RAISING JOEY

Please sign!

Noelle over at Jaden’s Journal has started an online petition to help change the way that doctors deliever a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 to new and expecting parents. Please sign the petition and pass on the link to others so they can do the same!

 Go here to sign the offical petition!

Congresswoman’s baby has Down syndrome

Congresswoman’s baby has Down syndrome

Written by Matthew Daly

WASHINGTON — Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said Wednesday that her month-old son, Cole, has been diagnosed with Down syndrome.

“This news has been difficult to get our arms around. Like every parent, we have hopes and dreams for our children,” McMorris Rodgers said in a letter to constituents and supporters. “Although initially stunned, we are embracing our son and preparing for what may lay ahead.”

McMorris Rodgers, a second-term Republican from eastern Washington state, was the first member of Congress in more than a decade to give birth while in office.

Down syndrome occurs when a person has three, rather than two, copies of the 21st chromosome. Characteristics associated with Down syndrome include low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes and cognitive delays.

The incidence of Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80 percent of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.

Jill Strait, a spokeswoman for McMorris Rodgers, said a blood test conducted during the pregnancy indicated an increased risk of Down syndrome because of the congresswoman’s age, 37 when she gave birth to Cole, her first child.

The couple “decided not to pursue further testing,” Strait said.

McMorris Rodgers said, “Thankfully, Cole appears to be in excellent physical health. We will monitor him closely as he develops, and like all parents, we will strive to ensure Cole has every opportunity to reach his full potential.”

She wrote the letter to update friends and supporters following news that her son was recovering after intestinal surgery. The baby, born prematurely April 29, was hospitalized at Bethesda Naval Hospital in suburban Maryland for nearly three weeks.

Since he came home, Cole has been “eating, sleeping and doing his business like every newborn.” McMorris Rodgers said. “We are thrilled to be new parents.”

The former Cathy McMorris married Brian Rodgers last year.

For Cathy McMorris Rodger’s webpage, go here.

 Another article about Cathy and her beautiful new baby boy… McMorris Rodger’s baby boy goes home.

We’re home!!

Wow, that was a long 11 days without a computer!! I about went nuts wondering how everyone has been doing!! I have so many blogs to catch up on today! Anyways, our trip went great! I took a lot of pictures and have so many things to post on! I just hope I don’t forget everything I want to share with you guys! It may take me a couple times sitting here to post, due to Joey who not only has gotten the hang of crawling and pulling to stand, he crawls across the room in 5 seconds and gets into EVERYTHING! It’s so funny…. I wanted him to crawl so bad and now I just want a break from running after him! If there was a baby olympics, Joey could win the sprint crawling!

I think I’ll start my picture sharing off with Joey and my cousin’s son also named Joey. So here’s the two Joey’s having a BLAST in the pool!!!

“Mommy, I am loving this!”

Did I mention that I’m going to Walmart today to get Joey one of those pools?!

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

I just wanted to wish a Happy 27th Anniversary to my parents back in Ohio! Enjoy your day off today and have a great dinner tonight!

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays or to participate, go here.

A Must Read!

Ok, I was checking various message boards and my email before I leave for the airport when I came across this article. It’s a must read, very insightful!

 Retarded By Association, When You Make Fun Of My Sister, It Hurts Me.

Written by: Megan McVay, TeenStar

“My sister, who has Down syndrome, has a gift for shrugging off your taunts, but I’m not so lucky.”

Be back after Memorial Day!

Well, we’re off to Ohio to see my family! Just in case I don’t get a chance to update while we’re gone, have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

Favorite Ingredient Friday- Memorial Day Edition

Mom’s Marshmallow Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1. 1 lb sour cream
2. 1 bag miniature marshmallows
3. 1 can (10 oz) mandarin oranges (drained)
4. 1 can (10 oz) pineapples (drained)
5. 1 lb fresh grapes (my mom mixes green & seedless red together)
6. 1 small jar maraschino cherries (drained)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together except cherries. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Top with cherries & serve.

