WDSD: My Friends My Community

Today is World Down Syndrome Day: Mar 21, also written as 3/21, chosen because people with Down syndrome have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome. Trisomy 21 in medical terms.
The theme, or Call To Action, from Down Syndrome International for this year's WDSD is #MyFriendsMyCommunity: The benefits of inclusive environments for today's children and tomorrow's adults. They ask that you show the world "how persons with Down syndrome live and participate in the community alongside family, friends, peers and the public."

The more that today's children with Down syndrome are fully included in their schools and communities, the more acceptance they will have from their peers when they reach adulthood. The more inclusive settings now ... the more commonplace it will be for their future.

One of the ways individuals with Down syndrome are participating in their communities and with their peers are through higher education programs at colleges and universities across the states. Check out Think College for a list of participating programs in your state.

Students in these programs are taking some academic courses along with their peers, continuing to improve on independent life skills, and gain employment skills; along with this experience comes a full college tuition as well.

Think College provides a great list of resources for how to pay for college. One of those ways includes scholarships; there are several organizations devoted to giving scholarships to students with Down syndrome such as Ruby's Rainbow.

Ruby's Rainbow awards scholarships up to $3000 per selected student. Their 321 Pledge is simple: donate $21, pledge to be kind and considerate to all people, and ask 3 people to do the same. Will 3 people join me in donating $21 to this fantastic scholarship opportunity for people with Down syndrome?

Don't forget to also leave a comment on my 10 years of blogging post (even if the comment is just saying "Happy WDSD!") For every comment I'm donating $1 to LuMind Research Down Syndrome where donations are matched 3:1 for WDSD.

A Decade Of Blogging

March 16 marked ten years of blogging ... 10! (insert fireworks, confetti, and poppers)

How did that go by so fast?

When I started blogging Kayla wasn't quite 3 yet, we livec in NM, and Lucas wasn't even born.

We've moved twice since then, Joe's also deployed twice and retired from the military, Kayla will be a teenagerthis summer, and Lucas is 8.

A couple of years ago I thought I might be finished blogging, but I'm still hanging around.

When Kayla turned 10 I wrote about my experiences thus far of raising a child with Down syndromeand I still feel the same after blogging for 10 years. No great life lessons from me, no profound knowledge of what life is like for our family through 10 years of blogging. We are, simply, just a family.

I don't feel like I have much to add, at this point in our lives, about Down syndrome. Maybe when Kayla is transitioning to high school ... or out of high school ... there will be a lot of transition topics to blog about. It seems so far away, but I know it will be here before we know it. For now I will keep raising awareness, and acceptance, about Down syndrome.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Monday is World Down Syndrome Day. Not just here in the United States, but in places all over the world people are celebrating individuals with Down syndrome. Can you imagine that? It really wasn't that long ago that babies with Down syndrome were shuttered away in institutions and their life span wasn't even 10 years. Even though it seems we've come so far since then, and in a lot of ways we have, there is still so much more progress to be made. Babies with Down syndrome are still being shuttered away in orphanages and institutions in Eastern Europe.

Even though progress has been made, Down syndrome continues to be the least funded condition by the NIH despite being the most common genetic disorder. Important research is happening by grants provided by other organizations. Research is so important because you don't know what you don't know ... there are connections with Down syndrome and cancer, Down syndrome and autoimmune diseases, Down syndrome and Alzheimer's. Why not research and find out what is going on, what is the connection, how to help people with Down syndrome and the rest of the population?

One of those wonderful organizations focusing on research is the LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation. Once again all donations made to LuMind for WDSD will be matched 3:1.Your $25 donation will turn into $100. This 3:1 matching for WDSD starts TODAY, Saturday, Mar 19 and goes through Mar 21. So three days' worth of donations will be tripled.

A few years ago I started donating $1 for every comment on my blogging anniversary post to LuMind for WDSD where my donation will be matched 3:1 and I am doing that this year as well ... so comment away on this post!

I'd also like to put out a little challenge to any readers, on this, my decade anniversary of blogging, I'm hoping that 21 people will consider also donating to LuMind and have your donations matched 3:1. Donate $10 for 10 years of blogging, or $21 for the extra 21st chromosome. Donate in honor of Kayla, or someone else you know with Down syndrome.

As always, thanks for reading and following along on our journey.  

A Blogging Anniversary

This is my ninth year of blogging and while there are times I think it's time to hang it up, today isn't the day.

Today I will keep up with a tradition I started a couple of years ago on my 'blogiversary' - donating $1 for every comment on this post to an organization centered on Down syndrome cognition research.

