Always full of surprises

It seems each day at least one of my kids surprises me, whether it be a new phrase they say, a new milestone reached, or a behavior exhibited.  Sure, this time of year brings LOTS of energy and excitement accompanied by hyper-activity and, unfortunately, tantrums.  The whole "Santa is watching..." only lasts so long!  But my children are often surprising me in a positive way, too, and yesterday was no different.

We had an extremely busy day ahead of us, and I was already stressing about sorting through Evan's feeding/nap schedule while working out our two big events for the day- the holiday party for our local Down syndrome parents' group, and a roller skating party for Kaylin's Girl Scout troop.  I was so excited about the holiday party- we just joined the group- for the Chesapeake (Baltimore Metro) area, and this was our first social event.  I was in e-mail contact with a couple of the group leaders, and I knew one of the moms on the awesome Down syndrome parenting board at Babycenter.com would be attending with her family, also.  The party was scheduled for 1-5 pm at Oregon Ridge Park- which is a 45 minute drive for us.

I signed Kaylin up for her roller skating party back in September with her Brownie troop and was also excited to be taking her.  This was her first time on skates and she has been itching to go ice skating- this would be close enough! ;) We'll have to do ice skating sometime in the near future, though.  I lived on roller skates as a kid- constantly skating up and down the sidewalks of our Parkville home, and attending many a party/gathering at the Orchard Skateland and occasionally Putty Hill Skateland.  I even dug out my old skates from high school and was impressed they still fit!  I can brag about that, right? ;)  Too bad I didn't have the fuzzy pompoms anymore.  Skating party scheduled for 4-7 pm in Hanover, PA- a 45 minute drive according to mapquest (I think I'm the only person who has yet to own a GPS and still relies on mapquest for driving directions!)... in the opposite direction.

Ok, we can do this.... I'll get Evan up from his nap around 11:45, feed him his bottle, and then head out by 12:15 to get to Oregon Ridge by 1:00.  We'll stay about an hour and then head out around 2:00 (more like 2:15 or so), get home to drop off the boys, and then take Kaylin up to the skate party by 4:00.  We CAN do this!

All going to plan- get Evan up (before he really wanted to wake up, sorry buddy!) and fed, and then out the door to the party.  We arrive at about 1:05 pm.  Perfect!  Not many people here yet, and of course I forgot my camera and my phone.  Grrr! I actually realized I forgot my phone shortly after we left but didn't want to turn around and go back for it.  Gotta keep on schedule!  We sign in and find a table- Justin wants snacks of course (the boy is ALL about snacks, forget meals), and Kaylin is anxious to do the crafts.  Several tables lined one wall with about 8 or 10 different crafts- Justin joined Kaylin after he finished his bag of chips.  Evan hung out with Mommy and Daddy at the table while some other parents came over introducing themselves after cooing over Evan's hair. ;)  That hair sure gets him lots of attention!

I see Nicol walk in with her son, Alex- Alex is the superstar of the Babycenter.com Down syndrome parents board!  He's the oldest child at 19 years old, and gives all us other moms a peek at what's in store for the future with our kiddos, and let me tell you- the future looks AWESOME when you see all of Alex's accomplishments!  Just recently to celebrate his birthday, he attended a Josh Gracin concert.... and during the concert he was invited to go on stage to play the drums!!  I am constantly amazed at the adventures and experiences Alex has been a part of, and can only hope Evan gets half as many!  Alex is a senior in high school and just started working at his first job!  He attends school half day and then goes to work for half a day.

I know Sheva is coming with her precious little Rozie, and I'm really really wanting to meet them as well.  Sheva is another mom I met at Babycenter.com.  It's now 2:00 and we need to start thinking about leaving soon, and these friends haven't arrived yet. :(  The kids are having fun though, and Evan is doing great.  I do need to get him home relatively soon for his lunch which I didn't pack, and he also needs his afternoon nap.  Kaylin is tearin' up the dance floor at this point- there is a DJ playing all sorts of fun music.  Justin partakes of a few more crafts, coming back for an occasional snack at the table.  at 2:15 I warn Kaylin that we will be leaving soon- first I have to wait for her to finish the Macarena.  She is in the center of the dance floor doing all the moves perfectly- all eyes on her!  I wasn't about to step out there and interrupt.  When I break the news that we'll be leaving soon she immediately gets upset.  I remind her that we need to get going soon or we'll be late for the skating party.

