Nalah's Favorite Toy - the "Bug"

Once Nalah was able to sit more independently in her custom high chair (from the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton), she was able to fully enjoy her toys on the tray in front of her. Before getting this GRIP chair, Nalah depended on us to 'present' her with toys, hold them for her, or keep them  in reach. Having this supportive seating with the tray attached was a wonderful change for her. We could all hang out in the same room and she could learn new skills playing with stuff within her reach. Nalah had a special spot in the kitchen, and would play while I puttered, cooked, or cleaned up. With the proper supports, Nalah was able to learn to play more independently. Not that we ever left her alone, playing together was so much fun. But we tried to give her space to learn new things with or without our help. This Lamaze Bug was one of her favourites. One of mine too. You attached it to the tray with a suction cup, it had colours, sounds, shapes, lots of things to hang on to. Nalah learned to grab it, give it a good shake, and make it rattle. Again, a wonderful milestone for a trisomy child. I love this photograph as it shows Nalah exercising her new skill of reaching, grabbing, and you can tell on her face that she is having fun. 

Love does not count Chromosones

This is a bit of a ramble. Came here to upload a photo, and ended up blogging about the value of human life. Started with memories of teething, and it always seems to lead to larger issues.   Here is the ramble :

Nalah loved her little Sophie teething toy. Nalah teethed from six months of age till two years. A good chew toy was essential. We had about four Sophies at any given time, keeping them sterile as possible for her immune system. This photo brings back such good memories of cuddles. I love how Nalah snuggled with her Momma, always touching me gently and resting close to my heart. This little dress is one of the many she had matching her sister. Just this morning Karis asked to wear one of the dresses that remind her of Nalah. Having family time together was such a blessing for us. Nalah is a sweet sweet child and it makes me incredibly sad that society, in general, considers lives of those who are genetically different to be less worthy of living. I wish we lived in a world where difference was accepted and people were valued for who they are, regardless of labels. As any parent knows,  loving a child is an incredibly rewarding experience. And as a dear trisomy mommy friend (Katie Weaver) so aptly says "Love does not count Chromosomes".

As an aside, there are wonderful trisomy awareness logos on various items for sale at cafepress.ca or cafepress.com. A 30% off sale is on this weekend. My family is wearing trisomy awareness t-shirts lately. A way to bring awareness to a condition that is often mis-represented and misunderstood. 

Coffee Buddies - Summer 2010

Nalah hanging out with her Momma in our kitchen at home, summer of 2010. We loved the GRIP (custom) supported sitting chair Nalah received from the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton. Nalah could now sit at the dinner table with the rest of us, rather than being held during meals. She gained independence to some degree, and could play with toys on the tray in front of her. We had some great times hanging out with Nalah in her GRIP chair. On this particular morning, Momma was enjoying a coffee and Nalah's excellent company.