RE: Blast from the past

[Guest guest]

Welcome back Carolyn; good for you keeping up with the New Years Resolutions!! And it sounds like things are, should I dare say, "calming" down a teeny tiny little bit?!

Sherrill

mom to Jillian 8, and (D/s) 4

[Guest guest]

Carolyn,

GREAT to hear from you!! I have often wondered how your family is doing and missed hearing from you. I'm glad to hear the girls are doing so well. I can't believe how old they are all getting! I know, I know. .mine have grown too, but somehow it still startles me to hear how old other kids have gotten. I would love to see some updated pictures if you have any to share. Welcome back!

Casey, mom to (DS) and , 6

[Guest guest]

HI Carolyn,

So nice to hear from you! You said it - the hustle and bustle of motherhood! Well, we're still here where we were before... Great how we can all continue the conversations we left off with when we got caught up in the daily grind, even if it turns into weeks or months... I really appreciate this support system. Helps me feel sane.

A flying partner recently asked me if I ever considered drugs to help with the stresses of motherhood. I was so surprised! Turns out she has 3 almost grown boys and said she did prozac for years "to cope." She also said a mutual friend of ours who also has younger boys does prozac or some similar drug now. Wow! Never even thought of it. I do know that a friend of mine from childhood did it for several years because she had a very unruly daughter with severe adhd and, due to the drugs, developed such an "I don't care" attitude that she gained a ton of weight, developed an awful smoking habit, and let her daughter do whatever she wanted, including having two children out of wedlock, which my girlfriend is now currently raising... Crazy! That's reason enough for me to just take each day as it comes and thank the Lord every night I made it through... It's definitely an individual decision; certainly don't mean to judge anyone who decides it's right for them. I think for me, though, I wouldnt get anything done and Life would too much of a dream... Ha-Ha... Ok, I'm rambling on... Maybe I stirred up a nice topic to discuss, I don't know... Tee-hee-hee...

Anyway, Carolyn, welcome back... Never heard of Hi5, is that a boy band? Nice resolutions for the new year...

Regards,

Granata

Wife to Joe, just turned the big 4-3 today!

Mom to Haley & Nikki, 40 mos twin girls, both w/DS, and , 21 mos "chip-off-the-old-block" son/Wild man-boy!

Leesburg, VA

-----Original Message-----From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of CarolynSent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 6:41 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: Blast from the pastHi guys,Thought I'd start carrying out my New Years Resolution to rekindle thefriendships that I let go due to the hussle and bustle of motherhood. Gotcaught up in the tangled web of day to day living/surviving.Not sure who's still here as it's been AGES since I said hello. Carolynhere from New Zealand (way down under - home of Lord of the Rings, The LastSamurai and King Kong - good ol NZ!). We have 4 kiddies.....my oldeston is turning 14 years old tomorrow - I can't believe it. is12, Emma (ds) is 9 years (soon to be 10 in March) and Nicki (ds) is 8 years(nearly 9 in April). Emma and Nicki both have Trisomy 21 and while nottechnically twins, they might as well be with their relationship.My hubby Tony has just taken them to see a live concert of Hi5 (do you guysknow them?) so have a few minutes before taking the birthday boy out to sayhi.Emma and Nicki are doing great. Now in the same class at a school for kidswith Special Needs and LOVING it. They are so happy. Toilet training isgoing slowly and while both are 95% there, we do have the occasionalaccident if they are unwell or feeling a bit laxy. We are starting them inthe NZ Special Olympics group this year - not sure if in running or what butjust want to get them started in a sport.Anyway - we're still here and hope to be able to call in and say hi moreoften )CheersCarolyn

[Guest guest]

Hey , I think you would probably be surprised at how many people really are on anti- depressants...many on this list included. I myself am not and as much as I like to think I would never be I often wonder if it would help although I am sure that I would never get a Dr. to write a prescription for it as I tend to come across not stressed out even when I am at my wits end. My days start out with crap (literally) and end with crap (literally). Between constantly changing a nine year old's diapers (he poops alot....never does them at school either....saves them all for me), Nicala & (whom everyone thinks are the twins) constant fighting, homework, a new born baby, breastfeeding, dishes, meals (mine come home from school at lunch hour), laundry and little to no physical help from any other adult I am exhausted. And add to that two more kids every weekend

