Cameron's Crew

Family Photos

2011-07-28T15:32:00.000-04:00

I have found this great photographer who is local and very reasonably priced. This was our second time using her and I just love her. Check out our new photos on the right to see how great she captures us all. I did family pictures and she got some great shots of the little ones alone as well. Alek didn't cooperate as usual, but he's a tween, and not many tweens do. Check out my little guy and see why I wish I had another child just like him.........

And our family picture........

I think they came out pretty well considering.

I just love these pictures and couldn't wait to share them!

Kindegarten, here we come...........

2011-05-31T16:44:00.000-04:00

So as June approaches, so does the end of school and the end of preschool as Cameron knows it. We have completed our IEP meetings and eligibility meetings. We have discussed his needs and met his new teacher at his new school. Cameron thinks he is already in kindergarten because he has heard so much about it already. After 3 whole years in the preschool and IPOP program with the same teacher, I wonder how smoothly this transistion will go. I don't worry about Cameron at school currently. That's because I know it's mostly about doing your colors, drawing pictures and doing some very preschool learning. My working with him at home has slowed down considerably since I've become the "single parent". So now my concern goes to the education. I don't doubt that there will be education but I wonder how a child who has a hard time paying attention like Cameron does, will do in an inclusive enviroment. An enviroment I might add that I advocated for him. One that I moved to a new city for. I wanted my child included and to be around his typical peers for social reasons, I just hope this doesn't hinder his education. When I spoke to the teacher (the new one), she assured me that Cameron would be put into small group settings for English and Math across the hall. I know when I work with Cameron just one on one, the problems I encounter due to distractions whether it be other kids, an animal, a noise etc. Will this be a huge problem for him?

Cameron sitting in the cubby in his new classroom for next year!

Now that I've vented my worries to you more experienced parents I'd like to compliment my little man on what he has accomplished. He knows his letters, can recite his ABC's, can count to 15, can read a few words in print (mom, dad, Alek, Rylee, Cameron). His fine motor has gotten better and his physical therapy is about to be discontinued because he is doing so well. His speech improves every day He is sweet, adorable, loving, and most of all caring. On my birthday he made me a card and brought me a cake while singing "happy birthday".

Now if I can just get my act together and start doing my homework with him, maybe things will get even better! :)

The most appreciative kid ever.......

2011-02-17T23:39:00.000-05:00

I wish I had pictures of this but at 6 am who has their camera ready. Just a little back story. I had major back surgery again, just less than 2 weeks ago so I've been laid up and my mom has been living with me to help with the kids that I am unable to lift for 2 months. Anyway, I forgot to get the kids valentines ready the night before and my mom woke me up just before 6 am to get the stuff ready. I only get my kids candy and bits for valentines as I don't want this to be another endless gifts holiday. However when Cameron can in my room at 6:15 he carefully removed each and every piece of candy and thanked me and my mom for each piece. I am so delighted at his appreciation for everything he gets. He makes getting up when it's still dark very worth while.

What's going on?

2011-01-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

It seems it's been forever since I've updated here. Things have been very busy for me lately. Since my husband and I seperated, I have gone back to work full time. I haven't worked full time since Cameron was born almost 5 years ago. My body and mind have had a lot of adjusting to do. Unfortunately, this has made it very difficult for me to be as involved in therapies and school as I previously have been. I guess you can't have it all can you? During the Christmas break and a small break from work I did have time to visit Cameron's Christmas party at school which I must say was just adorable. Cameron, like always, has a girlfriend and a caretaker. Isabelle not only plays Cameron's girlfriend, but also makes sure he is doing what is supposed to and helps him with tasks that are a bit more difficult for him. I was very impressed at how well Cameron fit in with his peers and how well he was able to communicate with them. It appears he feels right at home when he's there. Who could ask for anything more at school?

Alek however is feeling the struggle of the seperation. My once straight A student has brought home a interim with a "d" on it. A "d" i repeat. This is not because middle school is hard for Alek, this is simply because Alek has been not doing his homework. I have to take some responsibility for this. I have never before had to check Alek's homework or make sure it was done. It's just always been a given. Apparently now, its not a given. We're having to go back in time with him a bit and really check on him. On top of that he will be 12 in a few days and the pre-teen attitude has already started. Oh boy!

Rylee is doing well. Her and Cameron spend a lot of time causing trouble......the terrible twosome. They also fight pretty well. There is never a dull moment in my house, or a quiet one for that matter.

Everyone has been healthy and well. And a New Year means it's time for our round of 6 month check ups with all of Cameron's specialists. That makes for a busy time for us, but it's always good to have everything checked and cleared for 6 more months.

As for me, I am struggling. Not with the seperation, more like the responsibility and the feeling of guilt I get when I fail to get it all done. I have had to skimp in some areas and avoid other areas of my life all together. But all in all, I'm a much happier person. I'm doing it alone and quite honestly that feels good.

Here are some recent pictures from Christmas!

What's happenin

2010-10-26T10:18:00.000-04:00

Life has gotten so busy, I haven't blogged in forever. I've gone from working 2 days a week to 4-5 days a week, which is a huge change for me. I haven't worked this much since before Cameron was born. Since he now only goes to therapies on Wednesday mornings and goes to school 4 afternoons a week, I decided to work more. This was more of a necessity than a desire. Being a single mom isn't cheap or EASY!

Alek started middle school this year. We live close to the school so he is able to walk. Lately however he has wanted me to drive him. This gives us time together which I'm sure he feels like he never gets. It's pretty hard being the oldest cause mom is always focused on the babies. Along with going to middle school, he has also adopted the pre teen attitude. Talking back, arguing, being rude etc. This is the beginning of the fun times I'm afraid.

Cameron has started his last year in IPOP. He has the same teacher he has had the past two years and I'm grateful for this. He loves her and she loves him. They were very impressed at how much more Cameron is talking this year. At the end of school last year we were lucky to get a three word sentence out of Cameron. Now he is speaking in complete sentences very easily. He really gets a kick out of telling everyone he has two girlfriends and saying "you're jealous".

Rylee is walking and getting into trouble with her big brother Cameron. She isn't talking alot yet, just a few words here and there but she is getting cuter everyday. She loves her big brothers and they play very well together most of the time. She's learning early to fight back and knows how to get what she wants.

All in all, things are good. Busy but good. I'm trying to not get so busy that I miss these valuable years with my children. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate the moments when you're exhausted.

6 Month Checkups

2010-08-08T14:21:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, there are often certain appointments that reoccur every six or so months. For us, they all seem to be on the same time frame, which makes it easy to remember but also makes for a busy few weeks. We have somehow gotten our dentist appointments, ENT, Cardio, and Developmental Ped appointements all running within the same 2-3 week period. Cameron did great at the dentist this time. 6 months ago, he was very reluctant to even allow the hygienist to put a regular toothbrush in his mouth. This time, he let her polish his teeth with the dental tool and real prophy paste. It did take some reasoning, but I was very proud of him. ENT went well too. While Cameron's hearing is good and he doesn't get many ear infections, we see the ENT every 6 months to have his ears cleaned. I'm always surprised to see the amount of wax they pull out of his tiny ears. He doesn't like having this done, but it's the only way to get it out at this point. He fought terribly and required me and a nurse to hold him while the doctor removed the wax. When it was all finished he went to the doctor and said "sorry". It was so cute. Our last appointment was with the developmental pediatrician. This is the doctor we love so much. He said that Cameron scored 85% on the developmental testing they did, which is considered in the normal range. He said that while Cameron's coordination is definitely a problem, he totally understands on the level of a typical 4 year old. YAY! Next week we go to the cardiologist for a check up and I'm sure we will leave there with more good news.

Disney and Down Syndrome

2010-07-25T16:13:00.000-04:00

So we had the pleasure of attending the National Down Syndrome Congress's annual conference in Orlando this year. Are there two better things? I think not. First you have the greatest and happiest place on earth and then you finish it off with being surrounded by your own people. People whom you've never formally met, but that are your family. These national conferences are the one time of year where you don't feel like everyone is looking at you wondering why your different? It's the time when you see more Down syndrome than not. It's heartwarming and fun. An experience that cannot be matched.

We had a great time in Orlando. It was hot, but hey, it's hot here in Virginia too. Me and a good friend took Cameron, Alek and her son on the trip. We left early Sunday the 11th and drove straight through to Orlando. Everything was great until on an outing during our stay the AC in the car died. So on the following Saturday night, we left at 10pm and drove home all through the night to avoid the heat. It was a good idea although a very tiring one! We are home now trying to get back into our old groove but finding it difficult to adjust back to the "real" world. Cameron has asked me every day to go to Disney World. (He apparently doesn't remember the length of the ride).

I learned alot, met a lot of terrific people and got away from VA for a week. And did I mention that Disney World is the greatest place on earth. I can't wait to go back !

2010-07-19T21:59:00.002-04:00

With a bark bark here and a bark bark there

2010-05-29T17:59:00.000-04:00

Oh no. Not again. I woke up last night to that all too familiar cough. You know the barking one that goes on and on. The one that nearly causes a child to gag. So on to the bathroom with a hot steaming shower and me holding Cameron with my eyes barely open. Funny enough the man of the house was sleeping soundly next to me in the bed snoring while Cameron coughed and coughed. After very little sleep, off to the doctor we went this morning. Thank goodness they are open on Saturday mornings. And it's croup. Cameron had this last year as well although last time it was really bad by the time we go to the doctor and he had to have an immediate steroid shot because his airways were so inflamed. Luckily this time we just had to get a prescription for steroids for 3 days. Cameron was a little gentleman even though we saw an unfamiliar doctor. He let her listen to his chest and back and check his ears and throat with no complaint. And when it was all over he said "thank you doctor". I was so proud of him and the doctor was truly impressed. She said "he does so well". I guess she hasn't had the pleasure of being around many children with Down syndrome and I'm glad he was on his best behavior for her today. He's feeling pretty good right now, he's singing Happy Birthday mama to me for the 80th time since my birthday over 2 weeks ago!

Gotta love it!

Cameron's 1st Movie

2010-05-19T17:31:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, my husband was taking our older son to see Iron Man 2. He decided he wanted to take Cameron as well. We were both a little apprehensive, as this would be Cameron's first time in a movie theater. Would it be too loud for him? Would he be scared? I wasn't sure! So off to the theater they go. A bucket of popcorn and a courtesy cup of water and the kid sits through the whole movie perfectly. He doesn't get up and try to run. He doesn't talk during the movie. Just sits with his popcorn having a grand time. He fell asleep during the last ten minutes, which is funny because Alek did the same thing in Finding Nemo years ago. He was so excited when he got home and now every day he asks to go to a movie and eat popcorn. The down side is that for one adult and two children, it cost nearly $40 for a couple hours of fun. While it was expensive, his reaction was definitely priceless.

What I've learned in 30 years......

2010-05-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

30. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. This can be good or bad.

29. Life really is like a box of chocolates. You truly never know what you'll get.

28. Money can't buy happiness. I don't know this firsthand, I've just been told.

27. Beer before liquor, and liqour before beer.....doesn't matter. Either way, too much makes you sick.

26. While you may get wiser as you age, you don't necessarily get prettier.

25. Men and speedos.....never belong together.

24. Working hard gets you further than hardly working.

23. Being a mother is the hardest job there is. I don't care what men say.

22. Marriage is about give and take.....I prefer to take but you can't always get your way.

21. The most used word for a mother is ....."no".

20. People can only crap on you if you let them.

19. Washing your car always means it will rain in the next 24 hours.

18. You are what you eat. If you eat jelly rolls all day, surely enough your body will become one large jelly roll.

17. People don't always get what the deserve or deserve what they get.

16. Life isn't fair.

15, Good things don't always come in small packages.

14. Treat people as you'd like to be treated.

13. Picking your nose in the car is a bad idea.

12. Never back down your driveway with your car door open. If it hits a tree, it will break the door off.

11. Opinions really are like buttholes.

10. Enjoy every minute you have with the people you love. You never know when it could end.

9. The best things in life aren't free.

8. While having a cell phone is convenient, it is also a bother. People can always find you. Even if you don't wanna be found.

7. Things could be worse.

6. Learn from your mistakes. If you continue to make the same mistake over and over, you start to look foolish.

5. Spongebob is terribly annoying.

4. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

3. Always look in the mirror before you leave the house. Remember other people have to look at you too, try to make sure it looks appropriate.

2. Good friends are always there when you need them.

1. Kids are a blessing. All jokes aside, they are a gift. Some of us are lucky enough to be given these beautiful gifts and don't take time to cherish them. I have learned through Cameron to cherish the little things. The milestones that seem so insignificant. The minutes you spend talking together and laughing. While I've lived 30 years and that seems like such a long time, in theory it isn't. I don't know everything, and I haven't always appreciated everything. But I do feel that since I was 25 (when Cameron was born), I have come a long way to appreciate things more.

So, Happy 30th Birthday to me. I never thought life would go this quickly. I remember being 16 and going to the DMV with my dad to get my license. I thought he was so embarrassing. I only wish he was here now to see how much I've accomplished and to meet his grandchildren. And on a side note, I understand now why women always say they're 29.

