It’s time for another blog hop with my fabulous fellow bloggers. Links to other writers participating in the hop can be found at the bottom of this post. As always, it’s a truth, a tip, and a picture. A truth: When you have a kid with Down syndrome, strangers are going to say things to […]
About Melissa
Mom, writer, advocate, knitter.Author Archive | Melissa
When There Are No Words
So I had a post pre-emptively written to put up for the holidays, I just needed to drop in a few pictures from our celebration and hit “publish.” But as it turns out, that’s not going to happen this year. Something’s been changing for Rowenna over the last few months and we’re not 100% sure […]
So Big
I’ve officially entered the third trimester and an unexpected feeling has crept up on me. Rowenna is so big. I look at the tiny onesies we’re washing and putting away, the itty bitty hats I’ve knitted and set aside for Little Sister’s first days in the world, and I am overwhelmed by how big my […]
Shaken
Something happened today that left me reeling and I can’t get this single thought out of my mind: “What if that had been Rowenna?” On my way to pick her up from school, I saw someone on the side of the road, very obviously hurt in some way. The cars in front of me all […]
State of the Spark: 26 Week Edition
Just over 26 weeks pregnant, nearing the end of my second trimester. I had a fetal echocardiogram this morning to take a close look at our baby’s heart. Little Spark is looking good. Growing well (just over 2 pounds at this point) and very active. My heart soared to see her teeny, tiny little heart […]
Glee Gets it (Mostly) Right
This week, Glee aired an episode (Movin’ Out) that featured a Becky Jackson plot line. The episode featured several characters talking about their post high school plans. As always, most of this was handled with a certain amount of absurdity (one of the characters is up for the Channing Tatum Former Stripper scholarship – I […]
Dignity
A lot of doors open to you in Disability World. Sometimes I like what I see behind them – people with big hearts, open arms, a desire to really know you. Sometimes I want to slam the door shut on the ugliness I find. Sometimes I find something I’m not quite sure how to handle, […]
A Little Bit about NDSAN
In 1975, Robin and David Steele visited a group home for children with disabilities and met 3 year old Martha Ann. At the time, they knew little about the adoption process, and even less about Down syndrome, but they knew Martha would one day be part of their family. Over time, the couple eventually adopted […]
Tea Party
Two weeks ago, Rowenna received an invitation to a classmate’s tea party birthday celebration. It was billed as an intimate gathering of young girls for tea, cakes, and delicate play time. I’m willing to admit that my first reaction was not elation. It was “uh oh.” One of our current challenges with Rowenna is a […]
How to Say Goodbye
One of the most surprising things about my child having a Down syndrome diagnosis has been the vast network of online support. There are message boards, facebook groups, and endless blogs to turn to for information, friendship, and support. When Rowenna was just a few months old, I was frequently posting on a message board. […]
