Socializing around the {bottle}.

I'm having one of those days, well, two actually where I am reminded how much I wish majority of society didn't feel they have to socialize around alcohol and bars.  Yesterday I woke up to find an invite to start a "Warriors Girls' Night Out".  I have DREAMED of being able to do a GNO regularly with other moms who understand my life.  Everyone has been super excited, clearly we all are craving to get out of our lives and live "normal" for once, even if it's just for a couple of hours.  However, the GNO is being based solely on wine, lots of wine, in bars.  So, here is where life gets difficult for us "non-drinkers"...Because I don't socialize around a bottle of alcohol, I end up being the "boring" chick sitting alone because conversations take a "tipsy" turn when woman start consuming too much and get louder as the evening progresses.  Because I don't drink, I no longer can hold a fun conversation with woman who are passed their limit.  I'm left feeling left out, once again.  

This sucks!  If the girls in my church weren't so dang stupid and actually felt like I had something in common with at least one of them, I probably wouldn't feel so bad, but I do.  I'm stuck in a situation right now where I crave friends who get me but I'm stuck in a world that doesn't accept my choices or they don't understand the way I have to live.

For once, can I just have my cake and eat it too?  What does a non-drinking, hilarious chick have to do around here to get a couple of awesome chicas to hang out with??  Here is my "want ad":

WANTED:  At least one (but more the merrier) fun girl(s) to hang out with that totally understand Autism.  Drinkers allowed, but in moderation so we can still hold a fun conversation (cause it's possible, promise!).  Call me today!

Seriously, is that too much to ask??

One bullet dodged, one more to {go}.

I'm extremely humbled and extremely relieved right now.  This past Thursday Baby R had her x-ray that was  to be compared to the one from December of 2011.  If you remember, her x-ray in December showed that her right hip was beginning to loosen and fall back out of socket.  Her ortho didn't feel comfortable waiting a whole other year for another check so he told us he wanted to see her again in 6 months time.  Well, that day came this past Friday when we took her into her ortho with current x-ray in hand (along with all the others) and right as her ortho popped her x-ray onto his lite board I told all my kids to cross their fingers and toes as he drew all over her x-ray with his ruler and pen.

I'm pleased and SOOOOOO happy to say that because of everyone praying for my little one, her hip actually got BETTER by one degree.  Now, one degree isn't much, it's such a hair thickness of an amount really, but none the less, it's BETTER!!!

Baby R isn't out of the woods yet, not by a long shot.  Because her hip displaysia was so severe and it's been so finicky to heal, her ortho will watch her religiously till at least the age of 12 now, but possibly longer. I told her doc on the way out of the office on Friday that at this rate, he'd be walking her down the aisle he's become like family so much, lol!!  

So, one bullet dodged, one more to go.....G is up next.  I am so hopeful and so excited to get G to a new physician in Chicago next week.  We've been waiting for a few months now to go and we are finally counting down in T-Minus 8....7....6.... and although I'm super nervous for G, I'm also following on faith.  Faith that we are being led to the right doc that will give us the answers we need to pull G even more out of the grips of Autism.  He's come so far, I KNOW there is more to bring out and I can't wait to see him heal further:)  Wish us luck and pray for for G and his new physician, please!!!

Here, toothy, {toothy}.

Yesterday, Little R out of nowhere stood up in a panic and was crying that she had a loose tooth.  This was her first loose tooth:)  We worked through her anxiety and I told her it wasn't very wiggly yet and to let it be for a few more days.  Well, this morning as she was eating her jelly topped english muffin she turned to me in that same panic stricken little face saying, "Mom, my tooth is gone and I can't find it, I can't find it!!".  I calmly walked over and found it amidst the jelly droppings on her plate.  

Of course after I got her calmed down it hit her that the tooth fairy would be visiting her this time, not G!  She excitedly got to work on a cute letter to leave for the tooth fairy and she even went as far as to draw a picture of what her prized goody looks like:)

She taped this up by her door for this evening, the letter says:

"I want an ice bird and a girl red bird and a mister pig."

These are all Angry Birds if you didn't catch that, it's an obsession at my house and seems to only be growing:)

**In case you are wondering why a quarter isn't left under our kids pillows, at the time G lost his first tooth he had ZERO concept of money.  He didn't even really understand what the tooth fairy was so we opted for a small gift instead since that was a concept G did know.  So, the gift thing stuck:)

Hurry! Before it's, {gone}.