I

IEP 2010

2010-05-01T23:47:00.000-04:00

We have just completed our 2010 IEP process. While I do hear horror stories about these things, I am glad to report that ours has been another care free experience. We have been extremly blessed to have a team of teachers/therapists that adore Cameron. They praise him repeatedly and are just as proud about his progress as we are. That makes things easier for us. Things for next year will continue pretty much the same. Cameron will be in the integrated preschool program again but will attend 4 afternoons a week. They are moving the older children to the afternoon session and since this will be Cameron's last year before kindergarten, he will be included in that group. Luckily, this will not interfere with our "private" therapy schedule that I still insist on. Cameron will continue to ride the bus to a different school than our home school because our home school does not host this intergrated preschool but I am fine with that. This works so well for Cameron that I don't mind that this school is a bit further away. Therapies such as OT, PT and Speech will continue at school and because he will be there more this year, they were actually able to increase these therapies slightly. While Cameron continues to have low percentile scores on the testing parts, he is progressing nicely. Making improvements in all areas and meeting all of his goals. I am going to cross my fingers that our experiences with IEP's continue to be as pleasant as this one was. And I will continue to be grateful for the truly caring teachers and staff that treat Cameron just like any other student, leaving me with a reassured feeling that Cameron is in good hands!!

Just Some Updates

2010-04-13T22:23:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post so I figured I'd throw some updates your way. Last week was spring break and while we didn't go anywhere, we did enjoy Easter with the family and had a few fun outings to local parks etc for the kids. Since Cameron is walking this year he was able to finally participate fully in the Easter Egg hunt. It was the most gratifying sight to see him prodding along picking up eggs with such excitement. It made me wish that everyone did the simple things in life with that same excitement. On other fronts, Rylee is now crawling. Look at mom. Since Cameron took longer to accomplish these things, I am awstruck at how fast all of this is happening. It has made me realize what a sweet blessing it was to have the "extended" time with Cameron while he learned to do these things. Alek has started soccer and is really enjoying it. It seems we are better suited for the 1 hour practices rather than the crazy 2 plus hours of baseball we have encountered in the past. And even Cameron is loving watching it. He and Alek have been kicking the soccer ball back and forth which is really cute to watch.

Another big thing is that we are going to get ready to reallly tackle Potty Training. It has become quite an issue around here. Cameron know when he is going both #1 and #2 and he is able to control his urine flow so I feel that he is more than ready. He does very well in school where they stay on top of him. I am ashamed to say that I think we could have accomplished this already had I been more vigilent. It is just hard staying focused when you are constantly running around. I hope to make a real go of it this time and if anyone has any suggestions, I gladly welcome them. Wish me luck and I'll keep you updated.

3-21

2010-03-20T12:49:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is World Down Syndrome Day. A day to educate and a day to celebrate. I am celebrating my connection to Down syndrome by honoring Cameron. I am going to list 21 facts about Cameron and hopefully remind people that what he has brought to our family and friends far outweighs any of the pittfalls we've encountered along the way.

1. Cameron was 5lbs 4oz at birth and it took him 6 months to reach 10 lbs.

2. At just 6 months of age, Cameron had open heart surgery to repair a hole in his heart. He stayed in the hospital for 7 days.

3. Cameron rolled over for the first time when he was at the hospital the day of his surgery while getting his pre-op things out of the way.

4. Cameron is a middle child. He has an older brother Alek and a baby sister Rylee.

5. Cameron started walking when he was 3 1/2 years old. His baby sister had just arrived and he had to show her up!

6. Before Cameron began talking, he used sign language to communicate. He could sign around 200 words and although he doesn't use the signs since he has started to talk.....he still remembers most of them.

7. Cameron attends school 3 mornings a week in an inclusive preschool setting with our public school system. He even rides the school bus.

8. Cameron wakes up (at the crack of dawn) with a smile on his face. He truly is happy "most" of the time.

9. Cameron's favorite color is orange.

10. His favorite food is burger with fries and ranch.

11. Cameron loves his family and grandparents.

12. Cameron once had a therapy dog which he didn't care for. We have since gotten a stray dog whom he has named "B Curtis". He and B are best friends.

13. Cameron is very loving. He loves to hug and kiss us all.

14. Cameron touches the hearts of all who know him. We never get tired of hearing how much everyone loves him.

15. Cameron knows the names of every restaurant we pass while driving in the car.

16. Cameron knows the words to a lot of the popular songs on the radio and can even request them by name.

17. Cameron stays very healthy and unlike a lot of the literature you read about Down syndrome.

18. Cameron has the best sense of humor. He loves to make people laugh.

19. If you are ever sad, Cameron is sure to make you smile.

20. Even though it takes a little more work, Cameron does his best to accomplish every task he is given.

21. Most importantly........Cameron is loved so much by all of us, especially me. I look back on my life and am so thankful that I have been given this very special gift. If I could get 10 more just like him, I would surely take them

So celebrate with us as we continue to enjoy all of the wonderful things we have gotten with Cameron. He has brought to us the important things in life.....the kind of things you can't buy with money.

Be careful what you wish for.........

2010-03-16T19:02:00.000-04:00

When Cameron was just a newborn, I began to worry a lot about how his disability would affect our family and our other child at the time. One of my biggest concerns was that they wouldn't have the normal relationship that brothers do because Cameron was different. Boy was I wrong. I have had the pleasure and sometimes annoyance of the typical brotherly love that you see between brothers. Conversation from the car the other day.

There was a good song on the radio.

Cameron: Radio Up Mama Please

Me: Ok

Cameron: Thanks Mama

Well then Alek begins to tell me some story about school.

Cameron: (yelling) SHHHHHH. Quiet.

Alek: I do what I want (show Cameron his fist)

Cameron: Go away.

Alek laughs

Cameron: fine ever

As annoying as this is , especially in the car it is also heartwarming to know that the relationship my boys have is no different than the relationship I had with my siblings and that all siblings have. I love that Alek doesn't treat Cameron different. Not that being a bullying big brother is a good thing, but it is a normal thing. And Alek is right there to defend Cameron and help him when he really needs him. It is the days such as these that make me so proud to be a mother.

Talks with an 11 year old boy

2010-03-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

I have decided that rather than forget these memorable moments I have with my oldest son, I will share them and even keep record of them. They will be good stories to use when he is older and when he brings girls home etc. Our brief conversation last night regarding saving money......

Me: When you start cutting grass this summer you are going to be required to save some of the money you make rather than just spending it all.

Alek: I know, Mom.

Me: Well you can't just spend it all and have nothing to show for it.

Alek: What about if I put 2% in the bank?

Me: You're going to put half in the bank!

Alek: What about if I put 50% in the bank?

Me: That sounds good!

Now keep in mind that my child, this child is in the "gifted program" at school. This did however provide us all with a great laugh, he even thought it was funny when I told him that half is 50%.

2010-03-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

In effort to stop the misuse of the R-Word, I am posting a speech given by a high school senior. I have read this before and thought it was really really good. I'm sure some of you have read it, but for those who haven't, I think you'll agree, it was well written and to the point.

Written by: Soeren Palumbo

"I want to tell you a quick story before I start. I was walking through hallways, not minding my own business, listening to the conversations around me. As I passed the front door on my way to my English classroom, I heard the dialogue between two friends nearby. For reasons of privacy, I would rather not give away their race or gender. So the one girl leans to the other, pointing to the back of a young man washing the glass panes of the front door, and says, "Oh my gaw! I think it is so cute that our school brings in the black kids from around the district to wash our windows!" The other girl looked up, widened her slanted Asian eyes and called to the window washer, easily loud enough for him to hear, "Hey, Negro! You missed a spot!" The young man did not turn around. The first girl smiled a bland smile that all white girls – hell, all white people – have and walked on. A group of Mexicans stood by and laughed that high pitch laugh that all of them have.

So now it's your turn. What do you think the black window washer did? What would you do in that situation? Do you think he turned and calmly explained the fallacies of racism and showed the girls the error of their way? That's the one thing that makes racism, or any discrimination, less powerful in my mind. No matter how biased or bigoted a comment or action may be, the guy can turn around and explain why racism is wrong and, if worst comes to worst, punch em in the face.

Discrimination against those who can defend themselves, obviously, cannot survive. What would be far worse is if we discriminated against those who cannot defend themselves. What then, could be worse than racism? Look around you and thank God that we don't live in a world that discriminates and despises those who cannot defend themselves. Thank God that every one of us in this room, in this school hates racism and sexism and by that logic discrimination in general. Thank God that every one in this institution is dedicated to the ideal of mutual respect and love for our fellow human beings. Then pinch yourself for living in a dream. Then pinch the hypocrites sitting next to you. Then pinch the hypocrite that is you. Pinch yourself once for each time you have looked at one of your fellow human beings with a mental handicap and laughed. Pinch yourself for each and every time you denounced discrimination only to turn and hate those around you without the ability to defend themselves, the only ones around you without the ability to defend themselves. Pinch yourself for each time you have called someone else a "retard".

If you have been wondering about my opening story, I'll tell you that it didn't happen, not as I described it. Can you guess what I changed? No, it wasn't the focused hate on one person, and no it wasn't the slanted Asian eyes or cookie cutter features white people have or that shrill Hispanic hyena laugh (yeah, it hurts when people make assumptions about your person and use them against you doesn't it?).

The girl didn't say "hey Negro." There was no black person. It was a mentally handicapped boy washing the windows. It was "Hey retard." I removed the word retard. I removed the word that destroys the dignity of our most innocent. I removed the single most hateful word in the entire English language. I don't understand why we use the word; I don't think I ever will. In such an era of political correctness, why is it that retard is still ok? Why do we allow it? Why don't we stop using the word? Maybe students can't handle stopping– I hope that offends you students, it was meant to – but I don't think the adults, here can either. Students, look at your teacher, look at every member of this faculty. I am willing to bet that every one of them would throw a fit if they heard the word faggot or nigger – hell the word Negro – used in their classroom. But how many of them would raise a finger against the word retard? How many of them have? Teachers, feel free to raise your hand or call attention to yourself through some other means if you have. That's what I thought. Clearly, this obviously isn't a problem contained within our age group.

So why am I doing this? Why do I risk being misunderstood and resented by this school's student body and staff? Because I know how much you can learn from people, all people, even – no, not even, especially – the mentally handicapped. I know this because every morning I wake up and I come downstairs and I sit across from my sister, quietly eating her cheerio's. And as I sit down she sets her spoon down on the table and she looks at me, her strawberry blonde hair hanging over her freckled face almost completely hides the question mark shaped scar above her ear from her brain surgery two Christmases ago.

She looks at me and she smiles. She has a beautiful smile; it lights up her face. Her two front teeth are faintly stained from the years of intense epilepsy medication but I don't notice that anymore. I lean over to her and say, "Good morning, Olivia." She stares at me for a moment and says quickly, "Good morning, Soeren," and goes back to her cheerio's. I sit there for a minute, thinking about what to say. "What are you going to do at school today, Olivia?" She looks up again. "Gonna see Mista Bee!" she replies loudly, hugging herself slightly and looking up. Mr. B. is her gym teacher and perhaps her favorite man outside of our family on the entire planet and Olivia is thoroughly convinced that she will be having gym class every day of the week. I like to view it as wishful thinking.

She finishes her cheerio's and grabs her favorite blue backpack and waits for her bus driver, Miss Debbie, who, like clockwork, arrives at our house at exactly 7'o'clock each morning. She gives me a quick hug goodbye and runs excitedly to the bus, ecstatic for another day of school. I watch the bus disappear around the turn and I can't help but remember the jokes. The short bus. The retard rocket. No matter what she does, no matter how much she loves those around her, she will always be the butt of some immature kid's joke. She will always be the butt of some mature kid's joke. She will always be the butt of some "adult"'s joke.

By no fault of her own, she will spend her entire life being stared at and judged. Despite the fact that she will never hate, never judge, never make fun of, never hurt, she will never be accepted. That's why I'm doing this. I'm doing this because I don't think you understand how much you hurt others when you hate. And maybe you don't realize that you hate. But that's what is; your pre-emptive dismissal of them, your dehumanization of them, your mockery of them, it's nothing but another form of hate. It's more hateful than racism, more hateful than sexism, more hateful than anything. I'm doing this so that each and every one of you, student or teacher, thinks before the next time you use the word "retard", before the next time you shrug off someone else's use of the word "retard". Think of the people you hurt, both the mentally handicapped and those who love them. If you have to, think of my sister. Think about how she can find more happiness in the blowing of a bubble and watching it float away than most of will in our entire lives. Think about how she will always love everyone unconditionally. Think about how she will never hate. Then think about which one of you is "retarded".

Maybe this has become more of an issue today because society is changing, slowly, to be sure, but changing nonetheless. The mentally handicapped aren't being locked in their family's basement anymore. The mentally handicapped aren't rotting like criminals in institutions. Our fellow human beings are walking among us, attending school with us, entering the work force with us, asking for nothing but acceptance, giving nothing but love. As we become more accepting and less hateful, more and more handicapped individuals will finally be able to participate in the society that has shunned them for so long. You will see more of them working in places you go, at Dominicks, at Jewel, at Wal-Mart. Someday, I hope more than anything, one of these people that you see will be my sister.

I want to leave you with one last thought. I didn't ask to have a mentally handicapped sister. She didn't choose to be mentally handicapped. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have learned infinitely more from her simple words and love than I have from any classroom of "higher education". I only hope that, one-day, each of you will open your hearts enough to experience true unconditional love, because that is all any of them want to give. I hope that, someday, someone will love you as much as Olivia loves me. I hope that, someday, you will love somebody as much as I love her. I love you, Olivia."

Friends for Life?

