I am hungry!

So, I walked into the kitchen today and this is what I found...

Guess I was not on the ball for lunch time!! He was hungry so took it upon himself to make lunch! Where is mine Cam??!!

CVS...

No results :(

My first night away from Mom Mom and Daddy...

Tonight, Cal spent the night away from home without us for the first time. Chris and I had to get up super early for work and appointments, so the kiddos were going to go to Grandpas in the morning. I would have had to take them over there around 5 am, so I asked Grandpa if they could just spend the night. Of course he was more than happy to have them!!! SO here are a few pictures of Cal and her first night away from Mom Mom and Daddy!

The State of Texas says that it's official....

Early Childhood Intervention

Every state has (or should have) an early childhood intervention program in place for identifying children with disabilities or children at risk. In Texas it is called ECI and they provide a multitude of services to families with children at risk or with identified disabilities from birth to 3 years of age. Calleigh has been enrolled since last summer and today was her annual appointment. Since Calleigh receives outside services, such as therapy, the only services we use that ECI provide are Nutrition services and transition services(these services help Chris and I get her into a PPCD or other Special Education class when she turns three. However, we have not yet decided if we will be putting her into school when she turns three. Since her birhtday is in March, we may wait until the following Fall to enroll her in school. She will continue to receive outside therapy, Chris and I refuse to take that away from her) . Calleigh's case manager is this wonderful women named Julie. Julie came over today to prepare Calleigh's annual IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan) and part of that includes a variety of questions that determine her 'age' in many different categories. The categories are: Adaptive Behavior (self-help skills), Physical Development/Motor Skills, Cognitive Development, Communication Skills, and Social/Emotional Skills. So, for each of these areas, Julie asked Chris and I a series of questions...yes or no. When we answered no to three of the five questions, that is when Julie would stop and total the score. Calleigh has come such a long way. The first scores are those done one year ago at her first IFSP. The second set of scores are from this annual IFSP. We are so proud of the accomplishments that Cal has made. I know I have said this before but...we were told that she would NEVER do a lot of the things that she IS doing. These things were not said out of negativity and were not meant to be hurtful...they were just a response to the 4p-. Now we have learned so much and one of the main things we have learned is that children with 4p- are all different. Some are higher functioning than others, but no matter what, as a parent we are proud with the accomplishments our children make. Needless to say, our meeting with Julie was a good one!

THESE ARE JULY 2007 (15 months)

Adaptive Behavior/Self-Help Skills...............BIRTH

Physical Development/Motor Skills.................5 months

Cognitive Development....................................10 months

Communication Skills.......................................10 months

Social/Emotional Skills.....................................10 months

THESE ARE JUNE 2008 (26 months)
Adaptive Behavior/Self-Help Skills...............15 months
Physical Development/Motor Skills..............10 months
Cognitive Development...................................16 months
Communication Skills......................................13 months
Social/Emotional Skills....................................20 months (can we say "Social Butterfly"??)

HAPPY 50TH GRAMMY C!!!!!!

Today is a big day for Grammy C as she enters into a new phase in her life...the 50s!!! She truly is 50 and fabulous and we see great things happening for her in the coming years! We are sad that we do not get to be with her on this birthday (she is in Sacramento) but we do wish her all the happiness she deserves today and always!!!

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear Mom/Grammy...

Happy Birthday to you!

We love you!

Chris, Cass, Cam, Cal, and Baby!

XOXO

PS...Cruz says...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!!!!!

The NEWEST Morrow!!

I had my CVS done today and we got a picture of the baby! The CVS itself was not fun...very uncomfortable, but not painful!!! We will have the results in 7 days...meaning we will hear that the baby is fine, has all of its chromosomes (this is what we want to hear!) and what the sex is! So stay tuned for that post!!! Here is the picture of our little Cashew (as Auntie Deirdre has been calling it...becasue Cashew starts with C...get it...LOL!!!)!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

We just want to wish all of those wonderful fathers that we know a great day! We hope that you get to do something fun and spend lots of time with your family!

Love,

The Morrow's

XO

Adaleigh Carolyn Hall

Our good friends John and Wini Hall gave birth to a beautiful baby girl today who happens to also be my goddaughter!!! I went to visit and held her for about an hour and she is so precious! I am taking Chris back to the hospital tomorrow so that he can meet the newest member of the Hall family! Congrats Hall family...We love you!! XOXO

Adaleigh Carolyn Hall

June 13, 2008

8:16 a.m.

9 lbs 14 oz

20 1/2 inches

A new member of our family...