"I don't care!  I want to stay here!"  Wow.  There's something I wasn't prepared for!  Kaylin was having so much fun here at the party that she didn't want to leave to attend HER skating party- a party she has been really looking forward to.  Kaylin always enjoys being in the company of other people with Down syndrome.  She is quick to point out to me anyone she sees in public, and she is all excited about it.  I absolutely love her attitude of acceptance, and hope she is able to share this with her peers.

I contemplate staying longer- we could arrive late at the skating party, no big deal.  But, Evan needs lunch.  And a nap.  And I also dragged Mike along as an extra set of hands- the man who isn't quite the social butterfly and is fighting a nasty cold.  I wanted to get him home as much as I wanted to get Evan home.  I compromise and tell Kaylin we'll leave at 2:40.  Evan will be a little late getting his lunch, but he never fusses about being hungry.  He'll get his nap a little late too- he's such a trooper and goes with the flow.  I'm guilty of taking advantage of that now and then.

So, it's 2:40 and we go get our coats.  As we are heading out the door, who should walk in.... Sheva and family!!  Yay!!  We got to meet her and her precious little Rozie.  I follow Sheva's wonderful blog, and feel like I already know her and her family.  I feel that way about Nicol and Alex also since I've gotten to know them through the Babycenter posts as well as Facebook.  Sheva and I agree that we must meet at a Starbucks one morning so we have more time to chat!

We get home around 3:30, change clothes, grab a quick bite, and are out the door at 4.... get to Skateland around 4:30.  Whew!  Not too late.  Kaylin really wasn't bothered by it at all.  The holiday party seemed more important, and I'm thrilled she had such a good time and looks forward to the next social event.  I'm so proud of my girl!

I LOVE good news!!

You may recall my blog post about little Leesia in search of her forever family.  I have been popping over to Reece's Rainbow's website checking on her status, and last Tuesday was so excited to see that her status changed from, "Have Grant Will Travel" to "My Family Found Me"!!!  I was through the roof with excitement, posting on Facebook and sharing the news wherever I could.  My next mission- to try to learn more about the family adopting her.  There was no other information on her webpage at the time.

This morning, I popped back over again to Leesia's page and found information!!  YAY!!  I just knew there was a story and this one warms my heart like no other.  Taken from Reece's Rainbow:

LEESIA for the White family–Columbia Cross Roads, PA

When Morgan and Sherry brought home their three little ones from Eastern Europe in August 2010, it was bittersweet because they felt they'd left someone behind. Little Lesia was a constant companion of their little boy , Peyton. (He calls her "Letta".) The two were usually confined to a crib or stroller together because at the time neither of them could walk. Every time she saw a friendly face, Lesia would reach her chubby hands in the air, hoping to be picked up ~always with the biggest grin! Ask any of the parents who met her, she is squeezably irresistable!  Now home three months, their other children have adjusted almost seemlessly. People always say it, but it really is as if they've always been part of the family. So, after 3 months, seeing that no one had committed to Lesia, they took it as a sign that they should "enlarge the place of their tent" (Isaiah  54:2) and get started on the process to bring this dolly home!  "Letta" will join 3- year- old Peyton, and 2 -year- old Jessa, and one- year- old Amelia at home. As well as having 4 doting older brothers, Dylan, Hayden, Keegan, and Aaron.   

They ask that you might sow into these children's future, as the Lord leads you.

11/24/10—HOME STUDY UPDATE IN PROGRESS

Follow the White family's adoption journey on their blog at www.whitesadoptionjourney.blogspot.com

So of course I had to go check out their blog!  Upon reading there, I found a link to a news story about their family- absolutely amazing.  Lesia will be welcomed home into many loving arms, and reunited with her good friend from the orphanage as well.  It doesn't get much better than that!!  I look forward to following their journey to bring Lesia home.  You will find a button on the right side of my blog with another adorable photo of Lesia, directing you where you can help bring her home.  God bless you, White family!!

