Dakin's "First Step"

We saw a miracle today.

Yep, a full-fledged, bonafied miracle, in the form of a boy moving himself through space for the very first time.

He did amazingly with it...caught right on to the proximity sensors in the head rest that turn the power chair in the direction he looks. He moved himself through the living room, into the hallway, and into his room. We took him outside in it, and he drove all the way down the street to see the pump jack he loves so much. 99% all by himself.

I had given up the idea of ever getting to see a first step. But we got ours today. We couldn't be prouder than if he had taken it on his feet.

PS-I have video, but it just won't upload.

PPS-The chair says "Chelsea" because it's a loaner to practice on until we get ours...

Words Unnecessary

Making Cookies

I have been looking forward to this for a while! On Friday Dakin helped me make some sugar cookies. As you can imagine, there was flour everywhere...
The strange looking pumpkin in the corner is his, as well as the ghosts beside it. They baked well and I threw some royal icing on them. They were pretty yummy, as far as sugar cookies go.
I have a video, but the stupid thing won't load...

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

At long last...the winners of the Pound Out SMA/SMARD giveaway!



Earrings: Karen from KakleiDesigns

Bows from Littlest Boutique: Sara from Noggin Berries

10.00 Gift Certificate from Bouquet of Pixels: Diane from SnagNTag

Congrats, guys!!

I Love This Picture

Dakin's face in this picture cracks me up!!

Announcement: Giveaway winners announced soon!

Ever The Same

So kids love music. Dakin is no exception. I love music myself, and am trying to give Dakin a good base in different types of music. We listen to a lot of classical, as I am a big proponent of that type of music making your child smarter, especially the Mozart. I hope Dakin grows up to love the harmony and counterpoint of Mozart, the raw emotion of Rachmaninoff and the beauty of Opera.

But we can't have that all the time, right? When that gets tired, we go to his favorite music--Elvis! He loves it! Whenever "Teddy Bear" comes on, he gets a huge smile on his face. He seems to like Lil' Wayne too, to my horror.

We sing a lot--we have a whole playlist of songs that I'll sing to him while he's going to sleep or while we are cuddling. "You'll Be In My Heart," "The Last Unicorn," "Inchworm" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" are some of my favorites. We have a secret one too, that no one but us knows--it's an older song that I just love.

I have been trying to get him interested in Matchbox Twenty--they're my favorite group and my heart will just break if he chooses someone else over them. Rob Thomas, the lead singer fot Matchbox Twenty, has done some solo work, and one of my favorite songs of his is "Ever the Same"--I really feel like it represents the relationship Dakin and I have. Here are the lyrics:

We were drawn from the weeds
We were brave like soldiers
Falling down under the pale moonlight
You were holding to me
Like a someone broken
And I couldn't tell you but I'm telling you now
Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down

Fall on me
Tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you forever in me
Ever the same

We would stand in the wind
We were free like water
Flowing down
Under the warmth of the sun
Now it's cold and we're scared
And we've both been shaken
Hey, look at us
Man, this doesn't need to be the end
Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same

Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

You may need me there
To carry all your weight
But you're no burden I assure
You tide me over
With a warmth I'll not forget
But I can only give you love

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same
Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same

I love this song. If you get a chance, listen to it. It helps assure me that no matter what happens, we will always be the same--Mommy and Daddy and Dakin, no matter what.

Pumpkin!

So around here Halloween is kind of a big deal--always has been in my family. When I was little my mom would dress up like a witch and throw parties for my school classes, green skin and everything. The Halloween fairy would come the night before. It helps that my birthday is two weeks before it--so many many fun Halloween memories.

So when I found out Dakin was due near the end of October, I had a fleeting hope he would be born on Halloween. Then the sonogram showed he would be born on the 24th, and I abandoned my hope, but was happy he would be here near my favorite holiday.

The 24th came and went, with no sign of his impending arrival. My OB would not allow me to go more than a week over my due date, and guess what day that was...you got it! Halloween! So our Pumpkin Boy came along.

So this month will be a lot of Halloween stuff!! And here's the first installment: Dakin's custom-carved pumpkin. It's ceramic, from a wonderful store in Longview called the Mud Hut--one of those places where you paint the pottery, and they fire it. They were kind enough to let me take it home so we could paint it in the germ-freeness of our house, and now we have a wonderful Halloween accessory! I apologize for the last pic--my digital camera broke, and I am relegated to phone pics from my lousy cell and my nurse's iPhone. So here you go: