The other day we pulled out our little collection of insect toys and made a Play Doh and Duplo garden for them. We talked about how the bees and butterflies would be looking for flowers, we did some little bee dances as we pretended the bees were flying back to their hive. And we talked… Continue reading Caterpillar to Butterfly Craft
Happy Easter and Happy Spring from Calvin and Henry! We had a rainy Easter weekend, so the boys put on their rain coats and boots for their egg hunt. Henry can’t actually walk very well in his boots, so we hid his eggs up on the porch where it was dry. I can’t get over… Continue reading Spring Things
Recently I was reading a post from one of my favorite bloggers about her sweet new baby boy and about letting go of grief tied to her experiences with her older son with cerebral palsy during his infancy. And I felt a familiar pain in my chest – not in my actual physical heart, but… Continue reading Letting Go of Things Not Meant for Me
I love finding adults with 22q deletion who are out there giving us a glimpse into their lives by sharing their stories, and giving hope to moms like me raising young kids with 22q. Which is why I’m so excited to introduce Amanda Ripsam! Amanda is a writer, motivational speaker, and 22q advocate. On her blog, Mommies Quiet… Continue reading Meet Amanda! Blogger & Motivational Speaker with 22q Deletion
This post was originally on my old blog Pancakes in Bed. I decided to bring it over and update it for Surprisingly Special because it’s an oldie but a goodie! A busy bag is literally a bag full of things to keep your little one busy while you are out and about and they might otherwise… Continue reading Sagan’s Busy Bag
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! For St. Patrick’s Day and for the beginning of spring, I decided to do a week of rainbow themed play! I remember two years ago when I was trying so hard to help Calvin learn his colors and I was feeling frustrated because it was like they just weren’t sticking for… Continue reading Rainbow Week
I’ve shared about how my second son’s diagnosis of Dup15q syndrome was difficult for me, and the things I wish I’d known in those early days of coping with such surprising news about my baby boy. One of the things that was, and still is, difficult about being a parent of a kid with a rare… Continue reading How Instagram Helped Me Embrace My Son’s Diagnosis
Before I get started writing about our 5 senses activities, I want to take a sec to clarify what I mean when I say “Tot School.” The name “Tot School” was coined by homeschool mom and blogger, Carisa, from the website 1+1+1=1. Here’s Carisa’s quick definition of Tot School: “Tot School isn’t really school at all,… Continue reading Exploring our 5 Senses
All aboard the Alphabet Train! Choo! Choo! Here’s a cute letter matching game for train-obsessed toddlers like my son Calvin. Calvin is my 22cutie and I am working with him on letter recognition. He is about to be 4 years old, and I’m feeling a teensy bit concerned that he won’t know all his letters… Continue reading Alphabet Train Game
Some days this mama just does not have the strength for a messy art project. Which is why I’m so glad I found this idea for mess-free marble painting from Sunny Day Family! The inspiration for this particular art project was my dad’s birthday. I wanted to make him a handmade card from myself and… Continue reading Marble Jar Painting
Surprisingly Special 