Finally!!!!

Sorry, it's taken so long.
Here's my last post:

My Beautiful Little Angel

Oh, my little Logi, where do I even begin to describe him? He’s literally the most beautiful person I have ever met. Every day, he blesses me with his pure joy, exuberance and determination. Not only is he an angel right here on earth, he’s also my personal hero.

When Logan was first born, I thought a couple of things. The first being, okay, so he probably won’t go to college, or live on his own, or get married or be the President of the United States. This didn’t necessarily upset me, or break my heart, but it was tough to change my goals for my firstborn son.

However, when Logan rolled over ON HIS OWN for the first time at 4 weeks old, I thought, hmmmm, maybe we SHOULD start that college fund we’ve been talking about.


When he began to flirt with every woman who walked in our front door, or every girl that smiled at him, I thought, hmmmm, maybe he will get married.

This fall, when he insisted on walking into preschool on the first day on his own, I thought, yeah, he’ll probably be moving out of my house one day.....Especially since he thinks that he’s completely independent at the ripe old age of 3.

And, to be completely honest, I’m GLAD he won’t be President of the United States one day. What a stressful, non-fun job that is!!! That kind of pressure can’t be healthy.

Therefore, I thought Logan would lead us on a different road than the one we had planned, but it turns out, it’s the same road. The only “difference” is that we get to move down that road a little slower than the average person, which allows us to really enjoy the road. We get to celebrate every single accomplishment and milestone. It’s such a beautiful experience to be happy for everything your child accomplishes, rather than worried about what your child hasn't accomplished yet.

Besides all of that, he’s just the joy of our lives. I swear to you that he wakes up every, single day with a smile on his face. He goes to sleep every single night also, with a smile on his face. And, sometimes when I sneak into his room in the middle of the night for one more sweet kiss, he smiles. This is why he’s my hero!

Logan challenged me to be a better person every day. He has a constant stream of therapies and Doctors appointments but he’s always smiling. He LOVES everyone, no matter what. He says hello to everyone in the grocery store which makes them smile in turn. I believe he challenges everyone to be better. Sam was right, he could bring world peace (even if he isn’t President).


Logan is just an amazing person. At the age of 3, he’s inspired me, Sam and many of you. I certainly hope that together we can inspire people out there to understand and realize that DS is not something to be scared of.....It’s something to embrace!!!

Mine

So, turns out, I had a lot to write. I've split it up into 2 parts so it's not so long people lose interest.
Here's part I:

By: Katie Hudson

In the early morning hours of May 24, 2006, just hours after the birth of our beautiful baby boy, a Neonatologists walked into our hospital recovery room and told us that they were going to medivac Logan to Johns Hopkins Hospital because they suspected he had a heart defect, fluid in his lungs, a misaligned stomach tract and…Down syndrome. Wow!! I thought, really? That’s quite a lot to unload on a young, happy, unsuspecting couple in the middle of the night…right? Anyway, you would think that news would overwhelm me, or scare me, and I was scared, don’t get me wrong, but I just knew that everything would be okay. I had this beautiful, serene feeling wash over me, and I promised it would be okay. Everything was going to be fine.

My biggest concern, from that moment on, was Logan’s heart. There was a large hole in it that needed to close in order for him to breathe on his own. I was also concerned about the fluid in his lungs and his need to be on oxygen. I did not even think about Down syndrome.

However, 3 days later, on May 26, 2006 the “test results were back.” We were told that morning that WE would not get the results until 1 p.m. that afternoon. Ummm, if he doesn’t have Down syndrome, why don’t you just tell us now, I thought. Clearly there was a problem. My suspicions were confirmed when 3 doctors and 2 nurses escorted us to a gigantic conference room with cups of water in hand. I don’t know why I remember the cups of water, but it kind of made me chuckle as they we were walking down the long, long empty hallway. I think I was maybe a little panicked that it wasn’t DS afterall, maybe it was something far worse, are we going to be crying so hysterically that we’ll need water to rehydrate us, I wondered.

Luckily, the doctor confirmed to us that Logan’s genetic results came back and he did, in fact, have Down syndrome…phew!! Nothing worse. Again, the calm, peaceful feeling washed over me and I knew we would be okay. I knew Sam and I were strong enough to handle this, I know we were the PERFECT people to have Logan. I honestly felt that we had been chosen for a reason. The 3 of us would be awesome together.
So, this is what’s really, really hard for me to admit. I’m so ashamed of myself and it makes me sad to even remember that I felt this way. While I knew Sam and I would be okay. I doubted my friends and family. I doubted everyone. Can you believe that? Let me explain myself before you slam down your computer!! Most of my friends were having children at the same time as me, some had older ones, some were still in the planning stages, but everyone was on that course. Many friends pointed out that this was great news because our kids would grow up together and accept Logan and never know he’s different. I didn’t believe that. I thought we would probably try to stay connected, but I was pretty sure that our lives would be so completely different that we wouldn’t have time to stay friends anymore. They all had typically developing children, and Logan would be delayed. We wouldn’t have anything in common and I didn’t want to “slow” them down. I just really felt that I would have to make all new friends.
I also didn’t have much faith in our family. None of us new anything about DS, how could I expect them to understand what we had to go through? I believed our parents would be there, but wasn’t so sure about all the rest. No, I was resolved that it would be just the 3 of us from now on.


I realize that we had tons of people coming to visit us, but I truly thought they just felt sorry for us, and that it would stop soon. Boy, was I wrong!!

I guess things started to change for me the following Monday. All weekend long, we had been asking people to just pray that the hole in his heart would close on it’s own so he wouldn’t need to have surgery. On Monday morning, I was in his room by myself when the ultrasound tech came in to check his heart one last time. I’ll never forget the tech looking up at me and whispering, “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but the hole’s gone. It closed up. That’s not something we see everyday.” Wow!! It still makes me cry remembering that moment. A few minutes later the nurse ran in to tell me the good news, she called it a “miracle.” She said, “people must have been praying pretty hard at church yesterday.”
I sort of had a light bulb moment, thinking, really? People had actually prayed for this, for us?

I began to think, okay, maybe I’ll let a few people in to help us (BUT only the very best people). Only the people that will totally and completely love and support Logan. I was determined to only surround myself and my baby with the MOST kind and caring people I could. I was going to build the best support system ever. Turns out, I didn’t have to, it was build for me!!

Fast forward to exactly a year later, looking around at the 100+ people who came to Logan’s 1st birthday party on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon. I was so thankful that I had been so wrong, a little shocked at just how wrong I had been, but happy nonetheless. I wish I had known then, what I know now.

God never gives you more than you can handle. Even if you think you can’t do it, look around because He makes sure you have the resources to deal with every difficult situation.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to all of you who I doubted. Everyone who made us dinners, and called every single day to check on us, everyone who sent us cards and flowers, all of you who plunge in the icy cold waters of the Chesapeake bay in January for us, all of you who did the DS walk/run this year, all of you who come to the Special Olympics for the opening ceremonies with us, and to everyone who’s stopped using the r-word. I’m sorry I didn’t believe in you.
You were always there for me. You were ALWAYS there.

But more special than that, you’re there for Logan. You love him…and I know that now. You’ll always look out for him…and I know that now. My friends were right about our children growing up together…and I know that now. Kids already love Logan and watch out for him…and I know that now. He will be accepted by them…because of you!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sam's Post

So, Sam wrote today's post and I'm not going to be all gushy and gross about how it. But, I do want to say that Logan is the luckiest little guy in the world to have Sam as his daddy. Really, Sam loves Logan so much. So, so, so much. He is the most amazing Dad to both of our children, and the feeling is definitely mutual!!

