We got a puppy ...

I texted this photo to some of our family & friends announcing that we got a puppy! She is a brown & white Siberian Husky with blue eyes, born on December 7, 2011 [4.5 months at the time we got her]. 

We didn't know about her or that our family was open to the idea of getting a new puppy, until 8:30 PM the night before when I read a friend's post on Facebook. The previous owners needed to find a new home for due to allergies & a friend put a note up about it on Facebook [it wasn't that family, it was a friend of the girl who posted it on FB].

My first comment was "oh I WISH!" But then, it all felt so serendipitous, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had to have her. We had made the decision to get Daisy [our black & white Siberian Husky] almost 12 years to the date, under the same circumstances. Daisy's previous family couldn't keep her due to allergies. So we adopted Daisy, giving her the middle name "Mae" [we brought her home on May 1, 2000].  So with all that in mind, I went from 1/2 joking about asking Kyle if we could get her, to convincing him why it was a good [spontaneous] decision. 

A phone call was made that night, a meet-n-greet was set up that next morning. Hazel [she came with that name, which we LOVE & it goes so well with her big sister Daisy] ... came home with me at noon that day. Miss Daisy wasn't all that amused ... but I can't blame her. :)

 Introductions ... Daisy meet Hazel. Hazel, your big sis Daisy.

We did give Hazel a middle name ... Jean. I thought it went well with Daisy Mae. And I thought it was a good fit since her eyes are blue [blue jean]. So she's Miss Hazel Jean.

I do believe it's all the romping that spooks Daisy. She's 12. Doesn't move as nimbly as her 4.5 month old little sis. Freaks her out.

Daisy's thought bubble: "D*mn. That thing quit moving. Didn't know it was possible." [she cusses occasionally, like old, irritable dogs do. We let her as long as it's not around the kids.]

The kids were ecstatic to say the least. They have energy, puppies have energy. Win-win. And it takes the pressure off of Daisy ... since Brett keeps trying to get her to do tricks that he sees on TV & at shows. [Flashback to Summer 2009, here] He would LOVE to see Daisy jump through a hula hoop. She will NOT. But, perhaps he can work on Hazel. 

This photo [above] just might be my favorite from that first day. I think it shows their ages perfectly. Hazel's a blur in a full gallop. Daisy's grazing.  

 Kyle meeting Hazel. Love at 1st sight, for sure.

Too busy & tired to think about dinner that 1st night with Hazel [like most new puppy parents ;)], we got Chinese take-out. This was my fortune. :) Sweet Hazel ... has done just that.

So we've been busy 'round here. We became puppy parents literally overnight. I've been trying to take Hazel out more to burn off some of that energy [for Daisy's sake]. She's an excellent fitness trainer. She turned my fast paced walk into a full jog. And I didn't want to stop because I knew how good it was for her - & how good it was for me. Another win-win. 

Miss Hazel is not perfect. She makes mistakes. Like choosing to get up on my patio table & dig to China in my planter. Her favorite thing is to pluck all my planted flowers out of their pots. Every day there's a new flower that I have to replant. She doesn't eat them, just grabs a leaf with her teeth, tugs & drops it on the ground. At least I can still replant them ... [but it is getting old]. ;)

But her cute pudgy paws, cool blue eyes & all that cute puppy fat around the neck are what make the clean ups worth it.  She's adorable. Puppies are cute.

Right, Daisy? Daisy ... right? [Daisy's faces crack me up]

The day he learned to walk ...

When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to our ability 

and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, 

miracles can happen.  -Arland Gilbert

At the appointment on his 18 month Birthday, I had to tell the doc that Brett wasn't walking. Or talking. Besides babble. 'Do you count that? Oh ... no? Okay yeah. Then he's not talking either.' I was laid back. I was cool. But the doctor thankfully wasn't. He ordered me to go to the store & get a real pair of shoes [the cute Gap ones weren't cutting it]. Then we were to report back in one month. If we didn't have a walker amongst us ... there would be a referral for an intervention of some sort. No more needed to be said. I was scared. I didn't want it to get to the point that someone was going to tell me there was something wrong with my son. So we went from the doctor's appointment straight to Target where I got him these little shoes. As soon as we pulled up into the driveway, I took off the Gap ones & put these on his little feet. I set him down with both feet on the sidewalk. He stood on his feet longer than he ever had by himself. Progress was being made by the second.

