Riding on Mommy (Edited)

M, January 2005 (20 months)























E, November 2009 (22 months)


















ETA: M, October 2004 (17 months)
This was the pictures I was originally thinking of. Big Daddy emailed it to me after putting it with the Little Peeps (above) picture.

Giggles

The End

It's the end of 31 for 21. Thanks to Tricia for making it happen.

Here are things I learned/accomplished:

1. Although I didn't post everyday (doubling up these last few days), I have posted 31 times this month! Yay me!
2. I was thinking, though, of all the things still left unsaid for Down Syndrome Awareness Month and other stuff that just lurking around in my head to write about and feeling a bit panicked because I didn't get it done this month. Then I realized that I can keep posting more frequently going forward (duh!) Which is what I'll try to do because there's lots more to be said about our lives, and heaven knows that M will have many things to discuss (did I tell you we're already on Christmas lists?) and opinions to share, and there will be pictures of my girls.
3. I visited every blog on the 31 for 21 list. I bookmarked quite a few.
4. I commented on entries that I liked. This is big as normally I'm a lurker, loving what I read, but not telling the writer. I tried to make a point to do that this month for these bloggers who were sharing their stories.
5. I've really appreciated those who have commented here. Thanks!

Stay tuned for more in November!

Official 2009 Halloween Report

Pumpkins

This was the first year we carved pumpkins.

M gave me the inspiration for how each should look (click on image to enlarge):


















Note the following:

• When asked what E will be for Halloween, we said sleeping (I don't mess up sleep schedules for kids who aren't allowed to eat candy, tell me what they want to be, or walk. Maybe next year), so she drew E's pumpkin with Zzzzzzzs.
• The stencils are from the little book that Nana sent.
• Yes, there are pumpkin guts on the page.
• I did make the freckles with an awl, but they didn't show up when lit.
  

Then, while Big Daddy wrangled The Girls, I carved very carefully:

















(l-r: Mom, Dad, E, M)

We included the one (far left) that M got to bring home from school.



















Then tested for proper glowing:

















Then placed them on the porch.

Trick or Treating

Costume on (notice the layers underneath, it was cold!) and treat bag ready, M and Big Daddy set off.

Usually, they (M & Big Daddy) do the gathering while I distribute. This year, M asked if we could each do half, so they returned after 1/2 the street and M & I set off after donning my costume (sorry, no pictures were taken). My costume was a little tiara, feather boa, wings (which didn't fit), and a wand so I could be a moonlight fairy. I was lovely if I do say so myself (and because no pictures exists, you'll have to believe me!).

We did our street, plus the neighboring one where there was way more action. Our street, in comparison, was dead. We think because we don't have great lighting at the ends and the houses on the end weren't participating tonight that it may have seemed too dark. Also, because our street dead-ends into another one (versus letting out onto two major streets), I think this deters people from knowing how to manage working the entire neighborhood.

M was really funny and had a ton of comments on her costume. Of course, we thought hers was the best, but I think it's refreshing to see sweet and charming rather than some costumes proposed for little girls.

Anyway, we had a great time. M was exhausted when she got home and despite efforts to keep her up a little later than normal (grrr time change), she was in bed a little after 8:00, worn out, I think, from all the excitement and the chocolate!

Now...only 54 days to Christmas!

Recent Conversations

Yesterday (10/29/09) Morning, on our way out the door to go to school:

...somehow getting onto planets....

M: Mom, what is the further planet from Earth?

Me: Well, Pluto used to be, but now I think it's Neptune. I can't really remember the order of the planets and I don't remember the trick to do it.

M: What trick?

Me: It's called a mnemonic device and it's a way to remember the order of something. Like knowing that the word HOMES will give you the five Great Lakes of Michigan. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.

M: Ontario, I know Ontario. Why is it called that when it's in Michigan?

Me: Because it's an Indian word that's used a lot around these areas for the Indians that used to live here.

M: The white people weren't very nice to the Indians.

Me: No, they weren't.

M: I bet the Indians were sad when the white people came.

Me: Yep, I bet they were.

M: It's like white people were British.

*****************************************
this morning (10/30/09) on the way to school

background information - I bought an umbrella for M that automatically opens and closes because she has one that's too big (parasol shaped) for her backpack and the small one that I have is a manual and she has a little trouble with it. We practiced opening and closing it to be sure she could work it with the understanding that she could take it to school.

M: My new umbrella is in my backpack.

Me: Yep.

M: It has a button that opens and closes it.

Me: Mmmmhmmm.

M: It's electric.

Me: No honey, it's automatic.


****************************************
tonight, in the car (10/30/09)

M: Did you know you have a telescope in your mouth?

