Kelle, Author at Enjoying the Small Things

For $40,0000.

January 17, 2012 By Kelle

A little over $40,000 to go.
We can do this.

Please join us in spreading the word. Every child is important. Every child deserves a promising future.

Help us in our 2 for 2 initiative. $200,000 to support the National Down Syndrome Society in honor of Nella’s two sweet years of life. Please share our video and our message–help us raise awareness for a more tolerant society that embraces and celebrates differences.

Visit Nella’s 2 for 2 Fund to donate.

Thank you to everyone who shared videos. I wish I could have used them all. I have saved them and hope to use them in the future. Your children are so beautiful, and your pride and willingness to share their gifts with the world is so endearing. Thank you.

Weekend Celebrations

January 17, 2012 By Kelle

Our Weekend:

We are well now, our house thoroughly disinfected by my germ conscious husband. Besides predicting weather patterns and diagnosing ailments, Brett happens to dabble in germ-spreading prevention as well. I’m going to be kind and call it a “hobby,” although there are a few other terms that come to mind by which I’d like to refer to it.

Appropriately timed for a good home cleanse, we’ve enjoyed a nice cool front which has prompted open doors and windows and a steady current of germ-sweeping airflow. We spent more time outdoors this weekend, the medley of blue sky, filtered sunlight and cool, crisp air reminiscent of early spring days up north.

I like the layers of tank top-plus-sweater-plus-jacket that shifted throughout the day this weekend. And socks–seriously. I can never find a pair of matching socks for my kids. Ever. We get by on sandals and bare feet so much down here, when socks are actually a necessity, I just start digging to the back of drawers and the bottom of laundry baskets praying I’ll find two socks–matching and appropriate size total bonuses.

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Saturday evening, we celebrated Heidi’s baby who will debut in less than a couple of months. I love seeing my friend so happy. She is anticipating this little tag-a-long with such beautifully expressed enthusiasm, and it felt so good to share it in an evening of maternal praise.

Our friend Wylie made homemade pizzas which were out of this world

I am so thankful for my friend, a constant support and continued source of laughter. And babies? Oh, we know how to celebrate babies round here. This one is no different–infinitely loved.

Shower attendees taking turns wearing my fake very refective glasses.

And because my friend is super human, not only did she go to bed late after the shower, but she hauled her bump out the next night for karaoke. Sang and danced a pregnant jig. And my oh my, did we ever have fun last night.

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It’s funny, here I was packing up my Christmas tree last week, hesitant to close shop because I was sad to let go of celebration, and yet January has done nothing so far but call for more of it. Babies and birthdays and friends and all the little things that continue to unfold all year long, inviting little bits of fanfare, toasts of gratitude, occasions for togetherness and remembrance.

Dancing to celebrate another year.

Happy Birthday, Cash & Rocco!

Welcoming new babies.

Lainey gave up face painting, balloon art, dancing and a slew of her friends to hold Baby Ethan at the birthday party. It’s her favorite place to be–holding a baby. I may be raising an introvert, but Sister’s like her mama when it comes to the babies.

We visited my birthday buddy, Baby Sage, today. She is yummy.

And I noticed even more this weekend, my big sister girl has some precious nurturing qualities.

This morning, I wrapped Nella in a towel and set her down while I drained the tub after her bath. Of course she escaped the towel shackles as I heard her palms slap the tile down the hallway a second later and saw a wet footprint trail out the bathroom door. By the time I cleaned up and headed to find her, she was fully dressed–diaper, shirt, pants–and all properly done. Lainey was smiling. “I dressed her,” she proudly confessed.

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Our girl turns two in less than a week–hard to believe.

Nella’s shirt, Tea Collection, half price clearance now

Things have been a little crazy this month and I’m traveling for the first time by myself next week for a couple days, so we moved her party to February. This weekend will be special though, and her day will no doubt receive its deserving honor. Tonight, I watched a short segment on NBC Nightly News about a gorgeous little boy with Down syndrome who is being featured in Target and Nordstrom ads and how, while this is deservedly getting attention, really it’s no big deal–just exactly as it should be. This isn’t the first time a child with special needs has been included in a major ad, and it definitely isn’t the last time. But I still smiled and cried watching it. I just feel so entirely grateful to be a part of this–to have two children who are different, beautiful and bright. To raise a child with special needs during an age when all the hard work of other families is being recognized. Life wouldn’t have been the same for us thirty years ago and it won’t be the same thirty years from now if together we continue to broaden our perspective. I am thankful for the message of acceptance and inclusion–a way that has been paved for our family by so many other families before us. And I am encouraged to continue the fight for more. Please keep the message spreading and help us reach our goal of 2 for 2. Final countdown and a little more than $40,000 to go.

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There’s a winter sale going on over at our Dashing Bee sponsor. Remember, Dashing Bee is an online consignment shop for baby and kid gear. I had fun making some favorite picks from the shop tonight to throw a few outfits together. Everything you see is currently for sale on their site and, better yet…incredibly affordable.

All winter items and shoes are 20% off now. Use Code WINTER20 at checkout for your discount.
Happy Shopping.

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I’ll be stopping by more frequently this week with some special posts. Until then, we’ll be enjoyin’. Hope you will too.

