MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!! Here is a preview of the snowman Jared drew that I hope to use for our family Christmas card this year.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Our tree is up............
Geneva and the kids put the tree up last night. I believe they all had a nice time. But not after I got thoroughly disgusted cutting and ripping the pre-hung lights off the tree. We had one whole section that was DEAD. So, we decided to pull them all off and string it up the old fashioned way. I will NEVER again buy a pre-lit tree. Granted I have had this one for like 4 years or so and the lights just died this season...but that was a serious PITA to deal with.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!! Here is a preview of the snowman Jared drew that I hope to use for our family Christmas card this year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!! Here is a preview of the snowman Jared drew that I hope to use for our family Christmas card this year.
Monday, November 23, 2009
I don't want to!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the life of me.
I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO.
I never want to read of another child who has gone to heaven. I just don't. It breaks my heart and I don't even know these people. Just this past week, less than one week before Thanksgiving, one of the mom's on our Down syndrome Babycenter group, Emily, lost her sweet, gorgeous, blue-eyed, baby girl. Gabrielle had gone in for open heart surgery and died from complications within 2 days of her surgery.
Doctors have no idea what went wrong or why. Emily's family, which includes two other children and her husband, are left to grieve their precious baby girl. An angel on loan, and one I will not soon forget. Emily had recently posted a picture of Gabby on October 23, 2009 she was 14 weeks old in the picture. I am going to post that picture here to share with you all.
Please keep this family lifted in prayer. I do not know what state they are in or even all of their names. But if you are a prayer warrior, I know they will appreciate your prayers.I cannot tell you how many times I have hugged my boys since I read of Gabby's passing on Friday.
IT. IS. SO. NOT. FAIR.
Christie
I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO.
I never want to read of another child who has gone to heaven. I just don't. It breaks my heart and I don't even know these people. Just this past week, less than one week before Thanksgiving, one of the mom's on our Down syndrome Babycenter group, Emily, lost her sweet, gorgeous, blue-eyed, baby girl. Gabrielle had gone in for open heart surgery and died from complications within 2 days of her surgery.
Doctors have no idea what went wrong or why. Emily's family, which includes two other children and her husband, are left to grieve their precious baby girl. An angel on loan, and one I will not soon forget. Emily had recently posted a picture of Gabby on October 23, 2009 she was 14 weeks old in the picture. I am going to post that picture here to share with you all.
Please keep this family lifted in prayer. I do not know what state they are in or even all of their names. But if you are a prayer warrior, I know they will appreciate your prayers.I cannot tell you how many times I have hugged my boys since I read of Gabby's passing on Friday.
IT. IS. SO. NOT. FAIR.
Christie
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sometimes............just sometimes............
I become overwhelmed with guilt. Why? Because raising Joseph has been so easy. Really. Really. Easy. Sure we have had bumps and bruises along the way but nothing drastic. Nothing catastrophic. No heart surgery, no tummy surgery, no hearing issues, no apraxia, no feeding issues. Nothing. It is rather boring actually and other than therapies it has been quite routine; I cannot say normal because what the heck is normal anyways?
He is making strides that our neurodevelopmental specialist has rarely, if ever, seen before. His IQ is gaining and is the range of a typical childs. His speech is abundant for his age. His dexterity and fine motor skills are just 6 months behind for his age. His muscle tone is great, He is walking now, climbing, stepping and working on running (though he only practices in his crib...........crazy kid). I am bragging and I know it and I feel guilty from time to time as well. So many kids with Ds struggle in many areas that Joseph never got the Ds memo on. Why? Why are we so different? Our epileptologist, Dr. Pappas, even told me if he saw Joseph out and about he would not peg him as a child with Down syndrome. And we have heard that his whole life............how is that? He looks like a child with Down syndrome. He is short of stature, walks with a funny gait, has a small head, almond shaped eyes, flatness to the back of his head.
