Part 2 of Our Trip - Cruise

The rest of the trip was a Mediterranean cruise. Life is rough but we thought we would give it a go.  

The first stop Florence...Duomo

Florence is such a charming city. Everywhere you looked you could snap a pic and never feel that you have captured the entire essence of Florence. It is so pretty. I feel like I need to paint, paint it all, all the time. If only I could paint...

The best part about Florence was that we've been there before, in 2008. I love that we have a pic of us at the exact same spot on Ponte Vecchio 5 years later. Lots of changes since 2008, namely the little one in my belly and the little one we left at home. Crazy!!!

Portofino...

Breathtaking sights and delicious food. The kind of place you want to sit at a cafe, eat, drink and watch the world go by. And so we did...bottom left patio in the pic (we sat right next to that on the left).

Some overachiever docked their little yacht in this marina. You may have trouble seeing it...

Seriously...I can't look at this without NEEDING it.

Nice, France...

It was a very rainy, very quick visit so I don't have much to comment on. It's beauty can not be denied. I hope to visit again one day for longer.

That concludes the world travel posts for now.

Peace & Love

Barcelona

Here are some of the pics I snapped of our trip. It's always at times like these I find myself wishing I was a trained, professional photographer, in hopes of perfectly capturing the new experiences. I find it so difficult to accurately represent the architecture, culture and atmosphere of the places we visit. These pictures do not do this trip justice. They are way too, 2-dimensional. It's always different when you are there and the culture surrounds you, with its smells, sites, people.

Sagrada Família

This church was designed by Antoni Gaudi and is still under construction according to his original plans. Its estimated date of completion is 2025.

Gaudi also designed these 2 apartment buildings in Barcelona. After visting them we learned that he gets his inspiration from things in nature, bones, skulls, trees, etc.

Las Ramblas

The loft apartment we stayed in.

By far the best meal we had in Barcelona. Delish!!!

This tiny plate of Iberian ham was 19 Euros (it's about 200 grams of meat). It tasted that expensive.

Tibidabo

It was a super cloudy day, the day we visited the church. I know it looks like fog but we are actually high enough to be in the clouds.

There is a really old amusement park still up and running next to the church.

Coolest looking ride ever!!!

This Cathedral was in the Gothic Quarter.

This type of mosaic design is very common to see on buildings throughout the city. This was by far one of the prettiest.

My father-in-law rockin' my red scarf.

Park Güell

And last but not least, my IG pics from Barcelona. Food, shopping and a bump. Pretty much sums up the whole trip for me.

Very grateful...Happy Monday!!!

Hazel's 1st Family Vacation

That title sounds like a kids story book...hmmmm

There were so many photos taken and memories made that it is going to be a huge challenge trying to keep this post short. I guess some of the details will just have to stay in the family (especially the parts where we fought and yelled at each other…hehe).

In all honesty, the trip could not have been better. The weather was amazing, the house was perfect, the adventures were adventurous, and mostly the company was entertaining. We were all sad to see it come to an end, and I assure you Hazel has been looking around for her cousins over the last week. I can also assure you that, when she looks around and there is only me, she is disappointed. She has become quite used to her daddy being around all the time. She is his biggest fan.

One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was to watch Hazel bond and become accustomed to each family member. By the 2^nd day, she was extending her arms out to Stella for comfort and to sing songs. She learned Lilly’s name and she copied all Emi’s dance moves early in the mornings. She quickly learned that Auntie Paula was one to make friends with. Every time Auntie looked at her, Hazel gave her an adoring smile from ear-to-ear (sometimes Hazel would just stare at her until Paula looked and then reward her with a HUGE adoring smile).

By the end of the week, she had smiles and kisses for everybody. Watching the relationships grow and blossom into LOVE and TRUST, was a beautiful thing, and an experience I will treasure.

Another aspect of the trip I treasured equally was, watching Hazel experience new things for the first time. As all parents, part of our job is to create new experiences and opportunities for our children to learn and grow. This trip allowed us the opportunity to let Hazel fly on a plane, sleep in a different bed, eat different foods, meet old family friends, play in the sand, swim in a pool and feel the ocean on her feet. We are excited that we were able to provide these opportunities for her and really can't wait to expose her to more.

She's a freaking strawberry!!!!!

We will be looking forward to making more memories with our family but for now we will hold on to and cherish the ones we have just made. And after my family reads this post they will know how I really feel, so the secrets out.

I guess, I don't think they're half bad. None of it would have happened without a very generous and loving gesture from Pip. There are no words of appreciation that could ever possibly be enough. Thank you for the memories.

ALL HAIL Princess Lilly...

The Grand Floridian dinner...

Dinner at The Bohemian...

Hangin' with the girls...

