The Adventures of Bear and Duck

New Trikes

2011-02-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

Bowen loves his trike!

Kayleigh checking out her adaptive trike.

And We're Back

2011-02-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

Whew...it's been awhile. Things got a bit crazy around here with sick kiddos, the holidays and a cardiac scare for me. I'm hoping that things are settling down now and we can get back to normal. Whatever that is. LOL

Kayleigh is really doing well. She is secure enough in her walking now and is moving on into running and climbing. Speech still hasn't taken off so that is something we have decided to focus on for her in the coming year.

Her intervention team got a grant and used part of it to get Kayleigh an adaptive trike and helmet so we are looking forward to warm sunny weather so we can finally get outside and play.

She's getting so big!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

See all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-08-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Pics from Omaha Down Syndrome Parent's Network pool party.

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds

Country Life

2010-08-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

Living in the country means that we are treated to sights like this


Creepy snake

And this


Very creepy bug

And this

Amazing Hawk

She's Walking!

2010-08-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

Profound

2010-07-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

I don't have Down syndrome all the time...
By: Dave Hingsburger

Dave Hingsburger is an advocate for those with disabilities and gives presentations on this topic fairly often:

We'd just sat down for lunch when we both heard that pronunciation of the word, 'Mother' that communicates so much. 'Muhhhhh-therrrrrr'. I glanced up and saw a frustrated and harried woman, carrying packages from the Bay and her son, a young man with Down Syndrome who was in his pre-teens.

Of course, I listened.

It seems that the mother wanted to go with him to get his food and then have him go with her to get her food, then they would eat together. Son, thought this was silly. Why doesn't she get hers, he get his, then they meet for lunch. She did an admirable job of keeping herself calm. I did an admirable job of just listening, not judging. Who knew what kind of experiences she'd had that led to this arrangement? They had been standing arguing and just before she moved again towards the court, he said something that had a profound impact on me as a listener and she as a mother.

'Trouble is you think I have Down Syndrome all the time and I don't,' he said with real frustration.

She stopped again, 'What?'

'I only have Down Syndrome sometimes, when I'm learning something new or if the words are real hard. I don't have Down Syndrome the rest of the time when I'm doing what I know how to do.'

'And you don't have Down Syndrome now?' she asked.

'No, I know how to get my lunch, I buy my lunch at school all the time. I don't have someone with me all the time you know.' he was frustrated, he didn't even realize he'd said something of real importance, to me and to his mother.

'So,' she continued looking at him hard, 'you don't feel like you have Down Syndrome all the time.'

'No, most times I don't even think about it,' he said.

She said, her tiredness seemed to be gone, 'Go ahead, we'll find a table after we've got our food.'

They disappeared from view. Joe and I looked at each other. I said to him, 'That kid should teach classes to parents of kids with Down Syndrome.'

Friday Photo Flashback

2010-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Me circa 1967

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-28T07:14:00.000-07:00


Here There Be Dragons

See all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-07-28T07:10:00.000-07:00


Kayleigh's first visit to the zoo

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds

Six Word Saturday

2010-07-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

Water play is so much fun!

A Thought

2010-07-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

See all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-07-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

What the heck is this stuff?

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds

Now We Are 2

2010-07-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

What Would You Do

2010-05-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

ABC is running a segment of their show What Would You Do tonight that features a store clerk with Down Syndrome.

A hard-working supermarket clerk is bagging groceries at the end of the express checkout lane. He's doing a good job, but an impatient customer checks her watch and starts to criticize. "Hurry up," the customer harps. "I don't have all day."
Rude customers are nothing new, especially in a grocery store located on a busy street in New York. What makes this scenario so objectionable is that the person bagging groceries has Down syndrome, and the customer starts to use indefensible language.
"Can you not understand me?" she yells, "You're absolutely retarded!"
Would you stand up and say something if you witnessed this cruelty?

One of the people who comments in the video clip that what was said was horrible but she didn't want to risk a confrontation. I'm sorry but if you witness something like this and don't say anything then your silence is condoning the cruelty.

I won't miss tonight's episode and I'm sure it will leave me in tears. The clip did. It's so very easy to see Kayleigh in a situation like that in the future.

I've said it before and I'll continue saying it...Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-05-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

She's really loving this whole feed yourself finally. And she's a bottomless pit!

