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Post by Jenn on Apr 11, 2002 9:58:28 GMT -5
Well.....here goes! I am Jennifer (or Jenn), mom to Courtney(7,ds), Nicolas(6), Austin(3), and Gerritt(due very soon). I have been married for over 8 years to Darin......WHEW!! LOL just kidding!! For the past almost 3 years, I have been president of a group called Up With Downs. Courtney was born with no "REAL" complications....She did have a blood transfusion that corrected some type of blood disorder. Don't ask me what it was called. She has jaundice which was no big deal.....a few days in the window helped that. She was breastfed for 6 months and did fine...with some supplements of formula. When Courtney was 2 months old, I got pregnant with her brother Nicolas. No, I had no testing done. There was no point. I always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Have since I was little..... He was born 4 weeks early and got a little lung infection so he was carted off to NICU where he stayed for a little over 2 weeks. This is where we found out his exceptionality......Nicolas was born with an extra hemivertebrae in his spine and an extra rib which caused some pretty severe scoliosis. So we were at Shriner's every 3 to 4 months to carefully watch the progression of his curve. We were also at the cardiologist about the same watching the small hole in Courtney's heart.....praying that it would close on its on. And it did right around her 2nd birthday. THANK GOD!! Around Nicolas' 3rd birthday, we found out we were pregnant with Austin and were also informed that Nic would have to have the surgery to stop the progression of the curve in his spine. Double whammy! So in February of 1999, we went into Shriner's for the scariest thing in my life....He had 4 vertebrae fused together and they used a bone graft from the extra rib to "patch" into the other side of the spine to offset the extra half vertebra he was born with...so it straightened it up a little. He actually grew an inch when the surgery was over. He got pneumonia right after surgery so he was in NICU for a couple days. VERY SCARY. He kept telling me that there were angels flying over his bed. And that they looked like Courtney. It was a very enlightening experience. He had to wear a body cast 23 hours a day for a year. Austin was born about 2 weeks later. And he was 5 or 6 weeks early. His lungs were not mature and so.......he was off to NICU, for 3 weeks. The day after he was born, we all went up to the NICU to visit little Austin Blake. As we were leaving, Courtney's leg got broken. Nic was in a body cast, Courtney was in a full leg cast up to her hip, and Austin was in the NICU, not to mention I was trying to heal from giving birth. This was probably one of the toughest years I had ever been through. All said and done......Courtney is doing well, progressing well. She is a smart little cookie. She has the best personality. She has done some modeling and commercials. Courtney loves attention!! If you ever meet her, you will see. I will post www.upwithdowns.com so you can see some of our kids around the midsouth. Courtney is in there. blonde hair, blue eyes(with the brushfield spots). Just all over cute! LOL Nicolas is doing fine....his spine is almost straight and is not trying to curve at this point. We have to go back to Shriners when he hits puberty (when the spine begins to grow again). He has done modeling too...very cute and personable little boy that is gifted but also hyperactive! Austin is great! BUT TERRIBLE!! Must be his age.....he just turned 3. He loves his sister and brother! Courtney and he love to play partners on the computer. Now I am about to give birth to our last child....yea another BOY!! I'll be fine......no really! I hope! Well, just one more brother to love and take care of Courtney. (or to wrestle with her) Here is the link for her web page. I hope it works.... www.teendigs.com/CourtneyGriffithI still haven't written her story in there, but it will be up soon. You can see pictures though......and sign her guestbook! I guess I need to cut this short.....LOL. More to come! Jenn
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Post by joyce on Apr 13, 2002 15:41:26 GMT -5
Jenn, I just read your story on the BB and boy do you have some excitement. I don't know how you do it. I read about Courtney modeling and was wondering how she got started. Arianna is 3 and loves to be photographed and will do just about anything when you take her picture. Where do you live? Any ideas on how to get started? Thanks, my email is soto17700@aol.com Joyce & Arianna
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Post by Jenn on Apr 19, 2002 9:04:21 GMT -5
Hey Joyce, It does depend on where you live as to where or what you can do. I would just get a very good shot of her and send them out....Of course if you live on the east coast......above VA then you have more opportunities. But, there are usually many agencies around major cities that you can send her pics to. Include all statistics ( weight, height, age, shoe size, clothing size, hair color, eye color) Courtney has done a few fashion shows her locally.....She really loved that! Lots of attention.....which she thrives on! Be prepared for many rejections......and don't get offended. Many agencies don't except "SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS" But you find some that look for them. I actually had one agency ask me to redo her pics to make her look "more downs looking" WHAT IN THE HECK? I thought....yall have lost it. But their point was.....we have many cute "normal" girls.....but we don't have any cute girls with downs. So off came the glasses..... Who knows what they think? Good luck...... Jenn
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Post by kendalls_mom on Apr 19, 2002 10:45:21 GMT -5
Hi Jenn, I just dropped in at Courtneys's web site and viewed some family photos. What a beautiful family and of course Courtney is especially cute! You sound like you have your hands full and more to come. I wish you luck with your pregnancy. When is Gerritt due?
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Post by Jenn on Apr 22, 2002 8:22:53 GMT -5
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Post by Radonna on Apr 22, 2002 9:29:14 GMT -5
Jenn, You have absolutely GORGEOUS children!!!!!!! Radonna
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Post by Renee' on Apr 22, 2002 9:54:09 GMT -5
Wow, all your children are just beautiful!!!
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Post by Jenn on Apr 22, 2002 11:18:27 GMT -5
Thank yall!! I am very proud of my kids! I am truly blessed! Jenn
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Post by Shelley on Apr 22, 2002 20:23:53 GMT -5
Jenn, Your children are BEAUTIFULL!!!!!!!!!!! My daughter's name is Courtney also, she is 10 and has Ds. Your Courtney has such a sweet smile.
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Post by Cindy on Apr 25, 2002 19:55:27 GMT -5
Jenn--love the pic of your kiddos--mine that you sent from Christmas is packed away somewhere--but will be back on my fridge soon--after I BUY the fridge and move into the new house! LOL ;D.. Question-How do you get the little pic posted on all your posts--you know the one that is beside your post?? Trying to figure that out..
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Post by Jenn on Apr 26, 2002 8:28:54 GMT -5
Here is my ultrasound pic....You can see part of his face anyways. his arm and hand are covering his eyes. We poked and shook trying to get him to move it, but he would just pucker up. So I guess we'll just have to wait a couple of weeks or days or whenever he decides to poke his little head out. www.boomspeed.com/dcajng/Gerrittultrasound.jpg [/img]
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Post by momofrussell on Apr 26, 2002 11:53:56 GMT -5
WOW, I have never seen an ultrasound so LATE in a pregnancy.. HOW NEAT!! Get that boy out of there! He looks smooshed!!! You can totally tell that he is covering up his eyes in the one pic... Thanks for sharing.. AND the IM you sent me.. I LOVE this BB!!! Oh, and you already know this from me but I am going to agree with the other gals... you DO have the cutest kids.. I think they are cuter than mine LOLOL!!! I LOVE to share you pics with my family.. I will have to show Kevin and Regan all these!!! A.
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Post by Radonna on Apr 26, 2002 15:31:25 GMT -5
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Post by Radonna on Apr 26, 2002 22:06:12 GMT -5
I see it now!!! THat is so neat!! If his hands were moved it you could see exactly what your baby looks like BEFORE he even gets here! That is so awsome!!!!! Radonna
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Post by Jenn on May 7, 2002 17:12:10 GMT -5
Here is me and Darin a few months ago. I know I know it is not a big belly pic like some of you asked for but you'll just have to wait! Jenn
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