Here is an introduction to our family

Rocky and Kathy - We are Amanda, Angela and Rocky's parents. We live in Warren, Mi. We have been married for 13 years. Life with three angels can be hectic but we manage to survive. We would love to say we do it alone, but we don't. We have been blessed with wonderful people in our lives. Our children are:

Amanda- Amanda is 17 and full of energy! She can walk, she communicates through sign language, gestures, and sight words, and she is very happy and sociable. She loves to be the center of attention.

Angela is 11! She is also very sociable and pretty laid back for a child with Angelman Syndrome, not much hyperactivity here! She sleeps very well and attends a wonderful school that teaches her activities of daily living. Angie walks independently and uses a few signs and gestures to communicate. She is very independent and likes to do as much as she can by herself.

Rocky is 7 and a very happy and lovable little guy. Children with Angelman Syndrome are known to be happy people, but Rocky had a problem with severe acid reflux since birth and he wasn't very happy. He has been put on Prevacid which really seems to work and this resolved his unhappiness. He also can walk and communicates primarily through pictures. He does do some signs such as finished, and drink.

As i said, life with three angels can be hectic. All the kids have poor sleeping habits and different medical needs. Many times each night you can find my husband and I both taking care of two of our kids. We are blessed on the nights they all sleep through the night, but I don't remember the last time that happened. Because my kids don't sleep through the night and both my husband and i have to work during the day, we needed extra help in the house. Up until Mandy was 10 years old I was convinced I didn't need help with our children. They were my children and I would care for them. I found myself calling my mother to come help take care of the kids, when it got to the point I was calling her weekly, I realized how unfair this was to her. So, I applied for programs in our county to get some help in the house. I never expected to have such wonderful people come into our lives. Before I got help in the house I never stopped to think that the kids could develop such good friendships with care providers. I guess you could say I had blinders on. Our kids care providers have enriched not only my children's life, but mine as well.  They are wonderful people that I truly feel are angels. They are great with coming up with idea's to help teach the kids and we all truly work together as a team for the best interest of my children.  You are probably wondering who these fabulous people are. Here they are!

An introduction to the wonderful people who are in our lives

Marie - this is the kids maternal grandma. She loves her grandchildren and just absorbs all the hugs and kisses she gets from them,,, and believe me, there is no shortage of love around here!  She provides us some much needed respite on a regular basis.

Sheri - Sheri is one of our care providers we have for our children. She mainly works with Angie but  loves all the kids and will take care of who ever we need her to for the day. She has been very successful at our house implementing Angie sitting on the toilet in the bathroom, without her, i am not sure Angie would ever have been potty trained! She has worked with the kids for four years now. She is the *mom* of the group, she has had four children of her own who are grown and moved out of her house. However, that maternal instinct has never left, not even with me, as she has been known to take my temperature if she thinks I am sick!

Candice - She has been with our family for five years. On our You Tube page she is the one in Rocky's "break video". She is very patient with the kids and has done wonders for Rocky's behaviors. She designed and implemented Rocky's Communication book with this pictures. This is the avenue of communication Rocky has chosen and has greatly reduced his undesirable behaviors. She is attending a local college to become a special education teacher. I couldn't be more proud of her!

Amanda - Amanda is mainly Mandy's care provider but does work with Angie and Rocky when we need her to. She is the one who implemented Mandy's use of sight words on the kids You Tube page. She has been a member of our family for 3 years now, and and has become one of little mandy's best friends. She is due to graduate college in May of 2009. By then she will have been with us for over four years. Those four years have flown by quickly, and I am so proud of how hard she works here and in school.

Kim - She is the newest addition to our household. She was hired to help Angie during the weekday mornings and weekends. She has turned out to be a real friend to Angie. Since she has been with us for a few months and has caught on quickly to everyone's routine,  she has been trained in mandy's care and has also taken care of Rocky a few times, that's great considering Rocky can have a bit of a temper and does not like more than one person to care for him.

 

So, when people ask how we *do it* with all three kids that have AS, you have just learned how. It truly is a team effort! Although this started as a *job* for most of our care providers, they have really become part of our family and are truly irreplaceable!

 

 

 

 

 

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