"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one."

I am not gonna lie, moving stinks. It stinks leaving your friends behind. The kids' friends AND my friends. I talk to one of my best friends from back home pretty much every day and I am not sure how I would have survived this  first year without that. Family is great, but friends are the family you CHOOSE. :)

..and although I bitch and moan about the Mormons overtaking Arizona, I HAVE found some great friends here. Neve has started making some friendships too that are really special to her. This age is awesome because they really start to look forward to seeing their friends and they can play independently too. Who doesn't love that?!

This is Neve and her sweet friend, Addison. Neve gets so excited to see her. :)

This is Neve and her friend, Morgan. Neve is only a couple months older than her, Neve is just tall!

This is Neve and Morgan's twin brother, Brady.

Neve  and Morgan started a new dance/tumble class together today. Neve loves getting that all energy out so I figured, why not!

This picture cracks me up because it looks like Neve is Riverdancing in the background. Ha!

This week was Neve's last swim lesson too- so we are done with that and on to soccer season startup in a few weeks. Neve can't wait to find out what color team she is on this year!

Head to Toe

A letter to Nate, on his 6th birthday...

Dear Nate,

6 years ago today, I was in the MOST excruciating pain of my life and gave birth to you, my handsome, sweet little guy. You are named after my Dad, and you definitely have his amazing blue eyes. You have an amazing laugh that is infectious. You carry so much light with you. You have so much patience for your pushy, naughty, sister and I love you for that. I also know how very much you love that little bundle of naughtiness, and she loves you more.

I love how you CONSISTENTLY prove me wrong when I try and underestimate you. You are so smart and I love how you show everyone you what you CAN do.

You have autism, it does NOT have you.

Some things we've put behind us, and others we never shall, but there's a flow to it all that has become familiar. There are times I fear that storm might pull me under, moments where I think I just can't cope enough with you, do enough for you or predict enough of your future to do any of us any good. Then there are other times when my feet plant themselves back into the dry desert Arizona sand and I can breathe steadily again because you have done something to remind me you are an amazing person. I should not underestimate you. Ever. These experiences have brought us here, to a place where our life no longer feels abnormal.

Your autism is a challenge, I will not deny it. For you, for me, and for your father and sister, too. But you are healthy and bright. You DID learn how to show us you are in there..and you have a LOT to say. You DID learn to enjoy being with family and even more so, to feel affection for others outside your family: your grandparents, our friends, your teachers. You continue to have fun on a playground and in a swimming pool and not be afraid. And each and every day, you teach me and everyone who knows you something new about your world; you teach us what autism truly is. I often receive praise for being your advocate, but you, my silent little man, are fast becoming your own.

I love you so much and I am SO VERY PROUD to call you my son. I can't wait to see what amazing things this year brings your way! You Dad, your sister, and I will be right here behind you, cheering til we are blue in the face!..and then we won't stop, we'll just cheer a little softer.

Nate T., I couldn't possibly love you more.

~Mom

My sweet boy on his first birthday.

Neve decorated the wall with birthday pictures of Nate's party guests. :)

Thank you so much to Nate's Grandparents, Aunts, Uncle, therapists, and friends for all the cards, presents and birthday wishes!

Darling it's better, Down where it's wetter, UNDER THE SEA!

...after lunch we left Rainforest Cafe and headed for a spin on the carousel...sweet Nate got off and said, "I want more please. ".  That kid was born to spin..Me? not so much.

Then it was off to the aquarium...

They had little bubbles to climb up in so you could see inside the tanks..

..and the best part for Neve was touching the starfish. We had to loop back 2 or 3 times to do that again. :)

After the aquarium we grabbed smoothies and headed home! What a fun birthday for our kiddo!

..and then he cracked us up the whole way home reading us his new favorite book,  Eric Carle's "Head to Toe".

Let Them Eat....FRUIT!

Today we celebrated our sweet boy's 6th birthday. His actual birthday is Wednesday, so I won't get all sentimental til then. :) Today was just about making Nate as happy as can be!
We started with a family birthday lunch.

Nate loves all the stimulation here! We sat by the big fountain which I think he could stare at for hours. :)

Waiting at the bar for our table...

Giant tree frog sippy cups..doesn't get much better!

Safari hats too...

PRESENTS!...

Blowing out his candle...

Then we switched it out for his real dessert- FRUIT! Nate's FAVORITE thing in the world.(well, I assume  BESIDES his adoring mother...)

Neve with her Uncle Steve.

Neve with Aunt Cindy and Grandma Ding.

This is what happens when you give Grandma the camera-ha!

Nate and Neve with Aunt Cindy, Uncle Steve, Daddy, and Grandma Ding.

Thanks to our family for helping celebrate Nateman's 6th birthday!!! He loved it all!!

After lunch we headed over to the carousel and then the aquarium. Pictures to come tomorrow! I am beat!

Calgon, Take Them Away!

...and so another summer finally comes to an end. We are back in school and looking forward to getting down our new schedule.

Out front before leaving for our first day of school!

ahhh..forced sibling love. :)

Nate wasn't diggin my photo session today. (Sorry, Buddy! I tried to be quick! You're just so handsome. :) )

First day went really well for both of them. I am so grateful that they both LOVE school so much.

Nate has 5 kids in his class with him. It is a self-contained Autism specific classroom with grades 1-3. He goes from 8am-3pm M-F, but we pull him out early 3 days a week to drive him to his therapy center where he receives additional Occupational therapy, Speech therapy, ABA therapy, and music therapy. At school there is his teacher, 3 aides, and various therapists there depending on the day (OT, ST, and PT). Nate thrives at school and his favorite time of day is "work with teacher" time. Thanks to his early ABA training, he does all his best work in a 1:1 setting. He is so smart and we can't wait for his language to develop more this year. He has a new communication device and we are in the process of taking our training classes (paid for through the State..woo-hoo!). We will be programming it the next few weeks with all of Nate's current words and favorite things. He has amazing finger dexterity and I know he is going to love it!!! I will post pics of that soon!

Neve loves her class too. She thrives in new settings most of the time and this was no exception. She is a peer model in a class with typical peers as well as mild to moderately disabled students. She has 9 kids in her class, one teacher, one aide, and a student teacher. She goes 3 days a week from 8-10:45am. Neve smooched us goodbye and ran right in to snag a good spot at the coloring table ;). I think our biggest problem with Neve is going to be the Queen-Bee complex she developed last year at her first preschool. She likes to rule the roost. I was the EXACT same way (LORD HELP US) but we will foster the strong leadership qualities and try to diminish the bossypants side...at least that's the plan! ha!

I am VERY happy to have 2 happy kiddos back in school...and 2 minutes TO MYSELF again!..now where's my mimosa?!.....