And even though Claire is good at self feeding last night wasn't her best showing. Way more of the food ended up on her or on the floor. Oh well, we'll just consider this meal fine motor practice.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Messy
Some nights a big mess at dinner time makes me crazy. I will try to clean up Claire after every couple of bites just to keep the final clean up to a minimum. Last night Claire wasn't interested in eating unless she was feeding herself. So we just went with it, mess and all!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Celebrating without Qualifying
Yesterday was our monthly trip to Denver for appointments. Claire had PT in the morning and audiology in the afternoon. Her hearing test went well, and there were no major concerns, just a bit of fluid in one year, and we will follow up with an ENT.
Before audiology we had PT with Pat Winders. I know I've mentioned Pat before and how much I love her. She passionate about her job and she loves the kids she works with. But my absolute favorite thing about Pat is that she celebrates Claire without adding a qualifier.
I've had people say things like "Claire is doing so well...for a baby with Down syndrome" or "she is the cutest baby with Down syndrome I've ever seen'. And while these may seem like compliments, they really aren't. It's sort of like saying someone is smart...for a girl.
But with Pat there are no qualifiers, just genuine happiness. She understands.
Claire is amazing, beautiful and smart. Period.
Before audiology we had PT with Pat Winders. I know I've mentioned Pat before and how much I love her. She passionate about her job and she loves the kids she works with. But my absolute favorite thing about Pat is that she celebrates Claire without adding a qualifier.
I've had people say things like "Claire is doing so well...for a baby with Down syndrome" or "she is the cutest baby with Down syndrome I've ever seen'. And while these may seem like compliments, they really aren't. It's sort of like saying someone is smart...for a girl.
But with Pat there are no qualifiers, just genuine happiness. She understands.
Claire is amazing, beautiful and smart. Period.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Climbing on up!
One of our assignments to work on from PT is climbing stairs. Since our house has lots of stairs, you would think this would be easy for me, but I just haven't been working on it with Claire. One of our sets of stairs is topped by a gate. The other set is usable, but leads to a tile landing filled with shoes. It requires a little rearrangement, and really isn't all that comfortable to be crawling on. So I've been slacking.
This table in our living room is one of Claire's favorite places to play. She will sit in front of it, with her legs underneath, and the surface is just the right height to play. For the last couple of days she's been standing in front of the table to reach for things on the second shelf. She is determined to chew on the stone coasters we have. And while her teeth are sharp, I'm pretty sure filing them on coasters isn't recommended.
This morning Claire was standing by the table and helping herself to the coaster on the second shelf. I moved the coaster to the top shelf, and stepped back. I expected her just to get back down on the floor since there wasn't anything left to play with.
Instead, she decided that she needed to go up! And with perfect form, she climbed on to the bottom shelf of the table and started to stand up to reach the top shelf! While I was super proud and really wanted her to be able to complete her mission, she was wearing fleece pj's. And those slippery feet and the wooden table just wasn't a combination I was comfortable with.
I guess this means we really should be working on climbing stairs, since she's obviously ready, but we also need to keep working on how to get OFF the furniture safely too.
In other exciting news, Claire can identify a nose! She doesn't seem to realize that she has a nose, but she is good at pointing them out on others.
This table in our living room is one of Claire's favorite places to play. She will sit in front of it, with her legs underneath, and the surface is just the right height to play. For the last couple of days she's been standing in front of the table to reach for things on the second shelf. She is determined to chew on the stone coasters we have. And while her teeth are sharp, I'm pretty sure filing them on coasters isn't recommended.
This morning Claire was standing by the table and helping herself to the coaster on the second shelf. I moved the coaster to the top shelf, and stepped back. I expected her just to get back down on the floor since there wasn't anything left to play with.
Instead, she decided that she needed to go up! And with perfect form, she climbed on to the bottom shelf of the table and started to stand up to reach the top shelf! While I was super proud and really wanted her to be able to complete her mission, she was wearing fleece pj's. And those slippery feet and the wooden table just wasn't a combination I was comfortable with.
