Army Crawling...

Well it happened… Mr. Gordos has decided to show mommy what he is made off!

Last week, he started army crawling.

Yup, just like that, from ONE day to ANOTHER… he surprised me.

I was just starting to think, ok, maybe Ethan will not crawl before his birthday. And I accepted it. IF that was what it was going to be, then so be it!  (hey, that is the best attitude to have, cause then surprises like these just completely catch you off guard and leave you speechless and eyes full of tears.)

I got home, (last Thursday ) and Santiago tells me, “my mom said he is doing real good going frontwards”… confused me, “what do you mean going frontwards?”

He quickly ran to get an old rug out and throw it on the hardwood floor in the living room. I had just mentioned to him that my mother in law had said that the physical therapist suggested we let him practice on soft surfaces to encourage him to crawl. (my mother in law watches our kids during the week and she is present for the physical therapy)

Who would have thought that this stinky old, spit up stained  (thanks to the Gordo himself!) rug would have done the trick.

We put a few items in front of him to motivate him to come frontward… and just like that, he pushed his little legs under him and pulled his little chubby hands frontwards and moved! He MOVED FRONTWARDS!

Like a little soldier pulling himself through the battle field, Ethan pulled himself across the living room.

I knew Ethan would get here someday, and he did. He’ll start crawling on all fours when he is ready as well. One day, he’ll just pick himself  up and crawl on all fours.

I just had (have) to believe in him.

And be realistic as well. Understand that your child WILL crawl and WILL walk. But when they are ready. We can work with them every day, countless hours a week, but only our babies know when they can get “there”. This doesn’t mean to not work with them, just don’t stress.

I always knew that Ethan had the strength to do this and many other things, but he didn’t really have the coordination. We cant force coordination on them.

SO to all the mammas out there, be patient.

Your baby will get there. In the meantime, enjoy that your baby isn’t running or crawling away from you! Cause once they start, they wont hold back!

(the old rug... that came out of retirement... ewww....I know!)

and his proud sissies!

100 % Guaranteed

Today, a coworker shared with me that his buddy’s son passed away over the weekend. He was 19 and had cerebral palsy.

How is it that a healthy baby boy ended up in a wheelchair and in deteriorating health… when he was “supposed” to have been born healthy in the first place?

Then I think about my husband’s coworker, who has a young son with MS. A little boy, who we’ve been privileged to have met a few years ago, when he was able to run around, acting just like boys do. And now, he doesn’t run around anymore….

There is my story as well, somebody who wanted to have just one more baby. Boy or girl, just healthy I asked God. Now my baby boy is 10 months old..  and yes, he does have Down syndrome. And in case our definitions vary on what healthy is, yes -he is very healthy.

I guess in my situation, I could have made a choice to abort my child, since there was  that suspicion that my baby boy might have Ds. I guess I could have “saved” my child from pain and suffering as those who know no better like to say.

What if my baby boy didn’t have Down syndrome? What if he was as “normal” and “perfect” as any other child within my womb? But who was going to guarantee me  that there wouldn’t be an injury during birth, or that later in life he wouldn’t acquire any illnesses or life threatening conditions that would have taken “my” little boy away from me.

But that is just life. You take chances, everyday. Nobody can’t predict our future… nobody can guarantee us what tomorrow will bring. No matter the condition that we were brought into this world, it can’t predict our quality of life.

I am thrilled to be the mother of Ethan. I have no idea what tomorrow will be like for him, or for me or our family, but I will deal with tomorrow when tomorrow comes.

One day at a time, one loving day at a time.

If there is anything that is guaranteed, is the love I have for my children.

I will love my children each day more than I did the day before.

I accept all of their differences, all of their little quirks, their imperfections that make them so unique and yes… perfect.

Especially Ethan.

As his 1st birthday gets closer and closer each day, his delays and differences become more apparent. But they are all part of him. I embrace those differences, just like I do his accomplishments.

That is what makes Ethan, Ethan.

  

100% guaranteed to be loved by me, unconditionally.

Ethan's Jackrabbits Wristbands! Order YOURS!

Our 1st FUNDRAISER  is here! 

Please purchase a Ethan’s Jackrabbits wristband!

Embossed with Ehtan’s Jackrabbits on one side and Buddy Walk 2010 on the other side.

Profits go back to our team.

They are going to be $3 ea or 2 for $5 (shipping is a $1), but buy them now for $2.50 ea.  regardless of  one or  more!

Or send your payments using paypal to: emarquez_1@hotmail.com

And specify on the notes what sizes.  
Child, Medium , and Large

Child’s size is SMALL! I suggest for children 4 and under.

This past Father’s day..

This past Father’s day, I honored my husband.

A real father.

My childhood was very different from most others. I cant really say I know what it is to have a father. I did and I do have someone to call dad. I respect him for being my father. I respect my step father as well for helping to provide for us.  And we'll leave it at that.

But for my children, I want them to experience the beauty of love from their father. The way it should be.

-To my amazing husband,

The man who I’ve seen feel every emotion under the sun.

Who would give up his left arm and even his right, just to see his babies smile.

You are a beautiful soul, with every right intention in your heart.

Thank you for giving my children everything in your power possible. For loving them unconditionally.