*This recipe in not set in stone, my mom as she put it, for the past 30 years, usually throws everything together and can’t remember the exact amount I know some people call this salad “Ambrosia” but to us, it’s always been “Mom’s marshmallow fruit salad”.

For more Favorite Ingredient Fridays or to participate, go to Overwhelmed With Joy!

I HATE COLDS!

I don’t have one, but Joey does… this wouldn’t bother me too much except for the fact that we’re suppose to be leaving tomorrow for Ohio to see my family. I called his pedi yesterday and Dr. B told me to give him a 1/2 teaspoon of triamentic cold and cough 4 times a day. I’m hoping and praying that this clears out his head before we take off tomorrow evening. I’m scared to death that all the fluid in his head will go to his ears and that wouldn’t be good flying.

The good thing is, that this cold hasn’t really bothered Joey in terms of feeling sick or being cranky. He’s still happy as can be and playing all the time! He’s even gotten better at crawling! I can’t believe how fast the little guy is moving around now!!

Translating Raising Joey!

I’ve noticed on my webpage counter’s activity that I’ve been getting hits from all over the world. So to help out any Raising Joey reader who might enjoy reading my blog in their own language, I’ve added a translation tool to make things easier. Enjoy!

7 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Me!

I’ve been tagged by Jennifer over at Pinwheels with “7 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Me”

1. I collect turtles.
2. In Jr. High & High School, I played the clarinet, bass clarinet & tenor saxophone.
3. I know sign language, I took 3 years in college.
4. My favorite color is purple.
5. I love southern rock & country music! I’ve gone to see Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert more times than I can count!
6. I love genealogy! My parents and I traveled all over West Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania researching our family. We own 7 acres in West Virginia that has my 5 great grandparent’s cemetery on it.
7. In 1997, I got to meet Gwen Stefani backstage at a No Doubt concert after my awesome brother got us backstage passes.

The 7 people I tag are… Pam from Rhett’s Journey, Kari from Chanelle & Tristan, Nicole from All 4 My Gals, Jaymi from The FlipFlop Mamma, Heather from Flaugh’s Flaws, Trina from Knitting Bag Therapy, and Carey from Sunny Days at the Beach

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays or to participate, go here.

Yummy!

Joey wants everyone to know how much he LOVES his juice boxes!!!!! (100% juice, no sugar added of course) Now if we could just get him to eat foods with texture and to get him to feed himself! But doesn’t he look like such a big boy drinking his juice?!

Prayers today!

Please keep this little guy in your thoughts and prayers today. He goes in for another open heart surgery today and his mommy is asking for lots of prayers today for Gabe and their family.

And he’s off!!!

Need a Joey video fix? Here’s the latest milestone (besides pulling to stand) that I’ve finally caught on video… crawling!!!!!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

“I’m cranky Mommy!”

My two top teeth cut through last week and boy have they been bugging me! I was so cranky yesterday that I fell asleep in my Daddy’s arms.

And these are the reason for my crankiness…

But I did feel much better after I woke up from my nap!

Happy Mother’s Day

I’m a little bit early but… Happy Mother’s Day to my mother. It’s hard being away from you today. I wish I could be back in Ohio with you planting the flower gardens or even digging a new goldfish pond out front today. But thankfully I get to see you next weekend, so we’ll be together soon! I love you and I miss you.

And how can I forget my Mother in law?! Thank you for being there for me and for everything you do. Without you, I would have been extremely lost at becoming a mother and living out on my own away from my own mother the past 2 years I’ve been living here in Connecticut. You’ve taught me so much.

I also, can’t forget our Grandmothers! Grandma F and Grandma H! Joey, Patrick and I love you both so much!

I also want to wish my Aunt Jenny a Happy Mother’s Day. Some of my most fond memories are spending weekends with you and Carrie. You have been the best aunt any neice could ask for! I miss you and love you!

Also, I want to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to all of my readers who are also mothers. Have a wonderful Day, today is your day, enjoy it!

