Sick again!

We have been battling a cold for nearly a month now. It started when we returned from Mexico. Despite my best efforts to protect Lennox from catching the bug, he's managed to pick it up. And it is hanging on...

It started with a nasal congestion which progressed to a wet yucky cough and trouble breathing caused by his clogged throat. If all he'd do is give a good cough or ah hem! It was bad enough to warrant a visit to Children's Emerg. Being a nurse isn't always the best background to have as a mother. You either overlook things or dismiss them as nothing or you overreact because you've seen something similar before and it wasn't good. So off we went. Of course his breathing improved once we got there but they still did nasal aspirations for RSV, and he received a dose of oral steroid to help with the stridor. Turned out to be just the common cold. Phew! It lasted about 10 days or so though. Giving us only a few days reprieve and now it's back again! Ugh:(

It's a little frustrating for me. And I feel bad for him. He remains happy but you can see it in his eyes that he just feels blah. I've read that kiddies with DS seem to fall ill frequently during the winter season. So winter can end any time now. 

Circle 21

Ok, first off I have to thank everyone for recognizing World Down syndrome day yesterday. Next year I think I'm going to really do it up right! Not sure what I'll do yet, but it'll be good. Hope you're all still following so you can be a part of it too:)

Today, I'm not going to go on about how amazing I think those with DS are. No. Not this time. Because I think if you're following this, then you already know and obviously agree. So once again, I thank you!

What I will ramble on about is the Down syndrome community and how wonderful it feels to be a part of my new found family. The connection we share as strangers is truly unremarkable. My Circle 21. I have spoken to new people like we're old friends, people I have never even met. I have reconnected with old friends. Friends that I always enjoyed having but never really stayed in touch with. I have received messages from other parents telling me wonderful things about their children, and sending me good blessings. All awesome things! I have just one word. Heartwarming. Ok, two words. Comforting. It's reassuring to me that we're not alone. That other families have travelled this road before, and found it to be their best trip ever. I don't want to go to Italy anyway. I'd much rather stay in Holland. 

Since starting my page a couple of days ago, I have over 1250 followers. Which means 1200 of you believe, accept and have respect for anyone with special needs. That means you are AMAZING! And together we can make this world a better place for our children:)  God bless ❤

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

Looks pretty beautiful to me!

Happy World Down syndrome Day:)

Today is World Down syndrome Day! 3:21!

In celebration of today my family and friends showed their love and support by wearing funky socks! Why funky socks, you ask? Because they're fun! They're cool and they're unique! Just like those who have Down syndrome:) A sock is a sock...it doesn't matter if it is different or doesn't match. It is still a sock. 

We also had a little party. There was cake:). And my beautiful and talented niece baked these amazing chocolate cherry cupcakes! Yum. 

In recognition of this wonderful day I have been brainstorming on how to make a difference in how the world sees individuals with Down syndrome. It seems a bit overwhelming. How can I reach all those people? Then I figured it out. Social media. So I started following links for DS on Facebook. It was so heartwarming to see all the different posts and photos of beautiful children, I decided to start my own Facebook page for Lennox. https://www.facebook.com/daysfilledwithsunshine I have to admit, it's exciting watching the "likes" increase. But it's also kind of disheartening at the same time. I guess I was hoping for faster recognition. The page is designed to celebrate the beauty of Down syndrome and to promote awareness and acceptance. So that's where I guess I need to lighten up a bit. I can't change the world overnight. I know it will take time. We have already opened many eyes by just being ourselves. It warms my heart with all the love, support and acceptance we have received from everyone. Thank you all <3 You too, are spreading the love without even knowing it.

To continue in spreading the word..if any of you are on Facebook, please like my page. Share it with your friends. Help change the world. Share the love:). Lennox thanks you. I thank you!

Happy World Down syndrome day! We love you Lennox <3

Baby blues

I can literally spend all day just looking at my baby. While he sleeps, eats, plays. Whatever. I just find him so darn cute I can barely stand it most days. I know, I know. Every mother thinks they have the cutest baby known to man, but they obviously haven't met Lennox. (Haha!) 

He has the sweetest smile, and the chubbiest cheeks. The smallest little nose and the most kissable lips I have ever seen! All of his little features are equally appealing and I eat them up on a daily basis. But if I had to pick just one to be my favorite, it would have to be his eyes. "The eyes are the window to the soul" so they say. And his sweet little eyes are amazing. They are so so blue. Bluer than any of the others, and bluer than his daddy's. And daddy has some pretty awesome blue eyes! I love how he looks around for me and once he finds me, he smiles. I love that when he smiles, his eyes smile too. It melts my heart every time! So if a pair of peepers can do all that, and if it's true what they say, then not only does he have the sweetest baby blues around, he's got a pretty darn sweet soul as well:). He's Down right perfect, I'd say!