(ages 10 and 8) which makes six kids 10 years and under altogether.....where's that Prozac?? , mom to Nicala & ds/adhd/autism (9), (7) and (2 months) Granata wrote: HI Carolyn, So nice to hear from you! You said it - the hustle and bustle of motherhood! Well, we're still here where we were before... Great how we can all continue the conversations we left off with when we got caught up in the daily grind, even

if it turns into weeks or months... I really appreciate this support system. Helps me feel sane. A flying partner recently asked me if I ever considered drugs to help with the stresses of motherhood. I was so surprised! Turns out she has 3 almost grown boys and said she did prozac for years "to cope." She also said a mutual friend of ours who also has younger boys does prozac or some similar drug now. Wow! Never even thought of it. I do know that a friend of mine from childhood did it for several years because she had a very unruly daughter with severe adhd and, due to the drugs, developed such an "I don't care" attitude that she gained a ton of weight, developed an awful smoking habit, and let her daughter do whatever she wanted,

including having two children out of wedlock, which my girlfriend is now currently raising... Crazy! That's reason enough for me to just take each day as it comes and thank the Lord every night I made it through... It's definitely an individual decision; certainly don't mean to judge anyone who decides it's right for them. I think for me, though, I wouldnt get anything done and Life would too much of a dream... Ha-Ha... Ok, I'm rambling on... Maybe I stirred up a nice topic to discuss, I don't know... Tee-hee-hee... Anyway, Carolyn, welcome back... Never heard of Hi5, is that a boy band? Nice resolutions for the new year... Regards, Granata Wife to Joe, just turned the big 4-3 today! Mom to Haley & Nikki, 40 mos twin girls, both w/DS, and , 21 mos "chip-off-the-old-block" son/Wild man-boy! Leesburg, VA -----Original Message-----From:

Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of CarolynSent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 6:41 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: Blast from the pastHi guys,Thought I'd start carrying out my New Years Resolution to rekindle thefriendships that I let go due to the hussle and bustle of motherhood. Gotcaught up in the tangled web of day to day living/surviving.Not sure who's still here as it's been AGES since I said hello. Carolynhere from New Zealand (way down under - home of Lord of the Rings, The LastSamurai and King Kong - good ol NZ!). We have 4 kiddies.....my oldeston is turning 14 years old tomorrow - I can't believe it. is12, Emma (ds) is 9 years (soon to be 10 in March) and Nicki (ds) is 8 years(nearly 9 in April). Emma and Nicki both have Trisomy 21 and while

nottechnically twins, they might as well be with their relationship.My hubby Tony has just taken them to see a live concert of Hi5 (do you guysknow them?) so have a few minutes before taking the birthday boy out to sayhi.Emma and Nicki are doing great. Now in the same class at a school for kidswith Special Needs and LOVING it. They are so happy. Toilet training isgoing slowly and while both are 95% there, we do have the occasionalaccident if they are unwell or feeling a bit laxy. We are starting them inthe NZ Special Olympics group this year - not sure if in running or what butjust want to get them started in a sport.Anyway - we're still here and hope to be able to call in and say hi moreoften )CheersCarolyn

[Guest guest]

Great to have you back!

Mom to Amy 18, Kelsey 15, Davey (DS) 6 next month oh my! And Will 6 next

month oh my!

Blast from the past

Hi guys,

Thought I'd start carrying out my New Years Resolution to rekindle the

friendships that I let go due to the hussle and bustle of motherhood.

Got caught up in the tangled web of day to day living/surviving.

Not sure who's still here as it's been AGES since I said hello. Carolyn

here from New Zealand (way down under - home of Lord of the Rings, The

Last Samurai and King Kong - good ol NZ!). We have 4 kiddies.....my

oldest on is turning 14 years old tomorrow - I can't believe it.

is 12, Emma (ds) is 9 years (soon to be 10 in March) and Nicki

(ds) is 8 years (nearly 9 in April). Emma and Nicki both have Trisomy

21 and while not technically twins, they might as well be with their

relationship.

My hubby Tony has just taken them to see a live concert of Hi5 (do you

guys know them?) so have a few minutes before taking the birthday boy

out to say hi.

Emma and Nicki are doing great. Now in the same class at a school for

kids with Special Needs and LOVING it. They are so happy. Toilet

training is going slowly and while both are 95% there, we do have the

occasional

accident if they are unwell or feeling a bit laxy. We are starting

them in

the NZ Special Olympics group this year - not sure if in running or what

but just want to get them started in a sport.

Anyway - we're still here and hope to be able to call in and say hi more

often )

Cheers

Carolyn

More pictures of our kids: http://www.pbase.com/urriegrl/multiplesds

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Oh my gosh!!! You are a saint!

