Gigi has amazing support from her teachers. When I say teachers I mean her classroom teachers as well as her speech therapist, occupational therapist, and physical therapist. It really does take a village to raise a Gigi! During this past year Gigi has been learning remotely. She logs on to her computer and meets with her therapists like her speech therapist, Ms. Shanley, via Zoom. Ms. Shanley has had to do things differently this year to accommodate her remote students and keep them interested. Numerous times she has driven to our house on the other side of Boston from her place to bring Gigi ..read more

print recipe It’s been a while since I posted anything not related to Down syndrome, but Gigi and I have been doing a lot of baking during our social distancing. We both love our sweets, in fact, if you ask Gigi what her favorite food is she’ll usually say “cake!” She’s helped me bake everything from scones and muffins to chocolate dipped cookies to Disney’s churro bites. One of my favorite things to bake is Italian treats. I had been craving coconut and something yummy to go with a cup of tea, which is the extent of my excitement these days, so I took a recipe for almond biscotti given to me ..read more

It’s been over a month of learning from home for most of the country and it hasn’t been easy for anyone, including preschoolers with special needs who are not only trying to keep up with typical schoolwork but who are also trying to receive therapies such as occupational therapy and speech therapy in addition to having class meetings. These sessions, which are now being given over live video on the family computer, are a far cry from what the students are used to. Therapy relies on in person face to face contact to keep the child engaged. Class meetings and therapy over a computer has been a ..read more

Today is World Down Syndrome Day! We celebrate on March 21st because Down syndrome occurs when there are 3 of the 21st chromosome, which happens at conception. So for World Down Syndrome Day this year I will give an update on Gigi. In the past I felt compelled to spread awareness about Ds but lately I’ve been posting less and less about her and Down syndrome in general because these days we are just living our normal lives. Gigi is, in many ways, your typical 5 year old. She goes to school in an inclusive setting with mostly typical children and a few who have special needs. She takes the b ..read more

“Is Gigi going to start skating lessons?” Her sister’s hockey coach asks me this and I appreciate his assumption that she can do anything any other 4-year-old can despite having Down syndrome. I’m standing with some other moms at Gigi’s school waiting for the kids to get out.  One says, “Tell me why kids with Down syndrome get hospitalized with respiratory viruses more frequently than other kids.”  I’m happy that she cares enough to ask and I go on to explain that they have low muscle tone and sometimes have a hard time clearing out their lungs. A gentleman holds the door open as we walk into ..read more

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I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a mom so it wasn’t a hard decision to try to have a baby soon after my husband and I got married. Not long after our little girl turned one we realized we wanted her to have a sibling, so having another baby pretty much came with the territory. That decision was a no-brainer. After having baby number two, we wondered from time to time, what about having a third? What about that third “bonus” child? I imagine many people mull over this decision. Was it a good idea? Things were going well so there was a lot at stake. Was it a risk worth taking? R ..read more

Being an entrepreneur is not easy. You have to be disciplined enough to be your own boss. You also need to be good at getting your business visibility. I’m fascinated by anyone who has started their own business, and especially those with Down syndrome. There are quite a few people with Down syndrome that are selling their art, merchandise, and baked goods and doing it successfully. This year I’m going to consider making purchases from some of these enterprisers for holiday and thank-you gifts for Gigi’s teachers and therapists. Below are a few intriguing businesses by people with Down syndrom ..read more

October around here means the weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter, beautiful foliage is appearing, pumpkins, apple pie, fall decorating and Down syndrome awareness. October is Down syndrome awareness month which I didn’t have any idea of five years ago. This year I don’t think I’m going to do much on this blog for Down syndrome awareness month, but I am going to share a quick daily fact on my Facebook page and my Instagram feed . Blogs are for longer content which this year I’m feeling like being brief and to the point. So take a look and follow along if you’re interested i ..read more

Did you know that Americans with disabilities can get a free, lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass? This pass is available to U.S. Citizens who have been medically determined to have a permanent disability and it will provide them, and often the accompanying people in the same vehicle, free access to federally operated recreation sites across the country. It can also get the pass owner discounts to camping, swimming, guided tours and other amenities at the recreation sites so if you like to travel it may be worth looking into. You can get it for free by going to a site in person and appl ..read more