I guess this means we really should be working on climbing stairs, since she's obviously ready, but we also need to keep working on how to get OFF the furniture safely too.
In other exciting news, Claire can identify a nose! She doesn't seem to realize that she has a nose, but she is good at pointing them out on others.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
03.02.11
I know today is almost over, but this campaign is important to me. I've mentioned it on this blog before, you may have had me say something in person to you. Yes, I am talking about the R-word again.
When you use the r-word, whether you 'mean it that way or not', it is a direct insult to Claire and all other people with intellectual disabilities.
I am tolerant of the word if it is used in ignorance, but once I've explained that the word is hurtful I EXPECT friends and family to remove it from their vocabulary.
I found this post today from a mom who decided to battle the r-word on twitter. While I'm not surprised about the responses she got, I am sad. So for those who have made a change in the words you choose because of Claire, THANK YOU!
Monday, February 28, 2011
A Day to Save Olga
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
Today is Olga's day. I am pretty sure Olga has never had a day where she was the star. But today is different. Today there are mamas who will probably never meet her, yet are spending the day blogging, sharing her beautiful face on Facebook, and we are PRAYING.
Olga has a family coming for her, yet they still need help to bring her home. International adoption is always expensive, but some areas are more costly than others. I know many of you have blogged, donated and prayed for Olga before, and today I'm asking for your help again.
My friend Patti has a way with words, so I will leave you with her post for Olga.
***************************************
Dear friends,
So many of you already know this beautiful little face....
Olga turned five last month. She has spent the last five years in an orphanage in Eastern Europe, without the love of a mommy and daddy- simply because she arrived in life exactly as God designed her. One chromosome too many, and her fate was sealed from birth.
Sealed, because in Eastern Europe, babies who are born with Down syndrome are deemed unacceptable at birth. They are discarded as cast-offs of society, and when they turn five they leave the only home they've ever known...
And I wish I could say that for most of these children, leaving that home meant going to a place of safety, a place of happiness, a place where they would finally know the love of a family...know what it meant to be cuddled or sung to or read to, tucked in at night, prayed for, loved.
Instead, they are taken to a place that most people wouldn't leave their family pet.
A place of living hell, where they will never know the tenderness of a parent, never know the security of being raised in a family, and there they will stay, one ugly, pain-filled day at a time...until they die.
I read a post last December that stayed with me to this day. It was called from baby dolls to bedstraps.
The blog author wrote about Elizabeth, an orphan on Reece's Rainbow who had been transferred to a mental institution, waiting for a family to step forward for her. Her words still haunt me.
I wonder where she thought she was going as they led her out of the orphanage that day. Did she think that maybe it was finally her turn? That they were taking her to her forever Mommy and Daddy?
And when they instead took her inside that dreadful place, when they shaved her head and tied her to a too-small metal crib
when they turned their backs and
walked
away…
when they left her confused, terrified,
in a room where the wails of schizophrenic adults echo through the cold air
what was going through her young mind?
Did she wonder if she was being punished?
How long did she hold out hope that this was only temporary?
That any minute, they would come and take her back to the baby house
to her baby dolls and teddy bear,
to her best friend, Angelina?
Did she long to free her arms from the restraints
to cover her head with her hands to drown out
the scary noises
the scary sights
the scary smells?
That could be my Lily….
It could be your child.
And what if it were?
What if you woke up one morning
and by some hellish, twilight-zone twist of fate
your child wasn’t still tucked into that warm bed down the hall,
what if your child was trapped
across the dark sea
in that nightmare that is
the institution?
What
would
you
DO?
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. Proverbs 24:11
Elizabeth is being rescued today, thanks to the efforts of that blogging mama, and others like her.
Olga is being rescued today, thanks to so many of you...you gave so much and created such a large grant that a family was able to step forward and start the process of adoption.
