Nolan on the Move

Nolan is moving and grooving! There is no containing this wild boy

who is just trying to keep up with his big brother!

Playroom Playtime

Carter’s First Day of School {Take II}

Last year Carter started preschool at a nearby church. From the very first day my mama heart did not feel right about it and after months of extreme separation anxiety, issues with his teacher, complications with the director, and lots of tears we decided to pull him out and not push going to school. C stayed home with me after Christmas when the rest of his friends went back to school and we made the best of our time together. I knew once this fall rolled around we would want to try again so I began my search for the right preschool that would fit his unique personality. I put a large emphasis on learning through play and despite my background in education (or maybe because of it) I do not force “formal” learning. I think little ones should be well socialized and learn basic concepts through hands on, interactive play. His original preschool spent a lot of time doing busy work which I was unhappy with. Carter does not learn that way and I certainly don’t think kids should be doing worksheets all day. Anyway, his new school is fabulous and I was immediately put to ease by the director. Although I was a bit nervous because his teacher was new to the school, she has a strong background in special education so I knew she would be able to handle my very special boy ;)

C woke up the morning of school to a rare treat for breakfast-- donuts! He requested chocolate donuts and orange juice so Daddy woke up early to get his special meal. We spent a little time together that morning giving him pep talks and getting him excited about leaving for the day. Linc and I decided that because of Carter’s anxiety it would be better for me to not participate in drop off. I sent my two big boys off to school and Nolan and I waited by the phone to hear how it went. I was able to get a ton of laundry done, put Nolan down for a nap, and eat a quiet, delicious breakfast before I had to get ready to get C. I am proud to report that he did not cry and had a GREAT day! He said he had a lot of fun freeze dancing and playing on the playground with his buddies. Even though he said he doesn’t need to go back, I can already tell this experience is going to be so much better than last year!

Pretty Wicked Moms

There is a local reality show on Lifetime called Pretty Wicked Moms that I am a huge fan of. These mommies live in Atlanta and one of them actually went to high school with my neighbor’s husband. It was so neat to see them all on screen and watch the drama of their play group unfold. Two of the “stars” of the show have a store near Lenox Mall called Swank. When they announced the cast would be there for a meet and greet, a few of my BB girls and I decided to head down and check it out!

Meredith {the newbie}, Emily {the Queen Bee}, Nicole N {the dog mom}, Nicole B

These mommies are beyond gorgeous and it really was fun to meet them. Nicole B ended up being my favorite. She was so personable and easy to talk to. It was interesting to hear how the production company sets up these play dates and the mommies just show up. She said the drama was all real, but the show itself was a bit staged. Either way, it was very entertaining and hilarious to see how these Pretty Wicked Moms interacted. I could not afford a single thing in the store, but it was still a great field trip and worth getting to meet these on screen mommies in real life!

So Glamorous!

Sarcoma Sunset Stroll

For those of you who don’t know, my mother has been battling cancer (more specifically, Sarcoma-- see below) for nearly seven years. She is the epitome of a fighter and I have never seen someone so determined to beat this terrible disease. Because Sarcoma is very rare, it is not as well studied as other types of cancers and the treatment options are kind of guess and check. My mom has had 5 surgeries, countless hospital stays, radiation, chemotherapy, and although none of these things have “cured” her, we still hope and pray that one of these days the right combination of treatment options will bring us a miracle!

In the middle of July my mom was hospitalized with pneumonia. It was there that the Sarcoma Stompers were born- a team of family and friends who would raise money and awareness for the Winship Win the Fight 5k in October. She was finally able to go home six days later with a plan in place to spread the word about the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and make sure all our friends and family knew as much about Sarcoma as possible. Just a week later, her oncologist planned an event to bring patients and families together. On July 31, 2013 a group of people got together in Piedmont Park for a sunset stroll. The meeting had one goal- to raise awareness and educate people on Sarcoma. What better place for team Sarcoma Stompers to get together for the first time!

Although my mom was unable to physically walk she was surrounded by a huge support system cheering her on. The turnout from our group alone was nearly 40 people! I was so happy that my closest Baby Brigade friends and their families could come, my younger sister and her friends, and my older sister’s lifelong friends and their families were able to attend too. It was amazing to see just a small sampling of the people who are praying, supporting, and encouraging us throughout this tough battle. Although this particular night was considered informal, it gave us great hope that our little team would be able to make a BIG difference this fall! We might not be able to cure cancer, but we sure can help raise awareness of Sarcoma and donate towards more and better research.

Want to know how you can get involved? PRAY for my mom! Want to go even further? Why not join us this October and walk/jog/run for cancer? You can participate in the Winship 5k as part of the Sarcoma Stompers and make a difference this fall! Can’t be in Atlanta but still want to help? Please consider making a donation to our team in support of Sandy Nathan! Any amount is appreciated.

http://Winship5K.kintera.org/sarcomastompers