An early Thanksgiving...

We gathered today at mom and dad's house in Andrew to celebrate Thanksgiving and dad's birthday. We had a nice afternoon. The weather was perfect and we took a few photos, including these. I hope that Dee and Craig will share their photos, too. They had some great action shots of the "electric fence game" - keeping those aged 3 and under from running into the street - that was played all afternoon in the backyard.

What else has been going on since I last posted on Bryan's birthday in October?

Starting with the most recent, you can find some photos of Laurel's Ladybug Halloween costume, as well as the pumpkins we've carved. In the background of the pumpkins photo you can see the pile of leaves we raked to the curb. I'd say this is roughly 1/4 of the leaves we relocated from the lawn. We mulched, composted and finally, we had to use the city leaf vacuum service, it was just too many leaves And we have still more to do. But at least the weather is finally cooperating. But I'm not complaining, at least my livelihood is not dependant on the weather cooperating, like the farmers around this area.

I've also posted some new miscellaneous photos from October, including a photo of chef Laurel, helping with her Daddy's birthday cake (oh my - the mess), some photos of her on the porch and outside. It was really hard for her to adjust to the cooler temperatures that would not allow her to spend so much of her day out-of-doors and we had to get creative about playing inside.

Some other photo highlights: our trip to Chicago on early October for a getaway weekend. You can also find some of my recent quilt projects, and a final few photos of the house, now that construction is complete (almost). You can find these photos by browsing around in my albums.

I've also take a photo for Connie, to answer her question about OZ - a local quilt shop. Yes they still have the quilted bathtub planter out front.

How can I forget - I've been taking a quilt class, and I have some photos of my homework here. I think the final project is going to be very UGLY. But I have learned lots - including the proper way to pin - which has set me free. And I'm really enjoying it. I've started thinking about other projects I can tackle with my new sewing machine. The creative juices are flowing...

I guess that's all for now. It doesn't seem like I wrote very much, but I do have lots of photos to share.

Until my next post, stay healthy and be well,

Colleen

Happy Birthday Bryan!

Happy Birthday Bryan!

You are a great husband, friend, and father. We love you!

~Colleen

Thank you for the birthday wishes...

I took a half-day today, and spent that afternoon with Laurel. Here are a few pictures of what I did on my birthday that made me feel like I really had a great day.

I spent some time on the porch, enjoying the new grass growing in the front yard, and wishing the mulch we purchased would find itself to the landscaping.
I worked on this quilt for the daughter of a friend. All it needs now is the binding.



I finished canning the green beans - I think I'm done canning for the summer as I am pretty much out of jars.

Laurel and I took a trip to the library to pick up some new reading material and puzzles. Then Bryan and Laurel took me to dinner with Key Lime Pie for dessert. Yum. We topped off the evening with a couple of episodes of Northern Exposure, a long time favorite TV show, now available on DVD.

We kept it pretty low key, its a weeknight you know. It was a good birthday, even though we were missing Rowan.


Thank you to all my many friends and family for the wonderful, loving and gentle birthday wishes.

Colleen



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September Update

Welcome back dear readers to another post of the Sibthorp Family. We have been ever so busy, especially this last week.

Our garage sale, of which the date moved around several times, was finally last weekend. All total, 8 families on our block participated, and we did quite well. I only brought one item back into the house, and a trunk load went to good will. This was a milestone for us - we sold most of our baby gear. Lots of happy and sad memories - but mostly happy - went with all that gear. Mom and Dad came down on Friday to help out, and it was necessary, for Friday was the big day. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming.

On Saturday, we finished up the sale, and I started working on the yard. We were able to get seed down and plant some hostas (these poor plants - all 18, have been suffering in our yard all summer). I've updated the Sibthorp Shovel Ready photo album with some new photos of the exterior of the house. It has taken all summer, and its still not done, but what a vast improvement. We are so pleased with the work.

And finally, I've included photos of Laurel helping me on the front porch. We spend many hours here now. Laurel stands on the step and calls to the neighbors as they exit their homes. She's getting to know all their names, as well as their pets' names, and she charms them all. Also in this album are photos of some of the flora around our house. Even though it hasn't rained much recently, and everything is really dry, the garden still looks pretty good.