  

Dancin' in the streets of Downtown Disney...

Hands DOWN, the funniest pic of the bunch...

"So guys...this whole thing was a blast!!! Let's do it again. Who's in???"

We are blessed friends...

Happy "You talkin' to me?" Friday

This happened and I absolutely had to share it with you.  

It's no secret that Hazel is "vocal" (and by vocal I mean offensive at times). We recorded Hazel with the iPhone so that she could see and hear herself on it at the same time.

As I was watching her interact with herself, I couldn't help but first off be relieved that she doesn't only talk to me like that. And secondly, (becasue of the trainwreck-ed-ness of her hair), I found myself thinking of the scene in "Taxi Driver" where Robert De Niro is giving the "are you talking to me" speech.

Seriously, here is a pic of him:

And here is Hazel:

Try to imagine her going, "you talkin' to me?"  - "What?"  - "You talking to me?"  -  "There's no one else here, so you MUST be talking to ME!?"

Click here if having trouble viewing   

Happiest of Friday's to you all...

A girls gotta have fun

Here is a video of Hazel and I doing physio. Well, it stared out as physio and ended up just being super fun. She figured out that she can fall to the sides and back without any injury. That and it's a super bouncy landing. Not really the goal while doing physio but, a girls gotta have fun too.

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If we were doing this properly, as a PT activity, I would be bouncing her much slower and moving her around in a circle very slowly. Hazel would be balancing herself by activating her muscles in her stomach and legs. It's a natural reaction for her to try and keep herself upright. It works great for core strengthening.

New goal for Chasing Hazel's Facebook page.

47 Chromosomes = 470 "likes"

Don't forget to click here to stop by her page and hit "like" for updates on all the shenanigans Hazel is up to.

Thanks for your continued support. Hope this video brings a smile to your Tuesday!

Mommy says "NO"

Here is what Hazel thinks of me telling her "NO", on this cozy, PJ wearing Saturday night. Enjoy... FACT: We are in trouble.

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Yeah...that's a lot of laughing. And when Matt says "SD" he means, "S#@t Disturber."

Weekends are the BEST!

Group Hug Apparel

Do you have your Group Hug Apparel t-shirt yet?

It was such a pleasure to meet Andrew and his mom, Karen. They were selling t-shirts to raise money for a little girl in need of a heart transplant. Hazel instantly fell in love with Andrew. She immediately outstretched her arms to him and was trying to kiss him on the mouth. It was pretty cute.

Their booth was set up at Colasanti's, a local Tropical Garden. So we went out to get our Group Hug Apparel ON... (literally - we put it on while we were there).

Part of Andrew's inspiration to sell t-shirts is to help "sick kids." Andrew knows what it's like to have a heart surgery or two and wants to help kids in any way that he can. He says that it is "important to help people."

This video tells a little bit of their story, including a history of why they started Group Hug Apparel. Every time I watch the part where Karen says that she is proud of Andrew, tears well up in my eyes. It is an overwhelming feeling to know that your child can accomplish so much, even though the odds may seem stacked against them. You make us all proud, Andrew!!!

Also, if you have a Group Hug shirt and would like to send me a picture of you wearing it, I would love to post it on the blog. You can send it to chasinghazel27@gmail.com, with the subject line "Group Hug". Also, I know Andrew always wants to see where his shirts ended up. Feel free to jump over to his Facebook page and "like" it and share your pics with him.

Congratulations Andrew on all your accomplishments!!!

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Embracing difference is so empowering.

Acceptance & Peace...

Little N3lla's Triple Crown

I wanted to share something with my Chasing Hazel family. If you have been reading a while, you might remember my mentioning Kelle Hampton (once or twice, or three times - whatever don't judge me). She has been a huge influence in the Down Syndrome community since the birth of her daughter Nella. Her charisma and passion for raising awareness for individuals with Down Syndrome is admirable.

If you have not yet visited her blog, wait until you have some time, grab a coffee (or whiskey tea - whatever- I won't judge you) and enjoy.

For now, Nella is trying to raise money for the National Down Syndrome Society.

Every year for her birthday, Kelle celebrates by reaching out to her readers and asking them to support the cause. Over the past 2 years, they have raised over $200, 000. This year they are at it again with a new goal. They would like to have a grand total of $300,000. Anything helps!!!

Click HERE to find out more about how you can help support...

N3lla's Triple Crown

Nellas triple crown from ETST on Vimeo. 

Gratitude & Peace

You're welcome

Thought you might need a little chuckle this morning. I just so happened to come across this little gem in my travels. Enjoy...

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Love & Laughter

Happy Friday!!!

So SORRY for the late post.... In the past, Happy Friday has been about giving you something to look at to make you smile. We try to give you a positive image to start your weekends.

