friendship

What You Want to Know About Sarah Kate But Don’t Want to Ask

June 18, 2013

In Calera, Alabama, a building sits at the intersection of US Highway 31 and County Road 22. It’s one of those dining zombies – built to house one restaurant that closed down, followed by another and another, with no real explanation for why none of them last. It started out as a meat-and-three but has [...]

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Freedom for Sarah Kate…and So Much More

May 21, 2013

Sarah Kate has done an admirable job over the years of integrating herself into Typical Kid Culture. She was the one who requested to join swim team and she was the one who asked to play softball. For all of our declarations that she needs to get used to being part of the typical world, Mr. [...]

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Bikes and Buddies

May 16, 2013

The three-wheel bike arrived at our house during dinner last night, courtesy of Emily (the kids’ fave babysitter, former CCD teacher, and physical therapy assistant), and despite the fact that we didn’t have the toe clips screwed on and no good straps to use in a pinch, Sarah Kate had to ride it Right. Then. [...]

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Sometimes It Pays to Be Last

January 17, 2013

If you saw Tuesday’s post, then you figured out that we did, indeed, make it down to Disney for marathon weekend. Nathan hasn’t missed one yet (including when he was in the womb), but it was Sarah Kate’s first. I didn’t plan to take her, but her school had half-day off on Thursday and all [...]

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What to Say to the Parents of a Baby With Down Syndrome: Dos and Don’ts

February 14, 2012

Most of the emails I receive from readers relate to specific posts I’ve written, or are inquiries into treatments that Sarah Kate has received. Others, however, are from caring friends and family members of parents who’ve received a diagnosis of Down syndrome for their baby. I’m always touched by these emails, because they show me [...]

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Buddy Walk: Powered by Nathan

October 17, 2011

This past Saturday marked our family’s first Nathan-centric Buddy Walk. The Buddy Walk was created by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Monies raised at Buddy Walks benefit local programs and services, as well as the national advocacy and public awareness initiatives of the NDSS that benefit all [...]

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How Down Syndrome Is Like Antiques Roadshow

September 6, 2011

Do you watch Antiques Roadshow? It’s one of the few TV shows that Mr. Andi and I both enjoy. In particular, I love the stories of people who found an old painting/sculpture/lamp/whatever at a flea market or covered in dust in an antique shop, took one look at it and realized they’d found something special. [...]

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Friends or Frenemies?

August 23, 2011

There’s an uneasy friendship (frenemy-ship?) brewing between the two youngest members of our household: our four year old West Highland White Terror Terrier, Daisy, and our seventeen month old Gulf Coast Boy Wonder, Nathan. Both are cute. Both are playful. Both love walks with me down by the bay. Both are loads of fun. Both [...]

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In Good Company

July 26, 2011

After meeting B and S at the swim meet, B’s dad gave us a call and wanted to have both families over to their house for pizza. Although I know lots of families online who have children with Down syndrome, until the swim meet I only knew one in real life, so I was eager [...]

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I’m Back!

October 4, 2010

Back to blogging as part of the 31 for 21 Blog Challenge.  Back home from a whirlwind trip to Walt Disney World.  And back to racing!  The Wine & Dine Half Marathon was my first race since I did the Walt Disney World Half Marathon back in January while 27 weeks pregnant.  It is so [...]

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