Making a harvest festival box: Teaching your child with Down syndrome new skills

We made a harvest festival box and used it as an excuse to practise our reading and writing skills

Process not product

I know I know... the urge to interfere sometimes becomes too great. The desire to help make that homework or art project look lovely AND not take for ever to complete can be overwhelming.

Natty makes her harvest festival box

Blogger vs Troll: I am only human


Blogger vs Troll: I am only human

The vulnerability of bloggers

I've seen what you write so many times before
My skin has grown thick to your vitriolic bile
I know it's there, festering, bubbling, inciting
But never new or original in thought

An Outstanding Award for MADs Down Syndrome Blogs


My raw emotions captured by Tom Arber 

6,500 blogs were nominated

Over 25,000 votes were cast

On Friday night the winners of the 
MAD Blog Awards were announced

Outstanding Contribution Awatd for Downs Side Up and a Best Food Blog Awards (pictured here) for Frugal Queen 

My Mad Blog Awards Poem

For once no nerves on that blissful, quiet train ride 
No child to placate, no "mummy"s to field
No speeches to deliver or media to court
This adrenaline-free trip, a treat for me

Soaked deep in scented bubbles, bathed to a prune
Heavenly! Decadent room service and a little fizz
As I planned what to wear, how to scrub up
A #post40blogger, remembering what it's like

A time to hug online angels who lift and carry
Technical tips for the bewildered, counter the trolls 
Who comfort, share, advise and support
My collaborative online family

So very proud to be chosen, heard, read
So very humble to witness the power of our words
So very determined to keep our community going
So many thoughts in my head, my heart swelled

Such diversity danced before me
Pregnant, gay, special needs, Mums, Dads too
The PR gurus and those with a message
My original motivation rose to the fore:

Support for new parents and
Stem the fear of Trisomy 21

And as the tribute film rolled
So sprang forth the tears
The sobs, wracking, shaking, wrapped in guilt and love
So much more than a glass award

The trophy I want remains far from grasp

I clutched Dr Ranj as he whispered that he understood
His words of encouragement; to keep up the pace 
To never give up trying

To get the world to embrace, accept and include
Not seek to eradicate or hide from view

Thank you Dr Ranj for your encouragement

_______________






So very proud to know and work alongside every one of these finalists. And huge love to Team Honk for shining the way, and drawing us all in to your fabulous fundraising. 

Outstanding Contribution Bloggers

This award recognises that blogger who has contributed most to their community, through campaigning, charity work and practical support, and was sponsored by Thorntons. These are bloggers nominated by their peers and winners were chosen by the judges.
Mammasaurus/Team Honk


The MADs Outstanding Contribution Bloggers take to the stage


With special thank you to:

Sally Whittle and sponsors Parentdish for putting so much effort in to a fabulous evening. 

All my fellow Outstanding Contribution finalists who work so tirelessly to change the world in so many ways.


The Royal Garden Hotel for making me so welcome (and giving me a cheeky upgrade.)

My dinner neighbour, Tim from Halfords (and apologies for making him cry get something in his eye whilst eating his panacotta).

To Mummy Barrow for holding my hand.

Fellow Team T21 bloggers Tom from the Futures Rosie and Sarah from Don't Be Sorry for also striving to make the world a better place for those with Down's syndrome. Congratulations to both for winning awards, Best Blog, Best Writer and Best Newcomer respectively!

CBeebies Dr Ranj for quite simply being incredibly supportive, remembering my name from last year, reading my letter to Richard Dawkins and, despite the bouncy exterior, and ambidextrous eyebrows, being seriously genuine and absolutely 'getting it'.

To Spewing Mummy for sharing a taxi ride from Paddington and educating me further about HG.


To My Two Mums, Skint DadChris Mosler, Gammon and ChipsMerrily Me, Suzanne, Rachel Edwards and Steph Curtis for making my trip unforgettable. 





What Have I Done to Deserve This? A MADs Honour



Downs Side Up is an 
Outstanding Contribution finalist
'prumbleation' - n 

Def: An inexplicable mixture of bursting pride, 
humbled shock and unswerving determination

e.g. Being a finalist in the MAD Blog Awards for making an Outstanding Contribution has 
filled me with prumbleation



Here I sit and ponder what on earth I have done to deserve to be listed amongst 10 of the UK's most dedicated campaign, support and charity bloggers. 

I'm just a Mum, a parent on a mission, that has found herself at the helm of a ship that cannot be stopped. 



Outstanding Contribution finalist 2013 with Dr Ranj
3 years ago my life changed forever. 
Again.

It irreversibly changed when I became a Mum of course, then again when I became a special needs mum. But 3 years ago our youngest began school and I became a blogger. It happened over night and I could never have possibly envisaged where that blog, that mother ship on a course of its own, would take me.


Until now I have been unsure about writing on the topic of being a 2014 MADs (Mums and Dads) finalist on my blog for fear of sounding like I am blowing my own horn. The event takes place this Friday, and I've been unable to formulate a post until now. 



Chatty Natty on ITV Lorraine Show: The Face of Representation

Did you ever have a moment in your life that was so exciting, so surreal that you weren't sure if you dreamt it up? 

The kind of moment where you are plucked from your ordinary life and sucked into a parallel universe for the briefest of whiles, before being plopped back safe and sound, albeit exhausted and clutching a few souvenirs?

Well, if it weren't for two pink Lorraine clocks in the girls' bedrooms, I would indeed be wondering if I had dreamt up our trip to London to feature live on the ITV Lorraine Show.

We Need to See Disability in Advertising

'It's meeee!' she squealed excitedly as we drove round the roundabout.

We manoeuvred round one more time so that she could get a closer look at the huge banner outside our local supermarket urging us to get organised for the new school term. This time we all squealed. 'It's yoooou!'

A third lap. Just for luck. Just to be sure our eyes could be believed, smiles stretched across every face in the car.



2014-08-20-14897_895124300515958_5865978186038347800_n.jpgI fell silent as I fought back a tear or two, my heart swollen with pride as I allowed the true significance of what I had just seen to sink in. This was so much more than a Mum seeing her child's face on banners outside every Sainsbury's in the land. For Natty has Down's syndrome and this is the first time that a child with any kind of disability, physical or intellectual has featured in a major Back to School advertising campaign. For me the posters might as well have shouted:

• All children have a right to quality education and the skills to enable them to lead full independent lives. 
• All children have their own unique personalities and our classrooms benefit from that eclectic mix. 
• All children, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, love a shiny new school uniform!

Pulling Together for Team T21: a Linky

What a month it has been for us all... 

Team T21 pull together in the face of adversity

First the shocking Gammy story that deepened and darkened the more facts were unearthed.

A Frugi twit twoo treat for Mia


'I hope we get some snow 
to try it out in this Winter."
Mia G

Our dear friends at Frugi, wonderful ethical organic clothiers, who Natty first modelled for, have sent this glorious coat as a gift for our big girl Mia. She really deserves a treat after publishing her first book this Summer and for being an amazing big sister.

Mia models her new Frugi AW14 coat