Down syndrome thankfulness

Every Thanksgiving my blogger friend, Patti, puts out a call for us moms to send her a picture of our little one. Patti is the mother of 10 and one on the way. She is crazy but in an awesome way! Her youngest, Lily, also has Down syndrome. Us Ds mama's stick together. She is one of the reasons why this blog has readers, besides my friends and family who felt obligated to read it!

She gave the sign and I immediately sent her the cutest picture of Harper to date. Read the blog here.


There are so many cute kids and wonderful reasons we are grateful for our children. Take a minute to look at the cutes kids, read the awesome reasons we are thankful and remember to think twice about judging a child or a parent of a child who is differently-abled.

Thankful, happy, and some more thankful

We are amidst the season of thankfulness. I am trying to be more present and to be thankful in the present rather than looking back. That's easy to do when you have her rolling around your floor.

And even though she is pulling my hair ALL. THE. TIME. I am still thankful for her. I guess pulling hair is a typical milestone!

I think on a daily basis how blessed we are to have Harper in our lives. But it's days like Thanksgiving that make having her a tad more sweet. Starting traditions because of her melts my heart because it means my family is, well, a family. 

Hug your littles a little closer tonight. Juliet is now dancing in heaven and her parents have to live without her. Here is the link to the slideshow that was played at her funeral earlier this week. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. 

Blessed and help needed

It was about this time last year that I started praying. I took a break from it for quite a number of years. But love and the fear of losing someone that means the world to you makes you change as a person and start grasping at anything that could potential make the situation better.

My prayers and your prayers delivered. Harper soared through her surgery and her recovery. She was crowned our fighter and champion.

I haven't stopped praying. I don't go to church like I did last year before her surgery, but I don't feel required to attend to be heard.

My birthday, November 4th, marked Harper's 10 month post op from open heart surgery. More proof that she is meant to be with us.

I know I haven't posted regularly in quite sometime and I am working on mending that. I haven't seen the comments as I did a year ago. But I know you, my readers, are still there. I see the traffic and am well aware that I still have a captive audience.

I am asking a favor. You pulled through for us many times but now it's time to pay it forward and help out another baby girl in need.

Juliet is over a month old. She has surpassed all expectations. But she has started to struggle. She is now on oxygen 24/7 and without it turns blue. I have linked up to Allie's blog before but the need is stronger today than ever before. You can find it here.

This family is in my thoughts on a daily basis. Harper and I talk about Juliet quite often. 

As before, please read Allie's blog and leave a comment. I know it will warm her heart and hopefully ease the stress and pain. 

Quick update

We have been busy! Here is a quick update in pictures! 

In the past two weeks Harper has been growing up before our eyes! She started feeding herself at school but REFUSED to do it at home! Made this mama proud and upset at the same time! But as of today, she will feed herself at home! She finally has her first tooth and is a bottomless pit

She is super close to crawling! She wiggles and rocks and is THIS close to moving! Watch out world Harper will be coming to get you soon! 

Quick post

I have a great post but I am having problems posting it. So, to tide you over. I give you The Bohacek's....and Bucky!

From the Mouth of Babes

With Down syndrome Awareness month over, I realize that I did not do my part this year. Life has is happening. This post has been in the works for quite some time and I've had a difficult time hitting the post button. So here it is...



Explaining Harper's Down syndrome diagnosis to adults was difficult. Most adults have a negative view of Down syndrome. And I know that it's difficult to overcome preconceived opinions. I also knew the day would come that I would have to explain Ds to a child. I had thought about what I would say to that child and how important my explanation would be. It's a chance to help that child form a positive opinion on Ds. And I knew I couldn't blow it. 

The time came a few months ago. My neighbor, Megan is 7, intelligent, caring, and very inquisitive. Her parents are very honest with her and answer her serious questions with serious answers. So when Megan asked me why Harper had heart surgery, I explained to her that she had holes in her heart that needed to be fixed. When she asked me why Harper had holes in her heart....my heart sunk. 

I got nervous. But I knew I had to answer fast. And I had an obligation to the Down syndrome community, Harper, and Megan to give her an honest answer.

I said: Harper has holes in her heart because she has Down syndrome and some kids with Down syndrome have something wrong with their heart that needs to be fixed.

What is Down syndrome? 

This is it. Come on Kaiti, give her a great answer. I knew her mom was listening and I wanted to say the right thing and finally it came to me....Down syndrome means that Harper may learn things slower than you or your brother. But she will eventually learn everything you know. It may just take her longer. 

Megan understood. She accepted my answer.  She understood that this is why H is crawling yet or why she isn't walking. 

I looked over at her mom with tears in my eyes. She approved of my explanation. 

I knew I had just helped one form a new positive attitude toward Down syndrome. I was proud of myself. And proud of Megan for being so....normal about it. She didn't start treating Harper different. She still doesn't. She just wants to help Harper learn as fast as she can. 

Flash forward to a few days later. We were at Megan's house and baby Owen was there. He is the cutest baby boy I have seen in awhile and he was putting weight on his feet. His mommy and I were having a conversation about how Harper won't put weight on her feet and she is older than Owen.  

Megan was right there and said, "is it because she has Down syndrome?" 

I said, yes it probably is.

Megan, "Does Owen have Down syndrome?" 

"No," I responded. 

Megan, "Oh, well Harper will learn how to stand but it may take her a bit longer." And she walked away. 

I cried. But happy tears.

My wish for Harper is that she has many more "Megan's" in her life.

Megan gets it. She is accepting and doesn't bat an eye because Harper is different. 

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There are times that I tell adults that H has Down syndrome and they give me the sad face. Honestly, I want to smack that sad face right off and sit them down in front of a computer to read this blog. 

Then there are trips to Target like the one I had recently.

Harper was in cuteness overload during that trip. She was a talkative and smiley bundle of happiness. We were getting ready to check out and a gaggle (how many is a gaggle?) of ladies stopped their shopping to talk to Harper. They asked me her name, age, and told me over and over how cute she was, how blue her eyes were, and how happy she was. 

I left that conversation thinking to myself that they had no idea that Harper has Down syndrome. How did I know that? 

I didn't get the sad eyes. I got the "OMG, your baby is sooooooo cute eyes." 

They enjoyed Harper's cuteness because, well, she is really cute! But I knew that Down syndrome helped make her that adorable.

Down syndrome Awareness Month is important. The blogging community always steps up it's game. I felt awful every day in October when I didn't blog or post a Ds fact on Facebook. But honestly, Down syndrome awareness happens everyday in my life. Everyday, Harper is breaking stereotypes. She is loved in this family because she is Harper....not because she happens to have an extra chromosome. Would I take that extra chromosome away if I had the opportunity? Absolutely not.

Trisomy 18 and beautiful Juliet

My mind has been elsewhere the last few days. Constantly thinking of Allie and her daughter Juliet. I blogged about Juliet's prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18 a few months ago. Monday, Juliet entered this world.....crying! She is a fighter. And a beauty. 

Please checkout Allie's blog, as well as Juliet's story here. 

Leave her a note. She will read it and appreciate it. Us Trisomy moms have to stick together.