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Michael 01:26 PM 09-20-2013
I thought of creating this thread because of the "Genius" post where those of you spoke so proudly of your children. Every child is special. Tell us about them.

My son Jonathan, just turned 21, does not curse, has yet to date. We gave him his first drink on his birthday and after sticking his finger in and tasting it, he pushed it away and said, no thanks!

My Daughter is 14, is homeschooled, also does not curse and takes lots of classes to pursue her acting career. She beats me all the time at Canasta. http://canastamaster.com (a family website, I thought I'd share)
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Play Care 01:38 PM 09-20-2013
My oldest daughter is 8. She is a voracious reader and actually walks around holding a book up to her face rather then stop reading. She has already read (and comprehended) all the Harry Potter books. She is also very strong willed and while challenging on my end, I love that she never allows herself to be overlooked.

My younger daughter is 7 and very kind and loving. She has a great laugh which instantly puts everyone in a good mood.
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melskids 02:09 PM 09-20-2013
My older son Jonathan is 17. He is a junior in high school with an IEP for some learning disabilities...mostly in math. However, he is a walking history textbook, and many times ends up teaching the history teacher.

He is class president. He is also in BOCES half day, (which is our local trade school), for heavy equipment operation and logging.

He legally owns his own business making handcrafted items and sells them at craft fairs every weekend.

He makes homemade apple cider, maple syrup, jelly, and cans his owns veggies. He also enjoys making handcrafted primitive weapons. I never knew what a bolo was until he came along. LOL

He wants to homestead and live completely off of the grid. In a yurt.

He refuses to get a cell phone or use facebook.

He already owns a new car, but insists on riding the bus to school to save on gas.

He could care less about material things, wears what he likes, and doesn't care what his friends think.

If he can make it homemade, he will...and he refuses to spend money on something unless he absolutely HAS to.

He hunts, fishes, and traps in his spare time.

If you've seen the show "mountain men"....that's my son.

Now, Tyler, my 11 year old....COMPLETE opposite. He's in to all the latest fashions and has to own every electronic gadget out there. He wants to be a rock star, and can fix a computer with his eyes closed. He is louder, more outgoing, and talks to everyone. He is class clown, and is definitely giving me a run for my money. But he is the sweetest kid, and would do anything for anybody. I cant wait to see what kind of teenager he is going to become!
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MyAngels 02:10 PM 09-20-2013
One of the things I find most interesting about my 3 kids is how very different they are. All raised in the same, consistent manner and yet they have three entirely different personalities.

My 4 sibs and I were all raised in wildly different circumstances from each other and yet we have quite similar personalities.

Go figure.
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Michael 02:20 PM 09-20-2013
Originally Posted by Play Care:
My oldest daughter is 8. She is a voracious reader and actually walks around holding a book up to her face rather then stop reading. She has already read (and comprehended) all the Harry Potter books. She is also very strong willed and while challenging on my end, I love that she never allows herself to be overlooked.

My younger daughter is 7 and very kind and loving. She has a great laugh which instantly puts everyone in a good mood.
Yes, my daughter, around the same age, use to have a full body laugh that use to make everyone laugh. She doesn't laugh like that anymore. Make sure you capture it on video. You will be laughing about it years later.

Originally Posted by melskids:
My older son Jonathan is 17. He is a junior in high school with an IEP for some learning disabilities...mostly in math. However, he is a walking history textbook, and many times ends up teaching the history teacher.

He is class president. He is also in BOCES half day, (which is our local trade school), for heavy equipment operation and logging.

He legally owns his own business making handcrafted items and sells them at craft fairs every weekend.

He makes homemade apple cider, maple syrup, jelly, and cans his owns veggies. He also enjoys making handcrafted primitive weapons. I never knew what a bolo was until he came along. LOL

He wants to homestead and live completely off of the grid. In a yurt.

He refuses to get a cell phone or use facebook.

He already owns a new car, but insists on riding the bus to school to save on gas.

He could care less about material things, wears what he likes, and doesn't care what his friends think.

If he can make it homemade, he will...and he refuses to spend money on something unless he absolutely HAS to.

He hunts, fishes, and traps in his spare time.

If you've seen the show "mountain men"....that's my son.

Now, Tyler, my 11 year old....COMPLETE opposite. He's in to all the latest fashions and has to own every electronic gadget out there. He wants to be a rock star, and can fix a computer with his eyes closed. He is louder, more outgoing, and talks to everyone. He is class clown, and is definitely giving me a run for my money. But he is the sweetest kid, and would do anything for anybody. I cant wait to see what kind of teenager he is going to become!
Wow, At 17? He is already a born leader.

Originally Posted by MyAngels:
One of the things I find most interesting about my 3 kids is how very different they are. All raised in the same, consistent manner and yet they have three entirely different personalities.

My 4 sibs and I were all raised in wildly different circumstances from each other and yet we have quite similar personalities.

Go figure.
Yes, even twins can have very different personalities. Our spirits must come from differing places.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 02:23 PM 09-20-2013
My dd is 22. She has done very well in college (home schooled). She is my would be world traveler. She was in Japan at 16, China and Taiwan last summer. She is busy applying to grad schools.
My ds is 16. He is a competitive shooter- air rifle and small bore. He is nationally ranked and shot in the Jr Olympics this past spring. He wants to shoot in the Olympics. He is a Boy Scout working on his Eagle. And as a home schooled kid I am very proud of the fact that he has a skill- he can juggle!
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MarinaVanessa 02:45 PM 09-20-2013
Okay here I go ...

My DD is 8yo (will be 9 in December). She has ADHD and is extremely active. Not sure if it's because of that or not but she has MUSCLES!!! She is super strong for her size and age. She is a little shorter than the rest of her classmates but can out-run, out-climb and out-maneuver any child her age and up to 11 years old so far that has challenged her and that includes wrestling. She can do push-ups and sit-ups like a champ and, no joke, can do three sets of three pull ups NO PROBLEM. She does them like she was reading the Sunday comics. She is totally toned and her little body is all muscle. She LOVES flexing her biceps to show you and has well-defined stomach/abs and legs. All of this is another reason why we call her Mowgli.

