Having Fun With My New Camera!

For my birthday this year, my husband bought me a really nice camera that I have always been wanting. He understands my love of photography, and the way I ever-so-carefully chronicle the special moments in my children's live through detailed scrapbooks and make the memories come alive. I love photographing my kids but I was always disappointed in my camera. I see all of these lovely pictures from photographers and artistic styles that totally move me, but I just couldn't get those feelings to come alive in my photos!

So, I took a 2 hour class to learn things about my camera and photographing kids, words that were totally foreign to me like "aperature" (I'm still not sure if I even spelled that right). I learned you should NEVER operate your camera on automatic mode, nor should you EVER use a flash! Who knew? So - I have been practicing using my camera in manual mode, playing around with shutter speed, lighting, and yes...apperature (bluriness in the background - that cool artistic effect). Anyway, poor Quinny got to be my guinnea-pig today for our little photo shoot which incidentally ended with him peeing all over the bed....luckily I ever so strategically placed him on Kevin's side of the bed!! LOL. Well, it was Sunday anyway, which was laundry day.

Hope you enjoy the photo shoot!

i

I am pretty sure this was just when he was peeing - see his crinkled up forehead...and the wet shadow underneath his body.





Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

Long Overdue!

Well, its been awhile since I last posted! Wow...I am way behind on things. So, it may be best if I just update you all in a list format as there have been many changes going on in the Chadwick household:

1. Ethan had his end of season hockey banquet and received his very own patch for his jersey! He was excited.

2. Quinten has been continuing his physical therapy sessions and is doing well. He can now sit upright with support, and we are working on head control. He enjoys his tummy-time each day and can hold his head up well and can even push up on his forearms.

3. Quinten had a swallow study done a few weeks ago, and we found out that he was aspirating during his feedings and taking the formula into the lungs is what most likely caused his bronchiolitis/pneumonia. We are now adding rice to his bottle for thickening purposes and he is getting to be a Chunky Monkey! He eats 30-35 ounces of formula a day, plus 30-35 tablespoons of rice cereal each day. Wow!!!

4. We had Caden's parent-teacher conference and he is doing very well in preschool! His teacher reports that he is very smart...he can write his name, Ethan's and Quinn's now. We are working on his "social skills" since Ms. Mary tells us that he likes to play alone or with just one of the boys in class. I tell ya, our boys are night and day! Ethan is Mr. Social Bee and Caden, we can't get to socialize outside of his comfort zone!

5. Quinten now needs a helmet we think for his head shape. He's had a significant flat side to his head since early on, and although he spends less and less time on his back - his head is not rounding out like we hoped. We were informed tonight from his PT that she's going to put in the orders to have him evaluated and fitted for a helmet. He'll have to wear it for 23 hours in the day and for an unknown amount of time. Could be a few months, could be a year. Oh well. Its what he needs.

6. Kevin got a new job!!!!!! I am very excited to report that he will be coming to Caterpillar and working in Morton in our Logistics facility. Its going to be a change for us, but its a very good opportunity for him. He will be traveling internationally for the first 12 months, but he's going to get to see a ton of amazing countries that some of us can only dream of going to one day. I am a bit jealous to say the least.

7. In all of the chaos, we also managed to redecorate our downstairs living room and kitchen. We have painted (I should say, Kevin has painted). I recovered chairs, hung pictures, carpet is coming this week and a new coffee table ottoman is on order! I love the transformation of the rooms - and very glad to see the yellow and red walls gone.

8. Its hard to believe, but this Thursday Kevin and I will celebrate 9 years of marriage. Where the time has gone, we don't know but it sure has been an exciting 9 years with lots of changes. We both look forward to many more years together watching our boys grow up and define success and happiness in many different ways.

One thing that having Quinn has taught me...I have recalibrated my view of "success and perfection" and life now has a whole new meaning to me!! Its really a wonderful feeling.

Here are some recent photos of the boys! Enjoy and God Bless.

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

Quinten Needs Your Vote - Tuesday, March 20th

Okay - thanks to all of you, Quinten won his last bracket in the Cutest Baby contest and has moved onto ROUND 2!!! Tomorrow - Tuesday, March 20th he will be taking on Jackson M. Jackson was quite the contender last round, so he's going to be tough to beat. We need you to VOTE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN!!!! FROM AS MANY DEVICES AS YOU HAVE!!
**Some of these kiddos are getting 1200+ votes, which means people must be voting from anywhere and everywhere. So - that means, we can too!

