The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome (Review and Giveaway)

Disclaimer: I received a free PDF copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

If you have received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, or are a new parent to a baby with Down syndrome, there is a just-released book written just for you. (The book is also worthwhile for any parent of a child with Down syndrome to peruse as it contains information through the adult years.)

The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome: Advice, Information, Inspiration, and Support for Raising Your Child from Diagnosis Through Adulthood is co-authored by Jen Jacob (author, co-founder and VP of Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network) and Mardra Sikora (author, speaker, motivator, and advocate).

This comprehensive, up-to-date, organized and easy-to-read guide is full of information, resources (including links to all websites), and support. It is easy to navigate the different stages you, and your child with Down syndrome, will find yourselves. The book is short (under 300 pages) so it is easily 'digestible' while still providing a lot of valuable information.

- Part One covers "The Basics" of what Down syndrome is, receiving a prenatal diagnosis, and receiving a postnatal diagnosis at birth

- Part Two covers "The Journey" with chapters focused on newborn, baby/toddler years, primary/middle school, teenage years, and adult years

- Part Three lets parents know "You Are Not Alone" and covers support and research and a world-wide network connecting families who have a loved one with Down syndrome

Throughout the book there are plenty of quotes and stories and experiences from numerous parents on this journey, but more importantly there are the voices of those who have Down syndrome giving their perspective on their lives and advice to parents.

Mardra put together some great information on the making of this book and things to keep in mind, such as this: "we worked hard to educate the publishers about people first language and its importance – there are a few missteps within the pages. These editors worked hard to quickly tackle a subject new to them while helping us get a lotof information shared in short order. The effort resulted in overall helpful materials for parents (and others) with a few slipups that I ask be forgiven, like any other proofreading error, and will be adjusted on future print editions, and hopefully sooner on Kindle formats."

You can also find more information on this book at this link.

I've been on my own parenting journey for 12 years now so a lot of the information/resources etc aren't new to me (which is fine as it's most beneficial for new parents), but I would have appreciated having this book after Kayla was born. While the information that comes with a diagnosis can be, and is, overwhelming, this book makes it easy to skim through and pick out what is relevant to what you need at that time of your life.

And our journey isn't over, by far. We will be entering the teen years and that, of course, will quickly be followed by the adult years. I enjoyed reading those chapters as they give me a glimpse into what to expect with my own child.

Don't just take my word for the great resource that is this book; you can read what other bloggers are saying about the book, too.

For the giveaway. There is a Grand Prize giveaway, and then there is a single book giveaway (this one is just from my blog.)

To enter to win the book from my blog just leave a comment (making sure I can reach you) saying what your current go-to resource is for Down syndrome (if you have one). I will pick a winner via random.org in a week.

To enter the Grand Prize which includes the book (of course), other book resources, a totebag, stickers, and a free registration for this year's 321eConference (all valued at over $200) just enter the simple and quick Rafflecopter:

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You can get connected with the Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome Facebook page as well!

   

Black Day: The Monster Rock Band (Review & Giveaway)

Kicking off the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month with a book review and giveaway.

The book itself has nothing at all to do with Down syndrome. But I'm leading off "31 for (T)21" (psss...it's not to late to join in!) with this particular book review and giveaway because, well, you'll see at the end of this post!

Black Day: The Monster Rock Band is a hard-cover, colored-illustrated, children's book. The story is about a young paperboy who discovers a rock band while he's delivering papers. He wants to join their rock band but there is one problem - the band is comprised of monsters (Frankenstein! Dracula!) and they tell him he can't join because he's a human.

That doesn't stop the paperboy from following his dreams; so with determination he finishes his route and goes back to attempt to join their band again.

I left the book on our kitchen table and my 7 year old son started reading it without any prompting from me, or me telling him where it came from, or that it was for a review. After he finished reading it, and before I could ask him what he thought about it, he closed the book and with a smile said "I really like that book!"

I asked him what he liked about it and he said, "Well, just everything!" He said he liked the monsters and the paperboy and at the end he tried to figure out who some of the people in the crowd were. I noticed that he really seemed to like the illustrations and looked at the details on each page.

Even though there are monsters in the book it isn't a scary story at all. In the end it's subtly about differences and acceptance. In this case the boy is different from the monsters, but he doesn't see that as a reason to not join their band.

