31 for 21 (last day!)
So I totally failed at posting every day. (Obviously.) But hopefully the ones I managed helped to raise some awareness! And since today is Halloween, here are some costumes through the years!
31 for 21 (day 22)
Lesson 22: Take time to stop and smell the roses… or watch the rain… or sit in the snow. Amidst the typical rush and business of our family life, Isaac never misses an opportunity to appreciate each day’s gifts. He reminds me to slow down and breathe, and spend time in gratitude.
31 for 21 (day 19)
Lesson 19: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Okay… so technically, I learned this one way back when I first read Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
I was captivated by the story, and it continues to be my all-time favorite book. But I absolutely LOATHED the cover of the version I read at 10 years old, which depicted Mrs. Whatsit’s incarnation on Uriel like this:
If I had only looked at the cover, and chosen to make my judgement of the story based on it alone, I would have missed out on a life-changing read.
And of course, if you look at my son, or anyone else who has Down syndrome, and think you know the story inside, you’ve missed out on a life-changer, too.
31 for 21 (day 17)
Lesson 17: The best way to learn about someone is to really be with them. Watch them, listen to them, play with them. My kiddos is so good at this.
31 for 21 (day 16)
Lesson 16: People are people, not diagnoses. They are not the “cancer lady”, the “diabetic guy”, or the “leukemia kid”. Nor are they the “autistic boy”, the “CP girl”, or the “Downs baby.”
Read this:
Isaac *has* Down syndrome. He does not “suffer” from it, though he is affected by it. But first and foremost, he is Isaac.
31 for 21… (day 15?!)
Lesson 15: When you fall down (or don’t post on your blog like you said you would)… you just get up and keep on trying. Tenacious little guy, he is.
31 for 21 (day 7)
I was all ready to write about another lesson learned, but happened upon this video in my facebook feed and had to share it here.
It was posted by one of the girls who we are lucky enough to know through the Down syndrome community here in Portland. She is pretty amazing. (So’s the rest of her family, in fact.) I appreciate the perspective she shares, knowing her fierce love for her brother. I’m glad my kiddos have that kind of amazing sib-love, too.
31 for 21 (day 5 & 6)
So life got busy (has a habit of doing that, you know) and I missed yesterday’s post. To make up for it, pictures of my sweet boy.
Enjoying the beach
And the park
Fell asleep at the snack table
31 for 21 (day 4)
Lesson #4: “Yes” is important, too.
When I get overwhelmed by stress, by the unknowns, by what can sometimes feel like an ocean of doubt, I just have to look at this smile:
It’s all the YES I need.
31 for 21 (day 3)
Lesson #3: “No” is an important word to know, and to use. Isaac doesn’t have much recognizable speech yet. He knows lots of signs ( loves the Signing Time DVDs), and he can communicate with gestures, as well as facial expressions. He gives the biggest grin and giggles when you guess right what it is that he wants. His receptive language is great… he knows what you’re saying. And you never have to wonder if you guessed wrong what he wants, because “NO!!!” is definitely part of his vocabulary… when he’s really irritated he adds a foot stomp. Though occasionally frustrating to hear it over and over, it is actually really helpful. We can’t land on what it is he does want if he can’t share what he doesn’t, right?
And it occurs to me, as I post this ten minutes into tomorrow, exhausted from various commitments and contemplating my too-fully packed next weeks, I might do well to follow Isaac’s lead and say “no” a little more often.