My DS is 2yo (will be 3 in November) and has a strange way of picking up any electronic device and figuring out how to use it in a short amount of time. We have a keyless entry system at our front door and he had figured out my old code JUST FROM WATCHING ME ENTER IT so I had to change it. We now have to cover the keypad with our bodies to hide when we punch our codes in so that he doesn't see them. He has beat all of the levels in Angry Birds in the original and in the space versions and is now working on the Star Wars version. He also likes to play this minion game (Despicable Me) and currently holds the highest score of 43,000 points (he has me, my DH and my DD beat). I have a short clip of him when I was trying to get him to show off his skills and he wasn't all that into it but still scores some 14,000 points. I will try to post it later.

My youngest DS is 7 weeks old and although I love him to death he's still just a baby and a lot like a potato and doesn't do much right now besides the typical eat, sleep, nurse, poo, burp, fart and stuff most typical 7 week olds do. He is my biggest baby though (born at 8lbs and is now 13 lbs) and since my other two were small infants he is special to me because of his bigger size (I have a small frame so I had small babies) .
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Brooksie 03:05 PM 09-20-2013
My dd will be 3 in December. She is extremely bright for her age. She masters every activity I present. Her sentence structure is on par with that of a 5+ year old but she's still lacking in her pronunciation which makes hearing her talk absolutely hilarious. She's been been asking 'Why?' (a notorious 3 yo thing) for the past 9-10 months and is since over the annoying part of it. She has the best sense of humor and tells jokes that will legitimately make you laugh. She is in love with music and has a ton of instruments that she plays all the time. She 'acts' constantly, not just the typical dramatic pretend play but gets into character and everything. She has the most stunning blue eyes and Shirley Temple hair. I'm thinking this girl is going places and is destined for the stage
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caregiver 03:25 PM 09-20-2013
My two boys are 31 & 36 years old. My husband & I are so very proud of the nice young men they have become! My youngest is married with a 2 yr old son and another baby on the way due in April. My oldest is married and no children yet, their dogs are their kids at the moment.
I am so glad that I was able to stay home with them while they were growing up and don't regret one day of being a stay at home Mom.

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Maria2013 03:55 PM 09-20-2013
my boys are 10 -13 and 17 I like the fact that they still hug and kiss me, every time they pass me by
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Familycare71 04:12 PM 09-20-2013
My oldest son is 17. He and I were attached his first two years. He has always been a funny, empathetic, kind, open minded and loving person. He has his own way- and avoids fitting the standard quo. He is in vopro for heavy machinery and plans on going to college for diesel mechanics. He has been the toughest of my three- but I have never worried about him drinking, having relations, or doing drugs I am freaked we are so close to the next phase of his life but I also cannot wait to see what he does as an adult.
My second son is 15. He has been a life force all his own since he was 2! He is funny, energetic and has such a huge heart! He is extremely talented- he is an amazing football player, actor and recently has show his talent in music. He decided last summer to play the base guitar- and did... his his band teacher told him if he learned to read music for the base he could play it in the band- so he did! He now plays in the band, jazz band, and has his own band. He has also taught himself the piano and acoustic guitar And is in the process of the drums- I love that my house always has music in the back ground now!
My youngest is my 10 year old daughter. She is the piece that completed our family She is jsut easy! She is funny, witty and holds her own with her big brothers. She just has a spark about her She still loves to spend time with me and even enjoys when I coach her (and Im not an easy coach!) I love that we have been able to do so much and spend so much time with her in her activities I think I appreciate it more than I did with my boys because she is the baby... I understand how fast it all goes

I can say no matter what we go through in our family I am so proud of my children. They are good -kind people. I like being with them and so do others They are amazing and I cant wait to watch them grow!
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daycare 04:14 PM 09-20-2013
I have 3 amazing kids but I will only touch on my youngest because I don't have a lot of time to post.

He is 5 and can speak 3 languages. He is not 100% fluent, but he is learning to be. He is a great reader and can build almost anything. He is very technical. I hope that he will continue to learn our languages and perhaps even learn more.
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Josiegirl 04:44 PM 09-20-2013
What is amazing to see here is all the love shining through everyone's words. You can just feel all the hearts growing bigger as you describe your kids. Cool thread!
My oldest, my son is 32. Hard to believe(where does the time go??). He's always been super smart and a very eloquent conversationalist. His high school English teacher called him the next John Grisham. He entered college with a full scholarship majoring in English. I wish he'd done something with it but he's also a sensitive soul and doesn't handle rejection very well so he went the safe route and got a job. He's kind, caring, still buys his gf roses and treats her like a queen after 10+ years, great sense of humor, just a great guy. No alcohol or drugs.

My oldest dd is 22, very strong-willed from day one. She's independent and her thoughtfulness creeps up on you when you least expect it. She's not sure right now what she wants but when she finds out I know she's going to get it. I believe she's on her 3rd major right now. Her first was International Affairs and now it's Business. She's a real sweetheart.

My youngest dd just turned 21 and knows how to make people laugh. If she could see herself the way everyone else sees her.....but she only thinks critically of herself. She's got such a great sense of humor, great with kids, very sweet young lady. Just started her 3rd year in an art school and she's got some real talent with drawing and painting.

I wouldn't be telling about all my kids if I didn't include my son that passed away at nine months. He was a real sweet baby, always smiling, and simply thrived while he was home, soaking up all the love he could. He would've been 26 this past 4th of July.
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Sugar Magnolia 04:46 PM 09-20-2013
My oldest son is 18 and just started college locally. He doesn't have a major yet, but is considering investigative journalism or cyber security. He just got a mall job and a 1998 convertible Mustang. He has a nice girlfriend and nice friends. He is your typical laid back, beachy, Florida dude.