The Abells have done so much already, towards rescuing Olga. I can't even imagine all the paperwork and prayer and emotion and finances that goes into an international adoption. They have done numerous fundraisers, and will continue to do so until they can bring Olga home.
Through the help of so many, a grant of over $13,000 has been raised for Olga's adoption. That grant is set aside for the final travel costs and fees that it will take to bring Olga home. It will take every penny of that and then some.
Right now the Abells are in need of raising the $7,000 that is needed to submit their dossier for Olga. Without that dossier we don't even know if Olga has been transferred yet. Here in America you just pick up the phone and ask these questions. But here in America we don't tie five year old girls to cribs to keep them from climbing out.
The Abells need to submit that dossier as soon as possible- at the very least to find out if she has been transferred already- because I know an army of prayer warriors who is going to want to know that piece of information as well. And at the very most, it could be able to hold Olga at the baby house until the Abells can rescue her. I wish I could say with certainty that she won't be transferred- truthfully we just don't know that.
Olga has been so heavy on my heart for months- friends, I want you to know that I DO trust that God has a plan here.
I prayed like crazy for a way to help the Abells. I truly believe that there is a network of people who love Olga here in blogland...a net that is woven by God and is stretching out across this blessed country we live in, and even beyond to generous hearts in other nations. I really cannot express enough how thankful I am to be a small part of what God has already done for Olga, Peter and Kareen. But I don't think our job is done.
Olga needs us.
I don't want her to spend one more forsaken day in that place than she has to.
We're not doing a giveaway here today. I don't even think we need to do one- I know so many just have a heart to help and to give, and prizes were never the real reason we all gave anyway.
So I'm just asking- for one day- for you to do whatever you could to help Olga. Whether that's $10 or $20 or even a hundred...if you are able to help raise this money for the dossier, please do so HERE...
This is the link for the Family Sponsorship Page on Reece's Rainbow...every single dollar goes to the Abell's adoption fund, and every single dollar will help.
We're calling this A Day to Save Olga, because there are about 17 of us blogging mamas who have set aside this day to blog, post on Facebook, pray, give and spread the word to SAVE OLGA.
Will you help us?
I know you will:)
Love,
Patti
Today is Olga's day. I am pretty sure Olga has never had a day where she was the star. But today is different. Today there are mamas who will probably never meet her, yet are spending the day blogging, sharing her beautiful face on Facebook, and we are PRAYING.
Olga has a family coming for her, yet they still need help to bring her home. International adoption is always expensive, but some areas are more costly than others. I know many of you have blogged, donated and prayed for Olga before, and today I'm asking for your help again.
My friend Patti has a way with words, so I will leave you with her post for Olga.
***************************************
Dear friends,
So many of you already know this beautiful little face....
Olga turned five last month. She has spent the last five years in an orphanage in Eastern Europe, without the love of a mommy and daddy- simply because she arrived in life exactly as God designed her. One chromosome too many, and her fate was sealed from birth.
Sealed, because in Eastern Europe, babies who are born with Down syndrome are deemed unacceptable at birth. They are discarded as cast-offs of society, and when they turn five they leave the only home they've ever known...
And I wish I could say that for most of these children, leaving that home meant going to a place of safety, a place of happiness, a place where they would finally know the love of a family...know what it meant to be cuddled or sung to or read to, tucked in at night, prayed for, loved.
Instead, they are taken to a place that most people wouldn't leave their family pet.
A place of living hell, where they will never know the tenderness of a parent, never know the security of being raised in a family, and there they will stay, one ugly, pain-filled day at a time...until they die.
I read a post last December that stayed with me to this day. It was called from baby dolls to bedstraps.
The blog author wrote about Elizabeth, an orphan on Reece's Rainbow who had been transferred to a mental institution, waiting for a family to step forward for her. Her words still haunt me.