You loved Gabby when you didn’t have to. You love Andrea even after she has tested your patience and you love Ethan. …You love Ethan, simply, just like that….

You are a great man, greater than you know.

I love you. I appreciate you.

And I honor you, not just on one designated day, but every day, for the rest of our lives.

Ethan’s Jackrabbits!

Buddy Walk! Here we go again!

Well I have yet to make the official announcement but I am already on the GO!

Last year we raised almost $1000 in just 2-3 short weeks! I am FOR SURE we can triple that amount this year.

I have ordered 300 silicon awareness type of bracelets for our team as a fundraiser. They will bring in lots of money, so I hope we can sell all, plus maybe even put in another order. It will make us a amazing net profit!

Other projects in the works are:

A few raffles –

Garage Sale

Chocolate Sale

And I am even considering a lemonade sale in front of an HEB or such.

Any ideas are very much accepted as well! AND any donated services or items to raffle would also be marvelous! (cleaning services, Tupperware baskets, Mary Kay basket/ Avon… anything!)

The Buddy Walk® has three primary goals:

-To promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome;

-To raise funds for education, research and advocacy programs; and

-To enhance the position of the Down syndrome community, enabling us to

positively influence local and national policy and practice.

We hope everyone can somehow take part. I hope you understand that you are making a difference in the lives of people like Ethan. There is nothing that I want more than for my son to be valued and treated just like any other person in society. Though he might experience some delays, he will posses great abilities and talents, just like we all do.

Most of the money raised goes back to our local DSAH. DSAH has provided us with support, programs and services that have strengthen our hearts and minds, making us better parents and stronger advocates. DSAH also provides various programs for all people with Down syndrome.

Ethan is the heartbeat in my chest, and I want the world to know that. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do for this little boy. No road is too long, and no road is too harsh.

Motivation is made up of dreams… and Ethan, you are my dream come true.

Please register to walk for our team, or make a donation to Ethan’s Jackrabbits. I encourage everyone to make a donation, even if you only have $5. WE ALL HAVE $5 at some point. I know financially, for us, this has been a real rough year, but I can still manage to come up with $5, even if that means sacrificing lunch one day, or skipping something I know I can manage without for one week. Sacrifice those couple of beers or cokes one day, that pack of cigarettes, lunch, those few snacks from the vending machine! For one week –just sacrifice one thing.

Go to www.houstonbuddywalk.org and search for our team.

Thank you all, from the bottom of our heart, from deep down our souls, thank you all!

Love,

Erika and Ethan’s Jackrabbits

www.DSAH.org

www.houstonbuddywalk.org

You dont have to understand me, but please RESPECT me

(daddy holding Ethan... wearing his Spread the Word to End the Word Shirt...)

Sometimes it’s like I am this tape recorder and constantly repeating myself…

That I myself get tired of myself! BUT I just can’t accept it! I can’t accept that my friends and family continue to use the R-word. Nor will I ever accept it. I just cannot. And you wouldn’t either if you were in my shoes.

I say, we can all stay friends, we can continue to have good times, but at not at the expense of my son’s “medical” condition.

Here is it is, plain and simple:

Because Ethan has Down Syndrome, his IQ will fall somewhere in the lower than average range, so he will be labeled “mentally retarded”. So when you think you are being cute and funny by calling yourself/friends/people/things “retarded” and implying they are stupid and/or dumb, well take a look at my son, IS HE STUPID. I think not. And I don’t care if the word is used as slang these days, the word still means what it means, just like the color RED is the color RED and nothing will change that.

Please know that this word HAUNTS me and it hurts to hear it from friends and family.

Every day I try to run away from this word, every single day it pops out of people’s mouth, some who know no better, some who do know better.

I try so hard to not be offended… but my heart is what becomes offended. My heart aches every time someone misuses the word. It’s the one word that will always set my son apart, the one word that will make my son different.

It will bring me to tears, it will bring his sisters to tears, as they one day will stand up for their brother as well.

I might not understand you, but I respect you, and your children,… I respect you and your choices and life. I respect you.

You might not understand what I feel, but I ask you to respect me and to respect my son.

May

The last month in pictures!

Too many things happened last month. From Prek graduation for my little Andrea

to my other baby (Gabby) girl’s 9^th birthday. (though that was on June 1st)

My baby girls, I wonder if they will ever know how much they mean to me. The sacrifices I make for these children… times have been a little difficult. It has been the 2 most difficult years in our lives, financially. But we are surviving one way or another, that’s what parents do, they make things happen. Yup, I even had to take a 401k loan just to make it happen for Gabby, just so she could enjoy a day with her friends and give her a birthday to remember. We could have (desperately) used that money on other pending matters, but her birthday is too precious not to celebrate.  Sacrifices are what gives you the right to call yourself a mother or father. Remember the sacrifice our Father made.

May also brought Ethan’s 1^st trip to the beach,

and 1^st time in a pool!

May was a busy month, but a good month. Every month is a good month. As long as I get to wake up to see my children, there will never be a bad day.

Motherhood, I love it.

Now we are halfway through June, and time isn’t slowing down. We are a week away from Ethan’s 10 months. 10 months. God has blessed us with the 10 best months of our lives. Life has never been richer and so fulfilling. God must REALLY love me, I tell you.