everything is possible... the impossible just takes a little longer

slow and steady wins the race

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Neither Idolize or Hate




More fun on FaceBook... can you stand it???  Have you always wondered what your first album cover would look like if you were in a band???? Well follow the instructions below to figure out your rock band name, album name and album cover pic.   

 As you can see my band name is Tataranu (I guess this is also the name of a commune in Romania) and my album is called "Neither Idolize or Hate".  Some of these are pretty neat how they turn out... so go have fun and try it out for yourself... you know you want to!



create your own band and album
1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album. (make sure you hit the new random quotations button at the bottom)

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together (http://www.picnik.com/) works well, online.

5 - Post it with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Boys will be Boys


Andrew and Pat made this snowball fort and are preparing for battle.  I suppose we have also earned a few more "green" points for using the recycling container in a unique way...LOL.  Pat has been standing behind the fort firing snowballs at Andrew who is hitting them with his red plastic bat... fun on a Saturday morning.


Meanwhile... Sam and Sean cannot resist the temptation of the DVD cabinet.  In a split second they can have every single DVD/CD out of the cabinet and in every corner of the room.  The trouble really starts when they unite forces and try to load the DVD player by them selves.  I have found DVDs (several at a time) inside the VCR, under the couch, in the diaper drawer, and tucked inside their shirts.  They both know enough to grasp the basic concept.... disk goes in...movie comes on... but they lack the ability to do this without either creating a huge mess or braking something (namely the DVD player).  So after picking up all the DVDs strewn to the high heavens for the gazillionth time, I decided to make the DVDs "unavailable"... to anyone it would seem.  So to there utter disappointment I have used surgical tape to secure the DVD cabinet doors.  Sam has taken to licking the glass on the doors in a vain attempt to get closer to his precious DVDs.  You gotta give him an A for effort.  I am sure that this fix will only last for a short time but at least once they figure out how to peal the tape off I can chalk it up as an OT exercise...LOL



Story time on the couch with Dad.  Andrew is about to fall asleep and Sean and Sam are planning something naughty... not really paying attention to the story at all I am sure.


Thursday, February 19, 2009

Tumble Form VS Special Tomato*** UPDATE***

tumble form feeder seat

special tomato seat


With out providing too much information, I am trying to remain neutral, I am looking for 
MOMS WHO KNOW!

I would love to hear your opinions on which seating system you prefer... 
Tumble Form or Special Tomato.... and why.  
I need pros and cons!  



*** Sam currently has a tumble form feeder seat.  We have had one for several years with no problems and loved it.  Recently we had to get a larger size... since November it has been replaced 3 times because it keeps ripping out.  So if it happens to rip out again in record time I will not be ordering another replacement.  But I don't have any other options.  The Special Tomato looks promising but everyone I talk to says.." OH NO,  you don't want a special tomato..." but I really can't nail down a real reason why.  So I am looking for some input.  




Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Seriously... Don't ask!



So I turn my back for a second to find Sean standing (yes folks standing) in the diaper pail fishing around for something naughty to play with on the counter.  Yes he could have just used the chair, but that would have been the easy thing to do.  No... my child... my child is... shall we say... creative.    

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Fabulous Fun Finds

 

Fabulous Fun Finds Featured Item



Go ahead and check it out... you know you want to!

 

Thursday, February 12, 2009

More on The Poncho Project


 
Well the Poncho Project is under way.  I have 9 completed ponchos ready for donation and 3 more have been mailed to 3 very special little girls (hope you liked them little ladies).  I am currently using up the last bit of left over fleece that I have (probably enough for 3 or 4 more small ponchos) and then I will be off to raid the fabric store again.  I have also found that I have some smaller scraps... much too small for a poncho... just the right size to make some hip and stylish mini-messenger bags (all no-sew of course).  Once the weather gets too warm for the ponchos I will start working on the purses/bags and donate more of those at least during the summer months.  

Sam's next appointment at the hospital is March 17th (Erin Go Braugh!) and that is when I plan to make my first donation.  I hope to have close to 18-20 ponchos done by then.   Fingers crossed they will be well received  and the kids really like them.  So in the mean time I am busy tying knots.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I AM A VACCINATOR!!!




Yesterday Sean had his 18 month check-up and yes, he got 2 shots.  He was a real trooper.  I had to laugh as about 30 seconds later he was in his diaper, wielding a large tongue depressor in each hand (as any young Jedi master would) saying HI-YA HI-YA.  
 
******
I believe 100% in vaccinating my children.  There is such controversy about vaccinations these days but you know me... I researched and I feel that I have made the best choice for my family.  And before you start throwing daggers... I will assume that you too have done your research and have made the best choice for your family.  I am not asking you to join my camp.  This is not a debate that I am willing to engage in.  This is my opinion and I feel we can all agree to disagree. That being said... I am a vaccinator.  I would only encourage you to do your OWN research.  Don't listen to hearsay... get the facts! 

No, I am not worried about the risk of autism, Infantile Spasms or other so-called "risks" associated with vaccinations. My children, and yours, experience risks everyday and are exposed to countless toxins and yuckies and things we would rather not know existed and I feel that they are safer in the world with vaccinations on board.   