Within a minute or two, steps were even taken. Soon daddy pulled up to the curb, home from work.  It was the kind of excitement that causes you to throw your water bottle down into the grass [as pictured] to have two hands ready to catch your son because you've never seen him walk before on his own & you're afraid he's going to need a hand. It's the kind of excitement that on a hot day mid-April day in Jacksonville, Florida you don't run inside to change out of your hot flight suit because more important things are happening at the moment & you don't want to miss it.  I am pretty sure it's the same reason why there aren't any photos until after Kyle got home - I didn't want to stop Brett just to take him inside with me for a moment to grab the camera. I didn't want to interrupt the moment.  We stayed out there for almost an hour. His best buddy, our neighbor, passed by on a walk with his dad. He got out of the stroller to celebrate this moment with us. 

These shoes were magic. Within 15 minutes of having them on his feet, he was up to maybe 15 steps in a row. 

Check out that face. He was doing something big & he knew it. He still gets that look when he does big things. Last week Brett had his first band concert. And from my front & center seat in the audience, he caught my eye, & I saw this look. Last summer on the 3&2 baseball fields every time he got a hit or scored a run, he'd look out into the bleachers & I'd see this look. Whenever he has had an exceptional day at school & I read about it in his daily planner, I get this look. 

Here's that same look on Brett as an almost 10 year old. :) Here he was just doing homework, but was embarrassed by the fact that I was taking pictures of him just because. Just because he was so cute & it was hitting me that he was so big, grown up & almost 10. He didn't know why I was taking his picture. But Brett just knew he was making me happy at that very  moment & that made him happy & feel good. Thus, the face. 

Here's another milestone, same look. This is after he scored his very first soccer goal in a game, four years ago.

He loves to make us proud. It makes him happy to see us happy. That's what this face is.

As I was writing about that doctor's appointment where I was given an ultimatum, I wondered ... what if Brett hadn't walked that day? What if that month passed & I had to take him in? And begin the evaluation process with him as a 19 month old? He would have had an earlier intervention. But he walked. So we were off the hook for six whole months 'til his 2nd year appointment, when the doctor once again wasn't satisfied. This time that Brett still wasn't talking. The need for an evaluation didn't go away, it was just delayed because Brett walked that day. And so I find myself wondering if it's a good or a bad thing that he walked.  But I am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason.

So digging deep down for a reason that his diagnosis & intervention was put off ... I will say maybe it's because God wanted to show us to expect miracles when we least expect them. And that lowering our expectations is not the answer. And that he will grow up and do things that we had no idea he was capable of. Things that we can't predict the timing of or wrap our brain around the idea of it happening. But it can. We've seen it over & over again.

That doesn't mean that we give up trying to help him. We don't live under the assumption that miracles will happen & take care of everything. We still try to make improvements which is why he's currently in Physical Therapy & Behavioral Therapy. We have resources available & we plan to give them a try. There are the Gap shoes that look cute. And then there are the shoes that he needs us to get for him in order to give him the wide, solid base necessary to make strides. We still have to seek out what's best for him.

What if he hadn't walked that day? He would have gotten an earlier intervention; more therapy; and a diagnosis sooner.  But what did we get that day when he walked? Besides a milestone finally filled out in his baby book, I think I got the lesson taught to me that he is capable of big things and that with some hard work, the right tools & an opportunity to do it, we will see more big things.  It's not a guarantee for success, but you won't know if you don't try. Whether it's buying him his new walking shoes, signing him up for baseball or buying him a trumpet, we wouldn't have these amazing moments & milestones if we wouldn't have let him try. And that adorable expression of happiness & accomplishment that I love to see on his face? We still get it when we see him do these big things and it reminds me once again, that he is fully capable of doing something that seemed impossible. And then we start the next big thing with the knowledge that success isn't a guarantee, but that it's at least a possibility. 

Faith is taking the first step 

even when you don't see 

the whole staircase. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is World Autism Day. For the first time in a few years, I don't have anything big planned. Time got away from me & I have been busy lending my creativity to other things.  :) But I know there will always be opportunities to give & help. So, I will keep looking for those opportunities when they pop up - even if they aren't during Autism Awareness Month. However, I couldn't let this day pass without sharing a story & giving thanks for the incredible moments we've been given because of this disorder that I thought was going to derail us long ago when I feared it. For more stories, click here. :) 

Hipstamatic Timeline ...