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds

When The Walls Came Tumbling Down - Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

See all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Aromatica Review

2010-05-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

I had a visit from one of my favorite men today, the UPS man and with him he brought Aromatica tidings :D I was SO excited to open the box, the packaging in my opinion is absolutely adorable,. It’s not over the top but it’s also not “just there”. I had set them in my bathroom for later use and came in later to find they had made my whole bathroom smell AMAZING. :D I received five products from the contest to review, Citrus Peel Face Cleanser, Peppermint and Tea Tree Cooling Body Wash, Lavender and Vanilla Soothing Body Emulsion, Rosemary and Lavender Thickening shampoo, and Hand Sanitizer with Tea tree Oil.

All of their products are natural and organic, so not only are they great for you and your body, they’re great for the environment!

First off I would just like to say, I smell WONDERFUL and I feel like a princess!

Citrus Peel Face Cleanser
Has a nice, warm gentle orange scent. Very soothing and left my skin feeling clean and soft :D

Peppermint and Tea Tree Cooling Body Wash
WOW. A lot of this is not needed as I found out, very nice strong peppermint scent, woke me straight up and cleared up my sinuses. It would work wonders for those who have trouble waking up in the morning

Lavender and Vanilla Soothing Body Emulsion
MMMMM, as anyone who knows me knows vanilla is my absolute favorite scent in the entire world! Combined with soothing Lavender it’s heavenly, very warm and calming and left my skin feeling softer.

Rosemary and Lavender Thickening shampoo
I absolutely adored this! It didn’t lather up like most shampoos so I was a little skeptical at first, but as I worked it in it really worked it’s magic, I’m sitting here running my hands through my hair amazed by how much cleaner, softer, and thicker it is.

Hand Sanitizer with Tea tree Oil
Like all the other products, smells amazing and rubs in fast. I’m sure even the younger kids in the house will love it (bonus!)

All together I was very pleased and amazed by all the products and would really recommend them to anyone, they would make great gifts for family, friends, or yourself. ;D So Keep your eyes on Aromatica for great, natural products that leave you feeling like a princess :)

Website: http://www.thearomatica.us/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/aromatica_atl

Special Exposure Wednesday/Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes!

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds
And all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Ironic

2010-04-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

The babies had an appointment yesterday morning to get their haemoglobin levels and their weight checked. Kayleigh's had been very low since her internal bleeding because of the enterocolitis. It's taken months but we finally have hers back up to a respectable level. Bowen's had been low because of diet. We amped up the amount of meat that we eat and his is perfect again. No more polyvisol for them. Which is some nasty crap anyway. I always felt bad having to give it to them and 9 times out of 10 the taste made them throw up. Now they are going to be taking good old Flinstone's multi-vitamins with iron.

Weight for both of them is good. Bowen is 30 lbs at 22 months old. He is a big boy. Kayleigh at 22 months is still tiny, 20 lbs but she has been since birth. She has itty bitty new born feet and is tiny all over. She is going to continue on Pediasure. With the amount of calories she takes in a day you would think she'd be a chunky girl but she's not. 3 cans of Pediasure a day plus regular meals and snacks and she is still tiny. We have a stockpile of cases under her crib. (Storage space is always an issue around here) That stuff is expensive though so it's a good thing that insurance covers it.

Got home from the Dr. and last night, irony or ironies, Bowen got sick. 102 fever, restless and miserable. He's still sick today so it looks like another trip to the Dr. is in the works.

No Apologies

2010-04-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has always driven me crazy is people apologizing when they hear that Kayleigh has Down Syndrome. It well and truly pisses me off. Don't you dare apologize for my child!! We knew when we were pregnant that one of the twins had Down Syndrome. Did that change the way we felt about them or make us want them any less? Absolutely not. Kayleigh is beautiful, perfect and exactly how God intended her to be.

Special Exposure Wednesday/Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds
And all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Weird Things My Kids Say

2010-04-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

I love Bowen's bathtime. That is when he gets really chatty and you never know what he might say. His latest which came out of the blue....

"Jesus eats at Easter"

Interesting thing for a 21 month old to come up with.

Monday

2010-04-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Monday....sigh.

Nice, peaceful weekend that went way to fast. Tony had the weekend off which only happens every third week. Love those weekends but they are sure over quicker than I would like. Spent most of the weekend at home relaxing and getting little projects done.

We pulled the car seats out of the car. Both of them needed the covers washed and the straps adjusted. These little guys are growing way too quickly. Hard to believe that my babies will be 2 in a few months. When I look at Bowen I don't see any baby anymore. He is all boy. Kayleigh is so small for her age that she still looks babyish to me.