Wordless Wednesday

I believe Evan's expression says it all ;)

Photo shoots in our household

Getting a small child to cooperate for a photo can be such the struggle... look at the camera, sit still, AND smile at the same time.... This often feels like quite the feat for any child birth through 5, especially if they are boys! :-P~  Multiply this times three and it is merely impossible.  At least one is antsy and can't sit still for a millisecond (aka Justin), one sometimes tries a little too hard and the smile looks forced (aka Kaylin), and the other will smile up a storm UNTIL the camera comes out (yep, you guessed it, Evan).  I thought I'd share the process it takes to attempt at finding one decent photo of all three children, sometimes successful, sometimes not so much.

First task: a photo with children bearing smiles and Ravens shirts for PopPop

Attempt #1- Evan is still getting warmed up to the idea of sitting on the couch with bro and sis, "What's going on here?":

 #2- oooooo Kaylin and Evan looking cute.... oops, Justin, remember, look at the camera!

 #3- Evan getting silly and wiggly.... Kaylin and Justin cracking up

 #4- Are we done yet??  Haven't you taken enough pictures already?

 #5- Losing a little focus.... pay attention, pay attention!

 #6- Looks like the big kids have had enough already, but Evan is just getting started!

 #7- Three smiles, three children looking at the camera- this is as good as we're going to get!!  Success!!

Next task: Christmas card photos.  Why do these always seem like the most difficult?  We tried and tried... I tried keeping the flash turned off since photos always look nicer with natural light... but there just isn't enough light in the basement.  So, I took some with the flash and some without.... My most favorite one with them all looking at the camera and smiling didn't quite turn out since Justin was a little blurry (the child can NOT sit still for the life of him).  The flash was off, requiring a slower shutter speed... hence... blur.  Oh well... I ended up using it anyway, along with one of the others.  Can you guess which one? ;)

Giving Thanks

As Thanksgiving approaches, most of us stop to think about all the things in life we are thankful for.... family, good health, the roof over our heads, the food we have to eat.  I could go on and on with quite the extensive list, and I count my blessings daily, or I should say nightly, as I pray to God each night while settling in to bed.  Since having Evan, I find myself thanking God for more and more things- the abundance of smiles; the unique personalities portrayed by each of my three children; the strength I find to keep up with these three; good, caring therapists and physicians; and extra chromosomes.

Am I thankful that Evan has Down syndrome?

I am thankful Evan is EXACTLY who he is.  Moms of kids wearing designer genes often ponder what it would be like if their child didn't have that extra pesky, perky chromosome; and if they had the power to wish it away, would they?

Sure, I think about it from time to time- he wouldn't have his sweet almond shaped eyes, the flat bridge of his nose which is my most favorite place to kiss him 100 times daily, his adorable little ears that sit below his beautiful red hair, his adorably short little fingers- his little stubby thumbs are just so cute!  I couldn't picture him without any of those features characteristic of a child with Down syndrome, characteristic of my perfect little boy.

I think about Evan's spunky personality- how he is so full of energy and excitement.  All I have to do is smile at him and I am rewarded with a huge smile in return.  He also knows exactly what he wants and will persevere until he reaches it- especially if he knows he's not supposed to have it. ;)

I think about how easy-going and laid back he is.  Being the third child, he is often tossed into the car seat to keep up with the big kids' activities and of course all of Mommy's errands in between.  Today, he got two of his shots at the doctor's office, and this is the first time I've ever had a child NOT cry while being stuck!  In fact, when the nurse administered the first shot, he smiled at her!  He almost cried with the second, but with snuggles and reassurance from Mommy, he managed another smile as well.  Not a fuss to be heard, unlike the poor shrieking toddler a few rooms down the hall.