My youngest son in turning 10 soon. He is an enthusiastic Cub Scout and a straight A student. (oldest was not) He enjoys the periodic table of elements and the TV show "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman". He is my sand sculpture competition assistant and protege. He aspires to be either a scientist or a pawn broker. (Yes, he also enjoys "Pawn Stars") He's a tad socially awkward (his brother is not).

I love my boys. Totally different personalities.

Btw, even brothers eight and a half years apart still manage to fight. Mostly over food and the bathroom.
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cheerfuldom 05:25 PM 09-20-2013
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
What is amazing to see here is all the love shining through everyone's words. You can just feel all the hearts growing bigger as you describe your kids. Cool thread!
My oldest, my son is 32. Hard to believe(where does the time go??). He's always been super smart and a very eloquent conversationalist. His high school English teacher called him the next John Grisham. He entered college with a full scholarship majoring in English. I wish he'd done something with it but he's also a sensitive soul and doesn't handle rejection very well so he went the safe route and got a job. He's kind, caring, still buys his gf roses and treats her like a queen after 10+ years, great sense of humor, just a great guy. No alcohol or drugs.

My oldest dd is 22, very strong-willed from day one. She's independent and her thoughtfulness creeps up on you when you least expect it. She's not sure right now what she wants but when she finds out I know she's going to get it. I believe she's on her 3rd major right now. Her first was International Affairs and now it's Business. She's a real sweetheart.

My youngest dd just turned 21 and knows how to make people laugh. If she could see herself the way everyone else sees her.....but she only thinks critically of herself. She's got such a great sense of humor, great with kids, very sweet young lady. Just started her 3rd year in an art school and she's got some real talent with drawing and painting.

I wouldn't be telling about all my kids if I didn't include my son that passed away at nine months. He was a real sweet baby, always smiling, and simply thrived while he was home, soaking up all the love he could. He would've been 26 this past 4th of July.
Thank you for sharing all your children with us!
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cheerfuldom 05:45 PM 09-20-2013
I love seeing how different my kids are and how they each were so individual so quickly in their little lives.

My oldest is almost 6. I know this sounds weird and maybe I am not describing it right but I am a little intimidated by her LOL She is SMART, she never forgets anything (its really creepy) and she is very aware of others and just what you would call an old soul. Very emotional but she does seem to suck in any of the tension around her and vibe off others so she carries a lot on her tiny shoulders. Her verbal and physical skills have always been way ahead and even at 1 or 2, I found myself treating her like a tiny adult. On time I got lost driving to a friends house and as a young 2 year old (maybe older 1 year old?) she piped up from the back with turn by turn directions and she remembered the street name....she had been there only one time before! This kind of stuff happens all the time. She loves learning and she loves art and sewing/fashion. Its hard to keep boundaries with her and remember she is 5, not 15. I can trust her to do a lot of things independently that I wouldnt be able to trust a 10 year old to do.

The next is 4 and quite a character. She just has this bright spark about her, sparkling eyes, beautiful face and creamy skin and this personality that just pops out of any photograph. She is so energetic and not in the least inclined to sit and learn anything in particular but if you give her the chance to do things in her own way, she can really surprise you. She loves movies and pretend play and being outdoors. She is definitely the dare devil of the family. She thrives on attention and excitement and thrilling adventures.

The third is 2 and this girl really surprises me. She is a young 2 and will sit and focus on something to an amazing degree. She is incredibly patient and long suffering and that is basically unheard of for kids her age. She is very good with hands on tasks like stringing beads, coloring, and building and will easily sit and do the same task for 30 minutes to even an hour. Never seen anything like it. I am ashamed to say that sometimes we just plain out forget about her because she is no trouble at all, doesnt ask for anything, plays quietly in her room. She is really good with electronics too. I have never shown her anything and she knows how to use my phone and how to play the big kids Leap Pads. She has a sweet little face, snuggling and kisses and babyness that is impossible not to love. The kind of child that old people like LOL sitting on laps quietly for a whole church service.

The last is almost a year. He is a very simple kid. No point buying him any toys because he wont play with them. He is content with attention and maybe one small "toy" like an empty water bottle. He is very happy and serious by turns but rarely fussy or crying. Physically motivated but not really verbal. Just a very balanced kid, no drama, bright but not motivated to do anything in particular. He sort of "holds his cards close" and observes and carefully weighs out any new people in his life. He might be the one that is more street-smart than anything else. You can feel those wheels turning in his head and he is a fast learner. If something hurts, he wont try it again. If someone says no, he leaves it alone. Very easy to parent.
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Luvnmykidz 06:04 PM 09-20-2013
I have 3 kids. My oldest dd is 10 (will be 11 in Dec.) She loves to read anything and write stories. She is a 5th grader and has joined the band at her elementary school ( plays the viola) and also the chorus and praise dance team with her school. She wants to go to school for fashion design and likes helping me make tutu's, knitting and sewing. She's has a calming pleasant personality. My second dd is 6 (7 in Jan) She has a weak immune system,asthma, adhd, pdd-nos, severe food and environmental allergies and so many more things. She was my miracle baby for sure ( born blue and not breathing). She has gone through so much in her little life but has definitely taught me how to keep smiling and keep pushing on no matter what She is in the 1st grade and has made great academic and social/emotional strides. She is reading and writing on level and enjoys painting and drawing.She is very hyper, high spirited, determined, and is one of those kids that definitely speaks her mind (not intentionally rude, just very honest). She wants to be a doctor so she can help other sick children like she was helped. She is super excited about me doing daycare so she can "help me". Last of the bunch is my ds who turned 4 in May. He has just started pre-k. He is timid at times. He enjoys helping others and can be really hyper at times. He can write his name, tie his shoes, and ride his bike without training wheels, so he really feels like a big boy. He likes to "read to me" ( he has memorized his favorite books to read).
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MotherNature 07:56 PM 09-20-2013
My eldest will be 20 in February, and came out as transgender a year ago. She was born male, and lives most the time as a woman. She'll be getting married next month to her girlfriend of 3 years, & yes, I think it's too early. Frustrates me because she's so smart but has no drive. She loves Doctor Who, Zelda, and geeks out about various things with me. She's currently in school majoring in computer programming.

