Diggers, Dinosaurs, and Donuts! Plus Trach FREE for P Celebration!

Last weekend was BIG for a lot of reasons. My boys had their 3rd b-day bash and time is slipping thru my fingers. :( Their upstairs playroom wall will soon be sporting an amazing 3ft canvas from the celebration showing all of our amazing friends/family's 'Trach Free for P' shirts (the group photo turned out fantastic!). Diggers, Dinosaurs, and Donuts covered every inch of our kitchen and was  a HIT! Preston blew out his own b-day candles. We said good-bye to Infant Toddler Services and had Preston's first IEP with his team. We also got the 'PERFECT AIRWAY' news to make this celebration even more surreal! I always joked with Tim that we would have a HUGE HUGE celebration once P was trach free and planning for it still didn't sink in. It wasn't till I sat down and looked at the photos taken from our group shot and I had chills. My heart if bursting with gratitude to our friends and family who helped us cross over the finish line! Life is GREAT! Preston is vocal as ever. Words are happening slowly. School is the best thing to happen to both of them. The routine feel amazing. Their teacher has me SO excited about learning more signs (he has the words but can't verbally get them ALL out yet so this is a great way to bridge that gap). Now that his IEP has taken place, services have started. He receives speech and OT and changes are already happening. Really exciting! We have signs for all of his friends names at school b/c this little fella is a social butterfly and greets his peers each morning with a wave and "hi!" so we immediately needed signs for their names. I wish i could be a fly on the wall each morning. The best part of all is that the kids are receptive. Reid is a peer in his class (like i have mentioned before) and he can trace his name and loves having me sing about his friends during our song time before bed. I am sure i sound like i am coo coo for cocoa puffs but its so cute! :) He is a BIG encourager to Preston to talk at home too. Hard to believe 3 is here and I plan to enjoy this next year. People have warned me about the terrible 3's but I am choosing to think otherwise. My goal is to keep them busy (i find their behavior is terrible when B.O.R.E.D but fantastic when busy and minds are occupied) and school has made a big difference with this. I am sure my post over Christmas break will include being MORE THAN READY for school to start LOL :) Routine is such a wonderful thing! 

I celebrated the boys actual birth day by taking them to the mall after school got out early. We headed to Starbucks in Barnes and Noble for a coffee for me and ice waters for them. I had them order their waters from the barista with a please and thank you (they thought they were BIG STUFF) and they each enjoyed a giant cookie compliments of the Kids Club! Such a fun program. Then we headed upstairs to the train table (its tucked away in the children's books dept) and played away! We paid the Disney Store a visit for some fun movie videos and then headed to the play area. Such a fun morning and I am grateful I get to spend my days being a mom and enjoying every second before it is gone too soon! They slept for 3 1/2 hrs that afternoon- VERY nice!! Birthdays are tiring ;) If I could tell them now and have them understand, I would simply say THANK YOU! My boys entering my life 3 years ago has changed me in every way imaginable. I look at life in a whole new lens like most parents do! I am more compassionate, understanding, giving, others focused, sensitive, relaxed, and thankful. I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for my little lovies! Tim and I are looking forward to it! :) I have too many pics to post. Here is my fav!