Buddy Walk

So we did the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk yesterday and let me just say that it was awesome!!! We had so much fun! We want to thank all our friends and family who supported us. We were able to raise a little over $1,400.00 for Connor's Crew. A big thanks to Jed who got his company to double his donations, and a big thanks to Holly for designing our shirts. Also thanks to Jetti and Scott for bringing the Phoenix Sun's Gorilla to our group-the kids loved it. There were about 3000 people who turned out to support Down Syndrome yesterday and it was just a really fun and uplifting experience. The kids had a blast. There was a rock climbing wall, a jumping castle and booth after booth of games and trick-or-treating. There were so many cute kids there and the neatest thing was they were so happy and you would not even know that they had a disability-they don't see themselves as disabled. We met a mom and her little girl who is 11 months old and has Down Syndrome-we took Connor's picture with her-she is so dang cute-her name is Madison and I think her mom used the phrase "arranged marriage"! I also got to meet a mom from California when we were standing in the food line for lunch. Her little boy is 18 months old. He fell asleep on my shoulder while we were talking-he was so cute. Anyways, his mom was telling me that he had heart surgery when he was nine weeks old and he now has a pacemaker, he also is not able to feed himself yet and so he has a feeding tube in his stomache, she is hoping it will be out soon. It made me so thankful that Connor is so healthy. Our pediatrician, Dr. Sudha got an award for Doctor of the year at the awards ceremony, which was also neat because we love Dr. Sudha. It was just a great experience and we will definitely be making it a yearly event for our family. If you were not able to go this year you are all definitely invited next year, and to those of you who were able to go with us this year, thankyou so much, it was great to have such a big group. We love you all- Chris, Kaija, Callie, Connor and Cooper

It has been a very busy past few weeks, we have been working hard on getting donations for the Sharing Down Syndrome Association of Arizona, this is a non-profit organization that helps with public awareness and lends support for families with family members with Down Syndrome. It has been alot of fun! There was a competition to see who could raise the most money within the first couple of weeks, and thanks to everyone who donated we were able to raise nearly $900, we are still taking donations until 10/25/08, so if anyone else is interested I will post the link that will let you donate online. But back to the competition we got second place which got us several tickets to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks play the SF Giants, pool side at Chase Field. This was a blast, we shared the pool seats with other members of the Sharing organization and met alot of really neat people and made alot of new friends. There were so many dang cute kids with down syndrome there, and all of them were so happy and sweet-I'll never understand anyone who wouldn't want one. Once again thank you to those who donated to Connor's Crew. Callie turned seven yesterday, but since her birtday was in the middle of the week we celebrated it the weekend before. All she wanted to do this year for her birthday was have a barbque at Granny Dub's-she had so much fun-she loves playing with all of her cousins. We got her a trampoline for her birthday-thanks to Craig's List we got a heck of a deal-anyways, we had it set up in the backyard for 4 days before I couldn't wait anymore and had to show her. She now lives on it. On her birthday we woke her up at 6:00 in the morning with her birthday cake and balloons and she thought it was so cool that she got to have cake for breakfast-so did Connor. Cooper has now discovered his little voice and loves to jabber and squeal and then laugh at himself-he is so cheesey and cute. Anyways-thats about all for now- Kaija

The Latest

Callie

I can't believe Callie is in 2nd grade! It kind of makes me feel old. She loves school, although she absolutely hates getting up a six o'clock every morning-she is so not a morning person-kind of reminds me of my sister Sue! Everyday she comes home from school with the name of a new friend she talked to or played with-she's extremely social-which can be good and bad, but we are very thankful that she likes everyone and makes friends so easily. Of course she had to have a Hannah Montane backpack. I had to limit her to one Hannah Montana shirt and one Camp Rock shirt when we were school shopping, or that is all she would have picked out-she did insist on Hannah Montana pajamas though! She started violin lessons last week as well, and even though she hates repitition of any kind, she is enjoying it so far. Our neighbor and friend from our ward is teaching her-we really hope she sticks with it.