My middle child was the baby for many many years. He'll be 18 in 2 weeks. I met my 2nd husband when my son was 4 or 5, and had a baby with him nearly 3 years ago...Anyway, my middle kid is extremely ambitious (except for this year, he's been pretty laissez faire as he wrestles with what he's going to do w/ his life..I call it his no-life crisis.) He's a brilliant writer but also loves anything that has an analytic, scientific bent to it like forensics. He also enjoys physics, but really just wants to be a poet. Is strong willed & we all swore he'd be a lawyer b/c of his arguing skills. He attends a residential high school for gifted kids on a college campus & is gone most of the year.

That brings me to my boober bug. He's the typical high need spirited child. He never sleeps & he feels things deeply & is constantly a very intense ball of energy. He's extremely loving but extremely exhausting. I'm also sure he's the smartest of all the kids. (shhh) He's very empathetic and cares deeply for others. He also has the greatest sense of humour, at 2.75! He's so creative & it amazes me daily to see his mind in action. The logical connections he makes at his age are astounding. His favourite things right now are water, trains, construction equipment/cars, and we're working on potty training. He's still nursing as well, which I'd like to ease back on, but I know he's not ready to quit completely yet, & neither am I. My goal was age 2- the longest I'd gone before was 16 mos, & we've exceeded that goal, & I'm happy with it, so..yeah, but w/ his personality, the snuggletime is a necessary way to calm him at times.
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Leanna 08:12 PM 09-20-2013
What a great thread! I love reading about everyone's children. I can tell how proud you are all of them!

My oldest is 19. He is very strong-minded and always has been. He can have a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime - a skill I admire because I've always been awkward and shy. He has had a lot of challenges in his life but he works hard and tries to do right by everyone.

My middle one is 18. She is very creative and is a great writer. She has changed a lot in the past three years as she used to be a pink-loving-ballet-dancing-girly girl and now she is totally goth, but, at the core she is a hopeful and quick young lady.

My youngest is 16. He is an amazing artist and is very funny too. He is empathetic and very sensitive. When he was younger I used to joke that he was a junior member of the United Nations because he always tried to mediate arguments and make peace. Right now he is struggling with some anxiety (especially in school) that we are trying to work through, but he is a sweetheart.

I actually got teary-eyed writing this!
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Michael 08:30 PM 09-20-2013
Yes, I also enjoy reading these. I hope more will tell us about their kids.
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Angelsj 09:38 PM 09-20-2013
Originally Posted by Michael:
I thought of creating this thread because of the "Genius" post where those of you spoke so proudly of your children. Every child is special. Tell us about them.

My son Jonathan, just turned 21, does not curse, has yet to date. We gave him his first drink on his birthday and after sticking his finger in and tasting it, he pushed it away and said, no thanks!

My Daughter is 14, is homeschooled, also does not curse and takes lots of classes to pursue her acting career. She beats me all the time at Canasta. http://canastamaster.com (a family website, I thought I'd share)
Your Jonathon, could be my 23 yo. Super smart, just started dating a girl last year, tried drinking at his brothers' insistence on his 21st and does not drink. He does have three older brothers he plays online games with, so he curses while playing, because he thinks that is part of the game.
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Angelsj 09:40 PM 09-20-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
I have 3 amazing kids but I will only touch on my youngest because I don't have a lot of time to post.

He is 5 and can speak 3 languages. He is not 100% fluent, but he is learning to be. He is a great reader and can build almost anything. He is very technical. I hope that he will continue to learn our languages and perhaps even learn more.
Awesome!! Keep encouraging that. The more they speak other languages, the more those neurons develop. My 17yo LOVES languages and accents. She is pretty amazing at it.
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MsLaura529 05:50 AM 09-21-2013
My daughter is 4 ... she is so sweet and caring. She is a terrific dancer - she was in her first ballet recital last year (as a little "Fluffy Duck") and she was one of the leaders of her group of 9 little 3 and 4 year olds She just started preschool, where she is learning sign language and is attempting to teach what she is learning there to the daycare kiddos as well. She also says my 3 favorite Latvian phrases at bedtime each night, just like I used to do with my dad. I'm hoping to be able to get her and I learning some more Latvian words together.

My son, 2.5, is a TALKER. Every day I am amazed by how much he talks. He loves cars, trucks, dinosaurs, baseball (he can actually hit the ball off of the tee that we have pretty well, and if you toss a ball to him, he can hit it with a bat about 75% of the time). After reading a book one or two times, he can "read" it back to me.
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Heidi 06:08 AM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
I love seeing how different my kids are and how they each were so individual so quickly in their little lives.

My oldest is almost 6. I know this sounds weird and maybe I am not describing it right but I am a little intimidated by her LOL She is SMART, she never forgets anything (its really creepy) and she is very aware of others and just what you would call an old soul. Very emotional but she does seem to suck in any of the tension around her and vibe off others so she carries a lot on her tiny shoulders. Her verbal and physical skills have always been way ahead and even at 1 or 2, I found myself treating her like a tiny adult. On time I got lost driving to a friends house and as a young 2 year old (maybe older 1 year old?) she piped up from the back with turn by turn directions and she remembered the street name....she had been there only one time before! This kind of stuff happens all the time. She loves learning and she loves art and sewing/fashion. Its hard to keep boundaries with her and remember she is 5, not 15. I can trust her to do a lot of things independently that I wouldnt be able to trust a 10 year old to do.

The next is 4 and quite a character. She just has this bright spark about her, sparkling eyes, beautiful face and creamy skin and this personality that just pops out of any photograph. She is so energetic and not in the least inclined to sit and learn anything in particular but if you give her the chance to do things in her own way, she can really surprise you. She loves movies and pretend play and being outdoors. She is definitely the dare devil of the family. She thrives on attention and excitement and thrilling adventures.