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! He is not ours! This little chihuahua was my mom's '50th' birthday present from us! She had been talking about possibly getting a dog, so my hubby hunted one down for her! He is so sweet and cute and my mother adores him! Anyone that knows my mother knows that Santa Cruz is her most favorite place in the world....so can you guess the dog's name??? Yes! It is Santa Cruz...Cruz for short! Chris, Cam and I try to call him Skippyjon Jones after the books by Judy Schachner, but we were told we are not allowed to do that! It was a great gift that we could give her!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Baby Update!

Well, as all of you probably know by now, Chris and I are expecting our third child! We are due January 4, 2009. It was very unexpected to show up pregnant, but we are really excited for the new one to arrive! We waited to tell Cameron until he was out of school and when we finally told him he was so excited and immediately said that it was a boy! Of course Cal will not realize what is truly going on until the baby arrives, but she likes to lift up my shirt and pat my belly...so I wonder if she understands??!! On Monday, June 16, I am having a procedure done called the CVS or Chorionic Villus Sampling. This is when a small piece of my placenta is removed and tested for chromosomal abnormalities. I am scared about the procedure for two reasons...1st, the miscarriage rate is 1/100 and 2nd, I keep asking myself what I would do if I had two children with disabilities?? God never gives you more than you can handle...so I am sure I will do fine! One exciting part of the CVS is that when the results come back in 10 days, we will know the sex of the baby! It will be so weird to know the sex so early in the pregnancy, but exciting! I will update when we do get the results back and let you know that everything went well! We do have our names picked out already, so when we find out the sex, I will post the name! Here is a picture of me at 10 weeks.

Look what I can do...

Do I really need to say it...we are NOT amused!

But we are REALLY proud!!!!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Today is Auntie Kim's birthday and we wanted to sing her a little diddy...

Happy birthday to you...cha cha cha

Happy birthday to you...cha cha cha

Happy birthday Auntie Kiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmm...

Happy birthday to you...cha cha cha!!!!

Hope that you have a fabulous day and get spoiled rotten! We love you!

Last Day of Kindergarten...

Today was Cameron's last day of kindergarten with Mrs. Heath. I went in this afternoon to take Mrs. Heath a gift (see picture below!), and chat for a bit. She told me how wonderful and smart she thought Cameron was and how he would do a great job in 1st grade. Enough to make any mother blush! She loved her gift and even got teary-eyed. She said it was the most thoughful gift that she has ever gotten from a student (score me!!) and she took it up and down the kinder hall to show all the teachers!!! Cam was so proud! Cameron got all D's on his report card...D is for Developed...which is awesome! We could not be prouder! He has grown so much and become this wonderful little boy! We love you buddy!

Cindy Lou Who??!!

So Cal has been allowing me to put her hair up into this little tiny ponytail lately...when we are out and about...everyone thinks she is just the cutest thing! So here is a little peak at our very own, "Cindy Lou Who"!

Happy Memorial Day!

Daddy had the day off today so we packed up and bared the heat in Round Rock for an Express game!!! Cameron and his friend Brandon had a great time playing in the kids area while the rest of us baked in the sun while watching the Express. It was so nice to be out as a family...but hot as %^##!!! They had a nice tribute to the men and women serving our country and those that have lost their lives. Memorial Day is special to our family because we are so proud that Daddy serves in the US Army everyday of his life...plus Uncle Shane who is in Iraq right now...our good friend Tom who just went back to Iraq for his third tour and all the others that we know who serve our great country!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

We went swimming!

Maliesa has a pool in her backyard so the kids and I went over today to enjoy lunch and swimming! Madison and Cameron had a great time swimming together and Tatum and Calleigh were little fish the whole time!! It was so much fun and we look forward to the rest of the summer!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Tonight the Kinder classes, 1st and 2nd grade classes put on a musical performance of Tikki Tikki Tembo at school. They made their own costumes in class and did a very good job singing! I videoed a little bit of it...it is kind of hard to hear so make sure your volume is up!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thank goodness for washing machines, baby wipes and bath tubs!

Maliesa and her girls came over for dinner tonight and we had spaghetti, Cal had ravioli, and we also had a huge mess!!!! Cam and Madison were not to bad, but Tatum thoroughly enjoyed her spaghetti and Calleigh made a huge mess with her ravioli! The problem is that Cal knows how damn cute she is so she thinks its ok to make a big mess....NOT OK...LOL!!!!! Here are a couple of the messy pics and a little video of Cal creating her mess!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

YEAH...for family!

On May 9, 2008 we had quite a few people fly in to help me celebrate my graduation. It started in the morning with Papa Bob, Russell, Christine, and Alex...and then that afternoon my BF Kim flew in from WA state! It was so great to have family here for this special weekend. Kim only got to stay until Tuesday (stupid job!), but my Dad, Russ, Christine and Alex got to stay until today! It was so great seeing them (especially since Christine is expecting again...gotta love a prego belly!) and watching Cam, Alex and Cal play. Nothing like consin-ly love! We also got to celebrate my Dad's 52nd birthday while they were here and my brother's 24th birthday! Thanks to everyone who came, it was great to see you and have you hear to celebrate my special day with me!