If you have the following devices: Laptop, work computer, home computer, Smartphone, iPad, Kindle Fire, etc...please take a moment and cast a quick vote from each of them for our little Quinny. It will be much appreciated.

**I will be posting this request on my Facebook page as well tomorrow - so, another thing you can do is if you are my friend on FB - you can click "SHARE" this link and it will go out to all of your FB friends as well!

**Lastly, please tell all of your family/friends about the voting.

Many of you have asked what's the prize? We are excited about it - of course, bragging rights ranks the top of the list....but also Quinny can win a $1,000 educational fund (and we have full aspirations for him to one day attend a college program) and also $1,000 Elan Photography package so we can have his photos taken - we'd really LOVE to get a new Family Portrait done with the 5 of us.

So, remember to vote on Tuesday - as many times as possible. Go to www.wbnq.com and find the Mini Madness Round 2 Link on the homepage.

Thanks Again,
Mandy & Quinten Chadwick



Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

World Down syndrome Day - 3:21

If I had to do it all over again........I'd change nothing! Simple as that - nothing. I love our life. I love our family. I simply love everything that life has presented to us. Period.

Help Celebrate World Down syndrome Day next week. On 3-21 (March 21st) is the day. Get it? 3-21....3 chromosomes on the 21st chromosome. Pretty easy to remember each year.

Please visit this video that was on my newest, most favorite website that I've found. Get your kleenex ready though - and I don't recommend watching it at work, at your desk over lunch like I did. People will wonder what's wrong with you. http://www.idscforlife.org/

Lastly, if you'd like to learn more about World Down syndrome day to find out how you can help promote the day, or contribute to the research of Ds visit: http://www.ndss.org/

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

Please Vote for Quinten's Photo - Cutest Baby Contest on Local Radio Station

We know that Quinten is one cutie-pie, and a fighter...so, let's all join in the fight to help him win the CUTEST BABY CONTEST on our local radio station. Kevin entered Quinn's photo from his last hospital stay and he was selected from nearly 1,000 entries to become one of the 64 finalists. The contest is a "Mini Madness" bracket contest similar to "March Madness" brackets where each kiddo competes against another kiddo, and the winner of that bracket advances the competition.

Quinten will be featured tomorrow (TUESDAY) on the bracket - so we need your help to vote for him starting tomorrow, and only tomorrow!! Please vote at this website:
http://wbnq.com/mini-madness-round-2/

Here's the photo submitted:

Spread the word video - Help stop the "R-Word"
http://wbnq.com/spread-the-word-to-end-the-word-video/

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

Update - Saturday, Day 6 of Hospitalization

Man....here we are on Day 6 of Quinten's hospital stay for severe respiratory distress, and bronchiolitis. He is a little fighter and overall in very good spirits. All of the nurses are IN LOVE with him (of course), and Kevin stayed there last night and reported that nursing students were bringing other students into Quinten's room just to meet him and to see him because they think he's sooo cute! They aren't telling us anything we don't already know though.

The weening off oxygen is going much slower that we had anticipated. He's now on 1/16 - and has to be able to sleep while on that without dropping below 90 percent oxygen. He has difficulty maintaining while he sleeps, but when awake he's 95-98! He has to get to 1/32, and then on room air. Once on room air, he'll need to sleep and be monitored for 24 hours. So you can see we are still days away from coming home.

We appreciate all of your prayers! Please keep prayer for our darling little angel. We want him home as soon as possible, but we want to make sure he's healthy enough too. Here are some photos of our week:

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

We Are Still Here!

We are still at Children's Hospital. Quinten has been moved to the pediatric general floor as of yesterday but is still weening off the oxygen. I had hoped that today would go better, but his little body isnt quite ready I guess. He struggles to maintain greater than 90 percent when sleeping so the nurses keep having to bump him up while he sleeps.

Tomorrow is another day. Let's pray for him tonight and maybe he will do better tomorrow and we can be on our way home with our little baby boy.

I am having some stir crazy moments in this room, and I Really miss the other boys so I think Kevin is going to come tomorrow after work so I can go home and spend the night with the boys and get a good nights rest free of loud pulse ox alarms!




Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick