One Little Fin

My Funny Valentine

2012-02-15T13:09:00.006-05:00

I hope all our friends had a happy day yesterday! And more importantly, I wish we could feel so loved and appreciated every other day too. Because Valentines Day is really just one silly day that I happen to like. (mainly for the chocolate and cupcakes) But there are 364 other days in the year where we should be telling our loved ones how much we care and doing simple gestures to show it. Isn't that what it's really about?

Anyways we had a great day and Gavin was just a little excited about getting Valentines treats!

Doin' Things One-Handed

2012-02-12T22:16:00.013-05:00

As if Ryan Haack wasn't cool enough already, now he has this awesome caricature of himself for his website, Living One Handed. Personally, I think its pretty awesome!

Come to think of it...his whole website is pretty awesome. If you haven't checked it out, you definitely should!

I am loving Ryan's "how-to" videos in which he shows himself doing simple, every day tasks one-handed. (Because that's how you do things when you have one hand. *wink*)

He covers the typical parental worries of how a one-handed child will tie their shoes or zip their coat, as well as the more important skills like how to make snowballs and shuffle cards. And my personal favourite - How to Hold Twins One-Handed. I look forward to more of these helpful and humorous How-To videos. Thanks so much for sharing Ryan. As I may have mentioned, you are AWESOME.

How to Tie Shoes One-Handed

How to Zip a Coat One-Handed

How to Put Toothpaste on a Toothbrush One-Handed

How to Wash Your Hands One-Handed

How to Make a Snowball One-Handed

How to Shovel and Use a Snow Blower One-Handed

How to Peel Fruit One-Handed

How to Shuffle Cards One-Handed

How to Wrap a Present One-Handed

How to Do "Where Is Thumbkin?" One-Handed"

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Wonderful Wears - Clothing Exchange

2012-01-23T14:02:00.008-05:00

Here is a great idea for anyone who doesn't know what to do with their child's altered clothes that they have outgrown. Or for anyone who is looking for altered clothing for their child with a limb difference.

It is a group on facebook called Wonderful Wears - Clothing Exchange. "Unique apparel for the wonderfully made."

"Wonderful Wears is a clothing share & exchange group for families with children with limb differences where members can post photos of items they no longer need and wish to share.

If shipping is needed postage fees should be paid for by the receiver, however this is the responsibility of the parties to work out.

Wonderful Wears is a place to advertise available items and desire for items and does not take responsibility for any part of the transactions or condition of the items."

I wish I had some clothing to share but we always just roll up the sleeves on Gavin's long-sleeved shirts and we have never altered anything except his hockey jersey. We do have some mittens that GG has custom made for him. She makes the left hand without a thumb so it fits nicely over his left arm. We have a few pairs that we would be happy to pass on to another "wonderfully-made"! :)

April Lockhart

2012-01-22T09:46:00.010-05:00

Lately it seems there is no shortage of things I want to share with the lovely readers of One Little Fin! The only shortage I have...is time!! Thankfully I have friends to keep me in the loop :)

When I was introduced to April Lockhart's music yesterday, I couldn't wait to share it here. But I had to wait...because I had no time! ;) My two little ones are keeping me very busy these days!

But after seeing just a few of April's videos I knew I had to find time to share them! She is so talented, beautiful inside & out and such a positive role model! I love her music!

Download on iTunes: "SO WHAT"

On iTunes Here: "DIFFERENT"

You can support April by buying her songs on iTunes (:

Haylee's Message

2012-01-19T16:39:00.008-05:00

I'm a big believer in the whole "everything happens for a reason" cliche. I think that out of every negative situation, you can almost always find something positive or at least learn something from the situation or come out stronger because of it.

My first emotion when I learned about Gavin's limb difference was sadness. There was also guilt, anger and worry, to name a few. It was hard for us to hear that news at first. And it will be hard for him too at times, just like all of us experience growing up.

But it didn't take long for us to realize that there are just so many more positives than challenges. So many things to be thankful for. So many amazing people that we would not have otherwise met.

Like Haylee from Little Hand Big Heart. Haylee and her mom were visiting One Little Fin and read the "Its Not Broken" post about Gavin saying he doesn't like God because He broke his arm.

She made this video for Gavin and it is the sweetest thing she could have done.

MESSAGE FROM HAYLEE.

It means so much to us Haylee! I showed it to Gavin and he sat quietly and listened and smiled. And now he can watch it whenever he feels like it.

What a blessing you are Haylee! Your message is beautiful and so wise! Gavin is lucky to have you as a friend!

Little hand, Big Heart

2012-01-11T11:24:00.004-05:00

Ever since my conversation with Gavin last night when he told me he doesn't like God because he thinks God broke his arm, I have been reflecting a lot about it and feeling sad for how vulnerable my baby is in this big world. I am also overwhelmingly proud and amazed by him. I don't wish to change him, I just wish I could protect him from certain things. But that is exactly the opposite of what he needs me to do. He needs us to continue to empower him and raise him to be a confident, independent person who can take care of himself.

When I got an email from "Little Hand, Big Heart", it was exactly what I needed to remind me that Gavin will be just fine. He will learn to handle uncomfortable situations and stand up for himself. And he will be surrounded by a lot of positive people to help him along the way.

Thank you Haylee for being such a beautiful example and an inspiration. And thank you to Haylee's family for sharing!

Sometimes she does not need to say a word

It's not broken

2012-01-10T19:06:00.003-05:00

So today out of nowhere Gavin stuck out his left arm and said, "My arms broken - see??" I immediately disagreed and told him its not but he argued that it IS broken and told me that all the kids say its broken.

I have heard kids say it before but I thought the kids in his class were used to his arm. I didn't expect them to still be pointing it out.

I kept telling him how it's not broken, it's the way it's supposed to be. I said that God made him exactly the way he was supposed to be.

He spread his fingers wide and told me he wants to have another one like this because "this ones broken".

After I talked about his other friends who have a special arm like him and I said all the same stuff I usually do to stress to him that there is nothing wrong with his arm. It's not broken, it's really strong, and it can still do lots of things like hockey, etc. He said OK.

And then he told me, "I don't like God." When I asked him why he said "Because he broke my arm."

Protective Mama

2012-01-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

My biggest worry with Gavin is how he will deal with the extra challenge of always having to deal with other peoples comments and stares and having to constantly explain why he doesn't have a left hand.

I imagine he will be strong enough to deal with it and that he will be a better person because of it. But it still doesn't make it easier for this protective mama.

Today we were at the library and he saw two kids playing with a truck together. He really wanted to play with them but was too shy to ask so he was just kind of hanging out right beside them. The little boy was about 4 or 5 and I saw the exact moment he noticed Gavin's arm. His jaw dropped and he took a double take and then just sat there with his mouth wide open and STARED hard. Then he pointed it out to the girl he was playing with and then called another kid over to look. Then continued to stare.

I looked at Gavin and saw him pull his coat sleeve down over his arm to hide it.

I have never seen him do that before and it just made me so sad.

I don't blame kids for staring. Of course they are fascinated by it when they have never seen anything like it. I get that. The girl asked me what happened to his arm and I said what I usually do. Then like most kids do, she just stared at me blankly like that wasnt a good enough explanation and then asked "but where's his hand?". I always encourage kids to ask Gavin and let him answer but I also don't want to put him on the spot either. It hurts me to wonder how he feels in those moments. Is he used to it by now already? Or does it make him feel _____? I don't know. I asked him in the car why he pulled his sleeve down and he just said "because i don't like those kids". I just wish I could take his place and that he wouldn't have to deal with it every time he meets someone new for the rest of his life.

But all we can do is try our best to teach him that it's ok (and even cool!) that his arm is different and he can still do anything he wants in life. Right now it's not a big deal but I know there will be hard phases as he becomes older and goes to school without me tagging along as his advocate.

But it doesn't make sense to stress about the future and the unknown. So we just keep taking it one day at a time.

Accessibility Toronto

2011-12-12T11:09:00.004-05:00

We have another exciting announcement for all our friends in the GTA who happen to have Rogers Cable!

Last year Rogers aired the "filmpossible" documentary which featured many of last year's videos, as well as interviews with some of the participants and judges. It was really cool to see Gavin's video on TV and the episode has aired many times since then, each time bringing a little bit more VISIBILITY TO DISABILITY! It is incredibly inspiring to watch.

Now we are excited to see the airing of Holland Bloorview's episode of Accessibility Toronto on RogersTV tonight at 8pm! We are hoping to catch a glimpse of our little filmpossible stars in action! Holland Bloorview is an incredible facility, which I contribute mostly to the truly amazing staff team. It just has such a positive energy to it, which you can not fully understand unless you have been there and experienced the ongoing support and genuine interest in helping your child reach his or her full potential. So I am looking forward to seeing how it can be summed up in a half hour episode.

"Accessibility Toronto is a series of half hour television programs that focuses on people with disabilities. The goal of this series is to highlight their achievements and accomplishments and provide insightful and inspiring storylines for all viewers.

Community producer, Shannon Fitzpatrick pitched the initial idea and has worked diligently to bring viewers a wide range of compelling profiles and stories celebrating persons with disabilities from across Toronto."

The show appears only on RogersTV, so viewers need to have Rogers cable to receive the show. It will air on Channel 10 in Toronto and 63 in Scarborough - unfortunately subscribers outside the Toronto area will not be able to view the episode, as it only plays in the Toronto market.

They will be sending us a DVD copy of the episode so if you would really like to see it please let me know.

If you miss tonight's episode you can also cath it on Tuesday, December 13 at 1, 9 and 11:30 a.m.

Tony Memmel

2011-11-30T12:22:00.006-05:00

So we all know you need two hands to play guitar, right?

WRONG!! That was a trick question.

And if you don't believe me, just check out Tony Memmel in action. His songs always make me smile. I like this clip because it shows a great close-up of how he plays. Not only is he extremely talented but he is self-taught!

Since it is snowing right now and tomorrow is December, this festive little song seems fitting.

P.S. I like your jammies Tony!

Make it a Lucky Fin Christmas!

2011-11-29T13:59:00.007-05:00

Can you believe there is less than a month until Christmas?

This year we are trying to take some of the focus off of Santa and presents and teach Gavin about the real meaning of Christmas. I knew I had failed in that area up until now when he asked me a few weeks ago, "Who's Jesus?" *Hangs head in shame*

We have been reading some books about the story of Christmas and we plan to visit the library today to look for more books and hopefully a movie. There is also a Christmas musical at the church by our house that I plan to take him to.

Since we just moved and have had A LOT of expenses, we won't be doing much in the way of gifts this year. And it actually feels good. Its not about the STUFF. Our focus is on the time we spend with family and friends. And the food. We can't leave out the food!

This year is Eden's first Christmas so that makes it even more special. We have been very blessed this year in so many ways.

This year we have connected with some amazing people who share the passion that I do for advocating for our kids. I have posted before about Molly, mom to her wonderfully-made daughter Ryan, and the founder of the Lucky Fin Project. She has reached out to so many people all over the world and the Lucky Fin Project continues to grow! And now, just in time for Christmas, you can help support the project with a limited edition handmade Lucky Fin Love ornament.

They are very sweet and it seems like the perfect way to celebrate our perfectly made kids! Its a beautiful keepsake and something they could hang with pride on the tree every year. Or even just hang it in a special spot year-round.

These ornaments are available for a donation of $15 each or 3 ornaments for $40 at The Lucky Fin Shop.

Filmpossible Fever

2011-11-24T14:55:00.002-05:00

Two entries about filmpossible and our little Super Stars in one day??? That's right!

Check out the BLOOM blog to see the post by Louise Kinross.

FILMPOSSIBLE FEVER.

"Left hands are so over-rated!"

I've said it before but I will just say it one more time... This has been such a wonderful experience for Gavin and our family and friends. I know that we really reached out to a lot of people. And it was overwhelming how much support everyone showed. Thank you again to Jen and Annya for sharing your talent with all of us!

Filmpossible Fete

2011-11-23T20:13:00.014-05:00

Last Wednesday was the Filmpossible party at Holland Bloorview and it was a very memorable evening!

The first thing we saw as we entered the party was a table of Holland Bloorview's 2012 Desktop Calendars! It was pretty cool to see Annya's winning photo, "Lucky Fin Love" on the cover! We are sure proud of those adorable little arms wearing their lucky fin bracelets with pride!

It felt oh-so-fancy when we realized there was even a little red carpet and a photographer took Mr Gavin's picture as he entered! He didn't want to smile until he found out there was popcorn! It is such a rough life being a mini celebrity! Ha! He totally rocked his sweater vest that GG knit for him! Thanks GG!

