Before I get to Sloane's update, I feel like I need to address a few things regarding yesterday's post...
The amount of comments, emails, and texts we received after I hit "publish" was overwhelming. As I mentioned in the post, I went back and forth on whether or not to even share it with the world, because the last thing I want is for our child to be labeled. I never understood why parents cared about that until I was in their shoes and now I get it. He is our darling boy Jude. He is still perfect (to us) and neither of us want the sad eyes. I had a few cringeworthy moments yesterday and I had to tell myself to grow thicker skin because I absolutely knew intentions were good. But, my goodness, Mama Bear is as real as mama instincts.
As with everything, there is a wide range of SPD. I was sent a few blog posts of others whose children have SPD and my eyes grew wider with every sentence. Obviously I am no doctor, but after reading many stories it sounds like Jude has a rather mild case. Not that it matters, but I wanted to clarify our situation and acknowledge the severity could be far greater.
And the last bit... The amount of "great job, mama" comments I received was confusing at first, until I reread my post and realized it was very Meredith heavy. I suppose that's natural as it's my blog and I can only speak for myself, but I am no (for lack of a better word) martyr. This news was never about me and I apologize it came across that way. Please know there were so many involved in this process, especially Michael. He has read every article, listened to every fear (which typically comes around 2 am - poor guy), and never once let me walk this road alone. The same is true for family and friends (my mom already owns her own copy of The Out-of-Sync Child - ha)! My friends have wiped tears, sent scriptures, and loved on our son like he was their own.
So what am I saying? It takes a village.
I'm just so glad our village was built on rock. :)
Thanks again, friends!
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Jude the Dude
It's time for an update on these two kiddos of ours! As always, I shall start with our firstborn, sweet Jude the Dude.
A lot has happened over the last few months. I started not to say anything, then I wanted to say everything, and finally told myself to take a minute and reflect for a bit.
This story has a very happy ending, so don't fret, friends.
Ever since Jude was 18 months, I've known something was a little off. I could never put my finger on it and was told by so many I needed to stop comparing him to his sister, stop comparing him to his peers, and just let him be. At the same time, I've been told the mom instinct is a very powerful tool so I had conflicting feelings. The only thing you ever hear about little boys is autism. I've read about it and completed checklists - he never fit the mold. No one who knows him (especially doctors) thought he was autistic. Deep down, I knew he wasn't either.
After he didn't qualify for Early Childhood Intervention at 18 months, we had him tested again at 2.5 years and he qualified for speech. His therapist came to our home once a week and we saw some solid improvements with Jude. At that time she mentioned he had some sensory issues, which I'd never noticed before. Let me rephrase that, of course I noticed them but I always attributed them to him being all boy. He loves to touch everything, crawl in small spaces, stand on his head, and his energy is endless. She mentioned having an ECI occupational therapist evaluate him so I went along with it.
The therapist asked me a ton of questions and I didn't know the answers. She kept saying, "Does he like to jump or does he NEED to jump?" What? "He likes to jump."
He didn't qualify.
At their 3-year appointment, I'd had a rough few days of family illness and was having surgery the next morning so nerves were high. Jude was literally (and I mean literally) bouncing off the walls. And I lost it. Crying big, ugly tears for 1,001 reasons but at that moment I was looking at an out-of-control child who would not sit still. She reassured me he was all boy and life would get easier when he turned seven.
SEVEN.
Last month, Jude was kissing me passionately (the only way to describe this boy's kisses) and then he pressed his forehead against mine with so much force it hurt. I pulled back to see him grinning at me as he immediately tried to do it again. It was a little odd and stuck with me. That night we put them to bed and I pulled out my computer. After I made sure Michael wasn't looking, I searched the forehead scenario and the first post was a mom talking about her autistic child. There it was again. I clicked on the link and she mentioned her son also had a completely different issue: Sensory Processing Disorder. The forehead example was what she specifically mentioned.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)? I'd never heard of it. I started a new search and came upon this website and, more specifically, this symptoms checklist. As I read the list, I teared up. I was reading about my sweet Jude. It was, on one hand, incredibly painful to realize he had this disorder. It was also incredibly liberating.
