All I Can Say is AMAZING!!!!

Christian Maniscalco is AMAZING!!!

I met Christian during the PADS Golf Tournament this past year.  I heard of what he was doing, but I had no idea what he was REALLY doing!  Christian has been inspired by individuals with DS and he has taken on a challenge of his own.  He is supporting Edie and all of her friends by raising money for the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic right here in Birmingham and by participating in the Ironman Triathlon.  Do you REALLY know what an Ironman Triathlon consist of?  I didn't until today and this really puts it into prespective....

Swim the equivalent of 43 football fields

Bike the distance from Birmingham to Atlanta

Run the length of 459

Christian will finish his journey on Aug 28th in Louisville KY.  He has been training for the past 7 months with the mission to raise awareness for Down syndrome and raise funds for the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic.  He has raised $22,000 so far and he is still working on his goal of $25,000!  He is in second place in the Janus Charity Challenge and if he remains there he could secure an additional award for the clinic - up to $10,000 more!  Alongside this generous man is his wonderful wife, Amber who works with children in the Vestavia School system. Together they have two children. Thank you Maniscalco family - Thank you!  You are AMAZING!

See what one person can do!!!!! Read the press release below!

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Birmingham athlete, Christian Maniscalco enters IRONMAN TRIATHLON

Raises funds for the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic at UAB

July 26, 2010 -- Birmingham, AL

Not only will Christian Maniscalco swim the equivalent of 43 football fields, bike the distance from Birmingham to Atlanta and run the length of 459 on August 28th at the IRONMAN triathlon in Louisville, Kentucky*, he will also be raising funds so that individuals with Down syndrome* here in Alabama and across the Southeast will receive excellent healthcare. Their faces are his motivation and their stories his inspiration for the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race and the 26 mile, 385 yard marathon.

Christian had always wanted to complete a full IRONMAN TRIATHLON. Shortly after he registered and learned of the Janis Charity Challenge he and his wife Amber, a speech therapist at Vestavia Elementary School East, attended The Buddy Walk* hosted by Parent Advocates Down Syndrome*. PADS invited him to tour the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic where he met with clinic director, Dr. Eddie Lose. He knew immediately he had found his source of inspiration and the charity he wanted support.

Christian is raising funds for the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic at UAB to be named in honor of John Mark Stallings in conjunction with the Janus Charity Challenge. Athletes who join the Janus Charity Challenge find deep meaning in the Ironman experience by using their passion for the sport to make a difference in the lives of others. When applauded for his efforts, Christian comments, “Sure I’m training for the IRONMAN, but all admiration should be directed toward parents of children with Down syndrome. They are IRONPARENTS, running the lifetime race of raising a child with special needs.”

Christian has two specific IRONMAN goals. His first goal is to raise $25,000 or more for the clinic - to date he has already collected $19k. The second goal is to complete the course within twelve hours. For this he is relying on encouragement from family and friends along the course since there are no breaks between events. Birmingham can cheer him on by donating to http://www.januscharitychallenge.com/ or sending notes of encouragement to downsyndromealabama@gmail.com

Melon Eating Contest

Scott is going to soon add some new additions to nest EGgS design of his own. Baby picnic tables and I am so excited! This is his first prototype that he made just for Edie. To test it out Edie decided that she would have a watermelon eating contest on it after a dip in the pool. That sweet girl loves watermelon!! Scott is actually painting now as I type - aqua!! I know Edie is going to enjoy many picnics and watermelons on this cute little table. It's just her size!

Take Me Out to The Ball Game

Friday night we celebrated the hot temps, crazy humidity and PADS at the Birmingham Barron's game. Scott and Edie had attempted this once before when I was out of town but due to the rain that night the game was called. So this time we all went out to the ballgame and despite sweating like the three little pigs we had a great time. Edie loved sitting on the bleachers like a big girl while she ate her hot dog. She also clapped and cheered at every crack of the bat. I think she may actually know more about baseball than I do! I know her daddy LOVES that too!!

BIG 1

Saturday night we celebrated Wylie's 1st Birthday. Again, I say it all of the time, but where does the time go? How can she be one already? Aunt Kelli out did herself on the birthday dinner too! We had chicken casserole, steamed veggies, fresh tomatoes, peas, bread, strawberry dessert AND cake!! I ate, and ate, and ate!! Everything was delicious - the food, the cake and the sweet baby girl!