During the awards ceremony they played the clip of Gavin and Gabi's "I Can Be Me!" video and I almost teared up. I just love that little video! Its so awesome :) Jen did a great job and it was so fun being a part of the contest this year!

Here is the "I Can Be Me!" team: Gabi, Jen & Gavin

It was really too bad that Annya wasn't able to make it though, as the first place photography winner! I really wish she could have been there and I know she did too!

They called Gavin & Gabi on stage to accept her award (which meant that Janelle & I had to go up as well because the kids were being all shy). They were both presented with an incredibly soft and cute stuffed animal. They were both being so shy though and didn't even want to take them.

One of the highlights of the evening was when Gavin held out his hand for the microphone when I was asked to say a few words on behalf of Annya. I was not really prepared to say anything so I was glad to hand the mic to Gavin and give him a chance to say something, thus taking the spotlight off of me! At first he just wanted to stand there and hold it but I told him he had to say something. Then he started singing his ABCs in a quiet little voice into the microphone!!!! Ha! I should have known! Of course everyone was just eating it up. I was just glad I didn't have to talk anymore! It was pretty priceless though!

It was such a beautiful feeling to watch the awards and see some of the other winners and participants in person! There were so many wonderful entries and so much VISIBILITY was brought to disability! :)

Soon it was time to wrap up the evening. But it wouldn't be a party without CAKE!!!

Thanks so much to the awesome team at Holland Bloorview for allowing us to have this wonderful experience! It was so nice to finally meet Louise and Kathy and everyone else!

And thanks to all our supportive friends & family who took the time to vote all summer for "I Can Be Me!" and "Lucky Fin Love"!! We love you!

Janelle's BLOOM clip

2011-11-23T10:47:00.007-05:00

I feel bad that I haven't been posting here very often. I keep meaning to but it is just hard to find the time lately!

Would you like to hear a long list of excuses or should I just skip right to the post?

We have lots of pictures and news to share!

First I want to share a link to the BLOOM blog where you can find lots of great video clips and resources from other parents.

Janelle (Miss Gabrielle's awesome mom) talks to Louise and shares some advice about dealing with questions and stares from other people and the importance of staying positive! I am so proud of Janelle because I just LOVE her answers and advice and I know how helpful it could be to new parents. Listening to this interview when I was pregnant with Gavin and dealing with the shock of finding out about his limb difference would have made a world of difference to me.

TALKING ABOUT LIMB DIFFERENCE

So I just want to make a shout out to my friend Janelle! You rock! We are SO blessed to have such awesome kids and to have each other too!

(I will be back soon with an update about the Filmpossible Fete!!)

Ashlyn

2011-10-12T20:18:00.002-04:00

Check out this great article about Ashlyn and the "Dolphin Tale" movie!

Dolphin's 'Tail' Inpires Metro Girl to Reach Goals

4:45 p.m. CDT, October 11, 2011
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo.—
Beaches, Disney World and a bottlenose dolphin named Winter. Those are on the to do list for four-year-old Ashlyn Fowler.

"We're going to swim in the swimming pool and we're going to swim at the beach and play with sandcastles," said Ashlyn, who lives in Lee's Summit.

You see, Ashlyn, an avid swimmer, was born without her left arm. But her new prosthesis makes everything, even swimming a little easier. She calls it her helper arm and she'll test it out in the ocean later this month when she goes to Florida to meet a fellow amputee who also loves to swim.

"Her tail fell off in a crab trap, but she still gets her helper tail," said Ashlyn.

Winter the dolphin went through extensive rehabilitation after she lost her tail at three-months-old. Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, the same company that made Ashlyn's arm, made Winter a prosthetic tail to help her glide through the water.

"[Ashlyn] sees the dolphin and she just relates for some reason," said Keith Andrews of Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics. "I would've expected a much stronger battle trying to get her to wear the prostheses and get her to use the prostheses, but that hasn't been the case and I think we can tie that back to the dolphin."

Ashlyn's mother, Trisha Whitehead, said she's thankful Winter has provided unconventional motivation for her daughter.

"There was a lot of shock, sadness," said Whitehead, recalling the months after Ashlyn's birth. "You start worrying about her future and what she won't be able to do. But she has been amazing. She can do everything. And she does it amazingly well."

Ashlyn's prosthetic arm isn't just for aesthetic reasons. Using it means that she will build symmetrical muscles on her right and left side. This is important to prevent possible injury to her spinal cord.

WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!!!

2011-09-02T10:10:00.002-04:00

The filmpossible results are in!

FIRST PRIZE in the Photo category = LUCKY FIN LOVE by Annya Miller, as well as THIRD PLACE for the Cisco Visibility award!!!!

SECOND PRIZE in the Video category = I CAN BE ME! by Jen Warman, as well as FIRST PLACE for the Cisco Visibility award!!!!

Congrats to our awesome team! So proud of you Gabby & Gavin! xoxoxo

Thank you to EVERYONE who took the time to vote! We love you all!

Starting School

2011-08-31T10:29:00.009-04:00

Summer is winding down and it has been a great one! Lots of little ones are starting school soon. Thankfully that won't be Gavin until next year. I'm not quite ready to have my baby start kindergarten yet! But I'm sure it will be here before we know it.

Little Miss Gabby starts school this year though and its pretty exciting! :)

I know there are some valid concerns and worries about sending your child off to school! And when he or she is missing a hand or has some other type of limb difference the worries and anxiety skyrocket, as you wonder how the other children will react, imagine them saying mean things and pointing and how your child will handle it, etc. etc.

I know this is a source of stress for many parents. So I want to share some really helpful suggestions and info put together by Jordan's mom, Jen, of Born Just Right.

I just love this idea of making a little book about your child to share with the other children. Check out Jordan's Kindergarten Book! Very well done :)

Here is also a template for a letter you can personalize. It is directed to the parents of your child's classmates to give them a bit of background info and help them answer questions their children might have about limb differences.
Generic Letter to Parents.

I hope you find these helpful. Thanks so much Jen for these fantastic resources!

Also, if you don't have one already, be sure to request a "Starting School Kit" from CHAMP! There is lots of great info in there too!

If you are looking for books about limb differences, check out my book list! You could always ask the teacher to incorporate some of these books into circle time, or even arrange to come in with your child to talk about how we are all different, read a related book and allow the children to ask questions. This can be really helpful for everyone! CHAMP is really awesome about having someone come in to do a presentation with your child if that is something you would like to do!

Good luck to all our friends starting school this year!

Filmpossible Finalists!!

2011-08-24T09:27:00.004-04:00

We want to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has been supporting Gavin & Gabby's filmpossible entries! Thank you to everyone who took the time out of your busy or even lazy day to vote over the summer! Cisco Canada donated $1 per vote up to $10,000 in round one so you guys helped raise a lot of money for Holland Bloorview and help bring a lot of visibility to disability :)

We have some pretty exciting news....the finalists were announced today and their video "I CAN BE ME!" by Jen Warman and photo "LUCKY FIN LOVE" by Annya Miller both made it to the finals!!!!

Now there is only ONE WEEK of public voting to determine the winners. You can vote for both entries once a day (open August 24 - August 31, 2011). Winners are determined based on the highest number of public votes in Round Two. Now we need your support more than ever! So please spread the word and show your support.

Thanks again! Lucky fin love to all!

Please vote for "I CAN BE ME! by GAVINandGABBY
Gavin and Gabby are two friends who were born with congenital limb differences, but despite what many other kids might think at first, they can do EVERYTHING other 3 year olds can do..and more!!

Please vote for LUCKY FIN LOVE!
Gavin and Gabby showing off their little fingers (Gabby calls them "pinky fingers" and Gavin calls them "baby fingers") and Lucky Fin bracelets! Left hands are SO overrated ;) © Annya Miller Photography 2011 annyamillerphotography.com

filmpossible Video and Photo Contest
Source: bloorview.votigo.com

Lucky Fin Bracelet Giveaway!

2011-08-15T12:45:00.009-04:00

This is one of the awesome pictures taken by Annya Miller during Gavin and Gabby's recent photo shoot! We think it looks like they are shaking hands :)

If you don't have your own lucky fin bracelet here is a perfect opportunity for you to WIN one! Just head on over to Born Just Right and leave a comment and you will be entered in a random draw to win one of five lucky fin bracelets! Make sure you do it by August 23 and the winners will be chosen at 8pm central time!

Love

2011-08-08T12:36:00.004-04:00

"There's no other love like the love for a brother.
There's no other love like the love from a brother."

- Astrid Alauda

1000 reasons to smile

2011-08-06T20:07:00.001-04:00

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile."

- unknown

Curious George helper arm

2011-08-05T13:06:00.013-04:00

I have been going through ALLLLL the pictures on our computer in the past few days. I'm trying to save them on discs so I can delete most of them off the computer.

Anyways, I came across these cute pictures of Gavin when he was a year old wearing his second prosthetic arm. His Curious George arm, which he rarely wore so I'm glad I have a few pictures.

Here he is at 14 months old driving his ride-on toy on the driveway

When it got colder, we tried putting a mitten over it. Not that it needed a mitten! :P

Here he is at 16 months playing the drums. I used the drums as an incentive for him to want to wear it but it didn't work.

He would always pull it off shortly after. He always wanted to hold the drum stick with his little arm instead! This picture makes me laugh because it pretty much sums up how he felt about this piece of plastic! "Get it off me!"

When you smile, the whole world smiles with you

2011-08-04T10:22:00.004-04:00

The filmpossible contest is in full swing and there have been lots of new entries submitted in the past few days! If you are going to submit a photo or video, make sure you do it before August 12!

Last year Gavin's video was the only submission of a child with a limb difference. This year there are several and I couldn't be happier about it. When we all come together like this, our message is so much louder and more powerful. We can reach out and educate so many people who may have never met a child with a limb difference before. We are also helping to empower our kids and advocate for them in a really fun way!

I just have to share these awesome photos with you! Remember you can vote on as many entries per day as you want :)

I absolutely LOVE this photo of Jaclyn! She clearly has a great sense of humour :)
When you're smiling...

I also LOVE this beautiful picture of Claire and her new dragonfly friend!
Claire and dragonfly on the beach

Please take a minute to check out these pictures and some of the other inspiring entries. It always makes me smile :)

Shifting focus from disability to possibility

2011-08-03T15:23:00.003-04:00

Check out this article by Ann Douglas in today's Toronto Star! She interviewed several parents (including me!!) about bringing visibility to disability, tying in to the theme of the filmpossible contest.

Parents shift focus from disability to possibility

I will copy and paste the article just in case the link gets removed eventually.

THE MOTHER OF ALL BABY COLUMNS
Douglas: Parents shift focus from disability to possibility
August 3, 2011

Ann Douglas

When Andrea McDowell was seven months pregnant, the baby she was carrying was diagnosed with dwarfism.

“Initially, I was more or less terrified because no one could explain to me what the diagnosis meant,” the Hamilton mother of one recalls. “And, at this stage, the only thing you know about your kid is what is potentially wrong with them. You don’t yet know who they are as a person.”

Sharon Aschaiek, a Toronto mother of one and disability advocate (autismresolutionontario.com) whose 5-year-old son Jaden was diagnosed with autism at the age of two-and-a-half, remembers the sense of urgency she felt at the time: how her worry about his future made it difficult for her to relax and enjoy her son.

“You can get too caught up in the future. I had to learn to relate to Jaden in the moment — to really be there in the moment, too. Instead of worrying about the future, I had to realize that I was shaping that future right now.”

Once she made that shift in perspective, she experienced less anxiety and more joy. “What you see is what you get with Jaden. His love is unfiltered. I feel lucky to be raising him. He is a really special child.”

Aschaiek was wise to let go of the need to control a situation that is often out of the parent’s control, says Amy Baskin, mother of two, a volunteer and advocate in the special-needs world, and co-author of More Than A Mom: Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs (amybaskin.com).

Advocate, yes, she advises, but don’t let your child’s disability become the focus of your relationship. “Hang out and do the fun kid stuff. Tune into your child and recognize your child’s unique personality, strengths and talents. Create a village around your child. And connect with other parents who are in the same boat.” According to Baskin, you shouldn’t have much difficulty finding other families in a similar situation: One in five families has a child who has special needs.

Tapping into support from others who truly understand can change everything. Peterborough mother of two Linda Viscardis remembers hearing Northwestern University communications professor John McKnight speak 22 years ago about the value that people with disabilities bring to the world. “That speech changed my life,” she recalls.