Bowen is very close to being ready for potty training. He doesn't like being dirty and will quickly come and tell me that he is "ucky". We're going to have to make a trip into town to get him his promised Elmo potty chair. It'll be nice to have only one in diapers. It will be a long time before Kayleigh is ready for that but she will get there in her own time.

Kayleigh has been very whiny and demanding lately. I think she is getting close to those first steps and is getting more than a little frustrated. I'll be glad when we are past this stage because non-stop whining drives me crazy.

Now I'm off to continue my quest to find the best prices on my k cups. Got to have my coffee. LOL Hope everyone has a great Monday.

What to do on a rainy day

2010-04-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Hello all! This is me, Alicakes first post :) I shall try not to bore you too much!
Stuck inside on a rainy day with seemingly nothing to do? Well lucky for you I have created this step by step post with pictures to enjoying a rainy day.

1.Most importantly, grab a mug. I happened to put Lemon Blueberry tea in mine (don't be fooled by the Starbucks mug) Perhaps you want coffee, or hot cocoa. The kids have been screaming all day?...perhaps a little vodka. (shhhh)

2. Grab a nice, warm blanket!

3. Find a horrendous book. Yes, horrendous, the worse it is the more hysterical it will be. I happened to pick up Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, another Twilight take off that involves the main character (a 17 year old) falling in love with a wolf... Then when the wolf turns human she shows no alarm and allows him into her house, sneaking him in to sleep with her. If you get as far as chapter 14 you will be met with delightful quotes such as this, "It's rude to stare, but the great thing about staring at a sedated person is that they don't know you're doing it."..and you thought Stephanie Meyer was creepy!

4. Grab a book actually worth reading ( I chose Huckleberry Finn)and dispose of the other book in whatever means you find necessary. (Burning it is a swell idea)

There you have it, four easy steps to enjoying your next rainy day!

Special Exposure Wednesday/Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

A sure sign of spring.....chalk butt

See all the other Special Exposure Wednesday pics at 5Minutesforspecialneeds
And all the Wordless Wednesday pics at Wordless Wednesday

Green Works(R) Kids Gear Swap House Party

2010-04-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to be picked to host a house party. They sent us a huge box of party goodies. They always have a variety of parties going on. Each one focuses on a different product. In the past I have hosted one for kids toys and another for Digornio pizza. This one was a Green Works Kids Gear Swap party. That was right up my alley. Each guest was asked to bring kids clothing and toys to swap.

A week before the party I gave each guest a party pack that included coupons and product samples so that they could wash the toys and clothes for the party.

On party day we were quite busy getting ready for our guests to arrive. Not easy to get everything cleaned and set up with toddlers underfoot.

Some of the drinks and snacks.

Coffee Bar

Since we had our party in the afternoon we also had a variety of lunch foods. Croissants, bagels and pita breads for sandwiches. Deli meats and cheeses. I also made my Chicken Ranch Salad which was a huge hit.

Everyone had a great time and went home with "new" to them goodies. I think I got the best swap of the day. I swapped our double stroller which we haven't used since Bowen started walking for this amazing play house.

I had an attendance prize which I gave away at the end of the party. I put everyone's name in a hat and let Bowen pick one. Alicia was the lucky winner of the Keurig Mini. I think she rather liked her prize.

It was a great party and everyone ended the day with some great "new" stuff to take home and enjoy. We all did our part to help the enviroment by passing on our outgrown clothes and toys. And we learned about Green Works great products.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-04-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

There just aren't enough hours in the day lately. Quick update today and then I will try to get back to regular posting.

Tony and I had a few hours out together without babies to go to the dentist. Sounds like a fun date huh?

Bowen has started identifying himself in pictures instead of saying "baby" or "Kayleigh". He calls himself "Bownen"

He can sing the alphabet. Which is, to me, amazing for a 21 month old.

Kayleigh stood by herself for a few seconds yesterday! Yea baby girl!!

We are starting to get more babbling from her which is so nice to hear.

Did you know that bologna sticks to windows? Have to thank Bowen for teaching us that trick.

Kayleigh is feeling much better aside from allergy problems.

If You Give Kayleigh A Cracker

2010-04-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

She's sure to make a mess!

Good thing she's so stinkin' cute

Easter Goodies

2010-04-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a couple of pics of the babies enjoying their Easter.

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-03-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

One year ago.

