Be A Buddy.

I know, I know...I'm behind in my posts.  So sorry but it's summertime and there's just too much fun to be had, not leaving enough time for sitting at a computer!

While this event was a week ago, it has etched itself into a two-page spread of my memory book.  You know the one that fills with big days...important days like Christmas or Easter or birthdays.  June 19 was a beautiful day.  Yes, the weather was warm and sunny and perfect...but that's not what made the day beautiful.  The people did.  This was the second year we participated in the DFRC Blue-Gold football game as parents of a Buddy.  And this day was the grand finale of events...

I won't go on and on and on {like I have in the past about how amazing the DFRC Blue-Gold Hand-In-Hand program is}...don't wanna bore you...but I'm just sayin'...this organization more than warms my heart...it puts a big hurts-my-cheeks-kinda-smile on my face.

By now you all know Amanda, Kayla's buddy.  The friendship that has been formed is quite possibly one of the most amazing friendships you could ever witness.  Amanda loves Kayla and it makes me remember my buddy, Jennifer.  I know I loved spending time with her but I hope she felt loved the way that Kayla feels loved.  Back then, I loved spending time with her, but I can't say I "got it" like Amanda does.  She's just incredible...and it shows...

The day was filled with priceless moments.  Like this one...my big girl hanging out.  One minute she was chilling on the phone...

and the next she was stalking Buddy Bear like it was her job...it was a bit of a love fest...

Then we were onto the pre-game festivities...
As the cheerleaders and ambassadors {that's Amanda waiving on the right} were announced and walked the field, Kayla cheered them on.  "Go Blue-Gold, Go".  Her enthusiasm was priceless and infectious...

And then there was this moment...cue the sappy music {I can't remember the song but for the sake of my story let's just say it was That's What Friends Are For because that's sappy, right?}, the tears, the tissues and the buddies running across the football field and into the arms of their "buddies", their senior participants.  The shrieks of joy, the laughter, the look of complete satisfaction on the faces of the buddies and participant alike...this was moment that expressed to the crowd that this is what this program is all about.  It's not about the individuals playing on the field.  It's not about the cheerleaders.  It's not about which team won...it's about the experience and the bonds of friendship forged between a "typical" senior participant and their buddy with an intellectual disability.  The friendships formed despite the "differences" because of the similarities.  The buddies, all just like Kayla, have more love to give than all the people I know combined.  If the love on that field could have been bottled, it would be priceless.  But above that, if we could worry less about pointing fingers, arguing, name calling, isolating people because of their sexual preference or religious beliefs and just love, unconditionally...what a beautiful world we could live in.  One where we didn't focus on differences, rather similarities and common bonds...what a world this could be...living and loving unconditionally, just like Kayla.

I am a better person because of Kayla...I am a better person because of her friends...and I am a better person because of the DFRC, this experience and this day.

And my girl?  Well...nothing makes her more happy than spending time with Amanda...and watching football {an obsession my husband started}...

My memory scrapbook is full of smiley faces and happy tears on this day.

Oh...and the icing on the cake?  Kayla made the front page of The Sunday News Journal...
She's just a little bit famous around here...or so she thinks...and we'll just keep letting her think that because there's nothing wrong with amazing self confidence, it's the stuff that takes you far in life.  Live big, Kayla.  Front page style because that's how we roll!

And so I am hoping you take away a major life lesson from this event...extend a hand.
Be a buddy.
I promise...you will be the better for it.

Twenty.

My girl has twenty teeth...10 on the top and ten on the bottom.  And...no cavities!  If you have been lucky enough to be in her presence over this last week, I am sure you are aware of her visit to the dentist because she has been telling everyone that she has no cavities!

She was super brave...looks like we turned a corner on being brave...finally!  We tried going to the dentist last year...failed.  This year, my big five-year-old rocked the dental chair like no other...

Although I do have to say one thing saddened me about our visit...the dental hygienist asked if she had any loose teeth.  What????  Loose teeth?  I am so not ready for that.  I am not ready for grown up teeth...or grown up anything for that matter.  Hang in there baby teeth, hang in there!

When You Wish Upon A Star.

You know the lyrics...
When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are...anything your heart desires will come to you...

Just the song alone is enough to bring tears to my eyes...yes, Kayla had her ballet recital Saturday.  This was her first ever recital and I can cry just thinking another "first" has come and gone...but it came and went with the most amazing memories.  During her dress rehearsal, the ballerina next to her cried the entire time, throwing Kayla off her game.  While she didn't do much of her dance, she did, however, smile, blow kisses and wave the entire time...she clearly loves an audience!  On the day of her recital, as I dropped her off backstage and had a pep-talk with her, she confirmed that this time she was going to keep dancing.  My fear was the "domino effect"...you know...misery loves company so I might as well cry with my friend.  I kissed her goodbye and told her we would be sitting in the front row.  She was beaming with pride.  If only I could have taken my camera backstage {we weren't allowed to take pictures at the recital at all}...but that smile, that face is forever etched in my mind.  Her face said to me Mom, I got this.  I love this.  I am a ballerina...the best ballerina...just you wait and see.  Sitting in the front row {thank you, Mom for arriving 2 hours before showtime to save some amazing seats}, we anxiously awaited our prima ballerina.  As we were waiting, I looked over at Rick and saw the vapors.  He held them back very well but I could see he was ready to tear up.  The one thing I love about Rick more than anything is how much he loves Kayla...and it shows...everyday.  As Kayla entered the stage, she came out waving and smiling...beaming, actually...and the crowd filled with "awwwwws".  The crowd applauded and Kayla curtseyed.  Every time, actually.  If she heard clapping, she curtseyed.  She danced, doing the entire routine as perfect as a five-year-old ballerina could dance.  As the music stopped, Kayla curtseyed again and blew kisses...a lot of them.  In fact, I was waiting for the "hook" to come from behind the curtain to take her off stage.

These are pictures from her dress rehearsal {from about 50 yards away - in the dark...so excuse the quality}...

And a few portraits I took...I am so not used to seeing her without bangs and with makeup!  We were instructed that the ballerinas had to have all of their hair slicked back into a bun, wear blush, eyeshadow, mascara and eye liner.  Ever try to get black eyeliner on a five-year-old?  So fun...

I know that not much can outdo the recital...but if anything could compete, it's the beach!  The beach is one of my favorite places to be...it washes away all of the stress and worries and drama {yes...I've got lots of stress, lots of worries, and for some reason tons of needless and ridiculous drama happening right now}...so away we went...just for a few days...mid-week.  My Mom, Kayla and I packed the car and headed to the beach.  Kayla's Blue-Gold buddy, Amanda, was there for senior week and wanted to play with Kayla...a much welcomed offer so this Momma could sit on a beach chair and read a magazine without chasing a five-year-old...even if for just a half hour!  They built castles, chased each other down the beach, jumped a few waves and soaked up some rays from their towels for nearly five hours!  We truly won the buddy jackpot...Amanda has just been an amazing addition to our family.  Kayla adores her and Amanda adores her right back.  Did I mention how much I adore Amanda?  She is just incredible...

My Mom got to spend a few days unwinding, relaxing and playing with Kayla.  These few days were precious and priceless...Love you, Mom!

Oh...and the boardwalk...oh how my girl loves the boardwalk!  Correction:  She loves the games...the rides, not so much.  Thanks, Mom, for starting a new obsession.  While at the arcades, my Mom kept filling her pockets with quarters.  Great because she could be independent, placing the quarters into the games (great little OT fun) and she loved doing everything all by herself.  Bad because she just thinks she can get as many quarters as she wants.  Well, she can.  Who could ever tell her no?

There is just something magical about the boardwalk.  The lights, the games, the pure joy that escapes me just from watching my girl.  And yes...I know...I could have bought about 20 of these stuffed animals for the price of the games...that's not the point.  The satisfaction in her face knowing she won them all by herself...that can't be bought...oh...and technically MomMom could have bought 20 of them since she was stuffing her pockets full of money!

And this game here...you know the impossible game of getting the ball into one of the five colored holes...Kayla rocked it.  She landed a large and small prize.  These moments can't be bought.  That face of pure joy can't be bought...that face says I did it all by myself and that is priceless.

Another post of another first coming soon...her visit to the dentist today...and my girl rocked it!  I know, I could have put those pictures into this post...but now you have something to look forward to later!

More to come this week...may you wish upon a star...and may all your wishes and dreams come true...

Alpha and Omega

With every beginning there is an ending and this ending was filled with mixed emotions.  While growing up is inevitable, it seems to be happening far too quickly for this Mommy to handle.  You always hear Moms talking about how fast our kiddos grow up and how they wish they could have days back…well I agree, I don’t like it and I want some days back.  I know it will sound cliché but at the risk of sounding so…it seems like just yesterday I dropped Kayla off at pre-school for the first time.  She was two.  She couldn’t quite walk independently and was only using sign language to communicate but was of course dressed to the nines complete with her Ralph Lauren dress, matching school-themed hairbows and apple backpack.  

I was scared to death; she was excited and soon proved to me that my fears had no merit.  She could do everything the other kids were doing.  Perhaps in her own time but she quickly grew into her own…walking, talking, painting, playing…loving school.  That year flew by and blurred into the next year…and the next.  Now here we are approaching kindergarten.  Preschool is over.