At the time, Viscardis was hungry for inspiration. Her eldest child, Laura, then 5, had been diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality during her first year of life — and had almost died on a couple of occasions. The combined pressures of taking Laura to speech, physio and occupational therapy and caring for a new baby had taken a toll on her. She had experienced a major depression the previous year.

What McKnight said changed everything for Linda and for Laura.

“He talked about the importance of creating strong, healthy communities — how every single person in the community has strengths and gifts and the capacity to contribute. We changed the expectations we placed on Laura and that in turn changed the expectations she placed on herself. Today, at age 27, she lives in her own apartment, works part-time and volunteers at a seniors’ residence. She’s more computer literate than I am and she has a large circle of friends. She has surpassed every single expectation we have ever had for her.”

Toronto mother Megan Daley feels that making disabilities more visible is a crucial first step to changing attitudes and expectations. (Her son Gavin’s left arm didn’t fully develop in utero, so his arm ends at the elbow.) To encourage people to focus on what Gavin, now 3, can do rather than what he can’t, Daley is participating in filmpossible (a contest organized by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto in an effort to “bring visibility to disability”) for the second year in a row. (Note: For information about this year’s filmpossible contest, which now features photography, please visit www.filmpossible.ca.)

Last year’s video — titled His Abilities — focused on a day in the life of Gavin, who was then 2. “We like to show people what he is capable of,” explains Daley. This year’s entry — titled I Can Be Me — features Gavin and his friend Gabby, who has the same type of amputation as Gavin. (The aim of this year’s entry, according to Daley, is to show other young children that kids with amputations are just kids.)

The first few years after a child’s disability is diagnosed are really difficult, say parents who have been there. As time goes on, you are able to focus less on the disability and more on the child.

As Andrea McDowell, whose daughter, Frances, is now 7-1/2 puts it: “Now she’s just Frances and she’s fabulous and we have a wonderful life together.”

Ann Douglas is the author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books (Wiley Canada, 2nd Canadian Edition, June 2011) www.having-a-baby.com. You can find all of her columns on the Star’s parenting website, parentcentral.ca.

3 Years Old

2011-07-28T12:24:00.012-04:00

I just wanted to share a few of my favourite pictures from Gavin's birthday.

He was a very happy little boy to wake up on his birthday and find a John Deere tractor (the one he had been asking for incessantly) in the backyard from Gramma and Grampa! He is so proud!

Soon it was time for his party! Auntie Michelle makes his birthday cupcakes every year and they seem to get better every single time!

The birthday boy!

Gavin had a few friends over in the backyard and they played basketball and hockey! It was a great day :)

Look at these two. They were inseparable. Best buds! ♥

Yes, so our little boy is three now. I know everyone talks about "the terrible twos". But so far, I think they might have it wrong and I know a lot of parents who would vouch for me on this one! So far, three is turning out to be a lot more of a challenge!

We love you Gavin! Even when you're grumpy!

Lucky Fin Love

2011-07-22T22:40:00.013-04:00

I just came across one of many adorable pictures of the two of them together. Gabby and Gavin, that is. They have grown so much in 1 year!! Thanks Annya, for all the awesome pictures we have thanks to your photoshoots!

Which reminded me to spread the word that we entered another entry into Holland Bloorview's filmpossible contest for bringing visibility to disability! It is a really striking photo of their little arms wearing their lucky fin bracelets with pride. Its a close-up that shows their baby or pinky fingers, as they call them. So cute. Love this picture! :)

LUCKY FIN LOVE

We hope you will vote every day because Cisco is donating $1 for every vote (and also we wouldn't complain if we won either.)

You can vote for as many entries per day as you like and there are lots of other great entries too! :)

Happy Birthday Gavin!

2011-07-16T07:13:00.007-04:00

On this day three years ago, Gavin Michael James was born and our lives were forever changed! ♥

He put me through almost 57 hours of labour (but who's counting?). He was a VERY high-maintenance baby. He was the WORST sleeper. And his tantrums are still long and exhausting, worthy of an Academy Award.

All because he is stubborn like his Mommy! And strong-willed and determined. And smart. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. He's emotional. And FULL of energy (a LOT of energy).

And guess what else?

He is the sweetest, most loving boy in the whole world. He is the best big brother ever. He is my best helper. He is caring and sensitive. He is hilarious. And he has a smile that can light up the whole world.

He is an amazing little guy and I could not possibly love him any more than I already do! Until he tells me, "I love you too much sweetheart" and wraps those skinny little arms around me. And then I realize that I love him a little bit more each & every day.

Happy Birthday Gavy! I am so proud of you! Wishing you the best birthday ever!! I love you too much!

Jim Abbott quotes

2011-07-05T12:07:00.004-04:00

"People will tell you that I overcame obstacles? Maybe. But the truth is I was incredibly blessed in my life. More was given than was ever taken away."

"Some of you may know that my career statistics weren't that great. There were some incredible highlights and some agonizing low lights. The truth is, I won't go to the hall of fame. But if a career can be measured by special moments, lessons learned, and a connection with people then I would stack mine up with oneness. Maybe there is an obligation to share. To try and learn from the experiences life puts us through."

- Jim Abbott, former one handed baseball pitcher, and motivational speaker

If I Knew You and You Knew Me

2011-07-05T10:22:00.003-04:00

If I knew you and you knew me --
If both of us could clearly see,
And with an inner sight divine
The meaning of your heart and mine --
I'm sure that we would differ less
And clasp our hands in friendliness;
Our thoughts would pleasantly agree
If I knew you and you knew me.

If I knew you and you knew me,
As each one knows his own self, we
Could look each other in the face
And see therein a truer grace.
Life has so many hidden woes,
So many thorns for every rose;
The "why" of things our hearts would see,
If I knew you and you knew me.

by Nixon Waterman

Dreaming of baseball

2011-06-27T12:47:00.004-04:00

When Gavin asked me if he could sleep with his glove at nap time today I said sure. Sleep with whatever you want as long as it will keep you quiet and in your bed! When I went to check on him a few minutes later I found him like this!

My collection of amusing pictures of him sleeping continues to grow! Ha! I already have the one of him sleeping with his firetruck, and another of him sleeping with a big, plastic garbage truck. I think this one is pretty funny though. His arm is at such a weird angle. It looks like he is really ready to catch the ball. I wonder if he is dreaming of baseball...

Fingers are like roses

2011-06-24T12:04:00.007-04:00

I was just browsing through the SuperHands kids website and the first kid I clicked on was a little baby named Brandon. And in the little write-up about how his parents found out about Brandon's limb difference, it mentions that the doctor told them,

"Fingers are like roses. Some bloom and some don't."

Don't you think thats a good way of explaining it to kids about "baby fingers" as Gavin calls it, or "nubbins"? I like it! :)

Book Reviews

2011-06-24T11:51:00.002-04:00

I would like to update the post I made last year called, BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!!!. It has been over a year now and some I don't think are available now, unfortunately. There just doesn't seem to be a high demand for most of these and I have had a hard time finding them in book stores. I will do a bit more looking and see what I can find and then I will update the list.

I need your help! If you have read any of these books or any others that you recommend, please let me know! I would love to hear your reviews and suggestions! :)

Story Teller

2011-06-21T17:19:00.004-04:00

I just love seeing the bond develop between Gavin and his baby sister. Growing up, I always wished I had a big brother and I think Eden is so blessed to have one!

Today she was laying on her play mat and he decided to read her some stories. She was staring at him the whole time and he was saying things to her like, "Oh, you want to read it again Eden? OK, which one you like? You my sha-sha-sha-sha girl!" (whatever that means...I'm pretty sure it is a term of endearment though!)

Miah the cat

2011-06-20T15:11:00.006-04:00

Today Gavin told me that his friend Shalom touched his arm. He told me, "I no want to say no thank you." (We have told Gavin to tell people "no thank you" when he doesn't want them touching his arm.)

I asked if he wanted Shalom to touch his arm and he told me no. I told him, "then you have to tell him no." He said he didn't want to.

I asked him if a lot of the kids touch his arm.

He said, "No, just Miah. Miah the cat."

(FYI: Miah is my parents' cat. He is obsessed with her every time he visits. We were just there last week but I was unaware that she was bothering him by touching his arm. I guess we will have to give her a talking to about personal space! She has a bit of an attitude as you may be able to tell from the picture...)

I CAN BE ME!

2011-06-20T10:35:00.005-04:00

Last year we participated in Holland Bloorview's first filmpossible contest. It was a huge success! Gavin's video, "His Abilities" made it to the finals and was even featured in a 1 hour documentary about the contest on Rogers TV.

The theme of the contest is "bringing visability to disability" and it definiately achieved that goal!

The second filmpossible contest is starting today and we are so excited about it! This year my awesome friend Jen put together this super cute video of Gavin and Gabby, the adorable duo!

Please show your support! You can register your email and then log in every day to vote. Cisco will donate $1 for every vote!

Contest details

Back Catcher

2011-06-16T13:39:00.009-04:00

We all know about Gavin's hockey obsession. Well he LOVES to play goalie. He loves to save the puck, he loves to fall, and most of all, he loves the helmet with the full cage.

He has recently become a baseball fan as well. And what is his favourite position? The back catcher!!

My guess is because of the big helmet with the cage that goes along with the position. He loves it. He wants one. He also wants a batting helmet.

He loves to copy the back catcher by squatting down with his glove in the air. Now he just has to learn how to catch the ball in his glove!

His Abilities

2011-06-15T21:13:00.001-04:00

How To Survive Being Stared At

2011-06-13T22:15:00.008-04:00

Most of the member's of the Sammy's Friends group are parents of children with limb differences. But the great thing is, that there are also members who are adults with limb differences themselves. I always love hearing things from their perspectives.

Like Ryan Haack, a 33-year old dad who just happens to have one hand. Check out his blog: Ryan Haack Does Stuff: And he does it all one-handed.

I love his recent entry, "How to Survive Being Stared At".

I love this part. Its SO TRUE!

"Kids don’t know any better. I’m not saying kids aren’t smart or anything, I’m just saying they’ve (probably) never seen somebody like me and their brains are still in that stage where they’re like, “HOLY CRAP. THAT DUDE IS MISSING HIS ARM. I MUST KNOW WHY. I WILL ASK HIM IMMEDIATELY.” "

At the CHAMPS seminars, they mention the same kind of idea when talking about how to handle staring and questions. Brian likes to tell the kids to think of themselves as a beautiful, rare butterfly that no one has ever seen before. Of course they want to look at you and ask questions! Just as you would, if you saw a space ship for the first time or a pink giraffe with polka-dots. If you've never seen one before, wouldn't you find yourself staring in curiosity and wanting to find out more about it because its SO COOL!? :)

Filmpossible 2012

2011-06-07T12:54:00.004-04:00

I just got this email today about the upcoming Filmpossible contest! Just wanted to pass along all the info for people who are interested in submitting a video!

Hello!

Filmpossible 2011 is right around the corner and we hope that you are just as excited as we are! With just a few short weeks until the contest launches on June 20th, now is great time to start taking pictures or getting started on your video entry this year. Get your photos and videos in early to increase your chances of winning a Cisco Visibility Award (awarded to the three entries that receive the most public votes in round one).

You can also find more contest information by clicking HERE to visit the filmpossible page on the Holland Bloorview website. Looking for inspiration? Check out the filmpossible playlist on the Holland Bloorview YouTube channel HERE to watch some of last year’s entries. Regrettably, not all of the filmpossible 2010 videos could be transferred to YouTube due to differences in file formats. If you don’t see your entry here but would like to have it added, please let me know by email and we can try to fix that!

We are excited to see the creative new ways that you will bring visibility to disability in 2011 and we encourage you to spread the word about filmpossible via Twitter, Facebook, blogs, email and conversations with family and friends.

Don’t forget to visit filmpossible.ca on June 20th to upload your photo or video and vote for your favourites!

Crawling

2011-06-07T12:45:00.005-04:00

Aww I just came across this little video clip of Gavin as a baby. I just love the way he crawled at first! xoxo

Baby Gavin (8 months old)

He is soo cute! I love you Gavy! Even as a baby he was always so determined to get where he needed to go and he didn't waste any time doing it! And he always had such a big smile on his face :)

Copy Cat

2011-06-04T10:40:00.004-04:00

Gavin is at that stage where he loves to copy. EVERYTHING. He copies things we say which has caused us to be extra careful. We have even heard him say some choice words which we know he didn't hear from us. We can censor what WE say, but not what other people say.

When I'm looking after Eden he will pick up his doll and mimic everything I do. My favourite is when he puts his doll to his chest when I'm nursing her. Haha!