The third is 2 and this girl really surprises me. She is a young 2 and will sit and focus on something to an amazing degree. She is incredibly patient and long suffering and that is basically unheard of for kids her age. She is very good with hands on tasks like stringing beads, coloring, and building and will easily sit and do the same task for 30 minutes to even an hour. Never seen anything like it. I am ashamed to say that sometimes we just plain out forget about her because she is no trouble at all, doesnt ask for anything, plays quietly in her room. She is really good with electronics too. I have never shown her anything and she knows how to use my phone and how to play the big kids Leap Pads. She has a sweet little face, snuggling and kisses and babyness that is impossible not to love. The kind of child that old people like LOL sitting on laps quietly for a whole church service.

The last is almost a year. He is a very simple kid. No point buying him any toys because he wont play with them. He is content with attention and maybe one small "toy" like an empty water bottle. He is very happy and serious by turns but rarely fussy or crying. Physically motivated but not really verbal. Just a very balanced kid, no drama, bright but not motivated to do anything in particular. He sort of "holds his cards close" and observes and carefully weighs out any new people in his life. He might be the one that is more street-smart than anything else. You can feel those wheels turning in his head and he is a fast learner. If something hurts, he wont try it again. If someone says no, he leaves it alone. Very easy to parent.
Your youngest sounds so much like my oldest (now 23). I always said he was an "old soul". While he had a sense of humor (still does) and could occasionally be silly, there was an underlying seriousness about him.

When it came to toys, once he was old enough to choose, it was usually one real, deep interest at a time; wooden train tracks, then legos, K'Nex. Things he could spend hours and hours working on.
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Evansmom 07:27 AM 09-21-2013
This is awesome! I loved reading about everyone's kids!

My oldest is hard to talk about. She's a lot like her dad who is an alcoholic and my ex-husband. She doesn't drink right now that I know of. She's almost 20 and had a baby in April. She and her boyfriend live in an apartment close by. She was doing so well in high school! She was Junior Lt. and then Sr. Captain of the band's dance guard and she was in charge of coaching like 80 girls! They went to state. She was learning Mandarin and good at it, went to Taiwan as an exchange student. But her Senior year everything went haywire. Towards the end I guess senioritis steeped in and the whole next year after graduation she didn't do anything. Wouldn't listen to our counsel, gave birth in April. Now she's in a Dental Assistant program that we just pray she finishes. She was such a happy, sweet, caring, smart little girl. So easy to parent and just a joy. I truly don't know what happened. But maybe she will find herself as she matures.

My second is 15. He was my first introduction to SPD. He was the toughest kid to parent I've ever met. 20 meltdowns a day for 6 years. Hours and hours of fighting and crying. I never heard of SPD until he was 8. By then he'd mellowed a bit. I adore him. We nursed until he was 3 years 7 months. He's funny and super smart! He's open minded, loves video gaming (I don't but I respect that he does). He is homeschooled this year because we moved and he didn't want to begin at a new high school so I school during the day and he can still hang with his old friends on the weekends. When he turned 15 he wanted nothing more than to have a job so he found one. He works 18 hours per week and opened his own bank account. He's saving his money and learning about fees and interest. He's really happy right now. Oh and homeschooling is going great! He's so self-directed. I give him assignments and there are no arguments. he does them and we go on. But the one thing that touches my heart about him more than anything is that he's this really, really big guy but every baby and child that comes into contact with him loves him. He is a child magnet. And he is so sweet and kind and gentle with them. He's going to be a great father someday if he ever wants to be.

The baby is 5 now!!! He also has SPD but I know more now and accommodate his quirks better than I did with his brother. He's scary smart as my friend says. Started talking in sentences at 17 months. Understands really complex ideas like sarcasm and infinity. Has a phenomenal vocabulary and has been teaching himself to read by reading Calvin and Hobbes books . He loves Science, rockets, and robots. He has a food allergy and put us on a path to healthier eating because of it. We now eat no packaged food and are all healthier! He's fun and funny but still stuck to my side. We just weaned last year when he was 4 years 2 months and 29 days. It was very sad, and we both mourned a little but it was time to move on. He and I are buds.

And now I have a little 5 month old granddaughter. She's adorable and chubby and I love kissing her chubby cheeks and making her giggle. Oh and buying cute clothes for her!! We have a special bond that happened when she was in the NICU after she was born. She's very much a balm on my heart . Just an adorable little baby to cuddle right now. Oh and she's just getting up on her hands and knees and starting to crawl!
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Familycare71 08:30 AM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by Evansmom:
This is awesome! I loved reading about everyone's kids!

My oldest is hard to talk about. She's a lot like her dad who is an alcoholic and my ex-husband. She doesn't drink right now that I know of. She's almost 20 and had a baby in April. She and her boyfriend live in an apartment close by. She was doing so well in high school! She was Junior Lt. and then Sr. Captain of the band's dance guard and she was in charge of coaching like 80 girls! They went to state. She was learning Mandarin and good at it, went to Taiwan as an exchange student. But her Senior year everything went haywire. Towards the end I guess senioritis steeped in and the whole next year after graduation she didn't do anything. Wouldn't listen to our counsel, gave birth in April. Now she's in a Dental Assistant program that we just pray she finishes. She was such a happy, sweet, caring, smart little girl. So easy to parent and just a joy. I truly don't know what happened. But maybe she will find herself as she matures.

My second is 15. He was my first introduction to SPD. He was the toughest kid to parent I've ever met. 20 meltdowns a day for 6 years. Hours and hours of fighting and crying. I never heard of SPD until he was 8. By then he'd mellowed a bit. I adore him. We nursed until he was 3 years 7 months. He's funny and super smart! He's open minded, loves video gaming (I don't but I respect that he does). He is homeschooled this year because we moved and he didn't want to begin at a new high school so I school during the day and he can still hang with his old friends on the weekends. When he turned 15 he wanted nothing more than to have a job so he found one. He works 18 hours per week and opened his own bank account. He's saving his money and learning about fees and interest. He's really happy right now. Oh and homeschooling is going great! He's so self-directed. I give him assignments and there are no arguments. he does them and we go on. But the one thing that touches my heart about him more than anything is that he's this really, really big guy but every baby and child that comes into contact with him loves him. He is a child magnet. And he is so sweet and kind and gentle with them. He's going to be a great father someday if he ever wants to be.

