I've been tagged

One of the most amazing mothers I have ever "met" tagged everyone that reads her blog to take a walk down memory lane. Christine is the mother of 11 kids, yep 11! She has some biological children and some that are adopted. The latest is a precious two year old little boy from Ukraine that is facing many medical procedures in the coming years. If you haven't read about this amazing family, click on Smiles and Trials at the side of my blog, I read about them everyday and so enjoy watching their family.

Okay:

15 years ago- I was 22 years old I had just divorced my high school sweetheart after two years of marriage, but a six year relationship. I was now a single mom of an amazing one and half year old girl who was the light of my life. I just started my masters degree in speech pathology at Missouri State University.

10 years ago- I was 27 years old and had just celebrated my two year anniversary with Scott and we were finally pregnant after trying those two years and suffering a miscarriage. We were so excited to know that a HUGE bundle of joy was soon coming!

5 years ago-I was 32 years old and was now the mother of three. I was dealing with the diagnosis of Autism with Cooper and was really at one of my happiest times since I now knew what we were dealing with.

3 years ago- I was 34 years old and had recently attended the National Down Syndrome Society convention in Chicago. I met Robin Steele when I was there at her booth in the exhibit hall. Scott and I had been throwing around the idea of adoption and when I saw her booth I knew that that was the path God was leading us down. We were to adopt a child with Down syndrome! We had just filed our application in July of 05 immediately upon my arrival home. I was watching my father's health begin to deteriorate even more than before and felt like every moment with him may be my last. Fortunately we did have one more year.

1 year ago- I was 36 years old and I had my precious little angel with that wonderful extra chromosome in my arms! We had brought her home on August the 6th and were still in the adjustment stages. She had been here almost two months and we were in the swing of things with this little medical miracle. It's pretty amazing to see all of the things that have changed in this past year. We have gone from 24/7 on O2, tube feedings 20 hours per day, multiple colostomy bag changes because they just would not stick to her delicate skin, pulse ox alarms going off several times a night due to low O2 levels, Viagra, Lasix and two breathing treatments a day to no meds, no O2, bolus feedings and one breathing treatment a day and the joy of this ornery little grin that melts my heart. I had a daughter about to turn 16 which still scares me and two little boys that are the best of friends and the worst enemies almost simultaneously. I was also approaching the one year mark of losing my father and the dread of the news that my mother had breast cancer.

Today and I am being a bum and skipping out of church because I am too tired and in pain to go (my shoulder is about to make me loony). I am going to spend time with all of my kids and husband and watch the clock until 8 pm. when Desperate Housewives comes on! Don't get me wrong I will also be scrubbing toilets, vacuuming, tons of laundry (definitely not as much as Christine's but close), and I think I'm going to get out my fall decorations because it is my favorite time of year and Jarika will be going to homecoming on Saturday and I need the props to match of course! I'm also going to be sitting beside the phone to hear how my mom's second date went :)

Tomorrow I will head off to work to teach precious little 3-5 years old learn that their ability to communicate is one of their most rewarding gifts. I'll get one child to the upper elementary, one to the lower and run the other one back and forth between the high school and other places since her car is wrecked. I'm also giving our favorite Dr. Ford a call because Addy's g-tube site is still not looking good and I'm sure we need something else. Then tomorrow night Cooper and I will settle in the watch the premier of the Amazing Race, we love it! BTW I will also be checking my Facebook and everyone else's blogs!

Tag you're IT!

-Cammie

Addy Signing "Bath"

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Getting better

I thank everyone for their prayers. I think we are on a good path to make things better. We have received some positive news that says there is light at the end of this tunnel and what we have been facing is treatable. Please continue lifting my family up in prayer.

Prayers requested

Our family is facing something very difficult right now that is too private to blog about. Please keep our family in your prayers, God knows what is laying heavy on our hearts and minds.

First Soccer Game (s)

This morning Avery had his first soccer games of the season. He hasn't played soccer since he was four, he's been playing football every year. This year he decided that he wanted to play soccer again. It was well worth the change! He did so well! He scored two of our three goals in the first game! We only had a 15 minute break between games so I don't think we even scored during the second game, but the kids did great! They were all really tired from all of the running, but they were awesome! Good job Comets!

Rootin Tootin Rodeo

Tonight Addy, Cooper and I headed up to the school for a Parents As Teachers group meeting called Rootin Tootin Rodeo. Usually group meetings aren't very crowded, but tonight was an exception. It was packed! Addy wasn't too thrilled with the goings on because everyone kept getting in her face and touching her. I hate it when strangers touch my child, it drives me crazy! Especially since we are such germ phobes when it comes to Addy! Ms. Loriell, our PAT educator, is one of the best! She is totally amazing. She comes from a wonderful Christian family that would do anything for anybody. She used to be a paraprofessional in the special education preschool but now she's a PAT educator. I miss having her in the preschool with me but I love that she is doing so well and loving her job. Her mom, Ms. Janie is the clown. Literally. Janie is the lead teacher at one of our local Head Starts. Her daughter definitely takes after her, they are natural teachers and the kindest people I know. I love these girls so much! We did get Addy to sit on the saddle for a bit and we did eventually got her bandana on her but not much else. We really couldn't participate in much else, it was too crowded and there was really no way to get her to do the crafts in her stroller or in my arms so that was kinda a bummer, but it was nice to see such a great turn out. Afterward we headed down the street to a meeting for Cooper. He tried out on Monday for the Junior Jays Singers, a singing group for 4th-6th graders. 172 kids tried out and they took 87. Usually 4th graders don't make it due to the lack of experience but several did this year and Cooper happened to be one of them! We are so proud of him! He's really excited about it too, he'll get to do some singing competitions and even perform at a Springfield and St. Louis Cardinals baseball games next season. That's probably what he's looking forward to most! Way to go buddy! Can't wait to hear your first performance as a Junior Jay Singer!

