Happy Halloween: The Costume Reveal

First of all, I DID IT!!  A blog every day for 31 days is huge.  (Look at the history on this blog if you don’t believe me!)

Most of my blogging hasn’t been about Down syndrome.  And that’s how life is.  It’s just life.  We eat, we play, we clean up messes, we go places, we have fun.  Life for us isn’t all about Down syndrome.  Not even close!

I hope that people who have visited our blog have been able to see that we’re an ordinary family.  And that we’re blessed and lucky beyond measure.  We have 5 awesome kids.  We love them all dearly.  We try to make life about our relationships, about love and service.

And when appropriate, we dress up in fun costumes and walk around the neighborhood begging people for candy!  We hope you all had a fun and spooky Halloween!

Emily as a Japanese lady, and Josh as Link (from the Legend of Zelda Nintendo game).

 

Caleb as a dragon and Rachel as a nice witch.  (The end of Caleb’s dragon tail has worn completely through to the stuffing from being dragged across the ground!)

 

And Daniel as the Frog Prince (notice he’s working on supported sitting…all by himself on the couch!)

We came home from trick-or-treating and the kids had a few pieces of candy. Then gave what was left to Jared in exchange for a Lego minifigure.

We had 12 trick-or-treaters come to our door…about an average Halloween for us.  And that means we’re left with LOTS of candy.  Good thing we bought the good stuff!

Thanks for coming along on our 31 for 21 challenge!  I hope there was at least one person out there who benefitted by reading.  Feel free to keep reading and following our story!

Sunday Best: Homecoming

Jared’s parents returned home on Tuesday after serving as missionaries in Scotland for the past 18 months.  That’s right – they were gone for 18 months, which means they had never met Daniel in person.  It was so wonderful to see them again and to watch as they met Daniel and got reacquainted with the rest of us (5 children, 5 spouses, and 11 grandchildren).  Family reunions are always fun, but this kind of reunion is even better.  I know our kids have a deeper love and appreciation for their grandparents after seeing them make such a sacrifice.  I am thankful for their strong testimonies and for their examples as they left their family and comforts behind to share the gospel.

Meeting Grandma for the first time: LOVE!

As if That Wasn’t Enough…

We had plenty of excitement in our house yesterday with all of Daniel’s throwing up.  PLENTY!

And now, Emily has strep.  As if cleaning up puke wasn’t enough fun!

At least Strep is an easy fix with a round of antibiotics and a little rest.

If only our formula struggles were that easy!

Formula: Another Try

Back in June, the cardiologist wanted us to fortify Daniel’s milk with formula.  We were supposed to add a scoop to every 3 ounces of milk.  We tried, and he puked.  Tried again, more puke.  After a few feedings, it became evident that the formula was directly related to the puking.  So we gave up, ‘cause puking everything back up is definitely counterproductive.  We thought it was probably something heart-related (reflux is associated with heart problems), or perhaps it was a little too thick for Daniel’s system.

Fast forward a few months.  Open heart surgery is a thing of the past.  But Daniel is still being slow in the weight-gain department.  I wonder if I’m producing enough milk, so we try formula again.  But this time it’s not powder added to breastmilk, so it’s not as thick.  Two hours later, the vomiting begins.  And it continues on and off for three hours.

Just a little sidenote: I have Crohn’s disease (Google it if you need to).  There are times that I have had to quit breastfeeding in order to get/keep my disease in control.  Which means formula has to be an option.

This frustrated mama talked to the pediatrician, who sent us home with a bag full of different kinds of special formulas (the ones that are like $25 per can!) to try.  I finally got the courage to try again today.  We tried Enfamil A.R. for spit up.

Two hours after the feeding, the vomiting began.  And, just like previous episodes, it continued on and off for three hours.  Every time we would sit Daniel up, he would puke.  And then he’d lay back down and go to sleep.  He seems just like a sick little baby with all his puking and tiredness.  And now I feel so bad for putting him through the whole cycle yet again.

Houston, we have a problem!  Being the overly paranoid mom, I’m starting to wonder if this is a physiological problem…something in the GI department.  But surely he’d have problems with breastmilk too if that were the case, right?  I surely don’t hope it’s “just” lactose intolerance…but I guess there could be worse things.  I just don’t think I can subject my poor baby to this anymore!

