Thursday, June 24, 2010

Lunch Date with the President

Yeah that's right, I ate lunch today with President Barack Obama and Russian President Dimitri Medvevev. Well, maybe I didn't eat with them, but I did get to shake both their hands. It was definitely a lunch I wont ever forget!!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Massive Update

Okay, so yeah... it's been quite a while since I posted anything on my blog. I don't know what it is- lack of time, lack of motivation or just a lack of clarity about the thoughts in my head. But I find it so hard to stay on top of this thing. Maybe its just working, raising two babies and everything else that goes along with it.

Anyways, in recent months there have been a lot of things going on in the Farhat home. Here is a quick little rundown...

April 2010: We bought a house!! From Georgetown D.C., to Arlington VA, to Jacksonville FL, to Falls Church VA, to Annandale VA. That's a lot of homes, a lot of boxes and a lot of packing for one family in a matter of 5 years. However, I will say that we are happy, getting settled and will be here for a l o n g time!



May 2010: Packing, packing and more packing

June 2010: Busy, Busy, Busy. First of all, We moved!! It was a lot easier than I had envisioned with 2 kids. Thank you to my amazing nanny for the girls who took them to her house the entire moving day so we were able to do it kid-free, which made all the difference. And, if you are in the market for a moving company recommendation, I can really say that I LOVE the guys that we used. Give My Truck Buddy a call!


Also in the month of June, my little peanut turned 1!! I really cant believe that the little tiny girl that I used to hold in my arms not that long ago... seems like yesterday... is already a toddler. Running around, stealing her sister's toys and talking and signing up a storm. Amazing.


Lastly in the month of June was my first trip away with girlfriends (since Mommyhood), leaving the family at home to fend for themselves. It was so much fun and desperately needed. Although I walked all over NYC in the heat, got little sleep, drank way too much and had to drive hours in traffic going through the Lincoln tunnel, it was SO RELAXING. Not to mention I got a hug and kiss from Donnie Wahlberg :) Sorry Bethany!!














Looking forward to the summertime now with the family... pool time, playdates, BBQs and a beach vacation. Bring it on!!!


Oh and I forgot to mention... Evie goes to preschool in just a little more than 2 months from now. Eeeekkkkkk! Are you KIDDING?? Where has the time gone?

Friday, March 19, 2010

"Oh No!!"

Dont worry, nothing's wrong. Its just Evie's new favorite saying...

She throws something and says "Oh No!"

She spits her food out on the floor for the dog and says "Oh No!"

She pushes her sister over onto the floor and says "Oh No!"

Apparently if you are really cute and say "Oh No" after everything bad you do, you can get away with anything! :)

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Sun Shines On

I feel like this winter has lasted for an entire year!! Sarah was born in June of last year and I barely can remember enjoying the summer at all. I guess that's just it- I was inside the house most of the time with a toddler and a newborn for the summer months. Well... after a long cold winter filled with record breaking snow storms, I am thrilled that we are finally seeing the Sun Shine On!!!

What is going to make this Spring and Summer so special for me is that Evie is really going to be able to enjoy it. It was so tough to take the kids outside last year given that Evie would just want to crawl all over the place (dirt, gravel, the street, etc.) and Sarah couldn't even sit up on her own. This year I am so excited to spend quality time outside with the kids and let Evelyn truly explore her world - ON HER OWN!!!

Yesterday I took the kids to the park to enjoy the 70 degree weather and I was almost in tears (of joy) when I could walk from the car to the park holding Sarah in my arms and holding Evie's hand.... yes, just holding her hand! It was so amazing. What makes it even greater is that she is so proud of herself. She laughs and giggles and smiles the entire time she is walking. Now of course we had a few episodes of her getting down on hands and knees and taking off crawling in the sand and on the grass because it was too uneven for her to keep her balance - but who could blame her, I can barely walk in sand! Lol. Nevertheless, she amazes me everyday and I am really looking forward to her getting stronger and faster over these next few months.

Now I know I'm really going to be in trouble when both of these girls take off on foot and I am left to chase them all over god's green earth. But I just cant wait :)





Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



Sarah Bear - 8 1/2 months

Sunday, March 14, 2010

A Weekend Well Spent

This weekend some girlfriends and I headed down to Roanoke, VA to attend their local Down Syndrome Conference. Its the first DS conference I have been to, and to be honest I didn't have very high expectations. Actually, I just didn't really know what to expect. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement!

Some of the speakers that we were blessed with hearing were Dr. Brian Skotko, a genetics fellow at Children's Hospital in Boston and Pat Winders, the PT guru and author of "Gross Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome." Both were amazing. I also got the pleasure of hearing Kathie Snow speak, who is a die-hard advocate of inclusion of kids with disabilities in schools. She definitely left me both in tears and questioning a lot of where I want Evie to be in the future.

To give you a little taste of some great things we heard, here are some of my favorite quotes from the Conference...

"Never deny the diagnosis, but always deny the prognosis"

"Disability is a natural part of the human experience"

"Electric lights are just assistive technology for those who have sight" (funny)

"Low Expectations are bigger barriers than our disability will ever be"

"Your children are worth taking risks to have a life well lived"

"The true value of a person's life isn't what he becomes, but sometimes what he overcomes."

What did I do when I got home.... went right into Evie's room (who was sound asleep), put my hand on her back and told her how much I love her. She honestly is AMAZING and it is my mission in life to help her be the best she can be. Most of all, to be happy, healthy and loved.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



The countdown has begun..... until we move into our new home!!!