The baby is 5 now!!! He also has SPD but I know more now and accommodate his quirks better than I did with his brother. He's scary smart as my friend says. Started talking in sentences at 17 months. Understands really complex ideas like sarcasm and infinity. Has a phenomenal vocabulary and has been teaching himself to read by reading Calvin and Hobbes books . He loves Science, rockets, and robots. He has a food allergy and put us on a path to healthier eating because of it. We now eat no packaged food and are all healthier! He's fun and funny but still stuck to my side. We just weaned last year when he was 4 years 2 months and 29 days. It was very sad, and we both mourned a little but it was time to move on. He and I are buds.

And now I have a little 5 month old granddaughter. She's adorable and chubby and I love kissing her chubby cheeks and making her giggle. Oh and buying cute clothes for her!! We have a special bond that happened when she was in the NICU after she was born. She's very much a balm on my heart . Just an adorable little baby to cuddle right now. Oh and she's just getting up on her hands and knees and starting to crawl!
I totally feel for you with your oldest. That is where I am with my oldest son. He is diagnosed bi-polar and has so many characteristics of his bio- dad who has passed. He is an amazing young man BUT I worry so much for him! There are many things he just doesn't "get". Pretty soon he will be 18 and I worry about that- we have supported and helped him every way I know how and I just Pray he will "get it" soon- I have a feeling he will have some hard lessons and I Pray he learns from them. It is hard as a Mom
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Evansmom 08:37 AM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by Familycare71:
I totally feel for you with your oldest. That is where I am with my oldest son. He is diagnosed bi-polar and has so many characteristics of his bio- dad who has passed. He is an amazing young man BUT I worry so much for him! There are many things he just doesn't "get". Pretty soon he will be 18 and I worry about that- we have supported and helped him every way I know how and I just Pray he will "get it" soon- I have a feeling he will have some hard lessons and I Pray he learns from them. It is hard as a Mom
It is hard! Seems to get harder as they get older too!
I guess as a young mom I thought it would get easier as they got older.

I hope your son figures "it" out too. I've had to watch my DD go through a lot and I'm sure I'll have to watch more, and watch my granddaughter get taken along with her until my DD gets more mature.

Man I didn't expect to feel so attached to my granddaughter! That was so surprising. I love that baby something fierce! Like I love my own.
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Familycare71 10:34 AM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by Evansmom:
It is hard! Seems to get harder as they get older too!
I guess as a young mom I thought it would get easier as they got older.

I hope your son figures "it" out too. I've had to watch my DD go through a lot and I'm sure I'll have to watch more, and watch my granddaughter get taken along with her until my DD gets more mature.

Man I didn't expect to feel so attached to my granddaughter! That was so surprising. I love that baby something fierce! Like I love my own.
I'm sure you do!!! .
Yes- hopefully they both have that "click" moment!
I feel like the older they get the bigger the consequences! Which just makes it scary!!
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Kelly 01:49 PM 09-21-2013
My first son is 23. I adopted him at 6 days. He has a lot of challenges including Down Syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and OCD but the thing he loves most is making people laugh. He collects movies and music and likes cooking (and eating!) and dancing. He still lives at home and is is in a developmental training program during the day and participates in social and recreational activities through our local park district.

My second son is also 23, exactly 1 month older than my first. I adopted him at 3.5 yrs. He has Down Syndrome too and is on the autism spectrum. He is non-verbal and very low functioning but is the happiest guy you could ever meet. He loves music, Mickey Mouse, running around outside and going anywhere in the car. He is on a waiting list for state funding for the training program (Illinois is terrible when it comes to providing services for people with disabilities!)

My daughter is 17. I adopted her at 2 yrs. She has ADD and probably also on the spectrum though we've never gotten an exact diagnosis. She has come SO far---from tantrums that lasted for hours with screaming and head-banging and biting herself to a cheerful, social, funny young lady. She is in a "Life Skills" special education program in high school, job training (supervised through the school) at McDonalds, has lots of friends, competes in Special Olympics (volleyball, bowling, track & field and snowshoeing) and is addicted to Facebook and Youtube.
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Familycare71 01:52 PM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by Kelly:
My first son is 23. I adopted him at 6 days. He has a lot of challenges including Down Syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and OCD but the thing he loves most is making people laugh. He collects movies and music and likes cooking (and eating!) and dancing. He still lives at home and is is in a developmental training program during the day and participates in social and recreational activities through our local park district.

My second son is also 23, exactly 1 month older than my first. I adopted him at 3.5 yrs. He has Down Syndrome too and is on the autism spectrum. He is non-verbal and very low functioning but is the happiest guy you could ever meet. He loves music, Mickey Mouse, running around outside and going anywhere in the car. He is on a waiting list for state funding for the training program (Illinois is terrible when it comes to providing services for people with disabilities!)

My daughter is 17. I adopted her at 2 yrs. She has ADD and probably also on the spectrum though we've never gotten an exact diagnosis. She has come SO far---from tantrums that lasted for hours with screaming and head-banging and biting herself to a cheerful, social, funny young lady. She is in a "Life Skills" special education program in high school, job training (supervised through the school) at McDonalds, has lots of friends, competes in Special Olympics (volleyball, bowling, track & field and snowshoeing) and is addicted to Facebook and Youtube.
I am so grateful for people like you!!!
Your family sounds amazing and BLESSED!!
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Michael 02:30 PM 09-21-2013
Originally Posted by Kelly:
My first son is 23. I adopted him at 6 days. He has a lot of challenges including Down Syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and OCD but the thing he loves most is making people laugh. He collects movies and music and likes cooking (and eating!) and dancing. He still lives at home and is is in a developmental training program during the day and participates in social and recreational activities through our local park district.