He loves to watch sports and copy their actions. Several weeks ago we stopped at the park on the way home and there were some older kids playing baseball. Gavin focused on the back catcher and copied EVERY move he made! This has now turned into a weekly routine and he loves to stop and watch the baseball games.

But Gavin's favourite thing to copy is other kids. Especially Gabby! We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and I swear there was an echo every where we went! It is pretty hilarious at first, which quickly turns into annoying!

These two just love to do whatever the other one is doing...especially if it is rolling down a hill! :)

CHAMPS in Ottawa!

2011-06-04T09:13:00.015-04:00

Last weekend we went to Ottawa for Gavin's 3rd CHAMP seminar. It was a highly anticipated trip because Gavin knew for several weeks that we were taking the train! It was our first time on the VIA train and it was a success! I wish we could take the train everywhere, instead of driving. It is so much easier with the little ones, not having to keep them confined to their car seats for several hours. Janelle and Gabby were with us and it was lots of fun!

The train ride was 4 hours and the kids were amazing. It helped that Janelle had lots of tricks up her sleeve to keep them entertained. And little Eden slept most of the way and didn't make a peep.

At one point they even put a blanket over the table and then looked at books in their fort!

It was a great weekend. My favourite part is always seeing all the kids playing together. I love how everyone is instant friends, whether they haven't seen each other for a year or it is their first time meeting. We always meet some awesome parents too!

This year Janelle and I were asked to do a little interview together for the "Matching Mothers" program. They asked us some questions about how we met, how we feel about coming to the seminars and how far we have come since finding out about our babies' limb differences. Miss Eden even got to make a cameo in the interview! She kept crying when I tried to leave her in her stroller and then we would have to start the interview over so finally, they just said I could hold her. After the interview they wanted some shots of the kids playing together. There were multiple hugs, which eventually ended in tears, since Gavin's hugs tend to involve tackling Gabby to the ground. We are working on that...

I think the most fun was when the amputees took over the hotel's swimming pool! Ha! I love to see the looks on other people's faces when kids start jumping in the pool with their swim legs on and swimming around like nobody's business! :)

We have been working on getting Gavin to wear his "mighty machine arm" more frequently so it helped for him to see other kids with their prosthetics on. (Although I still don't think he really cared). But he is doing well with it when we can get him to leave it on. (Tough love!)

I didn't get many pictures because my camera was acting up. But I love how proud he is in this one! He was showing me how he can hold the bus with his mighty machine arm. I am so proud of our little CHAMP and I can't believe how big he is getting!!

It was great for him and Gabby to spend the whole weekend together. They were inseperable and so cute together! Janelle got them these Sammy's Friend's T-shirts and wrote on them with fabric markers. Gavin's says "Gabby's arm buddy" on the back and Gabby's says "Gavin's arm buddy". Then she wrote on the left sleeve "God made me this way". I love them! Sorry this is the only picture I have but trust me, they are super cute!

If you are interested in your own Sammy's Friends shirt, you can purchase one here!

A Day in the Life of Jordan

2011-05-20T09:39:00.006-04:00

I have talked about Jordan before. She is such an amazing and incredibly adorable little girl who just happens to have a limb difference.

I came across Jordan's blog, Born Just Right when I was pregnant with Gavin, and seeing Jordan's pictures made such a difference to me. It really helped me to realize that having a limb difference was not something that would define Gavin as a person. It would just be a small part of who he would be. And although he would have to do some things a bit differently, it didn't mean he wouldn't be able to do them. This was a huge turning point for me. No longer did I have to feel sad for my baby and mourn all the things he wouldn't be able to do. I started to realize that he would be just fine! So thank you, Jen, for starting "Born Just Right" and sharing Jordan's story with so many people. :)

Recently, Jordan had a very talented photographer, Rebecca Allen, spend some time at her school to capture some beautiful photos of Jordan in action.

A picture really is worth a thousand words.

Take a look! (Just drag the orange bar at the bottom of the page to scroll through the photos)

How the Lucky Fin Project began

2011-05-17T21:16:00.011-04:00

Check out this great little video of Molly Stapleman telling her story of how the Lucky Fin Project got started. She is such an inspiration! I love this project!

Have you ordered your bracelet yet?

Our family is all proudly showing our lucky fin pride. I don't think John has taken his off since he got it. Eden even has her own tiny little Lucky Fin bracelet to show her support for her big brother! :)

Filmpossible Documentary

2011-05-17T13:10:00.006-04:00

I keep meaning to write about this but life has been keeping me so busy!

It is pretty exciting...Rogers TV is airing a one hour documentary about "Filmpossible", the contest we participated in during the summer. The theme was "Bringing visability to disability" and it was a great success! Gavin's 2 minute video, "His Abilities" will be featured in the documentary and we are so proud of him!

If you have Rogers TV be sure to tune in! It debuted last night at 10pm but don't worry, there are still two more chances to catch it!

THIS Wednesday at 10pm and Saturday at 10pm.

*CH 10 in Toronto
*CH. 63 in Scarborough
*CH 510 in high-definition (HD)

You can go here to watch the promo.

Last year Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital held their first ever on-line competition for short videos with the theme of “bringing visibility to disability”. This one-hour original Rogers TV documentary profiles the world renowned Toronto facility, introduces us to some of the filmmakers and judges, and includes many of the extraordinary videos that just might make people rethink their preconceptions about disability.

Eat Sleep Breathe Hockey

2011-05-02T12:15:00.004-04:00

Gavin's hockey obsession is out of control.

From the moment he wakes up, the first thing he says is that he wants to watch hockey. He is relentless. It consumes his mind. I can't last very long without putting it on because he just repeats it over and over and over. Finally, I just put the damn thing on so I can have some peace and quiet. Not that it gives me peace and quiet... Because as soon as its on, he puts on his hockey helmet, grabs his stick and puck and is sliding around the living room, copying every move they make. And of course he is not satisfied until you are watching him.

"Watch me mommy! Watch me play hockey! Get off the ice! Sit down please!"

It is endless. Forget about kids shows. All he wants to watch is hockey. We put on Leafs TV because there is almost always a game on. Every commercial he is asking "Its coming back? Its coming back?" "YES Gavin, Its coming back!!!"

Oh and socks are not socks. They are skates! duhh

The funniest thing is that he always says "neck" instead of "net". "I scored mommy! I scored in the neck!"

He has had a rough few days because is is fighting off an ear infection. He cried when the doctor took his temperature in his ear. He cried when Eden accidentally touched his ear when they were laying on the bed. He insisted on not wearing a shirt because he didn't want it touching his ears when I put it on. YET HE CAN STILL TAKE HIS HOCKEY HELMET ON AND OFF A MILLION TIMES!

He really is so hilarious though. He is so detail oriented. Sometimes he asks me to sing "oh Canada" before his game and he will stand so still and quiet until it is over. And he pushes his shopping cart around the floor pretending it is the Zamboni. Also when he scores, we have to pat him on the helmet like he sees the hockey players do on TV. What else??? Basically every single thing he sees the real hockey players do, he tries to copy. Which is bad with so much fighting and slashing. But he knows its "not nice" and he will always ask me if they're going to get a time out.

Yes, his fascination with hockey is pretty cute but I am so tired of it!

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T17:14:00.003-04:00

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
- Native American Proverb

The "G" Team

2011-04-19T11:40:00.009-04:00

A few weeks ago, Gabby stopped by with her mom to meet baby Eden. (Bearing gifts, a big bin of girly clothes and a delicious homemade pizza!!)

It was a short visit but our little twosome made good use of their time together, playing with Play-Dough and being silly! I'm looking forward to more frequent play dates now that I'm off work again!

I just love these two little monkeys!

You Get to Choose

2011-04-14T15:28:00.006-04:00

Thanks again to Mary for sharing this great quote!

"With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift.
Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing.
You get to choose."

- Dr. Wayne Dyer

Danielle's Dream

2011-04-13T08:45:00.006-04:00

Here is a great story about Danielle, a RBE (right below elbow) amputee, who dreamed of being a nurse ever since she was a little girl playing with her Fisher-Price doctor kit.

Despite some unsupportive people along the way, Danielle never gave up and she was determined to make her dream come true. Now she is a successful nurse who is well loved by her patients!

Thanks to Mary from the Lucky Fin Project for sharing this link!

For the Love of the Game

2011-04-12T10:28:00.010-04:00

A few weeks ago, John took Gavin skating for the first time. He was so excited to wear his new helmet and finally get to test out his skates. He didn't really skate at all, just relied on Daddy to push him around while he leaned back and enjoyed the ride and Daddy got a sore back...

He was more excited to watch a hockey game in the other arena. He came home and told me all about the hockey game and how they banged on the glass when someone scored. And the Zamboni. Ohhh the Zamboni.

Well since then, he has become obsessed with hockey. OBSESSED I tell you. He lives, breathes and sleeps hockey.

Forget Treehouse (the kids channel). He wants to watch HOCKEY. To the point that we have to put on Leafs TV or a sports channel just so he can watch hockey recaps while he runs around the living room with his ball and stick, yelling "SCORES!" and throwing himself on the floor. (Because for Gavin, he has to fall every time he scores or its just not as fun.)

The only problem with watching hockey is all the recaps of the fights and the hits, slashes, etc. We keep having to explain that its not nice and the hockey players will get a penalty when they do that. But he's still always asking, "Why they fightin'? Why? Why they slashin'? Not nice? He get time out?"

Every day we have to read him "Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet" book and he sleeps with it at night.

Thankfully the weather is getting warmer and we have been able to take the hockey game outside to the driveway. Gavin would stay out there for hours if we had the energy to keep up with him.

I love watching him play though. He has quite the slap shot for a kid with one hand! ;)
HE SHOOTS...

HE SCORES!!!

So Sweet

2011-04-11T15:04:00.013-04:00

I must admit, I was pretty worried about how Gavin was going to adjust to having a new baby at home. He is used to being the baby in the family and he is used to getting all the attention. He has always been a Mama's boy so I was worried that there would be a lot of jealousy and tantrums.

But he has completely amazed me and proved me wrong and I couldn't be happier! Gavin LOVES his baby sister so much. He loves to shower her little face with kisses and tell her, "I love you Eden. I love you too."

He is just so proud of her. The other day we were in a store and the sales lady was helping me and Gavin proudly told her, "Look at my baby!"

He is the first to tell me, "Mommy she's cryin'!" or "Mommy, she puked!"

When she cries, he tells her, "Shh...its OK Eden." as he strokes her face.

He is so gentle and loving with her. I just couldn't be more proud of him.

We took her to Annya's studio to have her newborn pictures done and I wanted to get a few of them together as well (then Daddy took Gavin to the park so Eden could have the spotlight).

This is my favourite picture ever. It just melts my heart every time I look at it.

We are so blessed ♥

And here are a few more of our sweet baby girl. (11 days old in these photos) Thank you Annya!!! xo

Say Cheese!

2011-04-08T10:28:00.007-04:00

Well here is another milestone for Gavin. His first school pictures! They had them done at his daycare last week and we weren't sure how they would turn out because he is at the stage where when you ask him to smile, he gives a huge cheesy grin, usually with his head tilted back and his eyes squinted shut!

We got the proofs today and John and I could not stop laughing!

Everything about these photos is funny to me.

Here is Gavin, just hangin' out in the jungle, in front of a mountain, reading a book! Then there is the fake smile. And WHAT is going on with his hair??? Hahahahaha!!!

Despite all that, he still manages to look cute!

My little boy is growing up way too fast...

Lucky Fin Project

2011-04-07T11:18:00.012-04:00

I just found out about this awesome project today and I couldn't wait to share it!

Last summer Molly Stapelman started making these adorable bracelets in celebration of her daughter Ryan's limb difference. Since then, hundreds of bracelets have been sent all over the world!

We like to use the example of Nemo's little fin to help other children be more accepting of Gavin's little arm. The colourful bead in the middle of Lucky Fin Bracelets resembles a clown fish, just like Nemo and his lucky fin! :)

The mission of the Lucky Fin Project is to educate, celebrate, support and unite. Lucky Fins ROCK!

Molly recently launched her new website to help spread the message of the Lucky Fin Project!

You can also check out the Lucky Fin Project Facebook Page.

On her website, Molly says,

"I believe everybody is different. Some people's differences are on the outside and easier to see than the differences others have on the inside. But EVERYBODY has got something and God doesn't give challenges to those who can't handle them. And in what ever your challenge, is a blessing worth celebrating."