So why am I showcasing this children's book, that has nothing to do with Down syndrome, for 31 for (T)21? Because of the author, that's why.

The author is Marcus Sikora and he is a young man with Down syndrome who wrote this book (the idea, dialogue, plot twists) along with some help of fine-tuning from his mom, author Mardra Sikora.

Marcus has a natural talent as a storyteller and has always been interested in stories, but leaning towards plays/musicals (he's had a one-act produced by a high school). Marcus and his mom write every weekend and one day he started talking about a monster rock band called Black Day. His father suggested they write a children's book and that is when the story became more defined.

Mardra and Marcus have been doing book readings across the country (see events here) and they are going to be in my neck of the woods in a couple of weeks!

I'm so excited to take my kids to Wonder Works Toy Store in Charleston on Saturday, Oct 10 from 2-4pm (they'll also be at the location in Mt Pleasant earlier that day; if you're in Greenville they'll be there too!). I think this will be a neat experience for them to meet Marcus so they can connect him as the author of a book they've read and like (Kayla said she doesn't like the monsters, because monsters, but she likes the story). If you are in the Charleston area come out and meet the author for a book reading - he'll sign a book for you too! (If you're not able to make it to the event Wonder Works will carry Black Day: The Monster Rock Band after Oct 10).

Enter to win your own copy of the book here by leaving a comment stating who you would like to win this book for (contest closes on Oct 15 so it can arrive before Halloween).

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Treasure Hunt Book Review and Giveaway

I recently read and reviewed a book with my kids by Lady Jenniviere called Treasure Hunt. I received this book for free, opinions are mine and my children's.

Treasure Hunt is book four of six in the Lady Jenniviere's Quill Series. We haven't read the previous books but had no problems reading this book without reading the previous books; I think they are independent of each other and you won't miss out on information by not reading them in order.

Lady Jenniviere's books are geared toward the preteen/middle school age group Each of her books contain important messages that she wants kids to know such as "...life isn't always wrapped up in a neatly packaged happy ending." Her books encourage readers to use their imagination and she wants her books to show that "Life isn't always black and white...books illustrate the beauty of the gray parts."

Treasure Hunt is about a boy, Chase, who is looking forward to summer vacation on Sanibel Island; where he goes every summer to visit his grandparents. This summer he is especially excited about because he found an old book about the island that has a map of treasure buried long ago by pirates. He is determined to figure out the map and find this long-lost buried treasure and claim the riches.

Along this journey he encounters unexpected creatures who become his friends: a seagull, dolphin, alligator, turtles, and a mermaid. The imagination used to bring these friends to life really interested my kids, especially my 7-year old.

Chase learns several lessons throughout the book as they travel the island looking for the treasure, and in the end he finds something more valuable than jewels or gold.

I found this to story to be a light-hearted, adventurous, wholesome family book interspersed with life lessons. It was a refreshing read and I anticipate reading the other books in the series with my kids, too. Lucas said he really liked the book and characters, Kayla gave it a thumbs-up.

I have 3 copies of this e-book to giveaway. The winners will receive a code that they can use to get the book for free from Smashwords which can be downloaded to an e-reader.

Please leave a comment, making sure I can contact you, for a chance to win a copy. Winners will be chosen by Random.org.

Katie Woo's Super Stylish Contest (and Book Bundle Giveaway!)

A few months ago I was at the library stocking up on some audio books and regular books for the kids. One of the books I grabbed off the shelf for Kayla was Fly High, Katie (Katie Woo). She really liked the book and read it several times. She even studied the back cover long enough to realize there were other Katie Woo books as she came to me saying, "Mom, I want this Katie Woo, and this one, and this one." She was interested enough to want to read the other books about Katie. I found another book at the library that we brought along on our recent trip to MD.

Just a couple of weeks ago I found out about a contest to design Katie Woo's next outfit.  Just download the black and white drawing, create an outfit using crayons, markers, colored pencils etc, and submit your design. Entries need to be submitted by Nov 17.

The author, Fran Manushkin, and illustrator, Tammie Lyon, will pick the best shirt, pants/skirt, shoes, and accessories and those winners' (up to 4) designs will be featured in an upcoming Katie Woo book. Each winner will also receive a Katie Woo Book Club Kit.


Unfortunately for Kayla the entrants must be in Kindergarten-3rd grade, but maybe you, dear reader, have a child in that grade range who would like to participate.

