Have you ever been in a group setting and felt like a total Debbie Downer? You know, the Saturday Night Live character who always talks about natural disasters and deadly diseases bringing everyone down and halting all conversation? Well I have. Shortly after my daughter’s diagnosis I was invited by a friend to one of…
Monthly Archives: December 2010
Mistletoe, Mothering and Teaching Kids Kindness
For me, the self-imposed pressure to mother perfectly cranks up at Christmas. Not only do I want everything to be perfect, everyone to be happy, for the family to enjoy the home fire burning ( literally), christmas music to be enjoyed, and the reason for the season appreciated- I also think we all deserve an…
Inclusion Runs Deep (Or It Should, Anyway)
For those of you who don’t know my story… yet (and for those who do, sorry, you’ll have to suck it up and read it again), My beautiful Boys are a matched pair who also happen to have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. Yes, my amazing 5-year-old identical twins have Down syndrome. That…
Best Medicine…
I often call it a worped sense of humor…you know where you can make a joke out of anything? Sort of like “Rosanne” remember that sitcom? I love(d) that show. It to me was as “real life” as I wanted to get. Then my son was born, I would say laughter got us through it all….
The 5MSN Virtual Christmas Dinner!
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how it’s the season… Social distancing, hand washing, and Lysol is plentiful. Guests to my home receive a warm welcome and a dollop of hand sanitizer before touching my son! I know many of you are in this situation too, and I was thinking about how much fun…
Autism:This One Goes to Eleven
Did you ever see This is Spinal Tap? Classic movie with Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Well, if you hadn’t, I’ll fill you in. There is this classic scene in the movie when Christopher Guest’s character shows Rob Reiner (yes, that Rob Reiner) a special amplifier that their band created….
Music at Mary’s Preschool
I have not formally introduced myself. My name is Chaney. I am Mary’s mom. Mary turned 5 in October. She loves music, horses, Dora and going outside. Mary uses a DynaVox VMax for the majority of her communication. She also has a trach and a g-tube. Mary is diagnosed with Arthrogryposis, Agenesis of the Corpus…
A Different Kind of Stalker
I’ve always tried to live my life being respectful of others. I’ve tried to teach my children the same. For example, I often remind my children that it is not polite to stare at someone who is different. It’s a rule I’ve tried to follow my whole life, and yet, over the past several years…
Ballet – The Penguin Move
Most nights when I put the kids to be I lay down with them and talk about their day or whatever is on their minds. When I put Haley to bed on Tuesday night she told me that she was sad that she missed her dance class on Monday because the while her regular teacher…
My Good Samaritan
I seem to be having poignant encounters with strangers lately. One was rather negative at the time, and one was astoundingly beautiful. I’m trying to learn from both and squeeze all the good I can from these moments. I’d like to share the beautiful one with you. We traveled for Thanksgiving, 400 driving miles, which…