The Davidson Gazette

College? Really?

2011-07-28T19:35:00.001-04:00

So tonight at dinner the topic of conversation was Max and Molly going to college. Brian and I were trying to explain to them that it takes more than good grades to get into college. I can't believe we are having this conversation now. Molly is only going into the 5th and Max is going into the 7th. Regardless of recent press, cheerleading is considered a sport in college. Most colleges send representatives to the larger competitions and literally hand out business cards to girls as young as Molly! Seriously? So now the pressure is on, and we are officially on the road to college. I just can't believe it's happening this soon. Heck, we just need to get Max through the 7th grade, help!

Autism Sucks

2011-07-18T16:11:00.000-04:00

Seeing that I just wrote a post about how crappy Hydrocephalus is, I can't go without ranting about how autism sucks. Everyone knows that Matthew was diagnosed with autism over a year ago. At this moment, his future is up in the air. He may be able to forge his way and make a semi-normal life for himself or he may live with Brian and I for a very, very long time. Either way, we are prepared, but obviously, I would love to think he could manage a life of his own. I want what every parent wants. I see ballgames, school events, girlfriends, broken hearts, marriage and children. But, as I write this post, he is running around the living room flapping his arms and slapping his feet on the ground, always referring to himself in 3rd person. He can dance for hours to music only he hears and initially, you think, how cute. Then you realize that he's trapped by the music and he can't stop. The cute goes away very quickly. If I had a dime for everytime I redirected him for referring to himself in 3rd person, or trying to get him to talk like a 6 year old and not a baby, we would be rich. He has so many behaviors that most people would consider "adorable", but to us, they are haunting. My heart bleeds for all the parents of children with autism because I get it and I'm so, so sorry that your child has to be a member of this "club". And, for those of you with "normal" children, the next time you are in a restaurant or public place and see a child misbehaving, don't give the parent that look as if to say, can't you control your child, because, the truth is, no, some of us can't control our children and it has nothing to do with our parenting skills.

Hydrocephalus Bites

2011-07-18T15:51:00.000-04:00

Charlie is special, there is no mistaking that, however, it is extremely easy to forget that he has a major life-long illness. A majority of the time, he is a normal, easy going six year old boy. Then something will happen and it hits you, and you frantically study his head, check the shunt, look at his eyes, make sure he isn't seizing, etc. etc. etc. It is scary and it sucks. So, when we went swimming last week, he wanted to wear goggles. No big deal, right? So, over an hour passed and he took them off and I realized that the rubber strap had been cutting into his shunt. The indentation was deep and I went into panic mommy mode. Once I realized he was okay, my thoughts began to go to the dark side. How unfair is it that a 6 year old can't even wear a pair of goggles while swimming? Do I have a right to even be angry about that? It's just a pair of goggles, right? Nonetheless, I'm angry about it. It's just one more thing we have to add to "Charlie's Can't Do" list. This freakin' list keeps getting longer and longer. When you have a child, you don't think that one day you will have to explain to him that no, you can't wear goggles in the pool even if every other child is wearing them because those goggles could potentially kill you. Nice. Now, I know that my ranting is, in the grand scheme of things, ridiculous. It has not escaped my attention that we are lucky to have him, in whatever physical/mental shape he is in. There are parents who have to say goodbye to their children everyday due to all sorts of accidents and illnesses that seem so unfair. I can't even put myself in the shoes of those parents, but also realize that if we don't watch Charlie closely, we could easily be those parents that have to say goodbye. Something as simple as a pair of goggles could cost us the life of our child. If I didn't know better, I'd think, she's really going overboard isn't she, but the fact is, I'm not. Charlie probably does things every single day that put his life at risk and we don't notice. We have become complacent and it's so easy to look at him as a "normal" kid. Well, let me set the record straight, Charlie is anything but "normal". So, to all the parents out there who have wonderful, precious, healthy children, take a minute to thank your lucky stars and say a prayer that your children stay that way.

Writesville Beach

2010-07-06T11:23:00.000-04:00

During our trip to Wilmington, we managed to get to the beach a few times. Carolina had never seen the ocean, so it was special for us to make sure she got the full experience.

Danny, Jen & Kids in Wilmington

2010-07-05T11:40:00.000-04:00

During our vacation, we got a chance to visit with Danny, Jen and their kids. It's always fun to let the kids play together. We spent the afternoon at Jellybeans, the older kids skated and the younger kids begged Danny for quarters. He was a good sport.