If you have a child interested in submitting their own designs just let me know in the comments below (and are they familiar with the Katie Woo series?) and FOUR winners will be selected (using Random.org) to receive a set of FIVE books! The 5 books are all about art and drawing to coincide with the design an outfit contest. Contest will close next week. 

The books in this giveaway are:
Katie Woo's Super Stylish Activity Book
Easy To Draw Animals  
A Halloween Drawing Spooktacular
A Thanksgiving Drawing Feast
Beginner's Guide to Drawing

And not to be left out, Kayla is also fortunate to receive a set of Katie Woo books to review, but I'm pretty sure I already know what her review will be - she'll like them!

Thanks to Capstone Young Readers for providing the books for the giveaway!

Half Popped Book Review & Giveaway

Half Popped is a new children's book featuring Kenny the Kernel - a half-popped piece of popcorn who doesn't feel he has reached his full potential ... because he was only half-popped when the microwave stopped.

Kenny is sad that he wasn't fully popped and feels like no one would want to eat a half-popped piece of popcorn and that he will languish at the bottom of the bowl.

He decides to take a little trip through the kitchen and in the process encounters other food items that for one reason or another feel like they are down on their luck as well. Among some of the foods he encounters are the baby carrot who doesn't feel as important because he's not as tall as the other carrots, the green and red grapes each wish to be the other color, the banana who has a brown peel and is too soft.

Even though Kenny feels depressed about his own ... life as a half-popped kernel, he maintains a more positive outlook for the foods he crosses paths with. He helps them see the good qualities and helps each one see itself in a new light with a new purpose. For instance, he tells the banana that even though its peel is brown and he is starting to turn mushy he is perfect to be used in banana bread. Kenny ends up cheering everyone else up and showing them the positive side of things.

This is an easy story that will appeal to young kids with the combination of photography and illustration and a silly, rhyming dialogue. The underlying message is a story about self-confidence and how the power of your positive words can make a person's day better.

With Kenny showing the other snacks that they can be used in different ways the lesson of the book is also showing that "there's a place and a purpose in this world for everyone" and Kenny finds out that's true for himself at the end of the book.What a great lesson for all kids to learn.

This would be a great book to have in preschool and Kindergarten classrooms to help foster discussions on self-confidence, differences, and having a different perspective on situations.

I have a copy of this book to also offer as a giveaway. If you would like a chance to win please leave a comment and make sure I have a way to contact you if you're the winner!

 

Shape of the Eye (Updated) Giveaway

Congrats to the winners: Brianna and Astra!

The Shape of the Eye, by George Estreich, is one of those unique, must-read, memoirs that takes the reader on a journey of the past, and makes the reader think about how we got to the present, in terms of society's perceptions on people with Down syndrome.

I did a review and giveaway of this book back in Oct 2011, and another giveaway in Oct 2012. This book has just recently been re-released in paperback and I am hosting a giveaway for 2 winners.

The paperback has an afterword that updates readers on Laura (George's daughter), and the rest of the family, since the hardcover was released. George also discusses some societal quandaries that have come up with the advances in technology, science, and research.

Parents.com recently did a Q&A with George (although I did cringe at the lead-in describing "...his Down syndrome daughter..." instead of the use of people-first language); and The Shape of the Eye gets a 4-star review and "Pick of the Week" in the April 29th edition of People Magazine.

If you would like to win a copy of this Oregon Book Award Winner, please leave a comment (making sure I have a way to contact you). Contest open to those in the US and Canada.

 

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven is a true story by father and son Kevin & Alex Malarkey.

It is the story of a tragic car accident that left Alex paralyzed when he was just 6 years old. In fact, the odds weren't great that he would even survive. But a couple of months later Alex woke up from his coma with an amazing story to tell. He was able to describe events that happened while he was unconscious and of what he witnessed at the accident scene after being flown away in a medevac helicopter. Alex shares his experiences and journey of going to Heaven and back; of angels, and of meeting Jesus.

It was interesting to read of Alex's experiences, his relationship with and faith in God, his perseverance and will to live ... even though he says he is eager to get back to Heaven. The community greatly surrounded this family with prayers, support and help when they went through such trying times.