Here We Go Again

2010-03-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

When Kayleigh was born we were very relieved to find out that she had no heart problems. Instead she had Hirschsprung's Disease. (Which is also common in children with Down Syndrome) When she was a few days old she had a Colostomy. It's amazing how fast you can get used to changing Ostomy bags. What at one time seemed so disgusting quickly becomes commonplace. We could and I'm sure we did change Ostomy bags while we were half asleep. When she was 5 or 6 months old they did her first pull through surgery. She did great and for the first time in her life was pooping normally. Within a few days though we noticed that she was acting sick. You know how as parents you know when your kiddo is off. The Drs said no she's just in pain. Turns out we were right. Her intestine perforated and she had stool and air in her abdomen. They did an emergency ileostomy. Shortly before her first birthday they did another pull through surgery. She has done fairly well with it. Although she still resists pooping. But we have struggled with repeated bouts of Entercolotis with her. And tonight she is starting to show all of the symptoms of it yet again. Pray that it's something that passes quickly and we don't end up with yet another hospitalization.

Mooooommmmm Stop!!

2010-03-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

Seriously Mom....no more pictures!

A little update

2010-03-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Kayleigh's speech therapist came over on Friday. I had high hopes that I would get some really good ideas from her to encourage her babbling. Apparently though the big secret is....get this.....you have to talk to your kids. No really. She was completely serious. What does she think I do all day long?

Yesterday was a dreary rain day so we spent it inside. Except for a quick trip to Wally World for needed supplies. Today is looking like it's going to be really nice so we might try for a trip to the park this afternoon. Let Bowen burn off a little of that energy he has in abundance.
I think my goofy boy has outgrown yet another shirt.

No Words

2010-03-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Kayleigh is 20 months old and is still not talking. We get a little babbling here and there. Mainly bababa and mamama. Her main articulation is "Aaaaaaahhhhh" which she loves to say quite loudly. Especially at 6 in the morning when Mommy is not much inclined to talking.

We know she will delayed in the things that she does and we are fine with that. She has her own timetable which she isn't sharing with anyone. But I have to admit that I am so looking forward to hearing her first words.

Her speech therapist will be here tomorrow for her first appointment. (We've only waited since she was 8 months old for this appointment) I'm hoping she can give us some ideas of things that we can do to help her along.

Special Exposure Wednesday

2010-03-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Mark Bruce

2009-09-10T10:14:00.001-07:00

Preparing myself to write a memorial brought back all of the emotions of September 11th. It's one of those world changing events that will be forever engraved on our memory. My oldest daughter can recall very clearly walking into her 5th grade classroom and hearing the news. It was an event that forever changed how we viewed our world, it made us all realize just how vulnerable that we are. I hope that every one of the victims are remembered now and every day.

Mark Bruce was born in San Luis Obispo, California, a small agrarian town of about 14,000 people. Mark was the youngest of three boys and while growing up, received his fair share brotherly pranks – tackle football with a paper-thin helmet, dirt clods smashed on his head, and an occasional dunk in the toilet. He may have been the “baby” but he wasted no time evolving into a storied “tumbleweed” as he grandfather used to call him. The family moved to Santa Cruz and Mark eventually moved to Chico, Oakland, San Francisco and eventually New York.

He was gained legendary status as locker room comedian, able to imitate voices and mannerisms of his high school coaches. These same mannerisms, including stares, frowns and other nonverbal gestures were refreshing and memorable. At a memorial in Santa Cruz, where 17 of 25 fifth grade classmates got together to honor Mark, they all fondly remembered his ability to make them smile, think, and try harder. And one classmate very fondly remembered “always being the victim” as he later became a classmate of Mark’s at college. He told of having Mark type an economics paper for him. When he got the paper back, there were a few comments, one in particular noting a reference to “making love to …..” . Mark had typed this line right in the middle of the paper to see if the professor would catch it. He evidently did.

Mark loved working in New York. He especially enjoyed working at Sandler O’Neill. He enjoyed the emotional roller coaster life of being a trader and particularly enjoyed sharing what he had learned along the way with his colleagues. One colleague was thinking of visiting the wine country in Napa during August. Mark talked him out of it, saying the second week in September would be better.
Tribute submitted by Steve Bruce.

Mark Bruce's childhood reads like a Steinbeck novel. The grandson of Nebraskans, Mr. Bruce grew up in 1960's San Luis Obispo — a sleepy agricultural town near California's central coast with a Rexall drugstore, a creek to fish in, and where kids rode their bikes to 4H meetings.

