Keeping up with the Bailey's

Book, Books, Books

2011-07-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Marshall is fascinated with books. He loves going into Jordan's room and pulling them all off of her bookshelf. He will pick a few to look at, but for the most part it is the sheer joy of pulling them off the shelf. This is a regular occurance this summer. I find myself putting books on the shelf multiple times during the week because I can't bring myself to leave them all over the floor. I guess that's my OCD kicking in and well...if they are all over the floor then Marshall doesn't have the fun of pulling them off the shelf, so it all works out in the end.

Conway Braves

2011-06-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

Marshall played on the Conway Braves baseball team again this year. It is something that not only he enjoys, but myself as a parent enjoy too. It's nice to have sports that Marshall can participate in regardless of his disability. This year was different than any other year for Marshall though, he was able to leave his walker at home this year. Since he is walking independently, he is not interested in the walker at all. HOORAY!! This is such a step forward (no pun intended) that he not need his walker. He gets really excited when he gets around his fellow teammates and acts a little crazy, which is amazing to see his happiness in those moments. One of his first games he was just so overjoyed and acting a little wild that when we were in the field he got to walking so quickly that he tripped on his own two feet and fell head first on the dirt. Apparently the entire crowd in the stands had their eye on Marshall because as he fell the whole crowd gasped. I felt like a horrible mother but soon recalled the fact that Marshall just started walking and in the art of learning how to walk, he has to learn how to fall. Of course he was okay, just came home with a scraped up elbow and a dirty jersey. I guess nothing more than most mom's are used to seeing after a baseball game...right? Needless to say, this season was great and it ended with a news segment about the league and of course as we do...the Bailey's had to make the news! Below is the link to the segment of Marshall sliding into home for the season ending game of the 2011 Season of The Conway Braves. http://www.todaysthv.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=162345

My First Class

2011-06-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

I had such an incredible group of kids this year! It was my first year to have my own classroom and my very own kids and I absolutely loved every minute of it. We all learned so much from each other. I had 16 kids in my class, 9 boys and 7 girls, so it was pretty evenly balanced. I was lucky enough to have some students that I had during my Student teaching days, that was one of the reasons I was so excited about teaching First grade! I learned a lot from each and everyone of my students and hope that they learned just as much from me. I told them everyday that they were like my own little kids and I truly meant that. There were days that I would go home thinking about something that one of them said or did, as if they were my own. I hope that I not only taught them the skills they need for Second grade, but life lessons that they will carry with them for years to come. I can't wait to see what amazing men and women they all turn into and hope that one day they will look back on their First grade year and remember Mrs. B.

Throwbacks

2011-06-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

I was looking through pictures today and ran across these. Wow were we young!! These must have been taken Fall/Winter of 2000. The top one is at Mark's apartment at The Ridge. Looks as if he might be vacuuming?? Who knows? Of course I have a Mt. Dew in my hand! I couldn't go without caffeine for more than a couple of hours. The bottom pic is one that my sister took at the river. We were just messing around, can't you tell by the expression on Mark's face! He's such a goof ball. I'm really loving the black and white coat though, how trendy!! I sure did have some long hair back then. Before kids I guess I had time to spend washing, drying, straightening, etc. Just love finding old pictures and especially love how goofy we look.

Want a Ride?

2011-06-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

Marshall and Jordan both had appointments at Children's on Friday to check on their tubes that Dr. Dornhoffer put in a while back. Marshall fell and hit his head last week and the following day his ear began to bleed. Mark took him to the doctor and they said it looked like he may have knocked his tube out and that's what caused the bleeding. Blood is never a good thing for me to see, much less coming from an ear after knowing that Marshall hit his head. I was glad to hear it wasn't anything more serious. They referred us to Children's for a check-up. It's been a while since we've been to Children's with both kids and since Marshall has started walking. We decided to leave the wheelchair at home and go all out! Marshall was a trooper and walked from the main entrance of the hospital all the way to the Eye Clinic to check in for our appointment, which is clear across the hospital. He actually pushed Jordan in her stroller for most of the way with a little guidance from dad and I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, Marshall or Jordan. They both had smiles on their faces. Dr. Dornhoffer saw both of them and said J still has both of her tubes (one has been said to have been missing for months now???) guess it grew back the night before, and Marshall of course has one. He suggested we wait and see if his ear will do well without anymore tubes. We will wait a few weeks and see if the drops help clear it up from the fall and stay clear of infections.

A Long Time Coming

2011-06-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to upload a video and for some reason it is not letting me so I am blogging without the video for now and hopefully will have video to add later...

I've waited for this moment for...well let's see long enough now! Marshall is 9 and has decided that it would be the funnest thing in the world to walk by himself. He began this epic venture mid- January and hasn't slowed down yet! Mark and I have always held out hope that one day...one day this child would take off and sure enough, he's done it. There's nothing more gratifying than to see all of the years of hard work come to fruition. It's very easy for someone to look at your child and for them tell you all of the things that they will never be able to do. It is also just as easy to accept that and move on. Mark and I chose not to take the easy road with Marshall and wanted to defy all of the odds that everyone put against him and his disabilities. It was definitely not the easiest road taken nor the least expensive road taken; however, it was a road that taught us to believe in the power of determination and the willingness to sacrifice anything necessary for the sake of Marshall's success. I don't feel like we've done anything extraordinary for Marshall that any other parent wouldn't do for their child. The difference is, we were just given extraordinary circumstances in which to deal. In those extraordinary circumstances we find the special moments to treasure and this is one that is finally being treasured. I know for certain there are a few people in heaven with tears of joy in their eyes at this monumental occasion.

Belle Olivia Bailey

2011-06-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much of an animal lover I am. I guess it's because ever since I can remember I had a dog in my life. My first memorable pet was a black and tan dachshund named Bobette. My parents had her when I was born and I remember her always being a part of my life. Dogs just bring such love and joy to my soul! So it breaks my heart to have to blog about losing one. We had to put our beloved Belle to sleep on Memorial Day weekend. She was such a sweet dog and will be missed greatly. It's just not the same around the Bailey house without her. The pain eases slowly as time passes and I'm sure one day I'll be able to talk about her without crying...but for now it still brings tears to my eyes.

I'm Back!

2011-06-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

So glad to be back to blogging. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started going through my pictures on my computer and realizing how many moments I've not blogged about. Makes me sad!! So, now that I have my first year as a teacher under my belt, here goes. My aspiration is to not only blog about my family but my classroom at school. They become my family too and we share lots of amazing moments that are inspiring and worth blogging about as well.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T21:14:00.001-08:00

It's been a long time since I've posted anything and I hate that. I have just been consumed with my Student teaching these past few months and haven't really had any extra time to do the things that I use to. So, blogging has lost its importance in the Bailey household lately. I'm glad to have only one week of student teaching left after Thanksgiving break and finally graduate. These past two years have been long and hard for me. The moment has finally come to graduate and I can't wait. I'm so excited!!
I was lucky to have the entire week off for Thanksgiving and got to spend it with Marshall. I forgot how much time I haven't had with him and Jordan lately because I've been at school all day teaching and then had tons of homework when I got home. It's been crazy, but thankfully Mark has done a great job at helping me out as well as La-Trelle. She just happen to come along at the most perfect time for us. I'm so thankful that she loves spending time with both Marshall and Jordan and they love her just as much.
Our life isn't easy, but somehow we always seem to make it through, thankfully with each other.