2010-02-27T16:02:00.000-05:00

Okay so for those of you who don't personally know me, I'll explain. My mother in law, while she means well, can be a thorn in my side. She is old school, I know, but when you have a grandson with DS, you should really take the opportunity to get updated on your information. There have been several ridiculous comments made by her over the years, including-"he only has a mild case of Ds", and oh, Cameron is much smarter than the other kid with DS. Well I have about had it with these comments. First off, let's understand that there are no degrees of Down syndrome. Either you have Down syndrome, or you don't. Cameron DOES have Down syndrome. He doesn't have a mild version and he faces challanges daily because of this extra chromosome. Second, I don't compare my typical children to other typical children when it comes to intellect and I surely don't plan to start doing it with Cameron. Just because there is a teenager at your church with DS who may be lower functioning, doesn't give you the right to compare them cognitively to my son. I only hope that her failure to use common sense hasn't occured in front of this individual's parents. Today she comes over and invites my oldest son to church tomorrow. He is 11 and he made the decision to go. Now our family doesn't go to church at the moment. Not because we don't believe but because 1- we don't have a church we like yet and 2- things have been so hectic. Now my mother in law is not capable of taking care of a small child like Cameron, DS or not and she has acknowledged this. However today she shows up wanting to take Cameron to church tomorrow. I told her he would not be going to church with her tomorrow that he would be staying home with me and she got pretty irritated. She said that going to church will allow him to make friends that he will have all his life.....people who will pray for him and check up on him, not like the friends he has at school. Now maybe I'm being over sensitive, but what makes her think that Cameron doesn't have friends right now that he'll have all his life? Is it possible in some abstract universe that Cameron, even with his extra chromosome is lovable, friendly and very social and has many friends that love and care and even pray for him. I am trying to not take this so personally, but I would like to think that family could get the ridiculous stereotypes out of their heads. I mean I'm asking strangers to consider Cameron a person first, yet his own family doesn't.

Perhaps for Christmas this year, I'll give her some updated reading material on the "abilities" of people with Ds.

Behavior Issues

2010-02-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

So recently, I've been approached a couple times regarding parenting and disciplining a child with special needs. The people approaching were not making snide remarks, they were actually complimenting me on how well Cameron behaves. Cameron's speech therapist (whom I love) recently told me that she and Cam's other therapists think that I am great when it comes to Cameron and his behavior and they wished that more parents were this way. A week or so later, a parent (of a child with DS) approached me asking what I do that has been sucessful. First, let me give kudos to Cameron himself. He is a very easy going child and he is very intelligent. That being said, he also knows how to work people and is a master manipulator. And let's not forget he's 4. My approach is simple. I have always treated Cameron the same way I treated his older brother Alek. While Cameron does have special needs and sometimes lacks the understanding that say his typical peers would, he does understand right and wrong. I think too many times (and I have witnessed this) parents let their children with special needs misbehave because they feel sorry for them or think that they don't understand. This usually makes the issue worse and you end up with a child you cannot take out in public. (Again, I have seen this first hand). Cameron has the same rules as I would give any of my children. Simple. Be respectful, use your manners, and do as you are told. I'm not saying that Cameron always does as he is told, but usually once I make eye contact with him by getting on his level, I have no further problems. Occasionally when Cameron is feeling extra hard headed, I do have to use the time out spot. This is a spot in our hall way where Cameron is out of the loop of what is going on and being that he is so social, this is a real punishment. Typically after the time out is over, Cameron- on his own, will apologize and go on his way. While this works for us, I realize that it may not always be as simple as this for others. There are all kinds of variables, including dual diagnosis, that may make these things a little more difficult. The point of my post is that we spend a lot of time wanting people to treat our kids the same as they would any kid, yet as parents we don't always follow this advice. I think it's important to remember that when it comes to behavior, don't underestimate your child and their understanding of right and wrong. I assure you that they will quickly pick up on this and take advantage of it. That's all from Dr. Strickland today. Thanks for tuning in.

How do you get it all done?

2010-02-18T20:50:00.000-05:00

It seems that there is so much to do and simply not enough time to do it. Let's break this down. There's oral motor, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, not to mention learning letters and numbers and trying to teach site words. Sometimes, I don't even know where to begin. I have gotten back on track with the oral motor exercises (I have no choice because Cameron makes me do them:). And I try to do educational things throughout the day. I have flash cards and we have games etc. We are also working on cutting with scissors, lacing or threading and isolating fingers. My struggle is getting myself organized and getting some of these things accomplished on a daily basis. Perhaps I need a clone. Another mother to help get it all done. Maybe she could do the cleaning, cooking, working and changing poopy diapers. I'll do the other stuff.

"Self Mama"

2010-02-14T19:25:00.000-05:00

Cameron has been claiming independence lately, which is great. I'm not complaining at all. It's a real treat to have him feeding himself which gives me either the opportunity to feed myself or the other child who still needs help. Cameron insists on feeding himself by saying "self Mama" everytime I put a meal in front of him. What isn't so great is the end result. No wonder the kid is still hungry after his breakfast......

This is blueberry yogurt. I think at least half of the container is on his shirt. And to top it off when he was done, he wiped his hands on the shirt as well. Surely didn't hurt did it? So here's to independence and to boys. Cause extra chromosome or not, they are so messy.

Getting back on Track

2010-02-11T01:15:00.000-05:00

So the last 6 months have been crazy. I had a baby, back surgery, Christmas, Cameron's surgery, and a death in the family. I have done my best to keep up with everything including work, Cameron's appointments and all the other family needs all while Robert is still working away from home and gone 5-6 days a week. What I have failed on is keeping up with Cameron's oral motor therapy. For those unbelievers out there, oral motor exercise has proved to be very beneficial. I can tell you firsthand that it makes a world of difference. Perhaps if I hadn't lapsed, I wouldn't notice the difference. Since I have not been doing it (bad mama) we have noticed a couple of things reappearing......drooling, jaw jutting and increased sensitivity in his mouth. I discussed these things with Cameron's speech therapist today and also his Occupational Therapist. They both agree that oral motor exercise is the key to this. And while I hate to admit it, it seems that my failure to keep up the routine has caused this backslide. Tonight we got out the trusty Talktools Toolbox and did the z-vibe, some stretching and some chewing. Cameron's favorite exercise tonight was definitely the horn blowing. Good thing Rylee is a sound sleeper! Hopefully getting back into the program will remedy these problems. If only there were 20 more hours in every day!

"Fine Ever"

2010-02-09T17:42:00.000-05:00

It's amazing what children pickup. What you don't always realize is that they listen to every word you say. And while most times they repeat it immediately, they sometimes keep it locked in their very intricate brains to be brought out at a later time. A most appropriate time! Just a few things to consider. Sometimes the words they repeat are not supposed to be said by children. Like the time I dropped something in the kitchen and said "son of a " and I actually stopped myself. However, Cameron finished the statement for me. He had never repeated the word before, but had brought it out at the appropriate time. Good thing we were at home. Today, I was trying to get him to the door to wait on his bus. I know I called him at least 5 times. Finally, I said get to this door or you're gonna get a spankin. His response was simply "Fine Ever". Translation- Fine Whatever. I couldn't help but laugh. Especially since I know I'm famous for saying this to just get through a conversation. Outta the mouths of babes!

How Far We've Come

2010-02-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

We had our 6 month check up with our favorite developmental pediatrician last week. Like I've mentioned in before posts, he is my absolute favorite doctor. He is always positive and very energetic. I never leave there feeling sad for the things Cameron isn't doing, because he always makes sure to point out how well he is doing in certain areas. So since our last checkup six months ago, Cameron has made significant progress. He is now walking......and running. He is using 3-4 word sentences. He can recognize most of his letters, all of his colors and is answering questions like a pro. The doc was very impressed at what he's accomplished in the past 6 months (not as much as I am) and said that cognitively, Cameron is not far off his age. We already knew that. The doc was very excited to tell me this and also to mention that while people assume that children with DS are always affected with severe intellectual disability, this is simply not true. He told us of a boy who just graduated high school with a regular diploma and now works a "regular" job. It was touching for me to see his excitement when he told me of this. It was far more touching when he teared up telling me that when this particular child was born, his mother was told to put him in an institution. While I'm glad that it is no longer standard to tell parents to place their children in institutions, I'm still saddened that there aren't more doctors out there like ours. If there were, perhaps there would not be so many people choosing abortion when they get a diagnosis of DS.

I'm Back

2010-02-04T00:51:00.000-05:00

Things have been crazy busy around here for the past couple of months. I think now they may be settling down a little. At least enough to maybe post on my blog which is starting to collect cobwebs. Cameron's surgery (a month ago) went well. It was a tough week or so after though I will say. He had to stay overnight in the hospital which I was thankful for since he literally refused to drink. That was the toughest part was getting him to take fluids. And although Cameron is usually very good about taking medicine, even that was an awful fight. I do have to say that CHKD is very good and I was impressed with how well they took care of him, even allowing me to go into the OR with him until they got him to sleep so he wouldn't get scared. And he looked so cute in his yellow pajamas.....

Then just 20 days after his surgery, he had his 4th Birthday. We didn't have a party. I did take cupcakes to the school for all of his friends to enjoy. They were so cute and I really wish that my unorgainized self had taken a camera to get some pictures of those faces! We let him choose where he wanted to eat that night and he wanted the mexican restaurant across the street (I promise I had no influence over this). Everyone who works there loves Cameron and even our waiter participated in the events.....

We invited the grandparents and some other extended family and Cameron ahd a terrific time. I can't believe he's 4 already. It seems not that long ago that he was just a baby. A tiny little baby who had a hard time drinking a bottle. Look at him now~!~

I'm so proud of my little boy and all he has accomplished in this past year. I could go on all night about all he has done over the past year. We love you so much Cameron~ You're the best.

Surgery Today.........

2010-01-07T09:04:00.000-05:00

Well today is the day folks. Cameron is having his tonsils and adenoids out today. He is scheduled for 2:05pm which is great for a 3 year old. He has no idea why he can't eat, and has been saying "eat" repeatedly since 6am. UGH. Hopefully we can leave soon to fight any traffic and being in the car will distract him enough so he forgets for a minute. I don't know why they make a little child wait so late in the day like this, but I guess it is what it is.

So pray for him today. I know everything will go well, but it never hurts to have that extra help. I will update tomorrow when we get home (yes, we have to stay overnight).

Wow, it's been a month......

2009-12-29T00:59:00.000-05:00

Seems this blogging thing has gotten away from me somewhat. I just logged on by chance and realized I haven't posted in over a month. Things have been crazy busy so no pictures yet, because I have not even uploaded them to my computer yet. (As you can see, I am really on top of things these days). We had a great Christmas. Cameron was so excited this year. He talked about Santa and told us that he said "Ho Ho Ho". He even sat on his lap, which I figured he would freak out about once we got to the front of the line. He asked for an orange bear. And Santa looked everywhere to find that orange bear since the little guy asked for nothing else and never changed his response when asked "what is santa gonna bring you?" This was Cameron's first really fun Christmas. He had a ball opening his gifts and has had even more fun playing with him. He got a play kitchen and some food and pans, plates etc. which I'd have to say is his favorite. He spends hours making us all different meals and feeding us. It's so cute.

I have been out of commission for a bit which accounts partially for my absence. On December 17th, I had back surgery. I originally had surgery for a disc issue five years ago. A disc was removed and a bone graft was placed with six screws. I have been in pain ever since that operation and finally found another doctor who said the original bone graft had never taken and two of the screws were just moving around in my back. I really had no choice but to do surgery, we couldn't leave the hardware in as it was and the pain was getting in the way of my life and carrying two kids around all the time. After a few complications and a couple extra days in the hospital, I am home. I am pretty much useless at this point. I spend most of my time in the bed or in the recliner. The pain pills keep me comfortable but drunk and the many braces and devices I have to wear every day keep me busy. My oldest, Alek has been a great help, doing a lot to help. Since I'm not allowed to pick up anything, or bend at the waist, my mom has come to stay with us to take care of the kids. Thank god for her. Without her, I don't know what I'd do. Cameron still hasn't fully understood why I can't pick him up and when he sees the 12 inches of stiches on my back he says he's scared. Thankfully this is behind me and hopefully this time it will be successfull. I am looking forward to less painful life. And as soon as I am better recovered, I'll post some pictures!

Pink Eye Again.....and other updates!

2009-11-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

Seriously. Cameron has pink eye again. He woke up this morning with a crusted eye. So the doctor's office was blessed with our presence again this morning at their walk in hours. I'm sure they see us and think "oh no, here they come again." Nevertheless, Cameron does have an infection in his eye again. This time the doctor (not our regular doctor) gave us eye drops instead of the oral antibiotics that give Cameron terriblel digestive problems. I'm sure these will not be easy to apply, but it's better than the alternative!! He also gave me unlimited refils so that I don't have to frequent their office every week, like I have the past 3 weeks. UGH. He did say that he believes that Cameron's tear ducts are blocked, therefore the bacteria that gets in his eyes is not washing out like it should, causing pink eye repeatedly. He suggested that we visit the eye doctor and explore with her the idea that perhaps he needs to have his tear ducts probed. That sounds so pleasant, but I think that we'll try these drops and pray that the infection clears up and doesn't return.

T&A Surgery. I called the scheduler yesterday (because they had yet to contact me) and we are scheduled for T&A removal. As with everything else, they are prompt as usual. His appointment is on January 7th....! I was hoping that I would be able to have Cameron taken care of and recovered by the time I have surgery on my back on December 17th. I can see that won't happen, so pray for me that I will recover well enough to be able to stay in the hospital for 23 hours with Cameron for his surgery.

Last, but certainly not least. Sunday in our area, a young boy was killed in a tragic accident. I did not know this boy or his family (even though we have the same last name) but I want to offer my sincere sympathy to his family. This was a tragic loss and in my opinion the most awful thing that can happen. The loss of a child is my worst nightmare. And during the holiday season, I can only imagine it is much harder. I hope this reminds everyone to cherish the time they have with their children and families. Life can be cut short and you really never know how much time you have. Enjoy every day, savor every moment. Don't let yourself get too busy for the silly stuff.