I did find the book to be redundant at times; I know the book is about faith and Alex's accounts of 'miracles, angels, and life beyond this world,' but I felt that the point was made too often. I also wish that the book contained more of Alex's story and not so much of the father's account. Overall it was an easy, and heart-warming read.

Here is a trailer for the book.

watch on tyndale.com

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network for this review; if you'd like to read the book please leave a comment and I'll send the copy to someone chosen via Random.org.


 

Day 20 Giveaway: From Grief to Celebration

Margaret (Gary) Bender blogs about life with her daughter, Alex, at The Ordinary Life of an Extraordinary Girl. Her blog is one of a few that I follow that is about life with an older child who has Down syndrome. I sure do appreciate reading about Gary's experiences about Alex's school life.

Gary has also written a memoir From Grief to Celebration: How One Family Learned to Embrace the Gift of Down Syndrome. 

The book is about how one family learned to embrace the unexpected birth of a child with Down syndrome.

The memoirs I've read so far all surround lives of much younger children, some even younger than Kayla's age. Here is a memoir in which the daughter of the author is out of high school.

I haven't had a chance to read this book in time for the giveaway, but it's a thin book and looks to be an easy read and I'm looking forward to diving in to it! Gary has written the chapters of the book in the stages her family went through including grief, research, incorporation, inclusion, and family planning. I anticipate being able to identify with many of the stages and gaining some insight from someone who is much farther along on this journey than I am.

Gary has graciously donated a copy of her book for this giveaway; and as soon as I finish it I will send it to the winner! Or you can get the Kindle version for only .99 through the rest of this week!

To enter leave a comment on this post and then click on the +1 Do It link on the Rafflecopter widget.

To earn another entry, and to spread the word about From Grief to Celebration, you can Tweet about the giveaway. You can do this directly on the Rafflecopter widget.


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(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)


 

Day 18 Giveaway: The Politics of Down Syndrome

The Politics of Down Syndrome by Kieron Smith is a book I've been wanting to read since I first heard about and am glad to finally have the opportunity to read it. It is definitely not your usual book on Down syndrome; nor is it even a memoir about Down syndrome; although Kieron is the father to a daughter who has Down syndrome.

This books takes a look at the historical descriptions of Down syndrome and how, even though we know so much more about it, our (society) thoughts and attitudes seem to have largely remained unchanged. Perceptions about Down syndrome are still steeped in decades old stereotypes. This has continued to affect attitudes and prevent full inclusion and acceptance of persons with Down syndrome in their communities.

Mr Smith also takes a look at the medical field and how the negative image of Down syndrome starts during pregnancy by applying the term "risk" to a prenatal test for Down syndrome. How much weight does it carry to say "Your risk of having a child with Down syndrome is (fill in the blank) percent." By applying the word 'risk' it seems to equal something negative happening. Using the word 'chance' would be much more neutral.

Since Mr Smith lives in the UK a lot, but not all, of the references are from that aspect, but can easily be applied to what is happening in the US as well.

I found this to be a very fascinating, and quick (it's a slim book) read. This is a great book for parents, educators and the medical field ... this is a book that should also be shared with and read by the general population outside of the Down syndrome community.

An excerpt from the book,
"The hurdle for society is to somehow come to appreciate the essence of the title of Dobzhansky's work that differences are not deficits, that difference should just be accepted. This does not have to be divisive, it does not have to mean that difference is celebrated in a way that divides communities, and rather it should appreciate the commonality in the human experience. Because we are all different, our genes and experiences, then a society that recognizes and appreciates the talents and difference of everyone, is a society that can truly be both enlightened and progressive. Ignoring status, wealth and power and focusing on what each person can achieve.

Now how do we get society to embrace differences?

Kieron is also a Trustee of Down Syndrome Education International and all proceeds from the book are donated to DSE. 

Kieron Smith has generously donated a copy of his book for this giveaway - thank you!

To enter leave a comment on this post and then click on the +1 Do It link on the Rafflecopter widget.

To earn more entries, and to spread the word about The Politics of Down Syndrome, you can like the Facebook page and Tweet about the giveaway. You can do each of those things directly on the Rafflecopter widget.


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(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)



 

Day 13 Giveaway: Common Threads: Celebrating Life With Down Syndrome

The organization Band of Angels was established in 1994, by Cynthia Hutchison (Kidder),  to provide support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Their mission is to create "...greater understanding of the full and rich lives of people with differences by helping parents, educators, persons with disabilities, and medical professionals recognize the true potential of all people."

