RAISING JOEY

September 2010
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31 for 21, October 31st

October 31, 2008 on 11:36 am | In Holiday fun!, 2008- 31 for 21 | No Comments

Phew! We made it to the 31st of October!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween! Dillon and his mommy Melissa are coming over for dinner tonight and to go Trick or Treating with us! Lots of pictures will be taken!

31 for 21, October 30th

October 30, 2008 on 7:22 am | In Medical, Joey, 2008- 31 for 21, Intestinal Malrotation | 3 Comments

So this morning we meet with the surgion about Joey’s upcoming surgery on his malrotated intestines. We’ll find out how it’s going to be done along with an actual date for the procedure. I have my list of questions to ask the doctor.

I just wish I could snap my fingers and his tummy would be fixed…

31 for 21, October 29th

October 29, 2008 on 1:31 pm | In Joey, 2008- 31 for 21 | 2 Comments

21 Facts about Joey that have absolutely nothing to do with Down syndrome

1. One of his favorite foods is creamed spinach
2. He loves music!! Especially Celtic music, he’s over 50% Irish!
3. He loves dancing!
4. Joey knows sign language. He picks up new signs everyday!
5. He’s an Aries
6. He loves going bye-bye in my van.
7. Joey loves reading with his Daddy.
8. Their favorite book to read together is Hop on Pop by Dr. Suess.
9. Joey’s new favorite thing to watch on TV is Sesame Street
10. His favorite character is Elmo!
11. Wheels on the Bus is Joey’s favorite song
12. Joey loves playing outside!
13. His favorite toys are his cars.
14. Joey is CRAZY about both of his Grandpa’s!!!
15. His other favorite TV show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
16. His favorite dessert is ice cream!
17. Joey has 5 uncles and 7 aunts!!
18. He has a new found interest in fish & aquariums
19. His best buddy’s name is Corey.
20. Joey loves his little sister!
21. Joey and Leah are the only grandchildren of the family- we’re still waiting on cousins!

31 for 21, October 28th

October 28, 2008 on 11:28 am | In Joey, My Etsy Shop, Try This Tuesday, 2008- 31 for 21 | 4 Comments

One thing we’ve been working on with Joey is his aversion to different textures and one thing I’ve made for him is a texture box. It has several different textures in it along with various objects I change on a regular basis (clothes pins, linkies, pom-poms, ect…).

This is also a great way for him to work on his pincher grasp by picking up the beans with his fingers!

I do have one of these texture boxes for sale on my Etsy Shop if anyone is interested

For more Try This Tuesdays, go visit 5 Minutes For Special Needs!

31 for 21, October 27th

October 27, 2008 on 10:07 am | In Joey's school transition, 2008- 31 for 21 | 7 Comments

We just got back from meeting with Joey’s pre-k team at his new school. “Sigh”, my baby is going to be starting school in March! I’m so not ready for this, but I’ll survive, lol! His team at the school is going to be awesome! And the one main thing I wanted for him is music therapy and guess what?! His school has a music therapist there every Monday just for the pre-k special ed students! YAY! The one thing extra I wanted for him and I don’t have to fight for it! His PPT is scheduled for March 9.

31 for 21, October 26th

October 26, 2008 on 6:40 pm | In Down syndrome, Friends, CDSC, 2008- 31 for 21 | 5 Comments

The CDSC’s convention was a success! The new/ expectant parent workshop I did went very, very well. The room was packed! It was great to talk to all the new parents so we all could share our experiences.

I spent a large part of the day with Melissa, Dillon’s mom. She helped me with the two tables I was running. I would have been so lost without all of my helpers!!!

The keynote speaker was Karen Gaffney. She is a huge inspiration! I actually had the pleasure of having dinner with her Friday night! A couple of us CDSC board members joined her for dinner.

31 for 21, October 25th

October 25, 2008 on 1:50 am | In CDSC, 2008- 31 for 21 | 1 Comment

Well I’m off to the CDSC’s convention for the day!

31 for 21, October 24th

October 24, 2008 on 8:06 am | In Joey, CDSC, Joey GI, 2008- 31 for 21, Intestinal Malrotation | No Comments

Thanks everyone! From what I understood yesterday from the doctor is that its not an emergency surgery. We go next week for a consultation and will schedule then. He does not currently have a blockage from the malrotation (which is good).

