Happy to be Me!

I loved Chloe's shirt today....


I always try to get her to help me pick out her outfit for the day. I stand with her in front of her closet and ask her to point at what she wants to wear. Usually during this ritual she just tries to eat my hair.... But today she reached right for this shirt that says, "Happy to be ME!"

I think Chloe really IS happy to be her, and it shows, don't you think? Look in her eyes, she's not longing for more, comparing herself to others. Nope, she's content and filled with JOY!....


I needed this reminder today. Yesterday at therapy, Chloe's physical abilities were more limited than usual. She wasn't using her hands at all. She couldn't hold her head up. Her tone was tight. I left feeling SO discouraged.

I go through a constant roller coaster between accepting Chloe just as she is and not trying to change things, thinking it was God's will that she was born with developmental delays and I don't need to "fix" that. Then I go to the opposite end of the spectrum, thinking that with God ALL things are possible, that miracles have NOT ceased, that it is okay to HOPE all things, and so I work extra hard. I want her head control to be better, for her to use her hands more, for her to TALK, for her to get up and walk and run and play and dance. And it sends me into a downward spiral of disappointment. Then the cycle starts back over where I accept things as they are and don't want to change them. Are you seeing the pattern here?

Well, because Chloe reached out and grabbed this shirt today was an answer to my prayers, I truly believe that. It gave me the realization that she is HAPPY being her. And so we play and do stretches and exercises, but she is happy being HER, and SHE is not what she can do or what she cannot do... She is a beautiful person, a delightful child, who happens to be in a body that doesn't work so well. But does it really matter? Not to her.

Thanks, Chloe. You are wise beyond your mother's years. I love ya and I am happy to be your mom!

Springtime is Swingtime!

The sun decided to visit this weekend, along with my brother's family, so we dusted off the swings because springtime = swingtime!....

Chloe



Izabella

and play on the trampoline time....

Wyatt & Jake

which means static-y hair time....

Chloe, Izzy & Aspen



Chloe & Izabella

And go on scenic drives time....

Izz & Chloe with Grammy & Papa at Antelope Island

And just have fun time.....

Chloe & Aspen

And don't forget to wear your bunny ears time too!....

Izz & Aspen

I'm dedicating the song that's playing to the sun.... "Why don't you stay???"

Am I the only one having issues uploading & viewing photos on blogs today? Is it blogspot or my computer or my server? Anyone? Anyone? Bueler?

Sneak Peek

Since Easter coincides with General Conference next week, Chloe wore her Easter dress to church today! We're getting pro pix in her Easter dress, but I still had to show you how cute she looked....





I use this site to make pix look vintage. It's kinda fun to play with.....

She didn't wear her dress for very long. I had to come early because the stomach flu that plagued Chloe yesterday decided it wanted to visit me today. Not only is the stomach flu NOT fun, but it's especially a bummer that it hit us this weekend, considering Oby's sister's family was here from out of town and my brother's family is here from out of town. We had to miss out on seeing them as much as we'd like. We also had to cancel plans with one of Chloe's therapy interns today. We were going to take her to some cool Utah spots. BOO to the stomach flu!


Here's another pic just because I'm a sucker for polka-dots and tights.....



She looked even cuter in her tights with the dress she had on yesterday, but alas, the stomach flu ruined the day before I could get a picture!

Long Time No See!

There have been some things and people we've been able to see this week that we haven't seen in quite a while! The sun has been coming in and out of our lives. My dad took advantage of a few hours of sunshine the other day and got out his motorcycle for a ride! Chloe and I happened to be stopping by right as he was leaving. Chloe was freaked out by Papa's get-up and the noise of the motorcycle, it was pretty funny!....


We also got to see my good pal Janica this week! She is not only good for a laugh and good chats, she is also an incredible hair dresser! She took a look at Chloe's hair for me....


We decided Chloe didn't need a real cut, but she did take just a tiny piece off the end. Yep, Chloe's first haircut! How exciting!....


Chloe's a fan of Jan!....


We also got to see Molly and Sailor this week. Aren't we lucky? We celebrated Molly's BDay!....


Sailor loved playing with my phone. What a cutie!....


And last but not least, my brother and his fam came into town tonight! We got together for dinner with these silly kids!....



Wyatt's Bday is on Saturday, so he got a little treat!....


Izabella loved me. Well, actually I think what she really liked was my bracelet, but I'll take her affection any way I can get it!....



Chloe had fun!....


The end.

Special Delivery!

How sweet is my mom? This morning, there was a knock on the door and when Oby answered, it was Mom saying, "Special Delivery for Tara Bennett!" with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, daffodils, in tow....

I love them because, not only are they beautiful, but they are the first sign of spring and a symbol of hope. Thanks, Mom!....

Another special delivery that happened recently was my cousins, Marianne and Doug's, litter of beagle pups!....

There are ten of them!....

Chloe was intrigued at first....

But she didn't want the little guy to get too close! lol!....

While we were at Marianne's, she delivered the finished project she's been working on for Chloe, a weighted blanket (thanks for the tip, Heidi!). We LOVE it. I can't wait to see if it helps her sleep/nap, but even if it doesn't help with that, it's cute and she seems to like it!....

