Cans For Corey

Cans for Corey was held today and it was a HUGE success! We raised $1000 for the CDSC’s Buddy Walk just by collecting cans & bottles! Can you believe it?? $1000 in recycling! And the Boy Scouts even showed up to help! Not too shabby!

Easter recap

Isn’t it funny how for a while I do really, really good at posting updates then I go a week or two with barely anything? Geez, welcome to the life of having a 2 year old and a 6 month old, hahaha!

We started off Easter morning at church.  Thank goodness were sat in the crying room because BOTH of the kids decided to be cranky. From church we headed to Pat’s parent’s house for the afternoon. Then from there we went to Pat’s aunt’s house for the evening. It was an extremely busy day and somehow even though Joey skipped his nap, he had no major crankyness besides in church.

And isn’t it funny how a child can enjoy an empty plastic Easter egg more than anything else in his Easter basket???

World Down Syndrome Day 2008

Happy World Day Syndrome Day 2008!

“Down Syndrome International (DSI) has officially earmarked 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day(WDSD). The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.

Singapore was selected to launch the inaugural WDSD in 2006. The event, held at the CHIJ Secondary School in Toa Payoh, in the heartlands of Singapore was very successful and well attended. Many other organizations worldwide joined in the celebrations with events and activities in their respective countries.This year the theme for 21 March 2008 is “Aim High Enough”, to continue creating awareness about Down syndrome and promote acceptance of diversity.All DSI members and related organizations worldwide are encouraged to observe the WDSD together with the community in an appropriate manner.”

Having a child with Down syndrome and promoting awareness of Down syndrome is something I truly believe deserves so much more attention that what it gets. Part of what I want people to realize is, that people who have Down syndrome are people first.

When I was pregnant with Joey and we received the prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, we were devastated. Thankfully, we overcame those feelings and realized Joey was going to be just like all other babies. Maybe a little slower reaching some of his milestones but still reaching them. He’s a very happy 2 year old little boy and we wouldn’t have him any other way!

Also, please say a prayer for Rhett today, he is having surgery today and his family is requesting lots of prayers today. Please stop by his mom’s blog and leave a little note.

St. Patty’s Day review

Seeing that my husband is almost 100% Irish, we spent our St. Patrick’s Day evening at the Irish American Club where my father in law was playing with his band. Most of our family was there and we had a blast!! There were several highlights of the night including my husband getting out on the dance floor, my father in law singing Leah a beautiful song and the band playing Happy Birthday for Joey. I’m already excited and ready for next year!!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Joey’s birthday party & St. Patrick’s Day!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Joey’s birthday party was a BLAST! We all had such a good time. Most of Joey’s friends were able to be there. I wish I would have gotten more pictures. It was so crazy with everything going on, I didn’t get as many as I wanted to. Thankfully Joey was feeling almost back to normal for his party, still a little sick but not bad.

Today, on the other hand, he was feeling sick again. I just hope he’s feeling good for this evening. We’re planning on going to the Irish Club for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Happy Birthday Joey!

I can’t believe my little buddy is TWO YEARS OLD  today!

One year ago…

Two years ago…

Memory Keepers Daughter update

I just read this on one of the message boards I belong to and had to pass the word on… Memory Keepers Daughter (the movie) premieres Saturday, April 12 at 9 pm et/pt on the Lifetime Channel! Staring Dermot Mulroney, Gretchen Mol, Emily Watson.

I can’t wait!
 

Some loves his PahPaw

And wouldn’t you know… I jinxed myself the other day. Well actually, I jinxed poor Joey. He came down with Leah’s cold. Thankfully that was 2 days ago and he seems to be feeling much better today and Leah seems to be feeling a little better too. So keep you fingers crossed they’re both feeling better for Joey’s birthday party!

My parents made it in town safely and Joey was so happy to see his PahPaw yesterday! The bond the two of them share is amazing. Joey reacts to my father differently than anyone else. He loves him so much. I wish we lived closer! Speaking of which, my father and I are going shopping this afternoon to buy Joey his birthday gift.

And I will close this post with a couple of pictures of my coupon clipper helper…

Cans For Corey

To all my Connecticut readers and even any readers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island if you’re willing to make the drive, one of my dear friends is hosting a Can & Bottle Drive to help raise funds to sponsor the CDSC’s 2008 Buddy Walk, Saturday, March 29 from 9-1:00. If you’re interested, I made a separate page with more information, head on over for more details!

Cans For Corey

We’ve been so busy that past week that I haven’t had time for a good update until now! 

Joey had a major breakthrough the other night. Well… the past couple weeks he’s been doing excellent signing to us. He now signs “eat, drink, more, all done, ball, and dad”, we’re still working on signing “mom.” So, back to his breakthrough… he was finising up his juice that he had with his dinner when instead of throwing his cup off his tray like he usually does, he set it down, looked at me, said “ah-duh” (all done) and signed “all done.” Talk about a HUGE milestone. I nearly fell out of my chair!

And can you believe that Joey is going to be 2 years old on Friday?! My baby is growing up!!! One of the things that’s had me so busy the past couple weeks has been planning his birthday party. We’re throwing him a Sesame Street party Saturday. He has become obsessed with Elmo. You should see his eyes light up whenever he hears Elmo’s voice or hears “lalala, lalala, Elmo’s World…”. I can’t wait for his party! I just hope he stays healthy!

Speaking of which, little Miss Leah came down with a cold yesterday so I’ve been doing my best to keep Joey’s hands clean so he will hopefully be healthy for his big party on Saturday. I feel so bad for her. She’s slept so much yesterday and today. I just hope she feels better soon! And can you believe that she’s going to be 6 months on the 19th???
“Sigh…”

My parents are flying in from Ohio tomorrow afternoon. They’ll be here one week for Joey’s birthday and St. Patrick’s Day. It’s going to be so nice to have them around for a while! I miss them so much! Well, Leah just woke up from her nap so I’m off for now! I’ll try to post a couple pictures of the kiddos later!

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here.

A new Beverly Beckham article

An ambassador against fear

By Beverly Beckham  |  March 2, 2008

This is what “internationally renowned” Sherman J. Silber, M.D., writes in his “completely revised and updated” book “How to Get Pregnant,” published by Little Brown and Co. last August: “The biggest fear of most pregnant women is that their child will be abnormal, and the most common abnormality they worry about is Down syndrome. . . . These children are severely retarded mentally, and they usually die before their thirtieth birthday.”

He also writes: “We can prevent couples from having to face the horror of giving birth to children with otherwise devastating genetic defects such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, mental retardation, etc., that terrify every woman who ever gets pregnant.”

Silber’s book has sold more than 400,000 copies. It’s been translated into Spanish, German, and Russian. He’s been on “Oprah,” “Good Morning America,” and NPR.

Silber may be popular, but he is wrong.

“Most people with Down syndrome have IQs that fall in the mild to moderate range of retardation. Some are so mildly affected that they live independently and are gainfully employed,” says the National Institutes of Health, the federal agency that speaks with authority on this issue.

“Most of the health problems associated with Down syndrome can be treated, and life expectancy is now about 55 years,” says the March of Dimes.

And giving birth to a child with Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy or mental retardation is not a “horror.” Not according to every woman I know who has given birth to a child with these disabilities.

It takes a long time to alter public perception, to dispel these untruths. I know. My granddaughter has Down syndrome. Continue reading A new Beverly Beckham article…