Being Thankful

2009-11-23T21:19:00.000-05:00

Since it is Thanksgiving week, I have decided to dedicate my whole week to things I am thankful for. Today is especially important. As I hear of a young boy's tragic death nearby, I am so very thankful for my kids. And for their health. I am thankful that we have had this time together so far and hope that we can have many, many more years together.

Still no school!

2009-11-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a whole week since Cameron has gone to school. Last week, the remnants of IDA and a nor easter came through our area bringing big problems. Enough problems that schools in all the surrounding areas were closed on Thursday and Friday. I'm tellin you that having kids home during a storm only makes things more difficult. On Thursday night, I had both boys in bed with me and the B-Curtis. It seems the only one who got a good nights sleep was Rylee.

School did reopen yesterday however Cameron has been blessed with pink eye yet again. He had pink eye just last week and was treated with oral antibiotics. This week when the infection returned, I tried antibiotics but he has apparently developed a resistance to them. Terrific. So we were at the door waiting for the doctor's office to open this morning so we could get a stronger RX. Hopefully this works. I will say however that this pink eye has made my day a little less stressful since we were able to get out of therapy for both today and tomorrow. Boy, it's sad when you enjoy sickness just because it calms your life down a bit.

In other exciting news....! I finally heard back about the sleep study. I got a call this morning from the ENT's nurse saying the doc had reviewed the results and there was mild obstruction and that they would re-evaluate later for surgery. NOT! I wanted to tell them they could evaluate tonight because I was bringing Cameron to them so that they could see for theirselves what his sleeping is like. I find it funny that after everything I've told them and finding that there is obstruction whether it be mild or severe, they are wanting to do nothing. Hello, isn't obstruction not great even if it's mild? I told the nurse I was not in agreeance with this and that I would like to have the doctor reevaluate his decision now, that I was not wanting to wait to do something that was inevetible anyway. So I just got a call back saying that the doc agreed and they are going to schedule a T& A surgery. Now don't get me wrong. I don't ever want my children going through surgery, however I also don't want them suffering through treatable things and I also would rather them just go ahead and do this instead of waiting til he's older. UGH. But either way, it has worked out I guess. Tomorrow I go to the doc to schedule my 2nd back surgery which I'm hoping to get done before the end of the year. Seems I'm gonna be real busy for the rest of 2009~!

Fed Up Friday

2009-11-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

Yes, I do know that it is Saturday but I was too fed up yesterday to post. So we'll call this "Fed Up Friday". First, I'll start by saying that many things irritated me yesterday. #1 being the post on "Tard Supper". You may have seen this on Facebook or someone else's blog. If not, here is the link http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/11/09/the-tard-supper

Amazingly enough, the guy who posted this is gay. I assume he is used to being ridiculed and called names, so I am left to wonder what made him feel this was an appropriate description of the artwork. Perhaps for me, it just set off a short fuse I already have for the word "Retard". I have posted before on this subject, but it never ceases to amaze me that people still use that word not only in my presence but around Cameron. Anyway- I'll let it go, cause I'm sure this subject will be back around before we know it. (Sometimes a girl just has to vent)

Second~ It has been nearly 6 weeks since Cameron had his sleep study. I called the doc about 2 1/2 weeks ago and was told to call them when it had been 5 weeks, as that was when they expected to have the results back. I did call back on Monday, which was 5 weeks and was told that the results had just come in and they were sitting on the doctor's desk. The nurse assured me someone would call me as soon as he had reviewed them. On Wednesday, I called back because I still hadn't heard and nope, the doctor hadn't reviewed them yet. I was again assured that when the doc arrived in on Friday, they would be reviewed immediately and I would receive a call before the end of the day. Hello- it's Saturday......! I am going to make a 3rd call on Monday, but I assure you that I won't be as pleasant on this phone call. It kills me that these doctors charge you an arm and a leg to see our children and then take over a week to just read results and make a phone call- C'mon!

I think Cameron got tired of waiting too.

This is a special position that kids with DS apparently like to sleep in. I have other friends who say their children do this too. If you ask me, it's rather disturbing considering the fact that I can't even bend over and touch my toes, much less lay down like this. And this kid sleeps soundly like this. It's amazing.

Anyhow, now that I've gotten all that off of my chest, I may be able to enjoy my Soggy Saturday.

Cameron's conference

2009-11-10T20:55:00.001-05:00

Today I met with Cameron's teacher for our first conference. I guess since report cards are getting ready to be issued- they are meeting with all the parents. I was very impressed with all his teacher had to tell me. First she tells me that Cameron seems to be the star of his class. Apparently the little boys fight over who will sit next to Cameron and who will help him walk to music, P.E., library etc. The teacher also told me that they call Cameron a little Cassanova. He likes to love on the girls alot. :) This should make his daddy very proud don't ya think? All in all it was a great conference. I love to hear that my little guy is doing so well and that he is adored by everyone around him. This is a big change from the beginning of our journey with Cameron when everything seemed to be of a negative nature. I think the best thing I heard today was that Cameron seems to have a great effect on his peers. I was explaining that I think Cameron is really benefiting from being around typically developing children his age, as he seems to be working much harder to do the things they do. Her comment was this...."Cameron is really good for the other children too, they don't see him as a child with Down syndrome they only see him as a friend." She said they even take up for Cameron and say things like he's only 3, that's why he's having a hard time.

While I was super reluctant at first to send my little fella off to school, I am soooo glad I did it now. This has turned out to be such a great thing for Cameron- not to mention that he absolutely loves going.

I'm going to soak this up for now, cause I am sure things won't always be this easy!

Monday Madness

2009-11-09T22:12:00.001-05:00

I've found that around here, everyone is nuts. I've always known that I was crazy. Now it seems that not only my kids have inherited that trait, but so has the dog. I will tell you that we were woken up early this morning to the sounds of a certain zebra flashlight. It's a very cute flashlight, however at 5:30am, little is cute to me. I was later called at work to be told that Cameron had used the potty on his own, without asking for help and when my mom found him, he was actually trying to empty the potty into the big potty like he sees me do. Luckily he didn't spill the contents! Also while I was at work, Rylee learned to roll from her tummy to her back. This amazes me. With Cameron everything took such a long time, now with Rylee I feel that I am missing things as they fly by me. Finally to end the day, I have discovered that Cameron loves Rylee's borrowed swing even more than she does......GREAT. (I guess I'll be buying Wendy a new swing...lol)

It's funny how he thinks everything around our house belongs to him. He loves the pink bobby bouncy seat the most. He sits in it to watch TV. Good thing there will be no more babies in this house cause this stuff won't make it very long.

Mondays are madness. Complete madness. I'm going to bed now, have to get ready for Tuesday.

EDIT: IT SEEMS MY CAMERA HAS THE WRONG DATE ON IT.

Hola

2009-11-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

It's about time Cameron learned some spanish don't ya think. I've done a great job at teaching him a second language too. My method....? Handy Manny of course and did I mention the mexican restaurant we frequent just across the street. Cameron is a local celebrity at the restaurant and since it is close (and there isn't much else to choose from nearby) we spend quite a bit of time there. (I promise it has nothing to do with the fact that they have great margaritas..) Cameron has now picked up hola and says it repeatedly to everyone who walks by us! They love it. In fact, the waiters bring Cameron special things that they never charge us for, they even take him to the kitchen to pick out his food. Apparently though, all this attention and learning of a new language have worn him out. He actually fell asleep on the table. Good thing I carry a camera in my purse at all times! This was clearly too good to miss.

Guy Sandwhich

2009-11-05T21:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had a super busy day. Wednesdays are always busy, but this day started very early and we started our day with Aquatic therapy at 8am. That was followed by Speech at 9, Cardiologist at 10 and finally PT at 11. Lucky for me, Cameron's therapies are all done at the same building where many of his doctors rotate. We don't typically do this many appointments on one day however it just kind of happened because of some scheduling issues and the fact that I can not take Rylee into the hospital with me for Cam's appointments.

By the time Cameron had done therapy in the water and had an hour of speech he was a little less than eager to visit with the cardiologist. That is surprising, right! He allowed the nurse to weigh him (he is 31 pounds) and they checked his blood pressure. That is where his cooperation ended. He acted so crazy when they were trying to do the EKG that they had to stop. The doc says he's not too concerned because Cameron doesn't exhibit any signs of distress. He listened to Cameron's heart and lungs etc. all while I had his arms pinned behind his back and my leg holding down his legs and of course him bellowing. When the doc stood up and the tears stopped Cameron held up his fist and said "Guy Sandwhich". The mothering side of me had to scold him for this. I didn't allow the nurses to reward him with stickers because he had not cooperated and had even been rude to his doctor. Cameron knew he was in trouble but I have to admit that I was having a terrible time keeping a straight face througout this. I can't help but laugh when he's not around at the things he is picking up and they come out at the most unexpected times.

And just for the record........his nanny taught him about the knuckle sandwhich. Not me.

Crick or Creat

2009-11-01T13:21:00.000-05:00

This was really the first Halloween that Cameron has been able to enjoy. He has gone every year since he was born, but this year is he is talking and finally he is walking. The costume he is wearing is actually too small but he tried it on in Target and then just had to have it. The hat has been worn all over the house ever since and we've all been laughing at him. Little Rylee got her costume compliments of a good friend who has everything anyone could ever need. Whatever I'm in need of, I just need to tell Wendy, cause she either has it or knows how I can find it.....! You'll notice that my oldest child is not present in these pictures. It is not because he has had the swine flu (cause he was better), it is because he refused to wear a costume and then proceeded to trick or treat without one. My neighbors are obviously better than I am- I wouldn't have given him any candy. I did tell one lady who asked what he was, that he was dressed as a pain in the tail. He is enterering those pesky pre-teen years that are not so fun, and which also lead to the real not so fun times, teenage years!

Despite that hot weather (I think I'm entering menopause since I cannot deal with heat lately) and the rain, we had a terrific time. We pushed the two little ones around in the double stroller in our neighborhood which was great. The houses are very close and the driveways are short. Cameron walked up to every door and said "Crick or Creat". He even started to do it without my prompting and of course used his manners and said thank you too! Everyone he met thought he was just adorable.

We did quite a few houses in our area (filled up both boy's buckets), then trecked the few blocks to the in-laws house for a visit. Cameron wanted more trick or treat so we went a few houses down and Cameron was able to visit with an OT therapist that treated him when he was an infant. I don't believe he remembers her but she loved to see him and was so proud at all he has accomplished.

Now on to our pre-Halloween foolishness. Earlier this week, Cameron came into the living room like this.

It's a piece from the mister potato head set we have. He was actually just holding it there but I thought, why not tape it there for some real fun. The fun didn't end there either. Cause ya know I had to try it out.......

I look terrible and that has nothing to do with the mustache. But it was all good fun either way. Wait to Robert sees this.

Enjoy!

21 Things About Cameron

2009-10-29T21:38:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I stole this idea from someone else (sorry Beth) but it seemed like a good idea. So here goes. 21 things about my little Cam.......

1. Cameron only weighed 5lbs, 4oz when born
2. He had heart surgery at just 6 months
3. Although he has 47 chromosomes, he does incredibly well
4. Cameron recently got a dog who he calls Bee Curtis.
5. He goes to school 3 days a week
6. He goes to 4 different therapy appointments a week.
7. He has many nicknames including, Cam, bird, scooter, and sweet baboo.
8. Cameron is a nanny's boy
9. He is a great little brother and a very loving big brother.
10. During a recent fundraiser, Cameron learned to say very clearly "Guys, Beer"
11. While his speech may be delayed he is very proficiant in any "ugly" words he happens to over hear.
12. Cameron didn't start walking until 3 1/2
13. He has been known to go outside on his own saying that he is going to WaWa for coffee.
14. Cameron loves books. He can sit forever and look at books.
15. He loves to have his picture taken and many times will smile a goofy fake looking smile when he sees the camera.
16. Cam's favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney, and he also likes Two and a Half Men.
17. He is able to tell us where to turn in the car to get to certain locations. Mostly restaurants but also Nanny's, Grandma's and other friends's houses.
18. Cameron doesn't sleep well, but is rarely in a bad mood.
19. He loves to ride his bike (which I will add that we have to push while he steers and we spend a lot of time heading toward the ditch)
20. Cameron is a great dancer. He knows how to raise the roof, bring it back down and walk like an Egyptian.
21. Most importantly, Cameron is a loving and energetic little boy who brings absolute joy to all those who are lucky enough to be around him.

Will I Ever Sleep Again?

2009-10-27T06:56:00.000-04:00

It has been three weeks since that dreadful sleep study. And one thing is for sure, Cameron is definitely not sleeping now. I know he didn't sleep well before but things seem to have gotten far worse since the study was done. I'm sure that this is coincidental, probably things are worse because the weather etc. Cameron fell asleep at 8:00pm last night and I therefore, stupidly assumed that I would get some sleep. HA. Silly me. Cameron woke up at 11:00pm, crying because I had put the gate up so he couldn't get out. I did the stupid thing, because of lack of sleep, and put him in bed with me. (This has been a common occurance for at least the past week). And to say that his sleep is terrible is a complete understatement. He sits, he rolls, he gets up, he snores, he lays back down. He lays on me. It seems the only way he would sleep was if I held him.....and guess what, that prevents my sleep. I did call the ENT last week to stress that we were really having some issues now and they are supposed to have his study results within the next week or two. Sure that isn't that long if you are sleeping, but without a good night's sleep, I could quite possibly go postal. That ENT could expect to find me waiting at his office for him one morning demanding that either the tonsils be removed or this kid is going home with him for a night. :) I would love to say this is me joking, but for goodness sake- GIVE ME A BREAK!

