Hi everyone! Thanks so much to all who shared the Summer Fun Slideshow last month. As of today (Aug. 23), it’s been viewed 424 times!! We are thrilled that so many were able to see our kids enjoying summer. An extra thanks to the 25 families who participated in the event. We plan to do another […]
Continue Reading →We’re excited to share the WHS Summer Fun Slideshow! A total of 25 families – with children from age 9 months to adults age 22 years – contributed their amazing photos. Please share the link to this page with your family and friends. Wishing you all a safe, healthy and FUN summer! With love, The Wolf-Hirschhorn.org […]
Continue Reading →Summer is off an running. Let’s be real… how are you doing? On our end, we’ve done a few camps and used a daycare program sporadically, to get a little free time. And to give Elsa’s mobility a boost, we’ve been pushing her hard on walking. Naturally, it takes a lot of time and energy. […]
Continue Reading →I don’t want to write a super detailed post on this topic, but I did want to share that Elsa is going on the potty… regularly!! (She is age 6 1/2, and we’re just now officially making it part of our routine.) I think this new development is the result of a myriad of things: […]
Continue Reading →It’s International 4p- / Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Awareness Day – the day each year when we let those both in and outside of our immediate circle know more about the 4p- syndrome and the children and adults who are redefining what WHS means every day. If you have someone in your life with WHS, you likely […]
Continue Reading →It’s easy to be hard on yourself, as a parent. As the mom of three small kids, things are busy. And often I take the path of (not least resistance, but…) greatest efficiency. I’m always trying to streamline, always thinking five steps ahead. Something I certainly don’t do enough: Make Elsa the center of attention. […]
Continue Reading →Hello WHS family, As you all know Madison was the winner of the Halloween 2017 well she received a Foamnasium set two weeks ago. We would like to say thanks to Anitra, Elsa and all who purchase the hats from the fundraiser. Madison is very exited about her prize and it’s a great addition to […]
Continue Reading →The weather has been pretty rough so far this winter, so we’re maximizing our indoor time. This has brought about some fun updates, which I’m excited to share… While we await a new standing frame, Elsa’s been standing at a chair that’s actually a decent height to facilitate up-right time. Last week, she surprised us […]
Continue Reading →
Happy New Year, folks! Once again it has been too long… Life is busy, but all good. Mia will turn 7 next week, she’s doing great and continuing to follow her own leisurely but steady developmental curve. We appear to have broken the back of winter without any major illness and Mia’s epilepsy, thankfully, remains very well […]
Continue Reading →Sending a BIG thanks to the following kiddos for entering the 2017 WHS Halloween event! Your costumes were amazing, and so were your updates! Madison… Juniper… and Bryan! One of these kiddos will win an awesome Foamnasium set! The other two will win a fun prize. Elsa, my little gal with WHS, and her sisters selected the […]
Continue Reading →As family and friends of children and adults with WHS, we are all on the same team. And through wolfhirschhorn.org, we can support each other and cheer each other on. In this spirit, we are announcing the 2017 holiday fundraiser item is… a Team WHS hat! The stories we share here at wolfhirschhorn.org are […]
Continue Reading →Bryan really got into the Halloween spirit this year and thoroughly enjoyed trick or treating with his sisters. This was his most independent year yet. It was great seeing him open his own bag for candy and making sure his sisters got some as well. And at every place we stopped, he was sure to […]
Continue Reading →
JuniperMaya is 27 1/2 months old. She has made large strides in her ability to interact and communicate. When we ask her questions she loves responding with “yeah”. She says “hi” and “Mama”. She likes to babble while playing. She signs for food, milk, more, diaper, and her own sign for pick me up or […]
Continue Reading →Our little girl has wings! Elsa, now 5 1/2, was a fairy this year for Halloween. She’s standing against the wall here – but still. Looking so good in standing these days. Can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes this year! Reminder that if you post to the WHS website, you could win an amazing prize […]
