Guest Blogger Nicole Small: "The Stereotype Of Paraplegics"

Growing up I often wondered what I would become when I matured into the adult that I have become today because I never saw many people much like me in public during my child hood this could have been because of different circumstances such as that fact that I was a specific place at a certain time. I then would go back to these various places i.e. restaurants and movie theaters and still wouldn't see anyone much like me. This made me think...is it because people just find it difficult to go out into the world because of the obstacles they may face due to their specific disability or is it because of the fact that they were afraid of the looks and rejection that they would face from society? I would very much agree with the fact that people in my situation find it very difficult to be socially excepted by people in today's world. Do I fault those people who glance at me with a puzzled look upon their faces? No, because they don't know what it is like to be me. The only people who know what it is like to be a disabled person is obviously the disabled person themselves then their family and friends. Growing up I would have jumped at the chance to educate those people who were to scared to ask what was wrong with me because I feel it would have opened up a line of communication and an opportunity for them to learn something knew about someone whom they've never met before. During my childhood it was very hard to have to deal with the stares from strangers because much like them I too was trying to figure out myself. I always knew I was different from my peers because I couldn't run onto the playground during recess and I couldn't do specific activities during PE. I learned to become at peace with this because I knew I was made this way for a specific reason and it has taken me 24 yrs to figure out how the best way how to deal with what I was given because I had to deal with not only my disability  and everything that came with it but I had to deal with everyone around me who didn't know me and what I was capable of, they just saw a little girl in a wheelchair and thought I was hopeless and helpless and would stay this way for the rest of my life. I am hear to tell you to please don't believe what people think of you if they do not know anything about your personal life if they have no value in your life they their opinion or what they think of you should have no value to you and you should just brush it off and go on with your day because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. God surrounds us with people who understand us and he also puts people in our path so we can teach them something knew and we are the only people who can fulfill that job for him. God puts people on this Earth for a reason, he has a plan for us and it may take some time for us to come to terms with what our mission in life is. I feel as though God's mission for me in life is to help other's who are like me. My challenge to all of you in this next year is to take a few minutes out of your day and reach out to someone whom you don't know that quite well and share something about yourself, it only takes one minutes to make an impression on someone and a first impression can make a world of difference on someone. Make it a positive difference and put a small upon someone's face who maybe having a difficult day even though they haven't expressed it verbally towards you.

Forever Thankful

Major holidays always seem to surprise me. Not in the way of the last minute shopper, but in a way that I know a lot of families can relate to. Every year I think "Wow, we made it through another year and we're OK.".

I'm thankful for every opportunity I get to say that. Every chance I get to prove to my son that even in our worst of situations we can get through it together, as a family, and we will truly be ok.
We are in a much better place than we were two years ago, and every year since that year we have gotten stronger, bonded closer, and I have become a better mother because of the things he has taught me.

This year we spent Thanksgiving with the Salvation Army, handing out meals to the homeless. This is not a new feat for me, but it's a first for little man, and although I know I've raised him well, I was unsure of what he would say or how he would act. He does not have a filter, does not get that he may say things that can hurt other's feelings when to him it is just the plain and obvious truth.
He did more than impress me today, he astounded me. With no hesitation he walked up to people, asking them if they were hungry, and would they like a meal. He interacted with people and made jokes.  Suddenly I no longer saw my baby, but a little boy and the future young man he would be.
He made me proud that I was the one lucky enough to raise him.

This year I am thankful for many things, but I try to be thankful every day. I have a list I've taped months ago to my door to remind me why I should be grateful, why it is important to stay humble and never forget where I have been no matter how far I go. Every day has granted me new opportunities and I speak to more and more people that are leading this company toward an extraordinary path of success.

I don't believe in luck, just fate, so today I am thankful for that. Thankful that I always cross paths with people who have exactly what I need, because I know many people do not get as many opportunities as we have. I can appreciate it, because I know eventually I will be able to give back through larger acts, but for now I am grateful that I can give back in any small ways I can. I am especially thankful for people and family who see me as I am capable of becoming and not just who I am now. Without their confidence and help I know this road would be far less paved. That means so much and for it I owe them the best possible version of myself.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Love,
Danielle

Miranda Smith: Happy Thanksgiving

Today as we celebrate Thanksgiving, I have to say that there is so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for my salvation and for the love of God. Without him in my life I would not be able to get through my day to day life. Next, I am thankful for an understanding and compassionate husband. He is truly my rock through everything. Without him, life would not be the same. Also, I am thankful for all three of my kids. They have shown me how unconditional love truly works. They may drive me batty sometimes but I would not trade that for the world. I am thankful that my kids have struggles. Dealing with the things that we have to deal with has made us all stronger. It has helped us learn to lean on the love of God. I am blessed to have all the struggles that I have in life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving and don’t forget to thank the one who really matters, God. Without him, nothing would be possible. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Amanda Rivera: Be grateful for everything.

