Help Us WIN a National Model Search

We are excited to be entered into the 2009 National Charity Model Search with all proceeds going to a wonderful organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, an organization that provides keepsake portraits to parents who will never have the opportunity to take their child home from the hospital. This is an organization that is such a blessing to parents who may not otherwise have a professional photo taken of their child. When Isaac was in the NICU we came so very close to losing him to Necrotizing Enterocolitis (N.E.C.). We endured such fear and grief that we may lose our child for just a few short hours, and this allows me to completely sympathize for those parents who have actually lost their child.

Every dollar you donate to the organization under the boys photo counts as a vote for one of the boys. We could not enter the boys together so they are separate photos, but both very cute ones. And I want you to know that each dollar counts! One vote puts us one closer than we were before, and wouldn't it be fun to see a child with Down Syndrome win a national photo contest??

See and Vote for Caleb here (he's very excited in this photo):
http://www.sandypucvotes.com/pickpic/gallery/image.php?id=607

See and Vote for Isaac here:
http://www.sandypucvotes.com/pickpic/gallery/image.php?id=606

Please help me spread the word and help out a great organization in the process :D

"Color My World"

A few weeks ago during a snow day off from school I was listening to a local radio station and they were holding an interview with an author of a kids poetry book. It really caught my attention speaking of having your children think out of the box and not just thinking of what the school are teaching for good testing score, which is where schools seem to go these days. I actually had a terrible cold that day and didn't have much of a voice at all. The author was giving away a few free books to listeners who called in to participate in the show with questions or comments. I decided to call even though I could barely even talk. I'm so glad I did. I actually won the book AND she offered to come to my daughters school and put on an interactive poetry workshop. I was thrilled and my daughter Tristin was excited as she's been writing poetry a little bit in her free time.

Fast forward about three weeks. Well today was the day. Debra Mancini-Wilson came and inspired all the kids to write from their heart and soul. She was really great with the kids and all the kids enjoyed themselves. Her book is great for the little poet in all our kids, she starts a poem and the kids finish. Check out her website at www.colormyworld.info and see a bit of her work, and there's even an interactive section to play with poetry yourself.

Here's Tristin with author Debbie Mancini-Wilson:


Debbie signing Tristin's copy of Color My World:


Tristin getting up in front of the class to read her poem:


Issac slept the entire hour and a half and Caleb enjoyed watching all the kids and was even being silly in his stroller:


So I was really happy I called into the radio station terrible cold and all. When I dropped off Camille tonight at Girl Scouts I had two parents come upto me and comment on how much fun their children had today at the workshop. Thank you Debbie!! :)

Rest in Peace Dr. William Cohen

I found out yesterday that the Down Syndrome Community has lost a wonderful doctor. Dr. William Cohen of Childrens Hospital in Pittsburgh died Friday evening of a massive heart attack. Its with a very sad heart that I must say Good Bye. He was by far the most caring, passionate about Down Syndrome, passionate about families, passionate about advocating and educating Down Syndrome man I'm sure we will ever meet. Because we have twins when we go to meet with him we get four hours of his time. One might think that a four hour doctors appointment might sound excruciating but it was very far from it. We enjoyed every minute of it. He listened to us, asks questions and offered advice, then he played with boys a bit, did a medical evaluation and then came back and recapped the appointment with us and made recommendations for what to do next.


This is what I read from NDSS.org today:

"Dr. Bill Cohen, national leader in the Down syndrome movement and dear friend of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), died on February 6, 2009. He touched the hearts of families around the country and was a respected colleague to all physicians who knew him. Dr. Cohen was serving on the NDSS Clinical Advisory Board.

As a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, Dr. Cohen was the director of the Down Syndrome Center at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He was the co-founder and co-chair of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group (DSMIG) which produced the seminal healthcare guidelines for all persons with Down syndrome, ages 0-18. He also co-authored the book, Down Syndrome: Visions for the 21st Century, published in 2002 on behalf of the NDSS. For all of these visionary efforts, he was given a Clinical Service Award by the NDSS in 2004.

His colleagues remember him best for his seemingly endless amount of joy, his eager willingness to share best practices, and his earnest belief that all people with Down syndrome deserve the best from their medical providers and society, at large.

In addition to his work on Down syndrome, Dr. Cohen was a leader in teaching and studying doctor-patient communication, family adaptation to chronic medical conditions, clinical hypnosis, and family therapy. He was a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Ambulatory Pediatric Association, and the American Balint Society.

The world will continue to change positively because of Dr. Cohen’s lasting impressions. The NDSS family misses him intensely and will be grateful to him forever."