By: Sam Hudson

Many people can separate their lives into two phases: before kids and after kids. For me, no matter how many kids I have, it will always be: before Logan and after Logan. Kids change their parents’ lives forever by causing them to accept certain responsibilities that are necessary for the children’s development. Not only did Logan cause this typical change in me, but he has also changed me in a more drastic way. Before Logan, I did not realize that I truly did not respect everyone. I was living my life with blinders on. I may have noticed those that were different than me, but I would not choose to interact with them. I used slang terms that I thought were funny, but I never realized that those same terms would hurt other people. I was living a selfish life where everything needed to be just right in my world, and it didn’t matter what others were doing.



After Logan was born, I thought my life was going to be a lot more difficult than your typical family with a new baby. I quickly realized that my life was not about me…it was about Logan. I know a lot of people have this same feeling about their 1st born child, but there was something about Logan that was special, and it wasn’t his extra chromosome. I could tell Logan was going to do great things, and he would impact lives unlike I could ever aspire to do. On the surface, there are a few things that make Logan who he is and why he is not like all the other kids. Logan has a face that lights up a room. His laugh is infectious. His hair is “to die for”. His dance moves are unparalleled by no other. Under the surface, he has even stronger assets. His hugs could quite possibly bring world peace. His determination in daily tasks today gives a glimpse of his attitude for the future. He exudes love all the time; when he is at school, watching Elmo, or just on the playground.



A lot of people have written how they were sad at first to hear the news that Logan had DS. They have now realized the blessing that Logan has become to us. However, I am pretty sure that there are other people who still feel sad for my family. These people feel this way because they are still fixated on a selfish world that is just right for them. I cannot express enough the positive impact that Logan brings to my family and people who interact with him. He has added more happiness for us because of everyone else’s standards for Logan. Every milestone that he accomplishes is such a joy because of everyone else’s standards of Logan (i.e. people think Logan should not be able to do certain things since he has a syndrome that causes delayed development.) It is a good thing that Katie and I have standards for Logan that will continue to “impress” and make a positive impact on everyone that interacts with Logan over the years. Logan needs to continue to “impress”, so those people that are like the way I used to be, can become the way I am today.



Logan,

Thank you for being you. You bring the best out in me, and I love you for that. When you read this one day, you will probably ask yourself, “Why did all these people write this blog about me?” The answer is: Because all of these people recognize that you are a special person and you have made an impact on their lives. You may not realize it, but even as a 3-year-old, you always had the power to make people smile, and the ability to change their views on life.



Katie,

Thanks for organizing this. The fact that you followed through in getting this together shows how much Logan has changed us. The response we have received is another example of how many lives Logan has touched. P.S. Logan thanks you too.

A Perfect Gift

As I've said earlier Sam and I could not have gotten through those first few months of Logan's life without all 4 of our wonderful parents. Even now, we depend on them constantly. They are the ones who have given us the strength and courage to continue to pursue our dream of changing the stigma associated with disablilities.
Nancy and Fred, Sam's parents, have been so wonderful because they have loved Logan totally and unconditionally since the moment they met him. I LOVE seeing Logan through their eyes because their love is so pure. And, I have to admit, Logan just loves and adores them. Recently, after speding the morning with them, he woke up from his nap and said, "Mama, I love Mimi....and Fred" Logan does not usually call his granddad Fred, but decided it was silly at the time. Actually, "granddad" was surprisingly one of Logan's first words!!! Amazing, huh?
Anyway, the love between Logan and his grandparents is just beautiful!!
Thanks Nancy and Fred. We all love you so much.

From Mimi and Granddaddy:

A gift. Perhaps a perfect gift. We have been blessed with five perfect little gifts - our grandchildren, Lauren, Will, Martha, Logan and Maddie. What joy each of them has brought us and we love them so dearly. And, of course, each of them is unique and very special. But little could we imagine the perfect gift that Logan would be and how much he has already given us - and he’s only three and a half years old!

When Logan was born, our first thought was for Logan’s health, and our second thought was for Sam and Katie. And we worried. We worried about the three of them and the difficulties they might face (of course, our grandchildren always say “Mimi is such a worrywart!). And then we received what we think of as Logan’s first gift to us. As parents, we all endlessly worry about our children, but the birth of Logan has allowed us to see how wonderful our son, Sam, and daughter-in-law, Katie, are. Of course, we already knew that, but Logan’s gift has been to fill our hearts with such pride in seeing what wonderful parents they have become. Still, we worried as each new crisis developed - the operation on his Achilles tendons, the hard casts on both legs (much to Sam’s disappointment the casts were blue and not Raven’s purple), the shoes with the bar. But these difficulties served to strengthen his legs so he quickly began to crawl and then walk. What a gift to see his resilience and perseverance.

As parents and grandparents we all marvel and take joy in our children’s and grandchildren’s new accomplishments, but each of Logan’s new milestones from nursing, eating, crawling, walking, talking, playing with his little sister, Maddie, and his cousins and friends, to now going to school (Wow!), has a certain poignancy. Again, another gift. One that helps us to slow down and really see and appreciate, not take for granted, the little steps that could seem ordinary and simple, but are truly momentous.

We remember reading the story “Welcome To Holland” just after we learned that Logan was born with Down Syndrome (if you haven’t read it, you must). Although we were never concerned that Logan had Down Syndrome, for to us he was just our precious, adorable grandson, this short story has a way of putting life into perspective, not only for those with disabilities, but for all of us. For none of us know what paths our children’s lives will take nor what their ultimate abilities will be, but with proper guidance and love it can be a truly remarkable and beautiful journey, although maybe different from our expectations. We think Logan has shown all of us that this is so true.

As we have read the blogs that everyone has written and our eyes have welled up and our hearts have burst with joy, we realize what a wonderful gift everyone has received. Even though our families were already blessed with such loving relatives and dear, dear friends, Logan’s birth has given us a heightened awareness and reminded us of the true value of life. If only we all could possess such a pure heart that gives love so freely and accepts love so completely.

And so, as we enjoy our moments with our adorable, precious, lovable, delightful and full of fun little grandson, Logan (okay, we know we’re gushing, but we are grandparents!), we are struck by the positive impact his life has had on everyone already. Our lives have been affected by his sweet touch, light as a butterfly’s on each of us, but glorious as the richness of its color. A touch that will perhaps let us bloom more fully in understanding and love. Now that’s a perfect gift.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by
Emily Perl Kingsley.

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Another Amazing Friend

Meg Miles and I have been friends since freshman year of high school, which, actually wasn't that long ago ;) Meg is such an amazing person. She has such a deep inner strength, it radiates off of her. I'm truly blessed to have her as my friend because not only does she often lend me her strength, but she is incredibly rational so she helps me solve many problems.
Unfortunately, even though we both have 2 children each they are all 4 different ages. So, Meg and I see each other quite often at our "girls night" dinners but our kids don't get together as often as we would like. Meg has 2 beautiful boys and, even though they aren't "close" now I'm sure they'll be great friends, just like Meg and me, when they're older.
Thanks Meg!!

By Meg Loester

Katie was the first of all of my friends to get pregnant and I couldn’t have been happier for her and Sam! Throughout her pregnancy I was so excited by the idea of a new baby joining the gang. I’ll never forget the day she called to tell me that Logan was diagnosed with Down syndrome. When I hung up the phone I was shocked, confused and sad for my friend and her family.