Happy Birthday Uncle Russell!!

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear Uncle Russell!

Happy Birthday to you!

We love you!

Chris, Cass, Cam and Cal

XO

Happy Birthday Papa Bob!

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear Dad/Papa...

Happy Birthday to you!

We love you!

Chris, Cass, Cam and Cal

XO

DA-da-da-da-DA-da (can..you hear it? The graduation song!)...

After many years, challenges and lots of homework, tonight I finally accomplished something that I have wanted for so many years...I GRADUATED!!! Tarleton State University-Central Texas, Spring Class of 2008 commenced this evening and the whole evening was a rush!! I was honored to be the speaker for the Class of 2008...and let me tell you...I was so nervous!!! I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Early-Childhood through Grade 4 and All Levels Special Education...Magna cum Laude (for my 3.89 GPA). I have to tell you that there are three events in my life that have their own space in my very special moments section of my memory and heart; the day I married Chris, the day Cameron was born and the day Calleigh was born...I am ready to add my fourth...the day I heard my name and crossed that stage with my head held so high!! It was so FABULOUS!!! Thanks to Chris, Cam, Cal, Mom, Dad, Russ, Christine, Alex, Pete, Kim, John, Wini and Rebecca for being present for this wonderful moment! I was so proud they were there to see this day! Also....I have to say that without Maliesa...I would have not made it through this last year of school!!!

I DID IT!!!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day...again...but this time the 4p- way...

Happy Mother's Day: Mothers Lie

By Lori Borgman

Expectant mothers waiting for a newborn's arrival say they don't care what sex the baby is.

They just want to have ten fingers and ten toes.

Mothers lie.

Every mother wants so much more.

She wants a perfectly healthy baby with a round head, rosebud lips, buttonnose, beautiful eyes and satin skin.

She wants a baby so gorgeous that people will pity the Gerber baby for being flat-out ugly.

She wants a baby that will roll over, sit up and take those first steps right on schedule (according to the baby development chart on page 57,column two).

Every mother wants a baby that can see, hear, run, jump and fire neurons by the billions.

She wants a kid that can smack the ball out of the park and do toe points that are the envy of the entire ballet class.

Call it greed if you want, but a mother wants what a mother wants.

Some mothers get babies with something more.

Maybe you're one who got a baby with a condition you couldn't pronounce, a spine that didn't fuse, a missing chromosome or a palate that didn't close.

The doctor's words took your breath away.

It was just like the time at recess in the fourth grade when you didn't see the kick ball coming, and it knocked the wind right out of you.

Some of you left the hospital with a healthy bundle, then, months, even years later, took him in for a routine visit, or scheduled him for a checkup, and crashed head first into a brick wall as you bore the brunt of devastating news.

It didn't seem possible.

That didn't run in your family.

Could this really be happening in your lifetime?

There's no such thing as a perfect body.

Everybody will bear something at some time or another.

Maybe the affliction will be apparent to curious eyes, or maybe it will be unseen, quietly treated with trips to the doctor, therapy or surgery.

Mothers of children with disabilities live the limitations with them.

Frankly, I don't know how you do it.

Sometimes you mothers scare me.

How you lift that kid in and out of the wheelchair twenty times a day.

How you monitor tests, track medications, and serve as the gatekeeper to a hundred specialists yammering in your ear.

I wonder how you endure the clichés and the platitudes, the well-intentioned souls explaining how God is at work when you've occasionally questioned if God is on strike.

I even wonder how you endure schmaltzy columns like this one-saluting you, painting you as hero and saint, when you know you're ordinary.

You snap, you bark, you bite.

You didn't volunteer for this, you didn't jump up and down in the motherhood line yelling,

"Choose me, God.

Choose me!

I've got what it takes."

You're a woman who doesn't have time to step back and put things inperspective, so let me do it for you.

From where I sit, you're way ahead of the pack.

You've developed the strength of the draft horse while holding onto the delicacy of a daffodil.

You have a heart that melts like chocolate in a glove box in July, counter-balanced against the stubbornness of an Ozark mule.

You are the mother, advocate and protector of a child with a disability.

You're a neighbor, a friend, a woman I pass at church and my sister-in-law.

You're a wonder.

Happy Mother's Day...

Before I was a Mom
Before I was a Mom -I slept as late as I wanted and
never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom -I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom -I had never been puked on - Pooped on -
Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes
to make sure all was okay.
I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love,
The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

To all of those fabulous mothers out there...we hope that you had a great day!

XO

The Morrow's