My second son is also 23, exactly 1 month older than my first. I adopted him at 3.5 yrs. He has Down Syndrome too and is on the autism spectrum. He is non-verbal and very low functioning but is the happiest guy you could ever meet. He loves music, Mickey Mouse, running around outside and going anywhere in the car. He is on a waiting list for state funding for the training program (Illinois is terrible when it comes to providing services for people with disabilities!)

My daughter is 17. I adopted her at 2 yrs. She has ADD and probably also on the spectrum though we've never gotten an exact diagnosis. She has come SO far---from tantrums that lasted for hours with screaming and head-banging and biting herself to a cheerful, social, funny young lady. She is in a "Life Skills" special education program in high school, job training (supervised through the school) at McDonalds, has lots of friends, competes in Special Olympics (volleyball, bowling, track & field and snowshoeing) and is addicted to Facebook and Youtube.
Wow, you're amazing! I also own adopt.com but don't have the time to manage it. I need to start a forum there and make you the first member!
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Lucy 02:57 PM 09-21-2013
I never had my own, but have had my nieces in my daycare, and we're VERY close. So I'll "pretend" they're mine!

The oldest just turned 17 last week. She's a Junior in HS, and has an above 4 point average (with AP classes counting higher). She is currently the president of her high school's chapter of National Honor Society. She fights with another student for the #1 spot in their class of 800 kids. They go back and forth. She's very much hoping to be Valedictorian, so we're secretly hoping this other kid moves away!! (Is that mean???) She's also in marching band, and will be traveling across country to the Gator Bowl at the end of December.

Her younger sister is 12 and while very bright, probably won't go to the heights of her big sister, as she's VERY social. To big sis, studying is number one, but to the younger one, she'd rather be with friends, or hang out on social media. She still does well, don't get me wrong, but she's just not as strongly driven as her big sister. And that's ok. She's more into sports. She does soccer and lacrosse, and is very good at both.

They're both hilarious to be around. Even though I'm now 50 (wow!), I feel their age when I'm with them. I've gotten them into trouble with mom because we're being overly silly. Love them both to pieces!!!
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WImom 03:59 PM 09-21-2013
My oldest daughter is 10.5y old and is a great kid! She's very go with the flow. She loves to read and has been reading about 3 grade levels above her current grade since K5. She is on a dance team that takes up a lot of weekends but she loves it and I love watching her. She is also in her 4th year of cello and is trying Sax this year in 5th grade. I think she is my little busy bee because she likes to be in everything. She is also in Chorus, and student council at school. She loves kids and wants to be a K4 teacher when she is older. She is a great help in the summer and all the daycare kids love when she is home.

My younger daughter is almost 9y (Oct) and is my spunky strong willed child. She makes me laugh everyday and certainly keeps me on my toes. Found grasshoppers in her backpack alive in bags the other day, she brought them home from school. She currently plays soccer and is in Brownie Scouts. She loves animals and wants to work at a zoo when she is older.

I also have two doggie "kids" - Max is a 9y old very lazy beagle/basset. Zoe is our 6m old English Mastiff who is 70lbs and gaining. She is the best dog ever! I laugh at her everyday. We nicknamed her "Chewy" since she makes Chewbacca noises (Starwars) when she plays with her toys.
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Lyss 09:05 PM 09-21-2013
I love hearing about everyone's kiddos!!

My DD is 22 months and already acting like a bossy two year old. She's very strong willed and doesn't have a problem standing up for herself. She's also very artistic and loves all things art related. She's the kid that can sit and paint (or color, glue, create) for 30 minutes or more while everyone else moves on. She's very detailed and focused on her art. Our dog, a 9yr old border collie/lab mix, is her best friend (even though our dog would prefer she find a new BFF sometimes ), she has to say goodnight to her before bed or she won't go to sleep and all day long I hear "Gypsy! 'mon Gypsy, over here!"
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Rachel 12:24 AM 09-22-2013
I have 5, only 2 were "regular" births and single kids. My first 2 were twins (NICU babies) and my 5th was born with a heart defect and had open heart surgery at 6 days old. He is the happiest baby in the world though, always has been. People always comment on it. I think he appreciates every moment he has, and somehow he knows what he's overcome to be here and healthy (thank G/d!).
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Michelle 09:43 AM 09-22-2013
I have 6 kids!
3 boys and 3 girls... all have blonde hair and blue or green eyes..I am a brunette... so I guess that German blood thing took over.
First and most importantly they are all Christians and my older kids have done many mission trips to Mexico and Africa.

2 of my older boys are pre-med and one is in the police academy
my oldest daughter is a chemical engineering major and she is an EMT and is leaning towards medicine as well, but you never know with her.

I just have my 2 youngest daughters living with me now.
My 18 year old daughter is studying forensic science, german,art, and photography... she is my sweetie!
whenever she sees me loading the dishwasher or doing laudry, floors etc. late at night ... she knows I have worked hard all day and she orders me to go sit down and takes over... even though she has had a full day at school.



My 10 year old goes to private school and plays the french horn, softball, and is very involved in church. She is a sweet angel and just a beautiful girl.
When I was switching her school records from the public school she was going to... the principal and office staff were very shocked and sad... They love her.
No Grand babies yet... everyone wants to finish school, then get married, then start families... so I guess I will be pushing a walker with a stroller attached by then..
Oh, well
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Maria2013 10:16 AM 09-22-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
I have 3 amazing kids but I will only touch on my youngest because I don't have a lot of time to post.

He is 5 and can speak 3 languages. He is not 100% fluent, but he is learning to be. He is a great reader and can build almost anything. He is very technical. I hope that he will continue to learn our languages and perhaps even learn more.
just wondering...is one of those 3 languages Italian?
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momofsix 12:20 PM 09-22-2013
These posts remind me of Christmas letters (which I don't write!)