I'm turning my blog into a book and then deleting a ton of it to preserve space (I {heart} blogging).  So consider this your warning to go read up on anything before 2012 as it will be deleted to make space for more blogging in the future:)

Dance, {Dance}.

This is lengthy, just letting you know cause I'm one proud mama!

Little R had her very first dance recital this past weekend and it was so much fun!

Friday night started us off with a full dress rehearsal.  She couldn't wait to get to the Performing Arts Center:) 

Needless to say, rehearsal and all it's waiting around while lights and sound were tweaked got her a little bored.  I think she tried out every seat in the auditorium, lol! 

First dance was their tap number done to "Ragtime Cowboy Joe". 

Onto ballet which they danced to an old Elvis song, "Stuck on You". 

The studio requested that no flash photography or videos be done on Saturday but we could come right up to the stage on rehearsal night and get all the pics we wanted.  It worked out fine, I had no complaints other than the red and white draping fabric they had as a backdrop on Saturday I wish had been up at rehearsal:/ 

After rehearsal on Friday night I was able to get Little R and a couple of her buddies to stand still for at least one pic:)  They were all so giggly and the little girl screams filling the centers lobby area was definitely a sign that a bunch of 5 and 6yo's were in the house:) 

Little R wanted me to get a pic of her skirt, "doing this":)

If you are friends with me on FB you know I was soliciting for tips on hair/makeup to make sure my daughter didn't end up looking like a prosti-tot.  This was her hair Friday night, and this....

was her hair for the big Saturday performance.  When I got her home Friday night, I threw her in the shower to wash out all the hairspray and get the makeup off but children's shampoo isn't as harsh so all the hairspray didn't come out, but enough I could send her to bed:)  However, it worked out because her curls were rocking due to the leftover hairspray the next day!   

It's Saturday!  She is stoked as we walked down to the dressing room area cause she knew her dad, brother and lil' sis were all here to cheer her on (which we did, we were LOUD!):) 

Thankfully they had put all the performers names on their chairs backstage so after a quick makeup touch up and a little hairspray, I felt confident leaving her to wow us all in the audience (which she did!):) 

BRAVO!! BRAVO!!!  Her daddy was waiting with roses at the end of her show, she was beaming (and so was I):)  

You nailed it gorgeous! 

Little R with her dance teacher Miss Jessica:)

Now onto her chosen summer activity, soccer!

Last Week of {school}.

I can't believe it, in about 30 minutes school will officially be done for the 2011-2012 school year!  I feel like we just celebrated Christmas a couple of months ago, I hate how fast time has flown:(

This week the kids had their class award ceremonies.  I love attending these:)

Here is Little R accepting her award for "Best Homework Reader".  Little R filled her reading log at home faster than anyone else in the class, that has to make her daddy proud (he's a big time reader). 

Little R's award certificate. 

Little R's teacher asked each of the students to sit and be respectful during the ceremony, she looks so adorable so I had to post this:)   

Little R got to bring home her large art folder of things she'd done in art over the year.  This was my favorite piece she did:)  Little R has LOVED (and that is an understatement) Kindergarten.  She has willingly and happily gone to school every day, no fights, no complaints, nothin'!  I'm super in love with this little girl, she is such a great example and I know she is going to love first grade that much more:) 

G's turn to accept his award!  G got the (I know this will come as a shocker....) "Class Angry Bird Expert" award:)  Tis true, Tis true. 

Can I just take a moment to say how much I have LOVED G's 2nd grade teacher this year.  If G could have her again next year, there would be no question, I'd scream, "YES!!!".  She is a single girl, younger than me, but has the worlds most patience flowing through her.  She communicates with me almost daily, she is organized to the max, solely for G's sake (he goes bonkers in chaos) and she has helped G grow academically this year in ways I didn't think she could.  She's been a true blessing for G this year and I'll miss her:(

G also celebrated his summer birthday in class the same day as the award ceremony so he got to sport the class "birthday glasses".  I was told he kept them on the entire day:) 

G's award certificate. 

G's teacher allowed the students to decorate their manila folders their certificates were in and of course, G donned his in Angry Bird fashion:)

I thought it would be fun to do a year comparison.  The above pic is of G and Little R on the first day of school.

Here they are today, the last day of school:)

Happy Summer everyone!

UPDATE: So remember me always saying how much Little R loves Kindergarten?  This is what she said to me when she got home, in a very disappointed voice, "Mom, we just didn't do any learning today, nothing!  We just played outside and watched a movie and had a pizza party, that's it!  No social centers at all!  Today was just so short and then I came home!".