Band of Angels provides hospitals with New Parent Support Packages, has a Job Connection link for people with cognitive disabilities and participate in annual events.

One of the products in the Parent Support Package is the book Common Threads: Celebrating Life With Down Syndrome. This book is co-authored by Cynthia Hutchison (Kidder) and Dr Brian Skotko, who specializes in Genetics and has a sister with Down syndrome. This book is "an essay and photographic celebration of inspirational accomplishments of people of all ages with Down syndrome. Throughout the book there is a common thread - the thread of belief."

Band of Angels is graciously donating Common Threads to this giveaway.

To enter leave a comment on this post and then click on the +1 Do It link on the Rafflecopter widget.

To earn more entries, and to spread the word about Band of Angels, you can like their Facebook page and Tweet about the giveaway. You can do each of those things directly on the Rafflecopter widget.

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(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)


 

Day 11 Giveaway: The Shape of the Eye

The Shape of the Eye by George Estreich is a memoir on "Down Syndrome, Family, and the Stories We Inherit."

I enjoy reading other books of other parents' experience with raising a child with Down syndrome (and obviously one reason why I follow so many blogs!) It's nice to find out that you're not 'the only one' who felt a certain way, or dealt with things a certain way. Sometimes you feel like it's just you until you read someone's story and it helps to validate your own feelings.

Sometimes other people can sum up your own complicated thoughts in a couple of sentences. When I read this in his book, "If Down syndrome were ordinary in the world, if a commonsense view of dignity and personhood and capability prevailed, then perhaps our early days would have been easier. But Down syndrome is not ordinary in the world." it reminded me of my post on Hope and Normalcy and in the end saying that maybe if Down syndrome happens so often, it must be a 'normal' part of the genetic make-up,  and how different the delivery of the diagnosis would be if the world looked at it this way. "If Down syndrome was ordinary in the world." Yes, indeed. If only the world did look at it that way.

As in every personal story there are differences too; George's story of raising his daughter differs from mine in that his mother is Japanese. When Laura was born and the doctor mention Down syndrome and a few of the characteristics she had - such as the upward, almond-shaped eyes - George was able to explain that away as inheritance since his mother is Japanese. For me, the first time I looked at Kayla's eyes I knew she had Down syndrome because of those almond-shaped eyes.

I like his take on two of the most common stereotypes: that children with Down syndrome are sweet, and that they are stubborn. He asks, "How can both be possible? If they are stubborn most of the time, or half the time, can they still be counted as sweet?"

While this memoir does describe Laura's birth, diagnosis, the aftermath, how they felt, how they came to accept it, how it became part of their lives ... it also goes deeper and beyond their own story of raising Laura. He explores how our attitudes about Down syndrome have come to be shaped by the descriptions and writings of John Langdon Down.

I enjoyed the personal family aspects of the memoir, but for me the most interesting chapter was the one on John Langdon Down. Mr. Estreich did a lot of research for his own knowledge after Laura was diagnosed, and for his book. I admit to not having done much research on the man. The only thing I really knew about him was he was the first person to describe individuals with Down syndrome and their characteristics ... and that is how it came to be named after him.

I knew that Dr Down described these individuals as "Mongolian" because the upward slant of the eye, but I didn't realize the history behind that. The whole chapter is very fascinating ... how Dr. Down tried to classify the people with Down syndrome into a race category; that he couldn't comprehend how they were born to Caucasian families yet had "Mongolian" features - so he thought it had to be a degeneration in the womb. Initially he speculated it to be the cause of tuberculosis.

I know that people with Down syndrome existed long before it was described; and this fact is written so eloquently in the book, "...the children existed before they were discovered; what changed, after Down, was the way they were known....even though we have rejected the name he chose, the terms of his description are still with us." 

One of the biggest revelations in this chapter, for me, was the fact that John Langdon Down had a grandson, also named John Langdon Down. This grandson was born after the elder John Down had passed away. This grandson was born with ... Down syndrome. I find that so ironic and fascinating. I keep thinking about that fact and wondering if anything would've changed with his view and descriptions of Down syndrome if he had been alive to know his grandson. (Also, how have I been in this community for 9 years and never heard this tidbit before? I can't believe I haven't come across that until now!)

