"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." Acts 20:24
After Karis was born, we were blessed by so many different people. Many of our friends brought us meals and thoughtful gifts. Many more prayed for us and encouraged us. We also had some family come and stay with us to ease the burden of transitioning into life with a toddler and a newborn. :)
Our first family member to stay with us was Granny Sandy (my mom). She was sweet enough (and brave enough?) to stay with us for almost 2 weeks, and Granddad visited (with Otis & Howdy, their dogs) over one weekend while she was here. They were such a help to us, and Enoch especially benefitted from having them here to help him through the transition of becoming a big brother. He got lots of love and attention while they were here, and he even learned a little from them. ;)
Granny enjoyed walking him around our neighborhood every morning, and when Granddad came, they often played with Otis out back. Enoch learned lots of new words, like: Otis, flower, flag, ditch (and I'm sure there were a few more that I'm forgetting). More importantly though, he really blossomed in his desire to try and say words (before their visit, he was very hesitant to even try saying new words, which kept him from learning them). He also learned how to take his shoes off (a huge help to mama!), and how to play with play-doh.
play-doh and coloring lessons from Granny Sandy
And of course Granny helped with the baby holding too. ;)
We so enjoyed their visit, and now I am looking forward to the month of July because we have more family coming! (I know that if Enoch could understand the concept of time he'd be so pumped that June is almost over too.) Believe it or not, we are expecting visitors three out of the four weekends in July, and we certainly wouldn't mind if the fourth weekend filled up too! ;)
Hugh and I have leaned heavily toward homeschooling our children for a few years now for various reasons. I thought this article summed up many of my feelings about why I personally lean that direction. I also especially appreciate her commitment to re-evaluating their decision often and considering each child's specific needs as well as her honesty about not maintaining a perfect house while homeschooling.
Karis took her first bottle this past Sunday at five weeks old. :) She drank all 4 oz of the pumped breast milk like a pro, and it's possible that she burped far less with the bottle than she would have otherwise. (strange!?!)
We like to begin integrating a bottle with our kids somewhere between 4-6 weeks because
they're less likely to experience nipple confusion (as compared with offering a bottle too early)
they're less likely to refuse the bottle (as compared with offering a bottle too late)
it's around the time frame when I'm beginning to want a little more flexibility than nursing every 3 hours allows
As far as breast pumps go, I have the Medela double pump and love it! It's easy to use, comfortable, convenient, and portable. I highly recommend that new moms register for a good pump when they select their baby registry items. (Though I've now been informed that some (maybe all??) insurance plans are required to pay for breast feeding supplies, which is worth looking into if you're a new mama or know one who is hoping to breast feed her baby. Check this link for more info.)
And the bottle of choice around our household is the Tommee Tippee bottle, recommended to me by a friend. It has a super wide nipple/base, and it has worked for both Little Man and Sweet Girl, so it passes my approval. :) You can find them at Toys R Us and Amazon (and probably a few more places than that, though those are my two trusted sources).
It's possible that some of you may know that the Mississippi State Bulldogs are in the NCAA College World Series this week (Mon-Wed). And in our small college town, that's a HUGE deal! So a few of the local restaurants were having watch parties each night of the series, and my favorite burger joint just happened to also be offering a great special... So we geared up in our maroon & white and hit up MugShots for dinner last night.
Hugh and I enjoyed the good food and getting to watch the opening of the game, and Enoch was mesmerized the entire time by the TV. haha, what should his parents expect since he doesn't have one at home? ;) He did such a good job sitting still in the booth (no booster seat!) and not complaining when he had to wait for our meal to come (the restaurant was p.a.c.k.e.d.).
We thought he was so funny and cute that I had to get a video. He was pretty much like this for the whole hour that we were there, either watching the game, the bustling waitresses, or the cute little boy at the table across from us. (Hugh did know that I was recording, and I think he might've been mimicking Enoch.)
Somehow Karis slept through all that commotion, which is probably a good thing since large juicy burgers are hard to eat one handed!!
I just love naked babies, especially since they look so cute napping! And note those little chunky arms? She weighed in at over 9 lbs early this week, which means that the Heavy Medal Baby legacy lives on (pun intended. ;)
Can you tell which baby is Karis and which is Enoch?
Enoch & I played in the rain this morning while picking our tomato harvest. He enjoyed the "wain" and the garden-fresh grape tomatoes... I think he managed to eat almost half of the harvest (what you see in the colander is the post-Enoch harvest)! :)
So far we've only had grape tomatoes ripen, but I have 1 cucumber and a few other tomato types that are close to being ready now. And my pepper plants have nickel sized peppers growing all over them too. Mmm.. Not much like fresh, home grown veggies!
