Lubird and sister Scout

two little girls

one bird and one scout

sisters they are

and cute are they, no doubt

one 27 pounds, the other about 7 and a half

soon we'll have them both together in a bath

one little girl likes to eat, mostly at night

so mama is a bit tired and her rhyming is not too bright

two little girls

one bird and one scout

their mommy and daddy couldn't be happier or more proud

WE LOVE YOU GIRLS and WE'LL SCREAM IT OUT LOUD!

Wow how time flies when everything is going well

these first 3 WEEKS have gone by so fast!

Lubird and little Scout are doing great

here are some pictures of their first 'dates'

Truly McCabe visits!

bed shot

feet!

bedtime cuddles

awwww

bath shot!

meeting the wafaie's and cox's

sisters

new ride!

Love these girls!  So many adventures to come!

Daddy's Girl

Jason and I are now parents to not one but 2! beautiful little girls.  Scout couldn't be doing any better-she wakes up to breast feed, which I absolutely LOVE, she sleeps, she poo's, and pee's.  When she does open up her precious eyes to check out her new world, she is so curious, pleasant and sweet.  We feel so blessed with our new little girl.   Lucia and Scout cuddle with me every morning in bed and throughout the day they lay beside each other and I marvel at the picture of my two baby girls, sisters.  I am truly loving being a mom to these two little girls.  

Jason was always excited to be a father, and never hesitant to bring another addition into our family.  He would say 'this will be the best gift for Lucia'.  He is and was right and he no doubt is a wonderful father to both Lucia and now Scout.  However, since having Scout, I have seen a love and bond grow stronger, between he and his little Lu.  Lucia is a daddy's girl.  A Father daughter love is so special and seeing Jason and Lu interact is something I could watch and I will watch for the rest of my life.  

He would take Lubird to the moon and back if he was able, and he will search for HER trip to the moon for as long as it takes.  He just today suggested taking Lucia to Elitch Gardens amusement park this summer.  He will do absolutely anything and everything to make her life the best it can be, whatever it takes.  She brings the best light out in Jason and when they are together their love shines bright.  He knows what her little cries mean-hungry, tired, not comfortable, not happy, and sometimes it's just that she needs to be in her daddy's lap.  He tells her at least once a day, 'you're cute, you're smart, you're funny, and that is why you're the most popular girl in school.'  Rather than choosing to go out with his buddies he often chooses to have a date with Lu at home or going to a restaurant.  When it's a nice day, he loves to take her out to the back yard and sit and play with her on a blanket.  As I sit here and type I look over and see his hand gently placed on her hip, as they sleep side by side. I know in 10, 20, and even 30 years I will see the same thing, over and over again.   He loves her and she loves him.  Lubird could not have chosen a better father to watch over her, to comfort her, to protect her, and to take her on her 'trips to the moon'.  Jason, Happy fathers day to the BEST daddy Lucia could ever ask for.  I too,  know that Jason being Lucia's daddy was absolutely God's plan. 

And little Scout, in time you will see how truly special your daddy is to both you and your sister Lu. 

Happy Father's Day Jason.  

Love, 

Your lucky ladies, 

Jules, Lubird, and baby Scout

She's here!!!

On June 4th, 2013 at 4:51am we welcomed a new little girl into the world.

Scout Lumiere (pronounced Lu-me-air) in honor of her sister Lu, her grandmother Linda, and Lumiere which is French for light, Dawkins.  

7lbs 9oz 19" long

We are a full family! More love, more light, more of everything good. 

Thank you God for our two beautiful girls!

Curly Lu!

We have filled our last couple weeks with appointments, run errands, stocked up on groceries, been able to attend birthday and bbq parties that we didn't think we would be able to attend... and today we had a spa day...I can say we are SO READY for Lu's sister to arrive!!!!
The 'Spa Day' was FABULOUS.   I booked a last minute facial, due to no baby, mom here to watch Lubird, and Jason had birthday gifted me the gift card last week.  It was so relaxing and nice.  I asked the aesthetician to pay particular attention to my feet at the end of the treatment, as they say there are pressure points that can induce labor and IT'S TIME for that!
But the the most fun about the 'Spa Day' was Lucia's First Haircut!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My mom and I met at a Little B's kids salon (voted Denver's best kids salon!-had to do it) and were tickled pink to watch our Little Lu get all trimmed and beautified up!!!!
We brought in her orange seat and put it on the salon chair and snapped pictures like the paparazzi!
Lu smiled and played her drums as Chantelle the hairstylist magically brushed, trimmed, and styled Lu's hair.  Prior to this cut, the front of Lucia's hair looked pretty cute, but in the back, well...she looked a bit 'rasta' aka she had little dreadlocks forming on a daily basis...cute yes, well maybe-but a bit out of control!
Chantelle brought back her natural curls and the end product a Beautiful Curly Lu!  Jason even just mentioned that she looks a bit like Meg Ryan!  I agree!
Who would have thought a little professional haircut could be SO FUN!!!???  Seriously was AWESOME!

SPA DAY- CHECK!!!
It's REALLY time to have our BABY!