Reality has hit! After five years of having a son who has Eosinophilic Esophagitis I have realized many things about life. Life is too short to worry about the little things. I am reminded each time we end up in the hospital how precious life really is. This is the time of year to be thankful for life and all that it has to offer. 

We tend to take life for granted sometimes. I know I definitely do! Life is a precious thing, we are lucky to be happy, healthy, food in our bellies, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads. There are many people in this world that don’t have anything. I tell Tristan that even though he has to go through so much at such a young age he is strong and he should be thankful for what we do have. I know many children that have Eosinophilic Esophagitis and they are strictly tube fed, no safe foods at all. Tristan is lucky and I say that to myself every day. Things could always be worse. I do not want anyone to feel sorry for our family for having a special needs child. This does not and will not define us as a family or even Tristan as a person. 

Tristan has been having more bad days than good, he has been getting upset more often and having more melt downs. I know it is hard for our five year old to understand life and to always be happy. He usually is such a happy child and I miss it. As a special needs parent I try to guide him in the right direction. I want him to live a happy and healthy life and as his mother and his advocate I have to do anything I can. I remind my boys all of the time that we need to be thankful for what we have in life. I want them to know that life is a gift. 

Think about what you are thankful for, not only for this time of year but for the entire year. When times get tough think about everything that you have, your families, friends, food, a place to live, clothes, etc. Realize that there are people without a place to stay warm in the winter, food in their bellies, clothes on their backs, or even their health.

My point of this post this week is to be happy for everything you have and the bad days will not seem that bad anymore.  

You can follow Tristan's page here

You can follow For Special Needs here

Amanda River "Accidents happen"

When you have a special needs child you always need to stay one step ahead of the game. I have always thought that I was ahead until this week when Tristan surprised me. He is five years old and not aware of how dangerous eating something can really be to him, even though we have talked to him numerous times about the possible reactions that could happen if he did have something he should not. 

This week Tristan took a “gummy” from another child in the cafeteria. Now it was not a severe reaction, but he did have some obvious issues after that. I did not know until he came home clearing his throat. I had to ask him myself if he was ok and why was he clearing his throat. Tristan told me his friend gave him a “gummy’, he took it and ate it because it looked just like the ones that he normally eats. I explained to him that he should not take anything from anyone unless it is what I or his father packed for lunch or the snacks that his teacher has for him. Tristan was in tears thinking that he was in trouble or it was going to hurt him more. Luckily a little Benadryl and some water helped his throat clear up. 

Now I have realized I can not expect all of the school staff to watch him like a hawk and it hurts that I am not there with him. I want him to feel as normal as he can be even if it means a few accidents and reactions here and there. I can’t help but think; could the next reaction be worse? I pray it is not, and I will continue to make sure he knows not to take anything from anyone. Unfortunately I feel that I can not and will not put my child in a bubble. I will not shelter him and scare him for the rest of his life. It is hard knowing that I can not be by his side every day for the rest of his life. I worry daily but I can not have this disease consume and ruin our lives. We are not going to let something like this run our entire world. This situation just taught me that I truly can not always be there and I can not keep him from experiencing the world around him. 

Miranda Smith on Chronic Illness

Janiyah was my biggest baby that I gave birth to and now she is my smallest child right now. Ever since she was 2 months old she would get bronchiolitis. She would get it once a month up until she was about 8 months old. Then two months later she got walking pneumonia for the first time that took three rounds of antibiotics to clear up. When Janiyah turned 5 months old, she was hospitalized for the first time for five days because she got the flu and got severe bronchiolitis as a result. Now she only weighs 18lbs 9.5 oz at the age of almost 14 months. We are going through testing trying to figure out what is keeping her from growing on top of why she is getting so many lung infections. As a result of her health, I cannot work. This puts a huge damper on our finances, but if she goes into daycare, it could give her a serious lung infection that in turn could kill her. People don’t understand that she is as sick as she is because she is not sitting in a hospital 24/7. A child does not have to be constantly in a hospital to be considered a special needs child who gets chronically ill. It can be frustrating as a mother watching your child suffer time and time again because she keeps getting sick. I am praying that they can figure out what is causing all of this to be able to help her better

Guest Blogger Nicole Small: "If God got us to it, He'll get us through it."

