Moo's Musings

Blog Change

2009-11-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ok! I moved. I'm now at www.nobabynoblog.blogspot.com

Go there!

Matching Monday- New York Edition

2009-10-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

This cutie pie is TJ. He's 20 months

"TJ barely cries, has a great appetite and is a joy. He is babbling and making noises. TJ needs a family who will be willing to devote their time and attention to learn the specialized care he requires."
Photolisting ID #1001017

https://apps.ocfs.ny.gov/Adoption/Child/Search/Demographic.aspx

Devontae is 7

"Born July 2002, Devontae is a fun, loving 7 year old lively child who enjoys many activities and can make anyone laugh. He is able to show appropriate affection and empathy especially towards his siblings. He enjoys the computer, playing football and soccer. He demonstrates his athletic ability through his strong throw and fast sprint. His goal for the future is to become a Judge. "
https://apps.ocfs.ny.gov/Adoption/Child/Search/Demographic.aspx
Referral ID 1000620

Note: I cannot link to their direct profiles, but enter the Referral ID in the search page in the box entitled "Referral ID"

Aisha

"Aisha is a very social young lady who loves to meet new people. Her hobbies are as multi-faceted as she is – ranging from music and writing, to soccer and basketball. One of Aisha’s favorite pastimes is anything related to food. Aisha loves cooking and eating food – especially Italian and Spanish food. As one can tell from her taste in food and her social nature, Aisha hopes to travel the world one day."

http://www.heartgallerynyc.org/core/child/?ChildId=84

We're More Alike Than Different

2009-10-04T19:13:00.001-07:00

This is worth watching

Nemo

2009-10-04T14:59:00.001-07:00

I have an issue with the r word.

Why? Why should I care? Because when people use the r word as an insult I see the face of a little boy I worked with, and for the purposes of this blog I'll call him Nemo, in a tribute to his love of Dorrie and his amazing ability to make whale noises.

Nemo is 7 and has autism and ADHD. If I could pick one child in the world to be my own, I would pick nemo. He runs up the hill to our group every morning, arms outstretched, giant grin spread across his face. He plops into my lap, or if I'm standing he hurls his arms around my waist and tries to knock me over. He says "I LOVE MOLLY!" One hand always has a toy clutched in it, usually a Gordon train, or a whale. The first time I met him was two summers ago. I was squatting in a doorway, talking to one of our staff members and he clambered onto my lap and said "Bounce me like a kangaroo?" and I did. His perfect hair flew up and down with each bounce, and he cackled with glee.

He is a sensory driven child. He loves to be spun, tossed, bounced and anything else that gives him sensory input. At the pool we let him jump off the side into our arms. He takes a few steps back, runs forward and jumps, feet pedling as if he doesn't know he's left the ground already. His mouth is always wide open in a grin, prompting us to hold him aloft as we plunge underwater, trying to keep him from swallowing the entire pool.

He has perfected the fake cry. But if you've caught him, all you do is ask "Nemo, are you crying for real or for fake?"
" FOR FAKE!" he exclaims, and grins up at you, tears vanishing.

Once he pushed a child into the pool. As his punishment I made him sit out, beside me for 5 minutes. Before letting him go I asked "Nemo, are you going to push L again?"
"No.... YES!" he yelled.

Whoops... (To be continued)

31 for 21!

2009-10-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

I am committing to posting every day in October in honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I may only be writing for myself but I'll do it! (or at least try!)

Anyone have any requests?

I'm fasting

2009-09-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yep. Yom Kippur. Jewish Guilt. I slept till 1030 and plan on napping.

I'M HUNGRY! but I'm also wishing an easy fast to my fellow Jews.

Side note: I think guys in yarmulkes are totally hot. Is that weird? (for all my non jews, yarmulkes are the skullcaps that Jewish men wear. and I happen to lurve me some yarmulke wearing dudes)

Update: The entire universe is blogging about food today. ARGH

Erin.

2009-09-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

I have a new role model.

Her name is Erin Thompson.

She's 22, a student at George Mason University and she's eloquent. Far more eloquent than I am.

She has Down Syndrome.

I've been searching for her contact info since Saturday, when she spoke at the 15th Annual NYC Buddy Walk. She was accepting the Piper Award for her amazing work as an advocate for those with Down Syndrome. She testified in front of the Virginia General Assembly and was instrumental in getting the term "mental retardation" replaced with "intellectual disability" in the Virginia State Code. She's fighting the stigma, and by the looks of it, she's winning.

She demands respect for herself, and for those with intellectual disabilities. She looks you in the eye and tells you that respect is a basic human right. That to use the r word in a derogatory manner is unacceptable. It's undeniably powerful. She is part of a generation of people with intellectual disabilities who are fighting back.

This is just the beginning, but this is the way it should be. I'm done with certain groups of people being treated like second class citizens. Maybe I live in a land of pink fluffy clouds and unicorns, but I hope to see a day when we treat people like PEOPLE regardless of disability, sexual orientation, race, religious background, or anything else that makes me different from you. Maybe optimism is what this world needs. Either way I want to be more like Erin.

Today

2009-09-11T10:03:00.001-07:00

I'm a New Yorker.

There aren't words to describe September 11th.

It still makes me nervous when I hear planes fly overhead. I tense up until the noise passes.

We will never forget.

I'm baaaack

2009-09-04T05:51:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I had a sort of epiphany. This blog is going to become a collection of stories. Mine, yours, his, hers. I want a place to record my stories of WHY I work with kids with special needs. There are so many moments that have touched my heart, and I don't want to forget them.

Maddie

2009-04-14T10:24:00.001-07:00

How do you even begin to explain that you are mourning the loss of a little girl you've never laid eyes on? Those who read Heather's blog will get it instantly. Maddie is, to risk sounding cliche, a miracle baby. Her parents miracle baby. But Heather and Mike Spohr were sweet enough to share Maddie with the world.

I suck at writing tribute posts, so instead I'll just write to Mike & Heather. I cannot begin to imagine the heartbreak you two are feeling. Maddie made me smile. I remember the first time I came across Heather's blog (www.remembermaddie.com, formerly www.thespohrsaremultiplying.com) my first thought was "Holy crap. That is the cutest baby I've ever seen". Those of you who know me know that I fancy myself to have been a rather adorable child. Maddie takes the cake. From what Heather shared, Maddie was always smiley, happy, and a joy. The video of her dancing to Single Ladies cracks me up! Heather's blog is one of the funniest I've ever read. Even in the midst of all sorts of scary medical stuff she maintained her sense of humor. Who else would make diaper hats with their kid? or use a ton of different bandaids to keep o2 attached to Maddie. There's just something about she writes that shows the love she feels for her tiny little Maddie Moo. Even if she's writing about April Fools Day pranks, or Maddie's tantrums.

And then there's Mike. Every little girl dreams of being her father's princess. There are countless pictures on Heather's Flickr account of Mike and Maddie. Most of the time Mike isn't looking at the camera. He's looking at Maddie, with this look of absolute love and joy. He just looks so thrilled to be holding his little girl. She was lucky to have a daddy who loved her so dearly.

It's funny, when I watch videos that people have made for Maddie I have two reactions. First I get sad, and then just as I'm about to start crying the next picture in the video is something like this:

How can you NOT smile. So to The Spohrs, Thank you. Thank you for sharing your baby girl with us. She brought joy to so many, and she will never be forgotten.

For Madeline

2009-04-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

To those of you who are currently remembering Madeline. May she never be forgotten.