This week we will give you something to listen to. Hopefully this will leave you smiling and ready to celebrate another weekend.

Something for your eyes...

 

Here is a little something for your ears...

(There is no image in this video until the end)

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Happy Weekend everyone

Love & Peace

Silver Lining

  When the geneticist sits down and tells you your baby has Down Syndrome, many thoughts go through your mind. Lots of things are said. Doctors and nurses tell you about the "challenges" that may lie ahead.

One of the thoughts, is that your baby will be different from all the other babies. Immediately you think, "woah, 'different' - that can't be good - doesn't sound good."

We all want our babies to be different, unique in a way, but when push comes to shove, not really. We don't want them to be that different. We want them to be the same, and do all the things that every baby does.

Any one of you moms out there that has been on Baby Center - EVER - FOR ANYTHING - knows what I mean. It's fine...no judgements!!! Chasing Hazel is a judge free zone...really...I have no room to judge - TRUST ME!! I digress...

So, I was saying...you find out your kid has Down Syndrome. For a minute (k...so way longer than a minute really) you feel like life as you knew it is over. Long story short (for now), you try to figure out what does it mean for your baby? Will they do all the things other babies do? It's scary and daunting and scary.

Here is the silver lining...

Hazel and all other babies like Hazel, will do all the things other babies do. They might work a lot harder to get there, but one day it just happens, they are there. We are blessed to be a part of their journey.

And mama pride!!! Well proud does not even begin to break the barrier of emotions you feel that your baby is different, but also very much the same.

Best of both worlds really.

Hazel crawled today...

Click here if you are having trouble viewing.  Click here if having trouble viewing 

With pride and a happy heart

See you tomorrow

Adele

This may lead you to believe that we enjoy when Hazel is upset. Just for the record we do not.

It's just that this is so hilarious, and if she wasn't as upset, it wouldn't be as funny as it is.

Hazel has been obsessed with Adele ever since she was new. The older she gets, the more intense the obsession seems to get. Usually it has to be this song. It's not good wnough that its Adele, it has to be Someone Like You.

See for yourself...

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Until....

The family Christmas celebration. We learned that if we all serenaded her with Twinkle Twinkle she would also stop crying.

I think that while this is not only very funny, it is a true testament to the beauty of the people that Hazel gets to call family. All of them willing participants to try and make Hazel smile. There is something so innocent and pure about this memory, Hazel is a lucky girl.

Click here if you are having trouble viewingWe have a goal for Hazel's FB page. We are trying to reach 321 "likes" by March 21, 2013 - World Down Syndrome Day!!! If you are interested, please click on the link, Chasing Hazel and "like" her page. Thanks for the continued support!!!

A very loud girl

I am not sure if she likes this toy or hates it. Either way it's super funny!!! I would turn the volume on the lowest setting if I were you. Enjoy...

Click here if you can't see the videoWe have a goal for Hazel's FB page. We are trying to reach 321 "likes" by March 21, 2013 - World Down Syndrome Day!!! If you are interested, please click on the link, Chasing Hazel and "like" her page. Thanks for the continued support!!!

Back by popular demand...

Here is the 2nd edition of Hazel dancing. Her moves are still pretty much the same but show a little more conviction than they did in the past. She overheard me listening to this You Tube clip of Zooey Deschanel and Ben Schwartz singing a little duet. Here is her reaction almost every time she hears the song. She is very focused on the song the whole time. Love the tongue!!!

Enjoy!!!

Sorry the video is not the best quality...you get the idea.

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Here is the video she was watching...

click here if you can't see it.

National Down Syndrome Awareness Week

In Canada, National Down Syndrome Awareness Week started November 1st and goes to the 7th. I found this AMAZING video. Watch it!!!! I'm not even going to be polite about it. It is the one of the BEST videos I have seen so far.

It explains everything perfectly. It includes a great break down and definition of what DS is, and how others can begin to learn about and accept DS into their lives. I love that it is narrated by kids. It is easy to understand for people of all ages. It is 12 minutes long, which is a long one, but it is worth it.

My only critique would be, that not all people with DS are like one of the 3 shown in the video. Not everyone with DS experience the same challenges, everyone is different. I do appreciate how some of the common challenges are highlighted and explained, so that we can empathize with these challenges.

Use it in your classrooms, in your homes, in your break room. Use it where ever you think it will make a difference.

 

Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video

Community Outreach

October blew by us so fast, my head is still spinning!!! I have some posts left over that I really wanted to get out for DS Awareness month. However, although this blog seeks to raise awareness about DS, it is about Hazel first. She is a baby first, and I a mommy. Things like birthdays and Halloween could not be put on the back burner. Here is one of the posts I was hoping to get out...