It was in August of 1989 when my mom gave birth to me. This is also the day when both my mother and father received the news that their newborn baby girl had Myelomeningocele. Up until then they thought everything would be normal like it had been when my mother delivered my brother 8 years prior.

Right after my birth I was air lifted to All Children’s Hospital in St Petersburg, Florida, so the lesion on my back could be repaired. This is also when my VP shunt was implanted. I was then sent to the Shriner’s hospital in Tampa, Florida, for further observation due to the severity of my Spina Bifida.

 At the time of my birth, my parent’s had never heard of Spina Bifida and were at a loss and felt helpless. All they wanted to do was “fix me” and make sure I would be healthy. The physicians at Shriner’s hospital stepped in and reassured my parents that even though I had a tough road ahead of me, I would be okay. They did tell my parents that because of the severity that I may not live through the night, but the next day came and the next day followed, and I was still here.

 The doctors and nurses told my parents that as I grew older, more specifically when I turned the age of thirteen, that I would no longer be here because my lungs and heart would be punctured due to the way my spine was curved (from scoliosis). My thirteenth birthday passed and then my fourteenth, and my parents realized that no matter what the doctors had told them, I would be able to live a full life despite my being paralyzed.

 My life growing up was not a bed of roses, but no one’s life is perfect. During my school years I ran into some difficulties. Learning disabilities and frequent hospital stays meant I had to miss out on school assignments. This caused me to fall behind, but I never gave up. It was always one of my goals to finish school and go to college. In 2010 I earned a career diploma in Medical Coding and Billing.

 Throughout my life my parents have stuck by me through the good, the bad and the ugly. They never once let me see them break down, and they never let me feel sorry for myself. They knew I had a difficulty road ahead of me with lots of bumps along the way, but my parents and my older brother were along for the ride the entire way. My parents never once gave up on me. No matter what was put in front of us, we faced it together head-on, tackled it, and came through the other side better people.

 I think of Spina Bifida as a blessing, I do not know where or who I would be if I wasn’t born with this disability. It has definitely made me a strong person. I’ve never felt the need to ask “why me?” My parents have sacrificed from day one by working around the clock so that I could have the best life possible. I am happy to say that today, I have the best life I could ever ask for… I can make memories with my family and share my story with others. I want to provide that little ray of hope for someone who may not understand that having a disability should not get us down. Be happy to be alive and Carpe Diem, because you only live once!

Guest Blogger Amanda Rivera: "This IS normal"

People always ask me , “ What’s wrong with him?” “Will he always be like this ?” “Is he going to die?” “ Will he be normal?” Many other questions as well. 

          As a mom more than half of the questions hurt your feelings. I know most people aren’t trying to be rude, but the ones that are need to be educated. My son has special needs, it does not mean he is dumb, he is incapable of being a kid, he will never be normal, there is nothing WRONG with him. Honestly we don’t know if he will always have a feeding tube or severe allergies, etc. In my eyes he is about as perfect as his older brother or anyone else in this world. Yes, he needs a little bit more attention sometimes, but he does not need to be babied or treated like he is “different.”  

Tristan’s main issue is that he can not eat like a “normal” child. He gets most of his calories by a feeding tube in his stomach. However, he is able to eat a few things such as; strawberries, grapes, rice, beans, carrots(chooses not to), and broccoli . Rice gives Tristan many different options and variety of things to eat. We can make a cake , pastas, pancakes, bread, etc. Tristan is battling Eosinophilic Esophagitis, he is severely allergic to most foods. 

          Is it hard to cope some days? Yes, on days where Tristan has no energy, vomits , or breaks out in hives for no known reason. I feel like crying some days or ripping out my hair. I know I need to be strong not only for Tristan but for Aiden his older brother as well. Some days are harder than others, especially when we are in the hospital over and over for weeks or even months. Watching your child around other kids that can eat anything they want, birthday cakes, candies, pizza, ice cream, and many other things hurt. This is just some of the things that I come across on a daily basis. You learn to cope, you become stronger and stronger each day, and most importantly you get your child and family through anything and everything your faced that day, week, month, or year. 

You can follow Tristan's page: Here

You can follow Alphae Toys for Special Needs: Here

Guest Blogger Miranda Smith: "Mommy+Three, Raising children with special needs."

 I am 27 years old and the mother of three children. My oldest is 7 and has ADHD and odd. My next child is 5 and has speech delays. My youngest is 1 and she gets chronic lung infections and doesn't like to grow. They are my world and I wouldn't know what to do without them. I have now been married to the love of my life for four years and we have been together for 8 and a half now. I currently live in Greeneville Tennessee but am originally from New Jersey. I want to become a preschool special education teacher when I finish college.