Me: What do you mean?

M: There's a telescope in your mouth.

Me: [no clue] That you can look at things with?

M: No, that the tooth fairy uses to see in your mouth.

Me: Hmmm...I didn't know.

Halloween Fun

First,
Was finding the right outfit to wear.....

And to have the hair done properly....






















Next,

Supporting players (e.g., sisters) must get into the color scheme of the day....

































Then,
To change into costume,

And have a Parade

Finally,
To come home and smile pretty.

The End

What It Is, Part 246549841

From another mom:

Non-offensive Language 101

H1N1, A Little History of Flu, Links

[Disclaimers: I'm not a medical professional. For this post, I'm working from memory on books and other rearch for my thesis and the project I worked on this summer. Your best bet is to talk to your medical professional and research reliable sources.]

The H1N1 is a scary thing. Influenza, to me, is more scary than many other infectious diseases because it occurs in many species (humans, pigs, fowls, etc.) and the continual combining of DNA from these species leads to new influenza types.

H1N1 is an Influenza A virus that's new to health and public health officials. Regular seasonal flu is also a type A virus (I think), but with different DNA components. Because it's a new variant, illness is distributed across the entire population with mortality occurring in all groups, but especially in those not normally seriously affected by seasonal flu. [note: this is a general statement and better, and more qualified researchers have written much about influenza.]

There are two issues regarding pandemic flu. One is to realize that pandemic only means that it's widespread. It related to the distribution, NOT severity or mortality. The other is that for severity (mortality), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a Pandemic Severity Index that is similar to a hurricane scale, e.g., as it becomes more dangerous/life threatening, the rating increases.

So, one can declare a pandemic (widespread illness in the population), but with low mortality (similar to now, but it could change). Conversely, a pandemic with high mortality is something like the 1918 outbreak.

Regardless of the situation, though, there are great, easy ways to prevent flu.

#1 - Handwashing
Yep. Handwashing. NPR's Talk of the Nation recently did a short bit on Finding the Right Hand Scrubbing Message (audio or transcript).

#2 - Covering Your Cough/Sneeze
Coupled with handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes is a great way to stop spreading germs. Take 5 minutes and watch Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?

There are many more things you can do to protect yourself. Check out the following:

• Pandemic Flu (CDC site) - http://pandemicflu.gov/
• Seasonal Flu (CDC site) - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm
• H1N1 Flu (CDC site) - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
  
• Ready (US Government) - http://www.ready.gov/
• NW Ohio Pandemic Flu - http://nwopandemicflu.org/default.aspx (for those of you in NW Ohio and/or are interested in the project I worked on this summer)

Finally, regarding vaccination. I'm not a medical professional. As a public health person, though, I think that vaccines are great. Along with clean water, they've transformed human health. I have received a flu shot every year since 2003 and the girls have too. We've all had our seasonal shots, but not H1N1 yet. I know there are concerns about it but here are some of my thoughts if you're interested:

1. You should make the decision with your medical professional. Read first, though and know what groups are at risk and whether you and your loved ones fall into a high-risk group. The H1N1 has different risk groups than regular seasonal flu, so know the difference.
2. Realize that if you've been getting flu shots all along, that the H1N1 is another version of it. It isn't an entirely new vaccine, say the difference between one for chicken pox and one for tetanus, but similar to the difference between the seasonal flu shot this year vs. the one last year. Public Health officials happen to know this year of two types of flu that are about and were able to produce vaccine for both types.
   
3. Vaccines are intended to either prevent getting a disease or to reduce it's severity. You may receive the vaccine and still get seasonal or H1N1 flu, just not as bad.

The other information I think is really important about the pandemic is this: DON'T PANIC. In most serious crises, the "walking well" overwhelm medical systems causing them to collapse. During the project that I worked on this summer (I was a contractor for public health departments), the statistics for those people who were well (or able to recover with basic care - fluids, over the counter medicines, etc.) but went to the hospital for care was 10x the admissions of actual patients who needed medical care. Yes. 10 times. Let's do the math, shall we?

Let's say your county has 10,000 people.
The infection rate is 50% - 5,000 sick people.
The hospital admission rate is around 4% - that's 200 people admitted to a hospital
Walking-Well/Worried-Well is 10X - that's 2,000 people who need care; who will divert critical resources, who will use limited resources.

So, to sum up our lesson today:
1. Flu sucks.
2. Wash your hands, cover your coughs/sneezes.
(Rating others silently is also fun)
3. Talk to you medical professional about vaccination.
4. Think about the medical resources you really need. See if your physician, pediatrician, public health department has someone you can talk to.

In the Leaves

School Picture