Nora’s 6th Birthday

Sheesh, I didn’t document Nora’s birthday yet!

Nora always seems just a bit older than she chronologically is... so in my mind she’d been six for a month or two. 

Thankfully this birthday was fairly easy... she wanted to go to Scene 75 then Skyline. Only invited two girls. 

Scene 75 is an indoor arcade. I hate it. Just like I dislike casinos. Too much stimulus. The girls didn’t stay together the entire time and Hannah was an extra handful - someone has to chase her, so it was a bit challenging. 

Skyline was easy and smooth. The girls were all very well behaved and I learned I can barely squeeze three booster seats in the back of the Outback!

Happy Birthday Nora - you are one spirited, confident, kind girl - I’m proud of who you are! 

Hannah in the toddler area - slides on her own now!

Hannah rides dirty

Oh the gift of singing...

More Cheer!

Another uplifting story about Cole Hamels, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers, is donating his mansion to Camp Barnabas, an organization southwest Missouri. Camp Barnabas is a non-profit organization making dreams come true for individuals with special needs and chronic illnesses; 75,000 campers and missionaries over the past 24 years.

His wife grew up in Missouri and they’d purchased the mansion while he was a Phillie, but then traded to Texas so they never moved in. 

He and his wife also do a lot of charity based around education. They built a school in Malawi, Africa to educate orphans. They also adopted a little girl from Africa a few years back. 

What a great family!

Cole Hamels Mansion Donation

CNN's Hero of the Year

So pumped for Amy Wright who won CNN’s Hero of the Year award for starting up Bitty & Beau’s; a coffeeshop operated by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Congrats and thank you, Amy, for changing the world for our kids!

Bitty & Beau’s

CNN’s Hero of the Year

All The Latest on Hannah

Sleep Study

All kids with Ds are recommended to have a sleep study by age four to rule out sleep apnea. I can count at least five of just Hannah’s peers who have it / were on oxygen. Medical teams constantly ask if she’s a good sleeper (what does that entail?) and if she snores - not really. 

So we have an appointment on Dec 14th at the Upper Airway Clinic to get a look-over before scheduling the dreaded sleep study. The only saving grace is that Hannah is at the age she can be in a bed instead of a crib, so they may let us lay with her. 

The kids get all types of sensors glued to them and a nasal cannula put on. Shocking that it takes hours for these kids to fall asleep in a strange room with all this apparatus on them! :: sarcasm :: You’d think in 2017 they could invent a beanie with sensors or something of the like to take home and sleep in comfort. I digress... 

Ophthalmology 

Monday Hannah had her regular bi-annual eye exam. We can cut down patching to every other day - woo hoo! Her prescription changed slightly and will be on our 3rd set of frames. Of course I’ll stick with pink because now it’s her signature look : )

Dentist

I was nervous here. Kids with Ds can have delayed tooth eruption... but we’re past age three and still missing all canines and the bottom second teeth. 

I found a pediatric dentist in Milford that was recommended by other Moms in the Ds community - woo! They were all really great and examining her teeth went very well. Then came the actual cleaning - ugh. Hannah lost her mind and screamed the entire time - three of us were trying to soothe and restrain her while Dr. Kamp cleaned. He was fast and Hannah was fine seconds after the finished up - whew! 

Dr. Kamp did feel her canines which was good. He isn’t sure she even has her lower second teeth - ! Which he said could be beneficial if she has a crowded mouth - which is common for kids with Ds. 

So... nothing for now other than regular visits and good cleaning!

The arcade game at the dentist!

Potty

Yesterday our sitter told Tim that Hannah signed/said “potty” and actually went on the potty! Great news and makes me hopeful for the intensive training. Personally, if Hannah’s speech and potty-going are further ahead than her gross and fine motor skills, I’m okay with that - !

Neck X-ray

This is another “thing” that every child needs checked out. Kids with Ds are at an increased risk for atlantoaxial instability; excessive movement at the junction between C1 and C2 vertebrae, therefore would need corrected with surgery to prevent damage to the spinal cord - ! Sooooo hoping we have a clean xray when we do that - probably in early 2018. 

Report Cards & School Photos

They came a while back and were very positive!

Hannah is progressing - speech is definitely her strength which I prefer. Being able to communicate I think is key to Hannah’s developing as a person. Though like a typical preschooler, she doesn’t always stay seated : ) 


She is getting better at stairs - so long as the rail is a bit lower. 

Nora’s report card was interesting. She is seen as a leader in her class. Nora also gets up from her seat but it’s because she finishes her work before everyone - ! So Mrs. Horner needs to re-direct Nora or have her help the other students. #proudmom

Mrs. Horner sent me these photos; during indoor recess, Nora decided to make sight words out of Legos - my girl!!

Also, I’m not sure school photos will get any better than this:

Wonder & Portraying the Disabled

I have not read the book, Wonder, nor will I likely see the the movie anytime soon. I watch four hours of TV tops, let alone get through a movie anymore! : ) Hopefully some day I will get to it!

From Rotten Tomatoes: “Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman. Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to find their compassion and acceptance, Auggie's extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.”

A local Mom, “Miggy,” (a well-known blogger in the special needs social media world) wrote up her thoughts on the movie. She has a daughter a bit older than Nora who has a limb difference. Her post cites a lot of disabled writers and their opinions on Hollywood’s (non)portrayal of the disabled. 