Daddy's Little Girl

2009-10-11T18:33:00.001-07:00

Jordan is definitely spoiled by her daddy! After her baths, he likes to blow dry her hair so it will be nice and pretty. I think he just enjoys pampering his baby girl. He also likes to paint her fingernails and toenails. He picked out Fuschia Bling Bling for her latest color. There is no doubt she will be a diva. It's so cute to see him trying to paint her tiny little fingers and toes, but he has it down to an art these days. She is one lucky little girl.

2009-09-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

We got a last minute sitter and decided to go to the UCA game. Amazingly it was the first UCA game that either of us had been to. It's crazy that I have been in school there for almost 10 years and never attended a football game. We had a really good time. It was nice to get out and spend time with Mark, just him and I. This was a picture he took of us from his phone. Not the best picture of me, but since we have so few of us, I just had to post it.

2009-09-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Nina Mae Brown

Mrs. Nina Mae Wilbanks Brown, age 94, of Benton died Saturday September 19, 2009, at Saline Memorial Hospice in Bryant. She was born February 19, 1915 in Haskell.

Mark's great-grandmother passed away this weekend. She was truly a very special women who will greatly be missed. We were so blessed to share the moments that we did with her, although we wish there would have been more. It is times like this when we realize that our lives are so busy these days that we didn't get to see her over the last couple of years like we should have. She was so great with Marshall and I wish that she would have gotten to see Jordan and love on her like she did Marshall. I remember being so nervous about taking Marshall over to her house for the first time and as soon as we put the carrier down in the floor, she was taking him out. She bounced him on her knee and signed to him and I remember him smiling and laughing at her the entire time we were there. She wanted to make sure that she told him that she was his great-great grandmother and she would sign that to him over and over. She would always ask if Marshall could have candy when we went over to her house and when we go to celebrate her birthday, she would always feed Marshall cake. He had his first bite of birthday cake from Grandma Nina Mae. She was a very special woman that we were lucky to have in our lives and we will miss her. Grandma Nina Mae you were loved.

Getting work done...

2009-09-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

Marshall and Jordan waiting to go back...
Jordan playing with her feet in the bed

Marshall trying to go to sleep

Jordan asleep before they took her back Jordan recovering

Marshall recovering

Both of the kids were referred to Children's for dental surgery a few months ago by our local dentist. He typically cleans their teeth and does any minor procedures, but feels more comfortable sending us to Children's for any x-rays or any fillings that need to be done. Both kids needed to go so Mark and I decided to schedule them both for the same day since he only gets one day off for the week, and I'm student teaching right now. Although it made for a crazy day, it was a good thing we did them together.

Both of the kids went back together and got all of their information taken and we got to stay in one room together to get ready for Jordan's surgery. After playing with her feet for a while, she ended up falling asleep so they didn't have to give her any "goofy" juice before they took her. Marshall on the other hand, needed the "goofy" juice and it did in fact make him goofy. He laughed the entire way down the corridor when they took him. It was so funny because when we went to see Jordan in recovery, we could hear him down the hall laughing. It was nice because their Anesthesia lady was Leslie, whom we've had several times and she is so sweet and loves both of the kids. She even did Jordan's implant anesthesia, so we have seen her several times. Both of the kids did good for Dr. Koonz. Jordan drank almost all of her drink when we finally got her up and held it down. She went back to a room and we waited on Marshall to get finished. When he got finished we moved to a different room and tried to get him to drink a little bit, because as soon as they drink something and hold it down, we can be discharged. Marshall took a little bit of his drink and then threw up. This was the first time that anesthesia has ever made him sick. He threw up once more and then was fine. We finally got discharged and in the truck to head home. Mark and I were starving because we had been up since about 6:45 and hadn't eaten anything all morning so we stopped at Sonic and grabbed something to eat. As we were sitting there, Mark turned around and panicked because Marshall was as white as a ghost. I looked and it scared me. As soon as I reached for my phone he threw up. He looked terrible, but once he threw up he got his color back and was fine. Luckily, Mark anticipated him throwing up and grabbed a bag for him to do it in so it wasn't all over the truck. Glad he was ready for it. The rest of the afternoon was spent holding and rocking everyone. We were all very tired from a long day. Glad Marsh and J made it through okay and everything went well.

WHAT A MESS!!

2009-09-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

Marshall has really started playing in his room lately, which is nice sometimes. It's nice that he is enjoying playing in there; however, this is what I found when he played in his room this past weekend. A knocked over drum set, empty shoe box with one boot on the rug and the other one MIA. A dresser drawer pulled completely out of the dresser, all the toys out of the bucket, and sheets in the floor. WHAT A MESS!!

Then, Marshall spotted Mark left his newly poured cup of cherry coke on the counter to go let Belle outside and he grabbed it before we knew it. Of course, he thought it was funny and laughed as he held onto the cup upside down. I couldn't find it in myself to get onto him because we have been working so long on some of these milestones. So we just let him enjoy it and clean up the mess.

2009-09-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

Jordi Bear

2009-08-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

So, the first week of school is over and Marshall absolutely loved it. It was like he never even left. He was upset Thursday afternoon when I picked him up for therapy, he kept looking at Ms. Boykin, hoping that she would let him stay. I hate to see him upset when he has to leave school, but it is so comforting to know that he truly enjoys his time there.

He rode the bus home on Friday, which is kind of his treat at the end of the week, and he enjoyed it as usual. Marshall works so hard during the week, that Mark and I feel like he deserves something fun on Fridays. He again cried when I got him off of the bus. At this point, I'm thinking there is probably someone watching and wondering why every time I pick my kid up he cries?

Jordan is doing good in her new classroom, but change is definitely hard. Mark and I are both trying to be patient with the new teachers and allow them time to get to know J and learn what her needs are. This definitely is not an easy thing to do, but it is necessary. We have a meeting with everyone on Thursday to discuss seating and expectations in the classroom, so hopefully it will go great.

It's such a hard thing for any parent to watch their children grow up. Sometimes I think it is much harder for parents like Mark and I for the fact that our children require help from so many people to participate in activities, eat their meals, & get from one place to the other, just to name a few. Marshall and Jordan are doing so well in all of their therapies that we are so excited for what the future holds. May this new transition in all of our lives be a smooth and gentle one and M and J learn lots of new things this year.

Fun times outside

2009-08-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Marshall has been wanting to go outside so much lately, so every time we open the front door he scoots straight toward it. We've been letting him go out the door a couple of times and he will go straight for the stairs so I just hold onto the back of his shirt and he scoots down those stairs as fast as he can and off he goes. He loves scooting on the sidewalk and driveway, but actually went in the grass and turned around and looked at me like, hmmmm this feels different, and then off he went. He is so fast these days that I can't turn away from him or he will be into something that he isn't supposed to be. I'm so glad that day is finally here, but he is wearing me out with all of his energy and will power.