Something else special happened that night too. I have been anticipating the day when Edie could sit at the "big kid" table and eat without us by her side. Well Saturday she did and she did great! I actually think she found Wyatt, Wesley and Camille so entertaining that she forgot what she was doing and ate almost all of her plate! I was so proud of her. I was also proud of how well she played in Wesley's room with all of her cousins. Aside from the occasional hitting on Wylie (which we are aware of and working on) she did great.

Roll Tide!

Scott, Edie and I were invited this weekend to go on a tour of Bryant Denny Stadium by the Caldwell family. They won the tour during the "2ND Annual Ladybug Fundraiser" and we were twice blessed by the Caldwell's - once when they made the donation to our cause and won the tour and twice when they invited us to go with them! We were so excited to see what all Alabama fans out there want to see! We saw the recruiting room, the press room, the locker room and the big "A" where the players and coaches stand, the sky/VIP boxes (which cost around 500K I might add) and the newly planted field. We had a great time and we would have documented so many wonderful photos of it if only I had remembered the SIM card which was back home in my computer and NOT in my camera!! UGH!! Therefore the above snaps were taken with Scott's camera phone. :(Sorry again Scott :(

5 years

Scott and I recently celebrated our 5Th year anniversary. I can not believe it has already been 5 years! Where does the time go is all I have to say! It is hard to believe that in 5 years we have lived in three different homes (great memories, great homes and did a good job at selling each of them I must say), moved to Mobile and back, now on our 4Th car (we have a way with lemons), had 1 car stolen out of our driveway ("now" a funny story), lived in our "new" home for almost three years and have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old! Oh and Ziggy is still with us (poor Ziggy). There is so much more I could add to this 5 years of total bliss, but I will not bore you with the details.

All kidding aside Scott and I have a wonderful life. I married a wonderful man and Edie has a wonderful father. I can not ever say it enough "Scott is an AWESOME father and husband". We have made some great memories these past 5 years. We have shared a lot of laughs, a lot of tears and a lot of GREAT times! I am still grateful, very honored, so blessed and just as excited as I was 5 years ago when I said "I do". Thank you for 5 wonderful years and Thank you Edie for making 2 1/2 of those our best!!

The big DQ

So we have been busy lately - I know, I know, I always say that.  But I promise you I am not kidding!  Between work, nest EGgS design (check out the NEW look BTW) and life in general we stay busy.  I love it most of the time, I wish things would slow down some of the time, and I would not have it any other way all of the time.  I live for cahos!! 

We did take a break last Sunday and made a trip to the big DQ for some ice cream.  You really can't beat DQ's ice cream even with all of those other fancy ice cream and yogurt shops out there.  However, I still have not been to Yogurt Mountain and once I do I may change my tune.  But for now I am sticking with DQ.  Edie LOVES ice cream.  BUT only if she can eat it all by herself, with her own spoon.  She is a bit like her mommy and does not like to share when it comes to food :)

Grethel Van Epps Photography

So my all time favorite photographer, Grethel Van Epps Photography is doing another contest and this time the winner will receive a free session AND $100 print credit and all I have to do is tell you how I really feel! 

She is truly the best!  I found Grethel's information at the Baby Palooza a few years back and I am not even sure if I met her that day or if I just picked up her pamphlet from a random table.  Anyway I loved her work and I held on to it waiting for Edie to turn one.  So once she finally did we booked our session and we have been using her ever since.  We have had four sessions with Grethel since that first booking and I have LOVED everything she has done.  My house has gone from a few black and white photos of landscapes to a shrine of our daughter and of our family in eye popping colors!  I have counted and as of today we have 37 photos on display that GVE took throughout our home!  I can't believe it myself - slow down sista!

To top it all off Grethel has become a great friend of mine.  She has supported our "Ladybug Fundraiser" by donating a $700 value photo package, she did the photo shoot for the Save the Dates for the fundraiser last year, she has become the preferred photographer of Hillsboro (where we live), she helped me to launch nest EGgS design by donating her talent and getting word out and she is just plain fun to hang around with!  Can't get enough of GVE and I mean that!  GVE is a great photographer and a great friend - winning the contest would just be a bonus :)  Check her out for yourself and you can enter the contest too!!  Even if you don't know her personally, just share what you like about her work www.gvephotography.com/blog and www.gvephotography.com

Let Freedom Ring!

