.  Later in the afternoon he asked for some milk (by screaming and crying) and when we gave him his once loved milk he took one sip and looked at us like, "Hey?--holding out on me?"