Belated Easter

I’ve been meaning to get this post out for a while now.  However, computers crash (thanks brother :) for coming to my rescue), kids get sick and I must attend to laundry at some point.  What I wanted to say is I love when holidays come around…not just cause I get a day off…but holidays make me feel settled, and traditions like dyeing eggs connect me to all the puddles of nostalgic happiness that dwell so fondly in my memory and fuel me to recreate them for my own family. So we did. We colored eggs last weekend.   

I love that there is no reason behind this tradition. Or rather there is, but when I Googled the historical explanation, it didn't excite me the same way that "because it's fun" did. And I'm totally cool with doing elaborate things with my kids for no reason at all.

There is something strangely thrilling about dunking these pure and delicate little ovoids (the proper name, I learned) into cups of color and waiting while they transform.   Even more thrilling is spinning them around, and around, and around.  Or watching as McCall leans over to carefully check their color progression, and like a stylist refolding the foil after inspecting unfinished highlights, she says "not quite yet" and lets the egg spinner do its thing.  I was asked to remove Rhys from the situation after 2 crushed eggs…he was stressing sissy out.

I held back my dyeing critique and watched, cringing, as McCall and Bodie did it their own way--plopping two eggs in at once, two colors at once and spinning from one hue to another, mixing dissonant colors, cracking shells and yet completely satisfied with their results. 

Turns out, the splotchiness adds to the beauty of their vibrant little egg art.  Rhys was moved to a supervisor position and watched the duration, eating his Peep and savoring all the sugar he could take in until “the diet”.  Note to self…Peeps + baby hair=a very long bath.  Oh, well.

To add to the festivities we baked  an Easter Bunny cake and had too many egg hunts to count...but it all must have paid off.

The EB was good to the kids…started them out with 8 clues to help find their baskets awaiting in the car. 

 Puddles of nostalgic happiness for them to pass on. 

Hope everyone enjoyed their day…Happy Easter!

 

Ketogenic Diet: How Can a High-Fat Diet Treat Seizures? - ABC News

ABC World News Tonight is airing a segment on the diet Rhyser will begin any day. It's so refreshing to see and hear such success stories. We can only hope he is so lucky!

Ketogenic Diet: How Can a High-Fat Diet Treat Seizures? - ABC News

We spent the morning with our firstborn today...at her school assembely.  Left Bodie and Rhys snuggled in their jammies right next to Sue Sue. McCall didn't know quite yet why I bought her a new outfit and curled her hair...but I was just beaming inside...so proud and astonished at the big girl she has become. Rob and I arranged work to support our little girl this morning for her big award. 
I've missed this. Just me, miss and daddy.  Sure, there are myriads of moments where we're together, but sometimes I'm turning the pages of Goodnight Moon while simultaneously balancing a baby. And, in the middle of a puzzle with her the other day, I jumped up to rescue stunt man Rhys from falling off the couch.  "He's fine, momma," McCall said as if her denial would convince me to stay and play.

I had it figured out with two...and then I thought I'd be really good at three when I was pregnant. I had rehearsed every possible situation with balancing three and had a plan of action. We were going to have McCall & Me dates weekly...then the boys would do their thing.  We were going to be aware of all jealous cues and fire planned responses to fix them. We were going to take our love and carefully divvy it up in perfect equal portions, no more, no less.

Unfortunately, life doesn't offer the Perfectly Planned option. In the ebb & flow of our home's activities, there have been days where McCall is rained upon with praise and puzzles and baking and book-reading and others where I've actually uttered the words, "Not now, Miss, your brother needs me" as if her needing me wasn't as meritable.  Some days her sassyness from these situations has resulted in less than favorable reactions from me. 

So I was excited beyond belief for today...today when we can give her our undivided attention...support her...be so proud of our girl.   She shyly accepted her award, but she stood in front of the entire school...and if anyone remembers the dance recital...this is a BIG accomplishment in its own.
It felt good to be back in the swing of things, to know that life being altered a bit doesn't change everything and there are so many more of these days--with all my kids--to come.

The scales will, I'm sure, tip again soon and teeter between too much and too little, but days like these will return and restore the balance of just enough love...and then some.  We love our girl :)

Next, I must say thank you.  Again, I'm amazed, honored and thrilled that the Team Rhyser fund as met and EXCEEDED its goal...and it's still growing.  Thank you to every one of you for giving and for sharing. I never dreamed it could happen like this. But, then again, I never dreamed a year ago that a little moment could change my life so wonderfully.

Lastly, when I started looking at pictures on my memory card it seems as though someone (or 2 someone's) may have taken my camera on a joyride without my knowledge...nonetheless there where a couple of funny shots.

 

Day 320...Mini Me

First, I must say thank you again and again (it will keep comin') for what you are doing out there with Team Rhyser.  Again, our family and friends have come through in love and support in a HUGE way.  I am so thankful, lucky and proud to be Rhyser's mommy and that he is surrounded by such love, compassion and generosity.  It all begins with awareness...and this village is aware baby.

Ok, so all I have today is a cute little comparison.  I love my boys...and the hand me down jammies!

