Kelle, Author at Enjoying the Small Things

Happy little people with long stick legs.

October 8, 2010 By Kelle

I don’t always know what I’m going to write when I sit down to put a new post out. Sometimes, an attempted short and meaningless post turns into a very purposeful piece of writing and likewise, sometimes an attempted thesis gets backspaced, backspaced, backspaced until nothing’s left but a “Hey, Happy Friday.”

I mentioned rediscovering my voice the other day–something I didn’t lose so much as perhaps got preoccupied with what it sounded like….walking on eggshells a bit so that I don’t offend a public audience but, in doing so, changing my voice.

But, I’ve come to a place where I’m not afraid anymore. I am an alto. I’ve heard the radiant sounds of sopranos and wished I could sing that high, but I can’t. I’ve envied the bold tones of the tenors, but my chords can’t compete. I am an alto, and the rich melodies of an alto, interlaced between the sweet sounds of sopranos and the bellowing bass and the bold notes of tenors puts out a hell of a chorus…together.

I am one of many voices, and I am grasping the reins of my own.

Giddy-up.

One of the areas I have avoided, so as not to offend, is Down syndrome. Parenting a special needs child is complicated. No one knows what the hell they are doing and somewhere, deep inside many of us, there is still hurt. We look to others to see how they do it and when we see something different, sometimes we shrivel. Or question ourselves. Maybe even criticize.

Here’s the thing. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. And at the same time, I know exactly what the hell I’m doing and I believe in it with every breath in my body. Because I am governed first and foremost by love. I applaud and celebrate all the other ways people are doing it out there because I know they are governed by the same. Together, we are all fighting for the same thing. Special needs, typical needs, one kid, two kids, young kids, old kids, no kids. We are all on the same team.

I am ready to feel free again in talking about it…this little extra magic of that 47th chromosome. And, most likely, my declaration of feeling comfortable in talking about it will lead me right back into what works for us, what guides us, what governs us. And that is celebrating the right now where chromosomes take a back seat to sidewalk chalk and pumpkin bread and a fabulous pair of chocolate colored leggings that scream Fall.

I don’t know how I got here. And by here, I mean this peak of the mountain that seemed so daunting. Oh, I know there are more mountains. Bigger ones, yes. But the one I’m standing on seemed so big, so insurmountable, so lonely, and now that I’m standing here, I have to tell you…it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Our Buddy Walk is next weekend. You know, the Buddy Walk someone told me about when Nella was two months old and I laughed and said to Brett, “Just so you know, I won’t be ready to do one of those things for like, years.”

And here we are…my biggest fear being how my first born will feel completely and utterly as amazing as she is and hoping her little 46 chromosomes won’t feel like they got the shaft.

That’s a doll on her lap…not Nella.

Am I scared? Yup, sometimes. Am I hopeful? Definitely. Am I aware of the reality of what we are facing? Absolutely. But mostly?

I am happy. And I am in love.

With two amazing little souls. Two amazing little voices. They are different…like altos and sopranos. But they are perfect.

Maybe it’s the Buddy Walk. Maybe it’s the upcoming holidays. Maybe it’s the fact that, in a little more than three months, we will light a candle on a cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to the one who surprised us in beautiful ways.

Regardless, I said it, I mean it, I own it. And I’m not backspacing it.

For the many who have asked and expressed interest, a fund raising page will be up soon for Nella and all the other designer-gened kittens out there if you’d like to donate. We are so grateful you have supported us in so many ways, and I like to think it all just rolls back to you in your own challenges in life.

And, with all that said…

Tonight, I’m feeling like the little people Lainey has learned to draw. On the sidewalk. On paper. In books. On cards. They are happy little people with long stick legs.

I can’t explain it, but somehow these little creatures are the essence of contentment. Dude, they don’t even have arms. But here they are, just a grinnin’. And you should see the array of colors they come in. Oh, they are happy.

Nella’s learned to claw off her glasses and does so frequently. And I know exactly when it’s gonna happen because, after a good fifteen minutes or so of oblivion, she gets a crazy look that’s followed by a mad swipe…and off they go.

So, there. I think that’s it, and I have no idea where that all came from.
The real point of this post was…

Giveaway winner! Lainey drew the number tonight (or clicked the mouse on random.org).

Comment #812, Kelly said: I have been *wanting* a Beaba Babycook since before I found out I was preggo (now due in one month!). It looks so fun! Pick me! Love the new header!

Congratulations, Kelly! Please e-mail me your mailing info to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net, and we’ll get a Beaba Babycook out to you before that baby arrives!

And a shout-out to Bel Kai Designs for renewing their sponsorship! Check her out.

Needing some of this…

Happy Friday!

Enjoying the Small Things…and a giveaway!

October 5, 2010 By Kelle

I walked the beach alone last night. Had no plans to until, knee-deep into a writing project, I caught the sun gliding out of my window view, realized I could still make it for sunset, yelled a “Hey, you got the babies! I’ll be back!” to Brett without any other explanation and drove like a bat out of hell to make it to the closest beach.

…and it was indisputably worth it.