Until my next post, all my best,
Colleen

Odds and Ends, August 2009

Tonight I was reviewing some photos from my camera and realized even though things seem quiet, there's been a lot going on. So I've uploaded a new album, you can view it here. It starts with Laurel's new abacus. This is a compromise that Bryan and I have about toys for Laurel - he wants to get her a computer and I wanted something a little more basic - you know - fundamental. So he bought her an abacus. To my surprise and our delight, she thinks its pretty cool.

Laurel and I have spent some time in the pool in the backyard. After a slow start, I was finally able to get it set up and now we're keeping cool. Except I think tonight its supposed to be in the 50's for a low temp -a little too cool for the pool.

Next, you'll see what's currently on my sewing table. And right next to this quilt is my brand new, much researched Janome sewing machine - an early birthday present. Connie - I love it! And it has a lot of extras I didn't even know you could get on a sewing machine. This quilt is from a book I found on modern quilt designs. Its made from hand dyed batiks and the fabric has a soft sateen finish. I've learned some new techniques and my machine quilting is getting a little more steady.

We've also been exploring the neighborhood and I took some pix of the flowers we see on our walks. Lots of beautiful zinnias, hibiscus, marigolds, and daylillies. Laurel enjoys these explorations.

The last set of photos is the progress on our retaining walls in the ravine. We were anxious to get this repaired before our house slid down the hill into the storm sewer. Its fascinating watching the tractor get in and out of this ravine - the landscapers are quite skilled.

Finally, we've been thinking a lot about our Rowan today, as her classmates returned to school for another year. And I've been keeping in touch with her teacher to complete a bench project we have in the works. We are hoping to purchase several benches for the sensory garden at Rowan's school, in her honor and we have moved a little closer to getting this done - we've got them picked out - now they need to be ordered. Her teacher tells me they are much needed and we have enough memorial money left over to buy several. Thank you again, to all those who sent us gifts in her honor - this is the project we've decided to apply those funds toward.

Until our next post, warmest regards - Colleen

It is with a sad heart that I report the passing of our dear sweet Miss Molly, our faithful family dog of 13 years. This evening Molly finally succumb to the cancer that was taking over her body and we had to say our goodbyes.

Molly was a great - no the best ever family pet. She was an excellent companion, a scrounger of table scraps (some that may not have made it to the table, just like this morning when she stole a couple of mouthfuls of Laurel's cereal), a chaser of dog enemies (squirrels) and giver of a perpetual happy greeting.

We reminisced this evening about some of happy and sad times - mostly happy. I recall when we brought Rowan home from the hospital after she was born, and Molly promptly jumped up to see what new toy we had brought her. Unfortunately my reaction of protecting Rowan (with a yelp) stuck with Molly and she knew her world had changed. She had much the same reaction when Laurel came home from the hospital. Except Rowan and Molly got along much better than Laurel and Molly. Although in recent months, Laurel had come to see herself as responsible for giving out treats to Molly, reminding me of Molly's medicine and assisting during baths, they got along as they should.

But Molly really missed Rowan, as we all did, and we saw a dramatic downturn in her health after Rowan had passed. Molly often slept in Rowan's room, sometimes even herding me to Rowan. And Molly was always ready to snuggle with Rowan when she was on the floor.

Goodbye Miss Molly. We'll miss you!

SOFT Memorial Balloon Release and our trip to the Outer Banks, North Carolina

We're home from a whirlwind 40 hour car trip to Roanoke, VA and the Outer Banks in North Carolina. We spent the first part of our trip in Roanoke to visit Laurel's Grandma and Grandpa Sibthorp, and to attend the SOFT Picnic and Memorial Balloon Release in which our sweet Rowan was included. It was a lovely memorial service with not a dry eye to be seen. And especially tender for us, as our Rowan was included this year.

You can see pictures in our album, Vacation July 2009 of the balloon release, and the rest of our trip here.

From Roanoke we traveled 7 hours to Nags Head, NC where we stayed on the beach for 3 nights. We enjoyed the sun, sand and surf - along with a heaping amount of seafood. Yum. Laurel enjoyed the beach, but I think the surf was loud, the sun was too bright and she was tired. All her routines were thrown out the window. But all-in-all, she did terrific. She enjoyed her grandparents (and Gypsy too) and she got some serious quality time with us in the car. Like Rowan, she seems to charm everyone she meets, and is very free with her smiles.