Help the Lucky Fin Project grow and order yours today! Lucky Fin Bracelets are available in three different sizes and six colour combinations. Get your own handmade Lucky Fin Bracelet with a $10 donation (includes shipping). 100% of all donations go directly back into supporting this awesome project and spreading the Lucky Fin pride! I can't wait to get ours!

Welcome Baby Eden!

2011-03-23T11:08:00.009-04:00

Introducing the newest little member of our family!

Little Miss Eden Michelle made her arrival on March 20 at 5:38pm.
6 lbs 12 oz, 19 inches

And all girl! ♥ (I was in complete shock! Totally expecting another boy and could not have been ANY happier to be blessed with a baby GIRL!)
She is just the sweetest little thing. I can't get enough of her precious little face and her sweet newborn smell. I am in love.

I'm not the only one. Daddy is so proud of his baby girl and Gavin is completely over the moon in love with his baby sister. All he wants to do is hold her and cuddle her and stroke her little face. He is very gentle and protective and is loving his new role as big brother. I'm so proud of him!

We are so, so extremely blessed!

Circle Time

2011-03-17T09:02:00.010-04:00

This week I brought in a few books for Gavin's teacher to read to his class at circle time.

The 3 books we brought were:

"Imagine...Amazing Me!" by Libbi Chilia

I love this book because it has so many great pictures of kids with different limb differences. It shows the children doing all sorts of sports and activities, proving that there is nothing they can't do!

"Charlie: The Dog That Didn't Have a Paw" by Delaney and Ria Hurst

I love how this book was written by a young girl with a limb difference, with the help of her mom. Charlie the dog was born without a paw and throughout the story he meets more animals with other differences and finds out he is not alone.

I also brought "Its OK to be Different" by Todd Parr. This book has nothing to do with limb differences but it has big, bright, colourful pictures which are perfect for young children. And its message is clear: "Its OK to be different". A lot of the pages are pretty silly, like "Its OK to eat macaroni and cheese in the bath tub" but it still gets the point across.

I also included this hand out for the teacher from the CHAMP: Starting School kit.

How Are We All Different?
How Are We All The Same?
Following the presentation or as a follow-up activity later, it is valuable to discuss issues covered in the presentation with the children. The questions listed below are suitable to ask kindergarten children and to reinforce topics covered in the presentation.

- Explain to the class that everyone is different in some way. Ask the children to raise their hands if they:
- wear glasses
- have red hair
- have brown eyes

- Ask the class: If someone stares at you or teaches you (for instance because you have red hair) how does that make you feel? (Happy or sad)

- Ask the class to think of other ways in which we are all different? We don't like all the same things. Ask for examples of what the children like and dislike. (One child may like creepy crawly insects and another may not, one may like playing baseball and another may not).

- Explain that even though we are all different in many ways, and we like and dislike different things - we are all the same inside. Ask the class for examples of how we are all the same. (We all need friends, we all need to play, we all need our families, we all need to laugh and have fun).

I put everything together in a folder along with a colouring sheet of Andy for the teacher to photocopy for all the children to colour.

I followed up with her at the end of the day and she thanked me for bringing in the books. I asked if the kids were asking questions but she said, not really, but some of the kids made comments like, "Just like Gavin!" when she was reading the book. She said she used the example of an octopus having 8 arms and some people have 1 arm or 2 arms or 1 leg etc.

I am so grateful that she took the time to do that. She is really, really supportive and has already mastered the art of putting his prosthetic arm on.

Gavin is loving his new room and I am so happy!

Preschooler

2011-03-14T15:25:00.008-04:00

Today was Gavin's first full day in the Jr Preschool room. I was a bit worried about how he would do since he has been telling me, "I no like that room. Only Maria's room!" ever since he started transitioning to that room a few weeks ago. He has been in the Sr Toddler room ever since he started daycare in July and he is very attached to the teachers in his room.

I also have so much trust in his teachers. I really love them and I'm so grateful for all the love and encouragement they have given to Gavin over the months. He has really thrived in that room. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about whether his new teachers would be able to fill their shoes!

We were trying to prepare Gavin over the weekend by talking to him about the big room. This morning we took him in and found his new cubby down the hall from his old one. He was a little shy but he did so much better than I expected!

I met one of his new teachers this morning and she was so welcoming and friendly. I talked to her about how Gavin has been asking me a lot of questions about his arm in the past few weeks and I think it is due to spending time in the "big room" and the other kids being curious and touching his arm a lot and making comments. She agreed with me and told me there is a little girl who is VERY curious and always wants to touch Gavin's arm. She said she redirects her and also has talked to Gavin about telling her when he doesn't like it. I have been working on the same thing with him. They had Aidan in that room so I know its nothing new to the teachers, but it is to some of the kids who didn't know Aidan and are just getting to know Gavin.

Anyways, she said that she would like to talk to the kids about it at circle time and read some books. I told her I have some books I can bring in and she was happy about that so I will bring them in tomorrow.

When we left, he didn't even cry and waved to us out the window and blew kisses. We decided we would pick him up right after lunch and leave him a bit longer each day this week until he was used to a full day in that room. When we went to get him he was laying on his cot looking at a book. I think he would have been just fine if we had left him longer. He didn't cry all morning and had a very busy day playing.

When we got home he told me he likes his new room and his new teacher. I'm so relieved that this won't be as hard of a transition for him as I expected! YAY Gavin! I'm so proud of him :)

"I don't like that arm"

2011-03-11T21:45:00.005-05:00

This evening I was in the bathroom with Gavin, getting ready to brush his teeth when he pointed at both my hands and then looked at his own and asked, "Where's two? I can't clap!"

I was a bit shocked, because he has always been able to clap on his little arm and he LOVES to clap. I reminded him that he can clap on his arm and asked him to show me. When he did, I gave him lots of praise and told him he's so good at clapping and that it makes a loud noise. He smiled and seemed proud of himself.

Then he told me, "I have arm like Aidan." I agreed with him and he asked me, "Why?"

I told him that he's special.

He pointed at his left arm and said, "I don't like that arm." Then held up his right hand and said, "Only that one."

I held his little arm and told him, "You know what? This arm's my favourite!" and kissed the end of his arm.

He proceeded to wipe off my kiss and laugh (because his new thing is wiping off my kisses because he knows I hate it!)

After he asks these heartbreaking questions he always seems satisfied with my answers and moves right along as if it was nothing. I know this is a good sign. But I, on the other hand, can never stop thinking about our conversation, analyzing it while feeling stunned by how it just came out of nowhere and amazed at how smart and aware he is for such a young age. Two and a half year olds really understand so much more than we give them credit for.

I'm so glad he is able to express himself so well but I really miss the innocence of him not knowing that he is different.

Not Nice

2011-03-07T18:25:00.006-05:00

We went to play at the Early Years Center for a bit today. So you know where this is going...

There was a boy just a bit older than Gavin who noticed his arm right away and pointed it out to his mom. His mom called him over and said she wanted to talk to him. She told him that something happened to him, maybe an accident, but he's OK and he's a nice boy.

The boy said loudly, "NO, he's NOT nice!"

The mom tried to correct him but he kept repeating, "He's not nice! He's not nice!" (much to the embarrassment of his mother).

Gavin looked so sad :(

He kept his distance from Gavin the whole time, literally walking a wide circle around him.

No matter how much I want to shield Gavin from these comments and experiences, I know I wouldn't be helping him. He likes going there and he has every right to. But why does it have to be so hard? Why can we not go there just ONCE without someone pointing it out? I know it is natural for kids to be curious and all that. I KNOW this. But it still doesn't make it any easier.

I'm just beginning to realize how CONSTANT it is. I don't want him to have to deal with that EVERY TIME he meets a new kid. He shouldn't have to :(

Gavin's Favourite Spot

2011-03-07T11:10:00.004-05:00

Our little guy has been really under the weather lately. He has been fighting off chronic ear infections and he is just not his happy self. We are doing everything we can to try to boost his immune system and help him get healthy.

The nights are the worst. I guess I can thank him for preparing us for having a newborn again. It shouldn't be too much of an adjustment in the night-waking department. He never really slept through the night in the first place. It is a rare occurrence that he doesn't wake up at least once. But lately, it is several times a night and he is just miserable. Poor guy :(

I'm so glad I am off work now and have been able to give him lots of extra cuddles and TLC.

I think he's going to miss his favourite spot!

(I'm 37 weeks and the countdown is on!!)

The Big Room

2011-03-02T20:13:00.003-05:00

Today I was asking Gavin about his day at daycare. He will be moving up to the preschool room in a few weeks so he has been visiting the room to make the transition easier.

He was telling me about visiting "the big room" as he calls it. He told me they have puzzles and a fire engine with a siren.

Then he told me that one of the kids was grabbing his little arm.

My guess is that these recent questions have to do with curious kids in "the big room" who are not familiar with him and have questions about his arm and want to touch it.

I talked to him again about telling people when he does not want to be touched. I feel pretty confident in the teachers handling the other children's questions well because Gavin is the second little guy without a left hand to be in that room. His friend Aidan recently moved on from the preschool room. He is always one age group ahead of Gavin. I love that they are both in the same center because I think it really helps to normalize limb differences for the other children and also help them both to feel like they're not the only one.

I really hope he adjusts well to his new room because it is right before the baby is due and that is a lot of change at the same time. We are planning to keep him enrolled there after the baby comes, even if he just goes for a short time in the mornings. I really think it will help him to keep that routine and have the whole socialization aspect. Also, he is SUCH an active little guy that its good for him to have the stimulation and also burn off some energy. Not to metion that it will give me some quality time with the baby.

The dreaded question

2011-02-24T17:00:00.011-05:00

It finally came. Earlier than I expected. The moment where he asked what happened to his arm.

It really caught me off guard. He is only two and a half!

This morning as we were getting Gavin dressed he pointed to his little arm and I think his exact words were, "What happen? What happen for my arm?"

John and I just kind of looked at each other for a few seconds and for some reason I couldn't think of what to say. I thought I would have the perfect response because I have thought about it many times but all I said was, "Umm...that's just your little arm that you've always had."

And he didn't ask anything else. (Surprisingly...because he is at the stage where everything is "Why? Why Mommy? Why?")

I kind of know where the question came from because a few days ago I took him to the Early Years Center and there were a few kids that were asking a lot of questions about his arm. That always happens when we go there but we haven't been in several months.

There was an older boy that was playing with him for quite a while before he noticed. It was after almost an hour of playing that he suddenly grabbed Gavin's arm and said, "What kind of an arm is that?" and then asked me what happened. I gave the usual response that he was born that way. The boy said, "He can't even hold anything with that arm." And I told him, "Yes he can!" He asked, "How?" and I said, "Well why don't you ask him and maybe he will show you." The boy quickly saw how Gavin can hold things and after that, he moved on and they continued to play together.

Later, some more older kids came and the boy decided he would rather play with them. He started asking me when Gavin was going to go home because Gavin had a toy that he wanted. Then he loudly said that only 4 people can play the game and he counted, "1-2-3-4", pointing to himself and 3 other children and leaving Gavin out. Gavin loudly said,"1-2-3-4 play the game!" and pointed to himself! He was completely clueless that the boy was trying to exclude him and was simply copying him but I was still proud of him!

Then a little girl noticed Gavin's arm and ran to her mom and was pointing and saying, "That baby's arm is broken!" She kept grabbing his arm when he was trying to play and I had to step in and tell her not to (While her mom stood by and pretended not to notice, by the way, which is my biggest pet peeve ever!!! I understand it may be awkward and people don't know how to handle it but COME ON!) She was asking questions and I was answering her but she continued to say that his arm was broken and point at it.

On the way home I talked to Gavin about saying, "Don't touch me please!" if he does not like it when someone touches him.

This experience was nothing out of the ordinary. The same thing pretty much happens every time we go there because there are always different children and children are curious. But now he is at the age where he understands when they point out his difference and I'm afraid of him getting his feelings hurt or worrying that something is wrong with his arm.

It makes me sad that he will always have to deal with the questions, the stares and the pointing. All we can do is help him feel confident about himself, develop good self-esteem and get used to answering the endless questions.

Thank you from Holland Bloorview‏

2011-02-22T20:31:00.007-05:00

I received this nice email today that I thought I would share :)

Dear Megan,

On behalf of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and its Foundation, I offer our congratulations to you for your achievement in our filmpossible contest.

Holland Bloorview set out to create a contest that would bring visibility to disability. Our hope was to change the way the world views childhood disability in order to help create a better world for children with disabilities.

We challenged people to bring us their own creative twist on this theme. Holland Bloorview, our sponsors, judges and supporters alike were overwhelmed by range of entries and the courage, creativity and passion that was so evident in the entries we received.