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Connor

All of our adoption paper work has been turned in to the court and we are now just waiting for a court date in order to finalize. We are hoping that we can do this without actually having to go to Utah, but we will do whatever we need to in order to get this process done, it seems to be taking forever. Connor is such a Ham! He can be so smiley and cheesey. He thinks he is so big now that he can pull himself up on his knees by his toybox, and he loves to take everything out and then put everything back in. Now that Cooper has started rolling and laughing and squealing, Connor is much more interested in him. He loves to torment Cooper by taking his pacifier, climbing over him, patting him on the head and pulling on him. I'm waiting for Cooper to defend himself, I don't think Connor would know what to do. I know they will play so good together once they are a little older. We are doing the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome on October 25th in Tempe. We are trying to raise $2000.00 and welcome any donations. If anyone would like to walk with us, we would love the company-it is only a mile, so anyone can do it. The website is http://www.sharingds.org/ Our team name is "Connor's Crew"-any donations can be made under that team name-if you have any questions please email or call us.

Cooper

It's hard to believe that Cooper will be six months old in September. Times goes by so fast. He is growing so fast-maybe it's so he can keep up with his brother. Dub says he looks just like Chris did-I don't know if that's a good thing-j/k. He is so cute and happy, and has turned into such a good baby. He is fascinated by Connor-even though Connor likes to abuse him, he just squeals and laughs. He is now eating baby food, and is so picky-he doesn't like any of the fruits we have tried-he gags and spits them out, but he will eat the squash and sweet potatoes fine. He detests peas though, which I can't blame him and cannot bring myself to force him to eat them. I never imagined having two boys so close together, but I love it, it will be so great to have them grow up together.

THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!!!

I know everyone thinks my house is the happiest place on earth, but I was actually talking about Disneyland. So Sue has come and gone, and we had so much fun. She and her kids had never been to Disneyland, so we went for two days and had a great time. We tried to cram as much as we could in two days, so we were a little exhausted, but what the hay-that's right I said hay, not hell Kat!. Anyways, Jared and Holly were out here as well and thanks to Holly for our new family pictures. Not to brag or anything, but my little family is dang cute. We are just waiting on a court date and then we can fly to Utah to finalize Connor's adoption-yeah! We have been waiting so long for this and can't wait to have him sealed. We took Cooper to the doctor today and he weighs 17.4 lbs-Connor only weighs 20! I always new that Cooper would catch, and then pass Connor, but I didn't think it would happen so fast, Cooper is only 4 months old. I have a lot mixed emotions about this and how it will affect Connor-hopefully it just motivates him and helps him progress. Chris is still going to school full-time and going just a little bit crazy, but all is well. That's about all for now, I would lie and say we will be better about updating, but then you all know better-lots of love-US

OK OK OK

I know it has been a while, but we have been just a little busy, but no excuses. Just to catch everyone up, Callie is now out of school and is already bored with summer break,Connor just turned 16 months old and will be starting speech therapy this week(he is progressing well), Cooper is also doing well, I have lost count of how old he is (nearly three months). Kaija is working a couple of day a week while I am in school full-time. We had the oportunity to bless Cooper in church last Sunday (thanks to everyone who were able to attend), it was nice to have family here to share in the occasion. Really there is not alot to report, life has finally taken on what seems resembles a schedule and we have fallen into a routine. We have spent the past couple of weeks working on the house, we have painted, carpeted, and purchased new furniture. It has been alot of work but it was time, we have lived in this house for five years and these were the first real improvements that we have made. The hi-light of the whole project is my new TV (60" DLP HDTV)yes I am a little spoiled but I'm not complaining. We do have to say thanks to alot of people for helping with the house. Tawnie, Paul, and Shelby were a huge help when it came time to paint, also Russ, Jani, and Megan get props for helping with the decorating. AND YES, MY RED DOOR KICKS ASS, AS WELL AS MY LITTLE CHEF MEN IN THE KITCHEN THAT CHRIS ABSOLUTELY LOVES-But most importantly Jordan needs to be recognized for his hand in obtaining and delivering the TV. Thanks again to everyone for your help. We are looking forward to seeing Sue, Jasmine, and Juanito over the next couple of weeks. We are slowly but surely moving closer to finalizing Connor's adoption, we will keep everyone informed of any developments. Connor is now a skydiver-as you can see from his pictures-which is actually quite entertaining-he is used to Cooper now, but all he likes to do is pull his hair and pull the pacifier out of his mouth and watch his reaction-other than that, he really doesn't care much about him. It is now hotter than hell here, but we will suffer through it for the next two months and then it will be nice again-love to all-US.

