World Down Syndrome Day!

Much love goes out to all the friends I've made since Down Syndrome came into my life.

For those of you who believe that down syndrome is a burden and takes away from life, we are here to tell you of the blessings, the joys and the love that down syndrome has brought to us! Visit my friends on the right and visit their friends! Proof positive!!!

Happy Down Syndrome Day to my bestest friends and their beautiful children!!!

In Acceptance of Snot

Sometimes I find myself very witty. I was posting on my dear friend's (Christine) blog about her son and his sinus infections. I'm such a buttinsky!! I had a revelation while typing my words of wisdom.

We've accepted snot. We fought it and fought it and at last, we have raised the white flag. Snot is no longer our enemy.

Peace my friend snot... hail all boogers of green, yellow and dried blood red! We applaud the rare yet ever so entertaining, bubble O'snot, should one be so lucky as to catch a glimpse! You store our bits and pieces of M&M's, mini legos and the occasional spaghetti noodle (which dances in and out like a king cobra to a snake charmer) without nary a complaint. You hide under desks and tables, drying with age. And what a prankster you can be, as you dangle out of the nose of some poor soul who has no clue you're even there! We have snot rags, snot face (you've all seen Drop Dead Fred right?) and snot fights. The streets are slicker than snot tonight thanks to the ice storm.

So after 7 1/2 years of all out snot wars... we've come to acceptance. It's a part of Alex's life and always be. I'm thinking Kleenex loves us! And whatever company makes rocephin... Alex should be their poster child!

Everyone raise your box Kleenex in honor of SNOT!!!

Someday they're going to find a good use for it and we're gonna be rich!!!!

My Grams

I have to post about my Grams, who is going to be 90 on the 25th. We're having a family luncheon and then open house for her. She's sooo not into having parties, so she doesn't know about it yet. We decided it was best left a secret until we get closer.

She's doing so well and is relatively healthy. I am so fortunate to still have her around and have her of sound mind and body. She loves Alex and plays ball with him. Now I'm not saying she doesn't love her other grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she just has a special place in her heart for Alex. I'm the only grand-daughter out of 8 grandchildren, so I was spoiled as a child. Her and grandpa took good care of me through the years. We were all so sad when we lost Grandpa 15 years ago. I think he would get a kick out of Alex today... he was ornery much in the same way! LOL

Happy Birthday Grams! Here's to many more!

Alex was tagged by his best bud....

Brady for the love/hate meme.

Alex loves....

Grandma, Great Grandma and Grandpa
Matt
Jenny
Daddy
Curious George
Ice cream cones!
puppies of any size
horses
Disney World
His ENT Ann and his ped Mary
bubbles
balls
balloons
cake with tons of frosting
candy
swinging
running
jumping at Bounce U
swimming
playing in the rain and in the snow

Alex hates

haircuts
needles
the dentist (sorry Dr Cade - but I hate them too!)
medicine
baths
getting ready for school
going to bed
getting out of bed for school


I'll tag Nash and Mikey (if mommy even reads this! LOL)

~*~*~ HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY ~*~*~

Where does time go? I cannot believe it's been 8 years since my little guy came into this world.

I don't think I've ever posted his birth story. I wonder if I can remember it all? This old momma has aged since then....

His due date was between Jan 23 and the 30th. The perinatalogist wasn't going to let me go past that date, as he felt he was a big baby already. I stopped working on Friday and was hoping for a week at home before Alex arrived. We hadn't fully decided on a name yet either. We knew we were having a boy.

I had lots and lots of ultra-sounds. We probably should have had a clue at that point that maybe something was up. I also had tons of amniotic fluid, another sign, but I didn't know that then.

I woke up the morning of the 26th, feeling crampy. I asked Steve to stay home from work, but he just had to go in (personally I think he was terrified of the upcoming event!). About 9:00am I told him to come back home, this was it. He rushed home and we packed up and headed for the hospital. It was probably a bit too early, but I hadn't had a baby in 14 years, I thought we should go. We got all settled and got hooked up to the monitor etc. I was going to see how things went, holding off on the epidural at first, but I knew I would have no qualms about asking for one. I think it was about 4:00 when I finally asked. Once it was in, I said "I love anesthesiologists!!!" I think that made his day. Of course this slowed things down. I think they broke my water after that. All three of my babies had to have the water broken at the hospital... just a bit of trivia for ya.....

I probably started pushing about 7:15 or so. Took awhile to get dilated to 10. Alex was born at 7:51pm. The OB first words were "Holy cow somebody weigh this kid!" He came in at 10 lb 3 oz. He looked perfect! Once we held him and oohed and aahhhed... they took him off to clean him up etc. We were happily getting stitched up and chatting. Steve went to check on Alex. He came back a few minutes later with a funny look on his face. I knew something was wrong. He said that Alex had aspirated on the sugar water and they were working on him. I asked if he was ok and he said he didn't know. It took them awhile to come in and tell us what happened. We now know that the NICU nurse, Marilyn, had picked up on the extra chromosome and they took him straight to the NICU. We still were clueless. Steve went home and I went to my room.