My Thoughts On Wonder

A big complaint I’ve read multiple times is that TV shows and movies don’t use actors who actually have the disability they portray. The show, Speechless, on ABC, nailed it; they have an actor who actually has Cerebral Palsy. “..shows that center characters with disabilities, feature actors with disabilities, and tell authentic and informed stories about disability are extremely rare.” 

Speechless

In her summary, she feels a lot was cringe-worthy, but at least the subject of craniofacial difference is getting some awareness as well as a lesson in choosing kindness. 

“if the disabled community were to write their own stories, are we ready to listen? A middle schooler with Cerebral Palsy tried to write a book about a disabled character, but she couldn't get it published because it wasn’t “sad enough.” Hmmm. Do we want to hear the more nuanced, complicated stories about disabled lives? Or do we want to hear the same old “inspirational” stories over and over again, invoking a false empathy (in other words pity) so that we, the able-bodied majority, can continue to feel better about ourselves?

...Rather than holding the lens up to disabled characters like Auggie to see how they react to a world that treats them poorly and then calling them “brave” for not being filled with rage for all the ugliness thrown their way, let’s hold up the lens to the rest of the world that shows the lack of exposure to disabled bodies in the world around them (tv, books, media), the lack of education and therefore the lack compassion that leads to exclusion, ridicule and oppression...”

I think it’s a great read as someone who is able-bodied/typical! 

Breaking Boundaries - Miss Minnesota

This story was all over my news feed the past few days, so in case it doesn’t reach our friends and family, I wanted to share it: 

Mikayla Holmgren

Mikayla is the first person believed to be in any Miss America State pageant. She didn’t make it to the top 15, which isn’t even the point - she competed like any other typical contestant and sure did shine! 

I’d actually learned about Mikayla earlier this year when she received a scholarship through Ruby’s Rainbows - remember, the great organization that raises money to award to students with Ds who want further education? 

Ruby’s Rainbow - Mikayla Holmgren

Keep rocking Mikayla - break down those boundaries!

Twisting Kindergarteners

Just a fun clip from Nora’s Kindergarten class in music class : )

Kindergarten Twist

Jeremy the Dud

Interesting plot for a movie!

Jeremy the Dud

“Jeremy the Dud is a comedy set in a world where everyone has a disability, and those that don't are treated with the same prejudice, stigma and condescending attitudes people with disabilities face in our own society. Jeremy (Nick Boshier - Soulmates, Bondi Hipsters, Trent from Punchy) is a dud, or “without specialty.” He has been living in assisted government housing his whole life after the death of his parents when he was young. Now, too old for assisted living, he is off to live with his Auntie and cousins and ready to make something of himself. The only trouble is the outside world isn't very accepting of “Duds.””

Halloween 2017

For a while Nora wanted to be Bode, the Rock Dog. Yeah, I know, you probably haven’t heard of Rock Dog. It’s cute.

I was a bit unsure, but was close to ordering a green beanie when she decided to swing over to Rapunzel. Cool, man. Just order two pieces off Amazon - done. Also two kids of the same gender means Hannah is recycled the Minnie Mouse costume! Woot!

Back in mid-October we’d actually gone to Sharon Woods (Haunted) Heritage Village with Nana & Papa and another family. It started fun and harmless. 

So excited to wear lipstick!

Then we came to the first house. Ghost Porch Lady didn’t communicate that we could choose our level of “scare.” And the creepy doll women in the house didn’t seem to think that if you have five year olds with you, you ought to take it down a notch. Heaven help us. 

Come ON woman! Do your JOB!

As soon as we stepped foot in - myself, Nana, Nora and friend - there was a loud slam and scream. The awful doll women creepily sang nursery rhymes, fell down, were dragged around, and were just generally scary, even for a grown woman like myself. 

Creepy doll-like women around the small house.

I shuffled us through as quickly as I could... at the end of the short hallway (which felt like an eternity) was a 7-foot white woman. I think it was a mannequin but didn’t want to look too long for fear she would spook me. It was something like this, only I think her face was veiled - I can’t remember, I was hurrying so fast!

As we exited, I looked behind me at Nana ushering poor Nora, who had a stone face like none I’ve ever seen on her. Poor thing was traumatized. Ruined the rest of the night for her - too afraid to do anything else other than paint her face. Her friend was chipper and had a delightful time - seemingly unfazed by the experience! Haha!

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Halloween night was just okay. The tone was set by horrific traffic throughout the city. It took me 1.5 hours to get home (typically 35-ish). I arrived home with Hannah at 6pm, just as trick-or-treating started. It was a brisk 50˚ and I didn’t want to wrestle Hannah back into her Minnie costume, so I threw some cat ears on her. Nora didn’t want to put her Rapunzel hair on, so my kids didn’t really look “done up” and with all the scuttle, we didn’t get a photo. 

I was going to bring Hannah back since it was so cold, then Nora decided she was done, too. It was 6:30. I’m holding onto the fact my girls still think 4-5 houses is what trick-or-treat is all about!

Thankfully a friend whose son is also at preschool (and our sitter) captured some shots of Hannah!

It didn’t help that I was out all last week so just didn’t feel I had enough preparation to put effort into Halloween - maybe next year!