Signed: Sleepless

3 Months Old today

2009-10-18T19:51:00.001-04:00

Boy time flies. Today Rylee is 3 months old. She has changed so much. She is smiling and even giggling, and lucky for me- sleeping much better. Yee haw!

And as for other current events. My oldest and sarcastic son, Alek left me a message in the bathtub. He has used the letters we bought for Cameron to play with in the bath and left the following....

I couldn't help but laugh when Robert called me into the bathroom to show me this. Alek had already left for school so I decided to leave a message back. I didn't tell him my message, I just waited for him to get in the bath that night to find it.

I didn't actually ground him for it, but it was fun to hear his reaction when he thought I was serious.

5am conversations that make you laugh

2009-10-14T08:19:00.000-04:00

Cameron arrived in my room this morning at 2am. Yep, 2am. Now that he opens doors with no issue, there is no way to keep him in and when he has his crazy wake ups during the night, he just leaves. He did however go back to sleep in my bed which meant I didn't. We had feet, elbows, knees and at some point even his head pressed into the lower part of my back which is already under construction.

At 5 he decided it was time to get up and wanted me to do the same.

Cameron: UP
Mom: No buddy, it's still dark
Cameron: OOOOOK
Mom: rest
Cameron: Snore. Ba BA BA (he pretends to snore) Awake.
Mom: No Cam, it's time to sleep.
Cam: oooook. Hold you. (which means hold me)
Mom: Okay
Cameron: Rylee?
Mom: She's sleeping
Cameron: Oh Gosh

After this, I laughed because I couldn't contain it anymore. And as you all know, once you laugh, you may as well just give it up because he then continued to do this same thing over and over until we did actually get up.

October is Down syndrome Awareness Month!

2009-10-12T22:34:00.000-04:00

I thought that since it is Down syndrome Awareness month, I would take time to reflect on my experiences as a mom of a child with Down syndrome.

My story begins a little over 4 years ago when I first learned I was pregnant with my second child. We were very excited to be having a baby and since our other son was already 6, it seemed like it was now or never. Now don't get me wrong, we didn't necessarily plan the pregnancy, but we really don't plan anything in our lives. 12 weeks into my pregnany I began bleeding heavily and I was convinced that I had lost my baby. I hadn't of coure, but throughout my pregnany this continued and I spent many hours either in the doctor's office getting ultrasounds or on the phone with the docs. I even went as far as to rent a fetal heart monitor so that I could make sure that my baby was ok at home. I became obsessed with making sure my baby lived.

Funny enough when I delivered Cameron at 35 weeks, all of my fears disappeared and I was delighted that I had just given birth to a beautiful "perfect" baby.

It's funny now when I think back to the next day. The day after Cameron was born. The day my life fell apart. I won't go into detail of my breakdown. I will however share my initial fears. Fears of putting this burden on my older son, worrying that I would never not have a child in the house, scared of what people would think and most scary to me was the knowledge that I just simply couldn't take care of this baby. Now this is funny to me now only because I have the knowledge now that I didn't have then. So I'm able to look back and think "how foolish".

When your baby is suspected of having Down syndrome, the docs tell you but you just cannot fully believe the diagnosis until the chromosome testing is completed. In our case, this took roughly a week. (I say roughly, like I don't know that it took almost exactly 168 hours for the actual results. ) After a rough week of disbelief and pure depression I decided it was time to take action. For the first time in my 25 years of life, I prayed. And I don't mean, the kind of prayers many people ask for, a new car, a better job, the right man. I actually prayed for strength. Strength to get me through what the doc was going to call and tell me in a short while. Now I don't claim to know what the higher power is, but I do know that there is a higher power. And on that very day, the very day that I gave up the fight of trying to change Cameron, I was given what I had asked for. Strength.

I won't lie and say that we haven't had tough times. Cameron did have a heart defect that required surgery at 6 months old. And it may have been earlier if it hadn't taken him 6 months to get to 10lbs. We have had to fight serious battles with insurance companies and even the almost impossible battle of getting some type of assistance. We have dealt with stupid comments, the "R" word and the strange looks. But we have gained a lot too. We have gained knowledge, patience, understanding, and a great love that couldn't be any stronger if this child didn't have 47 chromosomes. I can honestly say that not a day goes by that I am not completely amazed at what Cameron has accomplished and what he shows us. Because of him, we have a better appreciation for life, a stronger will to overcome and a belief that he was given to us for a reason. And even in his short time here with us, he has already taught us more than we will ever possibly teach him. He has changed our lives forever, only it's not the change I expected those 24 hours after delivery. It is a much needed change. A change for the better.

Sleepless Study

2009-10-07T17:10:00.000-04:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to complain at the sleep study. Yesterday the sleep lab called me sayihng they had a cancellation for last night. I have been dreading doing this, so I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and take it and get it over with before I had a chance to talk myself out of it again. So we got our stuff ready and I tried my best to prepare Cameron for what was ahead of him. He of course had no nap so he was tired. When we first arrived, he was great. He figured this was play time with just he and mom and we were gonna have a fabulous time.

Not long after we arrived they began hooking Cameron up to the many wires they use to see what exactly happens when he sleeps. Now I have to say....this is complete ridiculousness. No child is gonna sleep with this junk hooked to their head, legs, chest and neck. Shoot, I wouldn't sleep with it on. I talked him through it keeping him busy so he didn't cry and eventually we were hooked up.

Give me a break. Good grief. This is crazy. So we lay down and watched TV for a few minutes. Cameron started his tired noise and before I knew it, he was snoring. I turned the TV off thinking that maybe I was gonna get some sleep tonight. Uh wrong answer. 1 1/2 hours after he fell asleep, Cameron starts his crazy sleeping. Sitting up. Laying down. Sitting up. Laying down. Well by gosh, wouldn't you know that this was gonna disconnect some of the leads? Yep, sure did. So the tech had to come in and hook it back up which caused screaming and crying. He finally fell asleep again, only to repeat the whole process over and over again all night. I don't know what they will conclude from this sleep study other than he didn't sleep but oh well. I will say that after this is all over and he has had a bath he still didn't sleep. He was exhausted and finally several hours later zonked out in front of the TV.

He is still feeling the effects from this long night 12 hours later. And boy, I am too. This was an awful experience and to top it off, we will now wait 8- 10 weeks for results. Terrific.

What happened to nap time?

2009-10-06T07:50:00.001-04:00

For the last several weeks Cameron has been boycotting his naps. Now I'm telling you, he needs these naps. And I think that I need them even more. Things have kinda fallen apart since he learned to open doors. Now he is impossible to keep in his room. Yesterday after school my mom sends me this pic message on my phone. Cameron, in his sweet way of playin my mom, brings his pillow and blanket out and lays on the living room floor. He believes that if he lays down for 10 minutes he will be excused from his nap. Worse than his idea, is that this actually works with my mom since she is wrapped around his finger. B Curtis wasn't misisng out on this chance to lay down and get a little shut eye. Especially since he got to lay on the pillow with his favorite friend. I will add that Cameron never went to sleep and he was hell on wheels by the time I got home. Cameron very rarely is in a bad mood even when he's tired but he gets sensitive and cries at everything. Needless to say, at 7pm it was bedtime. For Cameron and Alek, since the 10 year old decided to show his tail and talk ugly to his grandma. As for me, I am looking for a way to keep this kid in his room for either a nap or at least some quiet time. The baby gate is great except that he stands at it and yells "mama" the whole time. Maybe a child proof doorknob is the solution??

Buddy Walk

2009-10-04T19:28:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to the Buddy Walk in Virginia Beach at Mt. Trashmore. This is our 4th year of Buddy Walk and yet I'm still as touched this year as I have been the previous 3. There is nothing quite like seeing so many people with DS and their families. It's like a secret society. And best of all, you don't get any of those goofy comments or "feel sorry for ya" stares. We had a great time. The whole family went and they even had t-shirts to fit Rylee. We even took B Curtis. I don't have many photos because getting three kids and a dog ready for a walk is pretty tough and goofy mama forgot her camera. As it seems, downloading pics from my cell phone isn't the easiest or quickest thing to do. But even with all the craziness, the tunnel traffic, the long drive, and no sleep the night before, it was a great event with beautiful weather. I personally can't wait until next year so we can do it again.

The embarrassing Mother

2009-10-02T15:27:00.000-04:00

Gosh, I remember being a teenager and being very embarrassed of my parents. I like to think that I had plenty of reason for this. My parents were dorky and they drove a dorky car. I don't remember being embarrassed really until I got into middle school which for me was around 7th grade. There were also some other issues at home with my parents that I won't go into now, but we'll just say that around this time in my life, my mom and dad were less than desirable kind of people. Still, I know that kids get embarrassed of their parents, but at 10....good grief. I don't walk around with curlers in my hair like my mother in law did with my husband and I don't pick my nose in front of people for goodness sake. This morning Alek left to go the bus stop. We can see the bus stop from our house, and he is adament that we not go with him. Since there are other children and parents there, I oblige. Today, about 20 minutes after the bus should've come, I see Alek coming back up the driveway. The bus had still not arrived. I offered to take him to school but as we were getting in the car, the bus drove by. I wanted to make sure that this was in fact his bus, so I followed him to the bus stop. You would've thought he was late for dinner. He was practically running to get away from me. And the whole time he was shouting mom stop. It was rather funny and because I knew it was bothering him, I followed just in spite.

I'm sure he's gonna be mad at me this afternoon, but that's ok. It's what we embarrassing parents do.

Four

2009-09-30T16:51:00.000-04:00

Last Friday our local Down syndrome group hosted their 2nd annual golf tournament. I love working the golf tournament. It is a great fundraiser and a lot of fun. I have made it my job the past two years to drive the beer cart. I know nothing about golf, nothing except that those golfers love their beer. About half way through the day Cameron came to join me so that the golfers could see where their donations were going. As you can see, he had a terrific time riding in the golf cart and an even better time pilaging through the various snacks being transported on the cart. He even learned (on his own, I must add) that we were serving beer. We spent the afternoon driving around with Cameron yelling "guy, beer". It was hilarious although I'm a bit concerned with what the teachers/therapists that work with Cam will think when he tells them about beer. I tried to convince him that it was ginger ale but he wasn't having it.

Sleep Study take 2

2009-09-29T09:34:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned before, Cameron was scheduled to have the inevitable sleep study. Being the tired mama that I am, I cancelled it because I just couldn't bear to deal with it last week. We have now rescheduled for October.....another Saturday night which thrills me to pieces. What a way to spend a Saturday night. So after mixed opinions from other parents, I wonder why in the world we even have to do this. So, I used the trusty internet to do some research.

First, I have found out that Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs in about 50% of people with Down syndrome. Well it just so happens that Cameron has Down syndrome...how bout that. The symptoms include snoring and/or loud breathing. Cameron breathes like a 400 pound man. Mouth breathing, ummm yea and waking frequently during the night or restless sleep. Yep that's Cameron. Given this and the fact that Cameron's tonsils and adenoids are very large in his tiny airways, I wonder why in the world we must subject a 3 year old and his mom to spend the night in a hospital hooked up to numerous wires where we know he will not sleep, just to find out that maybe Cam would benefit from a T&A. Uh Duh. Keep in mind that I'm no doctor, and to be fair, this is the way that OSA is diagnosed. I just feel as though we should do the surgery and remove the T&A regardless considering they measure at a 3plus on a scale of 1-4. My thought is why wait? It will probably need to be done at some point anyhow. So why not remove the tonsils and adenoids and if problems still occur then we'll take the next step. Oh well, good thing I'm not a doctor......I'm just a know it all parent.

Got my own set of wheels

2009-09-24T20:14:00.000-04:00

Well Cameron finally got his own set of wheels. Lucky for him, this car doesn't require any gas and he is able to feel the wind in his hair. I especially like the two steering wheels, kinda like a garbage truck!

Cameron insists that we ride in this car everytime we visit Food Lion. I hate it. It's like pushing a school bus through doorway. I run into everything and knock stacks of things over. It's amusing though for my little nut. When we pull up at the register, he pops his head out of the windshield and says "ello".

Funny Business

2009-09-21T19:22:00.000-04:00

It's so funny to look back and see how much Cameron has really grown. Last week a friend brought over a bumbo seat for Rylee. We tried it out with her and she frankly wasn't feeling it just yet.

Well Rylee may not have appreciated the pretty pink Bumbo chair, but that doesn't mean that no one else failed to find use for it.

Now keep in mind that we did not have to persuade Cameron to do this. I was sitting watching TV when a drunk walking Cameron stumbles in with this chair and has a seat. Of course we all laugh which has prompted a replay of this many times. Even so, I look back at Cameron is his own Bumbo chair and it makes me remember him when he was so small and so weak.

Week 2 at school

2009-09-17T19:19:00.000-04:00

Cameron is doing great. Just like I knew he would. Last year, I wasn't all that impressed with the lack of communication from his therapists at school. This year I asked the teacher if it would be possible to implement the use of a notebook to exchange notes with the therapists and teachers about what Cameron is working on etc. This is working on great. Even the teacher has been sending me daily notes to let me know what Cameron is doing in the classroom. My favorite was Monday's note where Mrs. Coaty told me that they had music, Cameron made friends with some of the boys, and later had a tea party with two of the girls. I always knew my little man would be a ladies man. The teacher, whom I really appreciate even sent me these pictures ......