Lucia would like to say thank you to Isabella Turner for the beautiful monogrammed shirt.  And we are praying for another friend, Isabella DeSantis for her big surgery tomorrow.  We love you girls SO MUCH!

I AM READY!

I ran into an old friend a couple Fridays ago, Eric Johnson.  Eric's a very funny and sarcastic "dude" - loves to talk about "hot chics" , the latest epic parties, etc...  He is a really nice guy too but I never expected him to say anything about Lu.  After he caught me up with his latest dating and partying life, (as he massaged my friend's shoulders-ha- big flirt) he said something.

Eric:  "So, I read your blog sometimes."
Me: "wow, really?".
Eric: " yea, I think it's good how you get your thoughts out, it probably helps." And then it was back to girl talk...  

It was a bit surprising coming from a guy like Eric.  I've never been one to ever keep a journal going for more than a few days, although I've attempted dozens of times.  But with Lucia's blog, I think of it as a journal for her, so it's easier, more motivating and fun.  

I have thought about what he's said and realized that Eric's right! I was REALLY struggling with the thought of bringing another child into our lives.  I know I wrote about it in the last blog, and I didn't fully express my fear of it all... not even close. BUT!!!!, since writing that last blog, 'getting my thoughts out', I feel SOOOO much better about having a new baby!  I'm GIDDY about meeting her, LOVING her, SHARING her w Lu, and I feel in my heart that this was ALL a part of GOD's plan!   So little lady in my belly, come out, come out, (I know where you are-ha) whenever you like! !!  I AM READY!  

I'm in love with a girl named Lu, and I know soon I'll too, be in love with you! 

10 Days until my due date! Lubird was a little over a week early, so you should be early too-any day now!!!!
WE ARE READY! I AM READY!

Newborn Coming Home Outfit!

And to our friend's, Katie and Dave Zapata and their fighter, 'little big man Lincoln' congrats on a successful surgery and for coming home for the first time since your birth a little over 2 months ago!!!!!!!  You are surrounded by LOVE indeed!

Sisters

This morning during our morning cuddle session with Little Lu, Jason snuggled up next to Lu and said, "Let's really enjoy these last few days alone with her" Those words, those thoughts, the truth that Lucia will be our only child for just a little longer, have been very hard for me.  I've written some blogs, that I haven't finished, I've talked to her about it, I've talked to Jason about it, and I've cried.  When I get sad that Lu is soon going to be shared, I think of something Jason said one time, a while back.  "Jules, we are giving Lu the best present we could ever give her, a sister."  It is true.  She can't possibly just want Jason and I doting over her for the rest of her life.  Boring adult parents, growing old, talking about her, spoiling her...  She needs someone to spice things up!  To play with her, to love on her, to run circles around her, to brush her hair, and paint her toes, to be her best friend.
Yes,  I know that is true but I'm still having a hard time thinking about our little team getting bigger.  Bigger and better we will be but there is no question it will be different.

Our beautiful bird
You are our first and perfect love
you came into our life, a burst of light
showing us a whole new world, one we never even knew existed
because of you we have met more special people from all over the world
and those we have always known, you have brought out a different side
your eyes that sparkle, although they can't see very well, they have opened up our eyes more than ever imagined
although you are so small, and fragile,  you have rocked our world like a beautiful hurricane
soon you'll have a sibling, a little sister
and we know you will love her so
please accept this gift of a new little girl
she is for you, our beautiful baby bird
you don't need to do anything to prepare
just know that we love you and we'll never compare
God has given you to us and we could not be more grateful or more proud
Baby Lucia, our one and only baby bird
We love you so much.

June 3rd, is the due date...and soon we will welcome a new little lady to our family.  We can't wait to meet you, little one.  We can't wait to introduce you and Lu to each other.  Sisters.  That feels good to type.  Sisters.  Sisters.  Sisters.  Wow.

Happy Mothers Day Bugs

I wanted to write a little something about being a mom to my bird.  I feel like the luckiest mom in the world to have my Lucia, who has made ME a MOM!  She doesn't judge, she doesn't complain, she just let's me love on her day in and day out and I have a feeling she will be that way for a long time.  I love my Lu so much.  Jason just chimed in and said he wanted to write a mothers day blog..so here you go daddy.  Thank you Lu for being YOU! 

There's something special about all mothers, but there's something very extra special about my wife. Juliet's ability to love, nurture (both Lu and I), and care for her family is astonishing.   When I first met Juliet,  it quickly became obvious that she is a strong, easy going, funny, and an always positive spirit willing stop for lost puppies, visit random retirement centers (our first Christmas together), volunteer at orphanages, and dig through the car for something to give the homeless guy on the corner.  After we got married, we would often talk about our purpose in life, and discuss different causes, charities, or organizations which we could or should involve ourselves with.  While we discussed such things, time would fly by, we would lose ourselves at work, and find ourselves having the same conversation a month or two later.   Then Lucia was born!  