We had a GREAT 4th of July weekend!! We started with watching the firework shows from the top of our neighborhood. We could see Helena's, the Hoover Met and another show that was going on in downtown Birmingham. We were not sure how Edie would react since this was the first time she had ever experienced the fireworks, she LOVED it! We had glow sticks for all of the kiddos since it was so dark out there and Edie waved her stick shouting "yeaaaaaa" after each boom! It was so cute! We had fun and Edie got to bed around 10:00

Sunday we went to the pool and afterwards we went to our neighbor's for more food and fun. The D's cooked a yummy Boston butt with all of the fixins. Edie's favorite part was the watermelon as you can see! And after Maxwell taught her how to eat it with no hands it made it even more fun for her. She, Mason and Maxwell were so cute together. They played so well and we even think there may have been some flirting going on ;) Another great day and Edie got to bed around 9:30

Monday we cooked out at our house with the neighbors again and later on we went to the A's for some boccie ball and more watermelon. Edie was in heaven. She had watermelon and chocolate ice cream from head to toe! That little girl LOVES to get dirty!! We had another great day and another late bed time. Scott and I said she was officially a Big Girl this weekend. She played so well with all of the kids, she had such a great time and she stayed up with the best of them!

Vote for Edie

Poll: I vote for number: THREE

Our super great photographer - Grethel Van Epps of Grethel Van Epps Photography has chosen a photo of Edie to represent her work {12} from past sessions. It is such a sweet one where she is hugging her Lolly Dolly. If Edie has the most votes we will win the picture in a 16x20!!! Go and vote for Edie as one of your favorites too!! Hurry contest ends July 5th!!

Just click on the Poll tab above and vote for # THREE!!! You can vote from as many different computers as you want. Pass on to your friends too! We can always use more photos of our precious Edie!!

Beach Bums 2010

We had such a great time last week at the Palms of Destin Resort.  They had a super great pool perfect for a "little fish" named Edie.  She LOVED the zero entry pool and she LOVED the ocean.  She would have spent all day at both if she could.  As long as she was in the water that is.  The slat water did not seem to bother her either even when a few waves went over her head.  In the pool she LOVED wearing her swimmies like the big kids.  I am pretty sure she knew what they were for because she willingly put them on and immediately started towards the deeper part of the pool.  She did go under a few times but she really seemed to like it when she did. 

The condo was great.  Edie slept until 9:00 most mornings - what more could we have asked for?  The resort style pool was great for kids and adults with lots of room to move around.  It never seemed crowded and Edie loved seeing all of the action.  For the most part she enjoyed playing with the other babies, especially their toys and they loved playing with hers so it all worked out.  The only trouble we had was on the last day when Edie put another little girl in the choke hold and pushed her under water.  Other than that she pushed a 2nd little victim when she got too close to her daddy.  I am starting to think Edie may be becoming a bully. 

We ate a lot of great sea food but my favorite restaurant was AJ's.  I loved the atmosphere and I especially loved seeing Edie feed the fish.  She went CRAZY!!  We also took some time to visit San Destin and Sea Side which is always nice - so much to do and so little time!!  I could have spent another week at the beach.  Hopefully we can make it back for a long weekend before fall.  That's my goal anyway : )

Just Splashing Around!!

Today we went to the Splash Pad in Gardendale with our friends Maxwell, Joseph and Merritt. It was a great way to cool off and have some fun! Edie lasted about 20 minutes and then she was over it. We recharged with some of Merritt's snacks and Joseph's drink and they were off again. We had a lot of fun playing in the water and getting some sunshine before our vacation to the beach next week! What a great way to kick off the weekend! Now we are Beach Bound!!!

Three Summer Loves

There are three things I love about summer - fresh flowers {especially hydrangeas}, Gigi's homemade grape leaves {they are the BEST} and homemade margarita pizza with fresh basil from our herb garden and homemade dough {found in the bakery section of Publix}. Edie of course could care less about all of the above, but I am working on her. One day she will learn to appreciate how good Gigi's grape leaves are. I could eat the whole pot by myself!!

Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Kitchen

Aunt Mindy {aka Mrs. Kitchen} made my day by posting several of their wedding photos on fb today!! These are some of my favorites from the beautiful day. During all of the photo shoots I thought to myself, "Edie could not have been more of an Angel" as she totally cooperated by sitting so sweetly while the photographer shot away. However, once I saw the photos I do not think there is one where she is actually looking at the camera. I guess she was just so into everyone else she forgot to look at the camera and smile. What kind of 2 1/2 year old does that ;)!!!