Our daughters have made me so proud as I see them grow and mature.
Our oldest just moved back home after being in the USAF for 9 years. She's working 2 part time jobs now-she loves them both but is trying to get into the local police department as a dispatcher. That is quite a process! She is definitely an oldest child-keeps all her sisters in line She and #3 & 4 all rent a house together

Our next was adopted as an older child and has a lot of attachment issues and PTSD. She got furious with my dh 2 years ago and cut off all contact Two weeks ago she called and said she missed me and loves me We talked for 3 hours-until about 12:30am, I was sooo tired but there was no way I was going to tell her that and get off the phone. She called again last week and says she's ready for more contact. She's been really struggling with so much baggage and it's so hard to see her hurting.

Our next is a super senior and will graduate in Dec. with her bachelors and then will go on for her masters in speech pathology. She also works full time. She's going to be a new "puppy mama" this week-she's so excited to bring her puppy home! She was an angel at the beginning of this year when I had to take off so much time to be with my dh due to surgery complications. She took over the dc for me and kept everything running smoothly. I couldn't have continued without her.

Even though we have an even number, our next is the "middle child" in every say She's the one that's the GYPSY (from the other thread)! She has a heart as big as the world. She's a senior graduating in the spring with her bachelors in Social Work. She's doing her internship now and it's really opening her eyes to the hurt in the world. She's got such a big heart.

Oh #5. She's always been the easiest, most enjoyable, find the good in everything child. She used to give me big hugs and thank me "so much" for doing her laundry She was never homeschooled and her teachers have always said she's a leader, gifted with people...She doesn't know what she wants to do yet with her life but I'm excited to see where she goes!

The baby...it's ok, she likes to be called that. We started the process of trying to adopt her at her birth, but she didn't actually move in until she was 5 months old. She was born addicted to crack-among other things her birth mom did and didn't do that causes her issues. Such a sweet, sensitive heart she has. She wants to go into medicine (has since she was about 5) and work with kids. She always says how happy she is that I have the dc because it helped define her career goals. She REALLY struggles with schoolwork and has some learning disabilities but doesn't let that stop her. She has her goals and she's going for them! She's an inspiration to me-she struggles with her ADHD, her learning struggles, depression...and still keeps going strong and persevering. She's also always giving me shoulder massages

I all my girls so much...it's hard to just find a couple on sentences to describe them. I could write a book!
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Hunni Bee 09:28 PM 09-22-2013
My little baby is 2 months and 6 days old, with an adjusted age of 15 days. She is tiny, below the 5th percentile in everything, but she's quite chubby and has a monstrous appetite.

She was in the NICU the first three weeks of her life, but was basically booted out because she was so healthy and alert, despite being so small.

She's on track with all her milestones for a regular two month old. She is very serious, frowns alot and rarely smiles. She is very excitable, very strong and quite aggressive. She absolutely must have her way, down to whether you will hold her with your right arm or left arm. She doesn't coo - she shouts.

I foresee a very interesting toddlerhood with her.

On the other hand, she's an absolute doll. She call roll over, put things in her mouth and even scooch along the floor a little on her tummy. She just found her feet this weekend. She loves kisses and people's glasses and necklaces.

I go back to work in 2 weeks and although I'm ready to go, I'll probably cry on the way there. I'm going to miss my Poochie to pieces.
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Willow 07:33 AM 09-23-2013
Daughter, 10, is unbelievably compassionate. More so than anyone I've ever known, much less child I've ever known. She quite literally cares about everyone, and does what she can to make everyone around her happy. She is OBSESSED with sharks. I have no idea where it came from but she follows OSEARCH religiously and swears she's going to work with them studying sharks someday. She is dyslexic, but does wonderful in school regardless. She loves to sew, sing, and make all kinds of interesting looking cupcakes.

Son, 9, is unbelievably sensitive. All I have to do is raise an eyebrow and he'll burst out laughing because he knows I'm fixin to tickle him. He always knows what people are thinking, especially his mom. He's nuts about the outdoors and can shoot three to four inch groups at 20 yards with his compound bow. He has his own four wheeler and loves to explore our property. He's crazy about farming our food plots and wants to be a policeman when he grows up. Although he struggles a bit socially at school his grades are always flawless.
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jenn 08:07 AM 09-23-2013
My daughter is 5. She is a miracle.

We tried for close to 5 years to get pregnant, some naturally and some with treatments. We were told that I would not be able to have children. We gave up and it was a very low time in my life. When we found out that I was pregnant, we were shocked.

The same day that I found out that I was pregnant, I was told that due to the position and size of the baby, I would miscarry. Didn't happen.

She was growing so slowly, so some tests were done that showed she had a condition "not compatible with life". She didn't have it.

Later in the pregnancy, they stopped worrying about her growing slowly and started questioning if we had big babies in our family. She was born at 38 weeks, 9 pounds 4 ounces, 20.5 inches. Healthy, but jaundiced.

Her jaundice continued to get worse and her liver levels hit the fatal zone. We were sent to Children's Mercy Hospital when she was 3 weeks old. After months of monitoring and testing, she was diagnosed with Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, which is a liver/lung condition. Her liver does not produce enough antitrypsin to protect her lungs. Struggling to produce and release antitrypsin causes her liver to be swollen and her levels to be high. We have good things in our lungs that clean up irritants and illness. Antitrypsin is sent to the lungs to control those "good things" from over cleaning and damaging the lungs. Without antitrypsin the "good things" just keep cleaning and end up scarring the lungs.

She is doing great. Will her liver fail? Will we need to transplant? Will her lungs be damaged? Will she develop asthma/COPD/lung problems? We just don't know. We know that right now, she is doing great. Her problems are all internal, so you would never know she has anything wrong.

She is beautiful. She is large for her age, 4 foot 4 inches and growing. She is active, curious, talks nonstop, goes 100mph from sun up till sun down.

She loves her visits to Children's Mercy and was chosen as a campaign girl for their 2012 Wish List fundraising campaign.

We have just started homeschooling and I love every minute of it!
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daycare 09:22 PM 09-23-2013
No. He speaks Arabic, Tagalog and Spanish. 4 if you going English
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