I got this.

January 13, 2012 By Kelle

No offense to male readers or my husband, but I am about to generalize all men based on my observations of one. Ready? Here goes.

Men can’t handle sickness like women can.

There. My unfair statement of the year. As I write this, I holler to Brett in the kitchen, “Do you care if I write about how you suck at handling sickness?”

Long Pause.

Him: “Sure.” Because Brutha knows what’s true.

Needless to say, our house is a hot mess of stomach flu germs right now. I’ll spare you the gnarly details, but the middle of the night last night was a disaster–Nella waking up to nurse at the same time Lainey lunged to puke, Brett moaning with body aches and then–kid you not–Brandyn flinging open a door with a towel to his face and the flu evidence all over the floor. All at the same time.

I hate when my kids are sick, but I’ll tell you what–there’s something about the vulnerability of kids not feeling well that demands the most beautiful moments of motherhood. I take it as an opportunity for a brilliant performance, as tired as I may be. Because there is no other option. They need me, simple as that. I am the only one who can fix it. And so I’m on–aware, awake and ready to deliver the kind of care that will sear memories of precious maternal moments for my girls.

So, there we were last night at two in the morning, Nella nursing on one side while Lainey moaned in my other arm, and a pile of sheets that needed to be washed at my feet. I smiled and whispered that it was going to be okay, that it would be over soon, that I was right here and I wasn’t going anywhere. Brett looked at me helplessly, ignoring his own body aches for a moment as if he could help.

I smiled. “Go, Babe. I got this.”

Patting myself on the back? Hell yeah, I am. So much it was actually the first thing I said to Brett this morning. I annoyingly fished for a compliment. “Dude, how good can I do the sick kid thing?”

“This is true,” he confessed. “You got it down, Babe.”

And I guess, for all the times in this parenthood thing we don’t feel like we really know what we’re doing, there are these glorious moments like last night when you just feel like you were born to do this. Like your love for your kids gives you some sort of special powers, and you know you feel it–the super human strength of a mother’s love. For the record, when those moments come, it’s totally okay to brag about them.

So I did.

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A precious moment today during physical therapy…Nella was just too tired to finish her session, so she fell asleep in Jonah’s arms instead.

All that commotion last night, and Sister didn’t get a good night’s sleep.

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Friday Photo Dump:

Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am “etst” on Instagram if you want to follow the feed.

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On to some matters of business.

First, my friend Nici–the one I traveled across the country to meet last year–well, she has a lovely blog that many of you read. Long story short, she lost her URL due to an expired credit card stored in GoDaddy’s registry. She tried to buy it back and instead, they auctioned it off to someone who is trying to sell it for nearly $5000 which she, of course, is not paying. So, Word, dig this chick has a new URL.

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Next…

$154,000, Dude. Seriously. Heart swells. This is amazing stuff, and I know it’s not over. Thank you. Keep it rolling, and I’ll be back next week with more sentiments on 2 for 2.

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I so enjoyed reading your comments of your chosen words for the year and found myself shaking my head to so many of them. Yes, breathe; yes, laugh; yes, adventure!

The Bloom galley copy giveaway winners are:

Comment #1411, Emily: my word for this year is present. i want to focus on being more present with my girls when i’m with them.
thrilled to read your book!!

Comment #1992, andrijoy: My goal is continued gratitude. When one gives thanks each day, happiness follows and others feel renewed by your peace. I am currently grateful for my son, Wes. He is not here yet, but he has already taught my husband and I so much about love, humility, gratitude and grace. We are one of the lucky few who have also won those designer genes just like Nella. I am lucky beyond words to be given such a wonderful gift. I look forward to reading your book.
XOXO

Comment #28, Cynthia: Oh my goodness! I would just looove a galley copy! How fun that your book will be here for all to see so soon?
My word for this year? Generosity.
A general reminder to do even more in all my relationships 🙂

Congratulations! Please e-mail your mailing address to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net with the subject line “GALLEY WINNER,” and your signed book will soon be in the mail!

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Our new sponsor joining this month happens to have a valuable tool I could use right now–organization, peace of mind, schedule streamlining. Introducing, Hatchedit.com, a mobile whiteboard for families to keep track of their personal lives through calendars, blog/news feeds, group chatting, address books, etc.–ALL IN ONE PLACE. Hatchedit.com membership is free, and schedules can be managed from any computer as well as both Android and iPhone apps. Become the CEO of your family, and simplify your life by letting Hatchedit.com do the scheduling and reminders for you.

Check them out, sign up!

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Last but not least. I finally finished Nella’s Second Year Book. I get a lot of questions about these books. I make them for each of my girls’ birthdays, and the creation is a long and gradual process. While it looks like tons of work, I make these spreads throughout the entire year. I wake up before everyone else a couple Saturday mornings a month, get my coffee and head to the office where I’ll work on these books for an hour or so. I do it because I love it, and the product happens to make my girls very happy too. I order my books through Shutterfly (100 page, hard bound book–they’ve lasted great), and I create all of my own 12 x 12 spreads in my old Microsoft Digital Image Suite standby.

Click here to see the book.

I’m hoping for a puke free night. That would be nice. But if not…
…I got this.