I know it sounds odd to be talking about school in early July, but Davey has extended year services. This means that he goes to 5 weeks of summer school to avoid regression on his skills and abilities. Because he’s starting a new school in the fall - an out-of-district placement several towns away - […]

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So tell me, am I expected when Edward recites some old (and often borderline rude) playground chant to pretend that I haven’t heard it and haven’t recited the same sing-songy, titiallating verse a bradillion times before?
Because he lays these on me - “Mom, listen to this” - and he’s laughing at his own cleverness and […]

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Two months ago, Davey started using the PECS system of communication at school. In brief, PECS entails a picture exchange. The “speaker” selects an image (photo or symbol) from a set of cards and hands it to the “listener” to communicate wants, needs, moods, etc. PECS can communicate a single want, like a drink or […]

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This morning I was going through Edward’s backpack to get it ready for school. In it I found a slip of paper from Friday. I could see that it was note even as I reached for it. Uh oh, what trouble has Eddie gotten into now?
Dear, mom and dad
I am srooy I said the word […]

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Be honest. When someone talks about people with Down syndrome, the majority of minds will conjure the image of a grocery store bagger. Ok? Ok. I’m just getting that out there in front of us. Frankly, growing up I rarely if ever saw a person with Down syndrome outside that context, or if I did, […]

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During the week of school vacation I have:

taken all four kids grocery shopping for a week’s worth of groceries
taken the three younger kids to Home Depot, where I bought mulch, rocks, and spray paint
taken all four kids for a walk around the neighborhood cul-de-sac

These may not rank high in the list of major accomplishments, but to […]

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Jules and Mae have lately been obsessed with the bald-headed, four-year old cartoon entity otherwise known as Caillou. They want to watch the show over and over and over. (Tivo is a miracle.)  Back when Eddie was a wee lad, he passed through a Caillou phase. It was never my favorite kids show but there […]

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It may be freezing and snowing outside my windows but today I feel the chinook winds blowing through our lives. They bring warmth and renewal … CHANGE.
Today we got confirmation of the news we have been sitting on for weeks. And really waiting on and working our butts off toward for years. Big things are […]

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One of the things I wanted to know after Davey was born was what he would look like. I had barely a moment to gaze into his eyes before he was whisked off to the Special Care Nursery, then another too brief visit a few hours later when we were told for the first time […]

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Edward was having a tough time this morning so for some perhaps insane reason, I let him stay home. I did so, it being my day alone with the twins, on three conditions:

finish his homework from last night that was due today (oops)
clean his room
answer the question: why are the colors of Christmas green and red?

After […]

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