Christian, at bedtime: Hello, Miss Horse Woman. Julianna: Stop that. Christian: Why do you want me to stop? Julianna: Because you are old. Parenting requires a serious sense of humor. That’s all. With my husband going out of town for a conference, I’m giving myself permission to take a Spring Break from blogging. See you…
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The Orthopedic Surgeon Who Rocked My World (or: The Saga That Isn’t)
You all remember, I’m sure, the saga of the orthotics. I’ve been talking about it periodically for years, both here and on Facebook. After Julianna broke her second brace in January, the orthotist sent us back to the PT. The PT told me she really wasn’t sure what to say except she’d like to see…
Read MoreHulk Update
Julianna, standing in the jewelry store while they’re cleaning Daddy’s ring: “I need a strong man to hold me.” Of all the random things Julianna has said in her life, that one takes the cake. It was so random, I looked around the store for a sign to that effect. (Because that’s what she does.…
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The Gift I Have To Give Is Me
We just came through parent-teacher conference season again, and what we learned in Julianna’s home visit was that although she can read a page that looks like this: her comprehension is stuck on pages that look like this: For anything more complicated than Corduroy, I have to sit with her, read with her, and stop…
Read MoreThe Minor Frustrations Involved In Raising My Chromosomally-Gifted Girl
When the phone rang during my oh-so-precious work time the other day, I almost decided to ignore it without even checking the caller ID. But there’s always the chance it’s somebody’s school. Which in this case, it was–Julianna’s. It turned out there had been a minor altercation on the bus. Julianna kept touching a boy’s backpack, even…
Read MoreIn Which I See My Daughter Changing
Julianna has been changing lately. It started a year or so ago, when we realized she had lost that wispy, delicate feel. She’s still tiny and I can still pick her up and carry her, but it’s no longer easy. She feels solid now, rather than fragile, her physical frame finally catching up with her…
Read MoreJulianna and the Ticking Clock of Approaching Adolescence
I have this parenting theory: It’s not that a child is too young to learn a particular lesson (like, say, toileting). It’s really a matter of when the parent decides he or she is ready to take on the task of teaching it. When the parent makes it a priority, the child learns.* I…
Read MoreShe Makes It Look Easy
By the time we arrived at the wedding reception, the room was overflowing with people we didn’t know. Ordinarily Christian and I are both highly functional introverts, able to fake it so long as we’re together and/or we know our role in a given situation. We often bicker at home about who has to call…
Read MoreOn Julianna, at the end of Grade 2
Every so often, I like to share some of Julianna’s school work and progress. I need to be clear: this is not a total picture of Down syndrome. It’s not even a total picture of “what a person with Down syndrome can do in the second grade.” There’s a vast range of ability among people with…
Read MorePictures From The Big Day
A young lady’s big day in the Basi household begins with dancing with your little brother… …continues with joining the choir for one of your favorite songs (“Love Has Come, by Matt Maher”)… …peaks with receiving your first Communion (officially this time)… …forces you to tolerate having lots and lots of pictures taken…. …
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Kathleen M. Basi 