The next day I sent Michael the checklist and he was stunned as well. We ordered the book The Out-of-Sync Child and two days later it arrived. The second I started reading the book, everything fell into place. Jude is a sensory craver/seeker, which falls under the Sensory Modulation Disorder umbrella. Before I made any appointments with an occupational therapist, I wanted to learn as much as I could about SPD so I would know how to answer the questions this time. So I would fully understand (as best I could) what was going on in Jude's brain.
A week later, we had him evaluated by a speech therapist and an occupational therapist. He didn't qualify for speech, which surprised me. She told me he would qualify for occupational therapy and if for some reason he didn't, she would do everything she could to get him the help he needed because she didn't want him falling through the cracks. I don't hug strangers but it took everything in my power not to hug this woman. She mentioned he had so much going on inside his little head that speech was the last thing on his mind. With proper therapy, she felt he would flourish in so many different areas, speech included. Without therapy, he would continue down this path and become the "troublesome child" in school, all because no one knew any different.
At his occupational therapy evaluation it took the therapist exactly five minutes to let me know he qualified. She told me about a great book I should read called The Out-of-Sync Child and I pulled it out of my bag. She saw the ear markings and my scrawled writing all over the pages and smiled. She recommended therapy twice a week (30 minutes per session) and I skipped out of the room.
Jude has attended twice now and received excellent reports both times. We purchased a trampoline for our backyard and he jumps until his legs wear out. When he presses his forehead against mine, I press right back so he can feel the pressure. When he stands on his head, I ask him what I look like upside down instead of telling him to quit acting silly. When he's with a lot of kids and starts bouncing off the walls, I take his hand and we leave the room so he can walk around while he has time to reset.
I don't want to tell you too much about SPD because it's so new to me and I'm scared I will say something wrong, but the purpose of this post is to shed some light for others who may not be familiar with it. I so badly wish I'd known about it a year ago.
In less than a month, there has been a change in our house, especially in me. Now, when he does something goofy, my head doesn't immediately go to, "Why does he do this?" and instead it's simply, "How can I help him?" I'm slower to get frustrated and I know he senses that. Communication (on both sides) has drastically improved. It doesn't mean he's in charge - we still have rules and he finds himself in timeout regularly - but I now know his silly actions and antics aren't because he's trying to drive me crazy, it's because he NEEDS to get it out. For the first time in over a year, I feel like we have answers and are doing the absolute best for our son.
So we jump. And we dance. And we swing.
And we laugh. And we hug. And we play.
When I look at him, I no longer worry about him. I'm excited for him. And my tears, which come more often than ever, are full of joy.
A lot has happened over the last few months. I started not to say anything, then I wanted to say everything, and finally told myself to take a minute and reflect for a bit.
This story has a very happy ending, so don't fret, friends.
Ever since Jude was 18 months, I've known something was a little off. I could never put my finger on it and was told by so many I needed to stop comparing him to his sister, stop comparing him to his peers, and just let him be. At the same time, I've been told the mom instinct is a very powerful tool so I had conflicting feelings. The only thing you ever hear about little boys is autism. I've read about it and completed checklists - he never fit the mold. No one who knows him (especially doctors) thought he was autistic. Deep down, I knew he wasn't either.
After he didn't qualify for Early Childhood Intervention at 18 months, we had him tested again at 2.5 years and he qualified for speech. His therapist came to our home once a week and we saw some solid improvements with Jude. At that time she mentioned he had some sensory issues, which I'd never noticed before. Let me rephrase that, of course I noticed them but I always attributed them to him being all boy. He loves to touch everything, crawl in small spaces, stand on his head, and his energy is endless. She mentioned having an ECI occupational therapist evaluate him so I went along with it.
The therapist asked me a ton of questions and I didn't know the answers. She kept saying, "Does he like to jump or does he NEED to jump?" What? "He likes to jump."