Katie and Sam were young and healthy and the last people I would expect to have a baby with DS. I was so worried about how this would affect Katie and Sam’s lives, both now and in the future. But over these last three years, I have seen what a blessing Logan has been to their family. I have never seen a child more loved than Logan Hudson. The first year of his life there was always a line of people waiting to get their hands on the little guy. At parties I had to wait patiently for the grandparents, aunts and uncles to have their time with him, but occasionally I was lucky enough to hold the happy baby who always made me smile. These days it’s still difficult to have special one-on-one time with Logan. He’s a very busy boy with lots of friends and a hectic schedule! But every now and then I spend an afternoon hanging out with Logan and I see how lucky Katie, Sam and Maddie are to have him in their lives. He has inspired his family and a large circle of friends to learn more about Down syndrome and to support the cause. I always look forward to my next special Logan time when we can turn on the radio and have a dance party!

An Amazing Godmother/Friend

I could not be happier about our decision to make Corinne the Godmother of Logan. For those of you who don't know her, she is the most wonderful person on earth. I'm pretty sure there isn't a mean bone in her body. She is kind, caring, compassionate and so smart. She always knows the exact right thing to say. She's amazing...my hero!!!! Corinne lives in Virginia, about 5 hours away, but that has not deterred our friendship in any way. She has ALWAYS been there for me, especially when Logan was first born and I was so scared. Corinnes also a doctor, an EXCELLENT one, and she's always answering all of my medical questions. And, believe me, I have tons and tons.
Logan is so blessed to have Corinne as his guardian. I know that no matter what, she will always be there for him. She'll always love him, she'll always take care of him. Now, I do want to take a minute to say that her son, my precious godchild is also eat-him-up adorable. He has these huge brown eys, and this tuft of blond hair on his curios little head. I absolutely love hearing him talk to Corinne when we're on the phone, oh my goodness, the things he says!!! He cracks me up. I'm so beyond happy that Corinne, Mark, Danny and Natalie are soon moving back to Maryland because I know that both our boys and our girls will be best friends!!
Thanks Corinne for always being the best!!! I love you tons and tons and tons!!!

By Corinne Jackson

I am soooo proud to be the godmother to my adorable, sweet godson Logan. I
cannot wait to move back to Maryland and spend more time with him. I have loved
hearing about him (almost everyday) on the phone ‐ his accomplishments and just
the cute and funny things he does and says. I love bragging about him to my friends
and family – crawling, walking, and talking at impressive ages! Did you know he is
the most attentive and best listener in his preschool class?
Of course, I have loved every moment I have gotten to spend with him. My favorite
memory is when I asked for a hug and he stopped what he was doing and ran into
my arms. Couldn’t you just eat him up?
I have had a positive attitude regarding Down Syndrome for a number of years. I
had the privilege of babysitting for Julie, who also has Down Syndrome and now she
is friends with Katie and her family – small world! As a teenager babysitting for
Julie, I thought she was just a fun kid who liked to play with her sisters with a very
sweet disposition. So I just knew Logan would be OK from the day he was born and
look at how he’s thrived. Not only are Katie, Sam, and Maddie blessed to have him,
but look how lucky he is to have parents who are so enthusiastic, energetic, and his
biggest advocates.

The Special

Get out your tissues. This is an awesome documentary that my friend Claire sent that is being filmed in Brighton, England about several young adults with developmental disabilities (DS included) living on their own w/some self determined support. Awesome, check it out! New episodes are still to come, apparently!

http://www.the-specials.com/

Logan's Great, Great Aunt

Today's blog was written by my Dad's fabulous Aunt. Aunt Hillary has been one of the most supportive members of our extended family. I believe it's because she's so knowledgeable about people with disabilities. Aunt Hillary is my great Aunt, and Logan's great, great Aunt and believe me, she really does deserve all those greats!!
Thanks Aunt Hillary :)

By Hillary Klein

For forty years I was a nurse and took care of countless people of all ages with everything possible that could be an illness or disabling condition including newborns with Down Syndrome. Knowing my great, great nephew as a very special little person has been a wonderful experience for me whenever I do get to see him. I don't see Logan as DS but just a neat little
boy who seems to be able to do so many things like any kid. One really gains a huge amount of respect for the parents and families of special children, the time, the effort, the dedication to enable them to reach their full potential. Keep doing what you're doing and you will be successful in educating others and giving voice to those who need advocacy. Great Aunt Hilary

Brothers

Matt is Sam's older brother. Matt is a wonderful role model for Sam, and a great father and brother/brother-in-law. We are so blessed to have Matt and his whole family as part of our support system.
Matt, this is an awesome entry. Excellent job on your "first blog"!!

By Matt Hudson


How has having Logan as a nephew changed my view of people with disabilities? Well, I actually do not recall having a perspective on the matter or having ever spent much of any time thinking about it before Logan was born, so I’m not sure there was really much to change. I just went about life in my typical insensitive way and may have only felt sorry for people with Down Syndrome when I encountered them. Having a child with disabilities always seemed like someone else’s problem that was light years from anything that would affect my life. Until that morning. We received a call that the doctors thought my brother and Katie’s new baby boy, Logan, might have Down Syndrome and was being rushed to Johns Hopkins for tests. I remember hearing the news and feeling so sorry for Sam and Katie and struggling to envision how their lives would be “dealing” with a child with such special needs. Well, I must say, I never envisioned such a positive turn their lives would take. I am so proud of my brother and Katie and how they have so bravely embraced raising Logan. They continually demonstrate what a positive impact having a child with Down Syndrome can have on a family. I have watched Sam take on new leadership roles, motivate large sums of people to plunge in frigid waters and raise tens of thousands of dollars for the benefit of countless other children and families. I have seen Sam and Katie come together and rally their friends and family to forge a support network that is rivaled by none. It is so much fun sharing the joys, trials and tribulations of fatherhood with my brother. I learn from Sam and am so impressed with what a great father he has become. As I reflect back, I realize that Logan has helped all of us grow, and that children with disabilities bring just as much joy in all the same ways as every other child. I look forward to sharing the journey of fatherhood together with Sam and the many good times to come.

Best Buds

Dyer Bell and Sam have been friends since high school and Molly and I became close friends quickly after college. We have gone through a lot of "life" events together. We got married around the same time, bought houses around the same time, got dogs together and had our first babies within 6 weeks of each other. Molly and Dyer are such kind, loyal friends that I knew that no matter what Logan and Declan would be friends forever. They actually had little choice as we've literally had them enrolled in various activities together since birth!! It's been such a joy watching Logan and Declan grow up together. I was always very nervous that Logan would be "compared" to other kids, especially kids his own age, by other moms but it's been the exact with Molly. She's ALWAYS the first to point out all the things that Logan does. Just today, at the co-op we do together, she said how amazing Logan is. And, Declan, her sweet precious boy is always the first one to help Logan out, to make him feel included, to make him feel special. The whole Bell family is very special to us, they help us probably more than they know. And, for the record, even though I was apprehensive about having babies at the same time, I would not have it any other way. Logan LOVES Declan and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual!!!
Thanks Bell Family. We love you tons and tons!!

