My Nerdy Baby

Austin has my nerdy computer savvy bug.


What can I say ... it's in the genes.


One day (two years ago today) we sat him at the computer and let him hit the keys. Just to let him play around.


Even now he loves clicking around on the mouse and playing with the keys.


That day I had no intention of capturing the moment on film, but when you see what happened you'll understand why I wish I had a video camera that day.


In retrospect, I wish I had written down the web address of the first site he pulled up.


I would LOVE to take him back there today, just to see his reaction.


I am pretty sure he would be riveted to the screen. Just as he was that day.









I think it was a Japanese American Idol-style audition vlog



What do you think...would he enjoy going back?



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My New York Sob Story

This is my entry for Project Mom Casting. What is PMC? Only the BIGGEST thing to hit BlogHer since...well, since BlogHer.

It turns out some fancy schmancy producers will be in NYC to interview blogging moms for a REALITY show. I know, I know. Call me crazy.

Truth be told, I recently submitted our story for a documentary series on Special Needs families, but we didn't make the cut.

Maybe this time, a single mom raising a toddler with special medical needs and trying to make a difference will be worthy.

I dunno. Whaddya think? Oh nevermind...just please support this craziness one more time.





My name is Janis, and in less than 10 days I will once again be bound for the allure of Manhattan.

I lived in NYC many moons ago, as a starving graduate student. It had always been a dream of mine to live in New York. So like Sally Albright, I packed it all up after graduation and I went to NYU.  I lived with my best friend and set out to pursue a Master's Degree in Counseling and Guidance.

Yeah, I actually planned to help other people plan their lives. Ironic, I know.

To say things didn't work out is an understatement. The short version: I got sick & headed to Student Health, they offered me a ride in an ambulance to the hospital. Yeah, that kind of sick.

The kind of sick that has your medical insurance denying you coverage. The kind of sick that has you sobbing on a plane home within a week. Why? Because you are a student and covered under your parent's policy...but only in California. (Read the fine print.)

Yup, my New York dream and my graduate education were stymied by lack of adequate medical coverage. {Why is this such a persistent theme in my life?} So I withdrew from NYU and vowed never to return to NYC until I was rich, it would all be different then.

Well here I am returning, not exactly rich; in fact, just as broke and under-insured as the day I left. But, this time I am returning rich in experience. This time I have a different set of dreams. This time I am coming with 2500 of my best friends.

Yeah, I'm still single and unlucky in love, but Manhattan is filled with women just like me...if you don't believe me just watch SATC {well, you know except that they are skinny and rich...and probably insured.}

Despite my hasty exit, I'm eagerly anticipating my return. I'm even staying an extra day in Manhattan because I want to walk through Greenwich Village and Washington Square once again. I want to browse the book vendors in Union Square.

I want to pass The Plaza and dream of staying there. I want to window shop at F.A.O. Schwartz and pretend I can actually afford to buy my son something.

Someday.

I still believe it will happen someday. These experiences, these stories I hold, Austin's story...someday they will all be told.


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Just Sayin' Saturday: Bloggers Unite

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~Mark Twain





I often get asked how and why I decided to become an advocate for children with special needs. And the truth of the matter is, I didn't.

An advocate, according to Merriam-Webster, is:  (emphasis mine)

1 : one that pleads the cause of another; specifically : one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court

2 : one that defends or maintains a cause or proposal

3 : one that supports or promotes the interests of another

Back about one hundred years ago I, somehow, managed to graduate from college with an actual degree. Despite my love of writing, in my Sophomore year, I ditched a major in English to pursue Sociology. (I didn't say it was a useful degree.) ;)

Right about now I am wishing I had stuck to writing, because let's face it, my grammar sucks. (I like to call it creative license.)

I'll admit at first the Sociology classes were fun and maybe the term 'easy A' got tossed around, but soon it became my calling. I studied, I researched, I wrote. I ate, slept and breathed social justice.

So you see, all those college courses on inequality, societal values and discrimination helped to shape my world tremendously.

How does that relate to being an advocate for special families? It's actually quite simple.

This is what I believe:

• Every child deserves to be loved.
• Every parent deserves to be understood.
• Every voice deserves to be heard.

I didn't CHOOSE this role. It chose me. I was advocating long before Austin came into my life, now I just have a better reason.

Feel free to blame my college professors.

Now go spread some kindness.

This post is my contribution to Bloggers Unite cause, People First: Empowering People with Disabilities. Please stop by and read others. There are over 300 bloggers writing for this cause today. Advocates, every single one of them.


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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

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Places to Peek This Week

BIG NEWS!!!!

Outside of the mom blogging world this may not make any sense...but right here in my little world this is HUGE!

I'm going to New Yooork City!!! (in my best Pace Picante sauce accent)

Yes, ladies (& gents) I won a partial scholarship to attend THE biggest mom blogging conference of the year, BlogHer, from the awesome non-profit organization, LATISM (Latinos in Social Media.)

The conference is in -- TWO WEEKS!! So yours truly will be heading to NYC for 4, count 'em FOUR days to meet with some of the biggest bloggers...over 2400 of 'em. Can you imagine the sheer magnitude of that?

My lovely roomies for the weekend will be Catherine Calhoun of Children's Rare Disease Network and Julia Roberts of Support for Special Needs, respectively. Thank you ladies for agreeing to help keep me of the streets of Manhattan. ;)

If you'd like to help another Latina blogger, LATISM is passing the hat around this weekend to raise even more money to help bring a few more ladies to New York.