(About the only problem I've had so far with this year's garden has been yellowing leaves on the bottom of my tomato plants. I'm still not sure if it's a natural tomato thing, blight, or a Nitrogen deficiency.. Any thoughts from other gardeners out there? Most of the yellow leaves do NOT have spots, but a few do.)
As many of you may know, we just recently had our second child. Karis Grace was born on May 18th, 2013, coming in at a whopping 7 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches. After Karis was born, our midwife saw several physical markers during her newborn evaluation which tipped her off that Karis likely had Down Syndrome. She was so careful to tell us gently (we had no idea and weren't expecting it at all), and to advise us on a few of the implications for our family.
I'm listing the markers that our midwife noticed below, for those who are wondering what the 'markers' of Down Syndrome might be. There are technically more markers that children with DS can have which Karis did not, and honestly some of them are subjective enough that two different medical professionals might come up with slightly different lists for the same child. Our midwife also clarified to us that having these markers was not a guaranteed diagnosis of Down Syndrome (only a blood test can confirm it).
Low muscle tone (called 'hypotonia', where babies appear "floppy")
Flat facial features
Upward slant to the eyes (called 'almond' shaped)
Single deep crease across the center of the palm (called a 'Palmar' crease)
Hyperflexibility (excessive ability to extend joints)
Enlarged fontanels (soft spots on head)
Increased thickness at the back of the neck
Pinky curved slightly inward
The Diagnosis
When we went to our 2 day check up at the pediatrician's office, he agreed that it looked likely that Karis would have Downs. He ordered a blood test to count her chromosomes (Down Syndrome is a genetic condition where a person has an extra chromosome, which happens at conception.). Karis was officially diagnosed with Down Syndrome 2.5 weeks after her birth when the results of the blood test came back.
Her specific type of Down Syndrome is a basic Trisomy 21 (she has three 21st chromosomes rather than the typical two) and was spontaneous (as opposed to inherited), meaning that neither Hugh nor I are carriers. This is the most common type of Down Syndrome (~95% of people with DS have this type). The genetic specifics of Down Syndrome are very complex, and there seems to be many unanswered questions about the hows and whys behind it.
Although we don't understand many of the details behind Karis' diagnosis, we are confident in one thing- God made Karis just the way He intended. There were no mistakes in the way she was created. Psalm 139:13-14 gives us the basis for this important and comforting truth:
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;my soul knows it very well."
My Reactions
My initial reaction when our midwife informed us about Karis' likely genetic abnormality was one of surprise. We hadn't been expecting this, and I knew so little about Down Syndrome that I was dumbfounded for a while, especially since she looked & acted just like Enoch had at this stage.
Then came grief. Not grief over Karis; grief over the death of many of my expectations. And grief in the face of much uncertainty.
Next for me came comfort as friends & family encouraged us and shared Scripture with us. At very critical steps along this path, the Lord has used people to remind us of Him. One amazing example was this text, which was waiting for me after the doctor's appointment where Karis' Down Syndrome was confirmed: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 1:5:16-18) That was a solid truth that shaped how I saw Karis' Down Syndrome - I was to be thankful for it.
For now, I am still walking in that place of peace & comfort. And when my heart allows worries to rise up, God is gracious to restore my peace by reminding me of His goodness and faithfulness through His Word.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)
Moving Forward
Up to this point, Karis has been a pretty typical baby. She's nursing & sleeping great, and she is well over her birth weight as a result, which our pediatrician was pleased by. Although she did exhibit some hypotonia at birth, she is gaining strength and is quite able to squirm around when lying flat on her back or tummy. She's also kicking those legs hard enough now to make diaper changes challenging. ;)
Because babies with Down Syndrome are at a higher risk for certain health problems, we will have more testing done in the next few weeks- thyroid, heart, hearing, complete blood count, etc. We also just got enrolled in the early intervention program through the state in which Karis will be able to receive therapy as she develops and we see the areas where she has special needs. For now, the only 'special' things we were encouraged to do with Karis were plenty of tummy time and exclusive breastfeeding. Tummy time is the best way for babies to develop and strengthen their core muscles while breastfeeding raises IQ and strengthens baby's jaws. Technically both of these things are what we would've been doing with our newborn, with or without the DS diagnosis, so they're not truly that special in my book. ;)
As we look further into the future, there are certainly many unknowns. We really appreciate those closest to us who have stepped up and said, "Even though I don't know much about Down Syndrome, I want to learn so that I can love Karis well." That means the world to us, especially since it means that we'll all be learning together. I hope to use this blog as a place to share what Hugh & I discover about Down Syndrome as well as to chronicle our precious daughter's journey through life.
