Celebrate!

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World Down Syndrome Day 2010

Down Syndrome International has officially earmarked 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day. The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome. Commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day started on 21 March 2006.

Ruby Talking

Video by Ruby's 15 year old sister.

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CSN Store Giveaway

As a mom of many I like it when I can do something that helps make my life a little easier.One of the things that I like to use is my crock pot, especially on those super busy days when it is great to come home and open the door to the good smells of a supper already prepared.

The good people at CSN Stores contacted me and offered me an item to giveaway.I'm excited to giveaway this Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6 quart slow cooker.

This Giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada.

If you would like to enter the giveaway just go to the CSN Store and then come back and tell me about something you liked.

For extra entries leave me separate comments:

2 entries: Follow my blog

1 Entry:Blog it.

1 Entry:Post it on Facebook

1 Entry:Post on Twitter

The Giveaway starts today and ends on March 27th

I will be using Random.org to pick the winner.You will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail if you are the winner.I will go to the next winner if you do not reply.

Item will be shipped to you from CSN.

I did not receive compensation in any form for this Giveaway.

Toddler Beds

In my previous post I talked about looking at some kids beds and that got me to thinking about what kind of bed Ruby will need when she graduates out of her baby bed.I thought this

toddler bed was unique,it will sit up into a chair.

For you ladies that have a child with Down syndrome that have already moved out of their crib what type of bed do you have for your child?Toddler or regular twin and what do you feel is safest?Do you have some type of rail to keep them from falling out?

I think it might be awhile before Ruby moves to a bed other than her crib simply because she is so small,about the size of a one year old.If your child is still in a baby bed what do you plan on putting them in when they need to graduate from crib to big kid bed?

Dolls,Signs, Rockers and Beds

Ruby adores her baby dolls.She can clearly say "Baby" and has also learned the sign for baby.She has many board books with babies in them and she turns the pages and points at the pictures and says,"Baby" and then signs baby.

Ruby has been sick with a cold and I have been having to wipe her nose quite often.Yesterday she sat playing with one of her baby dolls and picked up the cloth that I had been using to keep her face clean and she wiped her doll's nose.So sweet!

I have been so happy to see Ruby using the signs she is learning.She signs for her milk now instead of crying for it.She looks at me and signs 'Milk 'and then holds her arm out towards the kitchen and signs 'Milk'again.She has even added to her sign for 'Bubbles' by touching her lips with her fingers and then holding her hand away from her face and making the sign for 'Bubbles'.

I am thinking about getting Ruby a little rocking chair because she really liked a rocking chair that her Auntie has at her house.I found this one that I think might be perfect because Ruby would also be able to put her baby doll next to her ,I found it here.I also like this precious rocking horse.

After I looked at rockers I looked at the kids beds this cute Dora bed caught my 6 year old daughter's eye.She loves anything with Dora on it.

I always wanted a canopy bed when I was a little girl and thought some of these were gorgeous.

Thanks!

I have been offline for the last couple of days because Ruby and I have a terrible cold.I just got online and saw all the great advice for Ruby's dry skin!Thanks so much to all who commented on my previous post :) It's so great to be able to turn to all of you wonderful ladies!

Dry Skin- Help!

Ruby has just recently started having some issues with extremely dry chapped skin on different areas of her body.I think it could be from a change in her bath soap.
Do any of your children have that? What do you use?

Flexible

Flexible -

Capable of being bent,usually without breaking;easily bent.

Wordless Wednesday

Signing Bubbles

Snowboarder

I knew that the snowboarder ,Kevin Pearce,had a brain injury from hitting his head on the lip of the wall of ice that they snowboard on.My 18 year old son had come and told me about it several weeks ago when it happened.I watched a video of the accident on the internet.I was so sad for him and his parents because I thought how horrible it must be to have a healthy strong child and then for him to have a catastrophic brain injury.

