Happy Birthday Tiago!

In honor of Tiago's 2nd birthday I am reposting his birth story.

Phoenix's 1st Violin Lesson

I am hoping these adorably chubby hands will soon be playing the violin.

Yesterday was Phoenix's first violin lesson. Why violin? Our family LOVES fiddle music AND someone gave us a violin. So here we are. We found a Suzuki instructor close by and we're giving it a shot!

As for the Down syndrome part, this is how I handled it. First, I just inquired about lessons. We set up the schedule. Then I told her Phoenix had Down syndrome. (You never know how people are going to react to your child with special needs so I wanted to tell her ahead of time. Believe me, we sadly get some pretty cruel looks from strangers from time to time. So I was protecting both myself and him.) She was totally fine with it. I gave her an out and she didn't take it. She doesn't have any experience with students with special needs and I kind of like that. She treated him like any other student.

First lesson, he didn't even play! He practiced standing, holding the bow properly, balancing the violin under his chin with no hands and bowing. It was great! He learned new words and had another opportunity to practice following directions (we prayed about that part on the front steps outside her home!).

When we got in the car after the lesson I rhetorically asked him, Did you play the violin? He shook his head NO. That's right! He didn't play it! LOL! Just a lot of prep work!

Annual Fishing Derby (Willow Creek Community Church)

Excited at the prospect of catching some fish!


Freezing cold after FALLING IN the pond! (I guess he really WAS excited!)


My friend's amazing daughter who has a huge heart for kids with special needs! She hand wrote notes inviting her classmates with special needs to the derby AND volunteered! Love this girl!


Phoenix's wonderful and adorable aide at church. She volunteers weekly and sometimes twice a week for Phoenix. She and her friends also teach cheerleading to kids with Down syndrome and raised money to buy their uniforms. "The Gems" have numerous performances throughout the year.

Rio's first movie- RIO, of course!

This was both Phoenix’s and Rio’s first time to the movie theater. I obnoxiously cheered every time they said “Rio” and I will probably download the songs that mentioned his name.

A new tradition

Our 1st Annual Last Day of School Tradition- Dairy Queen! While it has been unseasonably cool even for spring, that did not stop us from walking to our neighborhood DQ and enjoying some dipped ice cream cones. It was only the end of their first year of preschool, but why not start some family traditions? Lucky baby brother, only 1, got join in too!