And the other good thing is that the doc thinks that this procudure will be done by scoping him rather than cutting him clear open (Lord, I hope so!)

The surgion’s office called yesterday to set up the consultation appointment for his surgery so next Thursday we’ll meet with this doc to talk about surgery and set a date.

In other news, I talked to 2 new DS families yesterday and left a message for one expectant mom! YAY! The Holland Committee is off and running!!! I know for sure that one of the mothers will be attending my new/ expectant parent workshop on Saturday at the CDSC’s convention!

31 for 21, October 23

October 23, 2008 on 3:35 pm | In Joey, Videos, Dancing, Joey GI, 2008- 31 for 21, Intestinal Malrotation | 10 Comments

Before I get to the cute Joey video, I thought I better write an update about his upper GI appointment…

Well, I wanted answers, well I got them… Joey malrotated intestines that require surgery. It’s not a surgery that needs to be done like tommorow but it does need to be done. The surgions office will be calling us in the next few days to schedule.

In the future, his stomach or intestines could turn causing an obstruction, which is why it has to be done.

As for his poopy issues, his doctor isn’t convinced that the malrotated intestine is what’s causing it. She said it’s a possibility but not sure. She actually is starting to think it might be from Joey not eating much in the way of “solid foods”. Solid food makes solid poop.

She said we’ll see after the surgery if it helps.

The one thing I know is that I just spent from 7:45 am-2:00pm at Children’s Hospital and I’m so tired is unbelievable and Leah just woke up from her nap so there goes me laying down…

Enough about poo, here’s Joey from the other evening being his typical cute self!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

31 for 21, 10/22- Special Exposure Wednesday & WW

October 22, 2008 on 8:46 am | In Down syndrome, Photos, Joey, Friends, Wordless Wednesday, Playdates, Special Exposure Wednesday, 2008- 31 for 21 | 9 Comments

Our recent playdate with Dillon!!!

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Mom or the Wordless Wednesdays headquarters!

For more Special Exposure Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs.

31 for 21, October 20th

October 21, 2008 on 9:08 am | In Try This Tuesday, 2008- 31 for 21, Tackle It Tuesday | 7 Comments

I figured this post is good for not only Try This Tuesday but also Tackle It Tuesday!

If you have crazy kids like me, I’m sure they also LOVE to open up the dresser drawers and rip out all the clothing. Well, for me, after a while, I got sick and tired of it!

So what did I do? I went to Home Depot and bought latches for all the drawers on Joey’s dresser! For a while, I was able to just keep the latches closed without anyother devices keeping the drawers closed, that was until Leah figured out how to un-do them….

So off to Home Depot again! This time, I bought a dowel rod and put it through the latches rather than putting locks on them! So far, the kiddos can’t un-do this fix!!!

For more Tackle it Tuesdays, visit 5 Minutes For Mom and for more Try it Tuesdays, visit 5 Minutes For Special Needs!

31 for 21, October 19th

October 19, 2008 on 6:46 pm | In Contests, 2008- 31 for 21 | 2 Comments

WOW, I’m a bad blogger! I forgot to annouce the winner of my second giveaway of the month! The awareness ribbon cookie cutters!! Joey pulled two names from a hat and the winners are…..

Renee from My Specials K’s and Michelle from Big Blueberry Eyes!!

31 for 21, October 18th (a day late)

October 19, 2008 on 6:39 pm | In Shopping, 2008- 31 for 21 | 1 Comment

Ahhhh, I can’t believe I missed a day! I was so busy yesterday I completely and totally forgot! I went to tag sales, the grocery, Walmart, a birthday party, and to the mall! BUSY, BUSY DAY!

My great find of the day at a tag sale… this kitchen set!! I paid $20 for it and it’s $186 on Amazon!!

I was going to buy a kitchen set for the kids for Christmas, planning to pay full price but guess what?! Not now, I’m going to clean it up and save it for Christmas!

Then I went to Shaw’s Grocery and they were having a grand re-opening sale and had some KILLER buys! So I stocked our freezer up with meat!

I love good shopping days!!!!