2009-08-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

Marshall started back to school on Wednesday, thankfully with the same teacher. He didn't sleep the night before, I think he was trying to get every last minute out of his summer that he could. Mark and I both took Marshall to school yesterday morning and he walked in and it was like he never left. He immediately smiled and was so happy and his teachers were too cute. They were wearing cowboy hats, bandannas, and badges. They had a saddle set up by the classroom for the boys to take their picture on and they all had wanted posters hanging up on the bulletin board outside the classroom. It was so cute. Marshall definitely knew where he was and was excited to be back. I don't think he missed us one bit, which is the way I like it. He loves his friends and teachers so much that it's great to see him excited about going to school. He had a great first day and made sure to show them all of the things he is doing now. I think he pulled up on everything possible. What a great way to start off the school year. WANTED!!!

We were so lucky to meet him!!

2009-08-17T20:18:00.001-07:00

It has been such an amazing experience to travel around the world with my children and get the opportunity to meet amazing families that have children with special needs. Although we are not all the same and neither are our children, we do have something in common and that is the will and determination to never give up on our kids. We were very lucky last summer to spend time in Canada where we met a lot of fantastic people. Today, I got word that a little boy that attended the camp with Marshall passed away. At first, I thought that my eyes were reading the screen wrong, then I realized that they weren't and I wasn't even sure how to react? We celebrated this child's 8th birthday with him last summer at camp, and now he's gone. I have come to realize that with the friends that we make along this journey in life, we will lose some along the way. How lucky we were to be able to meet this strong, courageous young boy and to meet his mother and grandmother. Karlene, may peace be with you and your family during this difficult time. Aaron was an amazing little boy and we were so lucky to meet him!!

Watching her favorite

2009-08-17T18:47:00.001-07:00

Jordan sitting on her bench like a big girl. Of course the only reason that she tolerated it was because I let her watch Spongebob Squarepants while she sat. Sometimes it takes manipulation to get her or Marshall to do what they need and can do. She has been working so hard at this sitting thing and her intensive program is over with her physical therapist, so she now goes back to three days a week of PT. Hopefully, we will continue to see great progress although we will be losing two hours a week. Jordan can do this, she just has to want to do it.

My, what big eyes you have!

2009-08-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Jordan had her annual eye appointment today at Children's. She has been doing great with her glasses, so it was more of a follow up appointment. The doctor wanted to dilate her eyes, so we had to get the yucky drops put in her eyes, which she definitely did not like, and wait in the waiting room for about 20 minutes. This is a picture of her in my arms sitting in the waiting room, waiting for her eyes to dilate. She is such a sweet girl. The doctor checked her eyes and said everything looked good. He said something that I had not heard, even though I have two children with seizures? He said he was glad to see her nerves/veins in the back of her eyes weren't swollen because when seizures are present, they sometimes cause swelling and create changes in a person's vision. It was definitely interesting to know, since Marshall and Jordan BOTH have seizures. So, everything checked out good, we will go back in 6 months for a follow up.

Trip to Children's

2009-08-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

It's back to our usual trips to Children's hospital. The kids had dentists appointments this week and both were schedule for dental surgery on September 10th. They both have a few teeth that the dentist wants to fill and they want to be able to get a good set of x-rays of their teeth. It is usually easier to do it all at one time, so they will go through ambulatory surgery and Dr. Koonce will put them to sleep, get their x-rays, clean/repair their teeth and be all done.

I had to take Marshall on Tuesday by myself and he was completely fine until we got into the waiting room and he began crying, luckily there weren't any other patients in the room. Thankfully, another family showed up and there was a nice little boy that came and played beside Marshall, which quickly got him out of his crying mood. He started laughing and he laughed so hard that he tooted. He is so silly!! I was just so glad that little boy was there to entertain him. Then on Wednesday, Jordan had an appointment and we had to take both kids because we had no sitter and amazingly once we walked in the waiting room, Marshall was all smiles. I guess he knew that he wasn't there to see the dentist, sister was.

Just because

2009-07-20T15:54:00.001-07:00

I don't think I ever posted these pictures of Jordan and they are some of my favorites.

New places to see

2009-07-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Just a few new pictures of Marshall at the new things he has figured out he can stand at.

Happy 50th Birthday mom!!

2009-07-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Mom turned 50 today and although she knew she was having a party, there were lots of other things she didn't know about! She of course did not know that I would return the favor (she made a big yard sign for my graduation party) of putting a sign in her front yard to let all of the neighborhood know that it was her 50th birthday. I did, however, go one step further and bought two big gold balloons to add to the sign. The numbers were huge, which made it all the more fun! Unfortunately, the 5 ended up flying away, so I had to go back and buy yet another 5.

Mom came over to our house after she got off of work and got ready for the party and helped me get the kids ready too. Although she knew she was having a party, we wanted her to walk into the house and everyone already be there all together. So, Marshall helped her roll her hair so she could get ready for her birthday party.

Marshall and Cameron

Marshall and Jordan got mom a mouse pad that said: "I'm too sexy to be 50!"

Lauren and I couldn't decide on how to tell her that we were taking her to the Bahamas, so we decided to make a board and wrap it. It said: Pack your bags, You leave Monday, for the Bahamas, love the Kunz's and the Bailey's. I put the itinerary on it, the map of the Bahama Islands and a cake with Happy 50th Birthday mom on it. When she opened it, she opened it to the crowd and everyone was so surprised and when everyone said, "oh my gosh", she got a worried look on her face. I think she was very surprised.

Jeremy's sister Maggie trying to make the punch drinkable. Obviously we should have put it out sooner because it was a not thawed out, but a few rounds in the microwave solved that problem. We decorated with navy, bold, and cream colors to coordinate with the cake. We found a nautical theme cake from blue cake company and everything turned out looking so good.

2009-07-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

Jordan sporting her flower hat before she goes to school. She is such a fashion diva. I don't know what her father is going to do when she gets older? But sometimes I think he is the one I'm going to have to worry about, because he definitely likes for his little girl to be stylish.

Swimming at Grandma's

2009-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

We went over to mom's house to let the kids swim in her pool because it has been sooooo hot. Of course, both Marshall and Jordan love the water. Jordan floated around on one of mom's raft things and Marshall played between the rafts and me and Mark. Marshall had fun throwing the diving sticks for Molly to go and find, even though he hit Jordan in the head with one. OOPS!

What's for Breakfast?

2009-06-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Last Baseball Game of The Season

2009-06-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

Marshall really enjoyed playing baseball this season. A lot of his friends were out there and he truly enjoyed it. I don't know if he enjoyed fielding or batting the most. He was excited about all of it. He just loved getting outside and having something fun to do with all of his friends. We were glad that we were here this summer for him to get to go to all of the games this year. This was the last game of the season and it was the hottest night of the season. Both kids and parents were sweating before the game even started.

Marshall had a great time, but when he hit, he didn't want to go past 1st base, so Mark sat him on top of his walker and away they went. Of course, he loved this and smiled the entire way to home plate. For the last bat of the season, Marshall had to get a big hit and what would a big hit be without a slide into home? This was a great end to a great season. Thanks to the Patterson's for all that they do to make this possible for our kids.