By Molly Bell and Family

Going through our first pregnancies together was so much fun for Katie and me. It was terrific having a close friend to discuss everything we were feeling and all the changes that were underway. Our due dates were only six weeks apart, so we were thrilled that our children would grow up to be good friends. I remember vividly when Sam called to tell me that they were on their way to the hospital. Over those next few hours, Dyer and I waited anxiously for the news. We received word later that Logan had some health issues that required testing and were uneasy with what that would mean.
We later got the call that Logan did indeed have a hole in his heart and Down Syndrome. I hung up the phone and cried the hardest I’d cried in a long time. I was truly heartbroken to learn that our good friends now had to face such an unexpected and enormous challenge. A challenge that wouldn’t just be conquered once either. Immediately Dyer and I got in the car and drove to Hopkins to offer some sort of support.
Going into the NICU was nerve-wracking and somber. Upon our first glance, Logan was so tiny and small, and hooked up to so many wires, it took our breaths away. But Katie and Sam had only the most genuine of smiles on their faces. Katie to my awe even radiated the “glow” you hear of when you become a new mother. They were not weeping, depressed or downtrodden. They were upbeat and enthusiastic about the fantastic medical treatment Logan was receiving and the nurturing doctors and nurses there who were taking such good care of him. I looked around his “room” and saw picture frames, his own special mobile, books, lovies and all sorts of personal touches. I instantly thought this child was so truly blessed to be born unto two such parents who offered such unwavering unconditional love.
Katie and Sam continue to inspire us with their strength, compassion and courage in which they meet head on the issues that having a child with Downs presents. Once my son Declan arrived, Katie resumed her post of being that friend to call when I had a new mom question. Initially I felt selfish for wasting her precious time discussing spit up and nursing schedules, as I knew her daily trials were much greater than mine. However Katie was the same supportive friend she always had been, only this time with a new perspective.
Watching Logan grow has been such an amazing privilege. From when he first went off the ventilator at home overnight, to his first steps at an impressive 15 months, to his sign language and increasing vocabulary, he melts our hearts with every accomplishment. I couldn’t have picked a more kind and loving boy for Declan to see regularly during his first year of life. Logan has enriched each member of my family’s lives in countless ways. With his warm smile and adorable giggle, he brings so much joy into our hearts every time we see him. He continues to teach us so much and is an absolute blessing. Just today I saw Logan timidly consider walking down some steps alone and watched as Declan took Logan’s hand without hesitation and lead him downward. I loved seeing that my son displayed such sensitivity, and know that may not be so if his unselfish and thoughtful pal didn’t bring out the best in him.
Logan has introduced us to many great causes as well, including the Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics. Additionally, I was so proud this September to be a member of the Logan’s Ladies team and run in his honor to support the Downs Syndrome Program at Kennedy Krieger. Furthermore, my family also has a new intense dislike for the “R” word and is trying to help stop the use of it. Hearing it makes Dyer and I cringe with nausea each time. Please follow the Hudson’s lead by imparting to our friends, families and children that the use of such an offensive slang term, or anything with a similar connotation, is not ok!
I’m so glad Katie started this blog as I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and celebrating Downs Syndrome this month and all the wonderful gifts that it brings to us.

All our Love Logs - Molly, Dyer, Declan & Mac Bell

The Hudson Family

We certainly have had a huge support system since the minute Logan was born. As soon as we found out, Sam's parents rushed to be with us, while my parents went to Hopkins to sit with Logan until we could get to him. Sam's older brother, Matt and his wife Becky, soon followed and the 6 of them rarely left Hopkins until Logan was discharged. We literally had breakfast, lunch and dinner there for 2 weeks. They were so supportive, it was hard to be sad when we had so much love surrounding us.
Matt and Becky have 3 children that are older than Logan and Maddie. Luckily we get to see them pretty often because my children ADORE Lauren, Will, Martha and Addie, their new dog. Lauren takes such great care of Logan and just loves him so much. Will is far and away Logan's biggest idol in life. When Will walks in a room Logan's whole face lights up. Recently Will started to take Karate lessons, we were lucky enough to see some of his new moves at dinner the other night and since then I've noticed Logan karate-chopping everything from his stuffed animals to his little sister!! And, Martha has of course taken over as role of "big" sister to both Logan and Maddie.
Really, we are so blessed to have them in our lives. I just know that as they grow older Lauren and Will and Martha are going to play a huge role in Logan's life.
Here's Becky's story:

Have you ever had something that you really feared? Is there something that you really worried about? That is how we felt about having a baby that would have “something wrong with it.” My husband and I dreamed of what life with a baby would be like. We rarely talked openly about our fears that our baby would not be “perfect”, but we definitely had them.
We went through three pregnancies living with that fear. Again, we seldom talked about the worries that we carried around with us, but they were real. We had three children and none of them had any apparent syndromes, illnesses or health problems. We felt joyful. We felt Blessed by God.
One year after our youngest child was born; Sam and Katie were having their first child. They had dreams, they had plans and I bet they had fears too, but I am not sure, because these are the kinds of worries you don’t always share aloud. Later that night, my husband drove over to the hospital to meet his new nephew. Logan was an hour or so old. Matt came home with pictures on the cell phone and all was right with the world. We had another “perfect, dream come true” baby in the family. Matt mentioned casually, “Oh yeah, they had a little oxygen tube for him, apparently he was having a little trouble breathing or something and needed additional oxygen, but no one seemed concerned.” We went to bed feeling happy for Sam and Katie, joyful, Blessed!
The next morning we got a phone call that led our whole family down a very scary fear-filled road for the next week or so (seems like it was months). The Doctors and nurses were not sure what was “wrong”, but there was a suspicion that Logan had Down syndrome. Our hearts dropped! How could this happen? We all worried. Katie and Sam were exhausted and afraid. We had no information. We were all clueless. This was not the plan we had in mind. This was not the way we dreamed it would be. Logan was in the hospital! Logan was at Hopkins in the NICU. This was not supposed to happen—things should be “perfect!” How could something be “wrong?” I think this period of not knowing was probably the worst. We all lived with fear.
A few days later the chromosome tests were complete and the genetic counselors planned to meet with Katie and Sam at some random time in the middle of the day. We all knew this was not good – good news could be given at anytime. Bad news needed a specific meeting time. So – we got the news. Logan had DS. None of us knew what that meant for the future. We didn’t know anything. We had all lived with our misguided fearful ideas of what having a child with DS would be like. We felt worried for Sam and Katie. We wanted them to have their dream come true. We wanted their baby to be healthy and happy. We didn’t want their child to have to live life with something “wrong “with him. We wanted them to have their “perfect” family.
Katie and Sam decided on that day that we would all be positive. We would look forward. We would keep our eyes on the horizon. Everything would be fine… no everything would be great. They started us all on that road and Logan has continued to guide us all on our learning journey. Along the way we have dropped off our fears and picked up loads of knowledge. We have left our preconceived ideas of what is “perfect” and what is “wrong” at various places along the road. We have traveled down highways we never expected to be on and found out life can be better than you “planned” and the dreams you have for your future are limited by what you don’t know about the possibilities. Sometimes your dreams come true in ways were not part of your original plan. None of us knew how much joy Logan would bring into our lives. None of us expected to be Blessed by God in this way, but when Logan was born we were Blessed.
We left our fear on the curb and we continue down the road with joy and hope. Katie, Sam, Logan and Maddie are making a road map for other parents and families so that they will not start their journey laden with fear, but filled with joy. Having a child with DS is not the end of a “perfect family” and it is not the end of your “happily ever after dream come true.” We don’t always know what will be around the corner, but we do know Logan is a big part of our perfect family.

Thanks Becky for your very uplifting perspective!!

Super Plungers!!

As I said yesterday, there is a group of extraordinary individuals who plunge into the icy cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay, in January, 24 times in 24 hours!!! Each "Super Plunger" raises over $10,000. They are more than Super Plungers, in my opnion, they are super heroes!!!
Anyway, after that first year, when we took our baby Logan to visit them on the first day of plunging, I left feeling amazing, really hoping we had made an impact. A couple of years later I got the following letter from one of the super plungers. In a way, Karen Pizza is the inspiration for this blog.
Thanks Karen!!!

From Karen Pizza:

My name is Karen Pizza. I am one of the super plungers from this year’s polar bear plunge. Tom forwarded the letter you wrote to everyone and I asked for your email address. I wanted to let you know personally how much seeing Logan helped me.



