and Shes 1!

I can/can't believe that Aubrey has already turned 1! This past year brought sadness, along with great joy, new beginnings, new friendships, and lessons that needed to be learned. This month has had me very emotional, thinking back to the day I first held little miss Aubrey, and the hours and days that followed, I still can remember them like they were yesterday, even after a year has past. I often get the "She's one already WOW that went by fast." my response is "yeah for you it did, for me on the other hand, it was the slowest most dreadful year of my life." Naturally we had a HUGE first birthday party for her, and she slept through most of it, when she finally decided to wake up, she opened her gifts which she had a smile on her face the whole time, and also tried cake and frosting for the first time which she loved!!!

In this past year Aubrey has been through so much in her short life, and it amazes me everyday her strength, and I don't think she or anyone else (unless they have/are going through the same thing) will know just how much I admire her ability to be who she is. I also have to admire Tagen for everything he is becoming, and the sweet innocents he presents especially with his sister. The love her has for her is everlasting. Our family did the Buddy walk 2010 which was a great day for us, and so many other families. The weather was perfect. Tagen being only 4 knows his sister has Down syndrome which makes her special, but doesn't fully understand, which is completely normal. After the walk Tagen and I were talking and said "mom, we did the walk for Aubrey because she has down syndrome, were all those people there for Aubrey?" and naturally I answered " no many other people have down syndrome" and his response to that was " because we did the walk, do we have down syndrome now?" tears filled my eyes because he sees no difference between himself and someone with down syndrome, he doesn't feel they are different. I hope he will always have this out look, and he will spread that throughout his life to others.

It has now officially been 2 months since she had her heart surgery, and the progress she is making is remarkable. She can now sit up all by herself, with no support around her. She is starting to use signs to communicate to us (Thank you baby signing time) She has mastered 3 signs which are, mommy, daddy, and all done. She loves to clap her hands and say yayy! Aubrey understands what we are saying to her. We ask for a hugabug and she will rest her head on your shoulder and pat your back, We tell her to go sleepy and she will put her head down like she is sleeping until we say Aubrey wake up, and she pops up laughing. Dancing is Aubrey's strong suite, boy does she love to dance as soon as she hears music she will start rocking back and fourth and side to side. Although there are somethings she can not do YET, and that's a big YET, such as walking and pulling herself up into a standing position, she is beginning to be able to stand if we stand her up, which to me is good. Looking at Aubrey you can see the smile and feeling of accomplishment with every little thing she does. We have started changing over her diet, from formula to milk, and from baby food to table food, ( even without teeth yet, which are bugging her so much) She has had a great start, although we are alternating between everything right now until she is completly ready to get rid of the baby formula along with baby food.

Over this past year as person, as a mother, as a wife, as a friend, and as an educator I have grown so much, and I am truly blessed that I have been giving this opportunity to help this one little sweet girl, help change the world, Along with blessed that Aubrey picked me to be her momma. It took me a long year to get to this point, and to get to these feelings I now have, but I got there, and I will never let them go. Aubrey has taught be patients- I don't have to be in a rush for anything, and I get to cherish every accomplishment weather small or big Aubrey for fills. Not just Aubrey but even with Tagen, everything my children do, now mean so much more to me then it use to.