Monthly Archives: December 2010

Going to the Movies

Traditionally on extended holiday breaks, one (or both) of the grandmas suggest taking the kids to a movie. It is one of those activities that makes me cringe inside because I’m never quite sure how Will is going to behave once we get there. Sometimes I opt out all together or just send the girls….

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Filling Their Hearts With The Lights Of The Season

One of my favorite pieces of the holiday season is the lights and the sparkle, warmth and wonder they bring. I try to remember the awe I had as a child while watching my children’s eyes widen as we pass by in the early stages of the evenings. Since we aren’t usually out late, I’ve…

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Ho Ho Home for Christmas

Remembering one Christmas that we spent in the hospital.

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And this is my normal child?!

I spend a lot of time talking about my oldest two girls because of their special needs and behavior issues. But a great post I read reminded me that my third child is pretty fantastic too. Like warm homemade frosted Christmas cookies are fantastic. She’s an adorable, sweet, colorful kid, and, like the cookies, that…

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The Most Frequently Asked Question…

…When Jillian was diagnosed at 13 months old with Cerebral Palsy was “Will she walk?” My answer was “well, we hope so, but we can’t guarantee it.” I allowed myself to be cautiously optimistic. I mean, don’t all parents hope their kid will walk?! We had an appointment at Holland Bloorview Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital on…

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The Pity Party is Over

When Precious was born, she was extremely floppy and suffered from extreme hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice). The geneticists came by to check her out in the NICU and asked us all kinds of questions. Some of the least favourite questions they asked were whether or not I drank while I was pregnant (no), or if my husband…

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Therapy Tools (part 2): PT

When J was about 16 months old her therapist suggested ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). J was just rolling over and wasn’t crawling yet. She could bear weight on her legs with support and the therapist wanted her ankles and feet positioned properly when she was standing for therapy and in her exer-sauser at home. J hasn’t…

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Managing Expectations to Foster Acceptance

There’s this concept out here in special-needs-land that we parents have to mourn the loss of the typical child we were expecting before we can accept the child with special needs that we were gifted. Personally, I’m not sure I buy that! I didn’t mourn. I embraced instantaneously. And, I did so, I think, because so…

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Our Bustenhalters

Did the title catch your eye? Ok well welcome, come in and lets talk 🙂  I want to talk about support systems. Do you know who your is? Have you ever depended on them in a moments notice? I guess you don’t know who they are till you need them the most.  I’ve always been…

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My Grown Up Christmas List

Even when I was young, this song has always tugged at my heartstrings. As I got older, I added several more items to the list. You know, justice and peace, equitable distribution of wealth and resources, end to illiteracy, end to poverty, cure for cancer, stuff like that. When I became a parent, the list…

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