We are glad to be home and sleeping in our own beds. I've got a mound of laundry to do, and the weekend to do it. Back to work on Monday for both of us. Laurel talks about Nanny often and is clearly missing her.

Its time to go back to the grind, and enjoy this one until our next vacation...

Sibthorp update...

Just a short note to catch up on our goings-on. Mostly I have LOTS of photos to share. We have been anxiously awaiting the final reveal of the new facade on our house. You can keep up with the progress here.

We had a trip to our local zoo last weekend. The weather was great and Laurel had a blast. Her favorite part is the train ride. You can see photos here.

I've also been working on a quilt for Laurel. I realized while I was sewing it, that even though its her quilt, its really for me. You see, the book by Erik Carle titled "Brown Bear, What do you hear?" is a classic children's book that she loves, and the fabric for this quilt is based upon that book. This quilt will always remind me of this time in her life, and of her reciting the book to me as we turned the pages. You can see "Brown Bear..." and my other sewing projects here.

Lots of New Photos...

I've posted lots of new photos in the following albums:

Rowan's Monument - we're sharing these photos with our friends and family who can't just hop in the car and visit.

Check out new photos of Laurel having some backyard fun.

Lets not forget about the Sibthorp stimulus package. You can see the progress here.

And finally, here's my quilting updates. I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Rowan Margaret!

Today would have been Rowan's 9th birthday. We miss you sweet girl. We love you.

And thank you to our friends and family, who have provided so much love and support over the years. We couldn't have done it without you.

Love, Colleen, Bryan and Laurel

The Sibthorp stimulus plan...

Check out what's been goin' on at our house. This week the contractor started work on our new front porch by tearing up our yard and taking out the old porch. It took only a couple of hours and the floor of our porch was gone and an 8 x 18 foot hole was opened up in our front yard.

I managed to salvage a few plants, but not a lot. You'll see them in the makeshift nursery I created in the back yard. I was really glad I had not gotten to that pile of yard waste yet. And I only had about an hours notice to save anything. I guess that's the way it works when the weather is uncooperative and contractors can only work when the weather is good.

Check out my photo album here.

Also, here's an interesting item I saw in yesterday's paper that hit home. It turns out that the car you see Laurel in is America's best selling car. Who knew? Maybe that's why she loves it and insists on sitting in it during all waking hours? And why she wanted to take all her meals in it today? It does come with 2 cup holders. She loves her new car. See photos of her here. And by the way - some assembly required.

New photos of Laurel...

Today I took some photos of our little diva, Laurel Eliza. Wow, does this kid have style. I dug out my old jewelry and she had a field day. Here are some photos to peruse. Enjoy.

We are getting through the days after the loss of Rowan. Today would have been her last day of school for the year. I spoke with her teacher this morning and we talked some about how we missed her and our plans to do some landscaping around the school in her memory - lots of benches and trees. She had quite an impact on her friends at school and has been greatly missed. It was good to catch up with Miss Cathy and hear about her classmates.

We are hoping to have her monument completed this month. Her headstone is in place, but we are waiting for the Angel statue. It will be really beautiful when its complete. She rests in a nicely shaded location - just like she always wanted -no sun in her eyes. I'm looking forward to seeing it completed, but saddened by the completion of this final task. (I suppose I could occupy myself with tormenting the groundskeepers at the cemetery about their lawn mowing skills.)

I have been filling my time with some sewing. I've uploaded a few photos of a quilt I've been hand stitching (all you proficient quilters out there - ignore the mistakes - I did this with no instruction). I've really enjoyed this creative project and have found myself spending more time at the quilt shop near our house (as well as spending some cash there too). Its a very relaxing endeavor. Now I'm on to machine quilting some place mats. I thought I would try out something small. You'll find some samples my work here.

As for the summer, we have lots of plans in the works. Laurel will start parent-and-tot swimming lessons next weekend, running for the whole summer. This kid loves water, and I NEED her to know how to swim, so we're getting an early start. Our niece Sara will be getting married on June 20th. Rowan's birthday is June 29th, for which we will acknowledge, but not sure how yet. There is a Sibthorp family reunion over the 4th we are hoping to attend, In last part of July we will visit Roanoke, VA for a memorial balloon release for Rowan at the Trisomy 18 conference and visit Bryan's Dad who lives there. Its a coincidence that the conference is in their community this year. From there we will travel to Nags Head for a couple of days on the beach. And finally, we are having some serious work done on the exterior of our house. New front porch, siding and a retaining wall.