LuMind Foundation and Research Down Syndrome recently merged to become LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation. This is exciting news since they both shared the same mission of Down syndrome cognition research and used the same scientific advisory board. Now resources can be combined for greater power in focusing on cognition and Alzheimer research. My family has supported both organizations with Joe raising money for the RDS Runners program - which will carryover to the merged organization - I'm excited to see them become one organization.

As in years past, for World Down Syndrome Day (Mar 21st), all donations to LuMind RDS Foundation will be matched 3:1.

Please join me in celebrating not only my blog's anniversary, but celebrating Kayla on World Down Syndrome Day, by leaving a comment on this post.

Thank you for following along with our family's journey.

  

My Blog is 8! And In Other News ...

Happy 8th blogiversary to my little blog and it's little corner on the World Wide Web!

8 years of sharing our life. 8 years of sharing pictures and videos. 8 years and sharing the joy of welcoming our 2nd child. 8 years of sharing that Down syndrome isn't the unknown anymore. 8 years of sharing how typical our life is. 8 years of sharing that parenting a child with 47 chromosomes isn't so much different than parenting a child with 46 chromosomes. Last year I felt like I was at a crossroads with my blog, and in some ways I still feel that way, but carrying on for now. Thank you for sharing in our journey with us.

As I have done for the past 2 years I will be donating $1 for every comment left on this blog post to Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation's Plus 15 campaign where I think donations will be matched 3:1 on March 21st for World Down Syndrome Day. Since my blogiversary is only 5 days before WDSD there isn't much time ... so comment, comment, comment please! I have tried to share all I know about Down syndrome, but if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer!

As I have also done in the past I will also be donating 21% of sales from my Discovery Toys site to Plus 15, so please look around and see if there are any gifts you might want to get for upcoming birthdays or summer fun!

A couple of other things for WDSD:

Research Down Syndrome has a World Down Syndrome Day Virtual Run/Walk event going on - anywhere! This can be whatever you want it to be. Running for 3 minutes and 21 seconds. Walking 3.21 miles. Walking around your block 3.21 times. Running for 32.1 minutes. Whatever combination of 3 2 1 you can come up with!

We, the bloggers of Down Syndrome Blogs, have come up with this theme for a blog hop for WDSD:

3/21: A Day In The Life
Calling all bloggers! Any and all posts on this theme are welcome - it does not need to be about your plans for 3/21 itself. Describe a day in the life of your loved one with Down syndrome using words, pictures, or both. If your loved one with Down syndrome is interested in participating, we would love to read about their days in their own words or pictures!



Please don't forget to leave a comment so I can add it to my donation amount!

 

Blogiversary Crossroads

It's been 7 years since I started blogging. A 7-year blogiversary today. When I started I had no idea how long I would blog for; not sure if I thought I would even make it to 7 years.

When I started, Kayla wasn't quite 3 years old ... and now I have these 2 sweet kiddos:

I feel fortunate to have made so many connections throughout the years; and met so many great families in person. I think I've made some friendships that will last through the years.

Over the years I've tried to remain true to what my blog was when I started it. A place to share our life with friends and family ... and raise awareness of what life is like raising a child with Down syndrome. I realize that our experience is different from everyone else's experience raising a child with Down syndrome; but hopefully giving a glimpse of our life showed the normalcy of having a child with Down syndrome. Blessings and challenges just like there are raising a typical child.

I've used my blog to advocate for Down syndrome awareness and I hope after 7 years I've done a somewhat decent job of that. I think that whoever is still reading my blog has heard it all by now, so what is there left to say? Most everyone who reads my blog is on FB, with the exception of my mom (hi mom!) so I keep posting for her. So she can see the pictures and read the stories about her grandchildren...because she won't see it on FB!

So lately I've been feeling like I'm at a crossroads. To keep blogging, or not to keep blogging. What direction to take this blog...or keep it like it is. Mulling things over. Wondering where, if anywhere, to go from here.

We're almost to World Down Syndrome Day (March 21st) and last year on my blogiversary I donated a dollar for every comment on that post to Plus15 where my donation was matched 3:1. Your comments helped me out at just over $50. So my donation turned in to $200. In addition to donating 21% of my Discovery Toys sales to Plus15, I'd also like to do the comment challenge again as well.

So for every comment on this post I will donate $1 to Plus15 for World Down Syndrome Day and have my donation matched 3:1.