And when you have some time it is VERY much worth every minute to watch this video of his last presentation with the NDSS:
http://www.ndss.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=157%3Ahigher-education&catid=57%3Ahigher-education&limitstart=2&Itemid=140

Prayers go out to his family, co-workers and the all of his patients who feel such a loss of a great doctor that will be impossible to replace.

Thankful Thursdays....

There are so many things in my life that I am truly thankful for. I'd like to document some things weekly and recognize things in my life that have put me where I am and have made me who I am.

This week I'd like to comment on how thankful I am for the weekly bible study I host at my home. Some weeks we have four ladies some weeks we have 8 ladies but non the less I am so thankful for these ladies who attend and for accommodating my crazy schedule with my boys and our life. I am thankful that by hosting it here at my house it motivates me to clean each Wednesday and make my house a little less messy. I'm thankful for being fed the Word of God. Sometimes during church with five children to keep quite I may miss the meaning of the sermon or am unable to truly feel that encouragement I hoped for. By committing to a weekly bible study and having other Christian women in my home teaching me and enjoying their fellowship I get that encouragement. Today was a great lesson, one that again has made me thankful. We are studying from Daughters of Eve by Lottie Beth Hobbs and today was the chapter on Lots Wife.

She was by far a not a good wife yet she teaches us many things. These are the five things taken from this book that I need to remember in the trials of my life.

1. Trials help us to achieve life's major purpose: holiness
2. Tribulations draw us closer to the Lord and make us realize how helpless we are without him.
3. Tribulations are necessary for abundant living. If you have never known sadness, could you be grateful for moments of joy?
4 Trials help us readjust our sense of values. Many would never think seriously of spiritual matters if they were not brought to a low.
5. Suffering better enables us to comfort and sympathize with others.

Some might think oh "Misery loves Company" but I think oh I've been there done that and here's how to get through this. It also brings to mind the wonderful online support groups I have found with other people raising children with Down Syndrome. Its so nice, and I'm thankful for each and every one of them. God is shaping us with more compassion, love and understanding by blessing us with our children.

Guess I'm thankful for alot today, better save some for next week!

Oh and look at the yummy dessert a dear friend brought to todays bible study.

Isn't that the most beautiful fruit pizza you've EVER seen!! Thanks Kristen :)

Until next time...

How many balls can you put in your pants????

Are you wondering why I would ask such a question? Well the answer is because my son Elijah can fit 28 balls in his pants!!!!



Part of his daily chores is to pick up the balls from his twin brothers ball pit that end up all over the house each day and this is what he did last night. Hysterical!! He could barely walk... Then we helped him count them to see how many balls he picked up.





Emptying out his britches...


Now Caleb was ready to throw them out again...

Hint...Hint...This works :)

I dont remember where I read this, but I remember I read about how someone disciplines their children when the fight and it works better than time outs or making them say I'm sorry or any of the other tactics people have tried. So today was one of those days that Camille and Elijah were just bickering and fighting and bickering and fighting and on and on and on.... I couldnt take it anymore. I sent them to their room and then I remembered what I had read at one time. So I gave it a try.

They sat and watched TV with each other for 15 minutes HOLDING HANDS!!!



As you can see, Elijah was fine with it and Camille was rather upset by it all. I think it gave away who was really at fault for today's episode. Mrs. GrumpyButt. I will remember this for future use and go ahead and try it yourself if you feel so inclined :)

All in a day....

Yesterday we had a really great day with the boys. All three boys went to the pediatrician for a check up. Elijah was getting his ears checked and the twins were getting their three year check up. Caleb now had an ear infection as well.. UGH! But overall they did really great. The twins got their flu shot, which is late I know, but I was told that the flu strain has not officially broken out yet in our area. So better late than never. Then after appointment we went out to eat at Valley Dairy. The boys did so well and they always draw so much attention from those around us. Then after lunch we headed off to the grocery store. Now that they are walking I have been getting more and more confident to do things without the stroller. So they got to ride in the grocery cart. They looked so cute we had to take a picture.



It was nice to get out, with all the snow we've had lately we have all been cooped up in the house all day everyday.

So today was laundry day. I washed and folded five loads and folded the three loads I've had sitting in baskets all week because I was to lazy to fold them. I did all this while the twins took their nap and as soon as Isaac woke up he came and sat right in the middle of the huge clothes pile, it made me laugh and again I had to run and get my camera.



And I'll finish off with a picture that the boys TSS took of us the other day. I NEVER get photos of me and the kids together unless they're professional. I'm always on the other end of the camera, so I'm excited to get a cute pic of the boys and their mama ;)