Cocoa Daisy Scrapbook Kits | September Kit Reveal

Let's do this! 

The September Cocoa Daisy Kit is here and it is incredible.  This summer has been a long, hot one and I am ready for all the trappings of fall.  This kit does just the trick to get me in the mood.  

And, can't we all agree that the best part of going back to school are fresh sharpened pencils? 

Girl, you are amazing | Made with the main kit and the DITL kit cards.  I loved the big letter stickers from the main kit and used pop dots underneath to give them some added dimension.  I used a grid design again, because I just loved so many cards this month I felt they deserved to be showcased on a layout as well. 

Kindergarten | I can't stand how amazing this patterned paper from the main kit is.  I had to fussy cut the pencils out of it, and trimmed them down a bit to fit under my title.  I am so glad I had some very special product to scrap about my girl's first day of Kindergarten!
I used a trick I keep seeing on pinterest (usually meant for wall art) to frame the photograph with
the thin washi tape of the DITL kit.

Second Grade | I just love this kit for school themed photos.  I wrote out a bit more story here.  Isn't that always the way when typing out journaling?  I love this constellation star patterned paper from the main kit this month. 

Garden // Take a Break | I did a pocket page for my garden this summer.  One of this kit's best theme's is the idea of resetting and taking a break.  My garden (and scrapbooking!) does that for me.  I take a few photos now and again for different flowers but it was nice to see them all in one place. The DITL kit cards are so well designed this month.  I just love the little woodland creatures.  They would be precious in any scrapbook.

I hope you liked the reveal of Lunch Break this month!  Go to the Cocoa Daisy page to shop for the full kit and see the rest of the designs.

You can follow along with reveal with the hashtag #cocoadaisySeptember2016reveal on Instagram and Facebook this month as well.

Back to School | First Day of Kindergarten

Nandini started her first day of Kindergarten today. The kids were so worried that I wouldn't be there for their first day.  Avi remembered how we had a 'party' for his first day last year.  They wanted more of the same.

I had to make that happen in some way at least, so I took the bus home to Austin with them late on Sunday.  When we got home it was a whirlwind of Target shopping to get backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles and food for lunch.  I also bought them a treat for after school (fruit pops), which I'm just now realizing I forgot to give them.  Oops.

The also got new toys since they have been so good while Lakshman is in the hospital.   Avinash finally got a new pack of Pokemon cards and Nandini got a set of new shopkins.  They opened and played with them as soon as we got home.

After bath time, their hair was carefully combed and first day outfits picked out. Unprompted Nandini told me she wouldn't be shy at Kindergarten while I brushed her hair.

I wanted to make a special breakfast but both swore they only wanted cereal.  Wish granted.  They did however want to know why I didn't have the big chalkboard out.  Ha.

I don't know if they were nervous about going to a new class, but they didn't show it.

Avinash was so helpful to his sister, finding her classroom and cheering her on for her first day.  I sat her down and when I turned around she was coloring quietly waiting for the day to begin.

Look at all those fresh supplies.  Yes.

New yellow pencils are the best.

When I picked her up, the first thing she told me was that she made a friend.  A boy.  Whose name she didn't remember yet.  

"Well, it started when he sat next to me at circle time.  

He made me laugh, he's silly.  

We played tag at recess."  

Could not ask for a better first day report than that. 

Confident and ready.  He sat down quickly and tried to smile at the kids he recognized.  He told me that his class had lots of people he knew in it. He already got invited to a birthday party and a playdate.

Lakshman Update // Our Children's House Feeding Program Therapy

Three weeks done!  Lakshman and I have been in Dallas for three weeks now, I can hardly believe it.  

If you have been checking in on him for a while you may remember he was hospitalized over a year ago for his feeding issues and came home with an NG tube for a while.  Since then we have found out that he has EOE, which basically means he has trouble swallowing and sensitivities to different foods.  He has been on different formulas with varying degrees of success and has had endless rounds of speech and physical therapy.  

His weight gain and growth has remained an issue, along with his oral-motor strength.  So a few months ago when the idea of a permanent feeding tube was brought up to us again we started seriously considering this intensive feeding therapy program instead.  

Because he has both issues, we felt it was really critical for him to get this kind of therapy.   If he knew how to eat, but just wasn't gaining weight then we could have pursued different, more medical treatment. Since he doesn't we thought this might be his only chance to really learn.  

Not that we didn't try to do what we could to avoid coming here and get him to learn at home.  Including taking him off of the bottle and formula entirely in an attempt to stimulate his appetite.  The good part was that he was able to maintain his weight that way, but he still wasn't gaining.  Nor did his skills improve at all. 

So, at the end of July Lakshman and I packed up and headed out to Dallas.  My Dad drove us up here and has stayed here for most of the month.  Because we left early in the morning Lakshman thought we were heading out to get donuts.  He still asks Nana about when they are going to get donuts once in a while.  Or he tries telling him that he needs a haircut.  All trips he is used to taking with Nana, and his idea of a way out of the hospital!  

Yes, Lakshman can't leave the hospital.  This part has been especially hard on him. 

I am so glad that during the duration of our stay he has made friends here at least because not seeing any of his old buddies this month definitely effected him.  

Ryan brought the older kids here for a week and he just loved that.  His whole body and face just lit up with joy when they got here.  Initially he was acting very shy here but he really came out of his shell after that. 

Ryan's mother came to stay with us for a while too.  She spent nights with the baby so I could get some rest and take a break from the hospital.  All I'm saying is there is no private bathroom and wow, that gets awkward fast. 

When Ryan got here, he stayed with the baby so we could take the kids out and explore Dallas together.  It's their summer vacation too! 

We visited the Science Museum, the Art Museum and the Zoo together. 

Ryan, his mom and the kids are all back home now.  Lakshman and I have one week left.  He needs to start gaining weight a little bit faster and he needs to start eating his meals with me without refusing.

We would be so grateful for any calls/messages/visits that you guys could make.

We have met some awesome friends here but we need all the encouragement that we can get.

Thank you!