Hi Ho, Hi Ho It's Off To FRIPP ISLAND We Go!!!!

Spring Break is here!!!  Yay!  My sister and I leave Saturday with the kids and are headed to Fripp Island for the entire week.  I cannot wait to see how Declan reacts to everything this year.  Last year he was not even crawling and this year he is in to everything.  Not sure if this will be a relaxing trip, but if anything it will be FUN!!!  I will post pics when we get back!

AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

April is Autism Awareness month.  I could list all of the facts about autism for you but, that would take forever...If you are interested please check the Autism Society of America or Autism Speaks website.  You will be intrigued by the facts and statistics that they share.  Just know that it is on the rise...

I can tell you that I have the greatest job on the planet working with these amazing children.  No day is EVER the same in my classroom and some days are way more challenging than others, but there is nothing I would rather do than teach and love these little ones everyday.  Every student or individual with autism (or any disability) that I have had the honor to work with has had a huge impact on my life.  My 9th year of teaching and I can remember the first and last name of every child I have had and how much they have touched me and how much I have learned from each one of them. 

I really think that it has prepared more than anything to be a parent too.  Weird how things work.  My students have taught me patience, understanding, and love that many people will never get to experience.  I wake up and I'm excited to go to work and have an impact on these children's lives everyday.  Don't get me wrong...being a mom is the BEST job in the world, but teaching children with autism is definitely a close second. 

Please take the time to learn more about autism and have a little more patience for people that may have a disability.  You most likely will learn more from them than they will learn from you.

You will notice a lot famous buildings/structures that are lit up in BLUE this month...it is part of the LIGHT IT UP BLUE campaign to spread Autism Awareness.  I know I will be wearing BLUE tomorrow to spread awareness.

The DEW and SE

We had a fun play date after work/school with Nicole and Sawyer.  It was SO fun watching these two together.  It was great to catch up with one of my best friends too.  Just a reminder of how no matter how busy we get in our lives that we need to make time with friends.  Sawyer and Declan got along so well and I have a feeling they will be great friends!

 Cookie Time!

 So happy together....

 Ha ha!

Watching The Fresh Beat Band after a bath (SE is sporting Declan's pajamas).  Don't let them fool you...as soon as we left the room they were jumping on the couch yelling "bounce, bounce."  So stinkin' cute!!!

Pop and Cyn Cyn To The Rescue!

 Scooting down the stairs...Cyn Cyn taught him how...wedo not have stairs he can go up and down in our house...

 His shirt says it all as he has a banana stuffed in his mouth :-)

 Loves opening and closing the door with my mom...their little game...

 I LOVE it here!

 Sitting in the fountain...

 Playing with Pop...

 is SO much fun!

 So, he is totally up to something look at this face...wait for it (look at the next picture)

After the martini!  Cyn Cyn with the save!

Declan and I wanted to get out of the house after Jason left, so what better place to go then to Pop and Cyn Cyn's house?!  Declan was asking to go...how could I deny the child time with his grandparents?  Declan was more than thrilled to spend time with them and I actually got to go shopping.  I had to find a bathing suit for our trip to Fripp Island next week with my sister and her kiddos.  So excited, about the trip, but HATED bathing suit shopping yuck!  I am smaller now then before I was pregnant with Declan, but everything has just shifted and I have a different body...and not one that I love.  The DEW was more than worth it of course!  I suppose I could diet and workout and that would help.  Ha ha!  It was such a nice day/night with my parents.  All stress is gone when I visit them.  They let me relax and take over and I love it and appreciate it so much.

Jason's back...for a little while...

Jason came home around 8:00 Friday night and was out the door on Saturday doing more work, and left to go back out of town Sunday afternoon.  I feel like we barely saw each other.  If you know me, you know I do not like being alone and like for everyone to be together.  It stinks that Declan and I did not get to spend more time with him.  I bet you think I'm selfish, huh?  Don't get me wrong...I have blogged about it a million times...how much I appreciate Jason and how hard he works to provide for his family, but I do miss him when he is gone.  It would be different if I didn't like him or didn't want to spend anytime with him, but I happen to be very fond of my wonderful hubby.  He is my best friend and I miss his company when he is gone.  Declan had a hard time saying "bye bye," when Jason left yesterday.  He sat at the door crying for his Dad.  I know how hard that must have been for Jason and makes me appreciate him even more.  Here are some cute pics of Declan playing with Jason.  Jason did not want his beautiful physique (he had his shirt off) on the blog, so I tried to just snap some of Declan.  They were having so much fun together.

Chef Kristin

 Playing with K's IPhone

Look how serious he is!