Your video, His Abilities, was among the top 20 and was reviewed by our celebrity judges. I am pleased to share their comments:

From Karen Shopsowicz: "Gavin is a wonderful inspiration."

From Allen Braude: "Message well conveyed. Great to see Gavin always finding a way."

From Tania B. Reilly: "Great opening! Enjoyed the focus - day in the life of Gavin."

From Justin Hines: "Abilities indeed! Gavin looks like he blurs the line between able bodied/disabled."

Your contribution to filmpossible has touched people far beyond the scope of the contest. You and your fellow entrants have inspired our staff, our volunteers, helped attract new volunteers, inspired the media to cover these issues, opened dialogues among parents and children and in schools and workplaces across Canada, and brought hope and inspiration to children with disabilities and their families.

We salute you, we congratulate you, and we thank you.

Jean Geary

HERE is the link to Gavin's video if you would like to see it again!

Red Monster

2011-02-18T21:15:00.010-05:00

For Valentine's Day we went out for dinner to Red Lobster. We had never been there together before because John has a strong hatred for seafood. But I had a pregnancy craving so I won! Gavin was with us too (What is a romantic dinner for two anyways? I really can't remember...) and he was quite interested in watching the lobsters in the tank and asking us lots of questions about what they were doing and why.

I couldn't make up my mind about what to get so I decided to just cover all my bases and get the Ultimate Feast!! YUM! Seafood craving fulfilled!

When we got home, the first thing Gavin did was run to his uncle and say, "Uncle Dave, I saw a MONSTER!!"

We were all confused for a few seconds, until I realized that he meant LOBSTER instead of monster!!! I can see how he would confuse the two. Lobsters are some creepy looking creatures with their ten legs, beady eyes, long antenna, and big, sharp claws!

So real!

2011-02-12T10:54:00.011-05:00

I keep meaning to update but I have just been fighting this horrible cold all week. I'm hoping the worst is almost over because I have been SO miserable. I NEVER get sick like this but of course it has to happen when I'm pregnant and can't take anything for it. (Only 6 weeks to go by the way!!!) And none of my natural remedies seem to be helping! Anyways, this post is not for me to complain but instead to share something pretty cool!

Gavin got a new helper hand a few weeks ago! We ordered it so he could have the option of having a hand that looks more natural than his body-powered device (which reminds me of a lobster claw but is VERY useful and functional).

This is a passive hand (he can not make it open or close), although you can manually move the fingers into different positions. So it definitely still has some functionality because he can use it to hold many different objects and do different activities.

It is made of silicone and when I first saw it, I could not believe how real it looked!! John did a perfect job of picking out the right shade. I was a little nervous because I wasn't able to attend the appointment that day so he had to pick it out without me. And I am the first to admit that I am a bit of a perfectionist and a control freak. But Daddy gets full credit for this one. Good job hun!

Now we have two attachments for the same prosthesis. He can use his body-powered arm with the strap or we can snap off the cable, unscrew the hand and screw on this silicone hand. Its actually very simple!

Gavin is still pretty resistant to wanting to wear either one but we are trying to be more consistent about it. Getting him used to wearing it can only benefit him in the long run.

At first he was trying to move his arm back and forth to open the hand, the same way his body-powered hand works. So we had to explain the difference.

Now he is a bit more tolerant of it and will wear it for longer periods of time if he is distracted enough, but he doesn't really "use" it. It tends to just hang at his side most of the time.

We still have a lot of practising to do!

Kevin Laue

2011-01-30T19:03:00.006-05:00

I can't tell you how many times people have made comments to me like "At least Gavin will be able to play sports like soccer." And I usually respond that he can play soccer if he wants, but he might prefer to play hockey or basketball.

It is natural for people to wonder how someone with one hand could play those sports, let alone be GOOD at them.

That's why I was so happy when I first saw a video of Kevin Laue, an LBE (left below elbow amputee) who was rockin' the court on his high school basketball team and proving everyone wrong! I was even more excited when I saw this video today of Kevin who is now playing center on a scholarship at Manhattan College!

"Its a sport I grew up struggling with at first.
I got into the sport just because I was told I couldn't do it."

Mr. Independent

2011-01-23T13:23:00.008-05:00

We have been working on potty training for a while and it has been quite the ride. I think I could write a book called "Adventures in Potty Training!" We have so many stories that I'm sure Gavin will just LOVE hearing about when he's older!

In the last few months Gavin made the transition from diapers to underwear! He was still in diapers at sleep time for a while longer, but that didn't last long.

Yesterday I finally organized all his diapers and put them away for when the new baby is ready for them (we use cloth). It was a little bittersweet because the thing with cloth diapers is that I got a little attached to them. Yes, I know they are just poop-catchers, but some of them are SO adorable.

While I am SO happy to have a break from washing diapers for a few months, it is a little sad that I will never see him rockin' a big, cloth diaper butt again. But I'm happy that we will get to use them again on his baby brother or sister. AND I get to "aww" over all the teeny tiny newborn cloth again. :)

Anyways, so Gavin has been GREAT about telling us when he has to use the potty and we are SOO proud of him! Normally he will come to us and tell us, "I need to pee!" and we will take him to the bathroom, pull down his pants and underwear, put his Diego potty seat on the toilet, and lift him up to do his business. That's pretty much how it goes.

I thought pulling his pants off would be kind of tricky with one hand. Even though I knew he could do it and would HAVE to learn to do it, I was afraid of taking the time to let him try in case he took too long and had an accident.

Then today I heard someone go into the bathroom and shut the door. A few minutes later I realized it was Gavin. I went in to see what he was up to, and he was sitting on the toilet going about his business! He had gone in by himself, pulled down his pants and underwear, put the Diego seat on the toilet and used his stool to climb up...all by himself!

All this time we have been helping him with what he can clearly do by himself! (Except the wiping part. He is not to be trusted with that yet!)

Baby Fingers

2011-01-18T21:01:00.007-05:00

A few nights ago Gavin and I were cuddling and I pointed to the little fingers on the end of his left arm and asked him, "What's that Gavin?" I was curious how he would respond.

He told me, "Those my fingers."

Then in a tiny, quiet, little voice he whispered, "My baby fingers."

Next he held up his right hand, spread his fingers and said in a big, loud voice, "My BIG fingers!!"

I laughed, so of course he continued to repeat it over and over, whispering "my baby fingers" and pointing to his little ones and then loudly saying "My BIG fingers!" and holding up his hand!

A few minutes later he looked at my hands and asked, "Baby fingers?" I told him I only have big fingers and reminded him that Gabby has baby fingers like him. He smiled and seemed satisfied with that answer.

I love him so much! I only hope he can always be so proud of his adorable little baby fingers.

Obsessed much?

2011-01-12T21:17:00.001-05:00

Most kids sleep with a nice, soft stuffed animal or a favourite blanket.

Not Gavin. My kid prefers to sleep with a big, hard, plastic firetruck.

BLOOM!

2011-01-03T21:45:00.007-05:00

What better way to start off the New Year than on the cover of BLOOM magazine?!

Open publication - Free publishing - More parenting

About BLOOM:

"Parenting a child with a disability presents unique challenges and rewards not often addressed in mainstream parenting literature.

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (Holland Bloorview) created BLOOM to bring together the wisdom of families and professionals in childhood disability treatment, research, real-world programs and education at Holland Bloorview and beyond.

The name BLOOM conveys our belief that every child blooms in his or her own unique way.

BLOOM is published twice each year and covers “top of mind” issues for parents of kids with disabilities. These are often unspoken or taboo topics that require specific “how-to” information. BLOOM focuses on issues that are common to parents of children with a variety of physical and developmental disabilities and highlights practical resources (web sites, books, videos, community programs) that support parents and their children.

BLOOM is mailed to parents of Ontario children who have visited Holland Bloorview in the past year as well as professional, disability, academic, government and community partners. Other parents and professionals who wish to subscribe can contact BLOOM.

BLOOM relies on an editorial committee of parents and professionals to brainstorm story ideas, network with families and disability organizations and generate feedback. Please drop us a line with your story ideas, comments or feedback.

Click here to read stories from the BLOOM archives."

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T14:43:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone has thoroughly enjoyed their holidays! We have been busy around here. Christmas came so fast this year. I don't think December has ever flown by so fast for me in all my life! But before I knew it, it was here. It came so fast that it didn't really feel like Christmas. But once we were up north with my parents, that started to change. There is nothing like going home for Christmas. And I love all the beautiful snow. There is nowhere else I would rather be this time of year.

On Christmas Eve, Gavin left out chocolate milk and cookies for Santa and some celery for the reindeer (we were out of carrots). He was so excited in the morning to come downstairs and see that Santa came!

Each time he opened something he liked, that was it. He was good. He didn't want to open anything else. There were some animal markers in his stocking and he was satisfied with that. Soon he got into opening presents...until he opened the fire truck from Uncle Brian. It was over!

He was sooo happy! This fire truck has a fire fighter, ladder, a hose, sirens and even a radio! Gavin was in heaven. He played with his fire truck all morning and had no interest in opening any other presents.

I think this picture does a good job of capturing his overwhelming joy!

I also love this picture (taken with my new camera! YAY!)

We got all bundled up and Grampa took Gavin for a ride in his new sled and it was so priceless to hear how he laughed and giggled in delight! He loved it!

Our New Years was quiet. I have been fighting a cold and didn't feel like going anywhere and John had to work. So Gavin and I cuddled and watched TV in bed until we passed out around 10:30pm.

Now there are less than 3 months until the arrival of our new little bundle of joy! We are eagerly anticipating his or her arrival! (We chose not to find out the gender this time around).

2011 has some wonderful surprises in store and we are so excited!

Santa & Me

2010-12-16T22:45:00.031-05:00

I wasn't sure if Gavin would want to see Santa this year because he told me several times, "I scared a Santa". I think it may have been due to the fact that I kept telling him that he had to listen to Mommy & Daddy because Santa is watching him. I didn't mean to scare him! I just wanted to give him some extra motivation to be a bit more co-operative!

Also, I think it freaked him out that Santa comes at night. He went through a few weeks where every night at bedtime he would tell me, "No Santa" and I would have to reassure him that no, Santa is not coming. One night I even heard him talking in his sleep, "No Santa! No Santa Mommy! No Santa comin!"

I felt like I traumatized the poor kid!

Then the ads started coming on TV for the Santa Clause Parade and Gavin was really into it. Whenever he heard the bells jingling he would run to the TV and want to see Santa. We watched the parade on TV (Lame, I know, but I didn't feel like braving the cold and the crowds) and he was really excited when Santa finally made his appearance.

Then he got the special Message from Santa. I think that was the definite turning point. HE LOVED IT! He started insisting that he wanted to see Santa. I brought out the pictures of him and Santa from the previous years and he loved looking at them and kept telling me that he wanted to sit on Santa's lap.

Here is my all time favourite. My baby Gavin in 2008. I love how Santa is holding his arm :)

And last year. A little unsure... (I can't really blame him. Santa looks a little less jolly than the previous year)

With Gavin's new attitude we decided to go for it! Shockingly, there was NO LINE on a Friday evening! I couldn't believe it. And Gavin went right up to Santa and sat on his lap and asked him for a Tonka Racer. Getting him to smile was a different story, but he wasn't scared....more in awe of the big guy.

Here is my big boy! Looking at these pictures, I can't believe how quickly he has grown!

After he got down, he wanted "More! More Santa! I want see Santa!"

So I think he has finally overcome his fear of Old St. Nick! And Santa may even bring him a Tonka Bounce Back Racer. Maybe even the red one that he asked for approximately 1 million times. IF he's a good boy, of course! ;)

What I am

2010-12-13T21:19:00.006-05:00

Just when I thought Sesame Street couldn't get any cooler...

(its Will.I.am from The Black Eyed Peas sending an awesome message about self-esteem!)

"If what I am is what’s in me
Then I’ll stay strong
That’s who I’ll be
And I will always be the best
Me that I can be
There’s only one me
I am it
Have a dream
I’ll follow it
It’s up to me to try..."

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-12T19:58:00.004-05:00

Gavin recently had a Christmas photo shoot with Annya and he was a little pro! We finished in record time because he was remarkably co-operative for a two-year old.

I was so happy when I saw the finished product (as usual). There were just too many great shots to choose from. But this one is my definite favourite!

I have no idea why he was making that face but I laughed so hard the first time I saw it!

Merry Christmas!

Love, Gavin

Message from Santa

2010-12-07T20:29:00.003-05:00

Wow! Gavin got a very special message from the big guy himself!

To watch it, click here:
Gavin's Message from Santa!