He didn't qualify.
At their 3-year appointment, I'd had a rough few days of family illness and was having surgery the next morning so nerves were high. Jude was literally (and I mean literally) bouncing off the walls. And I lost it. Crying big, ugly tears for 1,001 reasons but at that moment I was looking at an out-of-control child who would not sit still. She reassured me he was all boy and life would get easier when he turned seven.
SEVEN.
Last month, Jude was kissing me passionately (the only way to describe this boy's kisses) and then he pressed his forehead against mine with so much force it hurt. I pulled back to see him grinning at me as he immediately tried to do it again. It was a little odd and stuck with me. That night we put them to bed and I pulled out my computer. After I made sure Michael wasn't looking, I searched the forehead scenario and the first post was a mom talking about her autistic child. There it was again. I clicked on the link and she mentioned her son also had a completely different issue: Sensory Processing Disorder. The forehead example was what she specifically mentioned.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)? I'd never heard of it. I started a new search and came upon this website and, more specifically, this symptoms checklist. As I read the list, I teared up. I was reading about my sweet Jude. It was, on one hand, incredibly painful to realize he had this disorder. It was also incredibly liberating.
The next day I sent Michael the checklist and he was stunned as well. We ordered the book The Out-of-Sync Child and two days later it arrived. The second I started reading the book, everything fell into place. Jude is a sensory craver/seeker, which falls under the Sensory Modulation Disorder umbrella. Before I made any appointments with an occupational therapist, I wanted to learn as much as I could about SPD so I would know how to answer the questions this time. So I would fully understand (as best I could) what was going on in Jude's brain.
A week later, we had him evaluated by a speech therapist and an occupational therapist. He didn't qualify for speech, which surprised me. She told me he would qualify for occupational therapy and if for some reason he didn't, she would do everything she could to get him the help he needed because she didn't want him falling through the cracks. I don't hug strangers but it took everything in my power not to hug this woman. She mentioned he had so much going on inside his little head that speech was the last thing on his mind. With proper therapy, she felt he would flourish in so many different areas, speech included. Without therapy, he would continue down this path and become the "troublesome child" in school, all because no one knew any different.
At his occupational therapy evaluation it took the therapist exactly five minutes to let me know he qualified. She told me about a great book I should read called The Out-of-Sync Child and I pulled it out of my bag. She saw the ear markings and my scrawled writing all over the pages and smiled. She recommended therapy twice a week (30 minutes per session) and I skipped out of the room.
Jude has attended twice now and received excellent reports both times. We purchased a trampoline for our backyard and he jumps until his legs wear out. When he presses his forehead against mine, I press right back so he can feel the pressure. When he stands on his head, I ask him what I look like upside down instead of telling him to quit acting silly. When he's with a lot of kids and starts bouncing off the walls, I take his hand and we leave the room so he can walk around while he has time to reset.
I don't want to tell you too much about SPD because it's so new to me and I'm scared I will say something wrong, but the purpose of this post is to shed some light for others who may not be familiar with it. I so badly wish I'd known about it a year ago.
In less than a month, there has been a change in our house, especially in me. Now, when he does something goofy, my head doesn't immediately go to, "Why does he do this?" and instead it's simply, "How can I help him?" I'm slower to get frustrated and I know he senses that. Communication (on both sides) has drastically improved. It doesn't mean he's in charge - we still have rules and he finds himself in timeout regularly - but I now know his silly actions and antics aren't because he's trying to drive me crazy, it's because he NEEDS to get it out. For the first time in over a year, I feel like we have answers and are doing the absolute best for our son.
So we jump. And we dance. And we swing.
And we laugh. And we hug. And we play.
When I look at him, I no longer worry about him. I'm excited for him. And my tears, which come more often than ever, are full of joy.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
A Trip to the Bank
There was nothing unusual about yesterday. Michael spent the early morning moments with the kids while I grasped a few more minutes of precious sleep. He poked his head in at 7:15 and told me he had to go so I stumbled out of bed and brushed my teeth.