To any DS parents reading this, have you had any experiences like this?  Suggestions?  Words of wisdom?

11 Years Ago…

Eleven years ago, I became a mother!  (I can’t believe it has already been 11 years!!!)  That was one of the greatest days of my life.

Happy happy birthday to my beautiful girl!

I am so glad Emily got to be our first child.  She has taught me so much about how to be a mom.  She is such a great helper.  I couldn’t possibly do everything I do without her.  She is a great sister to her siblings, and a super friend.  She is a hard worker.  She is creative.  She likes boy toys, but she’s also a girly-girl who likes nail polish, lipstick and dressing up.

She is an awesome student and is doing so well in middle school.  She is the youngest in her grade (probably by close to 2 months) but she is right at the top with her grades.  She LOVES to read…sometimes a little too much!

We love you Emmy!  You are such an important part of our family.  We are thankful you belong to us, and I’m so thankful that you made me a mom!

Carving Pumpkins

Last night was pumpkin carving time at our house.  Jared was out of town, so it was me, four kids, a couple of knives, and lots of slime!  I dare you to find anything to top that!

Josh was a maniac with the knife.  I’m so amazed – and relieved – that he still has all of his fingers and all of his skin is intact! 

I did the cutting on the other three pumpkins, as I’m not up to handing over a knife to a 4- and 3-year-old, and Emily is rather paranoid.  I took directions from Rachel and Caleb as to how their pumpkins should be carved, and Emily had hers sketched onto the pumpkin.

I was thoroughly entertained hearing all four of them complaining about how disgusting all the pumpkin guts were.  Caleb was completely hilarious (I can say that NOW) flinging pumpkin guts off his hands with a grossed-out look on his face!

  

We ended up with four creepy-looking jack-o-lanterns, four cups of pumpkin seeds to roast and a great big, slimy mess on the table and floor.  How’s that for fun?!?

Thyroid {re}Check

Daniel got his thyroid re-checked yesterday.  Guidelines from the Down syndrome gurus say that he needs it checked every 6 months for the first year of his life, and then yearly after that.

I was not anticipating this…

At our local hospital, the phlebotomists seem to be really scared of drawing blood on babies.  So they go for the feet instead.  Really, are three pokes and 20 minutes (I kid you not!) of squeezing a tiny little foot any better for the baby than TRYING to get a vein?!??  I think not!!  All the while, the phlebotomist (who looked like he couldn’t have possibly been a day older than 15!!) was complaining about Daniel’s ability to bleed, making comments like, “OK mister, an 18-hour-old baby bleeds more than you do!”  I really felt like punching the guy, and I’m contemplating making a complaint to the higher-ups (whoever they may be).

The good news – and thankfully there is good news – is that Daniel’s thyroid function looks beautiful!  And that is what we wanted to hear.

Come April, if I see Mr. Teeny Bopper Phlebotomist around the lab, I’ll be grabbing Daniel and running as fast as I can for the nearest exit!

Day 24

Wow!  I can’t believe I have posted every day for the past 24 days!  That, my friends, is very much a miracle!  In all honesty, though…I’m running out of stuff to say!  Shocker, right?!?  Our lives are just so darn ordinary!  I have a really hard time making what we do seem exciting and thrilling, let alone something worth reading.  So, if you have any ideas about what you’d like me to post for the last 7 days, I’d love to hear them.

Daniel had his 6-month check-up on Saturday.  Who does that on a Saturday?!?  I felt a little disappointed, as he only gained 5 ounces in two-and-a-half weeks!  Seriously??  What happened to the crazy weight gain he was supposed to have once his heart was fixed?  Being 1) a mom, 2) a woman, and 3) the only source of his food, I have come to conclude that it’s all my fault and there must be something wrong with my milk, or the way I’m doing things, or all of the above!  The doctor felt like the weight gain was OK, and said gaining weight too easily after surgery signals a problem.  Fine.  I’ll take the 5 ounces and run.  So, the official stats were:

Weight: 13 pounds, 6 ounces

height: 25.25 inches

He’s hanging right at the 45th percentile for weight and height, right where he’s been most of his life.  So I guess I just need to chill and not internalize every (perceived) problem in the world, right?!!

