LIVIA-THE-GREAT

food, fun & falling

2011-11-28T10:30:00.003+01:00

livia is teaching us patience; so often i'm failing

2011-09-19T21:09:00.007+02:00

livia's head is harder than mine, and mine is taurean hard. with time-limits of places to go and places to be, livia's sitting on the ground or pretending not to hear our "let's go!" pleas- can be ultimately frustrating. i am in no way under the illusion that we are alone. children are supposed to test their wills, and with that, the clarity, patience, creativity and perseverance (or lack therof ) of good-willed parents.

of course i will never know what attributes can be connected to down syndrome... though it seems stubbornness is a shared one. being an aries probably doesn't help the situation either.

i love livia's feistiness. i hope i can keep up with her lessons about patience while still being a guiding light as i am supposed to be.

(these pictures are by a friend, yves maurer, who spontaneously invited livia to a quick photo shoot one evening when we met in town. they speak a thousand, feisty words, i'd say.)

brothers, blueberries & friends

2011-07-27T22:27:00.003+02:00

i love how livia is so enriched by her big bro's and their friends. i love how they sometimes let her get 10 goals in a row with 3 in the net, and other times she has to play by the same rules as anyone else. i love how they often take her hand without thinking, and other times let her know they're not in the mood. i love how they share blueberries, one at a time, even when supposedly kept out of reach...

and if you haven't seen us there already, go take a look over at lily's blog...

liala

2011-06-10T18:19:00.004+02:00

have i mentioned that this is what livia calls herself?

liala...

love

2011-05-24T10:40:00.001+02:00

fully five

2011-04-02T01:29:00.004+02:00

livia's fully five... full of fancy thoughts of how to get things done, full of creative ways to get her point across, full of finicky ideas of who, what, where, when, why and how... full of music, movement, new words, friends, family, LOVE & a lot, lot, lot of fun...

princess

2011-03-17T11:14:00.015+01:00

it was carnival/fastnacht again last weekend... a kindergarten friend's mother made this beautiful dress for livia for christmas and she loves to put it on... in these pictures she's saying that she wants her brother to catch her after jumping at the bottom of the stairs... they are close pals.

then we went to a favorite park nearby... livia LOVES to swing, and is deeply inspired by how high her bro's can go

may we all fly high and feel loved in our lives

be a fan of respect

2011-03-02T22:00:00.004+01:00

not sure why using the r-word hurts? go HERE to find out.

and thanks for making RESPECT the new r-word.

A DAY TO SAVE OLGA, my birthday wish for livia

2011-02-27T21:15:00.017+01:00

in less than one month livia will be 5 years old... and i have a birthday wish to make from anybody reading this.

if you've been a regular visitor to livia-the-great then you'll remember sweet olga who just turned 5 yrs old and the invitation made (originally from reece's rainbow & patti @ a perfect lily) to help her find a forever family and to raise funds for her adoption fees...and this happened! the abell family stepped forward to adopt olga, and thanks to so many who gave so much, a grant of over $13,000 was raised for her adoption, a grant which is set aside for the final travel costs and fees that it will take to bring olga home. it will take every penny of that and then some... the abell family have done numerous fundraisers, and will continue to do so until they can bring olga home.

right now the they are in need of raising $7,000 that is required to submit their dossier for olga. they need to submit that dossier as soon as possible, for without that dossier it is not known if olga has been transferred yet to a mental institution... a mental institution where five year old girls are tied to cribs to keep them from climbing out.

the connection is clear: livia is turning 5 and it is an unfathomable thought that such a fate would await her.

it is also clear that there are so many children on this planet in need of being rescued from an unimaginably horrible life... or death.

i committed to helping at least ONE.

at the risk of dear olga losing her chance of being welcomed into the abell's family, i'm asking you to give in whatever way you can. $10, $20, $40 or $100 can go a long way to support this family to bring olga home.

this is my birthday wish for livia, for olga and for all children...

FREEDOM, LOVE & A FAMILY TO CALL THEIR OWN.

This is being called A Day to Save Olga, because there are about 17 of us blogging mamas who have set aside this day to blog, post on Facebook, pray, give and spread the word to SAVE OLGA.

Will you help us?

please go HERE to the abell's blogsite to donate... and THANK YOU for spreading the word...

liv & mama rollin'

2011-02-22T22:05:00.000+01:00

swiss mountains, snow & sunshine

2011-02-12T00:25:00.005+01:00

pure love giveaway

2011-02-03T22:49:00.003+01:00

PLEASE GO HERE AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN FURTHER SUPPORT THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN TO GET HOME... PATTI at A PERFECT LILY IS DOING HER MAGIC AGAIN, & IT'S CALLED PURE LOVE GIVEAWAY... LET YOUR HEART BE TOUCHED! thank you...

papalove

2011-01-31T23:40:00.002+01:00

guest post @ BLOOM

2011-01-20T21:41:00.003+01:00

i was asked by louise kinross at BLOOM - Parenting Kids With Disabilities to write a guest post... she's a wonderful woman i am so grateful to have connected with, and the blog is filled with rich resources for parents. check it out if you're interested :-)

haircuts

2011-01-20T16:20:00.002+01:00

help olga find a home

2011-01-20T09:02:00.013+01:00

this is olga... a family stepped forward to adopt her through reece's rainbow- but the adoption process fell through last week. that means olga has been put back on the waiting children's page at reece's rainbow and is in great need of finding a home. due to patti's huge efforts to help fundraise for her before christmas, olga has a $12,709 grant for her forever family. becaue of her age, she faces being transferred this month to an institution, where the conditions are heart-breaking and inhuman.

no one deserves such a fate. many do not survive long there once transferred.

please spread the word about olga to help her find a family!