31 for 21, October 17th

October 17, 2008 on 8:33 am | In Down syndrome, Articles, Pro-life, pre-natal testing, Catholic, Sarah Palin, 2008- 31 for 21 | No Comments

****Don’t forget to enter in my second giveaway of the month, get your chance to win an awareness ribbon cookie cutter!!!

A wonderful article written by Leticia from Cause of Our Joy.

Civil Rights, Now! — For Down’s Syndrome Babies

Posted By Leticia Velasquez On October 14, 2008 @ 12:00 am In The Edge

“Trig Palin’s moment in the national spotlight is a milestone of the civil rights movement for those with Down syndrome. But it comes at a paradoxical time. Unlike the legal protections accorded the rights of minorities and women, civil rights for people with Down syndrome have rapidly eroded over the past few decades. Of the pre-natally diagnosed cases of Down syndrome, about 90 percent are eliminated by abortion. Last year the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended universal, early testing for Down syndrome — which has only been recommended for older pregnant women. Some expect this increased screening to reduce the number of Down syndrome births to something far lower than the 5,500 annually we see today, perhaps to fewer than 1,000″ – Michael Gerson, Op-Ed in Washington Post, Sept. 10, 2008. The painful irony we parents of children with Down syndrome have been enduring for decades is this: If our children make it to birth, they are offered panoply of therapies, benefits, and Special Education. IF they make it to birth. And there’s an increasingly slim chance they will in America.

The abortion rate of children with Down syndrome is even higher in France, land of both Charles De Gaulle who had a beloved daughter with Down, and Dr Jerome Lejeune who discovered its cause in 1959 and spent the rest of his life seeking a cure.

These men’s lives are inspiring examples of respect for the people whom David Gerson describes as “learning slowly and loving much”. Tom Vander Woude’s death is another. A sixty-six-year-old father of 7 boys, Tom, a retired Vietnam War pilot, bought a farm in northern Virginia to raise his family. Tom’s youngest son, 22-year-old Joseph whom he called Josie, has Down syndrome. Friends say that wherever Tom went, Josie was with him and that Tom was a tireless advocate for the rights of those with Down syndrome. Three weeks ago, Josie fell into a 10 foot deep septic tank on the property and was drowning in sewage. Tom dove into the tank telling a worker, “You pull, I’ll push”, immersing himself in the muck to save his son. Josie did survive the ordeal, but tragically, Tom didn’t. There could be no stronger affirmation of the worth and human dignity of an individual with Down syndrome than that given by Tom to his son. But sadly, examples like these are the exception. Continue reading 31 for 21, October 17th…

31 for 21, October 16th

October 16, 2008 on 10:55 am | In Down syndrome, Photos, Articles, Joey, 2008- 31 for 21 | 1 Comment

I’m so excited! Joey finally made the “A Special Joy: Babies With Down syndrome” gallery on the Parenting & Baby Talk Magazine’s website!

Check him out!!!

31 for 21, October 15th

October 15, 2008 on 8:27 am | In Wordless Wednesday, Special Exposure Wednesday, 2008- 31 for 21 | 8 Comments

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Mom or the Wordless Wednesdays headquarters!

For more Special Exposure Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs.

Don’t forget to enter in my second giveaway of the month, get your chance to win an awareness ribbon cookie cutter!!!

31 for 21, October 14th

October 14, 2008 on 7:54 am | In Photos, Blogging, NDSC convention, 2008- 31 for 21 | 1 Comment

One of the highlights of my year so far was going to Boston for the NDSC’s National Convention. I got to meet so many of my blogging friends who I had never met before. It was so much fun being able to finally meet you all face to face! I know I already posted some of these pictures, but I want to share them again!

Michelle, & Kayla from Big Blueberry Eyes!

Jennifer Graf Gronebury author of Roadmap to Holland & the blog, Pinwheels, and Kathryn Lynard Soper author of Gifts!

Amy & Mason from The Flege Farm, Tricia & Georgia from Unringing the Bell, and Nicole from All 4 My Gals just to name a few of us in this one!

And I can’t forget also meeting Jan from Mauzy’s Musings, Tara Marie & Emma Sage, and so many, many more of you!

One of the highlights of my trip was definetly getting to meet Emily Perl Kingsley, author of Welcome to Holland which as been a huge inspiration for me along with many other parents.