He got a flu shot, as well as his 4-month vaccines.  He couldn’t have them on time because of surgery.  By the end of the day, he was feverish and extremely cranky on top of being super congested (which has been going on for the last couple of weeks).  Needless to say, it was a loooong night.

As far as milestones go…well who really knows?!?!  I can tell you that he is an awesome tracker, he talks a lot, he rolls from his back to his tummy (and occasionally from his tummy to his back), he is a voracious thumb-sucker, he’s getting to be pretty good at supported sitting, and he holds his head up pretty well (still a bit wobbly).  He loves his hands and feet, he loves books, and he loves his siblings.  He is the best sleeper of any of our kids…hands down.  It is truly a joy to watch him and experience the world with him.

Sunday Best

My favorite post of the week!!  This is turning out to be a lot of fun!  Without further ado…

Quote of the week: “Mom…Josh called me a tattletale!!”  (Caleb, who had been tattling for 15 minutes prior to proving himself as a tattletale.)

“That does not make any sense, Grandma!” is a close second. (Caleb, again.)

Best blog post I read this week: My Angry Down Syndrome Awareness Post at Mostly True Stuff.  Please take a minute to read this if you haven’t.  It’s definitely worth your time!

Photo of the week: Rachel climbed into bed with Caleb last night.  (I really don’t think there’s anything I love more than peeking in on my sleeping children.)

 

Sneaky Peeky

I spent the entire week getting Halloween costumes ready for our oldest four.  This is a HUGE thing for me.  Around here, costumes are usually something that get thrown together at the last minute.  I hate Halloween.  Yep…HATE it!  I hate spending money on silly costumes.  I hate dressing up.  (I even hated it as a kid, so this isn’t an adult-onset problem.)  I guess I am the world’s biggest party pooper!

I’m not sure why this year is different.  Maybe I’m loosening up a little??  Whatever the reason, I better get the “Nicest Mom of the Year” award after all the time and energy I put into these costumes!!  Really, though, the kids’ excitement is all I need.  It has been fun to get their input, and it has been equally enjoyable to see how much it torments them to have to try something on a few times!  (Maybe you weren’t aware that I lay awake at nights thinking of ways to torment them?  Hahaha!!!)

Here’s a little sneak peek at what they’ll be wearing this year…

I guess I can move on to Christmas now that I’m done worrying about costumes!

The Eating of the Pears

I had prepared myself for solid foods to be a battle.  I’m so relieved that it seems to be a hit…so far!  I guess it’s compensation for the drama that ensues every time we try to feed this boy some formula!  {I was up until 3 a.m. this morning wiping up Daniel’s vomit that resulted from a 10 p.m. feeding of 4 oz. of breastmilk mixed with 2 oz. of formula.  We decided to give it a try again now that we’re post-surgery.  Big mistake!}

The first bite…mmmm, good!

 

Maybe I can grab it!

 

This is kinda’ weird!

Pears!

Daniel started solid foods today!  We decided to wait until he was all recovered from the stress of surgery to introduce anything.  He got pears today, and LOVED them!  He did a great job of getting them from the front of his tongue into the back of his mouth for swallowing.

I’m super busy tonight, so I don’t have time to post pictures.  What am I so busy with??  Halloween costumes, of course!  We have a get-together tomorrow evening, and they need to be done by then.  So I’m scurrying around with scissors, a sewing machine, tulle, felt and all sorts of cute goodness!

Come back for some pictures tomorrow!

Wash Woman’s Wages

My mom always said that whoever does the laundry gets to keep anything extra that comes through.  She called it “Wash Woman’s Wages.”  Some people are lucky enough to get a few coins – maybe even a dollar bill!  Others might get a toy or other small item.

My wages for the week amounted to this…

An assortment of precious rocks from the pocket of my very curious three-year-old.  Worth its weight in gold!!

6 Months & 6 Weeks

As of yesterday, Daniel is officially 6 months old!!  Six months!  Really?!?!  Time flies so quickly.  It’s almost impossible to believe that we’ve had him with us for longer than we “knew” about Down syndrome during my pregnancy.