I would love to take away any hardships Evan may have in the future, dealing with a biased and discriminating world often cruel to those with disabilities.  But if taking that extra chromosome away would remove any part of who my precious Evan is, FORGET IT.  I thank God for bringing Evan to us every single night, just as I thank Him for Kaylin and Justin.  I thank Him for Kaylin's witty comments and ability to make anyone feel welcome.  I thank Him for Justin's sense of humor and what often seems like a photographic memory.  I thank Him for my loving, supportive husband who works hard to provide us with all we have and who is a wonderful father to our children.  I thank Him for Evan, who has given me the ability to celebrate all the little things in life we take for granted... who brightens the day of everyone who has the pleasure of coming into contact with him, whether it be a waitress in a restaurant (he found himself being ogled by at least three of them today at lunch), patients in the waiting room of a doctor's office, or a customer waiting behind us in the check out line.  I thank God for the extended family I've found through the Down syndrome community.  I thank God for the hustle and bustle which keeps me on my toes yet sometimes knocks me on my butt.  I thank God for a full night's sleep.   I truly am blessed and try my best not to take any of these for granted.

Free Cards from Shutterfly

So I read about a promotion on another mom's blog- for 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly! If you blog you can get in on this offer also by following this link:

http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

Usually you can find a site here or there offering 10 free cards if you buy so many etc. but 50? That will wipe out most if not all of my Christmas card recipients! I'm definitely in! I have enjoyed sending photo cards for the past several years, as it's nice to let out of town family and friends see how the kids have grown, and hey, even for those we see often- I enjoy every opportunity possible to show off my adorable cherubs! I also like sending photo cards because it's something that people actually keep instead of just tossing in the recycle bin after the holidays are over. My fridge is adorned by many photos I've snipped from holiday cards we've collected in the years past, as I love being on the receiving end also.

To be honest, this will be my first time ordering from Shutterfly, yet I've used their site numerous times to view and/or upload photos to share. I do like when friends share their photos this way instead of e-mailing all of them to be lost in my inbox forever, taking up lots of space.... this way I can view them in one place and save my favorites.

Ok, off to the site- there are SO many cards to choose from! Sites I've used in the past don't have nearly this many samples.  I also love that you can use several photos in one card since we all know how difficult it is to get three children smiling and looking in the same direction AT THE SAME TIME! Of course I will still try, but it's great to know there are options. ;) If I can get all three to cooperate (crossing fingers) I really like this one.  Simple and to the point, and the design doesn't take away from the photo. This one is really cute too though, and I like how it has three little penguins to go with my three kiddos.

I have to admit, I'm usually a major penny pincher, and have always done just a standard flat photo card- I really like this one, especially if I need separate photos for the kids, and I like the space for little blurbs on each one.

I'm super excited about taking Christmas photos this year- I already have my plan of action- background/props and attire.... and I'll be taking them very soon. Hope they turn out!

Angel In Waiting

Isn't she a beauty??  Just by one photograph I feel warmth, joy, happiness, and innocence exuding from this little person a few months shy of her third birthday.  A little girl I really know nothing about aside from her first name and birthday but yearn to know more about her story.  After all, everyone has a story, and in this little girl's two and a half years of life I'm sure there is quite the story to tell.

Andrea Roberts, the director of Reece's Rainbow, must be getting tired of all my e-mails, yet she replied within minutes of each note I sent her the other day, asking question after question in the hopes of helping a sweet child find their forever family.  I first applied to be a Christmas Warrior for Reece's Rainbow, but when I inquired a few days later after no response, Andrea e-mailed me back to tell me that every child on Reece's Rainbow already had a Christmas Warrior!  My first thought- WOW!  What wonderful news!!  Each precious angel waiting to find their forever family will have someone on their side, raising money toward their adoption grant to hopefully save them from the fate of being sent to a mental institution. This grant gives them the chance to find a forever family to love on them and provide as many opportunities as possible, just as EVERY child deserves.  Bedtime stories and snuggles at night.... an education and a LIFE.  Things we absolutely take for granted here in the United States... things I couldn't bear to see my own children do without.

