Embracing Extra
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Digital marketer, speaker & stylish mom of 4 boys, 2 with Down syndrome. Using my voice to share resources, Amazon finds & connect with parents.
05/14/2026
Today I took Hudson to the dentist and ENT.
These appointments are usually challenging, but today was different.
Hudson independently did all the things you’d expect an 8-year-old to do. He followed directions, cooperated with ease, and handled both appointments so well.
I found myself sitting in the corner with a smile and tears in my eyes, overwhelmed with pride.
Sometimes progress shows up in the most ordinary moments and reminds you just how far your child has come.
Good job, Hudson. I’m so proud of you. 💙💛
05/12/2026
These photos have me reflecting on how quickly life changes.
This Mother’s Day, I found myself thinking about when my children were this little—when their whole world fit in my arms and I was becoming their mom for the very first time.
And then I remembered that with each birth, I became a mother all over again.
My heart grew.
My love deepened.
My purpose became clearer.
Four births.
Four miracles.
One incredible privilege: being their mom. 🤍
05/07/2026
To the medical staff who cared for Graham today: thank you for meeting him with compassion instead of confrontation. 🤍
Today was “just” ear tubes. But for a child who thrives on familiarity, routine, and predictability, medical environments can feel overwhelming fast.
And yet every single person we encountered adapted to *him* instead of expecting him to immediately adapt to them.
A nurse crouched to Graham’s level, copied his silly sounds, spoke softly, and made him feel safe before touching a single medical device.
Another met every yell, spit, and anxious moment with patience and warmth.
Child Life Services encouraged a “walk and talk” because movement helps Graham regulate.
And our anesthetist joined us walking the hospital halls to ask questions instead of forcing Graham to sit still in a tiny room while adults talked over him.
No power struggles.
No rushing.
No shame.
No forcing compliance.
Just compassionate people taking the time to truly see the child in front of them.
That kind of care changes everything for families like ours, and you truly made a difference in our visit today. 🤍
Thank you!
It might not look like much… but this moment felt big to me.
Graham’s first time rolling down a hill—and the joy, the determination, the way he just kept going… I could’ve watched it over and over again. 💙
It’s the little things that stay with you.
No one told them to do this.
But they saw their brother up there…
and chose to join him.
Not perfectly.
Not professionally.
Just fully.
Hudson has been practicing this dance—
and he shows up with his whole heart every time.
And honestly? That’s everything 🥹💛
A year ago today, I stood on that stage and shared something I wish someone had told me sooner—
It’s okay if it feels hard.
But don’t stay there.
Don’t lose your fourth trimester to grief like I did.
Dear Mom gave me the space to say that out loud…
and the community that helped me live it out after.
Because healing didn’t happen in one moment.
It happened in the conversations, the “me too’s,” the women who reminded me—again and again—that I wasn’t alone.
This year, I’m not there.
But I carry that message with me every single day.
To the mamas in that room—soak it in.
And to the ones who aren’t, especially the ones in the thick of it right now—
You are allowed to feel it all.
Just don’t stay there.
There is so much life waiting for you on the other side of it. 🤍
He signed “I am strong” before walking in.
And I needed that more than he did.
This week we started ABA.
It’s hope and heartbreak in the same breath.
This door holds a lot—support, growth, possibility…
and if I’m being honest, a little grief too.
Choosing extra help doesn’t mean I’m not enough.
But some days, it still feels that way.
Down syndrome + autism is a journey I’m still learning to hold.
Today, we walked in anyway.
Happy Easter.
These are the days. 🐰💛💙
Seven years ago, Graham came into the world at 34 weeks — already our second son with Down syndrome, but still a completely new journey.
Three days into his life he had duodenal atresia surgery. Then came nearly 60 days in the NICU, more appointments than I could count, strabismus surgery later on, and eventually an autism diagnosis.
It hasn’t been simple. It hasn’t been predictable.
But it has been deeply, beautifully his.
Graham does everything in his own way — including birthdays.
This year he turned seven and he was so proud of himself. The clapping, the hand flapping, the pure joy… it was his best birthday yet.
All the hard chapters are part of his story, but they are not the headline.
He is.
And I love being his mom. Always have. Always will.
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