I am not wearing rose tinted glasses. My son has Down syndrome, his brain is not what it should be if he were a typically developing child, his development is slowed, yet he is excelling in sooooo many areas. He is a wonder, an amazement, a cherished gift. He is proof in the pudding that you should NEVER put limitations on your child. You open the world up for them and let them amaze you. That is what as parents we should do. I don't dwell on his Down syndrome. I was commenting to mom on the Down syndrome board on Babycenter just the other day whose friend had told her she was too focused on her own little one's diagnosis, and I told her "Down syndrome is a speck in our lives not a boulder in our pathway." Is this why Joseph excels; because Down syndrome is truly an afterthought in our house? Or is it that he is just bursting with capacity right now that will deflate as time goes on?
I really don't have the answer to these questions, but I do know I struggle with them. Not one of my kids has followed the standard of what you would expect from them. Jared is advanced in speech and reading and has been since he began talking at 9 months. Jackson is like a little old man, very aware and soaks in all that is around him but his is my most typically developing child. And then there is Joseph who is more typical than he should be (according to stats) because of his Down syndrome. All my kids missed their apparent memos and that's ok. But the guilt is still there. My heart aches for the moms and babies that must endure the surgeries and I thank my lucky stars I am not one of them. Because I could be, at any given moment I could be with any of my kids. But for today, I will revel in the wander that is my kids and be content with just that.
Until next time, love your babies and never place them in the proverbial box, open the world to them and be amazed.
---Christie----
He is making strides that our neurodevelopmental specialist has rarely, if ever, seen before. His IQ is gaining and is the range of a typical childs. His speech is abundant for his age. His dexterity and fine motor skills are just 6 months behind for his age. His muscle tone is great, He is walking now, climbing, stepping and working on running (though he only practices in his crib...........crazy kid). I am bragging and I know it and I feel guilty from time to time as well. So many kids with Ds struggle in many areas that Joseph never got the Ds memo on. Why? Why are we so different? Our epileptologist, Dr. Pappas, even told me if he saw Joseph out and about he would not peg him as a child with Down syndrome. And we have heard that his whole life............how is that? He looks like a child with Down syndrome. He is short of stature, walks with a funny gait, has a small head, almond shaped eyes, flatness to the back of his head.
I am not wearing rose tinted glasses. My son has Down syndrome, his brain is not what it should be if he were a typically developing child, his development is slowed, yet he is excelling in sooooo many areas. He is a wonder, an amazement, a cherished gift. He is proof in the pudding that you should NEVER put limitations on your child. You open the world up for them and let them amaze you. That is what as parents we should do. I don't dwell on his Down syndrome. I was commenting to mom on the Down syndrome board on Babycenter just the other day whose friend had told her she was too focused on her own little one's diagnosis, and I told her "Down syndrome is a speck in our lives not a boulder in our pathway." Is this why Joseph excels; because Down syndrome is truly an afterthought in our house? Or is it that he is just bursting with capacity right now that will deflate as time goes on?
I really don't have the answer to these questions, but I do know I struggle with them. Not one of my kids has followed the standard of what you would expect from them. Jared is advanced in speech and reading and has been since he began talking at 9 months. Jackson is like a little old man, very aware and soaks in all that is around him but his is my most typically developing child. And then there is Joseph who is more typical than he should be (according to stats) because of his Down syndrome. All my kids missed their apparent memos and that's ok. But the guilt is still there. My heart aches for the moms and babies that must endure the surgeries and I thank my lucky stars I am not one of them. Because I could be, at any given moment I could be with any of my kids. But for today, I will revel in the wander that is my kids and be content with just that.
Until next time, love your babies and never place them in the proverbial box, open the world to them and be amazed.
---Christie----
Friday, November 13, 2009
Any math lovers out there?
My facilitator at IWU, Debra Lewis posted this today and I thought I would share it here.
From a strictly Mathematical Viewpoint:
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 101%? What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these Questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
AND, look how far the love of God will take you
L-O-V-E O-F G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
How's about a little 101% today?
From a strictly Mathematical Viewpoint:
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 101%? What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these Questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
AND, look how far the love of God will take you
L-O-V-E O-F G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
How's about a little 101% today?
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