July 4th in Wilmington, NC

2010-07-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

Call me crazy, but I took 6 kids on a road trip to see my brothers. Happily, they live at the beach and can spend loads of time at BJ's skating rink. We had a great time and we have the pictures to prove it. See for yourself......

Max and his new ride

2010-06-04T10:05:00.002-04:00

Yes, that's Max on his motorcycle. It was given to him by my dad who passed away last May. Now he and Brian have a new hobby.

Molly's First Communion

2010-05-23T21:04:00.001-04:00

I am so proud to say that Molly is completing her next sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Communion. The dress has been bought, religious education done and now she's ready for her one on one with Monsignor Brovey. I'm so proud of you baby!

Matthew and the Purple Cast

2010-04-12T09:59:00.000-04:00

Yes, you heard me right, Matthew broke his leg and out of all the colors available to him, he chooses to have a purple cast. Go figure.

Riley Is Growing Up

2010-04-09T15:00:00.000-04:00

My last baby is growing up.

Blog or Facebook?

2010-04-09T14:15:00.000-04:00

I know I've been extremely slack, almost forgetting completely about our blog, using facebook as my primary source for keeping in touch with friends and family. Recently, however I realized that there are certain parts of our lives that are truly only mean't for our close family and friends. Needless to say, instead of posting everything on facebook, I'm going back to our family blog for some of our more sensitive issues. I will still be on facebook, I just won't be posting anything about my health or the health of the children. I have been "sick" for over a month now with what we hope are more symptoms caused by Epstein Barr. I have been to the ER three times in the last month only to have more questions than answers. Needless to say, I have an upcoming appointment next Wednesday, April 14th with an oncologist/hemotologist to get a better understanding of what is going on with me. Obviously, we are hoping for the best, but will keep everyone updated on the blog.

Happy Easter

2010-04-09T14:02:00.008-04:00

Easter this year was spent with me sitting on my mom's couch in pain, while my mom and Lynette did all the cooking. The kids got to have an "indoor" egg hunt and 70 eggs were hidden and found, we hope!

Molly's First Confession

2010-03-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

Molly has reached the point in religious education where she is able to make her First Confession. We are so proud of her accomplishment and reaching this milestone. It won't be long until her First Communion on April 24, 2010, we are very excited for her.

She's Flying High

2009-07-26T10:38:00.001-04:00

Yes, that's Molly on top! Just getting a little extra practice before the Dolphins "officially" start practicing. We're going to be lean and mean this year! I am coaching Molly's cheerleading team this year and will have two assistants. Luckily, they are Grandma Lynn and Elizabeth Hane - I'm a lucky coach! Not to mention, that I've got a great group of cheerleaders and we can't wait to get started! Go Dolphins!

Max's Artwork

2009-06-08T17:01:00.000-04:00

This was after his FIRST day of art lessons at Prince of Peace Catholic School!

2009-04-28T15:08:00.004-04:00

Give Kids The World along with the Make A Wish Foundation, we were blessed to have the vacation of a lifetime. We received more kindness and generosity in those 7 days than most people receive in their lifetime. So to Make A Wish and Give Kids The World you will always have a special place in our hearts. We pray to be able to "give back" the things we learned from this experience. To all the monetary contributors and hundreds of volunteers, please know that it doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated and you have changed our lives forever. And so now, I'm going to flood the internet with pictures of our vacation because I just can't help myself. Don't you just hate those people that insist that you look at their photos. Enjoy :)

Give Kids The World

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Charlie has a Star

2009-04-28T11:07:00.001-04:00

Charlie has a star up on the ceiling of the Castle of Miracles. If we ever go back for a visit, they know the longitude and latitude so we can find Charlie's star. It will stay up there forever.

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More Give Kids The World

2009-04-28T10:59:00.000-04:00

More Give Kids The World

2009-04-28T10:58:00.000-04:00

More Give Kids The World

2009-04-28T10:57:00.000-04:00

Matthew's Playground

2009-04-28T10:55:00.000-04:00

Matthew's Playground

2009-04-28T10:53:00.000-04:00

Matthew's Playground

2009-04-28T10:52:00.000-04:00

Matthew's Playground

2009-04-28T10:51:00.000-04:00

Matthew's Playground

2009-04-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

More Give Kids The World

2009-04-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

More Give Kids The World

2009-04-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

Mayor Clayton tucking the kids into bed.

Universal Studios

2009-04-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

You will notice that Riley and Matthew are missing from these photos. Disney turned out to be too much for the two of them and so my mom took them to my grandmothers house in Leesburg. They still had tons of fun riding the golf cart and playing with their great-grandparents.

Magic Kingdom

2009-04-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

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Animal Kingdom & Epcot

2009-04-28T07:30:00.002-04:00

Animal Kingdom & Epcot

2009-04-28T07:15:00.001-04:00

Animal Kingdom & Epcot

2009-04-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Epcot Center

2009-04-28T06:45:00.001-04:00

Disney Characters

2009-04-27T16:14:00.000-04:00

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Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-01T14:01:00.006-04:00

Since we aren't going to be home this Easter due to our Disney trip, Lynette and I decided to go ahead and hide over 80 candy/money filled eggs in the backyard for the our kids and our neighbor, Carolina to find. I gave Max the "let the little children find the easy ones" speech, but it went in one ear and out the other. The little turkey ended up with over 30 eggs and found all of the eggs that had money in them.

It's A Birthday Party

2009-03-21T19:23:00.000-04:00

Katie & Thomas had a joint birthday party this afternoon. I took tons of pictures and just have to show them off. Thanks to Ben & Kristin for inviting all 7 of us, we had a great time. Happy Birthday Katie & Thomas! We love you!

More Birthday Party Pictures

2009-03-21T19:17:00.000-04:00

Birthday Party Pictures

2009-03-21T19:13:00.000-04:00

More pictures...

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And More...

2009-03-21T19:07:00.000-04:00

Katie & Thomas Birthday Pictures

2009-03-21T19:02:00.000-04:00

Katie & Thomas Birthday Party Pictures

2009-03-21T18:59:00.000-04:00

Katie & Thomas Birthday Pictures

2009-03-21T18:57:00.000-04:00

One Baby In The Tub....

2009-03-21T18:53:00.000-04:00

I'm really going to miss these days....

Little Butts

2009-02-25T13:33:00.000-05:00

Twins Turn 5!

2009-02-22T11:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, we know it's hard to believe, but the twins officially turn 5 today and we had them a small party last night. As you can see, it was a success and we thank everyone for coming and for all the great gifts. The twins are in heaven.

More Birthday Party Photos

2009-02-22T11:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

BJ and Amy came to visit for a long weekend. We had a lot of fun and even enjoyed playing a mean game of twister...

Cousins

2009-01-23T14:57:00.001-05:00

Riley got a chance to play with her cousin Ashlynn yesterday and Grandma Lynn got this snapshot and I had to post it.

Getting Cuter Everyday

2009-01-23T12:27:00.004-05:00

Now, that Riley is 2, she has actually turned into a person! She is very vocal and loves to help around the house. I dread the day when she has to go to school.....

And the Verdict is in....

2009-01-20T16:35:00.003-05:00

After nearly two years of searching for help, Matthew was officially diagnosed with Autism. Even though it was something we expected, it still knocks the wind out of you to hear it from someone who knows what they are talking about. And so my new obsession begins....

We are such Proud Parents

2009-01-20T16:15:00.003-05:00

Max and Molly are members of the junior choir at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. All of the kids are in Religious Education classes and I am also taking RCIA classes as well. Brian has become a Lector and we are all enjoying our time spent at church.

Sometimes you just forget....

2009-01-20T16:11:00.003-05:00

It's so easy to forget that we have a set of twins, then you are reminded in the sweetest way... p.s. Yes, they really did fall asleep this way in Molly's bed

As If Five Weren't Enough

2009-01-20T15:59:00.003-05:00

We proudly announce the latest addition to the Davidson family. She is an English Bulldog and a direct descendant of UGGA (I hope I spelled that right)for all of you bulldog fans. Her name is Winston Kate, but we just call her Kate. Isn't she the cutest little thing?

The Day Finally Came....

2009-01-13T15:52:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it, Brian agreed to allow Molly to have her ears pierced. Grandma Lynn took her for her 8th birthday and on the 2nd visit, her ears are now adorned with these pretty pearls, and she just loves them (the 1st visit was just practice).