My day began at 7:17am. For the next 12 hours, I was solely in charge of two toddlers. We chased each other around the kitchen island, made artistic drawings that (I feel) could hang in any modern museum, caught up on our favorite shows, built sand castles using kinetic sand, took great naps, and shared our feelings on Jesus's birthday cake (still hanging around), clean floors (too slippery), and bedtime stories (Mama Bear's lumpy bed is funny).
It was a great day. It's almost always a great day. But with every day comes those little not-so-great moments that add up...
The kinetic sand made a huge mess under the dining table... three different times. The chases inevitably led to tears. The ink from the artwork ended up all over our clothes and hands (regardless of what the box said, it was NOT washable). Nothing big. But I feel like there's a savings account for parents and every time something like this happens, a small deposit is made into that account. By the end of every day, you're a millionaire. Even when each new day starts at zero.
Every time I had a negative thought, I quickly reminded myself that a) this was my dream job and b) I was so lucky. I shouldn't complain and how dare I grumble about cleaning up the 47th mess when the kids had so much fun? I either pushed my feelings aside or chastised myself for even having them.
I'm no psychologist, but Itook a year of psychology in high school and I think that's called repression. And I'm pretty sure I remember it being a bad thing.
Staying home with my kids is my dream job. And I am so lucky. But there are plenty who have dream jobs outside the home. They also have bad moments when their employees don't listen or when they have a big "mess" to clean up. But when they get frustrated they don't immediately feel guilty. Why is it different here?
I've found the same is true when my kids get sick. Our first response is, "It's only a cold, we should be grateful." Or "So many kids have far worse things to deal with, this is nothing." And both of those statements are probably true. However, just because someone has it worse than you (and trust me, someone will always have it worse), it doesn't mean you're not allowed to take a minute and realize right now... this very moment... it's just not a good time.
We need that minute. That little bit of time where you hide in your closet and cry (or do it in front of your kids - no hiding necessary). A minute of having a tough time and not immediately feeling guilty for it.
I think we need to allow ourselves to feel the bad and the ugly. Even if whatever it is we're feeling may seem small and insignificant compared to what a friend is going through. To stop comparing our sad moments to others and just realize that yeah, this is sad. This is frustrating. This is hard.
The next time I start feeling that tightness in my chest because it's been 12 hours alone with my kids and my daughter starts every single statement or question with, "Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama...." I'm going to the bank and cashing out. For one minute I'm going to allow myself to wish for bedtime to come quickly and I'm not going to punish myself for it. Because if I let myself have that moment, I will be better off for it. The weight on my shoulders will be a little less than it was before.
My love for my kids, however, will not.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Jude & Sloane | 3 Years
As with every birthday for Jude & Sloane, I spend the weeks leading up to it a sentimental mess. I look at old pictures, watch old videos, and constantly ask Michael "Remember when...?" He always smiles and gives me a hug (rolling his eyes as he pats my back, I'm sure).
This year was no exception. For some reason, three seems ancient. I mean, they're basically ready for college. And the changes that have happened this last year... it's truly hard to keep up with it all.
But I shall try.
Jude the Dude
Jude is the sweetest, most exhausting little boy I've ever known. He is a whole lot of everything in a 3-year-old body. Jude is incredibly active, especially if he is in a new place or when I really need him to sit still. When people meet him they always (100% of the time) say, "He's all boy," which I know is polite for, "Oh my gosh that boy never stops." And he doesn't!
He is very tactile. He wants to hold things, he wants to throw things, he wants to touch everything in sight, he wants to run down hallways, jump off couches, and crawl into tiny spaces that aren't made for toddlers. But he always manages to fit.