As you can see, Cameron feels very comfortable, which makes mommy comfortable. And even better than that is that I've only gone back to work two days a week and I've been able to be home to get him on the bus on Tuesdays. I love seeing the look on his face when that bus pulls up.

Bee Curtis

2009-09-15T17:26:00.000-04:00

Introducing the newest member of our family.....this is Bee Curtis.

We found this dog a few weeks ago wondering the streets. I have looked in the paper and on craigslist in the lost and found ads and no one seems to be looking for him. I have seen no posters or anything. So he is now ours.

Cameron and Alek love him already. He is spunky, but very gentle with Cameron and is housetrained, which I find to be a huge plus.

As for the name. His name is Toby. He comes to Toby. But back when we had the big dog (Carl) one of Alek's friends called him Curtis by mistake. This has been a joke in our house ever since. So when this dog arrived I named him Toby, but Alek called him Curtis. Last night Cameron wanted the dog to come to him and he called "B Curtis". It was so funny that now we are all calling Toby Curtis or Bee Curtis. The poor dog won't have any idea what his name is when we get through with him.

Party at my crib

2009-09-14T21:54:00.000-04:00

I should never be surprised at what I find when I go in to check on the boys at night. I went in to tell them it was lights off and time to go to sleep and I find them both out of their beds on the floor with all the blankets and pillows watching I-Carley. You've gotta love the brotherly love that's goin on here. It's amazing how I once worried that Cameron would negatively impact Alek's life and yet he has brought so much joy to him. And Alek is the best big brother we could have ever hoped for. I'm so honored to have such great kids.

My Bed

2009-09-13T09:35:00.000-04:00

This is the typical sight of my bed at night. I try to get some relax time before I go to sleep. The kids however didn't get the memo. Rylee thinks it's supper time again and Cameron is here for a play sesssion in what he calls "my bed". Not mom's bed, but my bed.

Even though I didn't get my relaxation time, I have the best time hanging with my little guy. And look how sweet.

Sleep Study

2009-09-12T09:14:00.000-04:00

This week we had our follow up with the ENT. I so love these appointments. You wait an hour past your appointment time to see a nurse practioner and then another 30 minutes wait for the doctor to only repeat everything you've already told the nurse and nurse practioner. UGH. Anyhow. Last year the doc recommended that Cameron have a sleep study at age 3. We put that off because I was preggers and I was not sleeping at the hospital like that. (I was already mean enough) Now they are wanting him to have it done. Apparently, tonsils are measured on a scale of 1-4, 4 being obstructive and 1 being normal. Cameron is a 3 plus. So the doc wants him to have a sleep study to see if he has obstruction. OK. So I know I'm not a doc, but if we can see that the tonsils and adenoids are huge and obviously we know that Cameron makes a lot of noises in his breathing, why not just get them out. Why put a child and a mother through a sleep study when we all know dang well that he isn't going to sleep which is gonna result in an abnormal reading anyhow. Just so frustrating.

Later that night after the appointment I go into the boy's room to check on him and this is what I find. He is asleep. Feet are on the floor and head is on the bed. This is the first time I've seen him sleep like this, but he does sleep in very weird positions. LOL. I had to get the camera when I saw this. Luckily he was sound asleep and the flash didn't wake him, neither did me picking him up and putting him back in the bed.

So here's to a sleep study. Good luck studying this one's sleep. Good grief. Wish us luck. We have to go in on the 26th and I can hardly contain my excitement.

Remembering this day 8 years ago

2009-09-11T08:19:00.000-04:00

I remember exactly when I heard the news. I was at work when a co-worker's son called to tell her that a plane had flown into the twin towers. The news of this seemed crazy but all the same just an accident. No one thought too much about it until the news came through that another plane had hit the other tower. That image of the plane flying directly into that tower is an image that has imprinted my mind ever since. That day at work was one of the quietest days I've ever experienced. With a small radio black and white t.v. set up beside my desk and the radio on overhead, we all listened as the other attacks were made. In pure disbelief we watched as thousands of people's lives were destroyed.

In the days following the attacks I spent most of my time watching the news coverage with tears running down my face. That hurt and remorse for those who lost loved ones still aches within me today as I remember that day.

While it has been 8 years, we have not forgotten, nor will we ever.

Schools on

2009-09-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of school. A day that I have been waiting for since late June...! We decided at our last IEP meeting for Cam that we would let him try to ride the bus. He had been asking to ride the bus and we knew with the new baby coming that transportation was going to be a little more difficult anyway. And of couse, Robert pushed for it cause he has no idea how much mother worries about her sweet baboo. We had all of our stuff ready and had already visited the class for open house. Cameron loves the new room and all the fancy toys. He waited very patiently for the bus to arrive (in the monsoon).

The dreaded time finally came. The bus pulled right up to the driveway to pick up my precious cargo. I dredged through the river that was flowing down the driveway and took my sweetness to the school bus. I fully expected him to cry even though he had been talking about it excitedly for days. WRONG. My boy didn't have one worry when I stepped off that bus.

What a ham. I had committed to going to work so I went back inside to get my stuff and good old nanny was in tears. Good grieft mom, I don't remember you crying when your own children went to school. So off we went to the school. (Had to reassure Nanny that her boy was ok) Ok and me too. I admit I was a little worried. I waited and waited in front of the school for Cameron's bus to arrive worrying the whole time if he was upset.

No worries at all. He was fine as the para in his class brings him off the bus. I elected to walk him in to his class since she had to wait for other students to arrive. We had brought his reverse walker with him to assure that he can get around the halls with ease.

Everyone of the staff seem to know Cameron from last year. We received so many warm greetings from different teachers and staff as we walked through the hall. Cameron repeating over and over "cook". He hasn't forgotten that lovely kitchen set up he saw at open house.

Once inside the class room, Cameron went right for the doll house. (His daddy is gonna be so proud)..! I told him bye and made my exit with very little interest from him while another little boy held tightly to his mom's neck. Cameron rode the bus home too and in his notebook we found a sweet note from the teacher telling us how well Cameron had done. That he had spent some time cooking and making new friends. His color of the week is red and his letter is L. He is very excited to go again tomorrow and I'm so glad that this is something that he enjoys and that the people teaching him enjoy him just as much.

Gettin in the swing of things

2009-09-07T19:23:00.004-04:00

Last night Robert and I were enjoying some quiet time. We were in the den watching Criminal Minds.....one of my new favorite shows, when we heard a weird noise. I called for Alek several times before he opened his door and said "what". He was in his room and I had assumed that Cameron was with him. He was not. When we went to look for him, we found him in Rylee's room swinging in the travel swing. This swing has been retired to the bedroom because it is not sophisticated enough for my girl. It doesn't go side to side. Anyway, here is what we saw. He's crazy. That's all I can say.

And he did used to fit....look how he's grown!

Open House at School

2009-09-03T21:58:00.000-04:00

Today was Cameron's open house for his IPOP class. We are very excited that he will be attending the IPOP program this year. It will consist of 10 children, 5 of which are typically developing and 5 with some sort of special need. Luckily, Cameron's preschool teacher has moved from preschool to the IPOP class, so he will have the same teacher as last year. Her name is Mrs Coaty and Cameron just loves her. Today when I asked if he wanted to go to school, he said yea, see Coaty. The classroom was so fun. His favorite part was the little make believe kitchen. I'm sure his dad would have been so proud to see his little man making pretend spaghetti in the kitchen while all the other little boys played with trucks. It was adorable. I had to literally drag him out of that classroom in order to make in on time to his PT appointment.

So, I think we're ready. Tuesday is coming, and school is starting. We'll see what happens when the yellow bus pulls up. I think Cameron will be fine.....it's nanny that I'm concerned about. :)

Spaghetti in the bathroom

2009-09-01T10:04:00.000-04:00

We all know that as mothers, you lose your alone time. This is true no matter what you're trying to do. Shower, sleep or even the unmentionable....using the pot. This morning when I got up I was doing my business Cameron came in to greet me. Morning he said. This was followed by our imaginative play. Cameron's imagination has really blossomed over the last several weeks. He uses blocks as tea cups and has tea parties. He uses mister potato head arms as spoons to eat imaginary yogurt. This morning in the bathroom I was instructed to make my hands into a plate where he placed imaginary spaghetti. I had to eat the spaghetti and then he gave me more and more.

There is definitely something to be said for imagination.

8 ferty

2009-08-31T18:49:00.000-04:00

Cameron never fails to make me laugh. Even when I've had a long night with little sleep or a day full of chores. Last night when I was tucking him in we had our normal conversation.

Me: Goodnight Buddy
Cameron: B (B is binky which we got rid of a week ago)
Me: No Cameron, B is gone. Only babies use binkies.
Cameron: B, one time.
Me: Nope. Are you a baby?
Cameron: Rylee. Big Boy
Me: Ok then. See ya in the morning, I love you.
Cameron: Morning. 8 ferty.

I don't know where this 8 ferty thing came from. It's hilarious though. He looks at his arm like he's reading his watch and tells me he'll see me at 8 ferty. All day I've been asking him what time it is and in Cameron's world it is always 8 ferty.

He sure knows how to brighten my day.

Woo Hoo

2009-08-28T08:02:00.000-04:00

I'm super excited today. Rylee slept through the night last night (10 hours straight) and did nearly the same the night before. I was able to get the boys to bed by 9:30 and then Rylee shortly thereafter. I was in bed by 10 and got to sleep until almost 7. This never would have excited me so much before, but when you've been 6 weeks without a full night of sleep, this feels like a much needed vacation.

In other news...! Cameron is doing great. He is walking all over the place. He loves to say "mama watch" and then walk around the living room. He is still unsteady and walks like a drunk, but it is so great to see him up on his feet. This was the milestone we have waited a while for.

So off to the doctor. This time for myself. (My 6-week postpartum checkup)......yee haw.

Just crazy busy

2009-08-26T10:01:00.003-04:00

Well today isn't any less busy than other days. Cameron has three appointments today. First OT in the pool, then Speech, and later in the day some PT to complete things. He doesn't usually have 3 appointments in one day but lately this has worked out better than having them spread out all over the week. He will no doubt be exhausted at the end of the day. I know I will. The good news is that we are making more of an effort in the potty department and Cam is doing great. He used the potty 5 times yesterday and 3 of those times were because he asked to go. He is still wetting his diaper in between but I think he is making great progress and we are so proud of him. His abilities never cease to amaze me. He is one smart little dude!

Hot Dog Dance

2009-08-23T13:05:00.005-04:00

4 weeks old already

2009-08-18T09:48:00.001-04:00

Kids like him?

2009-08-16T10:49:00.002-04:00

So yesterday we went to Home Depot to buy a gallon of paint. As usual the paint line is long and I have to wait for help matching paint for our shutters. And of course, I get the nutter to wait on me. In case you don't know this, I am a nut magnet. If there's a nut around, they will find me. The girl seemed nice enough to begin with. While we were waiting for her to match the paint, Cameron did his usual waving, making faces and saying hello to everyone who walked by. Most people as usual responded with a smile and returned the greeting. This nutter behind the paint counter instead responded with the question. "If you don't mind me asking, does he have autism or Downs? I nicely said, "he has Down syndrome". The girl then proceeded to tell me that she has a sister that has Cerebral Palsy and Hydrocephalus so she sees kids like Cameron all the time. Okay, so I believe that a picture is worth a thousand words. Unfortunately, there is no picture of my face after she said that. I didn't respond simply because it quite frankly shocked me a little. What exactly is a kid like that? Ok sure, Cameron has DS. So? How can someone who has a sibling with a disability classify a child that way. I know it was one of those harmless things, I'm sure she didn't mean to insult me but it's kinda like saying the R word. Although it wasn't meant to offend, it does. It's like saying I see black people all the time, or I see gay people all the time. Really not the appropriate thing to say. I felt the need to educate her, but Robert was getting embarrassed and I knew he would walk out of the store and leave me.

After leaving Home Depot, we went to Chick Fila where everyone knows Cameron. They are always so polite and enjoy Cameron's sociable personality . While we are eating, Alek asks me how that lady at Home Depot knew Cameron had DS. I said because of the way he looks. And Alek said he doesn't look different. That touched my heart. Alek sees Cameron as his little brother. Not one of those kids, or a kid like him. That's the way that we see him too as well as everyone who really knows him. In our little world sometimes I think we forget Cameron's diagnosis. To us he is just an adorable little boy and is no different than anyone else. It's just unfortunate that society will always see our kids this way instead of seeing their true colors. Maybe next time I will take the time to educate someone who says something goofy.

What the.......

2009-08-15T13:39:00.002-04:00

Apparently as people age, they become crazy. I have seen this in my mother in law. Just take a look at my previous posts to see that she is a real nutter lately. Listen, I appreciate all the things she has done to help our family in the years past, but lately I'm not so appreciative of what she has to offer. Since this new healthcare reform issue has been a hot topic, she has convinced herself that this is the beginning of the end of the world. Geesh. She is very religous and I respect that but good grief, how bout being a little more positive and enjoy life. It seems all she talks about is the rapture, the end of the world and what is going to happen to us sinners who don't attend church on a regular basis. This is where I draw the line. Last week she was visiting and while holding my newborn and very innocent daughter she explains that if Rylee grows up she will look like her mama. But if she doesn't (cause again, the world is ending) she will be going to a place that grandmama doesn't know. In other words, she is saying that a 4 week old baby is going to hell. Why is that? It's because Robert and I don't go to church! That is not because we are not believers. We have spiritual beliefs. Maybe our beliefs are as strong as hers, but we believe in the same god that she does. The difference......we don't spend every day preaching to others, give 10% of our income to church, or spend numerous hours with the many hippocrites I have found at church.