Hazel and I visited her big cousin Stella's classroom to raise awareness in our community about Down Syndrome. Most of our schools are very proud to offer full inclusion for all special needs children.

Hazel was very well received by all the children and the staff. It was great to be able to explain a little bit about what having Down Syndrome means to the grade 4 students. Although, they have students in the school with t21, some of them did not understand what the syndrome actually meant for that person.

When the Q & A was opened up, the students were eager to share stories about the things that they did know about DS. A common theme that the children were unsure of was the difference between Autism and DS. The teacher and I tried our best to differentiate between the 2, but it is very important that the teaching and education go on in the home.

Please feel free to use either of these videos as a conversation starter with your children. For more information on DS you can visit this page as well.

I found this video on Autism. I hope these videos help your children to understand and relate to other children in their schools that may have Down Syndrome or Autism.

This was the speech Stella wrote to introduce Hazel to her class and teach them a little something about Down Syndrome. We had a separate recording session so that she was loud and clear.

                                                     Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video.

Stella also brought this video to my attention. She thought that it may help others to see how beautiful people with DS can be.

Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video

On Blueberry Hill

We were bored of eating blueberries one day so here is what happened... We PLAYED with them!!! Hazel painted her first picture. She did her first craft. She's growing so fast.

I must confess, this idea was conjured over Thanksgiving dinner. My Aunt, an accomplished artist at Turtle Dove Designs, noticed that Hazel was finger painting with a tiny bit of water that I poured on her highchair tray. My Aunt didn't hesitate to offer her services as Hazel's personal art teacher. After seeing this, Hazel seems she is going to want to start sooner than later. Hope you are ready Zia Kim!!!

Hazel loved the feel of the water on her finger tips. She enjoyed the fact that she could spread it and push it around where ever she wanted. It kept her entertained for quite a while. So, I thought why not let her actually paint with some blueberries?

Here is what happened...

Daddy came home when we were just finishing up. Hazel was very proud of herself!!!

The video is over 2 minutes. It gets really funny when Matt comes home, about a minute in...enjoy!!!

Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video.

Hazel Dancing

We put Hazel in her Play-yard this weekend and here is what she decided to do. This video was taped, literally, minutes after she went in for the first time. Hilarious!!!

Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video.

Kick Off for Down Syndrome Awareness Month!!!

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!!! Hazel is excited!!!

This will be an exciting month for us, not only in our home, but on the blog!!!

I will be featuring a series of posts to try and raise awareness for Down Syndrome. My goal is to inform as well as educate readers on living with DS. And, as always, to share the story of our sweet girl Hazel, in hopes that our readers will see that although raising her certainly has some challenges (surgeries mainly), Hazel experiences and reaches all the milestones that every other baby reaches. Please join us in the educating, raising awareness and spreading knowledge.

Share the links that you find interesting on your Facebook pages. Also, feel free to visit Chasing Hazel's Facebook page for regular updates. Please don't hesitate to contact me with stories or resources you would like me to include on the blog this month. We would love to hear from you....

I can only speak from my experience of having a child with Down Syndrome.

Just because Hazel has t21, it doesn't mean that she doesn't wake up during the night just looking for cuddles cause she's figured out that when she cries we come to tend.

It doesn't mean that she doesn't get really cranky when she is tired or hungry.

It doesn't mean that just as we are ready to take her visiting, she has a poop that I'm sure brakes records for just how far up her back it goes, ruining the perfectly adorable outfit that I had taken time to pick out, only to end up wearing the first sleeper on the clean clothes pile.

It doesn't mean that as we are trying to get her into the car seat she isn't throwing a fit so real and serious that I can't possibly get her to bend to sit in her car seat. She was serious, her voice was going to be heard.

She is a baby, just like other babies, and we are parents, just like other parents, trying to do what works to make sure we all stay sane. Some days it easy, other days you wonder how the universe saw it fit to deem you a suitable candidate to be responsible for a life other than your own.

I believe that in order to embrace difference and understand the world of special needs we need to listen, we need to educate, we need to understand and then finally to accept.

Watch this video, show it to your partner, your friends, show it to your kids. I am wiling to bet your kids know more about special needs than you think. Here is a perfect video for younger children.

Let Down Syndrome become a topic of conversation in your homes. Let it into your life, you never know when you will be called upon to act, to protect and to love. We certainly didn't...

A perfect photo session

Here are the rest of our pictures from the Vita Photography photo shoot. They are stunning...they take my breath away every time I look at them!!! Good news for those who follow Chasing Hazel...if you mention that you were referred to Vita through the blog, Tiffany has generously agreed to give you a free 11x14 print from your photo session, along with 15% off all additional prints. Click here to contact Vita.

I included both colour and black & white...I COULD NOT decide which ones to show you all, so I chose them ALL!!! Enjoy...