Trip to Russellville

2009-06-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Mark took the kids to see Billie and Tenn in Russellville. They haven't seen the kids since Christmas and Mark had the day off. They were excited to see the kids and of course Billie had to rock both of them. She rocked Jordan to sleep and she rocked Marshall for a while. I guess that's what grandmothers are for. Tenn just had eye surgery, so he was kind of tired, but couldn't believe how good Marshall was doing and was surprised when Marshall pulled up on his leg to stand up. They all had a good visit and it was nice for all of them to get to visit. Hopefully, it won't be so long before the next visit.

Brother and Sister

2009-06-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

Marshall and Jordan Bailey

Standing is all we want to do now days

2009-06-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

So, about two weeks ago, Marshall decided that all he wanted to do was spend the entire day standing up at the plinth in the living room. He has been doing this every day since. That's all he wants to do is find something to pull up onto and stand up. It's crazy because Mark and I have spent countless hours working on this with him and he has been able to do it for a while with assistance; however, he has just never had the desire to do it independently. We can't keep him from grabbing onto anything and everything and trying to stand up. He is grabbing onto the freezer door, the handles on the kitchen cabinets, the couch, the recliner, the ottoman, the highchair, even the gate. We have been trying to let him explore and enjoy this new found fun; however, it has been so exhausting keeping a hand ready to catch him when he falls, or keep an eye on him and make sure he isn't trying to stand up on top of Jordan. Crazy how we are at this point, exciting things are to come, I'm sure of it. I may be crazy by then, but it will all be worth it.

The Bailey Duo

2009-06-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Marshall and Jordan Bailey

It's hard to believe that Marshall has finished up his 1st grade year at school and that Jordan has turned 2. Time truly flies and it has been an amazing adventure so far. Mark and I are so lucky to have such wonderful and great kids that have taught us such neat things. The road thus far has not been without it's bumps, and sometimes even potholes, but giving them every opportunity possible has been worth it all. Marshall and Jordan have been the lessons that we didn't even know we needed to learn in life.

Movie Night with Friends

2009-05-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

Marshall's Movie Night with Friends:

Marshall invited all of his friends from school over to have a movie night downstairs in the theater room. Not everyone could come because it was short notice before school got out for the summer, but a few of his friends came over and Marshall had such a good time. Mark and I weren't sure what to expect, having 5 boys in the house, who all have the energy of about 50 boys. I think all of Marshall and Jordan's toys were touched by every kid and Marshall's drums have never been played so hard and so loud than they were by friends. All of the boys enjoyed popcorn and drinks, although the majority of the popcorn was smushed between the couch cushions or crushed on the floor. I'm not really sure how much really made it in their mouths. It was so much fun having Marshall's friends over to the house for a movie night!!!

Julia Lee Moore Field Day

2009-05-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Marshall's class had a field day the last week of school out on the soccer field. They had a jump house donated for their class and Ms. Hill's class to play in. Of course, that's all the boys wanted to do. Marshall had so much fun scooting around in there with all of his friends. They would each take turns bouncing him around, which he of course thought was hilarious. All of the kids got to decorate hats and Marshall chose all of the bug stamps to put on his hat, so he had a hat with bugs all over it. He wore it for a little bit, but like everything else, kept pulling it off.

When everyone went in to take a bathroom break, Marshall and Dametre were sitting on the couch in the classroom and Mark decided that Marshall wanted to sign Dametre's cast. After Marshall got MARS written on his friends cast, I asked Mark if he asked Dametre's mom if it was okay if he signed it? Well, of course he didn't and Marshall already had half of his name written on it. Oh well, Marshall had fun signing it anyway.

Thanks to all of the parents that put so much time into creating such a fun day for our kids. It was so nice to have a day that the kids got to spend playing and having fun after a year of lots of hard work.

Furry Friends

2009-05-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

We had our friends Emmanuel and Jessica come and visit us since they were in town. They drove home from Las Vegas to see family and their three furry kids came with them. Since they were coming over to have dinner with us, they decided to bring their furry kids with them. They have 2 girls and a boy. Sophie, Chloe, and Link are their kids. Our kids didn't know what to think of having 3 dogs to play with. They were all so good and really enjoyed playing with each other. Chloe, Link and Sophie
Mark and Link on the back patio and Emmanuel trying to see
if he could get all of the weenie dogs in the dog house at
one time. He was trying to coax them in there with a hot dog
of all things. Unfortunately, he didn't know that Maple was
a jumper and she eyed the hot dog and right when Emmanuel
put it low enough, she jumped and ran off with the entire hot dog. All
of the other dogs were looking around trying to figure out what
happened to their treat?? It was too funny.

Trying to get all of the dogs on the picnic table at once to take a picture.
The problem was that our dogs kept jumping down as soon as I would
try and take a picture and Emmanuel and Jessica's dogs didn't know
what to do.

Sophie, Chloe, Link and Belle

Mark and Jessica trying to get a group picture.
Mark cooking hot dogs on the grill with an audience.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

We took a short weekend trip to Texas for Memorial Day weekend. Aunt Charlotte was having a birthday and a lot of mom's side of the family was going to be there, so we decided to get out for the weekend and drive up there. The kids were so good in the car, thank goodness. I guess after last summer, they are used to riding in the car by now. Jordan just kicked her leg up and down and laughed the whole way and Marshall, with his skinned up face, laughed most of the way too. It's so nice to have kids that do so well in the car.

We had a good time at the surprise party, but unfortunately Marshall thought that it was time to play, instead of sleep in the hotel bed. Since me, Mark, and Marshall were all sharing a bed, it made for two sleepless nights. Although we had a good time and it was good to get out of the house, we were ready to get home and sleep in our own beds.

Next Morning

2009-05-21T19:16:00.001-07:00

This is Marshall the morning after his run in with the asphalt on the playground. He slept good last night and woke up this morning in a good mood. His face looked a little less red, but his eye was a little bit more swollen. He's definitely one tough cookie. He and his friends were really cute at school this morning though. Here are a few of the things his friends said:

"Marshall, I think that's going to leave a mark!"
"Look, he broke his eye."
"Is he going to die?"

So, after explaining to all of his friends that Marshall was okay and that he wasn't going to die, they all started showing off their scrapes and cuts that they all had. Marshall really enjoyed the attention this morning at school from all of his friends and all of the teachers. Thank goodness he is okay.

He's Okay!

2009-05-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well, Marshall slept for about 2 hours once we got home from the ER. I hung up the phone with Mark after making arrangements for someone to get Jordan and I heard Marshall coming down the hallway. He scooted straight in the living room, straight for the plinth and grabbed on with both hands and stood up and started smiling. He obviously is feeling better!!

More Battle Wounds

2009-05-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

So, today I get a phone call from Marshall's teacher saying that he had an accident on the playground, and of course my mind can only think of the worst possible thing. She proceeded to explain that he was scooting around and one of his friends ran over him and he fell forward and hit his head on the playground. She explained that it was a cut right on his eyebrow and that he might have to have stitches. Mark was home for lunch, so we both went over to the school to pick him up. Ms. McClain was in the nurses office with him and was snuggling with him and as soon as he saw us he started crying. They had a bandage over his left eye, but I could see the asphalt burn under his eye and on his cheek. Mark went ahead and took him to the ER and I got his wheelchair and his bag from his classroom. We waited forever in the ER, as usual and finally got back into a room where they decided to glue his eyebrow, instead of stitches, thank goodness and opted not to do a CT scan since he had not thrown up at all. He of course did not like the glue, but the doctor did say that it does sting a little bit. He was really tired on the drive home and went straight to sleep as soon as I laid him down. The fun times in the life of the Bailey family!!