To Tired to Update

Well the title says it all, Cooper has decided that he does not need nor want a shcedule and that we need to be at his beck and cry. But we are finally getting him to sleep for about five hours at a time during the night. All of this has had an adverse effect on Connor, he now needs us to hold his bottle for him, needs to be held when his brother is, and if Cooper is crying Connor needs to be yelling or crying as well. Kaija has gone back to work a couple of days, and I have started classes again. Poor Callie has no idea what to do with herself, she is bored and it is not even summer yet. But things are coming together and life is beginning to resemble a normal everyday routine, as normal as he can be anyway. We have finally received all the paperwork needed to submit Connors adoption subsidy application so hopefully we will be able to petition to adopt in the very near future. Just a quick update on Jed. I spoke with him a couple of days ago and says he feels fine and is doing well. I will do much better at updating the blog in near future now that Cooper is letting us sleep a little more these days. FYI Connor started "Army Crawling" on Friday, this is a big developmental achievement. -Chris

The Latest

All are doing well these days, the baby is gaining about an ounce a day, and Kaija is getting less sleep then ever. I am nursing a blown-out shoulder, not a baby, back to health, while arguing with Social Security over the gender of our adopted son. Connor has figured out that the baby is hear to stay and is building a play book on how to not loose any attention. Callie, poor, Callie she is just here, she is a great helper, but feeling extremely out numbered at times. She has landed the title of "Dirty Diaper Disposal Expert", because Kaija and I are usually changing diapers at the same time. But what can we say, we are blessed, but we don't recommend going from one kid to three in thirteen months to anyone. Until Next Time, Have Fun. -Chris

Adjusting

Well we have had Cooper home for a week now and we are getting use to no sleep or sleep in three hour segments, well I should say Kaija is getting use to three hours of sleep at a time. But I think we are all getting use to the change, Connor is wondering what this thing is that has invaded his room and is competing for what he feels is his attention. But Connor really is adjusting well and the rest of us are doing the same, Kaija is feeling much better and is happy to announce that she can fit back in to her jeans. We are getting schedules and assignments worked out and each day is getting easier. Callie has been on spring break this last week, and she and I have spent alot of time together, while Kaija and her mom got Cooper settled in. Callie had planned "phases" for each day and we visited the library, Bass Pro Shop, the mall, several boat dealers, Lowes, Chick Filet, and many many more places, but it kept her entertained and gave Kaija and the boys some quiet time without the rantings of a bored six year old. Thanks to all who helped through the delivery, and the week following. We lucked out having Tawnie and Paul here when Kaija went into labor, and then Jacque was able to come and stay the week, everyone has been a great help. The baby is doing well and so are the rest of us, I will keep everyone posted. -Chris

New Arrival

Well we finally have a few minutes to update the BLOG; it has been rather hectic for the past few days. It all started on Thursday morning when Kaija woke up around 4:00 am having contractions every 8-10 minutes, so we waited because the doctor said not to go to the hospital until they are less than six minutes apart, so around 7:30 am we dropped Callie off at school and headed to the hospital. We spent several hours in triage and by the time they got us into a delivery room, labor was progressing, the epidural was in, and the doctor broke her water. Around 3:00 pm it was time to get ready to push. After pushing for just a few minutes Joshua “Cooper” Claridge debuted @ 3:13 pm weighting in at 6lbs 13oz and 19 inches long. Kaija did very well and much to my surprise she didn’t even swear. But the baby is healthy, and Kaija is happy that she is no longer pregnant; she spent the last two months on strict bed rest and miserable. But now she is up and around and I am happily retiring from my position as house keeper, cook, and bottle washer. I will however still be on diaper duty, because as Kaija put's it-there are diapers coming out of her a**! -Chris

Jed

Jed has been released from the burn center and is staying with Russ and Jani here in Mesa; he will probably be here for a week. After he sees his doctor again, next week, he will decide when he will go home. He is doing very well and is happy to be out of the hospital. Thanks again for all of your support and prayers. -Chris

Just a Short Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that Jed is doing very well, he is hoping to leave the hospital in a few days, but he will most likely have to stay here in the Phoenix area so he can be seen at the burn center clinic. But he is doing better every day, Jed and Trish wanted me to thank everyone for the support and prayers, they greatly appreciate you all. On our home front Kaija is doing well, and only has to waite eight more days and then she can have the baby. Connor had an appointment with his Cardiologist today and he was given a clean bill of health, the two holes that he had in his heart have closed completely and his heart is as healthy and as normal as any other one year old's heart. So good news all around. I will keep you postes -Chris

