Saturdays tend to be ‘yard day’ at our house. This Saturday was no exception with Reed having several sprinkler heads to repair. Parker decided that keeping Dad company while he was digging in the dirt would be an excellent idea. Hey Dad! Bet you can’t do this! Signing “Grass” Signing “Flower” This kid has his…
Category Archives: Day In And Day Out
Don’t Mess With This Texas Mom – An Interview With Candice O’Dell
Candice O’Dell is the type of mother I aspire to be. She has two adopted daughters, both with their own unique needs, and she has dedicated her life to learning all she can to support those needs. Of special interest to me is her loving approach to raising a child with deafblindness. I also have…
Redeeming Elvis (A Vacation Story)
What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been – working on articles and various details for the launch of 5 Minutes for Special Needs between posting on my own blog, going to work, taking care of my husband and son, handling ongoing transportation problems and getting ready for a family vacation that started…
Ashley Time
Having a child with significant medical issues, I find myself measuring time in non-traditional ways. When someone asks “When did you move into your house?”, I say, “Let’s see, it was after Ashley’s second brain surgery but before she had her gallbladder and appendix out.” I could have just as easily said that it was…
My List
I make lists. Lots of them. Especially for Parker. These lists include: A list of medications. A list of when to give said medications. A list of previous surgeries. A list of doctors and their info. A list of therapies to work on. A list of pre-school units to complete. A list of up and…
Four Sons, Lots of Questions
Four sons not expected to live. “We do not understand how he survived” we were told…four times. Once at the birth of our oldest son and then each time one of our three younger sons was placed in our arms by the precious gift of adoption. Often I ask myself why we were blessed with…
Not my child
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome two years ago at the age of eight. Her first tic, sniffing, began when she was six but at the time we had no idea it was a tic. We assumed she had a cold or allergies. Her constant sniffing was annoying at times so we were…
What’s so special about a hyper quirky kid?
I was honored to be asked to share in this blog but after reading the other member’s bios about their children’s special needs qualifications I suddenly wasn’t so sure that I belonged here. My child doesn’t have a life threatening illness, major medical problems, or a birth defect. From the outside looking in we appear…
Special Needs or Individual Needs?
Can you bring up every child in exactly the same way? Highly unlikely. And even if you could, would they all develop in the exactly the same way? Of course not. My daughter, Meg, is a unique combination of her genes and her environment. She is like people with long, straight, blond hair and unlike…
Welcome To The Club
Soon after my son Parker was born, my friend, also a mother of a child with Down Syndrome, called to congratulate me. “Welcome to the club!”, she exclaimed. “You’re gonna love it!” “Uh”…..I astutely replied, “Come again?” This wasn’t the first time I had been on the receiving end of such a sentiment. Another friend…