It's a big world out there!

This past week has been eventful. Monumental, I could say. In just a matter of a few days, Lennox has made huge gains with his development. I'm SO excited!

Over the course of the week he has started:

1. Solid foods. I have been giving him rice cereal once a day just to add some variety. He has tolerated it well and enjoys the change. It was pretty messy the first time but has since caught on, and gets a big smile on his face when I place him in his high chair.  

2. Completely holding his head up. Lennox has also discovered that he controls his fingers. He will stare as he opens and closes his hand countless times. Who needs toys? These finger things are fascinating! Open, close. Open, close! He seems to have gone from so "baby-like" (and by that I mean soft and squishy, requiring a lot of support) to stronger and more sturdy overnight. With his new mastered skill of supporting his head, he has become interested in looking around at everyone and everything. He learns more and more about his environment each day and it's exciting. I can just imagine what's happening in his baby brain. It's a lot of information to take in. But he seems to take it all in stride, with a big smile on his face.

3. Water therapy. We started going to water therapy at the hospital with a group of 10 other children. Most of which have Down syndrome. It was inviting and there was a familiarity amongst strangers. Lennox enjoyed the music and floating in the water. I enjoyed meeting and talking to other parents and seeing the kiddies. I had a really great chat with another mom close to my age. And her little guy is only a few weeks older than Lennox. It appears, our circle just got a little bigger! I think water therapy is going to be great for both of us.

4. Playing in his Exersaucer. I'm a fan of Baby Einstein. The colours, the sounds and music seem to attract growing little minds. So with that in mind, Santa brought Lennox a Baby Einstein Exersaucer. And now that little man is completely holding his head up, I figured I'd try him in his new toy for a challenge and a change of scenery. I only have him in there for short periods of time, but he seems to really enjoy it. I know he is exercising his baby brain because he concentrates on reaching, all the while chewing his tongue.

It's a whole new world for him now. It is so cute to watch. Grow baby grow!

Mi dulce bebé

We are home safe and sound from our 2 week reprieve from Old Man Winter. It was a nice break from the everyday insanity that comes with having 5 kids. Instead it was a more relaxed kind of chaos. We took the little ones to Disneyland for an evening and then off to sunny PV the following morning for the week. And then the big kids joined us for a 2nd week of fun in the sun:)

Travelling with children of any age always proves to be.... an adventure you could say. Checking in at the airport is my favourite part of the trip(insert sarcasm). However, getting out of Calgary was the easiest. Mostly due to my dear friend at Westjet who always takes such good care of us! LAX was a complete gong show... No surprise there! After an exhausting night at Disneyland and a rush to get to the airport on time in the morning, we were informed while checking in at one desk we needed to go to ANOTHER desk to purchase a ticket for Lennox to sit on my lap! Ridiculous! But what do you do? I'm not about to argue... So we forked over $70 USD to ensure sweet baby gets on the plane. In the meantime, hubby is repacking suitcases to avoid being charged even more money. Magnus is enjoying himself running things back and forth between the two of us at different counters. Nothing like letting an excited, energetic and over tired 6 year old loose in the largest airport on the planet! Oie! Where's my Margarita? 

So we finally get to our gate...but I have to say that LAX security is far from efficient. We were herded through a maze, behind the desks of the people checking the passports and boarding passes and with one child in hand and the other in arms and whatever extremities we had left over were filled with Magnus' bag, the diaper bag, bottle bag and stroller. And it was a tight fit in line with hundreds of other travellers. Dos cerveza por favor!?

Finally we board, take off and land. All uneventful. Yay! We are home for the next 2 weeks! I love Puerto Vallarta. The locals, the food, the scenery. Love love love it all! It has been an all time favourite destination of mine for years.

So where does little Lennox fit in throughout this adventure? Everywhere! He travelled like a pro. Nothing phased him. He ate, he slept, he swam and he lazed around the pool under the palapa with his mama. He was home too.

He is by far the easiest baby. No exaggeration. So content and relaxed all the time. And when I say all the time, I mean all...the...time! His cries are minimal and smiles are abundant! So blessed:) My sweet baby... 

Disneyland after dark

Sunset over the ocean

Hanging in shade 

3 amigos

The whole dang gang

Buddies for life

Taking a dip

It was a great trip and the perfect time to relax, regroup and reconnect. And we feel so blessed to be able to share it with our children. ❤️  Lucky Lennox has many more trips ahead...lucky him, lucky us:)