For now, I want to end with a great video about Down Syndrome from the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City. It covers many of the basics about DS, features kids with DS and their friends, and demonstrates many ways that people with DS are "just like you."
I just bought both volumes of Steve Green's "Hide 'em in your heart" songs, and Enoch LOVES them! The CDs are filled with songs, and each song takes a Bible verse and puts it to music. A few of the things that I like about these songs are:
each song uses only the words from the actual scripture verse, which helps memorize with word-for-word accuracy;
there are kids helping to sing and say the verses;
the tunes are catchy and not annoying;
the verses Steve chose to put to music are all very relevant for children; and,
the songs serve as a great way for parents and children to memorize scripture together!
Here's the Amazon link for both of Steve's volumes: Hide 'em in your heart vol. 1 & 2. I was able to find both volumes used in our town, so that might also be worth looking into if you're interested in buying these CDs.
And here's the link to his website (he's done much more than just produce children's music!
Here's one of the songs from his collection of children's songs:
And just in case you think Steve Green is a one-trick pony, here's him singing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" by Martin Luther, which is incredibly hard to sing (you have to listen to the whole thing in order to appreciate it)!! He does an amazing job, and believe it or not, this is actually a video that Hugh showed me before we even knew about Steve Green (A Might Fortress is one of his favorite hymns), so Hugh thought it was necessary to include this in my Steve Green post.
While Granny Sandy & Granddad Craig were visiting, they brought their dogs with them. One of their dogs, Otis, is a collie who LOVES to play fetch... In fact, it's possible that he lives for it. And of course Enoch loves dogs... He's actually quite obsessed. So, Enoch and Otis made quite the pair - Otis wanted a bone thrower; Enoch wanted a dog to pet and play with. :)
Granny Sandy snapped this video for me (I was probably busy nursing Karis), which shows the cute comedy of both parties having different goals. Otis is incredibly focused on his bone the whole time, and Enoch really just wants to pet Otis. :)
Probably the only thing cuter than them playing together was Enoch saying "Otis" {pronounced "oh-is" in his cutest voice}. Even after Otis went home, Enoch would point outside and ask for him. ;)
Hugh decided this week that Enoch needed to learn how to use a fork in order to make meal time easier now that we have 2 kiddos. (I had been putting off this lesson since it adds so much extra clean up to mealtime, so up to this point Little Man had simply been using his fingers.)
Anyway, the lessons began this week, and Enoch has really taken to the fork quite well! He can hold the fork and eat with both hands (my dad is ambidextrous, so I'm always watching for that in Enoch), and tonight at dinner he actually asked to use the fork rather than having Hugh feed him his green beans and chicken. :)
This is a video of some forkin' from a few days ago. I think it's so cute how much he has to focus in order to stab those slippery strawberries!!
Although I have numerous posts I'm hoping to write regarding the past two weeks, time hasn't allowed me to complete them yet. I don't want to keep depriving our family of pictures though, so to fill the gap, here are a few more photos from the past two weeks...
"Awesome Big Brother"
Karis' first bath
Enoch's crazy hair (due to the humidity + sweat)
Daddy rocking his girl
Photo shoot on the butterfly blanket
And just a few notes about the first two weeks that I want to remember-
She was a sleepy, sleepy baby for the first 2 weeks! We had to work really hard at waking her to eat for most feedings.
She has been a good nurser, and at her 2 week check up she weighed in at 8 lbs 1 ounce (she was 7 lbs, 2 oz at birth).
Each time I nurse Karis, it takes about 1 hour because she likes to burp about 3-4 times per feeding (nurse 5 minutes, burp for 10 minutes, repeat) and she sometimes requires 2 diaper changes.
I again have an over-abundance of milk, so I started only feeding her on one side per feeding a few days after my milk came in (which happened on day 2).
Wet & poopy diapers abounded, coming in at 6-9 per day after the first few days of meconium.
Karis loves being held and sung to (Granny Sandy did lots of singing to her).
She is notorious for pooping & peeing while being changed.. In fact, she's actually peed on my phone once now (TMI??).
Enoch has enjoyed being a big brother for the most part. He likes to alert us anytime she makes a noise by saying "bah-bah", and he really likes watching her/trying to touch her. He also enjoys bringing me things for her (whether I ask for them or not). :)
He's definitely realized that she is taking away some of his attention, but I think he's done a good job adjusting to that, and we try to be sure that he gets some mama and daddy time everyday.