But unlike Steinbeck's characters, Mr. Bruce moved to the city, and then East. He studied business, and went to work in the Bay Area, where he met Dawn Bryfogle, who was there on a business trip from New York in the late 1980's. "He was very high- energy," she said. He was a joker and a mimic, he took part in sports, he loved hiking and flyfishing. Their first date was at a restaurant on San Francisco Bay. "That was the beginning of a two-year bicoastal relationship," she said. When a job offer came from New York, Mr. Bruce, 40, left the West behind.

He got his break at Bear Stearns before becoming a trader in mortgage-backed securities at Sandler O'Neill & Partners in the World Trade Center. He shared the commute from Summit, N.J., with Ms. Bryfogle (they married in 1992). He brought a ferretlike intensity to his work while retaining his small-town demeanor.

But the West still called to the couple. They felt drawn to mountain air and open space. They looked for a house in Montana, but had not decided if it would be their primary home or a vacation home, if they would really move or if they would stay in New York. Now, Ms. Bryfogle is ready to make a decision. She said, "The West is the place that I look to when I think about moving forward in my own life."
Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on February 17, 2002.

Thank you for allowing me the honor of posting this memorial. Project 2,996

Buddy Walk With Me

2009-09-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

The first Saturday in October is the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome. This will be our second year walking with Kayleigh.

When a child is born they are an incredible gift. Which is why we were so amazed that there were so many people who told us "I'm so sorry" when we told them Kayleigh has Down Syndrome. Our response was "Why? We aren't. She is exactly how God intended her to be."

Her first year has been a rough one. She was born with Hirschsprung's Disease. (A condition where a part the colon isn't working correctly) She had a colostomy when she was a week old and spent the first 3 months of her life in the hospital. She has had 4 surgeries this year. The last one seems to have taken and everything is working as it should.

Children with disabilities are first and foremost children. They are not their disability. Kayleigh is more than her Down Syndrome. She is an incredibly determined, happy and bubbly little girl. It is an honor for us to walk with her.

Consider participating in your local Buddy Walk or make a pledge to someone who is walking. It goes to a great cause.

If you are interested in donating for Kayleigh's Krew
The Buddy Walk^® was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to promote awareness and advocacy for people with Down syndrome, and has grown from 17 walks in 1996 to 270 in 2007. Since the Buddy Walk^® was created in 1995, over 2,000,000 people have participated in a Buddy Walk® worldwide. The Omaha Buddy Walk is held in October to celebrate National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

Perspective

2009-08-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

Something that my honey said to his niece the other day got me thinking. She was talking about how things in her life were not going how she wanted them to and he told her that it was all about perspective.

It's all about how you look at things.

I could complain about the mess Bowen makes of himself and the area around him when he eats. Instead I choose to be grateful that he is learning to feed himself and that we have the means to provide food for him.

I could also complain that the laundry piles up faster than I would like but instead I choose to grateful that we have a washer and dryer at home. Not everyone is so lucky.

I could go on but I'm sure you get the idea. I choose to look at the bright side as much as possible. It certainly makes the day brighter to have a positive outlook instead of walking around under a gray cloud.

Never A Spare Moment

2009-08-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

Whew I'm so far behind in posting anything here. Life with twins is just to darn busy. I have a list of things that I want to do each day and I feel blessed if I can get through a fourth of them. Unfortunately that means that blogging gets pushed to the bottom of my list. I'm working on changing that. What? I am. No really, I mean it.

I'll be back later in the evening with a real post. Until then I leave you with a few recent pictures of our little cuties.

Pics Finally

2009-06-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's more fun to play with your food than it is to eat it.

Let me tell you what really happened......

A Quickie

2009-05-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

We are finally all moved into our new place. It's incredibly peaceful being away from the city. I love that we can sit outside on our deck and just relax.

Both of the babies have been sick. Sick babies means super cranky babies which of course makes for a cranky Mama. Not fun having two with diarrhea.

The oldest graduates from high school this weekend. That's right....we have a high school senior and 10 month old twins. What can I say....we like to do things differently.

I'll try to get some pics posted of the new place and the babies of course in the next few days.

New Beginnings

2009-04-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

It's probably not the wisest choice to start a blog the day before you move. What can I say? I like to do things a little differently.

It's been a year of new beginnings for our family. We added twins, one of which has Down Syndrome. That has been a real learning experience for us and it's something that I will blog more about later.

Tomorrow we start the process of moving from the big city (Omaha) to a tiny Nebraska farm town. I'm not looking forward to all of the work involved in the move but I'm thrilled to get the babies out of the city.

I think I've procrastinated long enough. I need to get back to the business of packing mixed with the busy day to day stuff of having two babies in the house.