Braves Baseball Game #2

2009-05-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

#11 Marshall Bailey
Tonight Marshall was absolutely silly! He laughed the entire time that he was playing tonight. He was laughing so hard he couldn't even walk in his walker around the bases. It took both Mark and I to walk with him around the bases, while he laughed the entire time. Then, Mark put him on his walker to play out in the field, and he thought it was soooooo funny. When Marshall was coming into home, his friend Alex was standing on home plate. Those boys are so funny, they had to get their picture taken after the game.

Fireman's Competition Finals

2009-05-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Marshall got invited to compete in the Fireman's Competition finals at Toad Suck Daze 2009. It, unfortunately got rained out, so it was rescheduled at the McGee center. Marshall and his friend, Ian, from his class, got to participate in the competition and both did good and really enjoyed it. At one point, the kids in the crowd were yelling, "Marshall, Marshall, Marshall". It's amazing how many kids know him and root for him when he participates in things like this. Marshall was smiling the whole time and especially liked spraying the hose. Mark said that they had to pull back the trigger to spray the hose and Marshall didn't want to let go of the hose after they sprayed the board. That's why in the video, the water is spraying everywhere, Mark is trying to get him to let go. Marshall did such a good job, he got both a medal for participating as well as a trophy for his good time on the obstacle course. Go Marshall!!!!!

Las Vegas Trip - Freemont Street

2009-05-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

The Golden Nugget hotel and casino on Freemont Street in Las Vegas. We decided to go into the Golden Nugget casino and see the sharks they have at their swimming pool. It was really neat because they had the tank in the center of the pool and it also had a slide that went through the middle of it. Although it looked cool, there is no way that I would have gone down that slide!
We had Emmanuel and Jessica take us to Freemont Street, which is the 2nd most famous street of Las Vegas. It is a barrel vault canopy that is 90 feet tall and 1500 feet long. It plays a music video nightly, every hour, beginning at dusk. While we were there it played Don McLean's American Pie. I video taped some of it because it was so cool!

Pictures from our Las Vegas Trip

2009-05-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

We stayed a couple of minutes from the Hard Rock Cafe, so on Saturday we decided to walk to the restaurant and eat lunch there. The food was really good, which surprised us both, since the last, and only time, that we both ate at a Hard Rock Cafe, the food was bad. We had a great lunch and met Emmanuel and Jessica afterwards and headed to the strip for some shopping. :)

Mark at the M & M store, where they have every imaginable color of M & M.

Mark and I standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and fountain.

All of these pictures are from the Wax Museum. Mark and I have never been to a Wax Museum and thought it would be neat to see one. It was really neat and we had fun taking pictures with all of these famous people. Mark had the most fun, I think.

My hunk-a hunk-a burning love!

Las Vegas - Bellagio Hotel Fountain

2009-05-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

During our short visit to Las Vegas, we stopped by the Bellagio hotel to see the famous fountains. They were so neat to watch, I had to video some of it.

Braves Baseball Season 2009

2009-05-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

The first night of Braves Baseball!!! Marshall is playing on the black team this year, and plays against the red team. Marshall has several of his friends on his team this year and I got a quick picture of a few of them sitting on the bench in the dugout before they got to bat. The video is of Marshall at the game while he was out in the field. He, of course, only wanted to scoot around on the field and thought it was hilarious. He loves baseball!!

Boomer Bailey

2009-05-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Boomer likes to chase his flat basketball around the yard, and when we mow the back yard, he likes to put his basketball right in front of the lawnmower. He puts it there so that we will have to kick it. He is so silly. He loved running around the yard after his ball while Mark was mowing the yard, the only problem was that the yard was so wet from all of the rain that he was soaking wet! He enjoyed it though.

Glasses Girls

2009-04-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Jordan and Grandma sporting their stylish glasses.

Triumph Soccer 2009

2009-04-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Jordan and daddy being goofy at Marshall's soccer practice at Hendrix Soccer fields.

Marshall really enjoyed the first day of Soccer practice this season. Ms. Anita helped him with the drills, but he especially liked the help from this Conway High School Football player. It was pretty windy and looked like it was going to rain the entire practice, but it held off. It was a great practice and Marshall did such a good job kicking the soccer ball.

Playing with Daddy

2009-04-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Marshall and Jordan having fun playing with their crazy daddy on Marshall's bed that we had in the living room while we were painting his room.

Fireman's Competition

2009-04-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

Marshall got the opportunity to participate in the Fireman's Competition at school on Friday. Of course, he thoroughly enjoyed it and laughed the entire time he was doing the obstacle course. The firemen did an excellent job assisting Marshall through the course, as did his teacher, Mrs. McClain. She even did the hammering part of the course for him, and did a good job!! Marshall's favorite part of the obstacle course was, by far,the spraying of the water hose. He had to pick the hose up and run to a marked off spot and spray three sections out of a board. He did awesome!!!! It was so much fun to watch him and all of his classmates participate in this event.

Busy at Work!!

2009-04-03T18:55:00.001-07:00

Working hard on mom's research paper!

Fun Friday Night

2009-03-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Mark and I got an offer to go out on Friday night and spend some time together, which is rare around our house. Danielle and Justin offered to watch the kids so that we could get out and go eat dinner and see a movie. Mark and I went to eat at our favorite restaurant Shoguns in Little Rock. After our dinner, we went to a movie, thanks to Danielle and saw Last House on the Left. It was great to get out and enjoy some time not talking about therapy schedules or doctor's appointments. It was also great to know that our kids probably weren't missing us one bit the entire time we were gone, and looking at the pictures, it doesn't seem like they did. Justin and Marshall jammed out on the drums, while Jordan and Danielle laid in the living room floor to talk about boys. I think we all had a good night! Thanks again guys, it was great!!!

Marshall trying on glasses

2009-03-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I took Marshall to try on glasses this week and he wasn't as cooperative as J was. He was okay with looking at them, but when we had to put them on, he didn't like that as much. The first thing he wanted to do was pull them off. So, I got a few pictures of him trying some on. They definitely make him look like an old kid! I guess he is though, since he is turning EIGHT this year.

New Glasses for J

2009-03-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

Jordan got new glasses and this is video of her trying them on for the first time.

Down at the River

2009-03-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

So, since Jordan and I were back and she was beginning to feel better, we decided to go and visit Neenaw and Pa because they haven't seen the kids in a while. Of course, Marshall was off at soon as he hit the floor and Neenaw grabbed Jordan as soon as we walked in the door. Neenaw thought that Marshall would like to play with some toys, but all he wanted to do was scoot all around the house. He is very easily entertained. He had lots of fun, he even took a drink to Pa while he rocked Jordan. He knows what his great grandpa likes.

Pa, Marshall, Neenaw and Jordan

Crazy Boys!!

2009-03-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day 2009

2009-03-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

The kids could still wear their shirts from last years picture, so we decided to do the same picture and see just how much they have changed in a year. Wow, Jordan looks like a completely different girl, but with the same cute nose and Marshall actually has teeth, but the same cute smile.