Continue Reading →Madison turned 2 years on July 19th 2017 Today we are overwhelmed with joy to see how far Madison has come. She has met or exceeded most of her goals that were set regarding her weight and height during her one year wellness check. Madison’s Growth: We are so proud of her as she […]
Continue Reading →It’s that time again, folks! Halloween is around the corner. And that means we’re kicking off our annual Halloween costume event. Every year, when the leaves begin to fall, and Oct. 31 draws near, our kiddos don their Halloween best and share their awesome costumes with us. It’s a tradition at Wolfhirschhorn.org. You post a […]
Continue Reading →Wolfhirschhorn.org recently had the opportunity to connect the parents of a baby with WHS to a family with an older child with WHS. That’s because in addition to sharing stories about our kids, Wolfhirschhorn.org also maintains a database that enables us to make these important relationship matches. If it’s been a while since you’ve updated […]
Continue Reading →Our younger two daughters (ages 4 and 2) are often all over Elsa. It can be pretty cringe-worthy. They rub her cheeks and pat her head. They hold her hand… then squeeze it way too tight. They literally hug (choke) her with love. All day. Everyday. If they are unattended with her, things can go a […]
Continue Reading →When packing for vacation, and maximizing the backend our van, it can be hard to know what to bring. Beyond the essentials, my husband and I always hash out what positioning equipment will give our daughter Elsa the most comfort, access and independence, given the unique environmental factors of our destination. For our weeklong vacation earlier this month, […]
Continue Reading →Hi Everyone, Well, I’m a little late on this post as Paige turned two on April 27. What can I say? I’m on special needs time! (Always running late) Paige is now approaching 27 months, and while her accomplished milestones list is short, she is actually doing very well. Her health has been exceptionally good, […]
Continue Reading →Moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers – how are your backs holding up? Our Elsa isn’t walking yet, so that means lots of lifting. As a result, our backs often are aching and in need of stretching and TLC. Elsa is 5 years old and 36 pounds. A great size. A healthy size. No complaints there whatsoever. […]
Continue Reading →Elsa was swinging so happily in the new therapy swing at our neighborhood park. It must have looked like the place to be. “Can I get in there?” my #2 asks. “Um, I guess we could try that,” I say. I squeeze two sets of little buns side-by-side in the green seat. It’ll work. “Me […]
Continue Reading →What does bedtime look like for you? Here’s a little glimpse of our bedtime set up for Elsa. I like to think she seems pretty happy in there, despite all the gear and gadgets. She sleeps fairly well. (Although lately she seems to be waking up between 5 and 6 a.m., which is not ideal…) This video […]
Continue Reading →April 16 is Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Awareness Day. What will you do to spread the word and increase understanding among those in your sphere? Share your pics and stories (and the pics and stories of others!) on April 16: On Wolfhirschhorn.org On Facebook On Twitter (@wolf_hirschhorn) Thank you all for your support of and contributions to […]
Continue Reading →Sophia taught me this from the beginning of knowing her spirit in my womb. Of course, then, we did everything…together. Now it takes more purposeful focused attention to detail. Here’s my latest understanding “of getting” Phia, by listening to her words and by participating with her actions. “Shopping, Mom? Go shop?” She saw the shopping […]
Continue Reading →We’d love an update on how your kiddo is doing! What are the challenges you’re facing this week, or in the coming months? Are you contemplating a procedure, or do you have surgical outcomes to share? How is therapy going? What new things have you tried? Do seizures continue to be a big factor, and […]
Continue Reading →Do you ever stop and think about all that our children carry, in a single day, to meet their needs? We load it up so regularly, we seldom reflect on it. At least, that’s how I feel. But it hit home the other day. I was typing up an email to my 5-year-old daughter Elsa’s […]
Continue Reading →Our big girl Elsa is now 5. And my-oh-my, there is a lot going on in our world. Here are some updates across the board: Seizure: After two years of being seizure free, our neurologist OK’d Elsa going off of her seizure med Depakene. We started weening off of it two months ago, and… so […]
Continue Reading →