The Shape of the Eye is a poignant and wonderfully-written story. It is a book that I think should be included on the list of books for new parents to read.

George Estreich is generously donating a copy of his book for this giveaway.

To enter leave a comment on this post and then click on the +1 Do It link on the Rafflecopter widget.

To earn more entries, and to spread the word about The Shape of the Eye, you can like the Facebook page and Tweet about the giveaway. You can do each of those things directly on the Rafflecopter widget.
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(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)


 

Day 8 Giveaway: Meet Annie

Meet Annie is an adorable children's book written by Heather J. Scharlau-Hollis, who has a daughter with Down syndrome. Annie has Down syndrome and she describes all the way she is "just like you." This is an easy book for kids to read and gets the message across that, "We need to understand that we are all different and those differences make us who we are."

Each page shows Annie doing or feeling something, and then has a question for the reader - I like how that engages the reader to think about things too. For instance one page says, "I love to play with my toys just like you. I like my balls and baby dolls best. What is your favorite toy?"

I read this book to Kayla's 2nd grade class last year and all the kids seemed really interested and engaged. They liked the questions that are on almost every page. I would ask the questions to the class, "Do you ever get scared? Do you ever get in trouble? Do you ever need help? What is your favorite food?" and hands were always clamoring in the air so they could tell me their answers.

We've had this book for about 4 yrs now and Kayla and Lucas still like to pull it off the bookshelf and read it.

Heather is donating a copy of Meet Annie to this giveaway - thanks Heather! You can enter to win by using the Rafflecopter widget below. Leave a comment on this post and then click on the +1 Do It link on the widget.

To earn another entry, and to spread the word about Meet Annie, you can also Tweet about the giveaway. You can do that directly on the Rafflecopter widget.
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(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)

 

Day 1 Giveaway: Gifts

The first of the 21 Days of Giveaways is a book that is near and dear to my heart.

In 2006 (goodness has it been 6 yrs already?!) I had the opportunity to submit a story for the book Gifts: Mothers Reflect on how Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives. It is a compilation of stories mothers submitted on the topics pertaining to Gifts Of: Respect, Strength, Delight, Perspective, and Love.

My story, Birthday Guilt, is in the Gift of Love section and it based on this post I wrote as Kayla's 3rd birthday was approaching.

Each story is accompanied by a black and white photo of the subject of that story. A photo slideshow was made to incorporate all the photographs and is set to a song with such beautiful lyrics. (How could anyone ever tell you, you are anything less than beautiful... by Libby Roderick) Kayla's picture shows up at :44.


I'm pretty sure I would have appreciated having this book after Kayla was born; it would have been a nice resource for support...just to put a human facet on the diagnosis to counter all the medical information you're given. It would have been comforting to read all these different stories on love and acceptance and the journey that families were on. I'm sure it would have made me feel less alone.

This book was so successful that Gifts: Volume II was written. This second book includes stories written by family members, friends, and professionals. The chapters are based on Acceptance, Courage, Friendship, Awareness, and Joy.

There will be 2 winners for this drawing - one for each book.

This is my first time using Rafflecopter.com for the giveaways, so crossing my fingers that I've got this figured this out!

After you leave a comment please click on the +1 Do It button on the Rafflecopter Widget (just below) for your entry to be counted. I'm keeping track of all entries on the Rafflecopter site. If you select the option to Tweet about it, once you click on that just click on the Twitter logo and it will automatically pop up with the pre-written Tweet to send.

(Refer back to 21 Days of Giveaways throughout the month to see all of the giveaways.)

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The Shape of the Eye (book review/giveaway)

Congrats to winner Becca!

I was asked if I wanted to review the book The Shape of the Eye by George Estreich. It is a memoir on "Down Syndrome, Family, and the Stories We Inherit." I had seen this mentioned on FB and a few blogs and put it on my "to-one-day-read" list. The review came at a great time - just in time for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

I enjoy reading other books of other parents' experience with raising a child with Down syndrome (and obviously one reason why I follow so many blogs!) It's nice to find out that you're not 'the only one' who felt a certain way, or dealt with things a certain way. Sometimes you feel like it's just you until you read someone else's story and it helps to validate your own feelings.