Out Little Extras…

Our Little Extras: A Mother’s Day Celebration of our children with Down syndrome. Barbara Curtis from Mommy Life made a wonderful online picture album featuring Mothers and their children with Down syndrome as a Mother’s Day celebration. You never know, you might even see a face or two you recongize :) 

Be Not Afraid

I came across a prenatal diagnosis support website the other day and want to share it. It’s not just for Trisomy 21, it’s for all sorts of prenatal diagnosis’s. BeNotAfriad.net, if you’ve had a prenatal diagnosis of any sort, stop over and visit their forums. Wonderful way for expecting parents to reach out for help.

My Proudest Moment As A Mother…

I decided to give a try at the Crazy Hip Blog Mama’s Weekly carnival writing. This week the carnival topics are: “My proudest moment as a mother was when…” OR “My mother/grandmother’s best piece of advice”.

 I’m not much of a writer. I try to be but my words don’t always seem to flow as nicely as other writers. But it’s the thought that counts, right?

I decided to write about “My proudest moment as a mother was when”. Well, actually for me, there have been multiple moments I’ve been extremely proud of Joey. I have heard so many times from medical professionals all of the could nots, will nots, and all of the other things my son will not do until much later than he actually does them. Whenever he proves someone wrong, those are my proudest moments.

When he rolled over for the first time, and it was said he wouldn’t do that quite some time later, I was proud. When he sat up unsupported for the first time, even though it was only a couple seconds, I was proud. When he went from laying to sitting all by himself, I was proud. When he was able to get himself out of sitting back into laying without falling and hitting his head, I was proud. When he started crawling out of nowhere, I was proud.  And the most recent milestone, when he pulled himself up to standing all by himself, I was so proud, I was glowing!!

YAY!

So Joey and I were just sitting on the floor watching Rachel Ray together. The camera goes from Rachel to the audience who is clapping. Who gets excited, lets out a happy scream and starts clapping along with the TV but Joey! I just had to share that cute Joey moment with all of you :) 

Favorite Ingredient Friday

Strawberry Shortcake 

Ingredients 

1. 3 pints fresh strawberries
2. 1/2 cup white sugar
3. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4. 4 teaspoons baking powder
5. 2 tablespoons white sugar
6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
7. 1/3 cup shortening
8. 1 egg
9. 2/3 cup milk
10. 2 cups whipped heavy cream

Directions

1. Slice the strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup of white sugar. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8 inch round cake pan.
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons white sugar and the salt. With a pastry blender cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and milk. Stir until just combined.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool partially in pan on wire rack.
5. Slice partially cooled cake in half, making two layers. Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with the other layer. Top with remaining strawberries and cover with the whipped cream.

*I have to admit, I haven’t made this one yet, I was craving strawberry shortcake earlier in the week so I cheated and bought Hostess Shortcakes to hold me over. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted homemade shortcake, so I think I’m going to give this one a try this weekend!

For more Favorite Ingredient Fridays or to participate, visit Overwhelmed With Joy!

New Book Out!

Aunt Mommy by Tomacina Hochgurtel.

“Not a typical child, Jordan Lee is an amazing little boy with Down syndrome. Tossed in the throes of a drug-infused environment, Jordan Lee is rescued from an unstable beginning, Jordan Lee soon finds himself thriving in the loving care of his Aunt Mommy. ”

You can order it here.  Also, here’s a great article I just found about it today!

Prenatal Test Puts Down Syndrome In Hard Focus

New York Times, May 9, 2007.

Written by Amy Harmon.

DETROIT — Sarah Itoh, a self-described “almost-eleven-and-a-half,” betrayed no trace of nervousness as she told a roomful of genetic counselors and obstetricians about herself one recent afternoon.

She likes to read, she said. Math used to be hard, but it is getting easier. She plays clarinet in her school band. She is a junior girl scout and an aunt, and she likes to organize, so her room is very clean. Last year, she won three medals in the Special Olympics.

“I am so lucky I get to do so many things,” she concluded. “I just want you to know, even though I have Down syndrome, it is O.K.”

Please take a minute and read the rest of this article, it’s a good one!

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays or to participate, go here.