This is ridiculous. Do people who consider themselves "Christians" actually believe that infants and children who are obviously not old enough to claim Christ as their savior, will go to hell? I'm sorry but the God that I believe in is fair and just and would never damn children or even people who had not had the opportunity to learn about Christ to hell. And furthermore, why is my family going to a place that wacky grandma doesn't know simply because we don't follow her church rituals? We are good moral people. We take care of our family. We don't lie, cheat or steal. And I believe we will be judged accordingly.

Good grief lady, give me a break. And get some medication. You're driving everyone nuts.

Incredible Imagination

2009-08-11T18:10:00.004-04:00

Cameron has been feeling so silly lately. But his imagination has also blossomed. He uses blocks to have tea parties and a necklace as a whistle so he can be a coach. He is even a swimmer in the goggles he found in the bottom of a closet.

Laundry and Diapers and Dishes oh my....

2009-08-09T12:37:00.003-04:00

If I thought that life was busy before then I have no idea what to call this. With the endless laundry, poopie diapers and dishes that never stop I feel like I never sit down. Of course, I have never had two little kids at one time before, so this is all new to me. The days start early and end late and I never feel that there is enough time to accomplish everything.

All that being said, the worrying sets in. I am a natural born worrier. I worry about everything. That's just who I am. Next week I go back to work 3 days a week. Cameron still has therapy 4 times a week. I will still have the endless household stuff to manage and Robert is still working away from home all week. I wonder where I will find time to do the important things. When will I have time to work on potty training with Cameron. Or to keep working on his colors, his reading etc. Am I failing as a mother already? I hope as time goes on, I will acclamate to this "new" life and I will be able to fit it all in, but as of now I feel like I may be letting Cameron down. I am only 1 person trying to do 2 people's job. And the pay is horrible.

I've gotta vent!

2009-07-31T12:46:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I didn't want to make my blog a bitch sesssion, but sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

For anyone who doesn't know, I am not a drop in kinda person. In other words I don't appreciate the unannounced knock on the door or the people I usually find on the other side. It's not that I don't like to see people, but I find that usually people arrive at a bad time when the don't call first. For example, bed time, nap time, lunch time, my relax time etc. This has been worse for me since I was pregnant. I have been more irritable than usual and yes, I'm aware of it.

Problem two-! My mother in law has moved in to the neighborhood just down the street. Yes, I repeat, right down the street. She is within walking distance. UGH! This is the bigger problem of the two.

So, I've made it clear after a few of her untimely drop ins during Cameron's naps (yes, she woke him up) that she would need to call first. Did she listen??? No! So taking it a step further, I made a sign that says "sleeping, do not knock or ring bell" to hang on the front door. This has worked for everyone else, but not her. Last Tuesday I woke up to her voice at 8am. This was just 2 hours after I had gone to sleep after being up with Rylee. My mom was here looking after the boys for me, and I was resting. Resting until I was woken up by the loud voices. I don't mean to be intentionally rude, I really don't. However this is ridiculous. First, who visits anyone at 8am. And second, who does that to someone who just had a baby! For goodness sake, get a hint.

This problem escalated today when the note was hanging on the door. I was relaxing and I hear someone trying to open the front door. I decided that since she had ignored my note, I would ignore her standing there. LOL. I know, that makes me laugh too. Nope didn't work. Cause then she called the house and walked around to the back door which was open. I was so pissed that I went into my room and shut the door until she left. Luckily my mom was here again, so she was able to tell my mother in law that I was asleep. I wasn't. But who cares? How bout giving me some freaking privacy!

This is causing great distress in my life. I feel totally ignored and disrespected. I am trying my best to get used to having 3 kids. Two of them small children that require a lot of care. I am also a little emotional and very tired. So give me a break. Am I gonna have to move away to get my point across because obviously my subtle hints aren't working.

Ok- I feel better. Had to get that off my chest.

WOW! I do have 3 kids....!

2009-07-29T16:21:00.003-04:00

Cameron looks so big and Alek looks baffled. Good thing Rylee sleeps through all the chaos. Well at least during the day anyway.

Do I detect jealousy??

2009-07-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

Not that we didn't expect it, but Cameron is visibly jealous of the attention his new sister is getting. This was one of my biggest worries when I first found out that I was pregnant. I have given Cameron so much attention and let's be honest, have revolved my life around his needs, that I have spent much time very worried about how this would affect him. Worried that with an infant I will not have the time I need to devote to Cameron. So far, I've been able to balance well. Rylee is still sleeping 22 out of 24 hours.....those 2 hours awake are during the sleeping hours of most other people, but still! Even with that being said, Cameron has started getting a blanket and coming out to "rest" like his little sister. He has started pretending to cry and now he is trying to drink from a bottle. I'm sure with time, he will get used to all this, but in the meantime, it's quite a site to see me sitting in a chair with Rylee on one shoulder to burp and Cameron on the other.

And he will walk after all......

2009-07-25T22:17:00.000-04:00

After much work Cameron has finally decided that walking may actually be easier than scooting around on his bum. He has been walking for quite a while with a walker but in the last week has decided that he can now get up onto his feet all on his own and is walking around the house in short distances. Of course his balance is still off a little (ok, a lot), but man we're making progress. Cameron is an extremely late walker even for a child with DS but he is getting there. And we are so PROUD of him for all of his hard work!

Rylee Grace Strickland

2009-07-20T21:00:00.001-04:00

Rylee Grace Strickland

July 18, 2009

10:13 pm

6lbs 15 oz.

Well she's finally here. After what seemed like a lifetime, my nine months is over and the finished product has arrived. On Saturday afternoon after many failed attempts of walking laps around the mall, I came home and got in my trusty recliner for a much needed nap. Robert insisted that we walk around the mall since the doctor had indicated on Thursday that I was 4 cm and the baby was way down and she would be coming any time now. Robert was concerned that he would leave for another week of work and miss his only daughter's birth. Miraculously, during my nap, my water broke. Of course, even though I've been saying I was ready, I wasn't. I spent the next ten minutes walking around my house naked from the waist down (my pants were soaked and I knew that if I put on new ones the same would happen) trying to figure out what I needed to take and who was gonna watch my kids. It was quite hilarious and Alek was pretty confused as to why I was doing this.

We arrived at the hospital right around 5 pm and was immediately admitted. My doc decided to start Pitocin since I wasn't contracting and the anesthesiologist was in to give me an epidural shortly thereafter before I had time to feel any real pain. Then the scare came. A little while into this, my blood pressure dropped dramatically therefore causing the baby's heart rate to do the same. The l&d nurse had me reposition several times frantically before calling in another nurse to help. They finally gave me some kind of injection which raised my pressure back up and helped the baby's heart rate as well. They said sometimes Pitocin does this. The drip was stopped and I was told that we would restart it in 1/2 hours. It didn't ever have to be restarted. Before they were able to do that I felt the need to push and after being checked by the doctor, I was told we were ready.

Funny enough, even though I've had two other kids, I wasn't ready. I guess it doesn't matter how many kids you have delivered, it is still scary. Since all three of my experiences in labor and delivery have been different, I didn't know what to expect. Three pushes later and she was here. My first and only little girl had arrived. She is tiny. Much smaller than I expected. But she is healthy and happy and all is well.

I will admit that I spent most of my hospital stay waiting for bad news. After this happens to you once, you always expect some type of grim diagnosis. Luckily for me, all is well.

We are all smitten with our new addition. Cameron says "baby hold you". It's sooo cute. And Alek had been holding her all day. Now we can't forget that his first reaction to his sister was to say, "she's ugly." LOL. Things are great now. I'm in some pain, not so much from the delivery, but more so from the permanent protection against any further pregnancies. I think now our family is complete and we are all here together this week....even Robert and I couldn't be happier.

Doctors with positive outlooks!

2009-07-08T20:10:00.001-04:00

Yea, I know....it's funny! You don't get many of these. In fact, since Cameron was born, there have been a lot of times I have despised doctors and the comments they make in regards to Down Syndrome. Cameron had his 6 month follow up with Dr. Montgomery (neurodevelopmental pediatrician) today. This is a 45 minute drive away from home which includes ridiculous tunnel traffic but definitely a trip I would make if I had to ride a bike. This doctor is so positive about Cameron and other individuals with DS. He takes time to focus on all the areas where Cameron has progressed and he sees the potential of people with DS. After his evaluation, he commented on how well behaved and social Cameron is. He of course touched on the motor delays which we are all aware of, but he says Cameron has minimal delays in the cognitive areas.

It feels good to go to a doctor who sees the bright side of our kids. Someone who doesn't see the issues, rather the joy we find from Cameron. And it doesn't ever hurt to have a professional tell you as a parent that "you are doing all the right things". I think that is one of the things you always worry about being a parent, especially a parent of a child with special needs.

So we're good with this doc for 6 months, but I almost look forward to January so I can see him again and walk out of a doctor's office with a smile on my face rather than the urge to break into tears.

Live and Let Die

2009-07-07T21:28:00.000-04:00

Ok so I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I agree, he is the "King of Pop". He was a great entertainer and there is definitely no one else in the world like him. What I don't understand is why nearly two weeks after his passing, we are still finding coverage of his death on every channel on TV. I'm confused. Our country is experiencing many serious issues right now and our biggest concern is Michael Jackson. Why is everyone so concerned with this? We all die right? The media isn't following Farrah or Billy Mays this way. People die every day. It's unfortunate but it's true. I am just hoping that soon this media circus is over and we can continue to go on with our lives focused on more important issues. GOOD GRIEF!

Cameron likes the baby car seat.....this is gonna be a problem!

2009-07-03T09:59:00.000-04:00

Still no progress.....

2009-07-03T09:56:00.001-04:00

So I went to the doctor yesterday expecting something. Anything at all. I have been dilated 3cm since Monday a week ago and that is exactly where I am still. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't have to tell anyone who knows me that I am absolutely miserable. And that part of me wants this baby out. The other part of me, the part of me that has a 3 year old crazy kid hopes she stays inside forever.

Anyhow to avoid work Monday, I better get busy following up on all the "go into labor" suggestions I've had. Sex, Cheesecake, walking, cartwheels and squats for me this weekend. Lol. I'll be sure to post what works.

Kids Playing Hide and Seek

2009-06-28T19:57:00.001-04:00

Diary of a mad pregnant woman

2009-06-26T12:59:00.000-04:00

Well I'm now 35 weeks preggers. And Cameron came at 35 weeks. So needless to say, I'm thinking maybe soon. And after some irregular contractions, I visited my doc to find out that I'm already 3 cm dilated. WOW! Now this means little to nothing in the pregnancy world. I could have her today. I could have her in 3 weeks. Who knows? I do know that regardless of it not being quite time, I am ready. Maybe not ready in the sense of taking care of a third child. But definitely in the sense of getting this chunkster out of me. I am so uncomfortable lately and sleep is something I haven't seen in a while. Good sleep at least. I'm ready to wear my normal clothes again, ready to be able to put my own socks on, and so so ready for a frozen margarita.

So it may be soon, may be later. I'll keep ya posted.

Put a sock in it....or on it!

2009-06-02T19:50:00.000-04:00

Okay so not my best picture. But honestly, I'm not at my best right now. I am sitting here absolutely miserable. And by miserable I mean completely and utterly over being pregnant. My back hurts, I have terrible pressure which makes it hard to walk. The heartburn is relentless, and sleep is a thing of yesterday, or should I say yestermonth. Yes, I am miserable and here by myself with these kids by myself. So I'm sitting here checking my email when a sock flies through the air courtesy of little Cameron and lands directly on my head. This is the look my webcam caught. Pretty huh? As my children both laugh hysterically, I temporarily forget the uncomfortableness I feel and I have to laugh as well.

No matter how much I am completely over this, and no matter how tired I am, my kids remind me several times a day that laughter can heal all.

Fat and All That

2009-05-19T18:34:00.001-04:00

Remember guys....big girls need lovin too! Enjoy me being large and in charge while you can, cause this will never happen again....! LOL

OH MY! I'm a big boy!

2009-05-18T20:21:00.000-04:00

Okay so I knew the time was coming. About a month ago, we moved Cameron into Alek's room to get the other room ready for baby. We also decided to keep Cameron in his crib in his new room because (a) I didn't want to have to chase him around the house at night and (b) I didn't want him in my room at the crack of dawn. This was a great idea so we thought. Until last weekend when he did the swan dive out of his crib onto his head. So out to shop and buy the big boy (toddler bed) we were hoping to wait until summer for.

So things were pretty good for the first week. He was so proud of his bed and shows everyone who comes over. He stayed in his bed and listened pretty well. He did get up a few times during nap time, but the baby gate has helped that idea. UNTIL....the past few nights I have found this.....

This is cute don't you think? And it is what I have been finding every night lately. Then last night at 3:30 am I hear him calling "Mama, Mama". After I got my pregnant sciatica in check and got over the gate I realized that I couldn't find Cameron anywhere. I called his name repeatedly and then woke up Alek to find out where Cameron was. It was then that I heard him call me again.....from under his bed. Now keep in mind that the bed is only about 6 inches off the ground. He had crawled under there and gotten stuck. At 3:30 am this wasn't that funny but as I lay in bed and try to go back to sleep it became more and more funny. I only wish now that I could have captured this on camera.! Hopefully I can get him better adjusted soon. I only have 10 more weeks until my sleep is totally gone so I need to enjoy it now!