None the less the wedding was beautiful, the bride and groom were just as perfect and Edie walking down the aisle as the flower girl made it all the more special. I am seriously considering bring her dress to the beach with us next week for some more photo shoots. She was just too stinkin cute in it!! I need more!!!

Flower Girl

I said I would post more photos of the wedding and of Edie walking down the aisle.  But because I can not copy any of the pics from the professional photo link and our camera was terrible that day, I have now started begging friends and relatives for pictures.  Kelly, one of our cousins from Colorado, shared this one with me.  So Cute!!!!  Look at that smile!!

The Bell Center Seeking Summer Peer Models

I usually would not post this to Edie's Blog - but it is the only way I can get it to post to face book for everyone to see. If you have a typically developing child you may be interested in this therapeutic "play-date" group. They meet all over Birmingham one day each week. Your child would serve as a model peer to children with special needs. What fun!!


The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs is currently looking for children between the ages of 29 months and 3 years old (by June 30th ) to serve as peer models for children in their summer Stay and Say Playgroup.

The Stay and Say Playgroup is designed to promote independent play skills and encourage socialization in both typically developing children and children with special needs. A parent and/or caregiver participate with their child in this weekly playgroup on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00. A team of therapists including an early childhood special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech and language pathologist lead the playgroup that takes place in a variety of locations including McWane Center, Pink House, Homewood Park, Cherub’s Clubhouse, The Birmingham Zoo and Children’s Dance Foundation . A short informative session on positive child rearing practices is included for parents and caregivers.

The Playgroup Meets for 7 more weeks this summer and the cost for Friends is $50 for the entire summer.
If you are interested in participating please contact the Andi Gillen at 870-0081 or agillen@thebellcenter.org

Crazy Lake Lady

While Aunt Mindy and Uncle Chuck were away on their honeymoon we headed up to their lake house to spend a few days playing in the water and grilling out. Last year when we went to the lake Edie was content enough to stay in her pack-n-play down on the pier. This year not so much. Scott and I quickly realized that our little busy body did not equal "relaxation" I am not sure what we were thinking. She wanted nothing to do with a life vest and everything to do with playing in the water. We ultimately had to line the edge of the pier with chaise lounges so she could not get to the water. She eventually settled with playing with water in buckets and wearing it on her head.

Edie also got a new bathing suite for the trip! Ms. Jackie surprised us with several new outfits including a precious seersucker bathing suite with her initial monogrammed on it! I LOVE it! I am not sure how much she is selling these for, but if you are interested let me know. She also made Edie several short outfits with swing tops and matching shorts along with a precious pillowcase dress with a fun Disney theme. I am so excited that she will have all new clothes to wear for our BEACH TRIP in the coming weeks!!! Thank you so much Ms. Jackie!! We love you so much!

Congratulations!

Congratulations Aunt Mindy and Uncle Chuck!!  Mindy and Chuck were married May 29th at Gabrella Manor.  The ceremony, led by Chucks father was so beautiful not to mention the bride and groom!  The flowers were amazing complete with an aisle of scattered rose petals that was nothing short of something you would see in a magazine of a Southern Garden Wedding.  The colors were green, brown and cream with pops of colors in all of the flowers.   

Family came from all around to witness the marriage of Mindy and Chuck and to see our baby WALK down the aisle!  Yes!  Edie WALKED down the aisle all by herself, carrying her sweet little flower girl basket!  She was so precious in her dress.  I said she looked like a little cupcake.  Scott and I were a little emotional as we watched her coming down flashing her smile to everyone.  She did perfect!  We had a goal, "a wish", that Edie would walk for Mindy and Chuck's wedding and she did it!  She is AMAZING!!

We spent the rest of the weekend with family having a great time catching up and seeing everyone.  I had hoped to have some photos for this post, but my camera was not taking good photos since I do not have a flash.  So I snagged this one from a fb page.  I hope to have some to share with everyone soon!

Edie's First Princess Tea Party

This weekend Edie attended her first "Princess Tea Party" for her friend Addie's 4th Birthday. Each Princess was dressed in style wearing her most beautiful gown. We made wands, colored pictures and even had a special visit from Cinderella! Addie's mom made the cutest castle complete with balloons, center pieces and a bubble entrance into the Tea Party. Each Princess drank from their own personal tea cup and had Princess cookies and cupcakes. Edie had a great time playing with all of the little girls, eating stickers and crayons. When will she learn that crayons and stickers are not food :) The party could not have been more precious, nore could Edie. Her favorite part was drinking from her tea cup and sitting at the table with all of her friends. She was too cute as you can see!