Monday? Again? Jeeze… this every 7 day thing is moving too fast! Seriously.

Anyhow, I find myself making a list of things I am thankful for and having more thankful-s than days in a century! After this weekend, I am thankful for my two feet, the opportunity to run and the friends I have to do it with me. This weekend I ran one of the largest foot races in Providence, the CVS 5K, with about 8,500 other people… but three very special: Tera, Melendy and Steve. They ran in green with me to help spread Dwarfism Awareness. I wish we’d had more people with us, but knowing that there are four (Tera’s hubby is amazing, too!) very influential, loving parents out there spreading knowledge and educating others means more to me than just one “I’m thankful” paragraph could ever cover.

Thank you, for supporting us, and the A is For Adelaide Team!

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My dwarfism fact is something that we, as a community, are trying to get recognized in every state. If you’re wondering what steps you can take, please contact me for details!

October is Dwarfism Awareness Month!!!

If you don’t have your wristbands (see my awesome collection above?), please visit THIS site to order yours today… The new ones are embossed, so the white ink won’t wear off on you!!!

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As we come to a close on Summer, not to mention our less-mobile days, I wanted to recap the three best things to do here in RI with a baby who may not be up-to-speed with their peers physically, but emotionally ready to go, Go, GO! It’s not so random, more of a final farewell to my baby, who turned toddler.

1. Roger Williams Park Zoo– This place is a lifesaver for so many reasons. We have a membership, which seemed steep, but offered us a place to go everyday, that we would only be able to afford twice before a membership paid for itself. But this zoo isn’t your common zoo. It’s a city zoo. No hills, easy layout and an awesome place called the Big Backyard. Addie LOVED it here- we played in the water for hours (literally) almost every week during the heatwaves, as well as met up with friends to stroll the zoo. There were days we didn’t see any animals at all and opted to just enjoy the backyard and other days we skipped the water and hung out with the elephants. If you’re looking for the best zoo to get a membership to in New England, my suggestion is this one, for sure!

2. Farmer’s Markets & Nights out in the parks- Farmer’s markets offer a great experience for kids to learn about local food, clean eating and are always full of entertainment. We bumped into a lot of friends during our season and it was so great to have that time to chat, catch up and let the kids play without planning! Nights out in the park are always great casual learning experiences for kids, too. We went to Garden City’s Wednesday night series and had a wonderful time listening to different music, dancing and bumping into people we knew there, too (it’s a small state!).

3. Structured play (playgrounds are hard for smaller non-walking babes), individual play dates and Rock-a-Baby and Mommy Group are the best for us- Having smaller groups and more one-on-one was a great way for Addie to play, learn, socialize and be safe. She’s such a mover and a shaker, even when she wasn’t on her feet that large spaces and playgrounds were just breeding places for injury and trampling (we tried… it was rough). With her newly walking legs I’m sure the larger indoor play spaces will be a great respite from home this winter, but we will still enjoy small groups for their more personal experience.

No matter what you do, cherish all of the moments that lead you through parenthood. It’s so easy to let go some days and think that will happen a million more times. The truth is, at some point new moments begin and old habits end… and we’re left with the memories we’ve committed to memory- all the others become lost and distant whispers. All the little things that make up our days… even the simple things:

Have a beautiful week of Fall.

xo