Crazy Days

Well this has been an interesting week, after posting our latest updates last Monday Kaija and I spent most of that night at the hospital. She was awaken by some terrible and constant contractions, after speaking with her doctor he recommended that we go to the hospital and get checked out. So around midnight we headed to Chandler Regional where we spent the next four hours. They ran several tests and sent us home with very strict bed rest orders. This bed rest thing is for the birds, so Kaija spent most of the week on the couch. We saw her doctor on Thursday and he said that she only has to make it two more weeks and at that time he will no longer try to stop her contractions, which means she can have the baby anytime after March 12th. That is a lot longer than Kaija wants to wait. The rest of us are doing well, we are all looking forward to Kaija getting back to her old self and adjusting to the arrival of a third child. The end of this week was spent much like the first of the week; I spent about five hours at Maricopa County Medical Center. My mom called me Friday afternoon and said that my brother Jed was on the farm working on a bulldozer when the radiator blew up and he was burned with boiling coolant. He was flown from Safford to Maricopa County’s Burn Unit. I was able to meet him when the helicopter landed at the burn unit and able to stay with him until the rest of the family arrived. He is doing well, he has second degree burns over about 27% of his body, mostly his left leg, left arm, his chest and back, he is in quite a bit of pain. They are not sure yet how long he will have to be here in the burn unit so please keep Jed and his family in your prayers. I will keep you all updated on both Kaija and Jed’s conditions. I saw Jed after church today he is doing pretty good, his is still in alot of pain, they are trying a new type of dressing on him that may let him go home soon. I will Keep you posted. Take Care. -Chris

We have made it through the weekend

Most people look forward to the timely arrival of a new baby, that is most everyone but us. We are looking forward to the new baby but we hope he dalays his arrival for a while longer. That is everyone but Kaija hopes he takes his time. The good news is that the contractions are less then they were but the back pain and pressure have increased, we see our doctor on Thursday so we will see what he has to say. Callie and I want hiking this weekend, it was the longest and hardest she has done so far, it was just over 5 miles and up hill all the way in, she did great and only fell one time. Connor is fighting a cold but seems to be getting over it. I am meeting with my school advisor today to get thing in order to go back to school. I have decided to go back to school and finish my accounting degree, I should be able to finish within a couple of years. That is it for now, I will keep you posted.

-Chris

New Updates and Missing Teeth

Just so you know what is happening with us I will give an update. Kaija continues to do well, she is still pregnant. (That is a good thing, but for who?) She is miserable and is tired of being planted on the couch. She has escaped a few times to run some errands but was quick to return to her spot on the couch with way to many contractions. But as you all know she is just a "little" stubborn, and having to sit all day is killing her, she has been heard saying "I really want this thing out of me." In other news, Callie is now toothless! She has been dying to loose her two front teeth, and finally tonight she let me take the pliers to them and as the pictures show she is now a little funny looking, and sounds even funnier than usual. She looks forward to the tooth fairy and is very concerned as to the amount the tooth fairy will pay for the teeth since she lost them both at the same time. Connor is doing very well with his physical theropy and he is also getting much louder. He has discovered his voice and is not affraid to use it, he thinks that everyone in the neighborhood needs to hear what he has to say. His mother is quoted as saying, "He is giving me a headache", but Connor doesn't seem to care about mom's head ache, he loves to hear himself talk. That is about it from the clan for now, I will keep you posted. -Chris

Callie

Callie is 6 years old and is currently in 1st grade and loving it. She is a very social little girl and keeps us very busy. She loves to read and reads anything she can get her hands on-especially Junie B. Jones! She has recently discovered hiking with her dad and loves it as well-there will be many more hikes to come. She is definitely a daddy's girl and loves to go anywhere with him-she is his shadow wherever he is. She is a great big sister to Connor, and even though she was not excited about having another brother, she is getting used to the idea as long as she gets a sister or a puppy later!

Connor

Connor just had is first birthday, for those of you who may not know we have had Connor for about a year now, and are in the process of adopting him. To tell you a little about him, he was born in Minnesota on February 1st, 2007, we met him on February 15th, 2007, the next day he was placed with us and the process to get him adopted was underway. Connor is a very special little boy he was born two week pre-mature and has Down Syndrome. What a blessing he has been to our home and our collective family. We are hoping to have his adoption finalized in the next month or so and then have him sealed to our family.