Please consider leaving a comment, even if you're normally just a lurker :)

 

Blogiversary, WDSD, Something Extra

Happy blogiversary to this little blog o'mine! Six years. I've been blogging for six years. Can it really be that long? Same thing I say about my kids ... can they really be that old already?

I started blogging when Kayla was 2 years and 8 months old. Aww look at her back then!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

And look at her now:

She'll be 9 this summer. One more year of the single digit birthday. That doesn't seem possible!

I've met some wonderful people through blogging - and even some "IRL". Although a lot of the people I 'met' the first couple of years don't seem to be blogging anymore; I often wonder what happened to them. Also seems most of us have migrated over to FB!

What's a blogiversary without a giveaway, right? I've been thinking about my post yesterday and the NDSS's challenge to "Do Something Extra" for World Down Syndrome Day.

I finally figured out what I'm going to do to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome (besides going to Kayla's school and talking with her class!).

My giveaway will be from the businesses of two individuals who have Down syndrome. One winner (picked on 3/21) will win a set of cards from Kardz by Kenz and another winner will receive a pendant from KK Glass Art. I bought a pendant from her booth this past summer at the NDSC convention and get so many comments on it!

But that's not all.

For doing something extra I will be making a donation to the Plus 15 campaign, because on Mar 21 my donation will be matched 3:1. 

And you all are going to help me make that donation ... or the amount anyway! I will donate a dollar for every comment left on this post. So if I get 25, then my $25 donation will turn into $100.

Since this is about World Down Syndrome Day I'd love it if your comment would include something about Down syndrome ... like if your perception of Ds has changed (hopefully for the positive!) since reading my blog and "knowing" Kayla. Or what you might have learned from us. If you've been a long-time reader I'd love to know if you're still lurking/reading! And if you're a newer reader I'd love to know how you found my blog! Or if you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask!

So, happy blogiversary and happy World Down Syndrome Day.

Now, get to commenting! :-)

Blogiversary

4 years ago I started blogging...because of Kayla.

This was the first picture I posted in that first blog post.



I'm amazed when I think back on all the wonderful families I've had the pleasure of meeting, online and IRL, all because of this little thing called blogging. And Down syndrome. People I never would have come in contact with otherwise.

Whether you comment frequently, or just sometimes, or just lurk, thank you for reading.

Thank you for your support, and thank you for following along on our journey.

Happy blogiversary to "Big Blueberry Eyes!"

It's Been 3 Years

3 years ago, around this time, I started blogging. I can't believe it's been 3 years! Kayla was almost 3 years old and Lucas wasn't even a thought!

I was looking at some older videos of Kayla during that time and boy how I miss her at that age! She looked so little and seemed (mostly) good-natured (as you'll notice in the last video). Her voice was so sweet...how I've already forgotten how she used to sound! She's just changed so much.

I'm so glad I have these videos to remind me that she wasn't always a sassy girl who didn't do what she's told -my how times have changed!

A look back ...


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing



Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing



Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Grains of Gratitude and Blogiversary

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get this post done in the morning again! LOL

1. Today is my 2-year blogiversary! 2 years that I've been blogging - wow. I'm grateful I did start blogging otherwise I wouldn't have "met" all these other wonderful bloggers out there- a few I've been able to meet in person too. I never expected it to happen this way, I just started off blogging mostly for our families since we're in the military and don't live near our families. I never expected to meet so many other people. It's funny how connected you become to other bloggers just through their blogs. How you celebrate with them and say prayers when needed. Thank you all for following along with our journey and allowing me to be a part of yours as well.

2. I'm grateful nursing helpd the pregnancy pounds come off! Yay to no more maternity clothes :)

3. I'm also grateful nursing has allowed me to catch up on reading magazines :) I had such a huge stack of magazines on the counter waiting to be read. I take the time to read through them while nursing and now that pile is gone.

4. I'm grateful Lucas started to sleep better in his bassinet at night now. We have a mostly predictable nursing schedule at night too...nurse around 1030, between 130-2, then 430-530, and he wakes up about 830. I'm still feeling somewhat sleep deprived, especially realizing it will be a few more months before I can sleep through the night again!

5. I'm grateful Lucas will take a bottle of pumped milk so I can leave the house and know Joe can feed him. Kayla wouldn't take a bottle and that was a little frustrating, so I'm glad to see Lucas has no problem with it.

6. I'm grateful for the Kids' Club we went to on Friday - free pizza (yay for another night of not having to cook dinner) and Easter crafts. Kayla hadn't seen Katelyn since Lucas was born, so it was good to see her and Jennifer again.