Brady Is 2!

My Sweet Little Monster,

Exactly two years ago, at 8:22am, you came into our lives on the calmest, most perfect morning.  As the sun came up and peeked into our wall of windows, we got to meet our second miracle.  You snuggled right up against your Momma, which is where you still love to be two years later.

 You are such a momma's-boy!  At this moment in time my kisses heal all of your boo-boos, I am the only one allowed to put you to sleep at night, and I definitely make you the best jelly sandwiches with milk.  I am very much aware that these days are going to eventually fade away and Mommy will no longer be the center of your universe, so for right now I am loving every snuggle and every minute that your little hand wraps around my finger to parade me around the house or the yard.
                                       
For being such a momma's-boy though, you are incredibly adventurous and many times a day make my heart skip a beat as you test your boundaries.  If something has the potential to be climbed, you will be the first one to the top.  As you stretch to the top you love to yell, "Look!  I'm climbin' a mountain!"  Sometimes you think it's funny to jump down too, though Mommy and Daddy don't always think so!  Your legs may look like rotten bananas, and you always have at least one bruise on your face somewhere, but you never let that stop you from trying something new and pushing your limits!

You are also a problem-solver.  If something is broken, you make every attempt to fix it, and love to use tools just like Daddy to "fix" things around the house.  I'm not sure what you're going to choose to be when you grow up, but I'd put money on the fact that it will involve problem-solving in some way!

Lastly, you are hands-down the funniest almost two year old I know!  The lines that come out of your little mouth belong in a movie.  For example, this week when I told you your friend (who happens to be two months older and taller than you) would be coming over to swim with you, you told me, "No Mommy, I don't want to swim with ___, he's too small!"  You also chose not to play with a plastic lion with your barn today because, "Lions are too scaarrryy for barns!"  Where you come up with these things, I have no idea, but you definitely know how to put smiles on our faces on a daily basis!

So, our little monster, we wish you another year of happiness, new discoveries, and lots of laughs as you make your way through the "terrible 2s" (though if you decide to take a path of your own instead of that one, I won't be disappointed!).  We can't wait to see what new adventures your third year will bring!  Happy Birthday, peanut!!!


Love, Mom & Dad

Christmas in August!

This week we took our last summer vacation to the White Mountains to visit the big guy at his home away from the North Pole - Santa's Village!  What an awesome park for families with young children!  I was so impressed with everything from how clean the park was, to all of the "non-ride" activities to do like playgrounds and sandboxes, to the constant flow of top-notch Christmas music blasting through the speakers!  We went with our friends, and I think it's safe to say that all 5 kids and 4 parents had an awesome time!  Definitely a trip that we'll be making every year!

Family selfie from the train of all 9 of us!  The train ride around the park was hands-down Ty's favorite part!  If you ask him about Santa's Village he'll definitely tell you how he rode on a train AND it went through a tunnel!  So cool!

One of my favorite parts of the trip was watching my Ty - who used to be so resistant to sudden movements - ride on and actually enjoy the rides!!!  I learned that both boys are fearless when it comes to heights - they loved riding on the ferris wheel that practically touched the clouds, while Eric and I gripped the bar for dear life every time the thing went up and over the top!  And while Ty wasn't quite ready for the fast and scary rides (unlike his fearless buddy Connor!), he did go on quite a few, including his first log flume ride (which I was certain would be the end of his ride-riding days!).  It's pretty awesome how far we've come!!!

             

                  


We had a wonderful trip all around, and enjoyed our family time - one of our last as a family of 4!!!

What's the Big Deal About the NNEDSC?!

So in the midst of "fundraising season" for various organizations, I think it's important to stress why the NNEDSC is such a worthy organization to support - not only for our family, but for all children and adults with Down syndrome across the state of New Hampshire and their families too.


In the past couple of years, the NNEDSC has expanded the services that it provides - only possible because of the support it has received through events like the Buddy Walk!  It is a small, volunteer-run organization, but every dollar goes right back to families who are touched by Down syndrome, which means EVERY.SINGLE.DOLLAR counts! 

Here's a little breakdown of how funds raised were used by the NNEDSC in the past year...


First Call Program - 20 new parents of babies with Down syndrome were supported through the First Call program!  All families were provided with up-to-date books and resources about Down syndrome, as well as special gifts for their new little bundles!  Many parents were also connected with parent mentors through this program!
Hospital Resources - All 20 hospitals in the state of New Hampshire were provided with up-to-date, accurate booklets about Down syndrome to share with parents whose babies are born with Down syndrome at their hospitals.
Family Support Grant Program - 21 grants were awarded to families across the state of New Hampshire.  Through this program we:
                   - sent 3 children to summer camp;
                   - sent 3 parents to Down syndrome conferences;
                   - funded recreational activities and therapies for 4 children;
                   - provided educational materials to 8 children and families; and
                   - helped offset the cost of medical expenses and supplies for 3 families!
Medical Supports - In addition to the family grants, we were able to provide support to families whose children with Down syndrome were undergoing hospital treatment.  This included personal gifts to brighten the days of the little guys and girls who were in the hospital, as well as assistance to parents, as needed. 
Exceptional Educator Awards - 2 exceptional educators were awarded our first annual Exceptional Educator Award!  These educators were selected out of a pool of nominees as those who support best practices in education and inclusion for children with Down syndrome.  For their hard work and dedication, each educator was awarded a personal check, and their schools were awarded funds to further support the education of children with Down syndrome in their buildings.
NNEDSC Social Events - In the past year, the NNEDSC sponsored monthly get-togethers of the Saturday Explorers playgroup for children with Down syndrome and their families!  In addition, the NNEDSC annual Winter Carnival was held with a fantastic turnout, and we had our first NNEDSC summer outing to Sunapee State Park! 
Annual Buddy Walk - Last but not least, the NNEDSC's largest event each year is the annual Buddy Walk!  This walk is a nationwide event that is sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), that is held in states across the country in October to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  Last year, the Buddy Walk hosted 300 walkers and raised $20,000 which was used to support the programs mentioned above.  This year we hope to go above and beyond in order to continue to better support families of individuals with Down syndrome across the state of New Hampshire!

Ty's Team Page!

Please consider supporting this awesome organization, so families (like ours!) across the state of New Hampshire can continue to receive support!