The best Mother's Day present....

   Oh, I just had the happiest momma's day, and I hope that you did too. I got to sleep in a little bit, and was showered with handmade cards and breakfast in bed. We went to the Farmer's market with good friends, and then took a nice walk along the river. We got home and Josh and the kids BBQed shish-ka-bobs for my momma-in-law and myself. The kids and I made AMAZING cookies. Then we popped in a movie and sat down to snuggle. It was at this point that I got the most amazing present. Avalon loves to play waitress, she also has a short attention span, so at a very suspensful moment in The Hunger Games, she decided to take my order on an old envelope.

"Momma? Whatchoo want?"

"Oh, I'd love some berry pie." I replied.

"Okay, how you spell 'berry'?"

"B-E-R-R-Y" I said, slowly. She stuck out her tongue, the purple marker grasped in her chubby fist.........

"This right momma?"

     Miss Avalon can write her letters. All by herself. I didn't guide her hand, I didn't tell her how. She did it, my almost-five-year-old did it. It's a milestone that OTHER almost-five-year-olds are reaching right at the same time as her and my heart is so full of joy.

    When you read about 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome online, it can feel very scary and overwhelming. Websites like this one claim that "Individuals with the deletion have an intelligence quotient that is on average 32 points lower than that of controls." Intellectual disability and learning disability are very common. Psychiatric dysfunction and disease are also extremely common. I don't know what the future holds for Avalon, or Poppy, or Flynn. I won't know until the future happens. But I know, at this moment in time, that Avalon will read and write, and that thought makes me feel like I will explode with happy stars pouring out my heart. 

     I type this through happy tears, but I know that even if reading and writing wasn't a possibility for my beautiful daughter, it would be okay. I know that as a mommy who is raising a child with unique chromosomes, I need to take a step back from the medical journals. I need to take a step away from reading about genes, and mitochondria, control studies and knockout mice. I need to look at the child in front of me. She is gorgeous, and happy, and capable. She is EXACTLY who she is supposed to be. They all are. Every soul who is born into this world. 

    I have been given three souls to shelter. I do my best and I fail and fall often, but I am so, SO proud of these little souls. All of them hardworking, struggling, growing in amazing ways. Some of us are born with our struggles so obvious that an observing stranger can see them. Avalon was given this burden, but we are all born with struggles. Flynn, who is shy and so hard on himself, Poppy who is a perfectionist and often isolates herself inside her own head. I am so blessed today and every day. Growing a person, and trying so hard, and hurting and feeling guilty and inadequate and EXHAUSTED, all of those things are woven into these moments of pride and exquisite happiness. A beautiful day. A daughter who can write "BERRY". That is what it means to be a mommy, and I couldn't have asked for three more perfect people to give me that title. 

   Happy Mother's Day everyone :)

Kindergarten Round-up!

    Just a few more months and Avalon will be a kindergartner.  I am so proud of that girl. She is so full of spunk and drive and I know she will do so well! She has more struggles than most, but her persistence, strength and sense of humor will get her through. A few days ago she went to kindergarten orientation. There was a scavenger hunt, cookies and a lot of preschool buddies to say "hi" to.

She stopped in the middle of pictures to wave at a friend.

Then off she went!

Being super-silly!

Checking out a classroom.

She is very excited, and I know that school is going to be a happy, positive place for that little girly.

Slip-n-slide!!!

    We had such a gorgeous weekend, and it was quite hot. We had a lot of fun cooling off with our new slip-n-slide, given to us by Auntie Laura.

Parade day!

    Last weekend was very busy. It was Loyalty Days up here on the Peninsula. A ton of events and two parades. We got to march in one and watch the other. I have decided that parades are EXHAUSTING, and it didn't help that it was freakishly hot.

Balloon animals!

Poppy's balloon daschund.

Avalon was a little fairy.

Poppy and Flynn marched with their t-ball teams.

Avalon marched with her preschool.

Go Hot Rods!

I marched with Avalon.

The Astoria clowns were there, terrifying everyone.

And a random super-patriotic lady with creepy marionettes on a power scooter. 

Avalon ended up being carried by me, and then daddy.

Poor girl does not do well in the heat. Kid's parade was definitely a blast, despite how hot it was.

The next day was the big Loyalty Day Parade.

We got there way too early and were stuck listening to 'Murica speeches and songs from WWII sung out of key.

This was Flynn's opinion of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."

At this point a bald eagle flew overhead. There are tons of them on The Peninsula, and I'm sure this one was curious about the racket. The timing was impeccable, however.

This dude dressed as Patrick Henry gave a speech and was asked a question about women's rights. He gave an answer, in character, if you know what I mean....... Hm.......

Finally the parade began.

You sir, need to go away. Now.

Avalon ran away to join a marching band....

And this occurred. I may or may not have had a nightmare about his mini-me clown. *Shudder*

But there were sexy cars, and candy thrown.

And it was all worth it in the end. I think.

T-ball!

   We had our first T-ball game this week! Poppy and Flynn did great!! 

It was a little sprinkly, but the kids toughed it out. 

Avalon loves to cheer brother and sister on.

It seems like 1/2 of her preschool classmates have older siblings in t-ball. Always a familiar buddy to play with at games and practices.

Poppy was up first!

We have always assumed that Poppy was just not an athletic person by nature, but it seems like she wasn't playing the right sports. She rocks at t-ball!

Go Poppy, go!

Then Flynn was up!

As you can see by the dude's face in the upper-left-hand corner, Flynn thwacked that ball good!

Go buddy!!!!

They have a ton of fun at t-ball, and it is so convenient that they are on the same team. Great bond-building experience for them both. 

An amazing weekend!

   Last weekend was wonderful. Our new community has so many family-oriented free or low cost events. We started out bright and early Saturday morning at the fishing derby. It was very crowded, the whole peninsula turned out to catch the big one!!

There were free pancakes and coffee. Super-yummy!

Still feeling a little sleepy :)

Flynn caught one! He was so proud.

It was 15" long and an even pound. Not bad little dude!

Avalon thinks that fishing is boring.

Poppy didn't have much luck either.

After fishing we headed over to the Clam Festival!! How awesome is that clam suit?

There were pirates...

And mermaids....

And clam queens!!

We filled up at the chowder-tasting festival, where all of the local restaurants competed to see who had the best chowder. Some of it was amazing, some, not so much.

On Sunday we drove into Portland to visit friend and family and attend a very special cousin birthday party! It was bittersweet to see our old home. Surprisingly I felt very peaceful driving through our old neighborhood and seeing that we had outgrown it all.

We had a lot of fun but were relieved to be home that evening.

It was so nice to see special people, and spend time with those that we haven't seen in a long time, and love dearly.