Sometimes other people can sum up your own complicated thoughts in a couple of sentences. When I read this in his book, "If Down syndrome were ordinary in the world, if a commonsense view of dignity and personhood and capability prevailed, then perhaps our early days would have been easier. But Down syndrome is not ordinary in the world." it reminded me of my post on Hope and Normalcy and in the end saying that maybe if Down syndrome happens so often, it must be a 'normal' part of the genetic make-up,  and how different the delivery of the diagnosis would be if the world looked at it this way. "If Down syndrome was ordinary in the world." Yes, indeed. If only the world did look at it that way.

As in every personal story there are differences too; George's story of raising his daughter differs from mine in that his mother is Japanese. When Laura was born and the doctor mention Down syndrome and a few of the characteristics she had - such as the upward, almond-shaped eyes - George was able to explain that away as inheritance since his mother is Japanese. For me, the first time I looked at Kayla's eyes I knew she had Down syndrome because of those almond-shaped eyes.

I like his take on 2 of the most common stereotypes: that children with Ds are sweet, and that they are stubborn. He asks, "How can both be possible? If they are stubborn most of the time, or half the time, can they still be counted as sweet?"

While this memoir does describe Laura's birth, diagnosis, the aftermath, how they felt, how they came to accept it, how it became part of their lives ... it also goes deeper and beyond their own story of raising Laura. He explores how our attitudes about Down syndrome have come to be shaped by the descriptions and writings of John Langdon Down.

I enjoyed the personal family aspects of the memoir, but for me the most interesting chapter was the one on John Langdon Down. Mr. Estreich did a lot of research for his own knowledge after Laura was diagnosed, and for his book. I admit to not having done much research on the man. The only thing I really knew about him was he was the first person to describe individuals with Down syndrome and their characteristics ... and that is how it came to be named after him.

I knew that Dr Down described these individuals as "Mongolian" because the upward slant of the eye, but I didn't realize the history behind that. The whole chapter is very fascinating ... how Down tried to classify the people with Ds into a race category; that he couldn't comprehend how they were born to Caucasian families yet had "Mongolian" features - so he thought it had to be a degeneration in the womb. Initially he speculated it to be the cause of tuberculosis.

I know that people with Down syndrome existed long before it was described; and this fact is written so eloquently in the book, "...the children existed before they were discovered; what changed, after Down, was the way they were known....even though we have rejected the name he chose, the terms of his description are still with us." 

One of the biggest revelations in this chapter, for me, was the fact that John Langdon Down had a grandson, also named John Langdon Down. This grandson was born after the elder John Down had passed away. This grandson was born with ... Down syndrome. I find that so ironic and fascinating. I keep thinking about that fact and wondering if anything would've changed with his view and descriptions of Ds if he had been alive to know his grandson. (Also, how have I been in the Ds 'world' for 8 years and never heard this tidbit before? I can't believe I haven't come across that until now!)

The Shape of the Eye is a poignant and wonderfully-written story. It is a book that I think should be included on the list of books for new parents to read. I'd like to give my copy away to a reader ... just leave a comment on this post and mak sure I have a way to contact you if you're a winner.

*This isn't a requirement to enter ... but since it is DS Awareness Month and I've been blogging for 5 years now... I'd love it if you left a comment letting me know something you've learned about Down syndrome just from me sharing about my life with Kayla.

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Spoonfuls of Stories

For the past seven years Cheerios has given away more than 35 million free books in cereal boxes as part of their Spoonfuls of Stories program ; they've also donated almost $3 million to First Book which provides books to children from low-income families.

I would always look for the specially marked Cheerios boxes with the books in them, so Kayla has several of these books and we enjoy all of them.

Cheerios is now searching for the next great children's author, so here's your chance to submit your original children's story!

Lori Degmen won the 2008 new author contest and not only will her book be published, but she also won $5000, so make sure to get your entry in by July 15, 2009 for a chance to win.

Due to Kayla's new diagnosis of celiac disease I won't be buying Cheerios for awhile (Lucas doesn't eat a lot of cereal, so one box will last quite a while!) but we didn't miss out on the books this year! My Blog Spark sent us 4 of the books that are inside Cheerios boxes - Monkey & Me, Duck For President, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything, and The Great Dog Wash.

Kayla was very excited to receive these books in the mail and looked at all of them right away. All of the stories were cute and imaginative, but her favorite is Monkey & Me. It's a shorter story and Kayla likes to 'read' this book by herself.