Andrea went on to tell me that even though all the children have a Christmas Warrior, I could still choose a child and raise money toward their fund.  This is when my heart sank a bit.  Looking through all the precious children on that site, how would I ever be able to choose just one?  Reading their stories, I wish I could save them all.  So heartbreaking to read about different living conditions in various orphanages, but none could be as bad as the mental institution where they would be sent if they haven't been adopted by 4-5 years old.  Some of these children's profiles have disclaimers that their particular orphanage is known to drug the children, explaining the sleepy or "doped up" expression on their face in the photograph.  By the expression on Leesia's face, I feel reassured that she is in good hands for the time being while in her baby orphanage.  I did learn from Andrea that Leesia is in the Ukraine and she is healthy.  I believe in my heart she will find her forever family very soon.  I wish we could be her forever family.  I would bring her home here in a HEARTBEAT if we had the means to do so.  I know she would be readily accepted into our family and loved unconditionally.  *sigh* Oh, how I wish.

Some profiles have quotes from other adoptive families who have met the child while visiting their child they are in process to adopt, expressing how sweet and lovable the child is.... Some have quotes from caretakers in the orphanage who break down in tears at the thought of the child being sent to the mental institution.  These caregivers know exactly what lies ahead- some described how a child's life in an institution would consist of staying in a crib all day in a darkened room.  Can you imagine?  An innocent child left alone in the dark- this is often a child's worst fear yet it is reality for many of these poor things who don't understand what they did to deserve such a cruel punishment, simply for being alive.  Sadly, once a child enters the institution, they don't usually survive very long.  One blog I follow cited another blog written by a mom who recently adopted one of these sweet children who was sent to an institution and lived there for a year before she was able to bring her child home.  I will warn you it is horrifying, but this is the sad truth for these innocent children.  She writes from first hand experience, witnessing the horrible living conditions, not out of abuse or neglect on the caretakers' part, but out of sheer poverty.  

While exchanging e-mails with Andrea from Reece's Rainbow, she assured me that yes, children can still be adopted once they are sent to the institution, as we saw from Julia's story, but of course living conditions are horrible, so it's best to get them adopted as soon as possible.  Andrea also assured me that if, God forbid, something did happen to the child, the money in their grant is transferable to help another child in need.  

I hope I tugged on your heartstrings a bit... maybe I brought you to tears.  Please pray for these children that they are able to find their forever families before being sent to an institution.  Pray for our precious Leesia, that she will find herself wrapped in loving arms while listening to that bedtime story before drifting off to sleep in a warm bed.  Please consider a contribution to her adoption grant, no matter how big or small.  

http://reecesrainbow.org/leesia-5

Our crazy surgery adventure

So... I decided to get a hotel room near the hospital (University of Maryland) since we had to be there by 6:15 AM for surgery.  It takes about an hour and a half from our house to get down there, parked in a garage, and walked into the hospital, and I did not want to have to get Evan up around 4:30 AM to get down there in time.  We'll stay close by, wake around 5, get Evan up around 5:30, check out at 5:45 and have plenty time to get to the hospital.  Nice plan, right?

My mom came with me and I'm SO glad she did.  For starters- I would have missed turning onto the street to get to the hotel since we were driving in the dark, in the rain, and I really despise driving in those conditions.  Mom saw the street sign and there we were- we only had to loop around once since I took a wrong turn the first time, looking on the wrong side of the street.  Oh, how fun it is to drive in downtown Baltimore!

We arrive at the hotel and I immediately feel like I'm in the movie Pretty Woman.  This hotel looks like the lap of luxury!

Mom stays in the car with Evan while I go check in and see about the valet parking.  While checking in, the nice woman at the desk upgrades us from a standard room to a huge 2-bedroom suite!  Wow!!  I was grateful since this would make getting Evan to sleep so much easier and he needs a good rest before our big day.  Our room is up on the 21st floor.

