happy halloween!

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Look for trick or treat pictures later tonight!

I voted!

This is the first time I have been old enough to vote in a Presidential election. I was so excited :) Raeleigh was really ill until we got to the machine and then she loved it! I feel like a good citizen! LOL! Now if I could just convince my husband how important it is to GO VOTE!

a sad day :(

Raeleigh's teacher is having surgery on Monday and will be out until after Christmas break. I have known for awhile but she told the kids yesterday. Raeleigh clung to her ALL DAY! Even though she may not know exactly what is going to happen she senses the sadness and the tension in her classroom. As soon as she got there this morning she wanted the teacher to pick her up and she just hugged her. It is really sad because we love her teacher so much and she has been so good with Raeleigh. I am looking forward to January when she comes back :(

where did she learn this?

As soon as I walked in my classroom yesterday my intercom came on. My mother had called and needed me to call her immediately. I knew something must have been wrong with Raeleigh. When I checked my cell phone, sure enough, I had 3 new voicemails from my mother and from Raeleigh's teacher. Apparently she had terrible diarrhea and needed to be picked up. Brandon went to get her and when he walked in the room she was doubled over holding her tummy. Poor baby! He gets her out to the car and she laughed histarically! She ate fine yesterday and was in the best mood! She never even had anymore diarrhea. We had assumed she was getting the stomach virus since we had all already had it. Where in the world did she learn to fake sick??? If she is that good at it now I can only imagine how she will be when she gets older!

oops! skipped a day!

I was so tired last night that I did not post. Shame on me! My appointment with the perinatologist was great! The baby's heart looks perfect and there are no other problems! We are definitely having a little boy! He was showing off to everybody! I guess he just wanted to keep us wondering for a day! Little stinker!

boy or girl?

I guess you really never know for sure until they get here, right? Today on the ultrasound my doctor said, "it's a girl isn't it?" Um, NO! It better not be! He just got a really quick glance so he wasn't sure if that's what he saw and the baby WOULD NOT cooperate to let us see again. I have an ultrasound with the specialist tomorrow so we will see what he thinks. I am really hoping he (or she) will open wide and let us see BOY PARTS! Not that two girls would be terrible but I was already so ready for a boy. *sigh* We will see tomorrow :)

Pumpkin Patch

Raeleigh had her first field trip today! She rode the bus and loved it! They went to the pumpkin patch and got to pick and paint their own pumpkins. Then they had a snack and played on the playground before lunch. Raeleigh had a blast and I was surprised how well she keeps up with her peers! She is becoming so independent and she learns so much from the other kids! I am exhausted but I can't wait for her next field trip!


On the hayride



Painting her pumpkin



Waiting on a snack...silly girl!



Getting pushed in the big swing



My favorite!



With her pumpkin...beautiful :)

drinking from a straw!

Raeleigh has finally started drinking from a straw! Her teacher sent her sippy cup home on Monday and said she didn't need it anymore! Here is a picture of my big girl and her new cup!

the virus...

Well, I think it has hit us! I was sick on Sunday but I was sure I didn't have the stomach virus because it wasn't "that" bad. Brandon came in from work today and said he didn't feel good and was going to lay down. He has been in bed since then! Ugh! I have given him meds to knock him out so maybe he will wake up tomorrow feeling better! Hopefully Raeleigh won't get it but I'm not counting on it. She has her first field trip tomorrow and I am praying hard she doesn't wake up with it tonight!

54 days....

until GRADUATION!!! I have started my second student teaching placement today in 5th grade and so far it is wonderful! After having a wonderful experience in a Kindergarten classroom last semester I was so sure that I wanted younger children. The 1st graders that I just left almost killed me! I am so glad to have the opportunity to work with some older children to see where I would like to obtain a position next fall. So far these kids are great! They are excited because I'm here and best of all they understand why I am here and they respect me. I am looking forward to a great 8 weeks here and cannot wait to walk the line on December 13th! Woo Hoo!!

Precious Moments

I had this picture in my Buddy Walk montage but I really wanted to post it by itself. I LOVE this picture! They are so much alike it is scary! Maybe, just maybe, Rudy will be a little like me :)

Buddy Walk 2008

Today was the Buddy Walk for the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee. We had a great time! Since Raeleigh could walk this year she really enjoyed running around all over the park! Here are some pictures of Raeleigh and our team, Raeleigh's Buddies!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Heaven's Very Special Child

A meeting was held quite far from Earth

It was time again for another birth.

Said the Angels to the Lord above--

"This special child will need much love.

Her progress may be very slow

Accomplishment she may not show.

And she'll require extra care

From the folks she meets down there.

She may not run or laugh or play

Her thoughts may seem quite far away

So many times she will be labeled-- "different, helpless, and disabled"

So, let's be careful where she's sent.

We want her life to be content.

Please, Lord find the parents who

Will do a special job for you

They will not realize right away

The Leading role they are asked to play

But with this child sent from above

Comes stronger faith, and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given

In caring for their gift from heaven.

Their precious charge so meek and mild

IS HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

Raeleigh's Montage

I have been attempting to finish this for about a year now and I have finally done it! YAY! Hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed making it!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

21 Things About Raeleigh

For DS Awareness the past couple years I have written a list of 21 Things about Raeleigh. I would be glad to share last years list but...my computer crashed since then and my documents weren't recovered. So here is the list for this year!

21 things about Raeleigh

1.Her favorite food is chicken nuggets. She can eat them for every meal every day and never get sick of them.

2.She hates for me to fix her hair. Usually if she sees me coming with the brush she will run away or scream.

3.She loves to drink Diet Coke from a Mason jar just like her Papaw Worm.

4.She loves Hershey bars.

5.She loves to go to church. People have been known to fight over nursery shifts just to play with her :)

6.She has just learned to shake her head “no” when you ask her a question. It is the cutest thing!

7.She hates to take a bath because the water gets in her face. However, she loves to go under in the pool.

8.She hates photographers. She has had her picture made (successfully) in a studio ONCE in her life.

9.She is named after her daddy and mommy. Daddy's middle name is Ray and Mommy's is Leigh.

10.She is going to be tinkerbell for Halloween this year....and she couldn't care less.

11.She loves her little tykes swing at her Mamaw's house.

12.She thinks every time you get in the car you must be going to Mamaw and Papaw's.

13.She loves to torment my mother by pretending to hate her and then laughing about it.

14.She walked at 32 months. For almost 3 years I was praying for her to walk and now I beg her to sit down...she is so confused :-)

15.She loves to watch Sesame Street videos on YouTube.

16.She is going to be moved into a toddler bed at Christmas. Mommy and Daddy are not thrilled about this transition.

17.She hates to sleep with ANYBODY.

18.She hates to stay in a hotel. She prefers her bed ONLY.

19.She calls her sippy cup a “baba.” If I correct her she will argue with me about it.

20.She loves anything with buttons...it fascinates her.

21.She is going to be the best big sister in the world in January!

fill my cup, Lord

Brandon and I have been out of town on a marriage retreat all weekend. We were on the lake, in the middle of nowhere, getting back in touch with each other and most importantly praying and letting God speak to us. It was AWESOME! The couple who spoke are Steve and Debbie Wilson. They travel all over to share their story and help couples reconnect. If you ever have the opportunity to attend one of their conferences I highly recommend it! Here are a few pictures from around the resort.

We're here!!



Our Cabin



The "love" hammock :) I so want one in my yard!



a gift from our church for the weekend



Our weekend transportation...one per cabin HA HA!

Miss Independent

Raeleigh is just the best form of entertainment! This morning when I opened her car door to get her out for school she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep! I laughed at her and she opened her eyes and laughed too! Funny girl! Then we walked to her classroom. When she went in she took off her coat and handed it to me. She walked to her chair (it is a wooden chair with a buckle), climbed in, and attempted to buckle herself in. She is always the first one in her room at school and instead of playing she decided she was ready to learn today! She is growing up so much!

31 for 21

Ok, so I totally stole this. For the month of October in honor of Down syndrome awareness I will try to post everyday. Yep, I'm a week behind, go figure :) So...I will try to post for the next 24 days of the month without skipping! We will have lots going on so surely I can do it! Yay!