BEEEACH!

So, we are now back after two wonderful weeks at the beach. Wow, how nice that was!!! VERY relaxing and fun (I read 5 books...heaven on earth for me!!).
Before the trip we talked with Sharon about it and she was saying "Beap" for "beach". The day we drove to the beach, as we got to the swingbridge that takes us to the wonderful Sunset Beach, she said (with NO prompting from any of us!) "BEEACH!"...too cute and cool that she got such hard sounds out! We all heard that wonderful work many times while we were there.
She had so much fun playing with Namom and Pop Pop that first week (that's them in the top picture...a lot of time was spent filling her bucket with water at her "more" command), and then had a week with cousins and aunts and uncles (Jason, Jax, Martin etc). It was so much fun for her and she was a trooper. She'd have days where she was just wiped out and would need some downtime, but heck, so did I!!
She absolutely loved the sand and water. I also got a bike with a baby seat on the back and she really enjoyed that (especially with Daddy running alongside or Anna riding her bike with us).
The house we stay in is on the canal and we found that she actually enjoyed swimming there more than the ocean...
We're home now and Grandma Baer is in town. It's been very nice for Sharon to have her around and RJ and I have been able to get a lot of necessary work done while she has entertained Sharon for hours!
Tomorrow Sharon starts a two week speech camp at UNCG. I'm hoping she's gotten enough rest this weekend and is ready for action!

quick update

Hello! I don't have pix to post because we're at the beach and i am using my dad's computer and don't want to try to figure all of that out :)
But didn't want people wondering what happened to us! Sharon and I are here with my parents and RJ is joining us as soon as he can get here (work has been "off the hook" for him...just when he thought he was getting ready to be done school and have a little break, he is getting slammed...hang in there daddy! We are anxiously waiting for him to get here and RELAX!!!)
Anyway, we are having a wonderful and restful time. Well, Sharon played hard for the first couple of days and crashed yesterday (she was cranky and just worn out from too much sun and fun!). BUT, she slept last night without moving or waking up a single time (i don't think that has happened since she was sedated in the hospital as a newborn!) so today she is back to her cheery self. She LOVES the ocean and the beach. We are just staying at the water's edge to play but she'll get a chance to go all the way in once RJ gets here... IT's been so hot that we go down in the early morning and then after dinner but it's been great.
Anyway, you know i'll have lots of pix to post eventually, but not for another while!

weekend fun (as usual!)

We had a fun weekend, and Sharon had her first sleepover away from us! She stayed the night on Friday with my parents (and slept better there than she does for me! nice!!!). She's getting to be such a big girl!
We had some friends over on Sunday and Sharon had a great time hanging with the big kids Kayla and Daniel. (RJ works with their daddy). These kids were so great with Sharon and I couldn't count how many times i heard them saying to her "well, you'll climb this rock wall someday just like us" or "you'll get up those stairs all by yourself one day", etc. Just totally positive and encouraging with her! Too cool!
I also had to throw in a picture that Sharon took of her shoes...it actually came out really well! She's a total "croc-girl" now, wearing them pretty much exclusively and loving it (and we're loving how easy they are to put on over AFO's. no more broken nails and scraped knuckles for mommy!)
Today we went to an appointment with her orthopedist/developmental pediatrician (he doesn't want to be called that, but he does such a great job that he deserves the title!). RJ joined us which was such a treat! (although i almost got us lost on the way home because i'm used to my mom being there navigating!). Sharon has put on 2 pounds since she started on dairy (that is a HUGE amount for this kid who usually takes a year to gain one pound). And this was the FIRST doctor (i can't even list how many we've been to in three years, but it's a LOT) who actually said what i've often thought: while she's still underweight and we want her to gain more, we can't really use the typical growth chart for her because docs actually want to see kids with disabilities in their legs weigh less than their peers!!! (because it helps "even the playing field"...they weigh less, have issues with their legs, so have less to try to haul around). Honestly, i've been asking this question of doctors for years and FINALLY got some validation today (without even asking, which made it nicer!)
Anyway, this is our second time seeing this doctor and RJ felt the same way i did : he's by far our favorite and we hope he sticks around! He's positive, takes time to talk with us, and doesn't treat us like we are clueless!! Yay! He's all the way in Chapel Hill (at UNC), but worth the trip. We'll probably be seeing him twice a year so he can keep up with Sharon's braces and growth. Such a relief to know that i have someone i trust to do that...
Have a great week!