Don’t forget to enter in my second giveaway of the month, get your chance to win an awareness ribbon cookie cutter!!!

31 for 21, October 13th

October 13, 2008 on 8:45 am | In Joey, Teething, Leah, My Etsy Shop, Joey GI, 2008- 31 for 21 | No Comments

Well today we FINALLY have Joey’s appointment with the GI doctor. I haven’t updated much about his tummy. He’s not blowing out diapers as much as before. We didn’t cut gluten completely out of his diet but I did cut it down a little and it did seem to help some. His poo-poo still isn’t formed at all, I just really hope today starts to bring some answers.

ANYWAYS, enough about poo, Leah is teething again. Now she’s getting her top middle teeth. She’s been cranky all weekend.

I have a new online addiction, “window shopping” on Etsy! I love handmade items! And occasionally I do a search for “down syndrome” on there just to see if there’s anything good to buy DS related. Well a couple weeks ago, I found this…

And of course, I had to order it! It’s made by Renita at Vintage Mom Creations who has a beautiful little girl, who also happens to have a little something extra just like Joey! I ordered mine as a necklace rather than a keychain and it’s too cute! She also has a blog!

31 for 21, October 12th

October 12, 2008 on 9:22 am | In Down syndrome, Articles, 2008- 31 for 21 | 3 Comments

First thing… don’t forget to enter in my second giveaway of the month, get your chance to win an awareness ribbon cookie cutter!!!

I love stories like this!!! !

Aledo High seniors pick classmate with Down syndrome as homecoming queen

10:09 PM CDT on Saturday, October 11, 2008
By MICHAEL E. YOUNG / The Dallas Morning News
myoung@dallasnews.com

Never has the selection of a homecoming queen sent so many tears falling so freely.

Kristin Pass, an 18-year-old senior with Down syndrome, became Aledo High School’s homecoming queen Friday to a joyous standing ovation and the flutter of a thousand tissues on a remarkable night for an amazing young woman.

Her grandfather, Dr. David Campbell of Corsicana, escorted her onto the field and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as Kristin joined eight other young women in the Homecoming Court to await the results of the vote, cast by the 360-plus members of Aledo High’s senior class.

Then came the announcement … and pandemonium.

“Oh my gosh! I was sitting in the student section and everyone stood up, crying and cheering for Kristin,” said longtime friend and fellow senior Meaghan Geary, 17, who first met Kristin in the third grade. “It was great!”

Carolyn Pass stood at the edge of the football field, taking pictures of her daughter and friends’ daughters in the court, when the stadium erupted.

“It’s just something you can’t even imagine,” she said. “And afterward, everyone was just running down to her, congratulating her. And the other girls in the court, they’re all just beautiful girls, inside and out.”

Ms. Pass said she spoke later with a friend. “She said the only mistake anyone made was not handing out crying towels.”

The vote may have been a surprise, but no one who knows Kristin doubts her popularity, her mother said.

“Kristin has a lot of friends – she likes everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re tall or short, pretty, not pretty, smart, not smart – she likes everybody. She has great friends. And Aledo is a great community.”

“She’s just the neatest kid in the whole wide world,” added her aunt, Chari Hust of Houston, “and everybody sees that.”

Clay Gilmer, who works in the stadium press box, running the scoreboard and clock, said people pushed toward the windows as the young women were introduced.

“They were all pulling for Kristin,” Mr. Gilmer said.

When she won, he was thrilled. “This has been such a special time, a special week for Kristin,” he said. “And I was really taken by the maturity and the love shown by her friends, her peers, her classmates.

“That makes this a double blessing.”

Kristin pronounced the evening “exciting” and “awesome.”

She was so thrilled, her mother said, that she took her crown to bed with her.

“She’s real proud of it,” her friend Meaghan added.

Kristin and her family, including sister Kendall, now a freshman, moved to Aledo when Kristin was in the third grade. She was embraced by the people in town through good times and bad, including the death of her dad, J.T., two years ago.

“We’ve always had great experiences here,” her mom said. “We’ve been blessed, and I think Kristin brings a lot of blessings to the people she knows.”

Her selection as homecoming queen was a wonderful surprise. But Meaghan seemed to have an inkling that it could happen.

