So I failed

 I know! I am suppose to be blogging everyday for the month of October for Down syndrome awareness, but some of you are doing a great job and I just didn’t want to steal yalls  thunder! *wink **yalls, yes us Texans have funny words.

Ok truth is my internet is down at home and I just hate having to get on the phone and calling Comcast, be put on hold forever, transferred here and there, talk to people with heavy accents that I do not have the patience to handle because I just want my internet fixed! **disclaimer, there is nothing wrong with having a heavy accent, but if you do, working customer service over the phone just might not work for you. The last time I went 2 weeks without cable in our bedroom, until I finally caved and called customer service, and it was actually an easy fix! So this might also be an easy fix. I just don’t like putting time aside to call once I get home.

Aside from that nothing really exciting has been going on, I haven't had time to gather my thoughts into something meaningful and I am currently reading a book, so that takes away from my thinking and creativity. I rarely get a chance to read and I love reading but unfortunately there are only 24hrs in a day… which at many times is a very good thing! *I am reading Megan’s Way. Half way done, good read!

Ethan seems to be fighting off a tummy bug. Last Thursday he was bathed at school after a nasty runny diaper but then he was fine Friday and Saturday then Sunday it was back and he had another loose bowel last night while sleeping and I decided he should probably stay home just in case (with Gma). They had no school Monday or Tuesday so he didn’t miss much, I just know that if he returns tomorrow he will cry up a storm in the morning and make me feel incredibly bad for leaving him. 

And as some of you know, EATING and SPEECH are our biggest challenges. He gets ST through ECI 3 times a month, I wish it was more, honestly, even if alot of the sessions seem more like play time than anything else. But I do see where he is benefiting in some areas. And I have reached my breaking point with meal times! I am sick and tired of him eating only Ramen Noodles for dinner and lunch. I might be wrong for doing so, but I have resorted to shoving food in his mouth for him to taste otherwise he will NOT even attempt to try the food. I decided that we are going to start all over and going back to baby food and go from there (along with the foods that he already eats). Sunday he had green beans with rice I believe, and he completely hated it. Monday he had carrots with barely and that he tolerated pretty well. I would tell him, "if you want your noodles you need to eat your carrots first" so with the biggest puppy face and a quivering lips he would open up and eat his carrots. He occasionally pushed the spoon away and would refuse to open his mouth at times, but we got through it. And when he finished his portion on his plate, we clapped, danced and praised him and he was so proud of himself. 

I honestly believe that it is all a mental thing with Ethan, along with him trying to show me that HE is in charge. He used to eat real well, out of nowhere he refused all foods but ramen noodles, eggs, select crackers and most sweets (of course). But I am confident that we will overcome this challenge. School is working with him, I am working with him, and by the end of this year I am confident that his menu will be much bigger and healthier.

And that is all the latest excitement in our lives!

-oh the October newsletter for our DSAH contained  THIS POST ENTRY. And I just want to make it clear that I didn’t write that to offend anyone, and it was written way before it was mentioned that it should be in the next newsletter, so that there goes to show that many of us parents feel the same frustration and I am not entirely crazy! Entirely. 

I have received some relatively good feedback, and I am sure some were offended in some way –again, never meant to offend anyone but if you are somewhat mad at the entry, I suggest you ask yourself why are you offended. We are the Down syndrome family, we fight the same battles and share something so special that not even words could ever describe.

Until next time -when my brain isn't so foggy and I have some pictures to share...

erika