Rhys

Rhys 17 months

Bodie 2008

Bodie July 2008 (1 year)

Team Rhyser...ASF Walk-a-thon

 

Angelman Syndrome has taken us on one hell of a ride…
but we can tell you this though…
We have changed. Our eyes have been opened to the broad spectrum of beauty, the value of uniqueness and the amazement of the common thread that binds us all regardless of the color of our skin or the makeup of our chromosomes. How could I not have been aware of this magic?
We are grateful for the pain that propelled us forward, without it; we wouldn't have known the joy of this place.
So I am thrilled to be taking part in our very first ASF walk. I won't walk alone, but with some very powerful women by my side. I will walk proudly with Rhys, because I know what this walk can do.
The One Step Closer ASF National Walk has been a vital source of funding support to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation since its initial launch in 1999. What started with one volunteer walk site has grown to now include 29 walk sites across the country and is recognized as the signature fund-raising event for the organization. By supporting the National Walk we are helping researchers at ASF move one step closer to improving the lives of those impacted by AS through information, education, resources, support, advocacy and research.

Let me say that more clearly. The mission of the One Step Closer ASF National Walk is to create a culture that fully accepts and includes our little man.
We want this life-changing year to propel us forward…to learn and except. To work towards a cure. ASF works towards this, so we are thrilled to support their efforts.
Like many others who set out on this journey, we have struggled through a range of emotions. Support came though--through loving friends and family, through education, through falling in love with our son who turned out to be the greatest blessing and just what our family needed. We are learning more every day, and, through Rhys, we've discovered a new world of acceptance and opportunity for the individuals in our world with AS.
So we ask you, our friends and family who have supported Rhys and our family…to help us and support the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. We are grateful for your efforts, and hope you will take great pride in the important difference that the funds raised will make.
Our fund-raising page can be accessed here, or the ASF button on the top of my blog.

Thank you...

Love, the Vian’s

Day 307...The State of Our House"

"You should see my house" has been my compliment comeback of choice for some time now because first, it's true--some area of my house is, at any given moment, likely to be in shambles--and secondly, I've wrongly assumed you're always supposed to shoot back compliments with some stupid self-deprecating statement. Just because someone tells you they like your shoes doesn't mean you have to cancel it out with how disgusting your kitchen counter looks. It's okay to own a compliment and not everyone needs to be spoonfed the fact that if a woman is pulling it off in one area, there's another area falling apart. I'm now assuming this is a given, and from this day forth, any success in my life comes with the disclaimer that somewhere, something looks like hell. And if, by chance, it doesn't, don't say anything 'cuz, God forbid, you'll jinx a miracle.

The thing is, I'm not a good housekeeper, and snapping back with a forced laugh and a "you should see my house" is getting old. I'm tired of using heaps of wrinkled laundry for toss pillows and tripping over race track pieces scattered like shrapnel across my living room floor. And I'm ready, when complimented on my red shoes, to smile and reply simply, "Why, thank you. Red's my favorite color."
But the house thing has gotta change. Sunday, Uncle J watched the kids while both of the parental units worked.  When I returned home I noticed a slight baby powder scent in the air but thought nothing of it...

"Holy S@#t, what happened?"

Two bottles of baby powder dumped on every surface in our bedroom.  Lipstick artistically applied to the 3 month old baby portraits...and each one blamed the other. 
And I say this all for two reasons. I feel like I get a lot done.  Therapist, cupcakes, craft projects, doctors, preschool...but there's always not-so-fun stuff that gets left out here. Cleaning house is one of many. But also, sometimes writing about something helps me overcome it, and it feels good in that proclaiming-New-Year's-resolution way to publicly sign a declaration of Hey, I have a problem and Hey, I wanna fix it.


I will never regret letting the house go to spend important time with my kids and that will never change. I couldn't care about fingerprints on windows if I tried (in fact, I kinda like them). But, there has to be a happy medium, and a sofa slip cover made of wrinkled t-shirts is not it. I'm confident in the fact my kids will grow up in a relaxed environment knowing we chose Candyland over dishes, but I also want them to feel the security and comfort that comes from order and the beauty of aesthetics. Besides, clutter in the home inevitably interprets to clutter in the mind, and I'm a better mama when I make efforts to avoid chaos and attempt simplicity.

Now I have to get these two on board with me, that is once the baby powder settles.
 So, I'm going to try really hard to change this problem. This week, I'm weeding out, tidying up, and reorganizing some priorities. For my family, for my kids, but mostly for me. Because I'm really good with new challenges.

But oh, you should see my house...it smells baby fresh!

Day 302...Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day is a much needed day to let down our hair and have some fun.  After spending Wednesday morning at the ER...Rhys and that damn fever...we are ready to party like we are Irish. 

In my quest to be ever more domestic I decided to attempt a layered, rainbow, jello salad.  Who screws up jello...ummm ME.

This is what I was going for:

This is what I ended up with.  Are you laughing Mom?

 

Oh, well.  "Lucky" the Leprechaun still came, brought us Lucky Charms and some gold...and took off.
I guess I'll leave the jello salads to Grandma Rene, she's a pro.  I will attempt green rice krispies in a moment.  I shall not fail!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

P.S. Rhys is now doing better, fever is holding at 101 (much better that 104.9!), mostly due to the double ear infection and burst eardrum.  He's the toughest 16 month old I know...