Christmas

We're ready:




this paper tastes good:


still eating paper!! (notice Zach signing "more" in the background)


Wow!!:


look at all those animals:


I love my barn:


Look at MY new stuff!!! :


4 generations of women:

Hannah update

Hannah is getting so big!! When I took Zach to the doctor last week for his tongue, I put her on the scale and she now weighs 15 lbs. She is getting so active and has started rolling over! She loves to try and sit up when she is in her swing or in her bouncy seat and when she is on her belly (which she loves) she tries to scoot. I think she will be a pretty early crawler.

Here are a few new pics:

Her first roll over!!:


Daddy calls this her Popeye face:


You talkin to me???:


Happy girl:


She loves to suck her thumb:

out of the mouths of the ignorant....

Last week when I took Zach to the doctor to have his tongue looked at, the nurse that was checking us in the room said:

"I bet that happens to a lot of Down syndrome's since they always have their tongues hanging out"

Now let's pick apart this statement. First of all, my son is a person, he is not a "Down syndrome". Second of all, that is pretty stereotypical to state that 'they all' have their tongues hanging out.

I just didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. Sometimes I feel like I don't always want to be the over sensitive mom who has to educate everyone. And in that moment, I was at a loss for words. I should have educated her, and advocated for my son and for all other special kids she may come across in her field, but I was just floored by the statement.

I hope one day this world is educated enough to not stereotype a person based on a diagnosis, or a difference. Seems like a long shot, but I can always hope and dream, right?

Just not his week....

This is really not Zach's week. I wanted to post some more details about his initial fall, just so we have them in the future....

Tuesday night, after a nice bath Zach was quietly playing in his room before bed and he was coming out to the living room with his toy school bus. I think he tripped over his own feet and right when I turned and looked he was on the floor at the door of his room, crying. From what I could tell he smacked his face on the bus and bit his tongue.
I went and scooped him up to cuddle him when I saw the blood gushing in his mouth. I think he actually went into shock somewhat and I know he swallowed a ton of blood. Chris grabs a cold wet washcloth. There was so much blood and once I cleared some of it out to see what was bleeding, I saw it. We panicked and rushed him to French ER. On the way over the hill I knew there wasn't much they could do for a tongue, but thought we should go anyway.

We got there and I asked the lady "before I waste our money and your time, are you going to do anything" ... she said no, not really. Just watch for infection and gave us a couple other tips (pain meds). The bleeding had finally stopped on the way home and then he started messing with it and the bleeding started back up. He couldn't really eat a whole lot at first, but I think he enjoyed living on Popsicles. The following night for dinner he had a Popsicle and some soggy rice krispies. I tried to make him a few other soft things, he wanted nothing to do with it. I can tell it hurts him, but as long as he stays busy it doesn't seem to bother him too much.

Fast forward to last night (Thursday). We had a long day and Zach only napped about 10-15 minutes. Anyone that knows toddlers, know that no nap = clumsy and tired kid. Zach had his Mega Blocks Wagon in the kitchen and attempted to sit in it and it tipped over and he took a face plant into the floor. The blood started again. Luckily it wasn't coming from his tongue this time, but he split open his top lip. This time he actually would suck on a washcloth full of crushed ice, so the swelling went down relatively quick. He actually ate some dinner after all that, which was probably more than he ate the last few days.

I just want to put him in a padded room for a few days so he can heal.

OUCH!!!!!

Zach took a little tumble last night and this was the result (WARNING: Not for those with weak stomachs)

We took the kids for pictures the other day. Zach refused to take any, but we got some good ones of our little princess.