Hot-n-Cold

Well, it has been rainy and cold since November and now it has decided to go to the other extreme--HOT!

I am not complaining...

I am so grateful to finally have sunny days, that I don't really care if it gets Texas-hot around here. With the 90 plus days we are hearing the dulcet tone of borate bombers overhead and the banging of hip-hop music as teenagers drive by with their car windows down.

I am not complaining...

I am determined that the hanging petunia baskets (for which I purchased the expensive cascading petunias and lobelia) will not get incinerated by the afternoon sun. Many of the plants in the shadier backyard are growing to hugantic proportions this year, and I have yet to hit them with even one ounce of MiracleGro.

The people who complain about global warming need to come to my house and spend 9 months in gray, soggy drizzle to appreciate the finer aspects of sun and heat.

On the downside, it has been a little hot for even Kirk to venture outside. The backyard is nice in the evenings, but the front (where they like to hang out) is quite toasty. Suzanne on the other hand, isn't so picky about the temperature and likes to go out quite nakey most of the time. Even if she has clothes on when she goes out the door, they come off pretty quickly. But only in the back. In the front she seems to know that clothing is not optional. Social skills...so important as one ventures out into the world...

Last week was quiet because Kirk was in Klamath Falls going to basketball camp and staying with the grandmas. He had a wonderful time, as usual, but is still tired from it all. He is napping as I type this. The week was weird because Suzanne really had an awareness this year of his being gone. She was clearly discombobulated by it spent all day Saturday running to the window because I told her that Daddy was bringing Kirk home. When they finally arrived, she totally ignored Greg and started screeching "Kirkie! Kirkie!" at the top of her lungs. Boy was she a happy girl--for about 5 minutes which was how long it took Kirk to hook up his Wii baseball game with the bat remote extension. On his very first swing he whacked her in the head a) because he was excited and not being careful and b) because he was showing off to his buddy Cameron who had wandered over when he saw Greg's truck roll by. She was blubbering away, Kirk had the doomed look of a man headed for the gallows, and Cameron was curled up in a ball on the couch trying not to attract negative attention. Hysteria, chaos, we had it all...

We released Cameron from the asylum, checked Suzanne for damage and mopped her face with a diaper wipey, and informed Kirk that the Wii was off limits and he was grounded for the rest of the day. He had been home for about 10 minutes at this point. He finally got his nerve up to try the Wii again today and he has been VERY careful about making sure that Suzanne is in a safe place.

The blissful silence of naptime is over and Kirk is wanting to know what's for dinner. Not unusual, except that Kirk would really like me to tell him the entire menu for the week--not just today. He likes to plan his meals in advance...

Movie Review - Hairspray

Recently we received this letter from a loyal reader --

Dear Jennie,

Why the fascination with the music from the movie Hairspray (2007)? This blog is supposed to be about Suzanne. Surely this movie is a bit sophisticated for her to appreciate? After all, the movie's major themes are civil rights, segregation, female impersonation, and big hair. You should expose your daughter to more age appropriate movie fare!

Signed, Beehive Betty from Boca

Betty, have you actually seen Hairspray? It is filled with bouncy and upbeat music, just the kind of stuff that Suzanne loves, and the dancing keeps her attention focused. I can just see my little Suzanne playing the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2020 revival! And the concept of inclusion is not so different from the concept of civil rights. There is no way that Suzanne is ever going to take a backseat to anyone, unless the backseat is where all the fun kids are. And besides, you have to love a movie where John Travolta sings and dances in a bouffant wig and a fat suit!

Seriously, we are having lots of fun watching this movie, as it is in heavy rotation on HBO right now. Kirk loves it too, and has been secretly practicing his dance moves. Suzanne is a visual learner and actually learns more with repetition, which is why I don't mind all the reruns. And she just looks so cute dancing along with the characters--what's not to love!

Enjoy the musical selections that I have loaded on this blog. And to paraphrase Wilbur Turnblad from the movie, if Suzanne can't put a smile on your face, your skin is too tight!

A Whole Lotta Gorgeous

Playgroup was a hit! We went to the Pride Center yesterday evening and both kids had a blast. They have such a wonderful facility with a great play structure designed for kids with mobility issues. Even though Suzanne no longer has mobility issues, she still loves to go there and play and make new friends. There were probably about 15 kids with DS in addition to an equal number of brothers and sisters.


I must say that there aren't very many things prettier than a room full of DS toddlers. The happiness that radiates could light up an entire town. Just imagine Suzanne magnified by 15.


Here is a picture of Suzanne that was taken when Pride's playground was first built in August of 2006...



As you can see, she needed a little help from brother to get down the slide then. Yesterday she was going down that very same slide head first!


Gotta go, Suzanne has just found my keys and has hit the car alarm so the garage is honking!!


June 21st--the first day of SUMMER!!!


Open Arms Playgroup
Third Thursday of the Month
5 pm to 7 pm
Pride Center for Kids
6511 NE 18th Street
Vancouver, WA