Thank you all for checking in on us and sending us your good thoughts. We still need them. Everyday is a minuscule amount better, and sadness is replaced by happy memories. Its funny how that happens...

Until my next post, wishing you peace.

~Colleen

P.S. An update on Molly, our dog of 12 years: she's hanging in there. Every week we see a little decline, but for the most part, she's happy to see us, she enjoys barking at the neighborhood kids, and will-on occasion-tree a squirrel. She takes lots of medicine now, including something to control seizures, but she's not ready to leave us yet and she doesn't seem to be in pain. And for that we are grateful.

Happy 2nd Birthday Laurel Eliza! We had a great day today celebrating you! (Click here to see photos of our birthday girl).

In my defense...

First I just want to say this: she's a taurus - as in the bull. She makes her mind up about something and there is no changing it.

Yesterday morning she decided she liked my shoes and wanted to wear them. And we admired them, told her how good she was doing walking in them (even climbed the stairs in them). But when it came time to take them off and give them back to me so I could go to work, there was no way she was going to give them up. She was wearing them. I would just have to find another pair. So I did.

She wore them all day. I'm going to have to try new tactics.

So finally. A new post.

I think I've worked up enough courage to make this post today, but it won't be long one. And it's another item in a long list of first for us - firsts without Rowan- that is. But once the initial pain of it passes, the next time I do this, it will be easier. Since this website is our home page, I've really enjoyed seeing her photo everytime I opened the browser, but I know that we need to share with our friends and family the goings-on in our household.

So here goes.

The title of this photo is bath night. This child is destined to swim, or boat, or something in the water. We can't keep her out of it. If there is water anywhere -tub, pet water bowl, puddle, glass on the end table - she will find it and play in it. I'm thinking she would love swimming lessons. I'll have to check into that for her.

I've loaded lots of photos into our web ablums. You can browse them by clicking here.

A little more sad news from our household that I wanted to share. Our dog Molly, of nearly 14 years has cancer. And treatment doesn't really seem like a recommended course for her. If you have seen her anytime over the last 4 months you probably had some inkling she wasn't well. She's done some doctoring, and now she's gots some meds to make her comfortable, and she seems to be. We're hoping for a peaceful journey for the remainder of our time with her.

Sad news...

This post is for our friends and family to whom we may have not reached yet with the sad news of the passing of our precious daughter, Rowan Margaret, on Saturday Jan, 24th after a brief illness. This is not the place where I would want to share such news, but for its efficiency, it'll work for now.

Although we are stunned by the events of the last 4 days, we are comforted that Rowan's illness was not of great length and that we enjoyed the 8 1/2 years we had with her with relatively few illnesses of real concern. This hospitalization was only her fourth in her life: once at birth, two within the first year, and this last illness. Which is pretty remarkable, considering the diagnosis of Trisomy 18 and the grim prognosis of only a 5% survival rate for her first year of life. In fact, as we have remarked frequently over the years, we often forgot about her diagnosis, and were able to live a quality of life that had very little suffering.

Funeral arrangements are pending. We will have them finalized today.

We want to thank all our friends and family, from the bottom of our hearts, for all the love and support they have given us through these 8 1/2 wonderful years with Rowan. We could not have enjoyed her so well without all your support. And to all the doctors, nurses, therapists, educators, and anyone else who helped us care for her, we owe you a deep debt of gratitude. You made it possible for us to enjoy her for such a long time because of the work you do. And we are blessed to have you in our life.

Bryan and I are devastated. Actually, there are no words for our grief. But life will go on without her. Her baby sister has been a wonderful distraction. And we are so glad to have shared Rowan with her. She asks about Rowan, and then she quickly follows with "snore - zzzzzz" - her words for sleeping - as though she knows Rowan won't be coming home. She was especially entertaining yesterday. I think she's taken on the task of giving us the love and affection of two children, herself and her sister by proxy. And she seems to be completing it well.

We are collecting memories in a journal of her. If you would be willing to share yours, we would be most appreciative.

~Bryan and Colleen