The Buckin Grandpa

2009-03-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

This video needs little explaining other than this is Marshall's latest thing that he loves to do with his Grandpa, and he definitely doesn't think that Jordan should be able to!

Spring Time Fun At CENA

2009-03-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Since we were talking about Spring in class each day, we got to play outside on the playground one day after potty time. We also got to paint a springtime picture with paint. That was really fun. We also got to plant flowers. Jordan wasn't too happy about this, but her flowers are doing good. We just have to remember to water them daily!

Dogs, Dogs, and More Dogs

2009-03-06T18:42:00.000-08:00

How many dogs can pile into a recliner while I rock Jordan? Well, from the looks of it, 3 can. Boomer decided to sit in the floor for this one.

Cows

2009-03-05T18:21:00.000-08:00

Marshall listening for the cow with his Speech Therapist, Miss Laura.

Marshall Phelps

2009-03-05T15:53:00.000-08:00

Marshall sporting the blue goggles while swimming in Occupational Therapy.

2009-03-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

We came home from Springdale today so that I could go to class tonight and Jordan could see Dee for therapy. During therapy Jordan was really fussy and acted like her shoulder was bothering her, which concerned Dee. We both agreed that she acted like she hurt it or something, something wasn't right. Mark took her over to the Chiropractor after therapy for them to check her out and do an x-ray and they couldn't really tell if anything was wrong or not, so after I got out of class at 7:30, we decided to drive to Children's to get an x-ray done of her shoulder to make sure that she hadn't subluxed it since we were returning to Springdale the next day to continue intensive therapy. This picture was of Jordan laying on the table showing off her muscles before getting her x-ray done. Of course when the doctors looked at her, she just laughed and smiled. The x-rays didn't show any signs of dislocation or anything else, so they recommended that we give Motrin for the pain and possible inflammation and watch her. As we always say, better to be wrong, than naive.

Going Grocery Shopping

2009-02-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

Of course, everything in our life has to be adapted and modified, even grocery shopping. Since Jordan isn't able to sit up independently, it is very hard for me to go shopping with her by myself in Springdale. So, we improvised and put her "low chair" as Mark calls it, in the shopping cart and off we went. It wasn't a problem until we got to the checkout and the lady began putting all of our items in bags and I quickly realized that we didn't have much room. It was very interesting, but Jordan had fun riding in the grocery cart and we got to get out of the hotel for a bit.

Jump Zone!!

2009-02-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

Marshall was invited to his friend Alex's birthday party at Jump Zone. Alex and Marshall are in the same class at school. Marshall really enjoyed playing at Jump Zone. He likes sliding down the slides, although it is hard to get him up there to slide down the slides. I'm glad that his daddy took on that task, because I it was hard enough for me to get Jordan up there. Everyone had fun, even Jordan. They both liked it when we found a little space that Marshall could scoot around and Jordan could lay down while daddy bounced them both around. I'm not sure who had more fun then?

The Bailey's Go to the Chiropractor

2009-02-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

We finally got both kids to the chiropractor. Jordan has been going for a couple of weeks when we come in on Friday's, but Marshall's first time was Saturday. Of course, as we thought, he hated it. He did not like any part of it. He cried the whole time, even after he was done and she let him hold the adjuster tool. He did like it when it was Jordan's turn and he got to scoot around the clinic. Mark put him in the massage chair and he liked that too. Jordan, on the other hand, does not mind the visits to the chiropractor at all. She is usually the center of attention when she goes in and loves every minute of it. This visit, the chiropractor did a treatment on her stomach to hopefully help with her constipation and she thought it was hilarious. Enjoy the pictures and videos.

Marshall from Mars

2009-02-19T17:32:00.001-08:00

Marshall having some fun at school, he is an alien!

Touch and Feel Day.

2009-02-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

Today since we did the mat program, we sat at the plinth for snack and had a touch and feel activity after snack. Jordan, as well as the other children, really enjoy the touch and feel days because they get to feel some weird stuff. We started with some foam. Jordan is smiling in the picture, but soon after she was very upset because all she wanted to do was put her hands in her mouth.
Next, we got to feel a soft blanket, which Jordan thought was so funny. Ms. Orsi turned the lights off and we got to lay our head down and pretend like we were taking a nap.

The last thing we got to feel was a piece of sand paper. It was very rough and Jordan didn't know what to think about it. It did take her pretty red fingernail polish off that dad worked so hard on this past weekend, though.

After we got finished with touch and feel, it was time for Jordan to walk out. She did such a good job today turning around and holding her head up so we could grab onto the ladder and start walking out. She is getting good at this.

Jordan sitting like a big girl!!

2009-02-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

Jordan is getting so much better at sitting on her own. Today she did such a good job holding her head up while she was sitting at the plinth. It's getting familiar to her, but is still lots of hard work, but she's doing great.

Jordi Bear

2009-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

Every morning Jordan has to get on hands and knees to stand up to get on the potty. She is doing such a great job with this. She is also doing a great job at snack time. She is eating her entire snack and doing a good job holding on with one hand and eating with the other.

She is doing such a good job sitting at the plinth, holding onto the rings. I was trying to show Orsi Jordan sitting on her own with no hands from mom!

Jordan is doing such a good job at trying to put her feet flat during this task series and she prefers to put both of them flat at the same time. She isn't too much into keeping one straight while putting the other one flat. She also doesn't like keeping her legs down and holding onto the stick. She would rather have her feet straight up in the air and hold onto the stick.

Swallow Studies

2009-02-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Both kids had swallow studies at Children's today. They both did really well, although Marshall cried as soon as he got into the room. I think it was a combination of it being dark, a lot of people watching him, and having to eat some interesting things. Jordan, of course, could have cared less, she was getting to eat, so no complaints from her. They both did great and were approved to move down to the nectar thickness, which is a step thinner from what they were both on, so that is good. They have both made improvements. It was very good news.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day 2009

Jordan's Valentines Party at CENA

2009-02-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

Jordan had a little Valentine celebration on Friday after snack time. We got to decorate cookies. Jordan helped me ice a cookie with vanilla frosting and then we got to pick out sprinkles to put on the cookie. It was a great looking cookie. After we decorated our cookie, we put lipstick on so that we could kiss our Valentine card that we would give to our daddy. Jordan didn't care too much for the lipstick, but it may have been the fact that I could do nothing but get it on her teeth, like an old lady. We'll have to work on putting lipstick on, that's for sure.

Mailing My Valentine

2009-02-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

Marshall and his class took a field trip to the post office to mail their Valentines. Marshall made a very sweet Valentine for Mark and I in class and it was such a nice surprise when we got it in the mail.

Family Time

2009-02-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

Jordan and I have to head back to Springdale on Sunday's, which makes the weekend go by so fast since Mark usually works on Saturdays. So, Mark followed us to Russellville and we got a bite to eat at Taco John's and we all ate in the car. This is the most family time we get these days as J and I are on the road most of the weekend and only come in for a few hours on Tuesday nights. I'll be glad when we get back home and can have more time to spend together, but this works for now.

Dinner with the Bailey's

2009-02-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

It is tradition for us to take all of Jordan and Marshall's therapists and teachers from Jordan's school and their therapy clinic out to eat dinner, just to let them know that we appreciate them and all of the things they do for our children. We went to Mike's Place and ate dinner and had a great time. This year we got the therapists a personalized tote bag, really cute, and a few other goodies. they are truly blessings in our lives and our children's and things would be much harder without them. We are truly blessed with the amazing people that love and help our children.

