Wordless Wednesday

Benjamin's first (play) date

Ever since Benjamin was born, I have had this incessant need when I'm in public to look for other children with Down syndrome so I can talk with their parents. That posed a bit of a problem the first few months, as I was pretty much homebound because of B's heart issues.

What killed me was it seemed like every time my SIL went to Target (which was nearly every other day at the time), she would call me and say, "I just saw the cutest little family..." ARG!

But even though I was reading books about families with a child with DS and connecting with many wonderful families online, I just needed that face-to-face contact.

Every time we went to the cardiologist's office my DS sensor was on high alert because many of our kids have heart issues. I did happen to see a couple of kids from time to time, but it was really just in passing, and I was too self-conscious to be that mom.

But in February (at our most recent cardiology appt) when Matthew and I were waiting with Benjamin to see the best cardiologist ever (Dr. Herold), I saw her.

A mom by herself with a baby in a baby carrier. And she was talking to others, so I knew she was friendly. I remember that someone asked her how old her daugther was, and she said six weeks, and then she got the invariable, "Oh, she's so small!" And I knew. Because, you see, we get that all the time.

So I scooped Benjamin out of his infant carrier and started walking with him around the waiting room. Because that's a normal thing to do, right?

We caught each other's eye and I went over and sat down next to her. Her name is Amie, and her daughter is Halli. She has a heart defect that is actually unrelated to her Down syndrome. She will have OHS sometime this summer. They found out prenatally, Amie already has an 11-year old son, and Amie was (is) having issues with eating. It is truly amazing how quickly we moms can get to know each other, LOL!

But then we were called back for Benjamin's appointment. So I said goodbye and went back to the office with the boys.

And the whole time back there, I kept thinking, "Oh, I need to go get her number/email, etc.!" So I jotted down my name, number, email, and blog on a piece of paper and went out to casually find her. But she was gone. Oh, I was so disappointed!

I learned two things from this:

1. I need to be more assertive.
2. I need a business card! (Seriously, I have since given out my information to two other moms, and I had to just jot it all down on a random scrap of paper!)

Weeks passed and I forgot about Amie and Halli. We don't go back to the cardiologist until August, and what are the odds of being there on the same day again?

Then some time in March (I think), I found out about a "Down syndrome 101" seminar that was taking place locally. I got someone to watch Andrew in the middle of the day (gotta love having family close by) and took Benjamin with me. I had never been to this particular place and it was raining. Great. I'm horrible with directions and I hate driving in the rain.

I found the place okay and saw one more available parking place. And as I pulled in the spot, I looked to the immediate left of my van and saw Amie getting Halli out of the car. Sweet!

The DS seminar sucked, but it was great to find Amie and Halli! We set up a playdate at my house a few weeks later, and here are the adorable pictures.

Halli was fussing a little, and Benjamin did not know what to think of her! Check out his facial expression!



Gotta love baby hand-holding!



Look at her cute socks!



I think he's smitten. (Sorry, Ellie and Stella!)



Just like a girl to act all hard to get.



Showing off their Simian creases. (B has them on both palms, but Halli only has one. Some kids with DS don't have any.)



Sigh. I love this kid.



We had a great time, Amie! We'll do it again soon.

And then, I have a few random adorable (of course) pictures of Baby B.

Dontcha love sleeping baby pictures? (Am I allowed to call him a baby anymore since he's one?)





He's getting really good at pulling up on things. Still no cruising or taking steps, but that will come. :)



That's it for today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday. I am headed to Weight Watchers tonight for my weekly weigh in. I think this week I will either gain weight or not lose any. Matthew and I have done the 30-Day Shred seven days in a row (only 23 more to go!) and my legs are already stronger and more toned. Which means I'm probably gaining muscle. Which weighs more than fat. Oh, well. My clothes are fitting better.

Tuesdays Unwrapped

It's time for another round of Tuesdays Unwrapped, from chatting at the sky. (Emily, you should know it goes against my grain not to capitalize your blog!!) LOL

This is a time to include a story or a photo documenting your messy, lovely, unexpected gifts of the small and ordinary nature.

For anyone out there who has ever parented (or spent a lot of time around) an active three-year-old, don't you feel like somedays all you say is, "NO"? Ugh.

It's wearisome. Most of the time it's warranted.

"No, Andrew, you may not jump off the couch."

"You may not touch the TV (again) with your fire hat and leave scratches on the screen."

"Please do NOT wipe your crumbs on the floor."

And on and on and on.

But sometimes I think it's our nature to say "no" before we even process the request. Because a lot of times it's easier. Lately Andrew has been asking "why." Well, actually, he asks, "Because what?" but he means "why."

"Andrew, please don't push Benjamin around in his bouncer."

"Because what?"

"Because he might fall over."

Like that.

But lately I've been thinking about what it must be like to be a kid. And to always have someone say "no." It must be frustrating. And confusing. (Especially when Namma says "yes" about some of the same stuff, LOL!--Love you, Mom!)

So this past week I tried to make an effort to say "yes" about some things. I had to ask myself, "Does it really matter?" "How important is it to say 'no' about this issue?" "Is it hurting anything or just inconveniencing me?"

Many times I found it was just fine to say "yes." And it was fun.

I could use a little more fun in my life.

"Yes, Andrew, you may play in the tub. I'll even open the blinds so you can see out."









"Yes, Andrew, we can ride home with the windows down." (I had to stop in the neighborhood to get my camera out of the back.)







(If you look closely at the top of the infant carrier, you can see Benjamin's crazy hair sticking up!)



"Yes, Andrew, you can lean over in your seat and we can smile at each other under the table." (Mealtimes always last so long with my picky eater that I try to cut playing down to a minimum.)



What can you say "yes" about this week?

:)

Not Me! Monday

It's time for another Not Me! Monday! As always, you can go to MckMama's blog to see the rest of the madness. Go over there and see what other bloggers are definitely not doing.

First of all, I did not have a good Mother's Day last week despite being sick. When Matthew asked Andrew a few days before what he wanted to get me for Mother's Day, Andrew did not say a Fire Fire Jacket and a Mr. Potato Head. And if he did, Matthew never would have made me a silly card with those items on the front.



I do not have the best husband ever who knows I'd much rather have practical gifts for Mother's Day than flowers or (ugh) candy.

I did not take the boys out in my brand-new double jogging stroller for a walk around the neighborhood last week only to realize halfway around the circle that the tires had not yet been inflated. I would never do that!



And Benjamin did not try to hold Andrew's hand!



I do not try to force my sons to be nice and hug each other for pictures.



I would not dress my sons up in bunny ears to watch the inflation of the Energizer Bunny hot air balloon at my mom's school last week.







The flames were not so hot that I felt my eyebrows burning.



The Energizer Bunny hot air balloon is not piloted by my mother's cousin Gloria and certainly is not 15 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty!



I do not love having a kid who loves to eat! I do not thank God at every meal that he has no issues with taste or texture. Not me!



I also do not love having a boy who loves new library books. He is not a boy after his mama's heart.





Andrew is not starting to warm up to Benjamin a little...



And he certainly is not very silly.



I do not love to capture pictures so much that I handed Matthew the camera on the way home from church today. (At least I was at a red light during this shot.)



I was not biting my nails here!



Andrew does not still use a sippy cup exclusively, even at meals. No! He's three!



Andrew did not get tickled and tickled and tickled on the way home by his daddy, just to be able to see the goosebumps on his legs.



I do not love these two guys with every inch of my being. Not me!!!