I go back outside and am greeted by the bellhop who is oh so polite, helps us get all our bags out and takes us to our room.  Upon seeing the monstrosity of this suite, I comment it's a shame we won't be here long since we have to go to the hospital in the morning for Evan's surgery.  The bellhop then informs me that the usual $25 charge for valet parking is comped for people with hospital appointments!!  How nice!!  It just doesn't get much better than this, right?  Seriously though- here is the description of the suite where we stayed along with some pics I snapped with my phone:

Superior comforts await you at our 1400+ square foot Chairman's Suite -- which includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, three telephones, and three remote-controlled TVs. One bedroom holds a king-size bed, and the second bedroom features a queen-size and walk-in closet. The other side of the suite is a combined living room and six-seat dining area -- with ample seating, a pullout sofa bed, coffee table, armoire, and TV. The kitchenette completes the package with a full size refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, toaster, sink, and cabinets.

What a view from the 21st floor, eh?  Then I got to thinking hmm... we are very high up... wonder what happens if there's an emergency?  Why the heck did I have to think about this??


Get Evan down to sleep finally around 10:30.  Mom and I set our alarms for 5:00 AM and went to bed.  Of course I never sleep well the first night in a hotel; add sleeping in the same room as an active baby, hearing the dripping of the humidifier, and of course the nerves about what lies ahead- yea, not the best night's sleep.  


At 4:50 AM I'm awakened by an alarm- at first I figure it's Mom's alarm in the other room but then after listening a moment or two, realize it's not THAT kind of alarm.  Mom woke with the same thoughts- that it was my alarm coming from the other room.  Nope.  Can ya guess??  Ding ding ding!! Yes, you are right!  It's the FIRE ALARM!!  We look out into the hall- no one to be seen.  I try calling the front desk to see if this is a drill or what- and no one answers.  Looks like we have to exit.  Remember what floor we're on?  I go scoop Evan out of his crib, grab the diaper bag, my jacket, a receiving blanket, and we stare at the emergency exit map on the inside of our hotel door.  We bolt.  Yep, I'm still in my pajamas, bed head, no bra... looking lovely.  We head down alllllll 21 flights of stairs- I've never seen a stair well so narrow- it was like half the width of a standard staircase, and the steps were quite deep- no handrail.  Kinda tricky going down quickly while carrying a 20 lb baby.  Mom was right behind me with the diaper bag (which contains half my life).  


We make it outside and are trying to figure out what's going on.  We see two fire engines parked out front so are wondering if this is the real deal.  Are we going to get back in for our stuff?  How long will they make us wait out here?  Will I have to go to the hospital dressed like THIS?!?!  An employee sees us with the baby and quickly offers her car for us to sit in to keep the baby out of the cold and drizzle.  She then says she's going to find out what's going on since I mentioned we needed to be at the hospital in an hour.  After sitting there for a few minutes, one fire engine pulls away... and she returns to the car.  It's now ok to re-enter the building.  


Sooooo... back in we go- with a lovely longgggg line waiting for the elevator.  There is no way we would make it up 21 flights of stairs carrying Evan and the diaper bag etc.  There are four elevators but only one is operating.  The others have construction materials inside.  The same woman who helped us outside sees us standing by the farthest elevator and quickly rounds up some workers to empty the one elevator closest to us.  We get inside, along with as many people who could possibly fit- including a gentleman who also worked at the hotel.  The first stop- 4th floor. 


The elevator stops at the 4th floor.... but won't open.  The fire alarm light is still lit inside the elevator.  You've got to be kidding me!  I'm starting to panic.  I've never been stuck in an elevator before- and we are on a tight schedule here!!  We press the call button, the alarm bell, no response.  I'm SO thankful that employee was in there with us- he had a headset and his cell phone and was able to contact security.  The signal was weak and it was difficult getting someone to reply at first, but finally he got instructions to press the floor button AND the door open button at the same time.  VOILA!  Thankfully, he stayed on with us to be sure we wouldn't be stuck again.  


We rush to our room and are now starting to panic about getting everything out- there is still a large crowd down in the lobby waiting to get up to their rooms and we need to get all our stuff out- a bit much for the two of us to carry.  I call down to the front desk to see if it's possible for a bellhop to come with a cart but we need to wait for the lobby to clear a bit first.  I rush to get dressed, run a brush through my hair, brush my teeth, change Evan, pack up the pack-n-play, get all our bags in order, and call down again.  Lobby is now clear and they will send someone up.  We wait and wait.... no one is coming so we decide we can manage to the elevator.  We'll take all our stuff down and then get the valet to bring the car around.  It is now 6:00 AM.  Only 15 minutes until our appointment time.


