Another American Nystagmus Network Conference in the books!  Feels like we were just at the one in Minneapolis, which was two years ago! This years conference was in Crystal City, VA making the choice to go a no brainer and the cost fairly minimal.  We stayed at the hotel, and as always the girls had a great time living hotel life for the weekend.  We booked a room for four so Harper happily slept in a sleeping bag underneath the desk.  She is almost six and still hasn’t been offended by not being able to sleep in a hotel bed!

As for the conference itself, Justin and I walked away with some extra tips and strategies, some to do’s that we want to investigate further with a geneticist now that Avery is a little older. We talked to a few people, the girls made some friends, and Avery met some other kids with nystagmus.  Ironically, I think the only reason that she knew that they had nystagmus was because of the name tags that the kids with nystagmus were wearing, not because she noticed anything different with their eyes! 

We skipped out on dinner Saturday night and opted to take advantage of being so close to the city. A metro ride, dinner at Logan’s Tavern, some wrong turns, two uber rides, and night time monument viewing defined our evening.  Good quality family time defined our weekend.

Jo Jo Siwa….who?!  Yes, Jo Jo Siwa!  I didn’t know her either until a few months ago!  The latest Nickolodeon pop singer.  Justin and I surprised the girls with an early birthday present….their first concert!  The concert was at Wolftrap and I love that venue so last night at age’s 7 and 5, the girls went to their first concert!

The night included:

• a heat index of 107
• sweat sweat and more sweat
• fun times with friends
• an outdoor picnic
• monocular viewings
• and bows, bows, and bows!

Five years!  That’s how long we have lived in the neighborhood. When we moved in, Avery and Emerson were not even three and Harper not even one!  In our cul-de-sac were a group of families that hung out a lot…and I mean a lot!  We were often included in the gatherings but our kids were the youngest of the bunch and initially the bunch had more boys than girls and as such we didn’t join in the gatherings as frequently as some of the others.  Some of the families we thought were lifers in the neighborhood and I would have ventured to say some of them (but not all) felt the same.  Of the five families that started getting together five years ago, as of tomorrow we will be the last remaining.  The Gladwells will now join the ever-growing list that also includes the Fosters, Younces, and Ferrarias as they venture on their next journey as a family.  Other families have come in to the neighborhood and the gatherings have now expanded far beyond the cul-de-sac.  Our kids are no longer the youngest and there are quite a few girls these days…as there are young boys as well.

The girls first friend, and one we thought would be a lifer, Meagan is moving tomorrow.  They will venture off to China where they will live for two years before likely returning to Colorado.  The Gladwells have been great neighbors, the kind who always have an open front door and a stream of kids flowing in and out.  They are generous and welcoming and will be missed. I know the girls will truly miss their first friend.  I hope they hold close to their hearts and cherish the memories they created from 2014 – 2019 in the Adams Hill cul-de-sac.

The early days….

Slightly older…

The final days….

And the final goodbye…officially Meagan’s 8th birthday!

Bon Voyage!!

Last but certainly not least, this little one filled her marble jar for the first time.  She appreciated every marble she earned along the way and the majority of time was not bitter or disappointed that she lagged some behind her sisters.  Happy girl with fake smile!

She wanted to go ice-skating or to Build-A-Bear only after Avery shared those ideas in the last two weeks.  While we had a great time with Avery ice-skating, we knew a new different experience would suit us all better.  Harper’s eyes lit up when I suggested mini-golf!

Her morning started with a cuddle in our bed…an occurrence that has been happening more frequently lately with a recurring bad dream that she has been having.  Look at both of us…you can almost see our brains in this picture!

She picked out her own clothes for the occasion and wanted to approve of my attire as well!  We had the mini golf course to ourselves.  She probably could use a lesson or two!

This next picture…I just keep looking at it thinking when did my baby get so tall!  That skirt has been around in our house now since 2015 passed down from Avery to Harper years ago and it is showing more and more leg with each passing year!  And those shoes…so grown up!

Her face saying “oooohhh” as she watched the ball.

We made it four holes before thunder and lightening put an abrupt end to our mini golfing.

We quickly had our money refunded and made it to the car just as the skies started opening up…and I mean torrential downpour.  This girl has such a good attitude…she just got in her carseat and went along with the new plans….which of course, were Build-A-Bear!

I sat with Harper in the backseat due as Justin drove threw the intense rain.

Harper picked out a multi-colored bear that she named Emily.

We ended up heading to Ozzie’s for dinner, a last minute decision since we hadn’t planned on being at Fair Oaks Mall.  Harper ordered the kids chicken parmigiana and fries and she ate more of it than I thought.  Her favorite were the Ozzie rolls and butter (notice the butter on her cheek). Justin and I had burgers and salad….the burger totally hit the spot!  Harper had a great time at dinner, giving Justin and I many tight hugs throughout the evening.

The evening ended with a stop at Dairy Queen for dessert!  Now that is how to eat an ice-cream cone!

When we got home, she ran upstairs to tell Avery and Emerson about her evening and the magic of childhood was fully present listening to Harper tell about her evening to her inquisitive sisters.  Its moments like these that put the biggest smile on my face and make me so grateful and happy. Now if only I can eat an ice-cream cone the same way!