My sister-in-law has a bunch of kids, she said something funny the other day when the kids were asking for another pet; it was, "If it poops, we're not getting it. We have enough things that poop here (referring to all the kids and the dog and cat)." I wonder if you find that when you sit down and analyze all you do, it makes it more overwhelming, like it does me sometimes. I have to just plow through it everyday and thank the Lord at night for the warm bed and the rest, when I can get it, so I can make it through another golden day. Helps me to ease the stress, even though I definitely have my moments anyway... Drugs could be a consideration later for me, I don't know. I can't imagine how I am going to deal with it when the girls are on their cycles and I get to clean it all up every month, and then have to consider everything from sterilization for them to God knows what else... Makes me sad just thinking about it... Anyway! Hang in there, Girl! You sound so strong!!!!

Congratulations on having little !

Regards,

-----Original Message-----From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 9:39 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: RE: Blast from the past

Hey ,

I think you would probably be surprised at how many people really are on anti- depressants...many on this list included. I myself am not and as much as I like to think I would never be I often wonder if it would help although I am sure that I would never get a Dr. to write a prescription for it as I tend to come across not stressed out even when I am at my wits end.

My days start out with crap (literally) and end with crap (literally). Between constantly changing a nine year old's diapers (he poops alot....never does them at school either....saves them all for me), Nicala & (whom everyone thinks are the twins) constant fighting, homework, a new born baby, breastfeeding, dishes, meals (mine come home from school at lunch hour), laundry and little to no physical help from any other adult I am exhausted. And add to that two more kids every weekend (ages 10 and 8) which makes six kids 10 years and under altogether.....where's that Prozac??

, mom to Nicala & ds/adhd/autism (9), (7) and (2 months) Granata wrote:

HI Carolyn,

So nice to hear from you! You said it - the hustle and bustle of motherhood! Well, we're still here where we were before... Great how we can all continue the conversations we left off with when we got caught up in the daily grind, even if it turns into weeks or months... I really appreciate this support system. Helps me feel sane.

A flying partner recently asked me if I ever considered drugs to help with the stresses of motherhood. I was so surprised! Turns out she has 3 almost grown boys and said she did prozac for years "to cope." She also said a mutual friend of ours who also has younger boys does prozac or some similar drug now. Wow! Never even thought of it. I do know that a friend of mine from childhood did it for several years because she had a very unruly daughter with severe adhd and, due to the drugs, developed such an "I don't care" attitude that she gained a ton of weight, developed an awful smoking habit, and let her daughter do whatever she wanted, including having two children out of wedlock, which my girlfriend is now currently raising... Crazy! That's reason enough for me to just take each day as it comes and thank the Lord every night I made it through... It's definitely an individual decision; certainly don't mean to judge anyone who decides it's right for them. I think for me, though, I wouldnt get anything done and Life would too much of a dream... Ha-Ha... Ok, I'm rambling on... Maybe I stirred up a nice topic to discuss, I don't know... Tee-hee-hee...

Anyway, Carolyn, welcome back... Never heard of Hi5, is that a boy band? Nice resolutions for the new year...

Regards,

Granata

Wife to Joe, just turned the big 4-3 today!

Mom to Haley & Nikki, 40 mos twin girls, both w/DS, and , 21 mos "chip-off-the-old-block" son/Wild man-boy!

Leesburg, VA

-----Original Message-----From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of CarolynSent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 6:41 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: Blast from the pastHi guys,Thought I'd start carrying out my New Years Resolution to rekindle thefriendships that I let go due to the hussle and bustle of motherhood. Gotcaught up in the tangled web of day to day living/surviving.Not sure who's still here as it's been AGES since I said hello. Carolynhere from New Zealand (way down under - home of Lord of the Rings, The LastSamurai and King Kong - good ol NZ!). We have 4 kiddies.....my oldeston is turning 14 years old tomorrow - I can't believe it. is12, Emma (ds) is 9 years (soon to be 10 in March) and Nicki (ds) is 8 years(nearly 9 in April). Emma and Nicki both have Trisomy 21 and while nottechnically twins, they might as well be with their relationship.My hubby Tony has just taken them to see a live concert of Hi5 (do you guysknow them?) so have a few minutes before taking the birthday boy out to sayhi.Emma and Nicki are doing great. Now in the same class at a school for kidswith Special Needs and LOVING it. They are so happy. Toilet training isgoing slowly and while both are 95% there, we do have the occasionalaccident if they are unwell or feeling a bit laxy. We are starting them inthe NZ Special Olympics group this year - not sure if in running or what butjust want to get them started in a sport.Anyway - we're still here and hope to be able to call in and say hi moreoften )CheersCarolyn

[Guest guest]

Carolyn is great hearing from you, and like you I have been busy with

surviving

everyday life. Not sure why but this year is so much busier than previous

years.

