big girls

WOW!!!  What a wild and crazy week, but we made it to Friday with the promise of a long weekend!!  I won't bore you with specifics because then it would sound as if I am whining...which may be partly true ;)  We all deserve to act like a two-year-old every now and then, right?!  Anyway, my sweet Daddy has been sick this week, so he was unable to do his "Papa J duties" and help keep Chandler, which he was very upset about and so was she.  Nana was able to save the day, though, and we are grateful, especially for the clean house and clean laundry..I know I am very lucky/blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law!  We are also very thankful that Kris has a good job; however, it is tough being a "single" parent at times, but we will get through this too!

Chandler has been doing very well with her "homework."  She is able to hold her head up for longer periods of time, but DESPISES tummy time!  I have met so many new mommy "friends" who have children with Down syndrome through other friends, Facebook, and/or blogs.  These people have become instant friends because of our children and I can't tell you how comforting it is to know these parents, but not really knowing them.  If that makes any sense!  It is like an instant connection and I feel like I could talk for hours, but I try to refrain from bombarding them with tons of questions and talking about my feelings :)  Everyone we have met, talked to, or messaged has been super nice and uplifting.  It is amazing that I feel as if I have known these mothers forever, and how a stranger's words can be so comforting..  For instance, one mother of a six-month-old daughter who had her heart surgery at four months said that we will find our baby to be totally different, but for the better because she will feel soooo much better!!  Talk about reassuring and positive..I can handle that kind of different!

notice big girl holding her bottle!!  she doesn't hold it for long, but holding is holding!!

 Now of course I can't go without talking about sassy Madeline!  On the way to eat last Saturday night, she was saying something that Kris and I couldn't understand. So finally I said what are you talking about?  And her reply was.."Listen, she doesn't have her kkkkk, s o c K."  Kris said yep her mama is a speech therapist.  haha  Oh well, at least she listens (sometimes).  EVERY SINGLE DAY we are reminded that her birthday is coming up and she is going to have a Cinderella birthday.  Now, if she changes her mind between now and March, that is just too bad cause Cinderella it will be!  She also tells everyone "I have a baby sister."  Her innocence and sweetness for her sister is sometimes too much.. The other night, all four of us were in the playroom and I showed Kris a picture of a baby of one of my new found friends who is just a little older than Chandler.  Madeline looked over my shoulder and very sweetly said, "dat looks just like Chandler..she's toot!"  Her Daddy and I both had tears in our eyes because what she usually says is "that's Chandler."  God picked her to be Chandler's big sister and our first daughter for a reason and we see the reasons on a daily basis...I say it all the time but we truly are blessed and God has been so good to us and continues to be..

Brittney brought her a cookie..green lips!

 Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend..we are so excited to see the sun and hopefully Madeline will get to ride her Barbie "tar."  I will be staying with Shimmy Monday night because I have a conference on the coast Tuesday so Kris will have the girls overnight by himself for the first time since Chandler was born.  They will be fine, there isn't a doubt in my mind!!!

sweet sisters

 Also, please continue to pray for Chandler (and us) as the 31st gets closer..I am starting to feel suffocated and that the walls are closing in.  Ready for it all to be over with!!  And please pray for these other families whom we have met who have been through the same experience or will go through it too.

until next time,
Megan