An Announcement from Cameran...

 

Sleep and Teeth

Or lack thereof.
Cameran has morphed into super-nonsleeper extraordinairre to ring in the new year. 
It started with teething.  Serious teething around Christmastime. 
Cameran began constantly gnawing on her fingers, alternating sides of her mouth.  All of the chewing has been sllllllllllllloooooooooooooowly paying off because her first tooth is emerging-not through by any stretch of the imagination-in time for her to turn 22 months old.  And for the record, I totally called MONTHS ago that her first tooth would be a molar, and it is looking that way.  Top left baby. Maybe a bicuspid, but I am guessing molar all the way.  Of course, if P would stop clamping her mouth closed tighter than Fort Knox it would make it a teeny tiny bit easier to tell.  Just sayin.
However, we have been cursed -I mean blessed-with a content, happy, baby with no sleep issues for the first 21 months.  Which is what makes the past two weeks so. freaking. hard.
Yeah, yeah, all babies go through these phases; I know, I know. 
So Cameran, finish gnawing on your fingers so you can pop the remaining 20 some teeth through and we can all go back to long stretches of sleep and avoid waking 5 times a night. 
Love, Mommy

PS. Thank you Nanny and Pappy for taking the sleep resistant peanut for the night.  Daddy and Mommy have already nodded off watching Netflix mid-afternoon, and are on target to pass out before ten.  Feel free to keep her for a while.  Or at nights.  Or never again after the night you are about to have...Bwuuaa haa haa haa.

"It Begins With Awareness"

Once again, Kelle Hampton is raising awareness of those with Down syndrome, this time through a beautiful video compilation. 



Cameran, along with many other blogging friends' children are featured, in Kelle's heartfelt video.

You can't help but be inspired when you visit Kelle and go along for her ride of Enjoying the Small Things.

In a Nutshell

My friend Karen over at Tales of a Library Lady needed to create a two-minute storyboard with full narration drawing on human emotion for her current graduate course.  Somewhere along the way she chose our family.

Below is a beautifully narrated piece of Cameran's life and our experience being "thrown" into the special needs community, our new norm.

Thanks Karen, what a wonderful way to spread the message that being a parent of a child with special needs still leads down a road of happiness.



Please pause the music below...Katy Perry or whatever is currently playing doesn't quite serve this justice;)

Pay It Forward

I have referenced Kelle Hampton's blog before, and I am going to once again.

Yesterday via Facebook, Kelle requested pictures of children with Ds from parents to be featured in a new fundraising effort inspired by her beautiful daughter, Nella's first birthday. 

You can click here to see Kelle's post describing her fundraising efforts to benefit the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS).  Featured in this post are many other gorgeous individuals who happen to have Down syndrome.  Cameran is among these photos. 

A direct link to donate to Nella's ONEder fund, to benefit the inclusion and acceptance of individuals with Ds can be found here. Or you can click on the banner at the top of Kelle's page. 

If nothing else, please stop by to see the warmth of the smiles and depth of the beauty each of these children possess.  Children like Cameran and Nella will thank you.

Balance

...and not the kind I referred to yesterday...

Check out Cameran's new move...

She did this repeatedly all. night. long, and it is not surprising, because for the past few weeks I have had zero success feeding her in any position or placement other than allowing her to stand.  I guess all that standing paid off!  Now we just have to work up to standing all by ourself without any leverage.  It's a-comin.  This is one determined little Peanut we have.

2011's bringing good things :)

Bring It On

Happy New Year!

I welcome you with open arms, 2011.

This year I resolve to be DETERMINED...that is, determined to accomplish my goals, to suppress any anxieties that may arise, and to challenge myself to be the best wife, mother, daughter, friend, teacher, colleague I can be.

No more half-ass.

Dammit, I am going to try to stop procrastinating.

I am going to find the balance between family, self, and work that I crave to function without resentment toward any of the former.

I am determined to lose weight.  I WILL lose weight.  I refuse to enter my 30s still carrying around baby weight from 21+ months ago. (Any blogging friends who are trying as well and want to buddy up, feel free to send an email!)

I am determined to learn to cook (better).

I am determined to be more frugal in the ever tightening economy and uncertainty with Ryan's job.

I am determined to stop going to Rutter's for coffee and use my Keurig on a regular basis.

I am determined to use the public library first before indulging in purchasing books.

I am determined to stick to the necessities when shopping at Target.

I am determined to continue advocating for my daughter and others with Down syndrome.

I am determined to educate others on the insensitivity and lack of class they show when choosing to use the "R-word".

I am determined to place my faith in God for situations that are out of my control.

I AM DETERMINED.