So right after Libby's Birthday ... we got sick. Brett got it the worst. Some sort of a flu bug that had him not feeling like himself for a week, then had sinus troubles & a cough for about 2 weeks. This is him on day 1 of being sick ... he kept telling me "I'm FINE!" Mmhmm.

Here's the line up of meds for me & B. :) 

Getting a little fresh air with Daisy while home from school. :) 

The area in which we live has what they call a "warm up" parade to St. Patty's Day. Our town has so many Irish in it, they have multiple parades. :)  We walked in the parade with our school  & had a blast.

A photographer with the Kansas City Star took this during the parade of Libby & Kyle! :) This was on the front page of the "Neighborhood News" section for 2 counties. Needless to say, we're still hearing from people who saw them [even yesterday afternoon - 2 weeks after it ran in the paper]!

First day of Spring Break ... Davis still in his PJ's making all sorts of paper airplanes. Did you know you could make some that could do aerobatics? I didn't, but do now ... Davis made some that could do loop-de-loops. So cool.  

The kids & I went to St.Louis for a few days during Spring Break! We spent a lovely day at the zoo there, where Brett faced his fears head on. For years we have tried to get Brett to look at the snakes & he'd run the other way in a panic. This was absolutely amazing to see Brett not only this far from the entrance of the snake house, but this close to the Burmese Python.  Made my week.

 We also went fishing with some friends! Libby caught 19 fish in about 3 hours. She shrieked & giggled & called out the number of each one.  

On 3/18, Kyle & I celebrated our 12th Anniversary! 

This past Friday we had off school & cousin Roman was on Spring Break! So we walked up to our new local frozen yogurt place, Orange Leaf.   

Due to the fact that it had rained all week, the boys had their 2 soccer games cancelled & Brett had his baseball practice cancelled. Kind of nice to have our Saturday freed up. :) So on Saturday night, we had the other KC cousins over. That night Libby learned how to swing [pump her legs] all by herself. :)  

Such a perfect night. The most gorgeous weather & a fun game of wiffle ball between the cousins, uncles & pappy.  

The aunts, mimaw & Miss Daisy made up the cheering section. :)  

On Sunday Libbs got to do her birthday shopping with mimaw. She picked out this outfit & the new black boots. Here she is checking out the photos I took of her modeling the new outfit. Sass.

This is pretty much what Kyle has been doing. The school he's in has been a bit more overwhelming,  more intense & more time consuming than we thought. I had to get him a new package of highlighters because in just a little over a month, he went through the pink, orange & yellow. He's been busy to say the least. 

And finally, here's Libbs last night. She was helping me hose all the pollen off everything. She asked me if she'd get money for doing it & I told her I'd pay her a quarter. She did that same giggly shriek that she did each time she caught one of her 19 fish. She was ecstatic. :) 

Life's been good. Could've done without the week or 2 of sickness, but it's been good. Hopefully I'll get back down to the art studio soon! Happy Spring! :)

Libby's 5 ...

Our little Libby is 5 today. I can hardly believe it.

Libby has a twin cousin. That is a cousin that was not only born on the same DAY. But 8 minutes apart. 3.5.2007 was a wild day for the Twenter Family. :) 

We celebrated on Saturday with a little painting party for 16 girls at the Ceramic Cafe. Fun fact I learned about that place is that they donate to the Thompson Center in Columbia, MO. Coincidentally, that is where we participated in a research study [for Autism] almost 2 years ago. I couldn't believe that when I read it - small world. But I think we'll have to go back in sometime soon & paint a puzzle piece or an ornament. [Yep, that's a hair extension in her hair. She calls the fashion shots 'round here.]

Since we knew the night of her Birthday was going to be busy with the normal school week activities, we celebrated last night. She got to open up her presents from us [lots of clothes, a Tinkerbell DVD & the Littlest Pet Shop Tree House she wanted]. We also put the finishing touches on her Star-of-the-Week poster for school. She did the bubble letters all by herself. The last answer to the questions there on her poster says she wants to be an "Artist" when she grows up. :)

I love this little girl so so much.  We are alike in so many ways ... and so so different in others. But I love every little BIT of her. God poured everything I wanted & everything I didn't know I wanted - into our little Libby. And I feel so lucky & blessed that I was chosen to be her mom.