Do you have a good mental picture of my Tasmanian devil? Good. Now let me tell you about the other side of Jude. He gives the best hugs. He crawls in your lap, puts his hands on your cheeks, and kisses you straight on the mouth. Again and again and again. He says "please" and "thank you" and "bless you" and "your welcome" and "excuse me." He waits until we leave and then crawls into Sloane's bed every night so he can be close to his sister. He is the most empathetic toddler I know, truly feeling the emotions of his friends and characters on TV. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Poor Elsa" or "How sweet!" or "What's wrong with Sloaney?"
Jude is talking more and more, which is music to our ears. He did not qualify for the early learning school so he no longer meets with a speech therapist each week. We were shocked he wasn't accepted but his vocabulary is growing every day so we're not worried about it. We call him our engineer because he loves to build tall towers and design all sorts of buildings (Jude's school house and Sloane's library are his favorites). He loves counting everything in site (he's counted to 30 a few times but usually stops at 20) and loves to point out numbers when he sees them on books or posters. Shapes are also important to him - he constantly points to objects and names all of the shapes he sees on them. In some areas, he's weirdly smart. The other day he was trying to pick up his toys to take them to the play room. He couldn't hold all of them so he went to the kitchen to find a box, put all of his toys in the box, and then carried the box to the playroom. I was impressed.
He spends a lot of time in timeout. He is extremely stubborn and only wants to do things his way and on his own time. He gets frustrated very easily and when that happens, he completely shuts down. Michael and I are learning how to deal with this behavior but it can be frustrating for everyone involved.
A few other fun favorites...
Song: ABCs
Number: 8
TV Show: PJ Masks & Mickey
Phrase: "Put me down!!" or "Mama, I have a present for you...."
Toy: Magna Tiles
Person: Sloane
Food: Any fruit
Sloaney Bologna
If someone gave this girl a microphone and put her on stage she'd be set for life. She is the most extroverted toddler I know. The other day my friend told me her husband was a little jealous of how much Sloane loved Michael. I shared this with Michael and he said, "She gave me a hug and saw him smiling at her so she kept giving me dramatic hugs and kissing my face." Total actress (though she does adore Michael).
Everything with Sloane is a big deal. When life is good, it is really, really good. When something goes wrong, leave it to Sloane to make it the biggest deal on earth. She has perfected her Charlie Brown walk when she is sad and it is HILARIOUS.
Sloane is fiercely independent. She wants to do everything herself. She also wants to help you but quickly gets bored and moves on. She's inquisitive and resourceful. She loves Jude but loses patience with him quickly. They are the epitome of an old married couple and we constantly hear her yell in her most exasperated voice, "Ju-uuude." One day he will be holding her purse.
She loves meeting new people. I've caught her many times talking to a stranger. She's always very polite: "Hi, my name is Sloane Elisabeth Haynes. What's your name?" Once they answer, she tells them about her day. Fortunately, they've all been extremely polite strangers and listen intently.
We were advised by Jude's therapist to have Sloane tested for the early learning school as well. She was accepted - Michael and I were more than shocked. Sloane has a very large vocabulary, but she has some pronunciation issues (leaves letters out of words, etc.). She now goes to school two days a week (two hours each day) to work on those specific areas. To be honest, neither of us truly feel this is necessary but we're trusting we made the right decision and she will "graduate" in no time.
Sloane absolutely love her friends. Her prayers at night go on for days and she constantly asks me what they're up to. She loves seeing them at ballet and school - my prayer is she'll be a friend to everyone she meets and not just her favorites.
A few other fun favorites...
Song: Jesus Loves Me & Twinkle, Twinkle
Number: 3
TV Show: PJ Masks & Sophia the First
Phrase: "I want to do it all. by. my. self." "Please, Please, pretty please? (bats eyes)"
Toy: Her microphone and stuffed animals
Person: Whoever is standing closest to her
Food: Pizza & Pancakes
The past year has been amazing. There have been plenty of rough moments and tears from all of us. I've spent many nights praying to God to give me wisdom to parent because I have no clue what I'm doing. Michael and I have perfected the look that says, "We need to get out of here RIGHT NOW." Sometimes our days are total disasters and I'm counting the minutes until bedtime.
