Catching up post

It's been quite awhile since I have posted because we are all just getting over being sick.  Not terribly sick, just allergies/gunky noses/coughing type of sick.  Sick or not, we have been one busy family....

Our local Buddy Walk was last Saturday.  The day was cool and overcast but then cleared up to make for perfect walking weather!

Buddy Walk 2011

 We had a GREAT turnout!

Rachel and Faith handing out Reece's Rainbow fliers!

We hosted the Reece's Rainbow table again this year.

Holly walking in the Buddy Walk with Sarah and Sydney!

Jason walking with Justin in the Buddy Walk!

Sarah meeting big brother Wesley for the very first time!!!

  
Sydney meeting Wesley for the very first time!!!

Volleyball!

Rachel's volleyball season is going really, really well!!!

Bleachers are not stroller friendly so we usually sit on the sidelines to watch the games.

Best view in the house!

Household fun!

The newly emptied-out bottom two shelves of our bookcase has become quite the hot-spot for playing these days.

 

Holly taking a walk with Sydney.  Perfectly in step!!

Holly showing Sarah some weeds wild flowers!

Jason entertaining the little ones

YUMMY!

Three types of Down syndrome

Did you know that people who have Down syndrome have the same exact healthy chromosomes as everyone else!?!  Why yes, yes, they do!  They simply have one extra #21, so three copies of 21 instead of two.  People without Ds have 23 pairs of chromosomes while people with Ds have 23 pairs, plus one extra  #21.   

There are three types of Down syndrome:

1. Full or Complete Trisomy 21
2. Mosaic Down syndrome
3. Translocation Down syndrome

90% of  people with Ds have the extra #21 in every cell in their body...called Full or Complete Trisomy 21.  About 5% of people with Ds have the extra #21 only in certain cells...called Mosaic Ds.  About 5% of people with Ds have part of the extra #21 connected to another chromosome...called Translocation Ds.


So there you have it in a nut shell.  The three different types of Down syndrome.

"31 for 21"....I'm up for a challenge

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and every year for the past 5 years, there has been a "31 for 21 Challenge" that was started by an amazing momma, Tricia, who also has a daughter with Ds.  The point of the challenge is to blog every-single-day for 31 straight days to raise awareness about Down syndrome.


I'm up for a challenge.


So, I'll try.  To blog every day.  With 10 kids, 5 of whom are 5 and under, still in diapers, all 5 littles have Ds....ummmmm, we'll see if I can blog every-single-day.  I'll try.

Happy Down syndrome month!!!