We lug all our stuff down, valet brings the van around, get in and scoot.  We opt for the valet parking at the hospital since we don't have time to go in the garage, find a spot, wait for the elevator back up, walk the block to the hospital... you get the picture.  Pull into the hospital entrance- 6:10.  Whew.  


We did have a little wait to get registered inside the surgical center, but after that it was smooth sailing.  They called us back- we spoke with both doctors, residents working with both doctors, anesthesia, nurses, and I felt like I was answering the same questions 10 times over.  It was reassuring to know everyone was on the same page though.  Evan was given a sedative while with me which made him all loopy and relaxed- his last memory before he woke from surgery would be with his mama.  They then took him back to give him the general anesthesia, and then the IV was placed after he was out.  I'm so glad they did that last so he didn't have to experience the pain of finding a vein and all that good stuff.  They did place a breathing tube for the surgery which I wasn't expecting, but all has been fine.


Here's a photo I snapped of Evan just before he was given his happy medicine:

He woke earlier than expected from the anesthesia (he was in recovery at this time though) and was very grumpy and irritable.  They had me come back and hold him, and soon he was back to sleep.  He rested for about an hour, and when he woke he was in much better spirits.  He took some Pedialyte and showed off some smiles; didn't act like his throat was sore at all from the breathing tube.  We got him dressed and were on our way.  He was awake and chatty the whole way home- you'd never think he just had surgery.  Got home, gave him a bottle and some pain meds to kick in for when the others wear off, and he was good to go.  Daddy got him to sleep and he is napping as I type this.  Mommy sure could use a nap, too!  I thank you all so much for all your thoughts and prayers- they really got us through, more than you know!

The Whoozit

Any of you moms out there ever have a whoozit in the house?  My first experience with a whoozit was when our niece, Sara, had one as an infant.  That whoozit was one of her most favorite toys.  Evan has a whoozit, and it is definitely his favorite of all toys.

Except that Evan's whoozit has a HORRIBLE smell now.  His favorite thing to do- chew on the nose.  The nose squeaks when you squeeze it, and I think he likes the resistance of the plastic bubble inside and making the occasional squeak while he chews.  This whoozit nose is absolutely disgusting.   But how can I have the heart to take it away?

Santa is bringing Evan a new whoozit for Christmas- YAY!!  But I don't know if Santa can wait until Christmas.... this thing stinks!!

Christmas Warrior

It's that time of year- Halloween is over and people start focusing on Christmas.  Stores are already breaking out decorations to lure in shoppers and get them in the mood to spend, spend, spend.  It's also the time of year we look to help the less fortunate, in hopes of giving them a warm Christmas holiday.  I'm going to be tugging on your heartstrings, asking you to help save a child's life.  Literally.

I am so excited to have just signed up to be a Christmas Warrior for Reece's Rainbow.  If you're not part of "the club," you may be wondering what Reece's Rainbow is about, as I only learned about it after becoming a part of the Down syndrome community myself.  Reece's Rainbow is an organization which helps adoptive families bring a child with Down syndrome home from a miserable existence in overseas orphanages.  Yes, most of us are familiar with international adoptions- helping those children cast aside in other countries.  But when a child with Down syndrome is born in Russia for example, they are viewed as outcasts with no ability to learn or be functional members of society.  When a child with DS turns four, if she has not been adopted, she will be transferred to a mental institution rather than the home for older orphans. There, she will be hidden away from the world in shame and her chances of being adopted will be slim. The statistics of what happens to the children in these homes are devastating - many do not survive past a few years. 

Those of you who have had the privilege of meeting our precious Evan know he is more alike his "typical" peers than he is different.  He is energetic, lovable, and so full of life.  He is SMART.  These precious little ones on Reece's Rainbow deserve the chance to prove themselves the same.