Last night I was in the kitchen and my husband called me from the living room and said,"Cheryl,come look at this."I sat down and started watching the piece ,Tom Brokaw, was doing on ,Kevin.I started crying as soon as I saw his brother who has Down syndrome.I was so impressed by the strength of Kevin's family.

I'm sure most of you have seen it by now but here is a link to the video.

Injury, adversity don't stop snowboarder

Injury, adversity don't stop snowboarder

Crocheting Again

I love to crochet but since I had Ruby I just haven't been able to find time for it,until now.Ruby is able to sit and play with her siblings and on her own now,so while she plays in the floor I have been able to sit down

and crochet.This is a blanket that I just finished for a friend who just recently had a son.

New things

Ruby is starting to really understand and use her sign language.She enjoys bubbles and I usually sit her in the highchair and blow them for her,yesterday I sat her in the highchair to feed her and she saw the bubbles on the counter and started signing for bubbles.I told her ,"No, lets eat first," and she got mad and signed bubbles again ,so needless to say, we played bubbles before she ate.She has been watching her 'Baby Signing Time' videos everyday and learned the sign for 'all done.'This morning I was giving her a bottle of milk and she started getting full and she signed all done.I'm so excited to see her progress in this area because I was a little discouraged about it last month.It seems like she is having a burst of learning new things right now.

Music Lover

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Z on TV: Maher, MacFarlane: Bullying special needs kids - Sun critic David Zurawik writes about the business, culture and craziness of television - baltimoresun.com

Z on TV: Maher, MacFarlane: Bullying special needs kids - Sun critic David Zurawik writes about the business, culture and craziness of television - baltimoresun.com

DownBlogger: A retard will do anything for a sticker.

DownBlogger: A retard will do anything for a sticker.: "Friday, February 19, 2010"

Whiter than Snow

My children and I were so excited to look out this morning and see snow on the ground, and more falling!We live in Texas and snow is a very rare occurrence,of course everyone wanted to get dressed right away and get out in the beautiful whiteness.

It is afternoon now and I looked out my kitchen window to see that it is snowing even harder and huge wonderful flakes.When I looked out I saw that my yard is covered in thick,beautiful,whiteness and the song,"Whiter than Snow"came to my mind.How wonderful that Jesus can take all my wicked sins and turn them even whiter than the beautiful snow.He will do that for anyone who calls on Him :Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Whiter than Snow

"Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul.

Break down every idol,cast out every foe.

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow,Yes,whiter than snow,

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus ,look down from Thy throne in the skies

And help me to make a complete sacrifice.

I give up myself and whatever I know,

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus,before You I patiently wait;

Come now and within me a new heart create.

To those who have sought Thee,

Thou never saidst,"No."

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."

This beautiful song was written by ,James Nicholson, and first published in ,1872.It is based on Psalm 51:7

Purge me with hyssop,and I shall be clean:wash me,and I shall be whiter than snow.

Snow!

Ruby Can

Ruby has been doing many new things this month!She has been able to push up to sitting for awhile but only tried it occasionally,the past two weeks she has started pushing herself up to sitting daily and many,many times a day!
She has learned the sign for more and enjoys signing more when we blow bubbles for her.
She clearly says,"op" for stop when she doesn't like something, and a few nights ago told me "No!" and then gave me a beautiful smile when I said it was time to go night,night.
And I'm thrilled to say that last night after we put her to bed in her crib ,she pulled herself up to standing and scared my teenage daughter ,(who Ruby shares a room with),by nearly flinging herself over the rail of the bed! My dear husband had to get a wrench out and lower the mattress before we could safely put her back to bed!

I hope all my blogging friends are doing well,I have had a lot of family drama going on with my older children :) and haven't had much time for blog reading.I was able to attend a missions conference at church last week that was truly a blessing to me and came at a perfect time to help me wade through some of the drama.The missionaries brought wonderful messages and also let us know every night after service how much they enjoyed our little Ruby and her "singing" during our congregational singing :)