Even if  you can only spare $5.00 it would help tremendously! (Tax Deductible, of course!)

Help save a Latte, Help send a Blogger to NYC!






{Note: Any donation above does not directly benefit me, it goes to LATISM. If you are interested in helping to complete my conference sponsorship, by all means shoot me an email.}

***

If you are participating in Bloggers Unite on Saturday July 24th don't forget to link up your blog post. I linked up my post on teaching children about differences. We have exceeded our goal of 300 bloggers! WOOT!

***

Being Latino has a new feature called, Latinos Doing Their Thing. So this week I was doing my thing! Thanks so much to my sweet friend Libby Julia for making that happen.

***

And if you take a look over at 5 Minutes For Special Needs you will notice that we got a makeover! I love the new look. Don't you? I also wrote a little something about a little something new we have going on here. Maybe.


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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

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The One Where Austin Hates The Beach

Like all good Southern Californians who live inland, when the temps reach close to 100 degrees, we pack up and head to the beach.





Austin, being from Texas and all, apparently has no appreciation for said beach.



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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

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Does Anyone Ever Want Bad News?

You know how people always try to deliver good news with the bad news so that it -- I dunno, softens the blow or something. Whenever someone says, I have good news and bad news, which do you want first? 

I always want to respond, 'give me the good news...keep the bad news, no way do I want it.'

Seriously, who EVER wants bad news?

And then there are people who just mix the bad news right in with the conversation and hope you don't pick up on it. (Mostly doctors.)

I'm generally a good news first kinda person. That's how I deliver information and how I like to receive it. (Take note, doctors!)

When it comes to Austin I think sometimes we are used to dealing with so many setbacks, that the inchstones get overlooked. {Also, sometimes we just have so much going on I forget to update you at all. My bad.}


So here we go:


Good news: Austin is doing pretty well on his new 'diet'. He is actually asking for food at least twice a day.
Bad news - He is not actually EATING any more than before. A lot of food is being pocketed.



Oreo cookie evidence


Good news: He is really drinking from his sippy cup like a champ.
Bad news: He liked juice a little too much, so we had to switched him to water.


Good news: He really hasn't complained.
Bad news: He doesn't drink as much water as he did juice. (So I guess technically, he is silently complaining.)



It's water with Crystal Light - the fake out "juice"


Good news: Occasionally, he is willing to drink the new formula (Boost Kid Essentials 1.5) straight from the box (similar to juice box).
Bad news: The new formula may actually be "too rich" for his system and we may need to switch back to the old formula.


Good news: Austin got fitted for new AFOs and they are ready to be picked up this week.
Bad news: Austin got fitted for new AFOs because his PT noticed his arch was underdeveloped and he still needs ankle support.
Very bad news: This means that ALL his shoes will no longer fit and now need to be re-purchased to fit over the new AFOs.


Good news: The new BAHA is here. (More on this in another post.)
Bad news: The new headband is not.


Well I think that's enough for today...oh yes, I have more.


Do you have any good/bad news to share?



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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

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Wishing...

We are watching Pinocchio this morning. Which has me sitting here thinking, How nice would it be if it were really that easy? You wish upon a star and someone appears to magically make it happen, just because you deserve it.





 Ah, Disney...why can't it be true?

If it were, we would not have had to meet with Dr. Plastics yesterday.

We would not have discussed a very real surgery with very real risks.
We would not have discussed how this may not correct what we need.
We certainly would not have discussed that Austin would need MORE jaw surgery someday.

If I could wish this part away I most certainly would. The surgery, the PICU, the swelling, the turning...all of it gone.

Unfortunately, that's not in the stars.

***

I know you are wondering about the surgery date. So am I. All I know right now is that it is likely to be mid/late August. Dr. Plastics ordered another CT scan, but the paperwork is in motion.


Photo: Mart61


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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

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Just Sayin' Saturday: Have A Heart, Help Andrea!

"It is in your weakest moments that you find your true strength" - Unknown







Today's quote comes from Andrea Clegg, as she waits for the perfect donor match. Andrea has been diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and is awaiting a heart transplant. She has an absolutely amazing story, with more twists and turns than a soap opera plot, which includes collapsing in her husband's arms on her wedding day.

She just celebrated her first year of marriage and has been waiting for a donor nearly as long. But she's not just sitting back. She's fighting for her life, getting fit and she's raising awareness for organ donation.

Andrea has started to blog and designs t-shirts to raise awareness. She writes, "the biggest goal with my shop is to get the word out about organ donation. I'm trying to make t-shirts that people will actually wear and inspire conversations,...I'm trying to make a difference."

Thank you, Andrea, for allowing me to share a bit of your story and help your cause. I am praying for both you and your potential heart donor.


More organ donation information:

Recycle Me (CAN)

Donate Life (USA)

Stats on organ donation in US, Over 100,000 people are waiting...



Photo credit: Andrey Khritin


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Do you have... A favorite quote to share about overcoming adversity? A saying that inspires you or others? A special needs blog that needs some love & attention?

Send me an email (click on the little @ globe in the top right corner) with your name, email address, blog url and your favorite inspirational saying and you can possibly be featured on Just Sayin' Saturday.