It’s not like me to not take the kids, especially considering the sinews in my soul that connect me to my littles’ souls seem to tighten and strengthen every time we share a sunset. But, last night…it was mine. Because, sometimes it is good and needful to be selfish.

And returning to little souls after a quiet moment of solitude under pink skies has its own way of strengthening soul sinews.

Nella says, “Live long and prosper.”

With that said, much to be enjoyed.

Can I get an ‘Amen’ for Fall?
The funny thing about south Florida is that if Mother Nature throws us even the slightest bone–and we’re talking, what? Maybe a nice morning breeze of 68–I take it and run. To the moon. Doesn’t even matter if 68 slides into a sweltering reverse of those numbers by afternoon. Just that little taste of crisp air and the opportunity to push the sliders wide open and watch the curtain sheers waltz with the breeze…it’s enough. Enough to set my blasted fall flair on fie-yah.

Today was blessed with pumpkin bread.

The oven timer did its little ding and my ass did a Pavlovian response. I bolted. Skipped the oven mitt for a wet dish rag next to the stove, slid that brown beauty off the rack, flipped it out of the pan, cut a thick slice (or four), buttered it generously and ate it in the most embarrassing fashion. Hunched over the counter, crumbs falling, licking my lips…it was insane–in that heavenly-nectar-of-the-gods kind of way.

It didn’t even matter that we failed to mix it properly and there were buried bits of dried flour hidden in all sorts of nooks and crannies. Actually, it’s just a good excuse to keep the second loaf we were going to gift to neighbors.

I’m jumping the gun on every brown/orange/burgundy thing in my closet…and loving it. Even when I’m mocked for wearing tights…every day.

…which brings me to…

Tights.
What can I say? Shamelessly in love with ’em.

This Necklace

Lisa Leonard Designs. So simple, so pretty…I completely love it.

Ballet, Cont.
She’s totally rock-starring her way through class and yet still hesitant and shy-smiling. We have a recital date. How cool is that? A Christmas ballet recital.

The funny thing about ballet is that I sit outside the classroom with all the other parents during the half-hour class and, unlike sports where parents set up chairs or huddle in bleachers, calling fouls, woo-hoo’ing their kid, small-talking with other moms, it’s quiet. Like second-hand-on-the-clock kind of quiet. I think we need a rip roaring game of If Book.

And, in between all this fall-loving, I finally had the chance to dabble in the land of the pretend mother I am in my head. The one who makes her own baby food. It helps that I didn’t do any of the work, thanks to the Beaba Babycook, courtesy of Scandinavian Child

Honestly, it was so easy, and I have several jars in the refrigerator now for the bunny!

Check out the easy recipes HERE.

And, what’s that? You don’t have a Beaba Babycook? Well, here’s your chance to get one. A random commenter will be winning a Beaba Babycook! It also makes a fantastic gift for baby showers…I’m just sayin’. Giveaway winner announced Thursday.

I’m thinking Fall and one-wild-and-precious-life go together quite cosily, eh?

Oh, and for the record…those header pictures? All our back yard, thank you. Who says there’s no fall in Florida? Not I. Not I. Pumpkin bread calls…

sunrise, sunset

October 4, 2010 By Kelle

Nella woke up early this morning, her first little croaks whistling out from the bassinett butted as close to the edge of our bed on my side as I can get her. I un-spooned myself from Lainey and blindly stretched my hand out until I felt Nella’s fingers grasp mine, but it was obvious after a few more croaks and the sound of her legs kicking that she was up for good…even though the sun had yet to yawn and stretch. So, I scooped her up and we stumbled through the blackness to the door, out into the kitchen where I fumbled to make coffee, her body molded to my hip like soft clay while we listened together to the hissss and purrrrr and spputtt of the coffee pot and finally the slow, hot trickle we were anticipating. She was still groggy, and I half wondered if she fought to stay awake just for this moment…because she knew that the true magic happens in the quiet of that sliver of time right before the sun rises.

We did something we don’t ever do. Because usually we’re still dreaming this time. But, today…we ventured outside.

We snuck out to watch the sun rise, trespassing across dewy lawns to our neighbors’ backyard where their big swing sat still, overlooking the lake, waiting for us.

And it was quite magical, that shift change between moon and sun. You know that crazy transition at a hospital when the new shift arrives and nurses are going over charts and making sure the incoming staff know what’s been done? I saw that this morning. Except, right about the time the moon started explaining what needed to be done and where he left off, the sun cut him off. And he goes, “Dude, I got it. I’m the sun. Now, go to bed.”

Bravo, Sun.

You know that adventure of nothingness I referred to earlier this week? It had an encore. Except I wouldn’t be doing the adventure of nothingness justice unless I tipped my hat to every bit of somethingness we get from it.

Travel is good. Busy schedules are good. Having important places to be and amazing people to see is all good. But, like fields that rest before a productive harvest season, I find these small-but-very-big-moments huddled up at home so very good for my soul.

So, we did just that this weekend. We did nothing and so-very-something all in one.

And, look who’s got chompers…

I am refueled.

The sun is set. The babies await. …good to come.