Month: March 2011

World Down Syndrome Day!

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World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on the 21st day of the 3rd month each year to signify triplication of the 21st chromosome. It is a day to raise awareness for what Down Syndrome is, is not, and how people with Down Syndrome play an important role in our lives and communities.

I was welcomed in to the life of Maggy when I was 16 years old. She, who has Down Syndrome, came to live with us because her parents had passed away and her sister didn’t want her unless she could get paid to keep her. She was just shy of 250lbs and 4’6 tall. She threw tantrums to get what she wanted and her quality of life was diminishing. She wasn’t valued and dealt with that by overeating and throwing tantrums. Her original doctor even told us that she didn’t have any other pleasures in her life so we should continue to let her eat whatever she wanted… We switched doctors.

It didn’t take long for Maggy to love and trust us all. Because of her our family was changed for the better. Maggy lost 150lbs and stopped throwing tantrums. I believe that our family was saved by Maggy. All us kids were in the midst of our angry teenage years and Maggy taught us too focus on something other and bigger than ourselves. For example, even though my brother wouldn’t talk to anyone, he would go and tuck Maggy in to say goodnight each night. That eventually led to him talking to us again. I know I’ve told that story before but it was a huge turning point for all of us. Maggy was and still is a un-judging shoulder to cry on and listening ear for all of us. She is still the worlds best hugger 🙂 In every sense of the word that matters Maggy is my sister and I love her with all my heart!

I always knew I wanted to include a people with Down Syndrome in the family that I grow as well and I was blessed enough to get a husband who wanted the same thing! We didn’t know exactly how that would come about until I proposed adopting a little girl to Jon last January. It was not a big debate. It wasn’t a question of whether we should adopt who we now know is Sofie, but how we were going to make it happen.

I am literally filled with bubbles of anticipation for Sofie to come home. I can’t imagine how much she is going to bless our family and I can’t wait to find out! I think next years World Down Syndrome Day is going to be a very different personal feel for me 🙂

Down Syndrome is not a disease. People with DS do not suffer from it.
It is genetic, just as brown hair and blue eyes. It is there at conception. 
People with DS are someones child, grand-child, sibling, co-worker, friend, lover, even parent.
People with DS can contribute to society just like any other person can.
Please do not think of people with Down Syndrome in terms of what they can’t do…
Only look at them in terms of what they can do. 
They should not be underestimated or under valued.
They are human, just like you.

Updates

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  1. I got word yesterday that our agency got our official proposal for Sofie and it is in the mail! We should get it tomorrow!!! This is a huge step forward and it actually came earlier than expected! I was told that it would that the MOJ and Hague Convention 2-3 months to get the proposal to us… we got it within a month of Bulgaria receiving our request! Just two months after we mailed it off! We should receive the original documents in the mail before the end of the week too sign and officially accept Sofie. The next step is waiting for our court date!
  2. Last weekend my sisters, bro-in-law, Jon and I did some much needed yard work in our/our mom’s yard. It isn’t completely done yet but we got all the big stuff done. We cut a bunch of over grown branches off our blue spruce in the front yard, trimmed back some juniper bushes that hadn’t been touched in years, and pulled out four overgrown junipers from the front yard. We got all this done in the rain too! It looks like a big mud pit right now but there is now some potential! It is a great start for me to get it looking nice this spring and summer with Livi (and Sofie!) running around and exploring our huge yard!
  3. Jon let his bosses know that he is interested in a advanced position. A position hasn’t been posted yet but there was a notice sent out wondering who would be interested. This would mean a raise and the opportunity to do some teaching in the field of community living! It would be pretty perfect and is the next logical step up the ladder! Governments never move quickly but we are hoping that something comes of this!
  4. We got to enjoy some good friends that we haven’t seen in almost two years over for supper last night! We got to reminisce over our college years which was a lot of fun but made me feel really old!
  5. My best friend in Winnipeg had a little baby boy on Sunday. I am so excited for her! Little Toby came in to the world almost 7 weeks early but he is doing so well! He is going to be such a little blessing. I really wish I could go out there to meet him… one day I will, if we ever have money again 🙂
  6. My Lent has been going really well. I started reading my Henri Nouwen book and am allowing myself to start speak more freely about prayer… something I am not comfortable with. I have been doing really well on the self-denial part. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d make it this far without sugar but it has been easier than I thought. I thought the beginning would be the most difficult part but I think I was wrong. I haven’t had any sugary foods except for eating what I thought was a healthy nutty, berry granola bar on day 1, only to realize later that sugar was the number 4 ingredient. I haven’t made that same mistake and have been fine with out it! I definitely have had my evening cravings but I just think of Sofie and what she is all going without! I’ve also been focusing, this week, on what God has done for me in my life. I am so blessed. No red meat and poultry has been a little more difficult than I thought. Funny how I thought the sugar would be harder than the meat. I just really need to plan all my meals better so I have all the protein I need and don’t get shaky and eat something crappy. That seems to be when I crave the sugar most too. 8 days in to Lent so far! I’ll expand on this more further in to lent I think. 
  7. Livi used the big toilet tonight without having to use a stool to step up on. I haven’t measured her in a few months but she must have grown! She is taking pride in how big she is too, saying things like “I’m growing up so big like Mommy!” or “I am big, just like Daddy! Right?” I love my little weirdo 🙂

