You can find more information on his website http://www.georgeestreich.com/Home.html
I have sent him an email in hopes of interviewing him for the Confessions… blog.
The Daddy in Confessions of a Down Syndrome Daddy turns 42 years old today. The best gifts I have ever gotten, I have not gotten on my birthday, they were received on March 3, 2004 (when I married the lovely Mary Jane) January 5 (when Emma was born), August 27 (when Brady was born), and July 17 (when Miss Carly was born).
Click on the word giggles…it is the sound of Carly laughing. It will need to down load and play in your media player.
The sweet sound of Miss Carly playing with her brother, Brady.
Mary Jane sent this to me while I was out of town on business last week. Made me smile from ear to ear.
“Can you hear me?”
“Can you hear me?” I whisper behind Carly’s left shoulder.
No response.
“Can you hear me?” This time I say it a little louder and a bit further away.
She swivels her head and gives me a big smile.
Not bad hearing for a little girl who is supposedly has no hearing in her left ear, at least that’s what the doctor says.
It is hard, as a parent, to not get caught up in what the medical world says about what your child can or cannot do.
I know that Carly has major hearing loss in her left ear and it may or may not be corrected by placing a tube into her left ear canal. She had them in both ears but somehow the left one decided to come out without us knowing.
I also believe that she will hear every word I say.
I wonder if this is me and my positive view on life or I am being naïve about the fact that my daughter may not hear me at all.
Do I start to learn more and more sign language so that I can communicate with her if she does have hearing loss?
Or do I continue to be positive and use my voice and words to communicate with her?
The more I think about it, the more I realize that the best way is both ways. I need to learn more sign so that I am not limiting the ability for Carly and I to talk. And I most continue to use my words and voice so that she can understand how much her Daddy loves her.
It’s the middle of the night and Miss Carly is asleep.
I am not convinced she is sound asleep as I can hear her rolling around in her crib trying to find that perfect sleeping spot.
As I listen to her roll around, I hope that she decides to wake up so that we can spend some time together.
One of my favorite moments is when she wakes up in the middle of the night, grabs a quick bite to eat, and the falls asleep as she snuggles with me on the couch.
Unfortunately for me, she finds her comfy spot and soon the sounds of her rustling around are replaced by little Carly snores.
Today, I will stay up later so that I can spend some time together, maybe tomorrow night she will wake up for a late night feeding and fall asleep with me on the couch.
Until then, I am content to listen to her snore.
Eleven years ago, today, my father passed away.
I know that you would have loved to hang out with Miss Carly and tell your students all about her.
I know that you would have hung up this picture in your class computer lab.
Hi Grandpa!
I know that Carly would have enjoyed making you smile and laugh.
She would probably tug on your beard and try to put on your shoes.
Thank you for helping me become the Dad I am today.
I love you and I miss you.
Our celebration of Down Syndrome Awareness month kicked off about 90 minutes after midnight.
It was not planned that way, however, Miss Carly’s tummy decided that it was the best time to wake up and enjoy a midnight snack.
The two of us sat down together and Miss Carly devoured a container of blueberry yogurt. As she finished up, she raised her right arm in the air, towards her ears, and titled her palm up towards the sky. She made one of her sweet Carly noises and grinned from ear to ear.
I am not sure what her motion meant but it brought her great joy and she wanted to make sure I knew it.
We curled up on the couch and less then five minutes later, Miss Carly was sound asleep on my chest.
It was a pretty great way to kick of Down Syndrome Awareness month!
This may sound really silly, but one of the reasons why I have not been writing lately is that I am constantly comparing myself to other Down Syndrome blogs out there and feeling like my writing is not “spectacular”, mind opening, or current event enough.
Ugh…it is something I will get past but it is a pain to deal with.
Today was a tough day as we dropped Miss Emma (my daughter) off at the airport. She spent part of her summer break with us before for heading back to be with her mom for the school year. Miss Emma and Miss Carly get along so well and Miss Emma is doing a great job at being an awesome big sister.
This year, the two started sharing a bedroom and Miss Emma would check on Miss Carly while Miss Carly was sleeping.
Miss Emma, Miss Carly, and Down Syndrome Daddy at the airport.
Miss Emma will be missed be all and we can not wait to see her again.
Went to the beach today. Tide kept going out so I had to keep moving Carly further and further out. When we were not close enough to the water, she would point forward and shout “Go” Here she is waiting for the waves.
Where are the waves…move me closer Dad!