PADS Golf Day

Scott, Johnny Mack, Darrell and Lee all played golf last week in the PADS Golf Tournament to raise money for PADS and in honor of Edie. This is the sign that Scott and the guys found on their golf carts. I was contacted a few weeks ago and asked to submit a photo of Edie for the tournament. I could not choose so I sent both. I did not want to tell Scott b/c I wanted it to be a surprise for him. He was delighted to see his little girl on their carts. At the end of the day Johnny Mack won a gift certificate for the Longest Drive and Scott won a football signed by Gene Stallings. It is a really cool football with a drawing of Gene Stallings and his son John Mark Stallings , who recently passed due to complications from a heart defect related to DS. If you have the time grab your tissues, smiles and click on this link to hear Gene Stallings talk about his son and the happiness "Johnny" made in his life. http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?ShowPath=Focus on the Family Daily&broadcastDate=2009-01-21

Brad Hennifer was also present giving golf lessons to other children with DS and playing with the other golfers during the tournament. Brad is Nationally recognized as a great sportsman in Golf and he "happens" to have DS. He travels the globe playing great golf and speaking on behalf of children with DS and those with special needs, and sharing his story of how full his life is. Not only has he been playing golf since the age of three, he also attends public school, plays on his high school basketball team, he works out regularly and has a job too! It is always great to hear these stories even more so when told by the people who live them!

You Make Me Happy

The photo on the left is of Edie sleeping in a TJMax buggy. We had a "mommy - daughter" day last week. Edie was my side kick last Friday while we worked and played. We first went to the local Summer Classics store to do some work and take some measurements for a customer. Then we headed to Home Depot and Lowe's to track down some curtain rods for our Summer Classics Contract booth for our show in Las Vegas in a few weeks (still have not found those darn things). Afterwards we had lunch and headed to The Bell Center for class. Ending the day we somehow ended up at TJMax :) It was Edie's idea! She told me she wanted to go right before she fell asleep. So I made her a mat in the shopping buggy and she took a long nap.

The photo on the right was taken tonight by Scott. Edie is in her new "You make me happy" jammies that Gigi and Giddo bought for her. Scott sent this to me for a "Happy" as well. I have been in Houston for the past two days and I am missing my babies and in need of a "Happy". So Scott knew just what to do and sent me one!

Crash and Burn

My worst nightmare has come true. I had been having problems with my computer making funny noises and doing weird things so last Thrsday I went to Staples and purchased a backup drive just to be safe. Well before I had the time to use it my screen went black and that was that. I have been told the hard drive has gone bad and nothing can be recovered. I have lost work files, customer contacts, but most of all photos and other documents such as addresses, everything from the Ladybug Fundraiser, etc., etc. Luckily I had recently saved all of Edie's 1st year of photos on CD's. So that was a HUGE relief. But everything else that I use on a daily basis is gone.

I have a new computer on the way (I am on Scott's now) but it will not be here for a few more weeks. For now I have a temp computer (which I can not get to work either) and we have sent off the hard drive to see if it can be opened in a "clean room" what ever that is. From there we will be advised if anything can be recovered and how much it will cost to do so. So.......keep your fingers crossed.

I have been working on that computer for over 2 1/2 years. So there is over 2 1/2 years worth of stuff lost. So for me no price is too big. However, I am not sure Summer Classics feels the same way. Lesson learned. Back up your computer!!!!!!!

Anyway if my post are few and far between this is why. I will catch you up more in a few weeks once life is back to normal. It is ashamed how lost I feel without a computer. It makes work almost impossible and just the possibility of not getting ALL of my files back makes my stomach hurt.

A Day Game

Our dear friend Jason Quick hosted a crawfish boil for the A Day game raising over $500 for The Bell Center! Not only was it a successful fundraiser, but also a lot of fun! Hunter Lawley played the guitar and sang some old, new and redos of some of our favorite songs. He was even filmed by ESPN who was there documenting the day on the quad. Hunter was also mentioned in Tuscaloosa Times. Pretty neat! Edie had a ball riding around in the stroller looking at all of the people and playing outside. She got a lot of hugs and kisses from everyone and was a blast to be with. We had a lot of fun visiting and chowing down on over 100 lbs of perfectly cooked crawfish. We had four tents and turned a lot of heads with our tables full of reds, potatoes and corn. We got to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We had quite a few strangers who came to the tables and pitched in a few $$ and in turn got a belly full of cradaddys. It was a great idea and I look forward to next years A Day Game!

After the game we headed to Mack's 2nd birthday party. He had a Circus theme complete with a face painting clown, mini space bounce(s), putting green, bag toss, popcorn and hot dogs. We ate AGAIN and went home with our hands full of cotton candy party favors. (I can't EVER turn down cotton candy! It's my favorite!).

First Haircut

We finally did it. We took Edie in a few weeks ago and had her hair cut. She did great and looks like a doll. She got some bangs and the back shaped up. Edie had gotten to really hate bows and when we would put her hair in a rubber band she would pull it out as well. Over time she started to have a rooster tail on top of her head where her hair was breaking off from pulling out the ponytail. So now her hair is finally out of her face and she looks like a BIG Girl. She is growing so fast!

Gigi and Giddo's

After church on Sunday we had a great lunch at Gigi's and Giddo's. Edie had fun playing with all of the goodies in her Easter basket and looking for $$ eggs! Needless to say after such a big weekend Edie and Mommy & Daddy were due for a long nap. Edie was asleep before we got out of the neighborhood and I was not far behind!

