The Upside

A little late in posting this since it's already mid-October... but... HAPPY Down Syndrome Awareness Month everyone!

There are two times each year specifically designated to spreading Down syndrome awareness:

1. Every October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

2. March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day (this date is significant because it is written as 3-21 or 3 copies of the 21st chromosome)

For this past World Down Syndrome Day I created a few lessons for educators to use to teach students about Down syndrome. I wanted to provide you with the link back to that post in case you were interested in using these lessons during Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Check out the lessons here.

There is an amazing video that I recently posted on my Facebook page, and have seen it take over my news feed (rightfully so!). This video was so powerful. MattyB, the boy in the video, is a talented young rapper. He spreads the message of love and acceptance through his popular music videos. The reason I am writing about this video is because MattyB has a younger sister with Down syndrome. This is not his first time making a video with his sister, and I hope it will not be his last.

The first time I watched this video I cried.

Of course there are fears that go along with raising a child with Down syndrome, and acceptance is probably my number one. This video brought these fears to life for me, since they currently only live in the back of my mind. I don't have to worry much about Anthony being bullied or hurt right now, but I know that I will most likely have to face that fear in a few years. I just want to be able to protect him from everything in this world that isn't good. But, I know that I can not attend Kindergarten with him, or be there every time he meets someone new. So, at least I am hopeful that these young generations will be even more accepting and kind than the ones before them. MattyB is influencing so many young minds with his music and sending positive messages out there that I hope will stick. There need to be a lot more people like him to show others that it's not cool to bully and exclude others because of how they were born; whether it be their gender, the color of their skin, or how many chromosomes they have. We can't change how we were born, it's not a choice-it's who we are. But, we can change how we act and how we treat others. So, please, this month spread awareness about Down syndrome. The more people are educated, the more accepting they will be. If we don't make the effort, nothing will ever change.

I personally know two amazing teachers who showed this video to their class during a bullying lesson. The video was so powerful for these students, and it sparked so many wonderful conversations not only about Down syndrome but about bullying in general. If you're in the educational field, or work with kids, show them this video. I know it will make a lasting impact on how they treat others.

I posted the video below- but if it does not work for some reason you can find it here.

To shift gears a little, I wanted to talk about the Buddy Walk we attended on October 5th!
Our team, Anthony's Avengers, raised $1,115 this year for CHOP's Buddy Walk. Wooho!! A big thank you goes out to everyone that joined us that day to walk, and those that couldn't be there but donated to a cause so close to our hearts. Thank you! Together we helped raise a total of $239,985 for the Trisomy 21 Program at CHOP.

I took a screen shot of the Buddy Walk website today to see the total amount raised- and the picture behind the numbers made me smile! It is a picture of last year's walk, and team Anthony's Avengers is front and center in our white shirts! You can even see me holding my little superhero in his red cape! It's crazy to look at that and think how much has changed in one year. This year, Anthony "walked" during the buddy walk, and had a blast. Last year, he was only 2 months old and slept most of the time. I don't want to rush this next year, but I'll admit, I am excited to see how much he will grow, change, and accomplish by our next walk!

Where's ~~waldo~~ team Anthony's Avengers?!

I decided to pick only a few key pictures from the walk this year instead of posting the over 100 that I took.

Anthony's Avengers! The best of the best!

My little munchkin!

Captain Anthony to the rescue!

Geeking out with my superhero sunglasses.

On the move!

And, of course I had to add in pictures of Anthony with his girlfriend! We were so excited she was at the walk this year!

Cheese! Two awesome team captains! Antonella's Admirers and Anthony's Avengers.

I don't even want to look at the last time I wrote here, it was probably last month. Ugh! Sometimes I wish I had the power to freeze time so I could get everything done that I need to during the day and still have time for the things I want to do. I'm sure this is a problem that everyone can relate to, but it is one that has currently taken over my life.

When I used to go on interviews I would brag about my organization and time management skills. HA! I hope those people never catch a glimpse inside my house. I wish I could run my household like I used to run a classroom. Time management- that's a thing of the past with this little guy in my life!

I feel so all over the place lately, and this post will probably mirror that too.

These days seem to speed by and when I lay down at night, I always try to figure out what exactly I accomplished for that day. Usually its nothing. I'm a huge list person, and I love the satisfaction of crossing finished things off. However, lately it seems that more and more lists keep popping up around the house with only a measly line or two through them. So to summarize, nothing is getting done!