Having witnessed Jule's courage, commitment to Lucia's health, physical therapies, occupation therapies, speech therapies, self educating herself on a whole host of medical issues she keeps neatly filed in a series of packed binders, her true LOVE for Lucia, her true concern for each of every PKS child and their families, it has become apparent to me that Juliet is doing exactly what God has intended her to do probably since the day Jules was born.   Just as Lu was sent here to teach us all about life and love, I believe Jules was born to do the very same.   Perhaps its every mother of special needs kids, I'm not sure, but I do know I live with an extraordinary woman who goes about everyday making life a bit better for everyone she happens to run into.  

Thank you my best friend and Lover for spending seemingly every waking moment caring for our Lucia.   You've given Lucia everything and more than our sweet angel could have every dreamt she would have received when she chose you to be her mother.   

 

We Love You,

Jason and Little Lu.

And tomorrow my mom is having a big surgery and I want to wish her good luck.  You'll do great, mom and happy mothers day to you too.  

Happy to be Happy

Since having Lucia and settling into daily life after her diagnosis, Juliet and I quickly got into the happy rhythm of having and raising a little girl.  Sure, there are days or moments when the PKS thing hits you, but for us, they fortunately quickly come and go.  Almost every morning begins with me running down the hallway after we hear Lucia wake up to greet her with a "good morning my beautiful girl, I love you!" I change her diaper, bring her to our bedroom, and Jules feeds her a bottle.  I go to work, think of her and  Jules often, then come home to my sweet girls each night.  After dinner, Juliet and Lu take a bath together and I pick her up from the bathtub with a "Ill wrap you up like a little burrito" and get Lu ready for bed.   It's a fun, rewarding, and it's a wonderful life.

However, for the second year in a row, Lucia's birthday week has been very tough for me.  Jules planned and had a wonderful party, Lu enjoyed her birthday song, the weather was awesome, and good friends and family showed up to celebrate.  It was great, but the memories of her diagnosis, the painful days that followed, the emergency trips to the hospital, the pleading with God that whatever was wrong with her would not be serious, the unfairness of it all, laying in bed at night crying about our new lives, it was hard, and for each of Lucia's birthday weeks, it has been totally consuming for me.   Maybe it's Gods way of reminding me how wonderful our lives are or perhaps it's simply my minds way of refocusing.  I'm not sure, but what I'm referring to as my "annual freak out week that I have a PKS child" has served as a reminder to me of how happy I am to be happy.

God works in funny ways.  This morning, the seventh day of my annual one week freak out, I closed my office door and lost it.  I felt horrible about posting a somewhat obnoxious facebook comment to some PKS friends the night before,  about what I thought they should do regarding a teacher who refused to take a PKS child to the zoo with his classmates.   I  then began obsessing over whether Lucia would ever have any friends other than her family who would care for her.  At that very moment, my friend Mike, who I've become buddies with at Crossfit over the last year, sent me a message asking whether Lucia and I wanted to meet he and his two year old daughter for a late afternoon beer and lunch.  I called Jules to tell her Lucia had been invited to have lunch with another little girl and we both teared up and started laughing at the same time.   It was the first time someone had invited me and Lucia to hang out with another little girl outside of our family.  Juliet sent me a picture of what Lucia was going to wear to meet her friend Elsa.   While the girls pretty much ate, we drank three beers, it was an awesome afternoon.

As of this afternoon, my "annual one week freak out that I have PKS child" is over.   I feel great again (other than my arm which is doing much better) and I'm ready for another year with my Lucia, Juliet, and XXXXX.   Thank you to all of our friends and family who make life so easy for Juliet and me.  We love you guys.

Elsa, Megan and Mike Bartholomy

Two!

Who turned 2 years old?! That's right, our Little Lu!  I returned home on Monday from my Mexico getaway and Lucia had been so well taken care of by her aunt Ashley and family...in fact, I'm sure the little bird enjoyed spending time with her cousins and extended family, rather than just her two furry siblings at home.  Jason thankfully had a successful surgery on Saturday-and was also well taken care of by Mario and Linda .  And although Lu came down with a little fever and sniffles on Saturday, all in all everyone did GREAT!   Thank you so much Ashley and Lee.  It was good for me to get away so that I know she WILL be OK without me or Jason able to be by her side...because we are so blessed to have such great family!

Then on Friday...Friday! our Lubird turned TWO years old!  Some days it seems like we've had our girl for years and other days it seems like -really, she is already 2!?   

We celebrated with a girls lunch out and then had a quiet dinner with just our little family at home.  Lubird had chocolate pudding with a candle, Jason and I opened up a special "L" bottle of wine we received as a gift just after Lucia was born from the Killea family.  We went back and forth telling Lu all our favorite things about her..we could have gone on and on...it was perfect. 

Saturday was the big BBQ birthday bash.  Hotdogs, cupcakes, juice boxes, adult beverages, some games and a perfect sunny day with family and friends.  When we all sang Happy Birthday to Lu she was so sweet.  A little grin and shy look on her face...so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.  I'll try to upload the video.  

 Happy Birthday sweet Baby Bird.  Two years old and almost a big sister.  So in love with our girl named Lu.  Tweet tweet, she is SOOOO sweet!

our girl!