Making Friends

2009-02-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

Jordan is enjoying her new friends in class. This is her friend Alejandro and Jordan was quick to put her leg on top of him and grab onto his hand when he stopped to say hi! Jordan loves talking to her friends, especially the boys.

Out of here... FINALLY!!

2009-01-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

After being iced in a hotel for 2-1/2 days, Jordan and I were ready to get out, no matter what!! Jordan's class had been cancelled Tuesday and Wednesday and then Orsi called and said it was cancelled Thursday, so Jordan and I decided we were leaving before we lost our sanity! The drive was cold and slow in the beginning, but it sure was pretty. All of the ice covered trees were beautiful. Fortunately the Interstate wasn't too bad and once we got onto 40, it was clear. Jordan and I were so glad to be home.

Funny times at Grandpa's

2009-01-29T18:57:00.000-08:00

We ate dinner at dad's Thursday night, so that everyone could see Jordan and Marshall. We had spaghetti and Marshall thought it was so funny when Mark would get the spaghetti off of his plate, then he still laughed at him even when he didn't have any food on there, but acted like he was getting something with his fork. Who knows? He's silly. Actually they both are silly.

Fun times in the dark!!

2009-01-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

So, fortunately we only lost power for about an hour and a half, and Jordan had such a blast. This is a picture of us laying in the dark and of course as soon as I took it Jordan kicked her leg up and got it in the picture. Since it was dark in the room, every time I would try to take a picture the flash would come on and Jordan thought that was so funny. It was definitely an eventful hour and a half in the dark. I also took some video of her, obviously no picture because it was dark, but she just talked and laughed the whole time. Who knew being in the dark could be so much fun?

Ice Storm 2009

2009-01-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

Jordan and I have been stuck in the hotel room since Monday at noon. We finally got out this afternoon and I took a few pictures. All of the trees are just weighed down with all of the ice they have on them, so most of them are broken and fallen over. The power lines are covered with ice and some are even falling over because of all of the ice.

All Iced In

2009-01-27T18:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it took me almost 3 hours to thaw the truck out and get enough ice off of it so that I could see to drive. It was absolutely ridiculous!! It took me and a nice old man 45 minutes to get the driver doors ice chipped away so that I could open it and start the truck. I think he felt sorry for me standing out there by myself and trying to get all of that ice off of the truck. It's amazing how people come along at the right moments sometimes. I think the truck had at least an inch of ice all over it. All I know is that it took a long time to chip all of that ice away, and I'm glad I don't live anywhere where this is typical.

Jordan is sitting tall!

2009-01-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

A Day with Daddy!

2009-01-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Jordan got to spend today with daddy in class. She did a great job! She used the potty both times in class today and she worked really hard for dad. She spent snack time napping, which has been the usual for her, and she did a good job walking today. Marshall came to visit her in class and say hello to Orsi. He cried, of course, when he saw all of the CE stuff. I guess he thought he was there to do class. Once he figured out he wasn't, he was fine. It was a good day of CE and Jordan and mommy both were glad that Marsh and daddy got to come up and visit us.

Road Trip

2009-01-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Marshall is out of school for Martin Luther King Day and Jordan has class, so Mark and Marshall came to Springdale with us on Sunday and are spending the night at the hotel and Mark went to class with Jordan this morning. We left Conway around 2 after Jordan ate and headed North. Marshall rode with Mark in the bug and Jordan rode with me. Both kids were good for the drive and Jordan went to sleep as soon as we got into Fayetteville, of course. So, she got about a 20 minute nap the entire day. Once we got to the hotel we fed both kids and unpacked the cars. Marshall wasn't sure where we were, but he checked out the place and seemed to be okay with it. We had to run to Target to get a few things and grabbed a bite to eat. We took a picture of the kids in the back of the bug. Marshall thinks it's so much fun to ride in it and Jordan was looking around like... I don't know where I'm at? They were so cute.

Once we got back to the hotel we gave both kids a bath and got them in their PJ's ready for bed. J got the star treatment by daddy. He washed her hair with mom's shampoo, so it would be nice and soft and dried it with the blow dryer. She thinks this is so funny!!

The Wheels on the bus go......

2009-01-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

Marshall and Grandma had a really good time today playing with the ring and singing the wheels on the bus. Although Grandma didn't know all of the verses, that was okay, because Marshall and mom did. Marshall's favorite one was the windows on the bus go up and down, he thought that one was the funniest. He's such a silly head.

Today is Friday!!!!

2009-01-16T19:31:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness it's Friday! Jordan and I left right after class to head back to Conway for the weekend. It's been a long week and we are looking forward to spending time with daddy and Marshall, and the dogs. Jordan did such a good job today in class. She used the potty today, which is the 3rd day this week, and she only went 4 days. She also did a very good job crawling to the mat for the mat program. Today, she didn't have to have Miss Helga help with her legs. She was moving her legs on her own, while I was helping her move her arms. She also did a very good job holding onto her rings at the table today. The first couple of days I had to do hand over hand with her or she would let go of the rings, and today when I let go to take the picture, she kept hold of them. She did such a good job!! This has definitely been a long week, but Jordan has done such a great job for her first week of Conductive Education, I can't wait to see what she does in the coming weeks.

It's FREEZING!!!

2009-01-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

Jordan and I got up this morning to a snow covered parking lot and 12 degree weather outside. It was very, very cold. It's a good thing that I brought 2 coats for Jordan and can bundle her up really well, even though she hates it! The drive to class this morning wasn't bad, just a couple of spots at some intersections that were a little slick, but we made it okay. Jordan's poor hands look so bad because she has been putting them in her mouth and they are dry from the cold weather. Jordan did a good job in class today. She was a little more tired today, but it is the end of the week. She used the potty in the morning and did a really good job crawling with Helga today. Tomorrow's Friday, thank goodness, I'm exhausted and ready to see Marshi Bear.

Another day, but we made it!

2009-01-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

This morning wasn't quite as cold as yesterday, thank goodness. Jordan was awake this morning when it was time for breakfast, which made the morning go a little smoother. Jordan had a good day at class today. She was pushing with her legs when it was time to stand up and I could let go of her hands for a few seconds and she would continue holding onto the rings. She did a really good job holding her head up today while sitting at the plinth, but when she got tired she would lean back on me. Jordan fell asleep today during potty time and didn't even wake up to stand up from the potty, she was exhausted. She walked out again today with Helga and Jordan was initiating and taking some of the steps on her own, instead of Helga having to facilitate every step. She did awesome today!!

First day of Conductive Education for Jordan

2009-01-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

So, today was really our first day of class. It is really a good thing because I put Jordan in her play yard last night and I think we both slept better. She went to bed around 9 and slept all night. We got up this morning to leave for class and it was 17 degrees outside and there were snow flurries falling. I had to put 2 coats on Jordan, gloves, ear muffs and put a blanket over her head. I know we looked pretty silly leaving, but the last thing I need is for her to get sick. Jordan started the morning crawling to a chair, standing up and sitting down on the potty. Of course, she did not like any of this, but this is CE, so she'll have to. She kept trying to stand up while on the potty. She's just like her brother! I guess he gave her some secrets about the program before we left, haha. Jordan did a really good job today for it being her first day. Most of her transitioning today was hands and knees and pulling. She did such a good job when she was crawling to the mat for the mat program. Helga would just cue her and she would lift her leg and bring it forward on her own. Helga was very impressed with her today. She liked when Helga would sing to her, especially in Hungarian. I don't know what it is about Hungarian songs, but both my kids love them. Who knows?