My boy doesn't need a license. Just a mirror to look in!

2009-04-12T20:41:00.000-04:00

5 Things You Never Say to a Pregnant Woman

2009-03-29T18:40:00.000-04:00

5.. How much have you gained?

4.. Wow! That's gonna be a big baby.

3. You don't look pregnant....just thick around the middle.

2. Aren't you scared your baby will have Down syndrome?

1. Aren't you worried you won't be able to take care of Cameron with a new baby around?

Okay guys, so let's get it right here. You don't ask pregnant woman if they are sorry they are pregnant. And most importantly you don't imply that because there is already a child with DS that all future children will be "disabled." I get a lot of unsavory questions and comments, but this tops my list. I DO have a child with DS. And if the thought of having another child with DS scared me, I would not have gotten pregnant. And just for the record......my husband and I hope that this new addition, extra chromosome or not, has as much personality and life as our little "disabled" child.

Will work for Candy

2009-03-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

A couple of nights ago, Cameron asked me to go potty. His potty plays music when you make a deposit, but Cameron has learned that there is also a button on the underside where "mommy" can make the magic happen. So this music thing doesn't seem to be working. I told Cameron that if he used the potty, he would get a treat. This worked great for Alek, and to my surprise actually persuaded Cameron to go.

Fast forward to tonight. We all know that moms cannot use the bathroom by theirselves, so Cameron comes in and lays down and says potty. He wants his pants off. This is what we get.

He is sitting here asking for Candy.... Candy....Candy......Candy. Cameron has a one track mind. So he just repeats himself until you do something about it.

Finally the music plays. I have to reward the kid right. So I give him 4 M&Ms. I know, I know. Everyone here criticizes me for it too. Can't give him the whole bag guys.

Good Job Cameron. Good thing we know what his motivations are!

And they say "it's a girl"

2009-03-14T11:19:00.000-04:00

So the news is in. The ultrasound tech says it's a girl. I am shocked. Robert is ecstatic. And every one of my friends is excited to see me finally get my girl. My mom is talking bows and lace and all I can think of is periods and boobies. Oh and the dates, the talking to boys on the phone and wearing short skirts. Lol. This is hilarious to me. I am not a girly girl. While I'm super excited to be finally getting some "girl power" in this house, I am not sure how I, a not so girly girl, will have a little girl. This kind of terror is normal. I was terrified when Alek was coming, and then even more terrified as Cameron was coming. Now I think of having three kids at one time and I wonder....was I drunk....am I crazy?

Okay enough for the crazy, pregnant ranting. YEE HAW, we're having a little girl. Out with the blue and in with the pink. OH and the name is Kim Jr.

Oh Sheet

2009-02-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

Life becomes funnier each day. Not only do I no longer fit into my "normal" clothes, but I detest the look of maternity clothes. Guess I should have considered this before I sealed the deal. Now all I have to wear is scrubs (and yes, I do wear them out to dinner....) and pajamas (and yes, I do wear these to the grocery store). I guess as my waistline grows along with my dislike for Pregnany Mommy clothes, I will have to settle for a sheet. It's the only thing that will fit comfortably!

Christmas Past

2008-12-24T11:10:00.000-05:00

Christmas time evokes a lot of emotion in me. And when I'm pregnant, that emotion is doubled, maybe even tripled. My intention for this post was to honor Christmas Past and those who touched my heart in Christmases past. Those who are no longer here with me. The pictures I wanted to include would not upload.

Christmas time is a time for family. And as a small child, my fondest memories were of our whole extended family meeting at my grandma's house for Christmas. We would eat dinner, and then open presents one by one with everyone watching to see what the other got. It wasn't the endless amounts of presents that made this time special, it was the gathering together of everyone you loved. My grandma died 7 years ago, in December of 2001 less than 2 months after I lost my dad. Since then, Christmas has not been the same. We no longer meet as a family to celebrate the holidays. There are no more groups of people bickering about who is gonna win the football game, or whether Ford or Chevy is better. There is no more teenagers sneaking the wine and getting so drunk that no one will ever forget. There is no more togetherness. Because, since the passing of my grandma, no one has been able to keep this family together.

It is this Christmas and every Christmas that I look back so fondly at those times that my Grandma created for us kids. We had the best time ever. And now that it is gone, I would give anything to get it back.

I love you, Grandma! You did great things and I hope that one day I will be able to make the holidays as special for my family as you did for us all of those years.

Holidays are hard when you have lost those who you love. My dad especially was taken away abruptly and I never had the chance to say things. I feel that life is precious and each moment should be spent wisely. You never know when it's your last. I miss you Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. And you too Grandpa. We still laugh at the silly things you said. Until we meet again..........I love you all! Merry Christmas!

You've got to be kidding???

2008-12-02T22:54:00.000-05:00

Okay, so Wendy already knows, and who else really follows this blog...? So it's time to vent. You would think with two kids already, I would notice when I was "late" and investigate. Nope, not me. Finally a few days ago I began to think something wasn't quite right. I was pretty sure I was menopausal at 28. Hot flashes, mood swings like a mother, and the crying. NOPE, NOT MENOPAUSE. I don't know that I want to really say what it is that is but I'm pretty sure it is obvious now. Not by the way I am constantly hungry or already crying over ridiculous things. Or the way I've had to abruptly stop taking my antidepressant which makes me beyond unbearable. So I'm in shock. How did this happen. Wait, I think I know that answer.

On a more serious note, after worrying over money and where this new addition will sleep in this tiny matchbox house, I can only hope and pray that this miracle is just as perfect as my last two. This may however take some time to fully sink in and while I continue withdrawl from Zoloft, it's probably best if you stay far far away!

I am so NOT a country girl

2008-11-29T18:03:00.000-05:00

So for Thanksgiving the kids and I (Robert had to work) went to Pennsylvania, or as I call it Pennsyltuckey, to visit with my cousin. She lives in York, PA on a small horse farm with three horses, seven indoor birds, and a fat cat that resembles Garfield. It is a beautiful country area, lots of long winding roads, hills as far as you can see and absolutely nothing to do. Now I know I am always complaining that I don't get time for relaxing, however this is crazy. I was there just three days and I did absolutely nothing. There isn't particularly anywhere close to go, it is cold as crap on top of that hill, and I get lost just leaving the driveway.

I did enjoy visiting with my cousin Laura, and my other cousin Jenny from Baltimore. We had a great time together with lots of laughing. So while I am soooo not country, I will be going back......but it is gonna have to warm up a bit first.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-23T17:06:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving approaching rapidly I feel the need to put aside my bitterness and bad attitude and give thanks for the important things in my life. The things for which I am soooo grateful.

I am most grateful for my kids. I have been blessed with two beautiful children who can sometimes be a challenge, but have undoubtedly been the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I am grateful for my husband...SOMETIMES. Just kidding. I think many times of what I may be faced with if I weren't married. Luckily I am fortunate enough to have someone who knows my quirks and my OCD behaviors and still stays. Of course he is nutty....but since this is a "grateful post" we will leave it at that.

I am grateful for my job and for the flexibility that has been given to me so that I might be able to take care of Cameron.

I am thankful for many helps we have been given in regards to Cameron. We have a huge support network and have some of the best therapists out there.

Lastly, I am grateful for my FRIENDS! I know that I am a nutter too. I have many issues but these friends stick by me regardless. They put up with it all and are always there to support whatever I need.

Therapy Dog. HA

2008-11-15T00:12:00.001-05:00

About 9 months ago, I read an article in the local newspaper about a child with DS who had a therapy dog. The story highlighted how this child had learned to walk with the help of this "service dog". We have been lucky enough to have the priveledge of working with a great therapy dog at Cameron's therapy appointments on occasion, but thought that he may benefit from having more prolonged contact to a service dog. So the search began. I searched high and low with little result for quite a while. I finally found a company in Nevada that agreed to provide a dog for Cameron (with about a $2800 charge). The dog, Chance, whom I call Carl, arrived in September. He is a Rottweiler, as is the dog that Cameron plays with so willingly in therapy. The difference is that our dog is a small 80 pounds and the dog at therapy is a monster named tank weighing 150 pounds. The kicker.....Cameron hates Chance or Carl or whatever we call him. He wants nothing to do with him. I figured this would change after he got used to him, but still nothing. It is actually kind of amusing. We spent all this time and effort to get a service dog to help Cameron, and he hates him. HILARIOUS! So now we have a very expensive "pet". Good news is, Chance loves our family. He has adapted very well and fits in perfectly with his goofy personality.

Disney World

2008-11-04T22:47:00.000-05:00

Okay! So I have been back from Disney World for a couple of weeks now. But it is still so fresh in my mind. And yes, I have been twice this year. So what. Is there any happier place on this earth? I think not. No, I know not. Forget the long lines, the millions of people, and the ridiculous amounts of money you spend when you are there, just go with it and enjoy the time you have there. I am in mourning. I just want to go back. I could move there and be a character. The evil step mother from Cinderella? What could be better than living in the happiest place on earth while being allowed to walk around with a smug attitude and never have to smile. That's it. I am moving!

Good Riddens Golf!

2008-11-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

It's official. All of the scheduled events for DSAVP have been completed. And with great success might I add! We have made such progress this year while wearing our selves down completely. READ MY LIPS WENDY: It's time for a break! Now we can dedicate our time to things that will more directly apply to our children....maybe! I am so very proud of the accomplishments of this SMALL group of just a few.

I will add that golf makes no sense to me! It became quickly apparent to me yesterday that I have no idea what golf etiquette is. Funny enough, my best partner in crime does. I have never played golf, but have to say, what the heck is the point? It is a bunch of guys walking around in funny clothes hitting little balls with expensive sticks. And what is it with the high and mighty attitude of the club members? I did notice that they even have a special "toilet" to crap in! You get a lot of benefits for paying tons of money to join a club.

At this point, we can officially say that I will never be on the golf course. I would be more likely to play football!

Safehaven or Shirking Responsibility?

2008-10-14T09:34:00.000-04:00

I just read an article about the safehaven law in Omaha. Apparently, Omaha's safehaven law allows anyone, not just parents to drop off children at a state licensed hospital without prosecution for abandonment. In this particular article, a mother from another state, dropped off her 13- year old son. The article did not list a reason for the mother's decision to leave her child, however it speculates that it was probably due to behavioral problems. I don't fault a new, teenage mother for leaving her child in a safe hospital because she feels she cannot take care of the infant, I do however have a real problem with a parent leaving a child simply because she or he is having some issues. Isn't it a parents responsibility to care for their child! If we all dumped our children off when they were making us crazy, the hospitals would be full of abandoned children. It is my feeling that this mother should be prosecuted. Of course I do not know the whole situation, maybe I am missing something. However, I have to be more concerned with this 13 year old boy who has been dumped by his parents in a hospital where he knows no one. There should be a license to have children. So many undeserving people have children whom they abuse, neglect, or simply give up after a period of time, when there are people out there who would do anything for a child yet they cannot have them. This is absurd at the very least. What is wrong with our society that gives parents the right to do this to their children?

Children are a blessing from God. We are given these gifts and we should cherish them. It breaks my heart that so many children are neglected or simply not wanted.

Privacy

2008-10-05T19:27:00.000-04:00

So like I said, I am totally new to the blog scene. I have no idea what I am doing, nor do I wish to share my inexperience with anyone. So what does Wendy do??? She looks me up. She is going to be sorely disappointed in this. HA HA! I am never sure what to blog about, do I use it to complain about the rubbish that goes on or do I take the high road and use it to celebrate life and the blessings I have been given? Maybe a little of both. In any case, I hope that you expert "bloggers" are not overly disappointed. I am sure that some day, maybe, I will be as great as you vetern bloggers.

Thanks again Wender, for using your P.I. skills to find us! LOL

Buddy Walk A SUCCESS

2008-09-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

Whose Idea was This?

So we did it. After many months and many long nights, our first ever Buddy Walk is complete. Buddy Walk is a wonderful, heart-warming event especially for people with Down Syndrome. So many times, people with DS are looked down upon or felt sorry for, and at events like these, you get to come together and see the potentials of everyone, while raising awareness in the community.

Our group is still very young, but thanks to the help of a few good friends and wonderful mothers to terrific kids with DS, we made it happen. I couldn't be more proud of our accomplishments and of the reason I have been introduced to this world.

Does it ever end?

2008-09-27T01:06:00.000-04:00

Does the business of life ever stop? Or do you spend all of your life pushing forward in such a way that you long for the end? Who knows. We have been so busy lately planning our first ever Buddy Walk, and trying to keep up with family life as well. Sometimes I don't know if I am coming or going. My kids are the ones suffering the most from all of this. Sure, I am worn out, but they haven't been getting much mama time, and the old bag in my bed is getting irritated as well. Is it truly worth all of this to help the community learn about Down syndrome. Especially considering the parents of the children with DS in our area are less than eager to get involved, even when the say they will.

This little guy is why I do it. It is for him and all the other children with DS out there who are not understood and accepted. This, for me, is what makes all of the hard work worth it! (Even if those losers aren't helping out).

You never forget your first time....

2008-09-01T20:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I admit it. I am a virgin blogger. This is not something I have done before and like other firsts in my life, I am not too sure why I am doing it. Just kidding.

I decided to join the world today and create a blog that would in some small way share my life and the many blessings I have been given. Please remember however that I am merely a rookie, but I will do the best I can to keep this thing afloat.

I call my blog Cirque' du Strickland, because in a way our family is much like a circus. You will see later as I describe the many mishaps that happen in our household. You will also notice that our time together is in every way just as much fun as a circus.