To ask Santa to make you a personalized message, go to www.portablenorthpole.ca

"No, I do it!"

2010-12-03T22:26:00.006-05:00

We have reached the stage of independence. The stage of wanting to do everything himself. The stage where it takes an extra fifteen minutes to get out the door because Gavin adamantly insists, "No I do it!" along every step of the way.

Right now his newest accomplishment is putting on his winter boots all by himself. This requires great patience from Mommy & Daddy when we are in a hurry, because Gavin is definitely NOT.

We want to encourage this new found independence. They are necessary life skills that he will need to master. But sometimes I just want to shove on his boots and run out the door!

We recently got him a baby doll to help prepare him for the new baby. I was hoping it would help him practice being gentle etc. He has been very nurturing to the doll so far, putting it to sleep in his bed and taking it for rides in his toy stroller. The first day he got it, I brought out some of Gavin's newborn clothes so we could dress the doll. Gavin was really into it and he insisted on putting on the baby's socks all by himself. He sat there for what felt like an eternity as he tried over and over to get the tiny sock on the tiny foot. I wanted to help him SO BADLY and it was so hard to sit back and watch him struggle. But he was determined. FINALLY, he got the sock dangling off the tip of the baby's toe and he sat back and proudly declared, "I did it!!" He was so proud of himself. My perfectionist tendencies were screaming at me to fix the sock but I resisted the urge (at least until he wasn't paying attention anymore).

Life is Busy!

2010-11-29T20:03:00.010-05:00

Ya so I have been slacking more and more on this whole "Letter of the Week" thing lately.

"J" week was a JOKE unless you count all the JELLO we ate. I also let him JUMP on my bed.

"K" week was even worse. But I have been doing my KEGELS! Does that count? Ha!

We have still been learning the alphabet in sign language but that is about it. We will carry on until the end because I hate to give up on something that I've already started. But we will probably try it again when I am home on maternity leave and have more time to plan things.

Right now I have absolutely no energy after getting home from work and the weekends have been so busy and they just seem to fly by. It feels like there is barely time to do the bare necessities of life, let alone anything extra.

It feels like we're not doing much at all with it, but then once in a while he surprises me with what he has remembered. On Friday, he was in the car with daddy when it wouldn't start and John had to call CAA. Then Gavin started saying "C-A-A" and signing the letters. I was so proud when John told me! :)

Our main focus over the past few weeks has been working on potty training and Gavin is doing really well! He now wears underwear throughout the day and only wears diapers during nap time and bed time. He is so funny. Any time he sees me using the washroom, he says "Good job mommy!" and claps for me.

As for his new arm, at first he was more excited about it and the first day he brought it to daycare he wore it for two hours straight! I think he was all caught up in the extra attention everyone was giving him. He still brings it every day, but only wants to wear it for a few minutes. He likes to show it off to people who haven't seen it yet, but as soon as his brief demonstration is over, he quickly pulls it off and tosses it aside. We haven't been forcing him to wear it. We are just glad he is consistently wearing it on a daily basis, even if it is for such a short time. He wasn't used to wearing anything for most of his life, so it is still a big step for him.

And the important thing is that he is getting used to having it on and he is learning how to use it. He still needs a lot of practice to fine-tune the art of picking things up and holding different objects, but he is getting the basic concept.

It has become his "mighty machine arm". John started calling it that and it stuck. Also, sometimes he makes motor noises when he's using it. And I tell him to "back it up" when he wants to release something and he will say "Beep beep beep..." like he's backing up a truck. He's such a boy!

Here he is showing me how he can hold his Tonka colouring book:

I tried to get some action shots but I'm in need of a new camera so they are really blurry. (Getting a new one for Christmas. YAY!) He was so proud of himself for holding his puck!

I is for Ice cream

2010-11-14T14:07:00.006-05:00

"I" week was pretty non-existent. I wasn't feeling well and ended up taking a few days off work, so I guess you could say "I" was for ILL :(

Gavin cheered me up every time he asked me "Sick, mommy, sick?" in a concerned voice. And now every time I cough, he asks me, "OK, mommy, OK?" in the same voice and sometimes rubs my back. He is such a sweet boy.

We got some books from the library about INSECTS but he really wasn't into them. I did end up learning that what separates insects from other bugs is that insects have 6 legs. So spiders are not insects. INTERESTING!

We did manage to make it out for dinner one night and Gavin's kids meal came with a giant bowl of ICE CREAM!

He is carefully pouring the Smarties pieces on top of his ICE CREAM sundae!

And then digging in!

It was pretty huge and I ended up eating most of it. But I definitely didn't mind. Ice cream is one of my favourite foods of all time :)

CHAMP Photos

2010-11-11T19:48:00.008-05:00

Another thing I love about CHAMP is how they send us a CD of pictures after each CHAMP seminar. We just got one in the mail today. Most of them I can't share because they feature other CHAMPS and there is a strict policy against that. But we got a nice family photo and without the tacky 70s backdrop this year! These were taken at the end of September at Gavin's second seminar.

Our busy little CHAMP didn't want to stand still to get his picture taken and was walking in circles!

WOW. Look how much he has grown since last year!!!!

Gavin's Body Powered Helper Arm!

2010-11-10T19:12:00.012-05:00

Today was an exciting day! One we have been awaiting for several weeks...
Look what Gavin got today!

Its his new body powered prosthetic arm! He designed it himself by picking out the fabric (Can you tell?)

The strap goes over his right shoulder and when he makes a reaching motion or shrugs his shoulders, the hand closes! When he pulls back, the hand opens.

We debated a lot about what kind of prosthetic to get for him but we decided on this one because it is more functional than a passive and not nearly as heavy as a myoeletric. Since he's not used to wearing any sort of prosthesis, we needed something lighter to get him used to wearing something again.

He did really well with it and was already learning that when he stretches out his arm, the hand closes and he can grasp small objects. It will definitely take a lot of practice to fine tune it.

Lisa, his occupational therapist, helped him use his new hand to grip the scooter.

And he had no problem pushing the shopping cart down the hall at lightening speed! (Before he declared, "No like it mommy!" and pulled it off...)

I'm SO incredibly proud of our little guy. I'll be sure to keep you posted with how he is doing with it. For now, Lisa asked us to try to get him to wear it for about half an hour a day and work up to longer periods. She also gave us a list of activities to help him learn to use it.

He will also be bringing it to daycare tomorrow so I will need to give them a little tutorial but they are excited about getting involved.

H is for Halloween

2010-11-08T20:00:00.018-05:00

"H" week was timed perfectly, because it just happened to fall on the week of HALLOWEEN!!

We got a few Halloween books from the library but the only one Gavin cared about was called "Jack-o-Lanterns". When it came time to carve the pumpkins we asked Gavin to choose his two favourite Jack-O-Lanterns from the book and then Grampa worked his pumpkin-carving magic.

The book had happy, sad, scary and funny faces and Gavin chose two of the funny ones. They turned out really cute!

We also went to "Boo at the Zoo" with Gramma, Grampa and Auntie. Gavin had so much fun seeing all the animals. The monkeys are definitely his favourite! We also saw a HYENA. Unfortunately the HIPPOS weren't out on display. But it was a very HAPPY day! :)

One of Gavin's current favourite books is "HUG" by Jez Alborough. Gavin loved the way Grampa read it and he couldn't get enough. He asked Grampa to read it to him over and over and over...

H is also for HENNA! On the day we went to the library they just happened to be having a celebration and one of the activities was Henna art. I have always thought Henna was really beautiful so I decided to get my HAND done.

It is supposed to last for about 2 weeks but with the amount of times I wash my hands in a day, it barely lasted a week!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2010-10-31T19:57:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween from your favourite little Hero!

And his witch of a mother too! :P

We had a great day helping Annya with her Halloween open house and raising donations for the food bank! I even decided to get my own picture to show off my growing baby bump!
(I am 19 weeks pregnant now...almost half way already!)

Then we bundled up and went trick or treating. Gavin didn't last long and I was happy to head back home (It was FREEZING!!) I think he had more fun handing out candy to the kids and seeing all their costumes!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

G is for Gavin!

2010-10-30T19:41:00.000-04:00

G is a pretty good letter. It stands for GAVIN! Also known as the GAVSTER or the GAVINATOR!

G is also for GARBAGE trucks, one of Gavin's favourite vehicles. I opted out of trying to arrange a tour of one of those, although I'm sure Gavin would have loved it! The smell is strong enough under regular circumstances and I can't imagine getting close to one with my pregnant sense of super smell! So instead, we stuck to reading, "I Am A Garbage Truck".

One of Gavin's other favourite books is the classic "GOODNIGHT MOON". He has a little board book that he has carried around so much that I had to tape the spine together. (That seems to be becoming a bit of a trend for his well-loved books. What can I say? He is a little rough.) He also has a bigger, paperback copy and he refers to them as "baby Goodnight Moon" and "big Goodnight Moon". He usually requests a specific one and if you can't find it, he does NOT accept the other one as a substitute.

G is also for GRANDPARENTS which Gavin is very blessed with. He has his beloved Lola & Lolo, and Gramma Joyce, and he was very lucky that Gramma & Grampa came down to visit for the weekend! And he even got a special package in the mail from G.G. (Great Gramma!) He is a very lucky boy!

Sammy's Friends Calendar

2010-10-29T20:03:00.000-04:00

I have exciting news! The new Sammy's Friends Calendar for 2011 is now for sale!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Sammy's Friends, it is an online support group for those affected by congenital limb differences. I was referred to it when I was pregnant, and it helped me so incredibly much when I was going through some pretty tough emotions.

The sales from this calendar will help us raise funds to file for non-profit status.

And the best part? All the ADORABLE children featured in the calendar! I am a bit partial to the two cuties featured in the month of July! (Thanks to Annya for allowing us to use the beautiful photos she took).

CLICK HERE to get your own Sammy's Friends Calendar and support an awesome cause!

F is for Fire trucks!

2010-10-26T21:42:00.014-04:00

Well "F" week was an exciting one for my boy who is obsessed with FIRE TRUCKS!!

Of course we had to make a special visit to the FIRE STATION!

We drive by a little fire station every day on our way to his daycare so he has been asking to see the fire trucks every day for a while. When the day finally arrived and we told him it was time to go he went right to his closet and put on his yellow boots! So I figured I might as well top it off with his FIRE FIGHTER rain coat too. His outfit was a hit with the guys at the station!

Of course he is going to be a fire fighter for Halloween. All he needs now is the hat. I was told that the fire stations give out fire hats to children, but this one didn't have any. They did give him some colouring sheets and stickers though.

And Gavin got to sit inside the fire truck and "drive" it!
He would have stayed there all day if we let him! You can see from the picture that driving a fire truck is very serious business. It requires great concentration.

Gavin is clearly an expert. I think this is due to the amount of times we have read "If I Could Drive a Fire Truck". So many times in fact that we have had to tape the book back together. This book has been slept with many nights and brought on many road trips. And just when he's had about enough of that one, there is always his back up, "I Want To Be a Firefighter". Oh lucky me!

We went to the library on the weekend and all Gavin wanted was another book about fire trucks. There is also a DVD at the library about fire trucks which I will never rent again because if I have to watch it one more time I might go insane. I think I know all there is to know about fire trucks....pumper trucks, aerial trucks, ladder trucks, tiller trucks, quint trucks, searchlight trucks, rescue trucks, off-road fire trucks....oh yes! You didn't know there were so many types of fire trucks did you?

I like this picture of Gavin and Daddy standing beside the fire fighters' big boots! They are almost as big as he is! The fire fighters always have them ready to go so they can pull on their boots and pants in a hurry!

Gavin loves to sing "Hurry hurry drive that fire truck!" Here are the lyrics if you're interested. But we always include "Hurry, hurry, put your boots on!" We have to make up our own lyrics sometimes because he wants to sing it so often that you get tired of singing the same verses over and over!

So "F" week was mostly about FIGHTING FIRES as you can tell.

But another great word is FALL!

We had a gorgeous weekend and spent a lot of time in the backyard raking up the leaves and cleaning up the yard.

Gavin was a great helper as usual!

E is for Ear Phones

2010-10-21T12:49:00.013-04:00

Last week was "E" week. The days kind of flew by and we didn't do a whole lot, to be honest. We read books that had ELEPHANTS in them. And we had fun with sidewalk chalk one day, drawing pictures of elephants with big EARS. I didn't take a picture of my "elephant" because that would just be an insult to elephants. And after that all he wanted me to draw was trucks.

I have no idea why this picture is sideways and it is driving me crazy but I give up trying to fix it...