Nan and Pawpaw's

Saturday we went to Billingsley for a Easter Egg hunt and dinner. Wyatt and Wesley hunted eggs for several hours. We had to quarantine Edie to the Wagon after she ate two handfuls of grass. She did find three eggs during her grazing. It is always nice to go home. Sometimes very chaotic - but without all of the chaos where's the fun? Right? Just think, next year we will have another addition to the Easter fun! (Wyatt and Wesley's baby sister)

Esater Photo Shoot

We gave it a go on an Easter photo shoot of our own. Not too shabby for amatures. I love taking pictures, especially of our cutie pie! One of these days I am going to invest in a larger lense and take some photography classes from Grethel. But until then we will just have fun playing around and being "wannabees".

Girls Night Out!

I had dinner with several of my dear friends Friday night. We had a delicious meal at Iguana Grill. From top left - Nicole Gaumond, Candace Shotts, Melissa Bailey, Kristina Wildsmith, Amanda Sanders and Me! We had a great time catching up and spending time together.

Tube Day

Photos of our baby in her first hospital gown. She loved the wagon ride home from Children's Hospital.

Tubes

We have so many loved ones who have contacted us to see how Edie did with her surgery. Thank you.....we love you! So just a quick update before we head out to The Bell Center.

Edie did great! She was actually able to get the larger tubes than most babies with DS. This means that we will not have to go back for a while to have replaced. Dr. D did not know this until he began the procedure, so it was some great news. It took about 2 hrs of waiting and 30 minutes more while Edie was in surgery. When they brought her to us she had obviously been crying and continued for about 20 more minutes. The nurse stated that the anesthesia confuses them and makes them scared. Once it got out of her system she dank some juice and we were able to go home.

She slept for the next 2 1/2 hrs! Then she was good as new. She even climbed the stairs for the first time ever! All by herself! So it is time for a baby gate. She has been such a busy body lately it is hard to stay still. Once I have more time I will post the photos from the big day. I have to get going....Edie is trying to eat Ziggy's food!

Tongue

I had to share these with you. Edie is talking up a storm lately. Everyday she makes a new sound, face, gesture - something we have never seen before that makes us laugh. She is so attentive (or as attentive as a 14 1/2 month old can be) while being read to. She loves the pictures, the words and especially the books with something she can touch and feel. It really amazes me when I read to her the "touch" books and with out ever pointing them out, even the new books, she will reach out and directly touch the "fuzzy" parts with her fingers. We have really made it a point these past few months to read to her several times a day.

These videos are of Edie doing the flash cards from the Your Baby Can Read Series. (Sandy, I promise I will bring them to you this week....and sanitized. As you can see Edie likes to kiss them). And to Ashley, my dear Speech Therapist friend, please excuse my terrible accent. I never notice how "country" I sound until I hear myself on video. AWFUL!!!

We had a very busy, great weekend. Saturday we went to our neighbors for their babies 1st birthday party. Edie LOVED playing with all of the other little babies and Scott and I LOVED seeing her playing with them. Maxwell had a sports themed party, which is appropriate since his dad played basket ball at UAB and his mom was a Golden Girl at UAB as well. They are a big sports fan family! Maxwell's mom made the cutest little party favor bags which was filled goodies including two baseball shakers. Which Edie LOVES!

Saturday night we had over some of our best friends, Jimmy and Vanessa Walters and their newest addition Audrey for dinner. She is precious. She never made a peep. The guys watched the games while V and I talked baby talk. V is about as interested in sports as I am, which is hardly any. However, I am going to make it a point this year (I think) to learn more and get more involved in Alabama football. Speaking of.....anyone who is interested, our friend Jason Quick is putting together a crawfish boil for the A Day Game on the 18th. He will also be raising money for a charity in honor of Edie. We ABSOLUTELY have the greatest friends! So come and tailgate with us for a good cause before the game!

Sunday we went to church where I heard the greatest message ever. I have never heard a message as clearly as I did this past Sunday. The Pastor of our church is so smart. He makes things so easy to understand, so clear to me. I finally feel like I really know what "Good Friday" or as he put it "Bad Friday for Jesus" means. My heart ached as he told us of how (in detail) Jesus suffered. I know how much I am loved by the Lord, it is obvious in everything he has done in my life and I am so grateful. I can't wait until Edie is old enough to understand how much he loves her too! We put Edie in the nursery again this Sunday. When we went to get her we were all smiles seeing her sitting in the floor playing with another little girl. The ladies told us she was sooo good - "she just crawled around and played with everything".

Sunday night we attended an Easter Program at one of my dear friends, Robert and Angela Taunton's church. They both played several parts in the play. It was a really nice, professional production. I loved the choir. These people could sing! Edie loved the lights, the music and watching all of the people go back and fourth from stage to stage. It really kept her entertained. She was so cozy in her daddy's lap. She just sat there watching until she eventually fell asleep.

Tomorrow will be one of Edie's biggest days yet. (Mommy and daddy's too) Edie will be getting tubes. I would be lying if I said I were not nervous - I am. But, I know that God will take care of her and she will do great. We have to be at Children's downtown at 5:45 AM. Surgery will be at 7:45. We have been told that the procedure is quick and easy. I am counting on that!