I was treated poorly by the nurses. They told me I could only call for help 2 times and them wheeling me to my room was 1! I was kind of surprised, but was so tired and sore I didn't question it. I think they all knew and I didn't want me asking them questions they didn't want to answer.

The next morning, the neonatalogist came in and broke the news abruptly and left the room. We waited until Friday to get the FISH test results and it confirmed Down Syndrome. I went home Friday without my baby! He was in the NICU and outweighed any 3 other babies in there, put together! I think that was more heartbreaking, leaving him behind, more than the T21.

After 15 days in the NICU and some harrowing medical situations, he came home. And the rest is history.

Considering most of our doctors thought he wouldn't survive his first year, here we are at #8!!!

I love you little boy!!! You can be trying and ornery and stubborn, yet sweet, cute and cuddly. You've brought so much joy to our family... I can't imagine life without you!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

I've been tagged!!

By my good friend Nic. In turn I am tagging Christine and Monica. The meme is "What I love and What I Don't Love (or What I Hate).

I love my family
I love my friends
I love summer
I love asiago cheese bagels with cream cheese
I love napping in the afternoon
I love snuggling with Alex
I love to shop
I love to travel
I love to have a cup of coffee and read the paper in the morning
I love the beach
I love the mountains
I love to fish
I love sweets
I love Coke (the kind in the can!)

I HATE cancer
I hate hate
I hate raisins in anything
I hate coconut in anything except suntan lotion
I don't love people who litter
I hate people who hurt children (born and unborn)
I hate war
I hate going to work everyday (where's that lottery ticket?)
I hate all the campaign ads right now

I know there's more...... Thanks Nic for getting me back on my blog!!!

What's the recipe for your personality??

The Recipe For Rhonda

3 parts Desire 2 parts Fascination 1 part Impishness Splash of Imagination Finish off with whipped cream

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

What a year we've had!!!

It's been a big year for us. First we got to meet Mickey Mouse and all his friends at Disney World. We got to meet Curious George at the zoo (we stood in line to meet George for a lot longer than we had to wait for Mickey!!) and Alex got his picture on Times Square for the New York Buddy Walk.

My friend Laura Q was kind enough to snap a shot of it as it whizzed past on the Jumbo Tron. I love it, as I was so disappointed to not make the big trip to the big city!!! So here it is, in all it's glory!!!

Guess what I got for Christmas????

If you guessed a guitar and some M&M's (note the chocolate mustache and beard) you are correct.

Merry Christmas from my little Guitar Hero!!!

For my dear friend Annette

heaven will receive a beautiful angel and we on earth are losing a beautiful friend! I know that you are surrounded by beauty and light.

Until we meet again........

Another Fun Christmas Poll

You know I'm gonna tag you Christine!!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or Artificial? I prefer real, but we have an artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually by 2nd week of Dec

4. When do you take the tree down? As soon after the 25th as I can

5. Do you like egg nog? ohhh yeah

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Easy Bake Oven

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes

8. Hardest person to buy for? Steve

9. Easiest person to buy for? Alex

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? snail mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmm I don't recall

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping? Way too late

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Ham and Christmas cookies, no not together!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? clear

17. Favorite Christmas song? Hark the Herald Angels Sing

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel Bear

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The messy slushy snow while shopping

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Country looking

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Leather Jacket

OK.... tag you're it!!! Christine, Jan, Tara Marie

Tagged by my Favorite Utah gal!

You can go visit her here.

What is your favorite thing about the holiday season?
Seeing all the decorations go up, whether it's at the stores or work or home.

What is your favorite holiday memory?
Santa Claus would always bring us these huge red apples! Yes we had apples alot and we even had apple trees, but those big shiny red apples were my favs!

What is the best gift you ever gave?
I'll have to think on that one!

What is the best gift you've ever received?
An Easy Bake Oven!!! LOL no one of the originals... the ones that could burn your house down.. no safety codes back then! I loved it.

What is your secret holiday wish this year?
Now if I tell, it won't be a secret

I really like Alex's new doctor

WOW! Talk about putting a new perspective on things! I think we needed to change immunologist and I think we waited too long. Our old Doc just gave up on Alex. He wasn't looking to find any new treatments or options etc. This new guy is so enthusiastic about finding something to help Alex, it's amazing how much my attitude has changed.

We're upping Alex's IV dose and doing it every 3 weeks instead of 4. After December, we'll more than likely go to the subcutaneous IG rather than the IV. It is once a week, but less traumatic and less time off of work. We can actually do it ourselves at home if we want.

This is the first time in over a year that I don't feel like my child will be dead in two years. I know he can't cure Alex, but it sure is dang nice to have someone at least fight!