On Friday, right before we took our first plunge, I was asking myself what was I doing? Did I really want to do this thing? Was I nuts? Then your family was introduced. I knew then that this was the reason, and everything was going to be ok. Meeting him later that day really set everything in order. What a cute, adorable baby. His smile is enough to knock you off your feet!



Then on Saturday morning, I was hating life. Even after the sun came up, when they say it gets easier and the end is in sight, I just wanted to go home. I was tired, cold and just wanted to get away from everyone. Then Logan came through the door. My entire outlook changed. Seeing your adorable baby boy, with the happy smile on his face reminded me of why I did this. I am blessed with two healthy children. My being uncomfortable for a few hours is nothing compared to what you, as his parents and he have to go through every day! Words cannot describe how quickly I felt better and was re-energized and ready to go!



Thank you so much for bringing him! He and your family are in our prayers every night. I look forward to one day seeing him compete in the summer games.

What's in a Team?

My Dad wrote this blog about the Polar Bear Plunge that we do every year to raise money for the Special Olympics. If you haven't joined us in years past, your missing out on a super event!!! For me, personally, the Polar Bear Plunge was a life changing experiece. I went for the first time when Logan was 9 months old. Logan was asked to be the "chairbaby" of the plunge. We went on Friday to watch the super plungers take their first of 24 dips!!! I was so incredably moved by all the plungers, volunteers and families there. It was the first time that I really, truly believed that Logan would be okay!! Then, all of our friends came the next day, and rallied around our little guy and DOVE into 38 degree weather. It was such an awesome experience for me and Sam. We'll never forget it and we'll continue the tradition of the Polar Bear Plunge for the rest of our lives :)

What's in a Team?
By Gary Anderson

What’s in a team?
Who would have imagined at the start of the warmth of summer of ’06 that our community of family, friends and colleagues would be energized and excited to be jumping into the ice cold waters of the bay in January of ‘07. It happened. Not just once, though now three times! And each time we’ve participated we’ve been bigger and better than the time before.
It all started when the ever thoughtful Sam heard a local media advertisement in early January of ‘07 for THE PLUNGE. Recognizing that the Maryland Special Olympics was a great cause that offered unbelievable support to individuals with disabilities he immediately went to the web and set-up a team—Logan’s Heroes.
Sam and Katie’s outstanding network of friends and family responded and the support grew and grew and grew. Before we knew it we had raised over $50,000 with a group of nearly 40 plungers. As only Sam can do our fun “beach” event was organized to perfection—complete with a coach bus down to Sandy Point and a heated tent set up within a few (oh so many) frozen strides of the bay.
Now fast forward to June of this year and the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics at Towson University. Sitting in the stands with the families of the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parents Group (and a great group of future special Olympians) and watching the excitement and anticipation of the athletes marching into the arena was overwhelming. Add a heartfelt “thank you” email from a colleague whose daughter had just won yet another gold medal made you realize what a difference Logan’s Heroes has helped to make in our community.
Thank you to all the Logan’s Heroes who have joined us over the last three years and have chosen to make a difference in the lives of so many well deserving athletes and their families.

I'm not going to lie, I completely forgot about this today. We had a lot going on this weekend. So, I don't want to put up a post that someone spent time writing for it to only be up for 12 hours, on a Sunday, overnight. That would stink!!
So, I'll tell you about our weekend. Yesterday, we hosted the New Parents Brunch for the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group. It was so great meeting all the new parents, and their precious little babies. I'm sure you can all imagine what a happy crew we had!! However, it did bring me back to that time in my life when I was so unsure of everything that would happen with Logan, and how people would accept him, I certainly hope that some of the parents that were there yesterday get a chance to read this beautiful blog filled with such amazing, honest, heartfelt stories!!
Please keep reading because we have some really amazing ones coming up this week. And, towards the end of the month Sam and I will both be posting blogs. I hope they're as good as yours have been!!
Thanks again everyone. As always, your support means the world to us. We love you all so much.
Katie

A Special Friend and Teacher

Today's post was written by a very close friend of our family. Angie Barbre also happens to be special educator. We have A LOT of teachers in our family, but I never noticed how many special educators we had until Logan was born. The best part about having Special Education teachers in your family is the wonderful, inspiring stories they have to share.
Thanks Angie!!

By Angie Barbre

I am so happy to write a blog for Katie, Logan and DS. My journey with DS began many years ago when I was still a teenager. My aunt had a sister with DS. She had asked me to take care of Peggy while she ran some errands. As a teenager in the 80's DS was not something I had any experience with. I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting myself into I only knew Peggy from the occasional dinner at my aunt and uncle when she was staying with them. See Peggy was the sister of my aunt who's parents had long since past away. Instead of the other sisters sending her to a home Peggy would spend a couple of months with each one. She was older when I started staying with her. I think by then she was in her forties. She was already starting to decline but at times still had a sharp memory, not unlike the rest of us as we age. At dinner we would all laugh at the things should would recall from years past just out of the blue. Eventually the sisters had a hard decision with what to do with Peggy. She was getting older and required more care and they were also getting older. Finally they decided to put her in a home for people with DS. I know that it was a hard and long fought decision for them all but it was best for all. Peggy lived well into her 50's which at that time was a long time. I thought my journey with DS had ended there but I was wrong.
I got married and had children. When they got older I started working in the public school system and my journey began again. I wound up in a preschool special ed class with Karanja. Karanja was a very special boy. He had DS. He was the only child of a single mother. He was all smiles and hugs all the time. He was on his own special diet of potatoes. If it was made of potatoes he would eat it. I still see him sometimes when I go to the grocery store. He still smiles and talks to me. He speech is much better now. He is about 14 years old. Time does fly by.
There have been a few other very special DS kids in my life since then.. The next was Courtney. Tears came to my eyes when she left my classroom to go back to her home school. Then there was Sydney. If any child with DS has touched my heart she did the most. She will always be my special girl. Beautiful, stubborn, sweet and loving are all the best words to describe her.. We had many battles thru therapies but she still won my heart so much so her mother asked me several times if I would watch her while she was at work in the summer months. Unfortunately schedules never worked but I always have the special poem with her picture that she gave me as a gift.
My next encounter was with a 16 year old boy at a private special needs school that I worked at next. He was a residential student that I met while taking my students to their dorms. He always wore a police badge around his neck. Seeing that badge around his neck every night I thought I would bring him something that had to do with law enforcement. I gave him a teddy bear and a handful of stickers. He loved them all. When I came back to school after a long weekend he had left a note in the bin outside my classroom. It said that he loved me. What a great feeling to give someone such a simple thing and to have such a great impact. I wish all of us could experience such a great impact from such a small gesture! I left the school shortly after and never saw him again.
My next experience with DS is when I found out about Logan. I new what a special gift Katie, Sam and the entire family had coming to them. I thought if Logan was anything like what I have experienced they are blessed beyond belief! And now I definately know they are.What a beautiful special boy they have! Can he be any cutier with those glasses!!

The Godfather

My younger brother, Brendan, is Logan's Godfather. And, he could not be a better fit. Brendan has absolutely loved and adored Logan since the minute he was born. I'm telling you the two of them have such a special bond. Logan gets so excited to see Brendan. When he walks in the door Logan just goes flying to him. Brendan is such a nice, kind person, I'm so grateful he's around to be Logan's mentor in life.
Love ya Bren!!!

By Brendan Anderson

My favorite memory with so far with Logan was watching him cheer at the Special Olympics pep rally. Everybody there was getting pretty loud but he was sitting/standing in his seat with his huge Logi smile, arms up the whole time and yelling “woohoo” until he was horse. He is such a fun and enthusiastic little guy I love spending time with him.