“Everyone loves Kristin,” she said, “and I didn’t know for sure, but in class everyone was like, ‘Who are you voting for?’ and everybody was like, ‘Vote for Kristin, she’s so good.’ ”

Kristin doesn’t care what’s on the outside, Meaghan said. She’s friends with everyone, and everyone admires that.

“She’s the person we all want to be,” Meaghan said.

31 for 21, October 11th

October 11, 2008 on 4:20 pm | In Photos, Joey, Leah, 2008- 31 for 21 | 2 Comments

I can’t think of anything to post about today so how about some kiddo cuteness??

31 for 21, October 10th

October 10, 2008 on 9:30 am | In Usborne Books, 2008- 31 for 21 | 1 Comment

Hmmmmm, I’ve been sitting here trying to think about something to write about for today and decided on talking about Usborne Books and children with Special Needs. I have books on the brain today since I’m doing a homeshow tonight for Maureen, Penelope’s mommy.

Outstanding features of Usborne Books make them beneficial for children with special needs:
-Realistic Talk-About Illustrations - filled with action and detail.
-Interactive - this important feature of Usborne books encourages communication and participation in the reading experience.
-Step-by-step - all Usborne activity books and cards have step-by-step instructions AND illustrations. This breaks the project down into parts so that it’s not overwhelming, and leads to increased understanding.
-Problem-solving tasks - many Usborne books, such as the lift-the-flap books, puzzle adventure books, and slot books, encourage problem-solving skills at many levels.
-Text in Bite-size chunks - the information in Usborne Books is arranged on the page in manageable bite-sized pieces, to increase attention, understanding, and comprehension.
-Multi-functional - the books are applicable to a wide range of students for a variety of goals.
-High quality- Usborne books are durable and inexpensive. They are made to last, with sturdy bindings and acid-free pages.

Some books suggested for children with special needs…
-First Hundred Words - Vocabulary builder, action filled talk-about pictures
-Everyday Words - Highly detailed clay models; action-filled pages categorized by scene, as well as pages about opposites, seasons, actions and more. Perfect for vocabulary, language development
-Very First Words/First Picture Word Books - Life-like clay models of everyday objects. Language development, vocabulary.
-Touchy-feely board books - Descriptive words, predictable language structures. Each book has patches of different textures that may be soft, rough, bumpy, smooth, furry, etc., depending on the title.
-Phonics Readers - Phonemic awareness, pre-reading skills, rhyming.
-First Experiences - Rehearsing and talking about real life situations
-1001 Things To Spot - Categorization, independent activity, visual-based
-Puzzle Adventure Books - Problem solving, predictions, cognitive activities
-Great Search books - Highly detailed illustrations; visually stimulating, independent activity, bite-sized text.
-First Encyclopedias - Visually stimulating, information in bite-sized pieces
-Art/Drawing books - Independent, repetitive motion activities

~~Author unknown- I wish I could find out who wrote this list so I could give credit to them.

Be sure to check out my online Usborne Book Store!

****Don’t forget to enter in my second giveaway of the month, get your chance to win an awareness ribbon cookie cutter!!!

31 for 21, October 9th

October 9, 2008 on 8:51 am | In Contests, 2008- 31 for 21 | 13 Comments

How about another giveaway?! I’m holding one contest a week for the month of October! This time for an awareness ribbon cookie cutter? Heck, I’m giving away two! So in 6 days, the evening of October 15, Joey will draw 2 winnners!!

Just leave a comment for your chance to win!! This contest is open to everyone!

31 for 21, October 8th

October 8, 2008 on 8:18 am | In Contests, Wordless Wednesday, Special Exposure Wednesday, 2008- 31 for 21 | 7 Comments

And the winner is of the Down syndrome awareness bracelet is….
Renita from Vintage Creations!!

Check back tomorrow for another giveaway!

Wordless Wednesday and Special Exposure Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Mom or the Wordless Wednesdays headquarters!

For more Special Exposure Wednesdays, go visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs.

31 for 21, October 7th

October 7, 2008 on 8:25 am | In Down syndrome, Videos, 2008- 31 for 21, People First Language | No Comments

One R word…. RESPECT!

~~~Also, don’t forget about my 31 for 21 giveaway! Today is the last day to enter in my 1st giveaway of the month, one of my DS awareness bracelets! Click here to enter!