Take a look!

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/Baby/A-Special-Joy-4-Babies-With-Down-Syndrome/19

Look who's on the Parenting Magazine website! They are doing a special in October in honor of Down syndrome awareness month, there a ton of cuties on there! Even a few familiar faces! :)

Things are So Good!

Many of you know that Jarika has really been struggling with things related to her cheerleading. So many people have prayed and prayed that things will work out and this awesome God of ours has done it! Not exactly how I expected things to work out but I think in the long run it is best for all! Jarika is so happy, the happiest I have seen her in months and the rest of the squad is doing well too. They all looked so good last night at the football game! Unfortunately our Blue Jays lost 14-12 but we played Monett who is a bigger school and state ranked so not a bad showing! I'm not even coaching anymore but I was so proud of all of them! They were great! I've included some pix of what Jarika has to endure before every practice and game. She has tendonitis in her hips from being on crutches so long last year recoving from her ankle surgery. Anyway, she is stretched stem to stern!

I'm pretty sure the trainer is karate chopping her here!

The face on this one is too funny!

Naturally I included some pix of Addy in pigtails, she's looking more and more like a toddler :(

Political Post

I have been trying to stay out of political debates because I know I'm not that good at it and I am in unfortunately in the minority. My entire family are democrats and we have complete faith in the Democratic party. I know MANY of the people that read this blog are Republicans and are totally supporting John McCain and Sarah Palin. Especially Palin due to the whole "has a Down syndrome baby", which the way that is said constantly by our media drives me nuts. Just because she has this child does not mean that she automatically is going to go full force for children with special needs. She also has a seventeen year old daughter who is pregnant, I know that can happen to any of us that has a teenager, but I'm not the one that cut funding for teenage parents. She has a sone heading to Iraq, so does Joe Biden! These are just a few things that I have found to discredit Mrs. Palin and I just want people to open their eyes up to all of the issues. I believe that all of us have the rights to our own beliefs and I am just sharing mine. I'm not encouraging anyone to change their vote or beliefs, just please go and vote, it is our right as Americans and we should be so thankful that we have voice in our awesome country. If you want to leave a negative comment, I won't continue reading so please don't waste your time. I am not leaving anything negative on anyone else's blogs about politics because I feel you all have a right to your opinion, I am just getting mine out there.

http://thepoliticalpendulum.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/sarah-palin-how-dare-you/

It is worth noting that she oversees the budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools in Alaska.
These funds provide supplementary educational services to students with severe disabling conditions and the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy. The resident school where the child would normally be placed does not have the resources to provide an adequate educational program. Without the supplementary services the childs needs would not be met by the local school district in most cases.
The following programs are included within this component:
Special Education Service Agency (SESA)

The Annual budget for 2007, which preceded Gov. Palin was $8,265,300.
2007
The Annual budget for 2008, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
2008
The Annual budget for 2009, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
2009
This is a cut in special needs services to children in Alaska of 5,109,300 , or 62%.
So, as the Alaska State Budget description states, Without the supplementary services the childs needs would not be met by the local school district in most cases.
Did 62% of all of the special needs children in Alaska stop having needs once Gov. Palin took office?
First, she cut funds to teen mothers. Now, she cut funds to special needs children. See, this is the utter hypocrisy of the Religious Right. They only care about the mother carrying the child to term. Once its here, its Social Darwinism time.
Oh, and her OWN special needs child?
Well, he's covered through her health plan.

Screening

Well Addy had her Denver Developmental Screening today through our local Parents As Teachers. When we brought Addy home last August she scored at the four month level. Addy was only rolling from back to side, could hold her head up and had very good visual tracking. She did have a social smile but it wasn't very often. She didn't bat at objects or put anything to her mouth. Today Addy is sitting independently, going from laying down to sitting, putting everything in her mouth (but doesn't swallow a thing), she can transfer objects hand to hand, bang objects together, pick up small objects, play ball by rolling, get up on all fours and rocks, babbles and uses jargon, she is at least putting food to her mouth (reason for the oreo around her face above!), uses six signs (when she really wants to) claps and plays Pat-A-Cake and Peek-A-Boo, laughs out loud (a lot!), and knows family from strangers. She has mastered all items through the age of seven months and received credit for items up to age 10 months. I am so happy that she is doing so well but in all honesty I'm still a little disappointed that she isn't doing more. Why do I feel this way? Since she has been with us she has been through two intensive care hospital stays within a month for Rotavirus and another stomach ailment which made her suffer at least 15 seizures and dehydration and weight loss, four surgeries, staph infections and a c-diff infection! What is wrong with her gains? Why does it make me feel like a failure that she isn't waving Bye Bye, using true words, pointing to body parts or pictures in a book, crawling or pulling to a stand? I feel like I have failed as her mother somehow. Is it normal to feel this way? Is there more I should be doing to make her all that she can be or should I just relax and realize that she is going to learn in her own time and chill out???