Moving On

After a great deal of thought and wrestling with the decision in my head, I've decided it's time to retire Finnian's Journey. This has been kind of an emotional and agonizing decision - this blog embodies so much for me: everything that my life has become with the addition of Finn to our family two and a half years ago. However, at this point Finn is just one of our kids, and Down syndrome isn't the focal point for me that it once was.

I am going to leave Finnian's Journey up, and hopefully new parents of babies with Down syndrome will stumble across it and read parts of it and see that this journey is an incredibly enriching one.

I've started a new blog where I will continue to write about all the things that spill forth from my mind - including, but not limited to, Finn and Down syndrome.

Life As I Know It

I am so very grateful for all the support I've gotten by way of this blog, all the incredible parents and chromosomally enhanced children I've gotten to know, and all the friendships I've gained. Thank you, everyone, from my heart of hearts.

I hope you'll visit me at my new blog!

The R-word

A lot of talk has been made about not tolerating the use of "retard" and "retarded" as derogatory slang. It's easy - or at least easyish - to confront someone on their use of the R-word(s) when it's a peer, someone subordinate in some way (as an adult to a child), or a stranger. But how should the situation be properly and constructively dealt with when the offender is a superior, or someone in an authority position (as a boss, for instance)?

I'm very curious what you, my Ds blogging friends, have to say about this.

A Long Overdue Post About What Finn's Up To

Boy, life sure has a way of getting in the way of blogging, huh?

I can sum up what Finn is up to these days in one word: TROUBLE. In a nutshell, he's into everything. And he's a very determined little guy. And I'm pretty sure he's snickering at me behind my back as he puts me through the paces.



He's figured out how to climb up on his toy chest and . . . redecorate.


He climbs. Boy does he climb.


He's figured out how to make good use of a step stool:




Here's some general rabble rousing:




Oh, and look what a smarty pants he is:

Accidental Mohawk

It was an accident, I swear it was!


See, here's what happened: I put Finn in the tub and got Daddy's electric trimmer out to give Finn a trim, as usual. I'm running the trimmer up and down the back of his head and notice that he's getting bald spots. The blade guard that controls how close it trims had come off the blade and I didn't notice! So he's got all these glaring bald spots and the only thing I could do at that point was . . . well, give him a Mohawk!


Daddy and all Finn's brothers and sisters are horrified. I'm actually partial to boys with Mohawks (call me strange), but this was not what I intended. No, really!



Hmmm, maybe it's time to get this bad boy a tattoo.