But.
I couldn't love anything more. I feel so lucky I get to spend my days with these two, learning all of their little intricacies that make them so unique. I smile knowing they can and will be their worst around me because they're comfortable with me. I'm honored to be their mom and if Sloane would lend me her microphone, I'd shout it from the rooftops.
Here's to many more tears, fears, and (best of all) years.
This year was no exception. For some reason, three seems ancient. I mean, they're basically ready for college. And the changes that have happened this last year... it's truly hard to keep up with it all.
But I shall try.
Jude the Dude
Jude is the sweetest, most exhausting little boy I've ever known. He is a whole lot of everything in a 3-year-old body. Jude is incredibly active, especially if he is in a new place or when I really need him to sit still. When people meet him they always (100% of the time) say, "He's all boy," which I know is polite for, "Oh my gosh that boy never stops." And he doesn't!
He is very tactile. He wants to hold things, he wants to throw things, he wants to touch everything in sight, he wants to run down hallways, jump off couches, and crawl into tiny spaces that aren't made for toddlers. But he always manages to fit.
Do you have a good mental picture of my Tasmanian devil? Good. Now let me tell you about the other side of Jude. He gives the best hugs. He crawls in your lap, puts his hands on your cheeks, and kisses you straight on the mouth. Again and again and again. He says "please" and "thank you" and "bless you" and "your welcome" and "excuse me." He waits until we leave and then crawls into Sloane's bed every night so he can be close to his sister. He is the most empathetic toddler I know, truly feeling the emotions of his friends and characters on TV. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Poor Elsa" or "How sweet!" or "What's wrong with Sloaney?"
Jude is talking more and more, which is music to our ears. He did not qualify for the early learning school so he no longer meets with a speech therapist each week. We were shocked he wasn't accepted but his vocabulary is growing every day so we're not worried about it. We call him our engineer because he loves to build tall towers and design all sorts of buildings (Jude's school house and Sloane's library are his favorites). He loves counting everything in site (he's counted to 30 a few times but usually stops at 20) and loves to point out numbers when he sees them on books or posters. Shapes are also important to him - he constantly points to objects and names all of the shapes he sees on them. In some areas, he's weirdly smart. The other day he was trying to pick up his toys to take them to the play room. He couldn't hold all of them so he went to the kitchen to find a box, put all of his toys in the box, and then carried the box to the playroom. I was impressed.
He spends a lot of time in timeout. He is extremely stubborn and only wants to do things his way and on his own time. He gets frustrated very easily and when that happens, he completely shuts down. Michael and I are learning how to deal with this behavior but it can be frustrating for everyone involved.
A few other fun favorites...
Song: ABCs
Number: 8
TV Show: PJ Masks & Mickey
Phrase: "Put me down!!" or "Mama, I have a present for you...."
Toy: Magna Tiles
Person: Sloane
Food: Any fruit
Sloaney Bologna
If someone gave this girl a microphone and put her on stage she'd be set for life. She is the most extroverted toddler I know. The other day my friend told me her husband was a little jealous of how much Sloane loved Michael. I shared this with Michael and he said, "She gave me a hug and saw him smiling at her so she kept giving me dramatic hugs and kissing my face." Total actress (though she does adore Michael).
Everything with Sloane is a big deal. When life is good, it is really, really good. When something goes wrong, leave it to Sloane to make it the biggest deal on earth. She has perfected her Charlie Brown walk when she is sad and it is HILARIOUS.
Sloane is fiercely independent. She wants to do everything herself. She also wants to help you but quickly gets bored and moves on. She's inquisitive and resourceful. She loves Jude but loses patience with him quickly. They are the epitome of an old married couple and we constantly hear her yell in her most exasperated voice, "Ju-uuude." One day he will be holding her purse.
She loves meeting new people. I've caught her many times talking to a stranger. She's always very polite: "Hi, my name is Sloane Elisabeth Haynes. What's your name?" Once they answer, she tells them about her day. Fortunately, they've all been extremely polite strangers and listen intently.
