Blocks of Building

Aily figured out how to pick her blocks up, put them in their box, and take them out again. It's a little thing, and yet a huge thing.

My Magic Mike

Magic Mike, Amazing Mike, Astounding Well of Patience Mike...no I'm not talking about the Channing Tatum character, but my dear, wonderful boyfriend. Aily was not at her best today by a long shot, rarely is on a Monday after a weekend at her dad's, none of the girls are. Aily though was on a bit of a tear though, moaning, whining, crying, refusing to eat, clearing her food from the table with one fell swipe, repeatedly, and generally falling into bad habits that for the most part she's gotten good at not doing as often like letting her head loll back when sitting, and drooling excessively with her tongue just hanging out. In her defense, she is cutting teeth, three of them; her right central incisor, and her lower left and right first molars, the upper of which came in a few months ago. Anyways, after a dose of OTC baby painkiller, he snuggles her cradled in his arms and regardless of her crying at him and whining and moaning, he is perfectly calm and not bothered a bit. I've never seen any other man do that, most men I've known, including those in my family, have no tolerance for any amount of crying baby. He's wonderful with her, stern yet gentle, unyielding and understanding, adoring and protective but not smothering, and he's pretty good with my other girls too. Anyways, after a bit of holding her and just letting her make a good show of her displeasure he got her mostly calm and even smiling a few times.  One of the countless reasons I love him. Not so much that he could do it or that he did it, but that he thought to and was willing to.

Weekend Reprieve

Well after a long week of sick and teething kids, my younger two mischievous misses are going to their dads for their weekend visit. Their elder sister splits the weekend between a friends birthday slumber party and her dad's house.
Finally a much deserved break for mom.

A Little Mischief, A Lot of Love

On the day Aileen was born I never could have imagined how much my life would change. Never would I have comprehended how a little chromosomal mischief could lead to a life so full of love and joy.

Aily was not diagnosed prenatally with Down Syndrome, that came as a surprise, a scary one. Her accompanying diagnosis of duodenal atresia made it even scarier. We spent nearly the whole first two months of her life in the NICU, and we grew strong together.

When I brought Aily home to meet her older siblings we began a whole new journey of exploration together, every day we learn something new.