I am really grateful to have Logan as my Nephew and Godson; but not just because he is awesome. He has really introduced me to this entire other world associated with the Special Olympics. The plunge is the best. Everyone I’ve met there is so great. Everybody is so supportive of each other and just good people.

The first year we did the plunge was about 8 months after Logan was born and I remember hearing Katie say afterward she had been nervous about having a child with DS because we didn’t expect or really know anything about it until Logi came along, and the plunge was the first time she started to see everything would be ok for him. That’s what made me so proud to participate in the SOMD stuff. I hope that all parents faced with that news and have no idea what to expect get to have that reassuring experience.

Logan’s a great kid and I can’t wait to see him grow up and continue to be part of our lives.

The Nicholas Family!!

So, we've been friends with Jen and Brian for a long time. We were friends in high school and college, good friends after college and great friends now. I know it's going to sound like I say this about all of our friends and family, but Jen and Brian were really there for us when Logan was born, they were so supportive and kind and caring. We knew that Logan would be accepted into their world, and their kids world and that was an amazing feeling when we were so unsure of everything else. Over the past 3 years I have called on Jen for advice on MANY things. She's always there to listen to me and always, always gives me the best advice. I do not know what we would do without the Nicholas family. We love them so much!!
Thanks Guys!!!

By: Brian and Jen Nicholas

Brian and I have been blessed to have known Katie and Sam for about 15 years now. And through these years there have been so many times that we have looked up to them for different reasons. We have admired Sam for having the courage and vision to start his own company. We have applauded Katie and her dedication to teaching history to middle school students and tutoring kids today. But through all these examples and plenty of others, what Brian and I have consistently admired most about Katie and Sam has been their dedication, compassion, and overall strength in parenting.



When we first saw Katie and Sam while Logan was still in the hospital after he was born, we had come to their home to drop off dinner. I was worried about what I would say, but as soon as we saw Katie and Sam, all that worry went away. I was blown away by the happiness and strength I saw in their faces. They both gave us huge hugs when we saw them and began to right away tell us about Logan, what the doctors were saying, and their "plan of action" for when he came home. Already there were books about Down Syndrome on the table as they were both gathering as much information about DS as they could. I was blown away at that; so many others would have wanted to bury their heads in the sand or run away from all of this. But not Katie and Sam...they tackled everything head on and have been that way since.



They are constantly thinking of new ways to raise money, awareness, and connections for Down Syndome. Whether it's the plunge, the 4 mile race, or the sports activities that Sam has started at Towson for Special Olympics, they have dedicated so much of themselves for so many other families with DS children. This is something that Brian and I truly admire about them.



So when I sit and think about this blog, Logan, and all the wonderful things about him, I truly feel that while Katie and Sam are blessed to have Logan, he is equally blessed to have them. I can only hope that Brian and I can be the parents that they are! They are truly and inspiration to me, my family, Logan, and all familes. Thank you, Sam and Katie, for everying that you have shown us: love, dedication, compassion, humor, and strength. We love you and your family so much.



Brian and Jen Nicholas

Logan's First Words!!!

Kate has been a member of the Anderson family for over 6 years now...bravo Kate!!! She is so sweet and my children, especially Maddie, adore her. We all love Kate!! Logan always includes her in his nightly prayers, sometime in leiu of Brendan (sorry Bren). Anyway, Kate was Logan's first "speech therapist" getting him to say his first word at Bethany Beach in September of 2006!!
Thanks Kate!!

By Kate Collins:

Logan is such a fun little guy, the fact that he has a disability is the last thing that comes to mind when I think of him. I’ve had the privilege of knowing him since he was born, and he’s always had such a happy, pleasant disposition in general that you can’t help but smile when you’re around him (especially when he laughs!).





I remember we were on a family vacation in Bethany Beach, all staying at one place together. Logan was maybe about 6 months old and I was playing with him on a blanket with some animal toys and saying the names of the animals to him. I was holding up the lion and said ‘lion’ to him and out of the blue he said it back! I was amazed at the time but it seems almost every time I see him now he knows how to do something new (I still remember the first time he could do high-fives too- he’s so cute!).




Logan is an inspiration in regards to the leaps and bounds he’s made, with the support of his great family and friends. He’s opened so many people’s eyes to the fact that there really is no ‘normal’, that it’s all relative, and for this I truly believe everything happens for a reason. I can’t wait to see how far Logan is going to go in life and how many more people he will continue to touch and inspire!

Good Friends

Sam and Bobby Baird have been best friends FOREVER!!! I mean, really, forever. And, through them our families have also become very close. We've shared a lot of experiences with them, including the births of all 6 of our combined children (most of them are Lizzy and Bobby's)!!!
Anyway, Lizzy and Bobby were among our first visitors to the NICU and Lizzy was the one we called when we got Logan's diagnosis. We asked Lizzy to spread the word and I'm pretty sure she called every single person we had ever met. I'm not sure what she said to them, but I know it was the "right" thing because NO ONE ever told us they were "sorry" about the diagnosis. Knowing Lizzy she was able to point out the positive and explain to people that God had given us this child for a reason. I am eternally grateful to her for that. I think she's a big reason why Logan was so immediately accepted into our world as a gift. Now she has written this beauitful piece for Logan's blog and, again, I'm grateful to her. Lizzy, you are a wonderful, wonderful person. I so look forward to raising our kids together!!! Thank you so much for all your support!!

By Lizzy Baird:

As I sat down to reflect on “Logan James”, as our children often refer to him, images of a smiling, happy boy flooded my thoughts. Logan is such a remarkable little boy. His smile is contagious. He certainly turns heads in public and I often hear people comment on how adorable he is. Logan, though still very young, has taught us so very much already.

My husband, Bobby, and I have known Sam and Katie as a couple for over 15 years and Sam and Bobby have been the best of friends since they were 5. In all of those years I have never been more proud of them than the day we visited Sam, Katie and newborn Logan in the NICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Logan had only been born a day or two prior and many questions remained unanswered. A lot of medical information was being offered but nothing was confirmed. Amazingly, Sam and Katie greeted us with smiles on their faces. Even though there was great worry and fear in the back of their minds, they still moved forward. There was a small waiting room for families to gather just outside of the NICU. On this particular morning, that room was overcrowded with members from the Hudson and Anderson families. Even though no medical diagnosis had been given to Logan, the support system between Sam and Katie and their two families had begun. In the days, weeks, months, and years that have followed, I have never once seen a weakness in this support system.

When Logan was finally diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Sam and Katie embraced it. They researched as much as they could. They knew that they loved their little angel and would do anything they could for him. They are their son’s biggest advocates. In the years that have followed, Sam and Katie, have pulled their loved ones into being advocates for Logan as well. Every year Logan’s Heroes jump into the icy waters at the Polar Bear Plunge, raising money for the Special Olympics. Logan’s Ladies was formed this year for a 4-mile run/ 2-mile walk to raise money for the Kennedy Krieger Institute Down Syndrome Clinic and local Down Syndrome parent support groups. These two teams have been among the top fundraising teams in both events!

Logan has taught Sam and Katie the meaning of unconditional love. He has taught them how to be good parents. He has taught them what it means to be selfless. He even prepared them for Maddie! Logan has taught Sam and Katie how to be leaders and advocates for others.

Down Syndrome is not something to be feared. It is not something to look down upon or be sad about. In fact, as people have mentioned in previous entries, Sam and Katie view Down Syndrome as a blessing. How amazing is it to know that God chose Sam and Katie to be the parents of Logan James? Not everyone could handle a child with special needs with as much grace, passion, and love as Sam and Katie. God thinks so highly of Sam and Katie- He knew how great they would be and He chose the two of them specifically to bring Logan into this world and care for him.