And the final delivery is a picture of my chipped tooth. I can't believe I'm doing this, but I had so many requests for it.... comments on my blog, facebook messages & emails.... I give the people what they want. LOL! So here's a pic of my karma-induced chipped tooth....

And I REALLY can't believe I'm doing this, but here's a close-up, showing my chipped tooth and how it's in the same spot as Chloe's missing tooth....

LOL. Talk about TMI! That's about as close-up as you'd ever want to get! I'm a mega dork, but at least I can admit it. :)

Julia Tepper

I just found this new artist and I love her songs! Check them out HERE. I especially like "Gonna See Ya."

Royal Cuteness

Tonight our ward threw a "Royal Ball" at the church. Chloe went as an adorable princess!....


She loved the royal throne and the fairy tale castle....

But she's always a princess, so really it was just another day!....

You Know You Want To!

For everyone who reads this blog and lives in Utah, I wanted to let you know about a couple fund-raising events that we have scheduled. Please come if you can! I promise it will be fun and all proceeds go to Chloe's Sunshine Playground!.....



If you're interested in the golf tourney, just let me know because we'd like to pre-register everyone. Get your company to sponsor you and bring some friends!!!

We have several other events tentatively planned, but the details aren't worked out yet. I'll keep you posted!

Whether you can make it or not, thank you everyone for your support. I feel everyone cheering me on with this project and it helps a LOT! The issues I was having with the city have been ironed out and we are going full speed ahead!

We're getting started on the design phase next week and I am most excited about that. I wish everyone could get in my head and see what I've got planned.... it is going to be AMAZING! We've chosen our main vendors to be Game Time & Cre8 Play. (Watch the video on Cre8 Play if you have a chance, it shows some of their projects!) I have these big ideas and the vendors have told me that no idea is too big.... anything I can dream up they will make happen. I hope they live up to that promise because I've got a pretty wild imagination!

Karma's a B!+*?

Do you think it was a coincidence that just a month after Chloe lost her tooth in "the incident," that I chipped my front tooth?

The front tooth that is chipped is in the exact location as the tooth Chloe lost. (insert psycho theme here)

If you've ever watched a single episode of "My Name is Earl," then you'll know that karma will have her way, and she has definitely had her way with me!

I have had the tooth "fixed" three times now.

It just chipped again. All I was doing was drinking diet lemonade, and suddenly I felt a hard thing in my mouth. For some reason what I said when that happened was, "....Our pets heads are falling off!" (Are there any Dumb & Dumber fans out there?)

Hopefully the fourth "fix" will be the charm. It's scheduled for next Monday. I have a feeling, though, that karma will not allow that tooth to look nice and pretty until Chloe's adult tooth grows in. Karma is very unforgiving like that.

It's hill billy smiles all around in our house these days!.... Teeth missing, teeth chipped, geesh! Sadly, they are not the fake hill billy inserts, this is the real deal!

Guess that'll teach me to drop my kid, huh?

Luck o' the Stylish

Happy St. Patrick's Day From My Lucky Charm!

She would have had a picture with one other cute St. Patty's Day outfit she wore this week, but she had an explosion on it before I could snag a picture. Yep, last week she was so constipated we ended up in the ER. This week she has had so much diarrhea that we've had outfit changes 2-3 times a day and baths 2-3 times a day. What will next week bring? I don't want to know!!! lol!

Not Sure What to Call This Post

I am officially ready for spring. Even though it snowed -- SNOWED -- yesterday, I'm still holding on to the glimmers of blue skies and sunshine that peak through the clouds. Don't get me wrong, I like winter, but I only like it between November and January. When it lingers longer than that (and it always does), I start getting grumpy!

So even though it was too cold for Chloe to wear a short-sleeved, bright yellow dress with flowers on it, that's what she wore to church today. I suppose I'm trying WILL warmer weather to Utah!....


Chloe loves going to church these days because she gets to spend two hours with Grammy & Papa in nursery with lots of other cute little toddlers! One of the other nursery leaders is a 20-something young lady who also has CP. She and Chloe have a sweet bond. It's nice that my mom and dad are in there with Chloe because they make sure she's 100% included in every activity -- snacks, crafts, dancing, you name it! It is so cute!....



Tonight we celebrated Oby's Grandma Judy's birthday. It was a good time, and as always, Chloe and Izzy played so cute together! Izzy was in and out from playing on her scooter, but she still had time to stop in and play with Chloe every once in awhile -- how sweet! Please notice how cute Izzy looks in her helmet, and please take note to the hair that is coming out the top of it, because I think it is so cute and funny!....


Chloe was being so cute, smiley and chatty.... until I brought the camera around, then she gave me this stone face. I have about five pictures that look exactly like this. It was smiles all around until Mom wanted a picture. What a little stinker!....


She got lots of snuggles from Grandpa Phil....


Well, I better get to bed. I've got the munchies, but heaven knows I shouldn't eat anything more tonight! I've lost just shy of 30 pounds since January and was feeling quite proud of that fact. Then Oby's 10-year-old cousin asked me today if I was pregnant. It was a good reminder of how much I've still got to lose! Oh joy!