Jordan thought the stretching with the stick was funny! I took a short video of her doing this task with Helga. I think it was the only part that she laughed about the entire 3 hours this morning.

After the mat program we had to go to the plinth for snack time and potty time. Jordan was not a happy camper when she had to sit at the table, this will take a little while for her to get use to. We were supposed to be eating snack at this time and here is what Jordan did...

This last picture is of Jordan after potty time. Jordan used the potty today after snack time. What a big girl!!! Yeah Jordan. So, of course we had to sing the pee pee in the potty song, which Jordan could care less because she had to sit on the potty. She did such a good job today, so she got a big sticker at the end of the program and walked out with Helga. One day down, just a few more to go.

First day...

2009-01-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well, the first day wasn't as eventful as planned; however, we got the paperwork out of the way so that we can begin the hard work tomorrow. We also got to see what stool, potty and plinth Jordan will need for class tomorrow. It's crazy because Jordan will be using the blue and green Elmo potty for potty time, the same one that Marshall used when he was there 5 years ago. When I sat her down at the plinth, I realized how small she is and how incredibly difficult this is going to be, for that fact.

Orsi wanted Jordan to get the Hungarian walking boots and some plastic arm gaitors from Snell in Fayetteville, so after lunch we drove to Snell and got Jordan measured for both. The interesting thing was that Joyce, the lady measuring Jordan, remembered Marshall. It will probably be very unlikely that Jordan will ever go anywhere that people don't know her brother. Jordan was so funny, she laughed the entire time that Joyce was measuring her foot for her boots and her arm for her arm gaitors. Hopefully, she will be that happy when we are working hard in class, but probably not.

Off we go!

2009-01-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

So, we left this morning around 10:00 and dropped Marshall off with grandpa in Morrilton. He was glad that he got to spend the day with his grandpa and didn't have to go all the way to Springdale. Jordan slept in this morning and woke up with snot dried to her face. Of course, the morning we leave, she has a snotty nose. Once we got to Morrilton and she ate and I sucked her nose out she was much better. Mom met us in Morrilton and followed us up. I think she wanted to go along since she went up when we took Marshall 5 years ago. It's crazy to think that we were doing this 5 years ago with Marshall and now we're doing it with Jordan. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined that we would be traveling down the same road we traveled 5 years ago. It was a nice drive and we stopped at Alma and ate lunch at Braum's. We took Jordan's "low chair" as Mark calls it into the restaurant and she enjoyed sitting in it during lunch.

We got to Springdale around 2:00 and came to the hotel and unpacked the truck before heading to Wal-Mart. Although this is an Extended Stay, it is nothing like the one that we stayed at in Michigan, which was a Candlewood Suites. It will work for Jordan and I and we will manage, but we were definitely spoiled in Michigan this past summer. I think mom was tired of us saying, "it's not like Michigan." We are only about 5 minutes from the school and Walmart, so that is good. We went and got groceries and figured out which way to drive to school in the mornings without having to get on 412 or 71 business (Yuck to both!!) We found Jordan some cute clippies while at Walmart to hopefully keep her hair out of her eyes while she is in class, because Mark does not want me to cut her bangs again. Let's just say, they were a tad short last time mommy cut them. Jordan was really tired by the time we were finished shopping but managed to take this cute picture.

We decided to unload all of our groceries onto the cart so that we could make one trip into the hotel, instead of making a bunch of trips in and out. After unloading all of the groceries Mom and Mark headed home so that Mark could get back to Morrilton and pick up Marshall. Jordan laid down to take a nap, it was a long day for a little girl!

It was hard to say goodbye to mom and Mark, but saying goodbye is always the hardest part of these commitments. So, after Jordan took a nap we ate supper and had a bath to get ready for class in the morning and then Jordan sat up in the bed like a big girl with mommy. Jordan was a really good girl for me, but she would not quit laughing and screaming and kicking in the bed. I decided to let her sleep with me instead of sleeping in her play yard, but all she did was play, so tomorrow night she will have to sleep in her play yard, because I did not get any sleep. Here is a short video clip of her in the bed at the hotel the first night. What a goofball she is.

That is hilarious!!

2009-01-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

Marshall was in such a good mood this morning. I think secretly he is ready for him and dad to be at home alone in the, what did Mark call it........oh yeah, "the man cave." So, while I was finishing with last minute packing, Mark was getting Marshall's stool adjusted to take for Jordan and Marshall came in the kitchen and saw him with the screwdriver and thought it was hilarious. He is so funny and his laugh is just priceless, so I had to get it on video to share.

On The Road Again.....

2009-01-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

For some reason, this song keeps coming into my head? I guess it's because I know what is ahead. Although the drive to Fayetteville is not all that long or hard, it is still a drive and with a baby at that. I feel like I'm well experienced after this summer however. I'm sure Jordan and I will be fine, as long as the movies are playing for her and I can listen to music, we'll make it. We will be leaving mid-morning on Sunday so that we can get up to the hotel and get unloaded and go get a few things from the store, if necessary. It will be a long six-weeks, but I know that this is what Jordan needs right now and by now I'm quite used to living in a hotel for long periods of time, it's our home away from home. I will try and upload pictures and updates as often as possible, but know that I will be consumed with facilitating during the program and probably sleeping in the afternoon, but Jordan and I will post as much as possible. Here's to great things in 2009!

Happy Birthday Grandpa

2009-01-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

Today was Grandpa Marshall's 49th birthday! He was calling basketball at the County tournament in Ola, so we decided to surprise him and go to the game. Marshall was so excited in the car the whole way there. I think he knew he was going to see his Grandpa. We surprised him before his last game of the night and Marshall was so happy to see him. Of course he cried when dad had to leave and go referee the basketball game, but we sat court side, so Marshall was pretty happy. Both kids were in such a good mood and we all enjoyed the ballgame. It was a great surprise and Marshall was so excited when the game was over and he could scoot all over the court, which is his favorite thing to do at basketball games... and since his grandpa is the referee and he is so cute, he gets to do whatever he wants.

Storyteller

2009-01-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

Marshall's teacher sent me these pictures the other day of him at school. They are so cute! He is getting so big and doing so well at school. Just wanted to add these to the page.

Cleaning House

2009-01-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

After taking down the Christmas tree, we decided to rearrange the living room. In doing so, we had to vacuum of course and Marshall was just the person to help with that job. He thought it was so funny to push the vacuum cleaner back and forth across the floor. At least now I know who I can count on when I'm not in the mood for cleaning.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2009! We look forward to the exciting things that this new year will bring and the amazing things that our kids will teach us and give us the opportunity to experience. May this year be full of great adventures! Happy New Year!

Christmas Decorations 2008

2008-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Living Room

Kitchen

Theater Room