Gavin is always wanting to play with Daddy's turn tables and wear his EAR PHONES so he had lots of fun with that.

I had a big list of "E" words that we never got to: Earth, Elevator, Escalator, Eagle, Elmo, Engines, Elbow, Eggs...

My original plan was to pick 5-7 words and focus on a different one each day but that was before I started working full time. Now we mainly just focus on learning the ASL sign for the letter, pick a few main words and hopefully make one into a little outing. Also I like to print out a colouring sheet for him to do. We are putting together a binder with all of those but its way behind since I need to get ink for the printer!

D is for Dentist

2010-10-11T18:12:00.011-04:00

Our benefits finally came through last week and miraculously I managed to score a DENTIST appointment in the same week! How perfect for "D" week! So of course I brought Gavin along. They don't normally start doing check-ups until age 3 but I asked the dentist if he could just take a look to get Gavin used to sitting in the chair.

Here he is showing off his pearly whites!

He didn't like his "ride" in the chair. He prefers the chair to just stay in one spot without moving up and down. But when we gave him a truck to hold, he was happy to sit there and open wide to let the dentist count his teeth. He has a nice, full set, except for his top two molars which are just starting to poke through. I have to say, he has always been a pro with teething. It never seemed to bother him much.

On the weekend we took Gavin to the park but there was some construction going on nearby so he decided he would rather sit on the picnic table and watch the DIGGER fill the DUMP truck with DIRT. He would have sat there all day if we let him. What is it with boys and their love of machines?

Gavin also got to sit in Grampa's police truck and "DRIVE" it.

Too bad it wasn't "P" week because he had the time of his life eating Pizza with Police men at the Police station (and then had a big Poo!) But it is "D" week so we had to say we were at the DETACHMENT!

I should take some pictures of his sign language. He is so cute doing the sign for "D". It is funny how he does some of the signs because obviously he can't do them perfectly. I thought "C" would have been the easiest, but its the one that gives him the most trouble. Now we have started working on "E" but so far he just does the sign for "A" because it is a bit similar.

Unwanted Advice

2010-10-09T09:58:00.009-04:00

So yesterday Gavin and I took the bus up to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. Usually the bus is mostly empty but of course, being Thanksgiving weekend, it was completely packed, the driver was delayed and traffic was horrible. GREAT. And of course, Gavin was a complete two-year-old (and not the good kind). I badly wanted to ask the driver to pull over and leave him on the side of the road. THAT's how bad it was. YELLING , hitting me, refusing to sit down. AHHH! I was mortified. It felt like everyone was listening to us and I was failing some sort of mother test. When we finally stopped for a little break, the guy who was sitting in front of us moved to the VERY front of the bus, as far away from us as he could get.

After our little break, Gavin behaved perfectly, sitting in his seat and looking out the window. Eventually he was so tired, he fell asleep on me and I finally dozed off too. Then I felt someone patting me on the shoulder asking, "You awake? You awake?" I kept my eyes closed, thinking he would see that NO, in fact I am NOT awake, but he continued until finally I opened my eyes, looked at him and said, "Well I am NOW!"

This didn't phase him. This random old man started telling me that if I ever have any problems I can email him because he works at a school with disabled kids as a janitor. I just wanted to tell him that my son is actually NOT disabled at all and what the hell does he know about solving any problems we might encounter? But instead I just kept my head turned away and closed my eyes again to avoid having to talk to him at all. This did not phase him at all and he continued to talk to me, going on about how it takes so much extra love and patience to raise a disabled child.

I just wanted him to shut up and leave me alone. Then it got worse. He asked me "You're not having another one are you?" and actually reached over and touched my stomach!!!!! Yes, the HORROR!!!!!

I pulled away and rudely said, "Yes, I am actually!" and he told me not to eat any bad apples. What the hell is that supposed to mean??

Thank God he got off then, which I guess was why he was so desperate to wake me up out of my long-awaited sleep to have this "heart-to-heart" with me before we parted ways.

I'm sure he had good intentions but seriously.... WTF!

C is for Cute

2010-10-04T16:52:00.020-04:00

For C week, I helped Gavin make this COLOURFUL CATERPILLAR using his thumb print. It turned out so CUTE! :)

We also went back to Bloorview so Gavin could try on the CLEAR mold of the socket for his new prosthetic arm.

It was a great fit and Gavin has been extremely patient and co-operative throughout this process. We will see how it goes once he actually gets the arm and has to wear it.

We are in the process of designing his cool new body powered arm which will be ready in a few weeks! Very exciting!

Yesterday Gavin picked out the fabric that will be used for the design.

I can't wait to see how it turns out.

C is also for CHANDLER the CAT, who insists on jumping onto the bed no matter how many times I push him off!

And my absolute favourite picture from C week is of these extremely CUTE COUSINS, Gavin and Emily!

This was taken at my Aunt Linda & Uncle Dave's 40th Anniversary party on Saturday.

Gavin and Emily hadn't seen each other in several months and Emily seemed to notice Gavin's little arm for the first time. She was cradling it gently in her hand and looking at it closely. I told her, "Gavin has one little arm doesn't he?" And she told me, "Yah, and an elbow too!" :)

After that they were inseparable and they were the life of the party! They were the first to hit the dance floor and they held hands and side stepped to the music like they had been dancing together for years. It was so cute and so hilarious! I was laughing so hard I was crying!

We really need to get them together more often because they are just the cutest little couple! When it was time to leave, Gavin kept telling me, "More party! More dancing!"

Better luck next time

2010-10-04T16:37:00.009-04:00

Some people have been asking me about the results of the FilmPossible contest so I thought I should let people know.

Unfortunately Gavin did not make it to the finals of the contest. But I really want to thank everyone for their support! There were so many of you who took the time out of their busy lives to vote for Gavin every single day. It means a lot to us and it was a great experience. I hope we spread a lot of awareness about what children with limb differences are capable of.

No matter what, I think this will always be my favourite video :)

B is for Big Brother!!!

2010-09-26T20:31:00.012-04:00

Gavin has a very important announcement to make...

He is going to be a BIG BROTHER!!!

That's right...Mommy is rockin' a BIG BELLY!

And we will be welcoming a new BABY to our family at the end of March / beginning of April 2011!

We are very BLESSED!!!

This was a very busy and hectic week with my first week working full time so we didn't do a whole lot with the Letter of the Week. But Gavin did learn the ASL sign for "B".

And he had his first trip to the BARBER! I have been delaying getting his hair cut for as long as possible because I am so in love with his curls (although I'm not in love with trying to brush them and keep them looking nice). So I finally gave in and agreed to take him in for a trim!
BEFORE:

AFTER:

It doesn't look a whole lot different and I was very happy that he still has his beautiful curls! It is just a bit neater now and the back isn't so dry and nappy. I didn't even cry!

A is for Arm, Ambulance, Alligators, Ants and Apples!

2010-09-19T17:32:00.016-04:00

This was our first week of "Letter of the Week" and of course we started with the letter "A"! It was a busy week but lots of fun!

We started the process of getting Gavin fitted for a new prosthetic ARM!

We went to Bloorview for step 1:
Making a cast of Gavin's arm for the socket of his prosthesis.

He was so patient, sitting there and holding out his arm until Bryan was finished. We go back in 2 weeks to make sure its a good fit and talk about what kind of prosthetic would be the best choice.

We also learned about ALLIGATORS this week. We got some books from the library and learned a new poem which Gavin loves!

Mr. Alligator, Mr. Alligator, (make mouth open and close with your arms)
Don't you bite! Don't you bite! (wag finger to say no)
I will run away from you, I will run away from you (running motion with hands)
Out of sight, Out of sight! (Hands hide face)

We also learned a little about ANTS by doing a few colouring sheets and going outside to look for ants. I got a book from the library as well but we didn't even end up looking at it.

We were also lucky enough to get a personal visit from an AMBULANCE thanks to Paramedic Jim!! That was pretty AWESOME! Gavin got to go in the back of the ambulance and look around. Jim couldn't stay long (understandably!) but he left lots of colouring sheets, magnets, stickers, tattoos, pamphlets and cardboard build-your-own amubulances!

Today we had bushels of fun going APPLE picking!! We went to Pingle's Farm and there were so many activities for the kids. Gavin had a blast and was so tired out that he fell asleep in John's arms while waiting in line for a snack!

He was very proud to come home and eat one of his "special" apples that he picked all by himself! Now we have more apples than I know what to do with and I'm going to have to look up some recipes!

We had a great week. Gavin learned the ASL sign for the letter "A" and proudly shows it to me at the most random times!

We have those foam letter mat puzzles for the floor and I took out the letter "A"s and put them in the bath tub with him. It ended up being a great idea because they stick to the tub and the walls when wet. It was a great way to help him recognize what the letter looks like and after that, he had to have them in the bath with him every night.

I'm not sure how much we will be able to do in the coming weeks because I just got offered a full time job on Friday, which I'm very excited about. And I start tomorrow! But the exciting part is that I don't have to work any more weekends or overnights!! So hopefully we will still be able to squeeze some fun things in during the evenings and definitely on the weekends!

THANK YOU!

2010-09-16T19:56:00.004-04:00

I want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who was involved in supporting Gavin's FilmPossible entry! The contest is now closed for votes and we have to stay tuned until October 8th, when they announce the six finalists.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to vote! It really meant a lot to our family and we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts!

Gavin's ABC Remix

2010-09-15T17:06:00.002-04:00

I took this video of Gavin in the car on the way home today. (I wasn't driving, don't worry!) This boy sure likes to sing! And make up his own words...

Happy Grandparents Day!

2010-09-09T23:55:00.005-04:00

Gavin made this card at daycare today for his grandparents.

I was so happy that they stamped his little arm too instead of just stamping his right hand twice to make two hand prints. I love it and I know they will love it too!

Letter of the Week

2010-09-07T02:52:00.011-04:00

My awesome friend Jodi (who is quite honestly the most amazing mom I know!) has inspired me to do the "Letter of the Week". She did it last year with her kids and each week focuses on a different letter of the alphabet.

We will be starting next week with...the letter "A"!

My obvious goal is to help Gavin learn his alphabet (He can sing his own version of the ABCs that I like to call "the Remix"). We can focus on what the letter looks like and the sound that it makes and words that start with that letter. And we can learn the ASL sign for each letter too.

My other motive is to give myself something to focus on so that I feel more productive and we get out there and do things we don't usually do.

If anyone is interested in joining us that would be great! We could team up for weekly trips (I'm thinking a trip to Whittamore's Farm for APPLE picking next week! Or maybe to the AQUARIUM? I know Gavin would love to see an AMBULANCE!). It would help to share ideas too! Here is a great website to get you started!

The Pizza Man

2010-09-03T09:46:00.007-04:00

So I confess: I may be guilty of ordering take-out a little too often. What can I say? I hate to cook!

Last week Gavin & I were home alone while John was working nights so I decided to order a delicious panzerotti for dinner. Gavin is a HUGE fan so this was fine by him! (These panzerottis are so enormous that Gavin and I can share one and barely finish it. And that boy can EAT!)

We waited for the "pizza man" to arrive and when Gavin heard the knock at the door, he was right by my side. We opened the door and Gavin greeted the pizza man with an enthusiastic "Hi!!"

The man looked down at him and must have noticed his little arm because he seemed to freeze for a second and then didn't even respond to Gavin. I paid and took the food and Gavin yelled "Thank you!" And then "Bye!" And not once, did the pizza man acknowledge him.

OK so maybe it was the first time he saw a child with a missing limb but when a little boy is clearly talking to you, it would be nice if you could respond.

Clearly Gavin has better manners than the pizza man.

I want my tip back.

Reflections of Motherhood

2010-09-01T08:50:00.004-04:00

I just wanted to share this beautiful video with all the Moms out there! Thanks Annya for sharing it with me :)

They're all gonna laugh at you

2010-08-29T14:19:00.004-04:00

So yesterday I had a lovely conversation with my Gramma G. She asked me if Gavin has an artificial hand yet and I told her that he does have one, but its too small and he needs a new one.

Her response: "Well you better get him one before he starts school or all the kids are going to make fun of him!"

I told her that actually, kids will find something to make fun of no matter what...whether he has no hand, a plastic hand, a weird eye...

She said, "He doesn't have a weird eye!"

"Yes, I KNOW Gramma, but I'm just saying...kids make fun of kids. I have 2 hands and I still got made fun of. EVERY kid gets made of for SOMETHING. Gavin won't be any different. He'll just have to be a little tough."

She said, "Well he'll have to be A LOT tough."

OK Gramma, thanks for your encouraging words.