This school year, I am staying home with Anthony. Paying for daycare did not equal the pay I would have gotten as a substitute, and I wasn't offered anything more than that. But, guess what? No complaints on this end! I have always wanted to be a stay at home mama until my kid(s) go to school. This year, I get to try it out! Financially, we need to save up if we want to move to a bigger house in the next few years. So, that means I can't simply stay home and enjoy every second with my son. I have to contribute too, and that's fine! I actually like bringing in my own money. I am babysitting, with Anthony, three days a week, and then hopefully subbing the other two days.

With that being said, things have been ~~a little~~ very hectic around the Mango house. We are trying to get into a new routine and so far it has been a big adjustment for everyone. We have so much going on: all of Anthony's therapies have been moved around, doctors visits are piling up with the time of year, my physical therapy, Joe's two jobs (and him getting a new LTS Counseling position!! Yay Joe!!), making time for family, starting a Teachers Pay Teachers store, writing, Beautiful Beginnings, getting things together for the Buddy Walk.... and the list goes on.

I wish I could give 100% to everything I have on my plate right now, but I am finding that I am not a superhero, nor an octopus, and cannot set such high expectations for myself in one day. I am stretched sooooo thin with everything going on and I probably need to focus on a few main things instead of a million.

For example: I wanted to stay involved with teaching so I created a Teachers Pay Teachers store, and I am obsessed! I can't seem to get enough but it is so time consuming to learn the in's and out's of TpT! I only have a handful of products up for sale, but my mind is always running with new ideas. I want to post them all, and I want to do it very quickly! I read about these great success stories of teachers selling lessons, and clip art, through TpT and making good money, very good money! So far, I have only had three sales, which is pretty typical but it is driving me nuts. It makes me want to put out more and more products and find time to fine-tune my craft. The problem with that is... time. I don't have it! And that is exactly why this blog has been put to the bottom of the list so many times. So many things have happened and I have mentally stored those times in my "to blog about" section, but it is overflowing currently since I haven't written in forever.

-shameless plug: If you're a teacher, or know a teacher, check out/pass on my TpT store link! It may be helpful to you! Click here. Don't forget to follow me on there too!

Since I have been rambling on, I am going to try to summarize everything that has happened since I last blogged in a list:

1.Ladies and Gentlemen, Anthony Joseph cut his first tooth!! It is probably the sharpest thing ever, but it is adorable! Right in the middle on the bottom. He is still teething like crazy so I am hoping that more pop up soon!

2. Anthony is an even more advanced walker! He can now walk just by holding one of our hands! That is a lot of core strength! So proud of my bubby! Watch the video of him walking by clicking here.

3. We have a new best friend situation in our house: Our cat Marshall and Anthony! The word "gentle" is not in Anthony's vocabulary yet, and so it is very surprising that this cat just can't get enough of Anthony's tough love! It is so cute to watch them together. I mean, honestly, look at them together.. so stinkin' cute:

4. Anthony is doing so well with eating. I know that I am the reason he has not advanced in eating as quickly as he should have. Well, me and his aspiration... but mostly me! I have a huge huge phobia of choking, and it scares the crap out of me when he doesn't chew something and just swallows right away. So, I've been getting better and the pieces have been getting bigger because I need to trust that he will know what to do. He has been doing a fantastic job, and I must pat myself on the back and say I have too, ha!

5. We went on that mini-family vacation to OCNJ and it was perfect! Pictures to come at the end of this blog.

6. Anthony passed his hearing test with flying colors!

7. Anthony had blood work done to test for lead levels, hemoglobin and thyroid- and he passed all of that too! I have to add that we were so nervous to bring him to get 3 vials of blood taken. The last time he put up a huge fight, and he was only a little dude! To our surprise, he was amazing with a capital A! He didn't flinch once. Such a big boy. Joe and I had prepped all of the nurses saying sorry in advance for everything we thought he would do. We walked out of there stunned looking at each other saying "what in the heck just happened?!" It was great.

8. We went to the Delaware County Down Syndrome Interest Group's annual summer picnic and it was such a fun time! We met a lot of new families and kiddos too! Can't wait to watch them all grow up together.

9. We have welcomed 5 babies with Down syndrome into the world so far with Beautiful Beginnings! It is all worth it to make these families happy! If you haven't already, like the Beautiful Beginning's Facebook page to follow everything that is going on with that aspect of my life. Click here.

10. Anthony has just been so much fun lately. I can't pin-point anything specific that has changed, but I feel like he understands us so much more now. That makes play time so much more fun too! We just crack up at each other most of the day and I love it! He also started using the first volume of the Signing Time video, and he is obsessed. He is such a great observer and soaks it all in. I can't wait to see if he benefits from it soon!

As promised, here are the ton of pictures from our beach trip: