A Post About 4 of 6

We are at a point in our journey, where we need to make a decision. Not a mind blowing, life altering, never come back from choice, but something that will impact our lives, none the less.
Let me start from the point where I knew something had to be decided.
We are a traveling family. We enjoy a good day trip, hike, picinic, lake, ect. Just being out side. When we had 4 of 6, it was still do able. She was carry able. We had 5 of 6, it was still do able, we had a double stroller, and 4 of 6 was little. Now 2 kids later, we can't. 6 of 6 is in the back pack, 5 of 6, loves to hike, run, swim... all the stuff we like. 4 of 6. No. She likes to sit and dig in the dirt, collect rocks and be carried. Which, the 1st to activities are fine, once we get to our destination, but getting there is a disatster. She doesn't like to hike, and she is too big and heavy to carry to most of our destinations. Camping is hard, because she wanders, and doesn't like to hike once we get there. SO I inevitably get stuck back at camp with the 3 girls.
As we were climbing, slowly, up Little Cottonwood Canyon the other day, I started thinking about options.
1 We could leave her behind, with a neighbor, Grandma, cousins.
pro- we could blaze trails, run, make good time.
con- I can't leave her behind. I have gone places with out all my kids before, and I have this constant nagging feeling, I am missing something. Everything is out of balance. I get anxious. It's also not fair, to her. She is part of the family. It's not fair to who ever has to watch her. it's not their job to take our kids because we don't want to. I Like having her with us. Our whole family is just that, it makes us whole.
2. We could haul her with us.
pro- she gets to be with us, experience things that every little kid needs.
con- It Is Hard. It really is really hard. I get frustrated with her pace, or lack there of. The kids want to be running and exploring, and she wants to follow. But, she can't some of the places we go are dangerous for someone like her. We go to ghost towns, hiking on mountains, and swimming in creeks. Or she wants to be carried. She weighs 36 pounds, which for right now, isn't too bad, but she's tall and floppy, so on your shoulders is awkward, and in your arms is hard on the back.
3. Scale back.
pro- maybe she would enjoy it more if we weren't constantly pushing her to go, come on, move faster, get up, no I am not carrying you.
con- It's boring. The kids have all been there done that.
4. stay home.
pro- we can lock our selves in, like we do everyday, and I can let my guard down. I can't relax when we are out because you have to know where she is and what she is doing at all times.
con- know one benefits from that.

I don't know what to do. I have noticed on friends blogs that have kids with DS, most of the times the kids are not there. Is that the best option? Would I just get used to it? DO you pick and choose what trips they go on? Even taking them on trips where there is the option to stay with friends or family, we have started picking to stay in hotels, there's just too many of us, and if you are not used to 4 of 6, she can be frustrating. Which is why I can't let my guard down, also. I have to know exactly what she is doing, so we don't irritate others. SO, traveling becomes expensive.
What is your families thoughts on this, and why?
I'm wondering also, if a good pair of hiking shoes would make hiking easier? Is she just so floppy in her joints, it's painful for her?
Thoughts please.

A New love

5 of 6 has a new love.
Yesterday she says, I Love Belly Buttons.
Um, you mean like the one on your tummy.
No, I want to watch Belly Buttons.
Ok, you weirdo.
Then she went and picked up the TeleTubbies moving.... 'See, belly Buttons'

Teletubbies.png

Teletubbies.png

Maybe I'll Grace You With My Presence

I have almost completely weened myself off the computer. So, you'll have to forgive me for my lack of FB updates, and falling off the face of the blog world. It's actually a good thing. I was finding myself craving the warm glow of the computer screen. Now, I barely think about it. Well, except the Scrabble games my sisters and I play.
In this process, I have re-found my love of reading. Not only has the lack of computer helped that, but our lack of TV has thrust me back into the reading world. Really, I don't have time to sit down and watch TV during the day. And I don't have a TV in my room anymore, so I can't watch TV at night. Occasionally I catch a glimpse of the news when I make dinner at night, or bread in the afternoon, because our only working TV is one of those drop down 4 inch kitchen TV's and we get Fox, NBC and PBS. Now that I have successfully veered of the subject of reading, I will go back. My favorite reads are non fiction history, and war. So and obvious choice if the books I read on WW1 and 2. I recently finished Schindler's List. I wasn't a big fan of him taking liberties on what these people were thinking, but he did put a disclaimer in the beginning about that, so all is forgiven. I am now waiting on the Hunger games. I have heard raving reviews about them. I have a friend who agreed to loan them to me, so I wait, filling the time with Stephen King. I will gladly put that down when I get new books. I don't mind him, but I get board with the likes of King Koontz ect. It's very predictable.
Anyway, things are slow here. We are having a lazy summer. Before we know it, school will start, but not before our co-op starting next week. I have tons of ideas, I just need to make them into tangible activities. Life is good. Slow and good. So until next time.

Statistics

I finally got 6 of 6 in for her 9 month appt, at 10 months. And 4 of 6 had her 5 yr, kindergarten appt. So, shots all around, and the annual thyroid blood draw.
So here are their numbers.
6 of 6 comes in at 16 lbs, which puts her in the 4% range. 28 inches long in the 45%.
6 of 4 is 37 lbs and in the 36%. and 41 inches long/tall in the 22%.

Drum Roll Please

This first picture is the only pre-remodel picture I could find. Maybe because i was hideous, but most likely I just can't remember Which file they are in. Okay, found this one.
Here's last month
here's Thursday
And today!

Day Late

4 of 6 is 5.
Here are a few of my favorite things about her.
She really tries hard. She wants to make you happy, and loves when you tell her she's done a good job.
She is smart. She knows 90% of her letters, and the sounds that go along with them. We're working on counting, and sight words, and she is picking those up, too.
She loves her baby sister. She will play with her for hrs. 6 0f 6 doesn't enjoy it for more than a few minutes.... but, the thought it there.