We were advised by Jude's therapist to have Sloane tested for the early learning school as well. She was accepted - Michael and I were more than shocked. Sloane has a very large vocabulary, but she has some pronunciation issues (leaves letters out of words, etc.). She now goes to school two days a week (two hours each day) to work on those specific areas. To be honest, neither of us truly feel this is necessary but we're trusting we made the right decision and she will "graduate" in no time.
Sloane absolutely love her friends. Her prayers at night go on for days and she constantly asks me what they're up to. She loves seeing them at ballet and school - my prayer is she'll be a friend to everyone she meets and not just her favorites.
A few other fun favorites...
Song: Jesus Loves Me & Twinkle, Twinkle
Number: 3
TV Show: PJ Masks & Sophia the First
Phrase: "I want to do it all. by. my. self." "Please, Please, pretty please? (bats eyes)"
Toy: Her microphone and stuffed animals
Person: Whoever is standing closest to her
Food: Pizza & Pancakes
The past year has been amazing. There have been plenty of rough moments and tears from all of us. I've spent many nights praying to God to give me wisdom to parent because I have no clue what I'm doing. Michael and I have perfected the look that says, "We need to get out of here RIGHT NOW." Sometimes our days are total disasters and I'm counting the minutes until bedtime.
But.
I couldn't love anything more. I feel so lucky I get to spend my days with these two, learning all of their little intricacies that make them so unique. I smile knowing they can and will be their worst around me because they're comfortable with me. I'm honored to be their mom and if Sloane would lend me her microphone, I'd shout it from the rooftops.
Here's to many more tears, fears, and (best of all) years.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Choo Choos & Tutus | 3rd Birthday Party
Jude & Sloane are T H R E E!!! It's been a busy few weeks for us - Michael started a new job at rewardStyle and I had umbilical hernia surgery. I have their birthday and halloween posts in the works but today I thought I'd share their birthday party!!
It was originally scheduled for Sunday, November 1, but I got really sick that day so we moved the party to Monday. Because of that, several of our friends weren't able to make it and we missed them greatly.
This is such a fun age because they finally understand what "birthday" and "party" mean. :) We counted down the days until their birthday and then counted down the days to their party. There was a little frustration from Sloane because she didn't understand why she had to share her birthday with Jude, but on the actual day she seemed quite happy to have her partner in crime by her side!
The theme of their party was Choo Choos & Tutus! Jude is obsessed with trains and Sloane loves ballet so it was a perfect fit for them. The invitations and all of the party decor came from Bella Carta Boutique. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Jillian (she and I met via Twin Talk)! I had some specific requests but left most of it up to her and she did a wonderful job. (Pssst. she has some great holiday cards available now - check her out!)
The big surprise we kept secret from Jude & Sloane was a face painter! They both loved having their faces painted at the Arboretum last month, which is where we got the idea. She came to our house for the duration of the party and was a huge hit with the kids!
And with that, here are a ton of pictures....
Invitation (without the address - hehe)
My mom made tutus as party favors for all the little girls!
The boys got conductor hats and train whistles!
We continued the tradition from their first birthday party and had the guests sign birthday books (Angelina Ballerina & The Little Engine That Could)
Pink & Purple Butterfly & Blue Spiderman
Since Jude is Baby A and exactly one minute older than Sloane, we sang to him first!
Our Baby B turns 3!
Chugga Chugga Chew Chew!! :)
The Popcorn Barre
My friend Ann Marie had the great idea of eating the cupcakes outside. We still have icing on our driveway but better that than the carpet! :)
We were never able to get an entire group picture but this was pretty close!!
Tutu Pumpkin made with Sloane's fingerprints...
Choo Choo Pumpkin made with Jude's footprint!
And a few pictures of our babies... It was such a fun party and I was so thankful we were able to celebrate with so many friends and family!
(Sloane's gorgeous tutu & top are from JillyAtlanta!)
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