How did we get to 7 already?

This week is our 7 year anniversary. How did that happen? I feel like we just got married last year!

Haha, I'm not sure I will ever look that way again after having Evie! While our wedding day was definitely the happiest day of my life, I think this year has been the best year of my life. Not because it was easy, but because it has further refined us and made our lives fuller and richer.

A year ago, we were just starting to tell friends and family about Evie, but also digesting the thought that Evie likely had Down Syndrome. I was downing ginger ale like it was water, and craving pineapple. And honestly, I was struggling with a tinge of sadness whenever people congratulated me for being pregnant, because I knew there was a strong possibility that my baby would have medical issues. But one thing was for sure--Erick and I already loved this baby, and we were a team.

Today, Evie has so many people praying for her and just loving her, that I am overwhelmed with joy when I think about it. With a rough start in the NICU and then heart surgery, Evie has emerged with a stronger heart, a strong personality, and quite a few fans. I am ecstatic to be Evie's mommy.

Today, I love my husband even more than last year and didn't imagine that was possible. When I watch him with our daughter, I sometimes just sit there and grin happily because he is such a great daddy. Even when he decides to give her a mohawk!

We may disagree sometimes on feeding strategies, what the doctor said, or why Evie is crying, but we also agree on how much we love her and will do whatever it takes to be good parents to her. Sometimes we are frustrated or just exhausted, but we do this thing called parenting together. And every once in awhile, we get to slip out to see a movie.

Here's to many more years of joy and stretching (both in life and physically, because Evie is getting heavy and our backs hurt) in this great journey we are on together! I love you, Erick!

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It's Official! The Polka-Dotted Penguin book has launched!

It's official! My new children's book, "The Polka-Dotted Penguin" has launched today! How fitting that my labor of love launches on Labor Day. The writing of the book and putting all the parts together took about a year. It was definitely a pandemic-worthy project. I wrote this book because I wanted more books available for sharing with Evie's class for World Down Syndrome Day on 3-21 and for Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. I'm happy to release my new book just in time for October! My hope is that this book will be used as a tool to start conversations with children about how to treat others who may look or act differently than they do. It's all about inclusion and celebrating differences. This book is perfect for ages 4-9, or any ages who love penguins, or really anyone who loves Evie! Here's how to order: Barnes and Noble (Hardcover): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../the-polka.../1140115530 Amazon (Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle) :

Repost with a giveaway! From Straitjacket to Starfish: A Shark Tank win

Update: Hi all, I am doing my first giveaway! If you read my blog post the other day on the miraculous Zipadee Zip, then you know how this thing has changed our lives as parents. The makers of Zipadee Zip liked my review so much, that they offered to help me do a giveaway. All you have to do is 1) "Like" their Zipadee Zip Facebook page and 2) leave a comment about why you could use a free Zipadee Zip on this post! The contest begins Wednesday, May 27 at 12:00 AM and ends on Sunday, May 31 at 12:00 AM. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway ------------------------------------------------------------ Original post: There was a point in time when I was just proud I could swaddle teeny tiny Evie with a hospital blanket. Then she came home and started busting out of the blankets, and woke herself up all the time. Her arms flailed and her legs kicked while she was sleeping, which of course woke her up. But then she got bigger and craftier, and I needed to fin

Going public: Down Syndrome Awareness Day and what it means to us.

Starting this blog was a big deal for me. It's hard to throw out there in conversation that my baby girl has Down Syndrome, because that extra chromosome makes people view her differently. But because it is Down Syndrome Awareness Day on 3/21, I'm going public. Do you know why it's on the 21st? Because of the 21st chromosome having an extra copy! So far, Evie has just been our beautiful baby girl who is learning to smile and reach for things. But as she grows older, I want our extended circle of friends to know, so that they can treat her as a typical little girl who may be a little delayed in her development, but will want to be included just like other kids. I want the other kids to play with her and to learn that little girls with disabilities like to have fun too. Our story about our diagnosis is here . Now that we've met Evie and know what we're dealing with, it's not SO scary as it was before. Still overwhelming sometimes , but I wouldn'

Evie the Extraordinary and Her Mommy: The Journey As We Go

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