One of my dear friends from high school, Kristin, came over to play with me and Declan on Friday.  Jason was not going to be home until later, so Kristin offered to come over and even cook!  She made delicious fish and veggies.  It was so nice not to cook and to have some adult interaction!  Declan is not really shy, but he opened up to Kristin quickly!  She has visited a lot, so I think he is used to her, plus she has a way with kids.  He would not leave her alone and preferred her over me.  What the____???  Just kidding!  I was happy he loved her so much.  We have been friends with her for a long time and she will always be around.  She is one of those people you can ALWAYS count on.  I think she was kind of fond of The DEW too ;-)

Peanut Butter

Cyn Cyn introduced Declan to peanut butter for the first time when I was on jury duty in October.  I called to check on him and they were eating peanutbutter and apples.  I freaked out for a minute because of the peanut allergy and told my mom to keep and eye on him.  Well he doesn't have the allergy (thank God) and ever since that day he associates peanut butter with his Cyn Cyn.  My mom bought crunchy and creamy peanut butter (because she spoils her granchildren rotten...ha ha).  When I was over at my parent's house the other morning she gave him a spoonful of the creamy peanutbutter and he said "no, bu."  He was asking for the peanut butter with the blue top...the crunchy kind.  We were amazed.  Where the heck does he pick this stuff up?!  He is one smart little boy!  Anyway he asked for peantu butter on Saturday and I made him half of a sandwich.  The pictures say it all about his love for pb these days :-)

Bubbles and Water=A Happy DEW

We took advantage of the 80 degree weather and spent all of Saturday outside.  After Owen's game we went to lunch and enjoyed the patio at Marlow's Tavern in midtown.  We decided it was too pretty to go inside and spent the rest of the afternoon outside.  Declan is very entertained by bubbles, a water table, a ball, and his Dad:-)  He had a blast...and so did we watching him.  There is nothing sweeter to me than watching my boys play together.  It makes me so happy and melts my heart.  Jason is such a wonderful father. 

Jason is back to working out of town again. YEAH for work, but BOO to it being in Brunswick. He was working out of town the first 9 months of Declan's life, so you think I would be used to it. It is definitely very different and a lot lonelier this time without Dixon around. It is still not the same without our pup around. I would always hang out with him while Jace was gone and I definitely felt so safe with him protecting us. Declan woke up from his nap this afternoon and all he kept asking for was "Dada." We will be fine, I'm a big girl, but will definitely miss the company of my better half and his help, but am so grateful for how hard he works to provide for his family. I know it is just as hard for him to be away. Hopefully they will finish this job up quickly!

GO #5!!!

 Cyn Cyn and Kara!

 Declan thinks "Ga" is hilarious!  Loves his cuzzies!

 Wow!  Go "O", Go!

 #5 :-)

 Playing with Dad.

 Too cute!

 Owen up to bat...

 Typical ball player...getting the wedgie out :-)

His fans :-)

We went to see my nephew Owen play baseball this weekend.  He might just be the cutest baseball player on the planet and it was so fun to watch him and his teammates play.  He bats and throws left handed and is the fastest 6 year old I have ever seen.  He seems like he really enjoys it and that makes me so happy!  Declan played with Gavin and Kara and was very entertained by them.  Jason even bought a Dodger's hat to support his nephew.  I have the cutest husband ever!  It was such a fun and beautiful day and what better way than spending it with family!

St. Patrick's Day

Eating his "nana" in the morning...

I only snapped these two photos of my little leprechaun in the morning.  Declan spent the day with my mom and they surprised me at school at the end of the day.  My mom had even taken him to get a haircut.  It was such a nice surprise as he ran through my classroom door with the biggest smile and jumped into my arms.  It also saved me from driving all the way to my parent's house to pick him up.  I have the most thoughtful mom EVER!!!  Declan had such a great time with my parents and the Cullinans with nonstop entertainment.  This little boy is definitely ready for daycare.  I will blog more about that later.  Not quite ready to face that yet.

Spring Forward...SUCKS

I hate the time change.  I have always hated it, but really do after having Declan.  It disrupts our entire schedule for a good week.  Ms. Jeanne is out of town this week, so my mom and sister worked out their schedules and are working together to keep Declan all week.  I am ever so grateful to my family and very fortunate to have them living close.  All I did was asked for help and they worked everything else out.  A HUGE weight off of my shoulders.  He has REALLY enjoyed his time with his family.  He talks about them constantly...even the dogs.  He says all of their names on the way there and the whole way home.  He does not even pay me a bit of attention when I pick him up.  I'm good with that and it makes me so happy that he has this extra time with his family.  He is one lucky little boy!

 Cuddling after a long day...for both of us.

This would be Declan up at 4:00 am...He was wide awake and would not go back down.  He was enjoying some breakfast and watching cartoons.

Spoon Man

Declan is really into feeding himself and is actually doing pretty well!  I'm amazed!  It may not look like it in the pictures, but the yogurt cup is empty and there is not too much on it...we are working on it!

He is getting so big!  I love this stage of his life, but I'm getting pretty sad that it is happening so fast.  He saying phrases now and has been for a couple of months..."I get you," "fix it," "I help you," are a few of the ones I can think of.  It just melts my heart.  I love how is beginning to communicate his wants and needs...even if he doesn't always get what he wants :-)  Don't get me wrong...the terrible twos have already started.  We are definitely having power struggles and I'm not quite sure who has "won" more of them.  It depends on the day.  Ha ha!