Thank God for the doctors who still give a damn!!!

UGH! Another short bus reference!

I love Sell This House on A & E. I've watched it for the past couple of years. But today I was blown away, when during the episode, the homeowner said "yeah it turned out short bus yellow" WTF??? I couldn't believe that they left the comment in. So off I head to my computer to shoot an email to A & E. So I searched for the episode and what did I find??? Holy Cow! They actually quoted the lady on their website!!! Like she offered up some kind of profound wisdom!!!

You can read the offensive episode description here. If you would like to email A & E, you'll find them here feedback@aetv.com. I also managed to find Tanya Memme's email addy, so I thought what the hell, I'll fire one off to her too. If you're gonna throw your big ole ta ta's around like someone important, you better be ready to take the heat! TanyaMemme@gmail.com

I also emailed the ARC and NDSS. I tried that the last time I heard a nasty remark made in a TV show, but I got little response. But hey I try!

Shame on you Sell This House. Shame on you A & E TV!!! May your show get cancelled and they replace you with Danny Bonaduce!!! Now that's karma baby!!!

Halloween Tag

From Christine....

What was your favorite Halloween costume as a child?

My mom actually had a poodle skirt from her high school days, so my friends and I dressed up as 50's girls.


What was your least favorite Halloween costume as a child?

We use to have to wear those store boughten costumes, the one with the plastic masks and a little slit in the mouth so you could breathe. I don't remember which one I picked, but I remember it being cold out and yet sweating behind the mask... yuck!


What was your favorite Halloween candy as a kid? Is it still your favorite?

Any chocolate bars. Next came Smarties and bubble gum. My brothers and I use to swap for the candy we liked. Sometimes we got a huge full sized candy bar or money!!! I still love Snickers and Baby Ruths!

How old were you when you stopped trick-or-treating? Do you miss it?

The last time was the poodle skirt and I think we were 13. We had a blast.

What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

Hmmmm..... The Omen, I know there's others, but I can't think of them... I'm not into the Halloween ones etc. I don't much care for the slasher movies either.

And - have you ever dressed up in "matching" halloween costumes with your date? What were they????

Nope.

Now who to tag.... hmmmmm. Monica (cause she'll never read this and do it!), Jan and Beth. I don't have 5 friends! LOL

I'm exhausted.

We had a glorious time in Indy!!! It was wonderful to meet all the people I've been chatting with for over 6 yrs now! The children were beautiful and fun and active! Jan and Jeff were wonderful hosts, I don't know how they did it all!

Smooches to all of you... oh you know who you are!!!!

Where do we meet up next year???

What should you be for Halloween?

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Elvis

What Should You Be For Halloween?

A cute girl

Went to lunch with my oldest son today, we both we're bumming around. Went to Jason's Deli. I love that place for lunch. It's as close to a New York deli as you're gonna get in Nebraska! LOL

Anywho, who should appear in the restaurant but a cute little girl, probably about 8 yrs old, gorgeous white blonde hair and a stunning smile. Yup she also had that extra chromosome.

I kept watching her interact with her older sister and someone who had a young baby with them. I tried not to stare... but I couldn't help it. It's irresistible... really it is. You just want to see how other families interact, how the child is doing etc. She was kind of a monkey... hehehe... just like Alex!!! They would have been an ornery pair together!

I tried to give the mom the "I get it" smile... I hope she understood. I wasn't one of those rude, irritating people.... or maybe I was after all??? Hmmmm....

Missed it by this much..........

I intended to blog yesterday, I really did.... but ya know, Sunday night TV is my night! ABC rocks it on Sunday night!!!

Anywho, I wanted to post about what a wonderful afternoon we had, just the three of us. We had shopping to do and Mommy was on a mission for a rug. It took us 3 stores and driving all over Omaha to find it. I'm not really fond of it once I got it home, but it was such a hassle, I'll keep it for now. But I digress from the fun. We stopped at DQ and got hot fudge sundaes!!! Now if you don't know by now that my kid likes ice cream, where have you been? Off reading other blogs and not mine! LOL

My point being is that it was soooo "normal" stopping for ice cream on a warm Sunday afternoon, enjoying the weather and the company. Many people think because you have a child who doesn't fit the mold of "normal" nothing in your life is normal. Couldn't be farther from the truth!!!! While he was licking the bowl and getting fudge all over his face, I realized we are your typical family, complete with a messy, fudge covered kid!!!!

So to the family staring at us.... we are soooo more like you than different from you.... next time enjoy your treats and family time and stop staring!!!!

Tag - I'm it.

Thanks to Kei she tagged me with this little tidbit for our 31 for 21 (thank goodness as I was not coming up with a good idea today!)

What I have learned from Alex:

Prayer
Self-sacrifice
Unconditional Love
Courage
Sleep Deprivation (you asked)

What I wish for Alex's future:

Happiness
Courage
Love
Adventure
Dreams


Your turn!!!