Mommin' this Mess

Happy October...or around my house it is Down syndrome Awareness Month.  This month I hope to bring you some things that I have learned along my parenting journey with Beau.  Educators, therapists, and healthcare providers tend to measure a child's developmental progress in 5 categories, or domains:  1.  Language & Communication (communicate needs and wants) 2.  Cognitive (thinking, learning, perceiving) 3.  Physical  (gross motor skills and fine motor skills..handwriting, jumping, walking, running, dressing, feeding) 4.  Emotional (appropriate feelings...empathy, impulse control, self regulation, joy, resilience) 5.  Social (age appropriate interactions with peers..greetings, turn taking, relevant conversation) Today let's talk Language Development and Communication, specifically the use of sign language in individuals with Down syndrome (especially babies, toddlers, and young children).  Beau is working on several ...

Baby Beau, We made it! We survived a year.  Once again, I am surprised at how fast another year has come and gone.  You have delighted our hearts every single day.  This time last year we were preparing our home and hearts for one last baby.  We were anxiously waiting for you to make a boy into a brother and a girl into a sister.  And what a sweet, sweet blessing it has been to watch them care for you with joy. Before you arrived there were so many things we didn't know yet.  We didn't know the color of your eyes, the texture of your hair, the tone of your skin, the shape of your nose or lips or chin. Would you have long fingers like your sister?  Would your belly button be an outie like your brother?  It was all a surprise we couldn't wait to discover.  You also came with your own surprises tucked deep inside. A teeny tiny surprise.... a beautiful extra chromosome.  The doctors suspected it right away because of your almond  sha...

Perspective 47 A definition of perspective  Might read “point of view” The way we see the world Our angle.... attitude Often grownups wish for days of yesteryear Can we turn back time? Is there a magic gear?  Grownups too often see mundane In daily Tasks that bore.  Oh, but the eyes of a child,  They see so much more! Beauty and adventure  Reasons to giggle and play  And then there is you child  Your perspective is what I crave.  You will live your days with a certain sense of wonder.  You will find joy and goodness in the biggest of blunders You will forgive easy. And You will stand so loyal.  Every person you meet, you will find a way to make each one feel royal. Did you know that is a unique skill, a set of special powers? You will show pride in all accomplishments and remind us to smell the flowers.  Our days together may not always be easy.  This world so full of...

so, where did I leave off?? Oh yes, Norman had finally made it to the hospital, heard the news of suspected Down syndrome, and rushed away to meet our Beau..... I really can't give you detailed play by play over the next few days because my memory of this time is very foggy. But I can tell you what I do remember. Crying. Lots of crying. Crying because there was this tiny baby in the NICU that has an unfair disadvantage to life (or so I thought). Crying because the life we planned as a family of five had just taken an unplanned direction. Crying because of my crippling fear that my other 2 children would miss out on life to the fullest because everything our future held would revolve around Down syndrome. I was sad. I was mad. I was scared. I was lost. I cried if anyone looked at me too long. I was grieving and didn't even realize it. Grieving the life that was "supposed to be".  Anyone who has experienced grief knows that it is absolutely necessary to begin healing....

If you think God doesn't care about every small detail, think again. He SEES YOU; and sometimes we see him too if we slow down. Let me share a little story about something that happened this week.   I've been going to BSF (Bible study fellowship) since September. Beau is able to stay in the nursery thanks to the wonderful children's program they have.  I noticed in the first few weeks there was a beautiful baby girl close to his age that is also sporting an extra chromosome. Y'all, she is a doll baby. A head full of hair and the cutest pink glasses you ever saw. Anyway, I told the children's leader that I would love to connect with her mom sometime and for whatever reason it just hasn't worked out.  Fast forward to this Wednesday. It was not my regular BSF day. I volunteered to keep the kids of BSF leaders so they could prepare for the lesson  on Thursday . Well, that sweet baby girl, Camilla, is there!  I'm so happy because now I get to love on he...

Beau is now 4 months old and a pure joy to our family. He is what we were missing; he completes our family in so many ways. October was a busy month for us and I can't think of a better way to end Down Syndrome Awareness month than to share his birth story with all of you.   As many of you know Norman transitioned to a new job near Baltimore in early June and my mom came to stay with us in NC "just in case". Our plan was for Norman to come home on the 29th just in time for the scheduled csection on  June 30 . You know what they say about well laid plans...... I woke up around  6am  on  June 28th  with some pain but quickly brushed it off in my mind thinking it was Braxton Hicks or lack of sleep or just 2nd time around stuff. I laid back down and the pain kept coming and I kept trying to find ways to make my big, pregnant self more comfortable. After about 45 minutes I thought is this a pattern? Should I be timing this? So I did start timing my pain...