Fall Fun Has Begun!

I love fall. I enjoy the cooler weather and the leaves changing...I don't like what's coming up soon after though. This weekend we made our annual trip to the Mulberry Lane Farm. The kids enjoy the animals, hayride, pony rides and pumpkin picking.

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Devin LOVES holidays!

This weekend, Devin couldn't wait to pick the pumpkins out of our garden and decorate them. It's too early to carve them, so we created these interesting creatures! He did a great job!

A Birthday Party

Devin went to Nathan's birthday party this weekend at Monkey Joe's. It was his first party at a play place for kids. He had a blast! Logan came too! Logan loves inflatables!Logan crawled all over in this inflatable for toddlers. He got upset every time we tried to take him out.
Devin wore himself out within the first half hour going up and down the big slides!
The party had a Thomas theme. Nathan's Mom made these super cute hats! Devin's sitting next to another friend, Braden, who he also knows through the DSFN.
Logan was completely wore out after all the fun!

Great News for Down Syndrome

Global Institute dedicated to Down Syndrome

Bad Blogger

I have been a bad blogger lately...I guess my excuse is that we are getting ready for baby to arrive. I am over 37 weeks now and SO ready to have her. It has gotten very difficult to lift Logan lately and, of course, to bend over to pick up toys. Now that I have two boys making a mess around here there is double to pick up. I am so happy Logan is making messes, but I need this baby out so that I can keep up. Devin has been helpful lately though. He actually enjoys picking up his room and the living room and vaccuuming! He doesn't do it all the time, but when he is in the right mood he is fantastic at it! I hope this keeps up.

Wordless Wednesday (Wet Weekend)

16 Months!

Lots of new tricks over the last month:
Clapping
Crawling
Releasing toys on purpose
Mimicking some actions

Signed more

Pulling himself up

Stepping when supported

Drinking a little from a cup

Tries to self feed himself a few things

CBS News Talks About DS

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4437874n

Proper use of language for Down syndrome

I came across an article today that did a great job of describing the proper way to describe a person with Down syndrome. I've been wanting to post on this subject before now, but I wanted to make sure I knew the proper language myself. This article was posted due to the birth of Sarah Palin's son Trig. Since his birth, the media has not always done a good job of using the correct language when talking about people with Down syndrome.

Down vs. Down's. NDSS and NDSC use the preferred spelling, Down syndrome, rather than Down's syndrome. While Down syndrome is listed in many dictionaries with both popular spellings (with or without an apostrophe s), the preferred usage in the United States is Down syndrome. This is because an “apostrophe s” connotes ownership or possession. Down syndrome is named for the English physician John Langdon Down, who characterized the condition, but did not have it. The AP Stylebook recommends using “Down syndrome” as well.

People with Down syndrome should always be referred to as people first. Instead of “a Down syndrome child,” it should be “a child with Down syndrome.” Also avoid “Down's child” and describing the condition as “Down's,” as in, “He has Down's.”

Down syndrome is a condition or a syndrome, not a disease.

People “have” Down syndrome, they do not “suffer from” it and are not “afflicted by” it.

It is clinically acceptable to say “mental retardation,” but you may want to use the more socially acceptable “cognitive disability” or “cognitive impairment.”

I also came across some myths about people with Down syndrome that may be interesting to those who don't know much about DS. Here is the link if you are interested:

http://www1.ndss.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=162&Itemid=292%22title%22Click

200th Post!

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Buddy Walk 2008

Thank you to all of our friends and family who walked with us. We had over 25 people on Team Logan!! It means so much to me that you all want to promote Down syndrome awareness and support us in raising Logan as an important member of our family. Your support helps me stay positive in my ability to give Logan the best chance to be successful in life. I couldn't do this with out all of you. Thank you.

A Place for Baby

Finally, with only 5 weeks to go, I have found a place for the baby. I wasn't going to kick Logan out of his crib, which he has only been sleeping in for a few months (before that in his carseat). He now loves his crib and sleeps really well in it. I was going to put the new baby in a pack and play, but she would be in it too long. I plan to leave Logan in his crib until he can climb out. Who knows how long that will be?? So, I went out and got another crib yesterday and put it in the room with Logan's crib. It feels good to have a place for her. It also makes everything very real! Until now, nothing in our house indicated a girl was on her way, but now, everytime I see the pink stuff, I am reminded how soon she will be here. Also, I have never been a pink kind of person. I can't believe what I picked out. I had planned to use the neutral crib bedding I have for all of my kids. I have to admit, it was fun! So, Logan and baby will share a room until Logan gets out of his crib. Then, Logan will move into the boys room with the bunk bed. I never would have thought that I would have two babies at one time. Logan is still so little to me, but I'm sure that will change when we meet the new baby.

Baby girl's side of the room:
Logan's side of the room:

How Amazing for DS Awareness!!

Before last night, I had wished there was a way that more people could meet a child with DS so they could understand how amazing kids with DS are. Well, last night I think a record number of people saw an adorable little boy with DS. What a great thing for Down syndrome awareness!!

3rd Haircut!

Logan's hair grows very fast! This is the third cut in 4 months! Here is the before...

...and after.

He looks so much older everytime...it makes me sad to see how fast he is growing up.