2011-01-19T13:55:00.002+01:00

may magic prevail

2010-12-31T23:23:00.003+01:00

happy new year...

the miracle of hope

2010-12-21T11:48:00.007+01:00

lily's mom at A Perfect Lily is continuing to invite the miracle of hope into these little girls' lives this christmas... i want to help make this happen and invite you to be part of it too. please take it into your heart to give in whatever way possible... thank you!

Reece's Rainbow

2010-12-10T23:51:00.016+01:00

Please be moved, inspired, disturbed and willing to take action.... please take part as so many are to bringing hope to where hope is needed. Reece's Rainbow helps families wanting to adopt a child with Down syndrome or other special needs.... Reece's Rainbow helps orphans who are desperately needing a family. Ultimately what's needed is funding.

So many others have said it better than I could, so read HERE or here or here to be informed and inspired and PLEASE make a choice of giving in whatever way is right for you.

And pass the word...

gratitude

2010-11-25T22:02:00.003+01:00

we are grateful to life and to love

and for friends & family who circle their hearts

through our lives

and for small green elevators

on the way to speech therapy

in honor of mothers

2010-10-19T22:18:00.005+02:00

this is livia with her booby-nana, my mother, who came to be with us while her other grandmother mük, was dying... and died last sunday. thank god for mothers. thank god for their love and patience and willingness to travel across the globe for us. thank god for their ability to let go and say goodbye, with endless gratitude in their hearts. thank god for little girls who blow kisses to grandma's who are leaving us either for good, or for a little while. thank god that we keep them all in our hearts, always.

friendship, nature & morning joy

2010-09-09T09:46:00.001+02:00

big girl

2010-09-02T13:40:00.005+02:00

lots happening in livi's world:

*kindergarten (full inclusion :-))

*great check-ups

*stubbornness, or loving to sit and NOT MOVE

(while signing 'eat', and saying 'stay mama'... as in: go and

get me lunch while i wait for you here on the sidewalk, mama)

*beloved papabikerides

*hangin' w bro...

we're having a great summer...

2010-08-07T00:31:00.003+02:00

friday fun

2010-06-25T14:13:00.000+02:00

and june moves on

2010-06-19T00:34:00.001+02:00

mama go! run me wait no swing! papa eat music no!

...and june moves on.

walkin' with liv

2010-06-01T22:49:00.001+02:00

weekend fun

2010-05-30T16:31:00.004+02:00

canadian girls sleepover party

2010-05-26T10:31:00.004+02:00

we had a blast last friday when livia's canadian cohorts- sasha, cara & hana, joined us for an evening of silliness and fun...

the highlight was dancing in our pj's to everything from rock 'n roll to disco, ballads and swiss rap. livia was absolutely the master of ceremonies- setting up chairs for everyone to sit in on the sidelines and telling us very clearly whose turn it was to dance... she was a riot! and all these girls know how how to boogie, let me tell you.

and i didn't know 4 girls could eat so many pancakes...!

for the love of paint

2010-05-22T15:35:00.000+02:00

2010-05-16T23:50:00.001+02:00

tanzfest

2010-04-25T22:01:00.014+02:00

at a danzfest today, livia and i attended a myriad of open classes (lindy-hop, flamenco etc), but the most fun was watching her balloon-dance in the shadows of the cafe...after observing this, i decided that no one can ever complain of not having a partner to dance with. there are always balloons...and shadows.

how to keep a sleepy head from wobbling (tape)

2010-04-23T00:32:00.004+02:00

2010-04-22T00:43:00.010+02:00

livia stood in front of the fridge this morning and said

"pickle"

and happily ate pickle on bread

for breakfast

YUM!

2010-04-15T16:31:00.003+02:00

reflections

2010-04-12T23:02:00.000+02:00

talk

2010-03-28T23:12:00.009+02:00

i don't talk much here, but somehow the silence is loud at the moment and i want to chat (if only to myself, and randomly). want to say that livia REALLY IS GREAT. my pride gets the best of me sometimes. then i wonder if i'm especially proud of who she is and how she is in the world because of her extra something.

i have a particular radar for prying eyes of folks walking us by, and i wonder what they wonder... wonder if i get extra-mama-marks cause i'm a mama to someone "special". then i wonder if i hand them out to myself sometimes for the very same reason...

and because it was livia's 4th birthday just days ago, i've been washed over with memories and pictures and feelings from that time which does- and doesn't- feel so far away.

i've always felt so nourished from the love and support of our family and friends as livia entered our lives... but honestly, that didn't surprise me at all. i surround myself with open-minded and hearted people, and their basket woven of faith and curiosity and love, felt natural and like home.