I believe that vaccinations do more help than harm.  

I believe with my whole being that children are born with a predisposition for various things and will develop as they would with or without vaccines... so why not keep them safe.  That being said... I do have a child who was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms (a rare, severe and life threatening form of epilepsy that is often blamed on exposure to vaccinations) and that diagnosis coincidentally slapped us in the face about 2 weeks after his 9 month vaccinations.  However after much research I believe in my heart of hearts that whether due to genetics, brain trauma, prematurity or just plain dumb luck, Sam was born predisposed to Infantile Spasms... it brewed in his brain and would have reared its ugly head whether or not he was vaccinated.  Sam had Infantile Spasms... that is a fact.  He would have developed IS with or with out vaccinations... FACT.  I found comfort that along with IS and his compromised immune system that he had the antibodies provided by the vaccinations in his system to help fight off childhood diseases, that for Sam could have been fatal. 
 
*** no I do no believe that Sam's Infantile Spasms were caused by vaccinations... it was just a coincidence that the diagnosis came when it did***

Yes, some children have allergic reactions to vaccinations... I believe that to be true... but do I think these vaccinations CAUSE autism for instance... NO!  (Sorry, Jenny McCarthy). And yes I suppose there is the very rare case where a child has been severely affected by vaccinations that they received, however you will be very hard pressed to find substantial and concrete findings on these cases and most don't hold enough water to compel me as an educated parent to deny my child the benefits that vaccinations DO provide.  I also believe that although my children are vaccinated that does not provide them a free ticket to good health.  Things happen.  Life happens.  If something arises, I feel that I have educated myself enough on the topic that I will not regret my decision nor will I blame it on the vaccinations that my children received.  

As I mentioned before... this is my opinion.  I wish that vaccinations were available to all children.  We are blessed to live in a country where vaccinations are so readily available and once common childhood diseases such as polio and small pox are foreign words that most of our children have never even heard of.  I think it is clear where I stand on the subject of vaccinations and all I ask is that you educate yourself and make the best choice you can for your family.  




Monday, February 9, 2009

Creature Feature


Oh I have been a little behind on the Creature Feature... I could honestly post a new feature every few hours or so.  This is his latest creation.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub three dirty boys in the tub



Thursday, February 5, 2009

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!

OMG... Sam has been granted a WISH from Make a Wish Foundation. I am so completely floored!  I laughed, I cried, I posted it on FaceBook, I cried some more and jumped up and down alot.  I am so thrilled to be able to have this opportunity for our family... an amazing gift.  Sam is one amazing kid ... after all that he has been through he deserves something so wonderful.  

Sam was granted wishes TWICE in the past and I turned them down (yes, really).  Clearly I did not know or understand what Make A Wish was or what they do for families like ours.  Initially, years ago when I was approached about granting Sam a wish , I was sort of taken back thinking... wow, they really don't think he is going to survive if they are offering this to us and if he does survive it would be a nightmare to travel with him and his feeding pump, oxygen, seizures and suitcase full of meds.  I was hurt and worried that perhaps his doctors had given up on Sam and this was our fairwell gift.  Clearly I was clueless.  But, hey... it took me 6 years to finally get a handicap parking permit so what can you expect.  Slow and steady wins the race... right!

I am now a lot wiser and I guess the third time is the charm!  I can't wait to figure out what Sam's wish will be.  He LOVES the water, swimming, music, dancing, DVD movies, swinging, sand... so although I don't know what his wish will entail I think Sea World or Discovery Cove would be wonderful for him.  

We will be contacted by a Wish Granter in sometime in the next month to start setting things up and then sometime later this year Sam's wish will be granted.  He has no idea what this all means but I am sure he will be delighted.  I also think that this will be really nice for his brothers too.  They always have to sit and behave at all Sam's doctor appointments, therapies, and other not so fun places.  They have to wait (a lot) when Sam needs suctioning or gets sick and I think often times feel that their needs are not as important.  It is hard to explain to a small child that although that is a really cool thing you just made or did, making sure that your brother can breath is mommy's first priority right now.  They learned some hard lessons pretty young but they love Sam and they understand as best they can.  However, this will be sort of like a thank you to them for all their patience and understanding during all those not-so-fun times.  

Well I am so excited for our family.  I can't wait to find out what wonderful things are in store.


 


Patrick Thibodeau

Can you say... "nothin' but net!"

I am so proud of Patrick and all of his years of hard work.  As I was watching this I couldn't help but notice what a nice gate he had, excellent posture, his coordination and stamina running up and down the court. Things that I am sure many parents of kids with Down syndrome, having gone through years of physical therapy, also noticed and smiled at the thought well spent therapy dollars.  Hard work indeed!  I got a lump in my throat and a warm and fuzzy feeling watching this video and hear the crowd chant his name.  Patrick, you are an inspiration!  I am also so very proud of the young man who gave up his starting position to allow Patrick to play. As Sam grows I am so deeply touched by stories like these and ever so hopeful that we are all seeing signs of things to come.  Acceptance, Awareness, Compassion and Understanding.  

WTG Patrick!  

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Playing For a Change

This is great...  enjoy