Lovely Livi

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Livi has been taking off lately! We are just amazed by how fast she is accomplishing different things. The most amazing feat has been her writing. She began with Daddy’s Valentine’s card. I put dots for her to trace, helped her hold the pen properly and held her wrist steady. She did really well. I was quite proud…

A week and a half later she wrote a birthday card for her Daddy. I again made the dots, but only outlined the letter with my finger before she did it all by herself! I was SERIOUSLY proud!…

This is what she has been doing lately! She tells me the words she wants me to write and just goes at it 🙂 It is her “work” while I am doing my work on the computer. I love it!…

It is not new information that Livi is talkative. She speaks clearly and pointedly about everything. It has its pros and cons! Lately though, she has been coming up with some pretty hilarious sayings…
-After stubbing her toe, and walking over to me, she cried “I CAN’T WALK!”
-She fell down and scraped her knee, crying she said “A prune will help me!” She loves prunes and thinks they are basically candy.
-“Excuse me! I farted!”… a few seconds later “Oh! I farted again! Mommy I fart A LOT!”
-Me: “Livi you are getting so big!”
Livi: “I know! I’m growing up big… Just like Mommy!”
-“What’s a penis for?” … She asked this to her Daddy and he epically failed in his response! I think he was caught off guard 🙂 He started laughing!… Then told her that that was adult talk but did manage to explain it was for peeing. Not convinced that was the most holistic response he could have given :S
Okay, I just typed those out and realized how dramatic she sounds. She is dramatic… and quite the little performer. She puts on dance shows for me daily and frequently sings too. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up being a comedian either because she is always joking and pretending with us. She also has a bit of a quirky sense of humor. She makes funny faces at us, even though she knows the answer to something she’ll say the wrong thing and double over laughing, and she’ll do funny walks and moves just to make us laugh. Such a goof-ball!

She also has the makings of an imaginary friend. She calls it ‘Giant’. I love it! Jon is a little unsure of it’s appearance but I think it is a good sign of a creative imagination! I think Giant was born from the furnace room which opens in to our hallway. The furnace makes a noise when it comes on and startles Livi and somehow that became a Giant in the hallway. I didn’t want her to be afraid of anything so I encouraged her to talk to the Giant and invite it to play with her…. Now they run around the house together, jump on the bed together, she tries to give him her food and I get her to eat things she is unsure of by saying something like “Eat you dinner quick before Giant gets it!”

She is too smart for her own good and rapidly learning how to do everything herself. She can mostly undress herself. She still needs some help with her tops and boots, but shoes are no problem. Once I help her with want foot goes in what hole she can pull her pants up. She goes pee and washes her hands all by herself when we are at home, but I do occasionally find the entire roll of toilet paper unrolled on the floor because she forgets to wipe and instead has fun spinning it. She is a pro and making coffee with Daddy and only serves us coffee from her tea set. She has also become quite tech-savvy. Her fluent ability to use my iPhone, navigate between her games and even buy food for her virtual giraffe once (I was not too happy about that one!) spurred my mom in to buying an iPhone to keep up with the technology! She can also change DVD’s in the Xbox! Jon is super impressed with his little tech gamer… Me? Not so much.

Playing her puzzle app on “her” phone.

Right now Livi is very congested. I think the last time she had a cold that lasted more than 36 hours she was about 6 months old. She never gets sick so I’m not really sure what to do other than keep the steamer on. She missed her nap today because she couldn’t breath through her nose to suck on her soother and actually sleep. She finally did get a late nap but then didn’t fall asleep until almost 10! I think we are in for a long night.