This boy is amazing and wonderful and sweet as can be.  He is getting so strong and has really started to rock the neck strength.  Just look at all this cuteness!  (I’ll wait while you give him some kisses and snuggles…)  That is just the most irresistible face I have ever seen!

He is getting to be a rolling champ too.  We get to do a lot of tube unwrapping and untangling every day because of it, and I couldn’t be more pleased!  (All that extra skin on the back of his neck is awesome for nibbling!)

Remember my little photo project?  (I’ll wait while you refresh your memory.)  I was SHOCKED at the size difference!  I couldn’t even get the outfit completely over his shoulders!  Such a little chubster!

And, as if it isn’t shocking enough that he’s already 6 months old…

Today it has been 6 weeks since he had surgery!!  Oh. My. Goodness!!  Time sure flies when you’re having fun!  And what a difference 6 weeks makes!!

I am really enjoying Daniel’s more vibrant and lively side.  It feels so good to see him have the energy to move around and explore and EAT!  (Can you see a few more rolls in that third picture??)  He’s a mover and a shaker and I can see lots of cabinet locks and mess cleaning in our future!

Right now…just enjoying his deliciousness (and his oxygen antics)!

 

Time for some snuggles and nibbles!

Paint it Black

We purchased our home nearly six years ago.  It was built as a spec home, and the builders decided to let the purchasers choose the cabinets and the countertops, as well as the color of the door.  We had come to town specifically looking for a house, and spent a good chunk of our time actually looking.  Once we decided that this was the right house for us, we had to rush to make decisions about cabinets and countertops before we had to head back to where we were living (California).  We figured the door painting could wait.

You can sort of see that lovely gray steel door – all primed and ready for paint - in this picture.  This was taken in 2005 on the day we decided this was the home for us.

Well, that door waited patiently for nearly six years to finally get painted!  Our builder was supposed to get it done as soon as we moved in, and then it got cold.  So he was going to do it the next spring.  And the next.  And the next.

After this long, I figured we’re pretty much on our own.  So I took matters into my own hands on Saturday.  We now have a freshly-painted door, and a very happy me!

It’s black (in case you can’t tell), and it’s perfect (though not perfectly painted, as I am NOT a painter, nor do I play one on TV)!!  It’s such a refreshing change that even the aliens came out to see it!

Sunday Best: Pinterest Finds

I wasn’t going to join Pinterest.  I didn’t even know what it was all about.  And then I got curious, so I checked it out.  And that’s when it happened.  I HAD to join!  And now, I may or may not be an addict.  Just sayin’….  So I thought I’d share some of my favorite finds so far.

 

I must make these!  They’re so cute…how could I possibly NOT?!?!  I already have visions of my three boys in their matching ties!!  Jared wants one too, but I reeeeally don’t think he wants me to go that far.

 

Taking a photo in the same outfit through the first year.  How fun!  This is my photo project with Daniel, and I can’t wait!!  Since I didn’t find this idea until now, the backgrounds won’t be the same.  But it’ll still be a fun little memory.  The other kids are going to think he’s soooo spoiled because he’ll end up with all the cute, fun things that I didn’t know about (or have time for) with them!

 

A marble maze for church.  I am always on the lookout for something new to keep the kiddos quiet during Sacrament Meeting.  I think this may do the trick!  I have actually found so many fun little things…if I could only find the time to MAKE them!!  Is there an app for that?!?

 

Someday I will have a house with a mudroom bigger than a shoe box, and it’s going to look like this!  Or maybe even this…

Don’t you love the ladder?!?!  I need this!  It’s no longer in the want category!  (I guess I could do without the chandeliers…if I HAVE to!)

 

I could keep going.  Really.  But for the sake of humanity, I’ll stop there.

Oh, the Places We Sleep

We like to sleep, oh yes we do.  We like to sleep and you can too!

With a mom,

With a dad,

With a friend,

And in a group.

On the edge,

Hanging off,

With no pants,

And hard at work.

With a blanket,

In the shade,

In the car,

And on the couch.

On a cup,

On a bench,

Holding food,

And holding toys.

On a chair, over there,

All stretched out to get more air.

With a book,

With a cup,

With a hat,

And with a truck.

Eating food,

On the floor,

On a lap,

No time for naps!

How we love to sleep!  We do!  We hope you have a good sleep too!