I guess most of my time is spent either driving the kids to their activities

(soccer,

swim team, karate, dance, gymnastics) or at work. I hope to be able to be a

little more active with the group than this past year.

Some good news (I think) to share with the group. Tyler had to back through

eligibility

this year (Virginia requires re-evaluation every 3 years) and get an

educational

label. After subjecting Tyler to a battery of tests the results were all

over the

place. The only common result on the evaluations is that Tyler is at or

above

age for his social skills and self help skills. His speech and language is

currently

his delayed area, thus he ended up with an educational label of Speech and

Language

Impaired. It seems that he can not be labeled MR(mentally retarded) if some

of

the areas he is evaluated are at were they are suppose to be at. At this

time I am

pretty happy with the results but at the same time I hope that he does not

miss

out by not have much more that speech and language therapy in school next

year when he starts Kindergarten.

Katy Touve

mom to 8, and Tyler(DS) 6

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the welcome back guys. You are all so amazing and you

should really just stop for a moment and pat yourselves on the back

and say " I DAMN WELL ROCK! " !!!!!!!!!!! Whether we feel like it or not

I think we all do a mighty fine job. Big ups to you.

As for anti-depressants.......been there. Didn't realise how

depressed I was but not because of the girls having Ds but plain and

simple post natal depression. I remember the day the cloud lifted and

the walk I was invited on actually sounded like FUN not a raving chore

it would have felt like weeks earlier.

There is no shame seeing your GP regarding a feeling of

hopelessness/helplessness and being overwhelmed. Just be aware that

not every option suits so if it doesn't work and you feel

worse......go back to your GP and change the script. Took me 3

attempts and Prozac wasn't my best option :oD

Hi5 is a kids entertainment group from Australia along the same lines

ast the Wiggles. Kids had a ball apart from one 12 year old sister

who thought the whole day was humiliating......but secretly LOVED it!

You'll love this......we had a family game of the PS2 music

game " Buzz " last night - it's a multichoice game show style multiple

player game. Nicki (8years with Ds) WON!!!! hehehehe. Talk about

intuition - it was like she was being fed the answers.....she had a

1in4 chance and adults who had heard the music before were playing!

Cheers

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Good to hear from you, Carolyn,

Wow the kids had grown so much and sounds like everybody is doing excellent. You and your family is been missed in the list but you have to do what you have to do. We are happy to have you back. I always remember Emma's birthday because is the same my kids dad is. I would love to see pictures it would be nice to see how much the girls had grown up. Take care and a big hello from us to your family. My kids are turning 7 in march also. Can believe how much they had grown. I miss them been babies.

Welcome back,

Mabel mom to Carolina, Cristian and a-ds, 6.5 years old in land

Reply-To: Multiples-DS To: <Multiples-DS >Subject: Blast from the pastDate: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 12:41:20 +1300Hi guys,Thought I'd start carrying out my New Years Resolution to rekindle thefriendships that I let go due to the hussle and bustle of motherhood. Gotcaught up in the tangled web of day to day living/surviving.Not sure who's still here as it's been AGES since I said hello. Carolynhere from New Zealand (way down under - home of Lord of the Rings, The LastSamurai and King Kong - good ol NZ!). We have 4 kiddies.....my oldeston is turning 14 years old tomorrow - I can't believe it. is12, Emma (ds) is 9 years (soon to be 10 in March) and Nicki (ds) is 8 years(nearly 9 in April). Emma and Nicki both have Trisomy 21 and while nottechnically twins, they might as well be with their relationship.My hubby Tony has just taken them to see a live concert of Hi5 (do you guysknow them?) so have a few minutes before taking the birthday boy out to sayhi.Emma and Nicki are doing great. Now in the same class at a school for kidswith Special Needs and LOVING it. They are so happy. Toilet training isgoing slowly and while both are 95% there, we do have the occasionalaccident if they are unwell or feeling a bit laxy. We are starting them inthe NZ Special Olympics group this year - not sure if in running or what butjust want to get them started in a sport.Anyway - we're still here and hope to be able to call in and say hi moreoften )CheersCarolynMore pictures of our kids:http://www.pbase.com/urriegrl/multiplesds