So yes, Logan has taught us all a lot of things. But I think the greatest lesson he can teach us is how precious life is and how wonderful life must be to see only the good in people. Imagine what the world would be like if we all viewed it through Logan’s eyes.

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-6

Cels'

Hi Everyone,
The following one is so touching because it's straight from the heart. Sam has know Matt Celentano for years and years. They go to Dover together every 6 months. However, I didn't know Cels very well until we had Logan and decided to do the Polar Bear Plunge. I kid you not, Cels was the BIGGEST supporter of this event from day 1. He was awesome and always so enthusiastic. We absolutely adore him, and now his beautiful fiance. We're so blessed to have friends like Cels and Katie.
Thanks Cels for being honest!!!


So, where to start... I remember when one of my friends told me that Sam and Katie had just had a baby with DS, and I remember my first reaction was, "Oh God! I feel so terrible for Sam and Katie." However, time has taken away my ignorance. I realize now that that I could not have been more completely wrong.

My initial thoughts and feelings were based on what I thought I knew to be reality. My thoughts were along the lines that his parents' lives would be full of hardship, terror, ridicule, and spending times dealing with a "freak." I hate to be so painfully not-so-subtle, but this was really what I was thinking. Wow, I could not have been more off-base.

Over the last couple of years I have learned so much that has totally opened my eyes. Not only is Logan not a "special," boy, he is just that....a boy. Not only will Logan grow up just like every other child his age, maybe not at the same pace as others as I've been told, but he is just as normal - and maybe even more normal than me as a jaded adult. In some ways, I wish I was him, making people happy, full of love, and a joy to the rest of us.

I have taken a couple of things from this learning process. One, you don't know nearly as much as you think you do - about disabilities, about kids in general, nor about the love of friends and family once faced with a challenge. Secondly, how amazing the Plunge has been for me personally not only for the fun day that it is, but how incredible it is in bringing amazing people together to make things better for others. It's not only a testament to the people we surround ourselves with, but also to the quality and generous traits we all have within ourselves. It makes me smile from ear to ear to think of not only the outrageous day we have made it, but also the common goal that so abundantly touches everyone involved.

It makes me a bit sad that it takes a blessing like Logan to make all of us realize things like this, but he has become not only a catalyst of learning for me, but also brought a general sensitivity and hope that a band of friends can become better and more understanding people. Logan has most certainly changed the way I feel about disabilities in general, but has also unforgettably changed the notion of how I judge/react....

Even though I haven't spent a lot of time with Logan - he doesn't run to me like other children I know - he has touched me very deeply. A little boy has opened my heart in ways that I can not begin to explain. He's brought friends into my life, introduced me to amazing experiences and taught me so much about myself and life in general.

So with that, I have said my piece, come Plunge with us, and DONATE ON MY PAGE! - I WANNA BEAT SAM!!!!!

http://plungemd.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=309300&lis=1&kntae309300=D1BB02DB115547D3B5673EE4F452FE92&supId=158883961

We Are More Alike Than Different

The following video was published by the National Down Syndrome Congress and it's message is "we're more alike than different." This is the message that I'm committed to spreading. So, please take 5 minutes to view this very inspiring video.
Thanks again for all your support. If you have anything to add please email me at katiehudson23@comcast.net We would LOVE to hear from ALL of you :)
Lots of Love, Happy Sunday, and GO RAVENS!!
Katie

http://www.ndsccenter.org/morealike/flash/

TONY!!!!

Tony is the newest member of the Anderson family and we all absolutely adore him. Obviously, he's fantastic!!! Thanks Tony for writing such a sweet blog!! We love you :)

From Tony Uzupus ( I just LOVE this name):

Logan is the coolest kid ever! He's this little guy who's always enthusiastic and happy and brings joy into the lives of everyone he meets! Whether or not he has a disability doesn't really even cross my mind. Although I'm definitely not used to being around little kids and don't always know what to do, he is always gentle, well mannered and uplifting to everyone around him. Truly a gift!

Speech Therapy

Alicia Barger has been working with Logan since he was 4 months old. Every week she comes to our house and works with him. Logan ADORES her. And, I have to admit, I do to. She's one of the nicest people I've met and she has a very special gift. We have had MANY therapists come through our doors, and only a select few have what Alicia has. She's become an amazing part of our family and I thank God for her every day. Obviously she's wonderful since she took time out of her busy schedule to write this piece.
Thanks Alicia!!!

My name is Alicia Barger and I am a speech-language pathologist who has been working with Logan since he was 1 year old. Over the past 2+ years, Logan has gone from using a handful of signs and random babbling to a very expressive young boy. I have never met a child so determined to learn. He has also taught me a thing or two about how I present my therapy. It's like we teach each other, like a partnership. His heart is full of joy and I see this during our sessions with his love of singing and dancing, and his interactions with all of his family members and friends! He is also a natural leader of his speech group showing the other new kids what to do.

Today, Logan is speaking in 2-3 word sentences has a sign vocabulary of well over 100 signs and a verbal vocabulary of over 200 words or more. He is so great at figuring out puzzles and can even identify numbers and all of his letters. Now, how many 3 year olds can you say that about!!!

Logan is also my "pool" buddy. Yes, we happen to belong to the same pool and I will never forget the first time I entered the baby pool area with my friend and her little one. Logan looked right at me with this questioning look on his face like, "What are you doing here?" Then, of course, he came right up to me playing in the water and talking away like the "show-off" that he is. After a few moments he preceded to show me how good his straw-drinking skills had become by polishing off my Starbuck's iced tea!! I remember my friend saying to me what a cute boy and what a good talker. You see, Logan can change the perception of even random strangers as to how they view children with disabilities because when you look at Logan, you don't see Down's Syndrome you see an adorable, blonde-haired, little boy with the charisma of an child way beyond his years all bottled up in that little body of his. He is a joy to be around.

It has been my pleasure to work with Logan, he has helped me to grow as a speech pathologist and I hope I have helped him out a bit too!!

Alicia K. Barger, M.S.,CCC-SLP

Uncle Bruce's Persepctive

One thing that Logan's love has definitely done is brought our family closer together. It's sometimes hard because they live 3 hours away, and we had become lazy about getting together. However, they all loved Logan so much that it gave all of us an incentive to drive the 3 hours to see each other. During Logan's first year of life we had such amazing support from Grandma and Popop, Aunt Sunny, Uncle Bruce and Beth. They were ALWAYS coming up "just for the day" and I even took Logan to visit them a few times. I'm so grateful that Logan has helped us strengthen our relationships with everyone we love. That's one of his gifts, I think, spreading love!!

Here are Uncle Bruce's Thoughts:

Love transcends disability. That is what Logan has taught me. I know he has a disability but I just don't care, I love him for who he is, my nephew. The disability doesn't matter. Love is why we all raise money and jump into the cold bay waters. When I interact with Logan I see his own love of life and his innocence that is greater then most other children I know. Its because he loves too. His growth as a child is because of love, love from his family and his many friends. He has learned from this and in turn shares his love with us. And that is not a disability!!!

Keegan's Story

I'm so excited because one of my favorite friends, Hayley, has written a beautiful story about her son Keegan. Keegan is so precious, Logan and I both adore him. Logan and Keegan are good buddies and we certainly hope that our boys will be good friends forever. Certainly Hayley and I will be.
Thanks Hayley!!

