World Down Syndrome Day

I know I know…World Down Syndrome Day was 3.21. (a day after Avery’s birthday) and we rocked our socks this year bc the theme for the year was wear “lots of socks”

You see it taught my girls a valuable lesson…and some of there friends too..They wore long crazy socks..and three socks for 3 copies of the 21 chromosome..hence why 3.21. is world Down syndrome Day. At first my girls didn’t want to wear the socks bc everyone would look at them bc they were different or think they were crazy and no one else would be wearing them. But it turns out the day before they told there friends too and they came to school with lots of socks too..and there teachers too bc they told there teachers.

How did it teach my girls a valuable lesson??? Well for one day they got to feel what it was like to be different. To have everyone look at you. to judge you. They got it.  I didn’t really get the whole sock theme BUT we did it anyways and my girls got it and they did spread awareness at there school for there sister.  The love they have for her melts my heart…completely. Especially bc one of the reasons I hear parents who are thinking of having an abortion dsy is “how they will be a burden on there other children” Can I just say that none of Avery’s 4 sisters thinks she is a burden…they love her to pieces…

So Happy World Down Syndrome Day! On that day (3/21 for three copies of the 21st chromosome) we're not spreading awareness that Down syndrome exists. We're spreading awareness that Avery and other people with Down syndrome are more alike than they are different. That they are capable, intelligent, able, fun, and caring. That, by including them in society, in our classrooms, and in our workplaces all of our lives are a little bit better, a little brighter. And if we really pay attention, they will teach us just as much as we teach them. Down syndrome ISN'T scary, it's just a little different. Every day I am thankful that we were blessed to be just a little bit different. (taken from another post today)

Avery’s First Miracle League Game

Im sure some of you know what miracle league is but for those of you that don’t it’s a baseball game for children with special needs. They pair them up with a buddy for the game and they play two innings. SO they get to bat two innings and they get to be out in the field two innings..

This was Avery’s first year doing it..and she had a BLAST!!!!!  Can I just say that EVERYONE should experience that at least once…..its was PURE JOY!!!!!!! 

Here are a few pictures from her first game.

Waiting for her turn to bat…

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2nd picture: She threw the ball I know it is hard to see the ball but its in the air…lol

Her biggest fans!!!!

Her buddy was great..and he actually has a granddaughter that has down syndrome too…

She has games every Thursday during Spring…but I surely hope it will be A LOT warmer for the next game..

Avery’s Surgery

Just wanted to let everyone know that Avery will be having surgery on Friday. She is having her screw removal from her hip that she had surgery on in September. Her ortho dr here in South Carolina will be doing the procedure so we don’t have to go up to Boston. Whew!

It should be an easy procedure. SHOULD being the key word. but anytime she goes under its always more riskier bc of her sleep apnea. But if everything goes ok she will go home the same day just be a little sore for a couple of days. Ive already warned this dr that I WANT the screws..the other dr threw them away from the last one.

Luckily she is over her stomach bug…We have had the nasty stomach bug at our house and it has lasted forever..it stays around for 4 days at a time..so far we are 4 for 5. and Jared and I haven't gotten it yet.whew.

It has been a year since we have started down this journey with her hips and it is coming to an end..I cant wait for this to be all behind us. So far everything that we did seems to be working so we are thankful we went through with it..no looking back.no regrets.

Real Food Challenge

So I put my family on a real food challenge. What is that you may ask???? Well that is eating only real food. No processed food. No white flour. No bad oils. No junk food. No regular processed sugar. To learn more about it you can visit www.100daysofrealfood.com a ton of info there. just to be warned..it took me a month just to prepare and to get rid of all the bad food in the house. and I am still learning. But basically it is just taking it back to the good ole days…Look at your bread crumbs of all things..and look at that inged list..does it make you sick to know they have to put corn syrup in them??? I mean why??? they put corn syrup in sausage links too….Heavy corn syrup is in everything and its really ridiculous if u ask me. So that is the main reason why we changed. But the other reason is bc Avery can be more prone to food allergies or food intolerances..and no she hasn’t really had a problem to bad that I have noticed but why not feed her spelt flour instead when it is way easier for her to digest. Spelt bread, spelt pasta, spelt is so much better for your stomach. So we use spelt instead of whole wheat. and dairy intolerances/allergies are another common one but I have been getting our milk raw from a dairy farm. and it is good. really good.

So how is it going???? Well for those of you that are on my FB know by some of my posts..but for those of that arent here are a few of them to entertain you 

Day 2 of real food challenge: Brielle-why does everything have to be so disgusting. We are off to a great start:))

Day 3 of real food challenge: Destiny- I don't care if its junk food i want to eat it anyways bc its soo good and i can still eat healthy food mixed with the junk food too......are you trying to starve me mom???? LOL...my kids are really making this a challenge.

Day 4 of real food challenge: Destiny- Im not normal. Its not normal to eat healthy. I like to be normal. Why cant i be normal. Im such a mean mom for making her not normal...HAHAHA!!!

Yeap that kind of sums it up…HAHAHA!!!

I made butter for the first time..couldn’t believe how easy it was. Used the cream off of the raw milk and made butter. Call me Betty Crocker I guess You literally just put it in the blender for awhile and it turns into butter then you have to wash the butter if you don’t wash it becomes rancid rather quickly. 

But we still can eat cookies, bars, and all of that but just made from scratch and using healthier ingredients.

It has been a BIG change for us bc the girls used to eat breakfast and lunch at school..but now they eat breakfast before we leave and then they pack there lunches. some mornings are a little bit more chaotic now.

Destiny=when are you going to change?? and go back??

WEll never dear..it’s a life change forever

6 month post op from Avery’s surgery

 

Avery went back to orthopedic dr that is here to check her hips..and had an x-ray done and they both look AWESOME…PTL!!!!!   I am always so nervous when they check bc I'm afraid he will tell me they are out or something bad. But they did x-rays and both look great and are in..so do you know what that means??? That means that a year later the one side is still in..that means it was a success!!!!  Thanks be to God!! and it has been six months already on the other side and so far so good. But since it has been six months that means its time to take the screws out. So Avery is scheduled for surgery March 29 to get her screws removed. IT should be an easy same day surgery. But it is still a surgery and it still is never easy to see your child go through that and with Avery having sleep apnea things are trickier when she is put to sleep. But I will be sooooo happy to put this all behind us and be done with it. It has been a long year and one I don’t want to repeat.

Avery was/is popping her knees out too but she isn't doing it as much anymore since she isn't in the cast. So we are just going to watch it for now and  I am comfortable with that for now. So no surgery on her knees right now..Wooohooo!!! Hopefully over time she will stop completely and then they will just get stronger and stay in place. The doctor couldn’t pop them out him self while she was just laying on the table all relaxed so that was good too.

Sunday School Christmas Program

 

 

 

This was Avery’s first year in the Sunday school Christmas program. Avery with her sunday school class she is on the far right end.

Brielle’s class

Destiny’s class

Each class sang a song..and the older grades each had a part..and I can say that Brielle remembered her part this year..both girls did..but boy was I sooo nervous for her before hand..she actually had it memorized almost the next day after she got it..she wasn’t going to be the one that forgot there part this year!!! 

The whole sunday school group

Walking out…”Hi mom”

(yes I know this is like months past but I had it done and forgot to post it so im posting it anyways)