So now I anxiously await news of which child I have been chosen to help.  As a Christmas Warrior, my goal is to raise $1,000 toward a child's adoption fund.  Evan's Entourage was able to raise over $1,500 for the Buddy Walk in October; I know we can reach this goal of $1,000 to help save an innocent child's life.  As soon as I learn about this child, I will post a picture here along with their story.  I hope you will be able to join me in this wonderful cause.

Ce--le-brate good times, C'mon!!

Sharing a few pics from Evan's party yesterday- beautiful day with great company!  I was nervous how Evan would react to a house full of people since he has been having fears of strangers lately combined with separation anxiety- not wanting to let go of mama!  I have to secretly admit I do like this phase- the holding onto Mommy for dear life, clinging to my neck for security.  I remember that was the one thing I longed for when Mike and I were going through those torturous years of infertility.  Being the only person they wanted, the only one who could make the pain and worry go away.

Anyway, back to the party- Evan did really well with everyone and managed to get two good naps in as well- that can be difficult on a quiet day!

We invited the kids to dress up, and I apologize for not getting pics of the other kids in attendance- my dad was in charge of my camera since I was going in a million directions.  Evan didn't make it into his costume since he woke from his nap at the beginning of the party and needed to eat.  An hour later a bottle, and we just never made it back upstairs to change.  I'll be sure to post pics of him in his monkey costume though, rest assured! ;)

This would be Justin cranking the tail of The Cat in the Hat.  He is such a little character in or out of costume. :)

We opened presents first and of course it was all about the tissue paper.  I believe I have my idea for our Christmas card photo this year.

Next, on to cake.  I was so relieved with how well the cakes turned out- we've had a catastrophe or two in the past. ;)  I do enjoy making special themed cakes for the kids even if I'm far from professional.  Sometime in the future I'd love to take a cake decorating class.

Evan wasn't a real fan of his cake.  I admit I was relieved since he really isn't ready to eat it anyway.  We are still working on different textures and Evan is still learning how to chew properly.  This was his first taste of refined sugar!  Not too impressed, but it was fun to play with for a little while.

And lastly, I shot a few photos out in the yard on Friday since I was unhappy with the portraits we had taken at Sears.  I think these turned out much better. ;) I call these "the many faces of Evan."

And on a side note: please keep Evan in your thoughts this week as he will be having some minor surgery on Friday.  We are praying he stays healthy so the surgery can go as scheduled- two different doctors will be working on him so it took a bit of work to get their schedules coordinated.  Evan has an undescended testicle which needs to come down, and an inguinal hernia which often goes with the testicle issue.  While he is under anesthesia, the ENT will be there to thoroughly clean his ears and determine if he has fluid in his ears requiring tubes to be placed.  

Evan has had a few hearing tests as it is recommended for kids with Down syndrome to have their hearing checked every 6 months to a year.  Kids with designer genes are more prone to hearing impairments, and tend to have very narrow ear canals which can lead to fluid as well as chronic ear infections.  Evan has been fortunate in this area as he has not had any ear infections to date (knock on wood).  But a few of the tests did indicate he has fluid.  The ENT is not convinced the tests were accurate though, due to his extremely narrow ear canals combined with an increased amount of ear wax.  So after clearing all the wax while Evan is under anesthesia, the doctor will have a much better look at Evan's ear drums and will be able to see if there is indeed fluid or not.  If there is, tubes will be placed on the spot while he is still under. 

I was very happy to be able to coordinate these procedures together so Evan would only have to go under anesthesia once.  That pesky but perky extra chromosome can sometimes make anesthesia more of a challenge.  Anesthesia medications are often metabolized faster in a person with DS, requiring close monitoring and sometimes higher doses.  Breathing and heart rate can be affected also- airways are often smaller or at a different angle on a person with DS.  Thankfully, Evan will be in very good, experienced hands at the University of Maryland pediatric surgery center.  This team of anesthesiologists are quite familiar with all these possible challenges.  I will speak with them sometime this week prior to surgery and go down my laundry list of questions, mostly for my own personal reassurance.  I thank you in advance for all your thoughts and prayers.