Bathroom Redo ...

I'm not saying the new bathroom is better. The previous owners of this house put up the wallpaper. The upstairs bathroom has similar paper in a red, pink & green color scheme. I loved BOTH. But, since we gave our 5 month old daughter [in 2007] the master bedroom upstairs, we got one of the bedrooms downstairs which means we use the downstairs bathroom on a daily basis. And there's no vent fan in there. Which means the wallpaper had steamed itself off. Every seam was split open. So it was time for a redo. When I took it down, whole sheets came down. :( That's how bad it was.

I spent 2 days scrubbing the glue off.  Not the most fun part of the process. I picked out a shade of gray that was lighter than the tile - "Whispering Smoke". I already had gray enamel paint that was dyed to match the original tile [from when we remodeled our basement & the plumber had to bust through the wall behind the sink in this bathroom to get to a pipe]. So I just painted over the trim tile that had previously been painted a dark blue [original trim color was a 1950's peachy pink]. It's not a perfect match ... but I think it's good enough. I love that the bathroom as a whole now is neutral ... all gray & white.  I think since we got the opportunity for a change, I just wanted to take a break from "busy". The wallpaper, although pretty, was busy. So I'm liking the change.

I slowly added color into the color scheme starting with the mustard yellow bath mat. I love gray & yellow together. But knowing the rest of the bathroom was neutral & although I'd be buying a new shower curtain I still wanted it all white, I began looking for fun fabric for the curtains. I found these beautiful tea towels at Tuesday Morning & fell in LOVE. They already had the green lace trim. All I had to do was fold the top down 2 inches & sew straight across to make a pocket. I was done & had them up in 2 minutes flat. 

The mirror came with the house. The previous owners had it painted all metallic gold, which I quickly painted all white since every metal fixture in the bathroom was silver. So for the new bathroom design, I filled in the irises [I think they're irises] & leaves with some paint to match the flowers in the curtains. 

Again, I'm not saying it's better ... it's just a change. Almost a 180 when you consider that where there was color & crazy before [all over the walls] is now solid & neutral. And where it was Plain Jane before [mirror & curtains] is now crazy & colorful. Change is good. :)

Rehab ...

The Handydandys ... proud new owners of this 2 bed / 0 bath home!

Needed a little work but they hope to be in by Christmas!

 Bedroom #1 [hope previous owners didn't need that newspaper article tacked to the bulletin board!]

 Living Room

 Bedroom #2

 Rooftop Garden

 Going over plans with their interior designer.

 Let the demolition [& 7 years of bad luck] BEGIN!

Where we're at as of today ... wood floors are in!

Some friends of ours gave us this little play house. It had come out of their basement & then it sat in our garage for 5 months while we found some wall space in Libby's room. If you recall, we played "Musical Dressers" a month ago. So, 2 dressers [1 used to be her changing table] came out of Libby's room & 1 went in, leaving an open wall space for the doll house. Perfect.

It was dirty from being in a basement & garage and I found the decor to be a little dated. I didn't know who would be "living there" ... her Strawberry Shortcake dolls? Barbies [which she only has 1]? Littlest Pet Shop animals? Wasn't sure what I was going to do for furniture either. I fell in LOVE with the Calico Critters line. It was pricey, but I was willing to suck it up because it seemed perfect for her. But then, the week of Thanksgiving, my mom & I were doing a little late night shopping at Target while she was in town. And I saw a new line, only available at Target. Lil Woodzeez ... so cute. I picked out the Mouse Family and we bought a couple furniture sets. We even went on a mad hunt to other Target locations to try & snatch up the last remaining furniture set. It was selling out quickly!  But we got it.  The Mouse Family & furniture will arrive via sleigh on Christmas morning. But the house is busy getting rehabbed here at home and she's enjoying seeing it get cleaned up & made over. I've loved being busy with my shop the past couple of weeks & getting packages on their way, but I do believe the last order intended as a last minute Christmas present will be shipped off today ... then I have the rest of the week to get the house done in time for the Mouse Family to move in!!! I can't wait! :) And neither can they! [Although I heard big brother isn't looking forward to having to share a room with baby mouse ... or having a pastel floral motif for wallpaper, but hopefully he'll get over it.] ;)