My Blog Spark has another set of all 4 of these books to give away to one of my readers. If you're interested just leave a comment letting me know if you have any of the books from Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you're the winner!

*The winner of the Houseparty Juicy Juice prize pack is Jennifer from Three's A Charm - congrats!

Book Review and Giveaway

As part of the Mother-talk blog book tour I was sent The Stay-At-Home Survival Guide: Field Tested strategies for staying smart, sane, and connected while caring for your kids by Melissa Stanton.

I haven't had a chance to finish the book yet, but from what I've read so far I can say it's an easy book to read and I'm enjoying it!

First of all I love my kids and I love being able to stay home and raise them. I'm thankful we could afford for me to quit my job after Kayla was born because I really wanted to stay home with her...at least for the first year. That first year has now turned into 5 and we've added another kid!

Despite loving these kids of mine I do have to admit that some days are just plain hard. And exhausting. And frustrating. Some days I've been on the verge of tears just counting down the minutes until Joe gets home. Some days I feel like I'm just not cut out to do this, or that I can't handle one more day of staying home.

I see other mothers, especially those with more than 2 kids, and they always seem so put together, so relaxed, never flustered, or frustrated, or hurried, or exasperated. They seem "cool, calm, and collected." And I wonder why I can't get it together; at times I've felt so inadequate as a mom.

Then I started reading this book...and those were my feelings she was writing about! I could identify with so much in the chapters I've read so far.

This sentence really stood out to me, "If there's one thing I hope women will learn from this book, it's that it is okay to sometimes not love being a Stay-at-Home mom." Just reading that one sentence was like a weight lifted off my shoulders!

I think I've been struggling more with this lately since Lucas was born. The whole new baby in the house thing, less sleep, constant nursing, hormones going crazy, baby who rarely takes more than a 30 min nap, all that has left me feeling a little more stressed than usual. Just last week when Joe came home and asked how the day went I said, "hopefully one day soon I'll be able to give you a different answer." Ok it's not always that bad, but that was just "one of those days."

I've vented to Joe and told him how I feel - like I'm the only mom out there who can't handle this, he's assured me that I'm most definitely not the only one who has felt like this, or who goes through this. But he works outside the home, he can't truly know what it's like to be their sole caretaker all day long, to be the only one responsible for the kids for 10-11 hrs a day, so I didn't think he really understood what I was going through or what I was feeling. But because I'm reading the same thoughts and feelings from other mothers who are going through the same thing I had an "aha!" moment - it's not just me! I read bits and pieces to Joe and he tried telling me "I told you so!" Still, I felt...vindicated...I'm not a bad person if I don't always enjoy staying home; and it doesn't mean I love my kids any less, nor does it mean I regret my choice to stay home.

Ok this review was supposed to be about the book - not about me!

If you're interested in reading this book just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner this weekend. I'll send it out after I'm finished reading it!

Roadmap To Holland Winners

Thanks to everyone for entering to win a copy of this book - I wish I could send one to everyone, but since that isn't possible I had to use Random.org to pick the winners for me. I was anxious this morning waiting to see who the recipients will be! So without further delay they are:

Tara from Our Journey
Michelle from The Zoromski Chronicles
Karly from Our Normal Life
Rachel from Make Something Beautiful

Congratulations!

Speaking of books...for those of you who have read The Memory Keeper's Daughter, it's been made into a movie and is showing on Lifetime this Sat, the 12th, at 9pm ET. I read a review in the Sunday paper saying they had to cut a lot out from the book to make it fit into a 2-hr movie, and the ending (according to the review) was a bit disappointing as it was too "pat", but I'm still looking forward to watching it...if only I can remember it's on when Sat night gets here :)

My Mother's Day Contest

I'm leaving this up here until Sunday, but there is a new post below!

With all these Mother's Day contests going around I figured I would do one too! I have 5 books to give away! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post saying you're interested! Winners will be announced on Sunday - of course!

1. Promises for Moms from the New International Version

2. Still Lickin' the Spoon and Other Confessions of a Grown-up Kid by Becky Freeman

3. The Heart of a Mother - true stories of inspiration and encouragement

4. Just Give Me a Little Piece of Quiet - 60 mini-retreats for a mom's soul by Lorilee Craker

5. Travelling Light for Mothers by Max Lucado
and Mommy Dream - finding hope for the longings of your heart