what did surprise me, was the absolute acceptance of also those in my more extended circle of aquaintances and friends... so much to the point that i started to wonder why people weren't asking me more often about how it is for me to have a child with down syndrome ( and i don't think it was a silence born of fear. it felt like an acceptance of something which was unexpected and different, and for which heartfelt congratulations and blessings were also immediately offered.) ironic somehow, in light of the many, many painful stories i've heard in the other direction.

and now we are here.

my daughter is fiesty and bossy as can be.

she says no to almost everything...

she ADORES her papa and her 3 brothers.

she loves to take off her clothes and play 'air-guitar'

to swiss rock bands.

she eats with pleasure.

doesn't like her foods mixed. (cheese & bread is great; melted cheese on bread is not.)

she loves to swing.

she's starting to get picky about what she wears.

swiss-german, english and ASL are the sources of her emerging words.

she eats at least 2 homemade popcicles a day.

she turns everything into a phone.

she likes to close doors and dishwashers.

she has been potty-trained since the end of last summer.

she wants to do everything on her own now.

water is her element.

her love for setting the table puts her brothers to shame.

she almost runs down the stairs.

anything sweet is called a cookie.

she loves to draw and paint.

i love her dearly.

livia turned 4 yesterday

2010-03-25T13:24:00.002+01:00

2010-03-11T17:01:00.000+01:00

2010-03-05T23:53:00.000+01:00

2010-02-25T21:57:00.004+01:00

please read THIS and sign the letter to support ENDING THE R-WORD. thank you!

trip to the mountains

2010-02-25T21:14:00.004+01:00

we've had carnival

2010-02-24T22:53:00.003+01:00

2010-01-25T23:50:00.000+01:00

2010-01-07T17:57:00.001+01:00

getting dressed to go

2009-12-16T17:39:00.000+01:00

2009-11-04T14:44:00.001+01:00

2009-10-14T15:57:00.003+02:00

papalove

2009-10-04T17:14:00.001+02:00

2009-09-27T15:46:00.000+02:00

livia loves phones

2009-09-27T15:39:00.001+02:00

if she'll ever need 'em, she'll look great!

2009-08-26T13:56:00.000+02:00

niki's camera, livia's nose

2009-08-19T23:45:00.001+02:00

summer

2009-08-05T16:23:00.005+02:00

cherries

2009-07-27T00:54:00.001+02:00

2009-07-23T00:13:00.000+02:00

buddies

2009-07-08T20:36:00.004+02:00

2009-07-07T00:19:00.000+02:00

brothers (& their friends) are the best

2009-07-04T00:00:00.008+02:00

paper is obviously boring

2009-07-02T17:15:00.004+02:00

cousin julie

2009-06-30T12:00:00.008+02:00

the hat

2009-06-26T09:15:00.005+02:00

bodyart

2009-06-22T22:43:00.007+02:00

livi loves going to childcare

2009-06-11T16:28:00.003+02:00

2009-06-09T18:05:00.001+02:00

2009-06-07T13:49:00.000+02:00

2009-06-05T15:32:00.000+02:00

MAMA: hairdresser/ LIVIA: massuese

2009-06-02T09:05:00.005+02:00

buddies 'n bathing suits

2009-05-24T23:04:00.000+02:00

2009-05-20T22:32:00.000+02:00

2009-05-20T15:14:00.000+02:00

morning shake

2009-05-17T22:45:00.007+02:00

socks

2009-05-16T23:50:00.000+02:00

2009-05-15T00:17:00.000+02:00

doing laps around the table with a colorful shaker, or happy mama's day

2009-05-10T21:03:00.003+02:00

papa's helper or "livi loves ladders"

2009-05-05T11:51:00.003+02:00

2009-04-29T22:35:00.001+02:00

budda board

2009-04-28T12:20:00.000+02:00

2009-04-27T22:44:00.000+02:00

2009-04-18T10:56:00.003+02:00

2009-04-16T22:30:00.005+02:00

2009-04-14T09:36:00.000+02:00

livia's new doll

2009-04-07T21:25:00.003+02:00

2009-04-03T22:21:00.001+02:00

special olympics rocks

2009-03-31T20:44:00.009+02:00

2009-03-31T13:32:00.001+02:00

2009-03-31T11:37:00.001+02:00

2009-03-29T23:08:00.002+02:00

auntie robin, thanks for the leggins!

2009-03-25T15:49:00.004+01:00

nana & livi

2009-03-25T10:25:00.007+01:00

such a happy candle blower

2009-03-24T23:22:00.002+01:00

how wonderful that you're three! happy birthday dear livia...

2009-03-24T14:47:00.003+01:00

one is not enough... (or quality control)

2009-03-18T01:52:00.003+01:00

2009-03-11T11:29:00.002+01:00

2009-03-07T16:28:00.001+01:00

2009-03-05T23:56:00.002+01:00

i don't think monkey minds

2009-02-23T14:17:00.004+01:00

2009-02-21T17:39:00.002+01:00

2009-02-16T21:45:00.002+01:00