I remember the first real photo I got of Keegan. He was still in my womb and I had just finished getting a level 2 ultrasound, where they found a hole in his heart and told me, that because of that, the probability of him having Down syndrome was a lot higher. There Keegan was, smiling and waving at us, while the doctor took us into a little room with a box of tissues and told us how we could abort him. He gave the same abortion speech when he called with the results. I remember being so confused, and calling the doctor back and asking, “but if he gets the heart surgery, will he live?” And the doctor’s response was “yes, but some people just can’t handle all the things that come with Down syndrome.”So what does come with Down syndrome? Let me tell you. Having Keegan makes me feel truly alive. My emotions are heightened and I feel like I truly appreciate everything. I have never felt happier or more fulfilled in all my life. He gives me a sense of purpose, but he also shows me that nothing else matters. It’s just so exciting to see him climb on the bus by himself, to watch him try to blow a bubble, or just seeing him eat a French fry delights me. How many times can I say I appreciated those little things with my other kids? It was just expected of them, it wasn’t a struggle to get there.I’ll admit to many tears and struggles in these first 3 years with him, but I would never, ever take it back. Keegan’s first year surrounded his health. He had 2 heart surgeries around 5 months old. It was during those 6 weeks at the hospital that I learned a lot about how fragile life is, how precious, so every day that you have with them, you appreciate it that much more.After all the health stuff was out of the way, it was working on getting Keegan to learn how to eat. I’ll admit to many tears and anger at trying to get him to just eat something other than yogurt. By far this has been our biggest ongoing struggle, but again, I would never take those moments back because even to this day, when he tries something new or picks up his own sandwich, I beam with pride. And that’s just over lunch! How many others can say their meal times are just as exciting? Now Keegan is 3, and going to preschool for the first time. I’m so excited to watch him grow. Each day when he tries to get on the bus without falling over from the weight of his backpack, my eyes fill with tears of joy. When he gets home, and I read the teacher’s note about what he’s done that day, I smile, and when I tuck him in to bed at night and he babbles along with Twinkle, Twinkle I can’t help but kiss him a million times. He may weigh just 25 pounds, but of the amount of wonder and happiness that he emits EVERY SINGLE DAY from his little body is truly infectious!So when you’re out at the mall, or at the park and someone gives you that “that’s too bad” look, just know, as I knew when that doctor told me I could abort Keegan, that our families, and the ones that truly know a child with Down syndrome are a little bit wiser, and quite possibly, a little bit more thankful for everything that life brings you.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Good morning Everyone!!! Thanks again for all the great responses. We love them and I just know they'll be so helpful to new parents. They'll also be really nice for Logan to read when he's older. Love you all!!

The following is from Logi's very favorite Aunt D!!!

When I remember back to when Logan was born, it is strangely not the day that he was born that I remember vividly, but rather several days later when my dad called me to tell me about the confirmation that Logan did in fact have Down syndrome. I was living at the beach at the time and I remember I just kept think after he was born that 'everything was fine, I was sure that he did not have Down syndrome, and that we would just carry on our lives "like normal no problem".' Then, I received that phone call. And I cried!!! I locked myself in the bathroom and I cried. My friend Jenna was there that day and I remember her knocking on the door and came in a hugged me for a long time. Shortly thereafter I went home to visit my family and spend time with my new nephew Logan. The very first time I held him I remember like it was yesterday. I could even tell you the exact outfit I was wearing! The reason that I remember it is because of the way I felt when my sister put him in my arms. (I'm getting teary eyed just telling the story right now goodness sakes! :) ) That was one of the most joyful moments of my entire life that I could not even put it into words. That day has surely changed me forever. Since meeting our little Logi Bear I have had the pleasure of watching him grow and learn and change each and every day. He has developed the most charismatic and lovable little personality that I crave seeing him just because he brings an instant smile to my face. He is the most cheerful and friendly little guy and wants to be everyones best friend. He has recently developed some new dance moves which he enjoys showcasing for visitors along with his sing along cds keeping himself highly entertained for hours :) He loves to be outside and play sports with the guys, especially soccer and football which his adoring little sister has become quite the competitor in as well with him. His most favorite food is pizza and in particular he loves Italian Gardens in Towson. It absolutely astounds me how perceptive he is that he can actually see the tiny sign for the pizza place from the beltway when he is in a car that drives by it and almost instantly shouts "ZA ZA!" and points! Za-za is his word for pizza right now and he knows the difference between real pizza and the kind that you sneak meat or vegetables onto believe me. He could also be a connoisseur of various Pizza Restaurants in the Towson area due to the fact that he will only dine at very specific pizza spots. :) Strapazza being among his favorites....Every thought I have about Logan is positive and joyful and I just feel so blessed to be a part of his life. I have realized in my experience with him what a true pleasure it is to be able to witness the successes and strides of a child like him growing up. He is an incredible inspiration to me each and everyday and when I think back to that silly day that I actually CRIED when I heard Logan had Down syndrome it makes me laugh and be grateful for this learning experience for me personally. Before Logan when I thought of Down syndrome it seemed different and unusual. It even was scary to me because I didnt know anything about it. What I hope to be able to do, is to share my experience with others who are also thinking of Down syndrome in the same way that I used to before I found out what it is really all about and tell them that it is ok. Folks with Down syndrome are loving and wonderful people and if ever anyone has the privledge of spending time with them you will be truly inspired by their spirit.

I am so thankful for my Logi Bear!!!

Monday, October 5, 2009

I've received so many beautiful emails but this one was really touching because it really show's us the impact that Logan's birth had on SO MANY people. It was written by my sisters best friend Amy Alecci. We've known Amy for years and years and I'm so grateful to her for writing such a beautiful and eloquent post about Logan.
Thanks Amy!! We love you :)




I was with Darby (Katie's sister) in Ocean City the moment she got the news from her mom that Logan did, in fact, have down syndrome. This is obviously news that no one wants to hear about their newest member of the family, especially since it was so sudden and unexpected. There were no signs detecting anything was wrong throughout Katie's pregnancy. So, yes, when Darby was told the news, the initial feelings of shock, anger, sadness and confusion came over us both. At the time, I believed that these were normal feelings considering it was after all, "bad news", right? I will never forget that day...because I quickly learned that this wasn't really bad news at all - it was a blessing, a true blessing. Logan is the most amazing thing that has happened to both the Hudsons and the Andersons in the 10 years I have known them.

The support system between these two families is seriously indescribable and the way that everyone came together to be there for each other, and for Logan, has been more than inspiring day in and day out. Their love, positivity and happiness has clearly been contagious as all of their friends and relatives continue to support any and all campaigns and breakthroughs in the down syndrome community. Logan is so lucky to be a part of such a tremendous family. He is surrounded by so much endless love and generosity and I can't wait for him to be old enough to appreciate it. But Logan isn't the only lucky one. His family and friends are just as lucky because they have been given this beautiful bundle of joy that has brought them closer and more united than ever. If you want to understand the meaning of the word family all you have to do is spend one day with the Hudsons & Andersons, it is so clearly defined when you have have been given the opportunity to be welcomed in with open arms. And as Darby's best friend now for over 10 years I can tell you from first-hand experience, it really is the warmest welcome anyone could ask for.

Backing up to the weekend we found out about Logan...After Katie and Sam discovered their life had drastically changed forever with a new baby, but not only that, a new baby with down syndrome, I remember almost word for word Darby telling me what Katie had said to her. She said "Darby, its going to be ok because we feel happy and lucky that God gave Logan to us and not some other family that doesn't want to love and support him properly. We are lucky that we have our parents and families so close to us that Logan will never ever feel neglected just because he has down syndrome. If anything, we will love him even more. This is a good thing, and we will all get through it together."

I'm sure when Katie said this, she had a few doubts and didn't exactly know what the future held for them and Logan. But in my opinion, she couldn't have said it better. Her words were so real and so true and its evident now as they continue to live their lives with such happiness and strength. I am inspired, extremely happy for them and grateful that I know such a amazing family.

xxxooo,
Amy