I wonder where she thought she was going as they led her out of the orphanage that day. Did she think that maybe it was finally her turn? That they were taking her to her forever Mommy and Daddy?
And when they instead took her inside that dreadful place, when they shaved her head and tied her to a too-small metal crib
when they turned their backs and
walked
away…
when they left her confused, terrified,
in a room where the wails of schizophrenic adults echo through the cold air
what was going through her young mind?
Did she wonder if she was being punished?
How long did she hold out hope that this was only temporary?
That any minute, they would come and take her back to the baby house
to her baby dolls and teddy bear,
to her best friend, Angelina?
Did she long to free her arms from the restraints
to cover her head with her hands to drown out
the scary noises
the scary sights
the scary smells?
That could be my Lily….
It could be your child.
And what if it were?
What if you woke up one morning
and by some hellish, twilight-zone twist of fate
your child wasn’t still tucked into that warm bed down the hall,
what if your child was trapped
across the dark sea
in that nightmare that is
the institution?
What
would
you
DO?
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. Proverbs 24:11
Elizabeth is being rescued today, thanks to the efforts of that blogging mama, and others like her.
Olga is being rescued today, thanks to so many of you...you gave so much and created such a large grant that a family was able to step forward and start the process of adoption.
The Abells have done so much already, towards rescuing Olga. I can't even imagine all the paperwork and prayer and emotion and finances that goes into an international adoption. They have done numerous fundraisers, and will continue to do so until they can bring Olga home.
Through the help of so many, a grant of over $13,000 has been raised for Olga's adoption. That grant is set aside for the final travel costs and fees that it will take to bring Olga home. It will take every penny of that and then some.
Right now the Abells are in need of raising the $7,000 that is needed to submit their dossier for Olga. Without that dossier we don't even know if Olga has been transferred yet. Here in America you just pick up the phone and ask these questions. But here in America we don't tie five year old girls to cribs to keep them from climbing out.
The Abells need to submit that dossier as soon as possible- at the very least to find out if she has been transferred already- because I know an army of prayer warriors who is going to want to know that piece of information as well. And at the very most, it could be able to hold Olga at the baby house until the Abells can rescue her. I wish I could say with certainty that she won't be transferred- truthfully we just don't know that.
Olga has been so heavy on my heart for months- friends, I want you to know that I DO trust that God has a plan here.
I prayed like crazy for a way to help the Abells. I truly believe that there is a network of people who love Olga here in blogland...a net that is woven by God and is stretching out across this blessed country we live in, and even beyond to generous hearts in other nations. I really cannot express enough how thankful I am to be a small part of what God has already done for Olga, Peter and Kareen. But I don't think our job is done.
Olga needs us.
I don't want her to spend one more forsaken day in that place than she has to.
We're not doing a giveaway here today. I don't even think we need to do one- I know so many just have a heart to help and to give, and prizes were never the real reason we all gave anyway.
So I'm just asking- for one day- for you to do whatever you could to help Olga. Whether that's $10 or $20 or even a hundred...if you are able to help raise this money for the dossier, please do so HERE...
This is the link for the Family Sponsorship Page on Reece's Rainbow...every single dollar goes to the Abell's adoption fund, and every single dollar will help.
We're calling this A Day to Save Olga, because there are about 17 of us blogging mamas who have set aside this day to blog, post on Facebook, pray, give and spread the word to SAVE OLGA.
Will you help us?
I know you will:)
Love,
Patti
Friday, February 25, 2011
Swingin'
This time of year the weather in Colorado can be hit or miss. Today we have snow, but on Wednesday we had bright blue skies and lots of sunshine. It was a perfect day for swinging at the park!
Darren has the BEST dimples and Claire inherited one of them. We always joke that she got one cheek from me, and one from Darren. But I'd never been able to capture that dimple on film until she was swinging.
And the next time we go to the park, we are taking the video camera instead. Claire is a little dare devil and the higher you push her, the more she laughs. I need to get it on video!
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