Gatlinburg '08

2008-07-10T19:41:00.006-04:00

This would be our 3rd Hydrocephalus Conference (those of you who do not agree, you are clearly wrong). We all met in Gatlinburg, TN and spent an entire week. We had two cabins and a total of 24 people! We had a great time. The only problem was that we took over 700 pictures, so I'll have to do the slideshows in sections. That's a good thing right?

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T19:20:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to the best men in our lives! We love you all....

Riley Ann's Baptism

2008-06-15T16:09:00.003-04:00

At the ripe age of 19 months, Riley was finally baptised at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. We are honored to have Kristin Davidson and Keith Hester as her Godparents and feel blessed to have them participate in such a big occasion for our family. We enjoyed lunch from Zaxby's before heading off to the church and really enjoyed spending time with close family and friends.

March For Babies 2008

2008-06-01T14:27:00.000-04:00

Yes! We did it. The Davidson Twins were honored to win the #1 Family team in our area raising almost $8,700 and I have just recently found out that we are in the top 5 to win the coveted #1 Team in South Carolina. All of the numbers haven't completely come in yet, so they don't have an accurate total to announce who will be taking home the prize, but I don't have to tell you who that will be. Yes, you guessed it, THE DAVIDSON TWINS, and we have you to thank for it. We busted last year's record by thousands, can you believe it? And, I have to admit, being an Ambassador Family was exhausting, but really fun and we got to meet so many great and influential people in our community. We did at least two dozen speeches, we were on TV several times and in the newspapers more than we were even aware of. We had a celebrity status if only briefly, but I really felt like we helped the March of Dimes reach their goal. We were lucky enough to forge new friendships that will last a lifetime and to bring neighborhoods together to save babies. Again this year, we have been humbled by the outpouring of generosity. That of family, friends and complete strangers. You are what made our team so successful and you have had a huge impact in the life of a premature baby or that of a baby born with a birth defect. Thank you on behalf of the entire Davidson Family, we love you all....

Pelham Falls Community March For Babies

2008-04-12T13:52:00.004-04:00

We held our first annual Pelham Falls Community March For Babies this morning. If you ask me, it was a huge success. So far, the Pelham Falls Community has raised $3,500 and $600 of that was today alone! We are still expecting a few more donations to trickle in in the next week, so you'll have to tune in to find out how much this community has raised. This just goes to show you what communities and neighborhoods can do when they pull together! When someone asks one of us, what did you do on Saturday? We can all say, "I saved babies", and that feels darn good. We also had a lot of fun, see for yourself.....

March For Babies 2008 - Join Now!

2008-01-10T09:01:00.001-05:00

You may need to stop the playlist at the bottom of the page while viewing this video as it has music as well....

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

One day every baby will be healthy, but we have to walk to get there.....

Davidson Family Portrait

2008-01-02T12:43:00.000-05:00

What a good looking family. Eventually, there isn't going to be a studio large enough for all of us...

Santa Rocks!

2007-12-29T16:08:00.000-05:00

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and an even happier new year!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

At least someone appreciates Santa....

2007-12-29T14:09:00.000-05:00

Molly's Birthday

2007-12-13T11:04:00.001-05:00

Molly turned 7 yesterday so we had a little family party at home to celebrate. I know she is only 7, but she thinks she is 13. The teenage years are going to be oh, so hard.

Something Cool For Christmas

2007-12-04T09:34:00.000-05:00

If you haven't found that perfect gift, check out this collage from Karl Voss Photography. I know he has done one for April's family that is awesome. There is still time, you can call Karl directly at 968-0028 and schedule your appointment today.

Madison Update

2007-11-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that Madison would fly through her surgery so it was no surprise to me that she did just that. Not only did she recover quickly, but her neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon were amazed by her progress and she was released from the hospital in only 5 days. For those of you who prayed for Madison, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know that I can speak for her family when I say that all of your thoughts and prayers are what got them through this. I have become great friends with Madison's mom, Kelley and know that I have made a friend for life. To Kelley, I am proud to be your friend and lucky to have met you. You are one of the strongest women I know and I am amazed by your will to fight and your courage to tackle the obstacles your family and Madison have been thrown. You have taught me more than you will ever know and I look forward to watching Madison, as well as all of your kids, grow and make every doctor that ever told you that "you couldn't" eat their words. Oh yeah, and as always, Madison rocks!

Notre Dame

2007-11-22T16:52:00.000-05:00