All three years of preschool a fog of amazing memories.  That chapter has ended and a new one is about to begin.  And while with every ending comes great fear of what lies ahead, I have no doubt that my girl will meet kindergarten with a huge smile and a gigantic don’t doubt me or I’ll prove you wrong attitude.  So to this Omega I say…I am sad.  I am sad to see the end of preschool.  I am sad that my girl is growing up far too fast…but I am so looking forward to the Alpha…the beginning of kindergarten…and so is my big girl.  In fact, she tells everyone that she meets that she is going into kindergarten. 

The last lesson Kayla learned from preschool was the life cycle of a butterfly.  I know because Kayla gave Rick and I a lesson on butterflies from the back seat of our car while we were driving down the road the other day.  It went something like this...“Look…those are trees.  Trees have leaves.  Butterflies eat leaves”.  At this point Rick and I looked at each other…in disbelief that her conversation skills have emerged so much.  Knowing they discussed the four stages in class {remember...I spied...err...I mean...observed from the booth daily}, I asked her "do you remember the four stages of the butterfly?".  She quickly replied "the egg, larva, pupa and adult.  The adult is the butterfly".  Just amazing.  She looked out the window, thought for another minute and stated "Metamorphosis means change”.  At this point my chin was on the floor.  I could feel my eyes filling with tears of joy and pride.  She gets it.  Metamorphosis?  An amazing word for my amazing girl that is changing herself…everyday…changing and growing.  So what could be more ironic than rescuing an injured butterfly from the parking lot on her last day of school?  We picked up the butterfly and it instantly took to Kayla.  Climbing up her shirt and onto her face...

I didn't have my camera on the right settings...but I think these turned out cool...sometimes mistakes are good!

She has indeed changed...and game review proved it {think Jeopardy...only the categories are what you learned in pre-k}.  Kayla chose Language Arts for 500...the biggest value question.  I sat in the booth and took a deep breath...hoping and praying that she would do great.  Her friends were all depending on her to get her question right.  They needed the points to win a prize.  Her question required her to listen to instructions and follow them...Kayla, walk over to the independent writing center, get a crayon, hop back and hand it to me...I sat there with my heart pounding...As she walked to the writing center, her friends watched...

She walked toward the colored pencils and just as I thought for sure she was going to pick one up and return with it, she picked it up, turned to her friends, held it in the air and with the most devilish grin declared "just kidding"as she picked up a crayon, hopped back and handed it to Ms. Nancy.  Had she just completed the task, I would have likely cried...but adding in her little sassy sense of humor made me laugh out loud.  She has certainly changed, come out of her shell and become a confident, beautiful five-year-old.  I am so proud of my girl...my preschool graduate...and she was clearly proud of herself...

To celebrate the end of preschool we were off to the beach...enjoying sand and seashell filled days...

You gotta love the 25 pounds of stuff for two little kids...and that was only half of it!

And tell me this doesn't make you laugh...Kayla loves looking at gossip magazines on the beach...

that's my girl!

After the beach we were onto ice cream, french fries and boardwalk-filled nights...

Rick and I have been dying to take Kayla to the Ice Cream Castle for years.  You can order your sundae in a sand bucket...and we did just that...it was a bit ridiculous but I always say...when in Rome...or this case at the beach...she even let her friend Kennedy share...

A girl after my own heart...shove as much in as you can...

And there you have it...10 scoops and 5 toppings later and our ice cream bucket was kicked...all gone...

Onto the boardwalk...the lights, the rides, the games, the salt-filled misty air, the sounds of kids squealing, the fries...I love it all...

Kayla could care less about the kiddie rides...in fact she hates them...there has never been a love affair between my girl and rides.  Chalk it up to being cautious, I guess.  Now arcades...that's another story...Kayla will play games until they pull down the rickety, rusty gates at midnight.  How do I know, you ask?  Let's just say experience...

  

And quite possibly her favorite part of the boardwalk?  The entertainers...you know the ones I am talking about...the injured vet in the wheelchair playing the saxophone, the magician, the juggler on a unicycle, the silver-painted statue man...and my personal all-time favorite...the one man band...

That guy was incredible.  He had so many contraptions and du-hickeys attached to him and each appendage made something ding, ring, gong or boom...all while singing and dancing...amazing.

And so...summer is in full swing, complete with 92 degree temperatures and high humidity {and I have the hair to prove it}...and while my hair is not, I am loving it...

Bring on the memories, bring on the Alphas, the Omegas and the metamorphosis.  We're ready for it.  One chapter has ended and a new one has begun. 

I couldn't resist sneaking this picture in here.  I love photographing creatures and this little guy greeted us when we returned home from the beach.  Cute, eh?

We are changing, life is changing and it is perfect.  Being right here, right now is perfect...and while I do wish I could have days back from when she was a baby or a toddler and I look forward to all of the days ahead, I am simply enjoying today...etching each one of her faces, expressions, phrases, Alphas and Omegas into magical memories...