Today has been another day of going to the doctors for my son. They are going to see whether or not his sleep patterns may be making his ADHD and ODD worse. So on December 12th, he will go in for a sleep study. I am hopeful to try to find out some answers, however nervous to find out if there is another problem going on with him. Every day is a constant battle with him and I just want things to get better, not only for his sake, but for ours and anyone who deals with him on a regular basis. I want to be able to get through a homework session without someone yelling at someone. He has the worst time focusing in school, and then when you make him focus to do homework, it is an all-out war at times. We have gone the medication route, we have gone the counseling route, the allergist route, the diet route, and punishment route. None of these made it better and easier for him to manage. In fact some of these routes made him worse!!! I am hopeful that this sleep study will show something that may be able to help in live his life day to day without his constant struggle with himself.

 Children with special needs can be a challenge as a mother but I have learned to rely on god and my faith during the trying times.

You can follow Alphae Toys for Special Needs: Here

Speech-Language Pathologist and Guest Blogger Erin Ray: "Language Enhancing Strategies"

Erin. M Ray M.S., CCC-SLP

Hello all you awesome mommies, daddies, grandparents and caregivers out there! My name is Erin and I am a Speech-Language Pathologist who has been working with special needs children for 6 years. 

Kids learn language in different ways and at different rates, but in all my years of experience, a child's environment is the most critical component to language development. Using some of these language-enhancing strategies during everyday activities can encourage your child to use and understand more language! 

Be a good model! 

If your child is using single words to communicate, model a 2-word phrase. If he is combining 2 words together, model a 3-word sentence. For example if your child says “ball” model “red ball.” 

Be a narrator! 

Describe what you are doing as you do it. “I’m washing dishes, scrub scrub scrub. All clean!” If you are playing with your child, say what you are doing using simple language such as “Put ball on top” or “Uh-oh, fall down.”

Be inquisitive! 

Help your child understand and ask questions. Play the yes-no game. Ask questions such as "Are you a boy?" "Are you Bill?" "Can a pig fly?" Encourage your child to make up questions and try to fool you. 

Be a storyteller! 

Read to your child. Sometimes "reading" is simply describing the pictures in a book without following the written words. Choose books that are sturdy and have large colorful pictures that are not too detailed. Ask your child, "What's this?" and encourage naming and pointing to familiar objects in the book by asking questions such as “Where is the duck?”

Be a kid! 

Children learn through play. Taking time to play with your child is incredibly important. This is an opportunity for you to model language while engaging in something your child enjoys. This is also great for improving joint attention skills. 

Be a cheerleader! 

Praise your child’s attempts at imitating after your model. Acknowledge, encourage, and praise all attempts to speak. Show that you understand the word or phrase by fulfilling the request. If your child grunts or gestures to a desired item, model the word you would like them to say. Make sure to pause to give your child the opportunity to repeat after your model.

IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS A PROFESSIONAL:

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language skills, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s school Speech-Language Pathologist or talk to your pediatrician. 

Follow Alphae Toys for Special Needs> Here

Don't Dis My Ability- Guest blogger Nicole Small

My name is Nicole and I just turned 24. I have Spina Bifida… more specifically, Myelomeningocele with Hydrocephalus.

When I was growing up, I didn’t really have that many friends that I could relate to or who could relate to me. I felt that it was because of my disability. My parents and my older brother were the only people who I could turn to for guidance and advice on things, but they really did not understand what I was going through with my disability or just life in general.

I found it very difficult to succeed in school, both because I had a learning disability and because I was in and out of school due to check-ups or having yet another surgery. This made it hard to make friends. In addition, when I would have a complication from my Spina Bifida they would make fun of me.

When I was younger, I felt that other children either didn’t like me or did not have the same interests because I was in a wheelchair. I felt that people who saw my wheelchair automatically thought I could not do anything in life whatsoever… that I would just be in a wheelchair and have someone take care of me for the rest of my life. Granted I do have the help of my parents, but it really is not 24/7. As I am getting older I am learning that people just do not have the knowledge about Spina Bifida or are misinformed. All they see is a wheelchair. But it is more than just a chair! We are strong human beings because of what we have had to go through both medically and socially.

Over the past year or two I have really embraced my abilities and have tried to figure out ways I can help others learn more about Spina Bifida. I have found great support groups via Facebook. For Special Needs is also a great outlet for those of us who have Spina Bifida because of the sense of community. We all know what the other person is going through, and we can lend a shoulder to lean on and ears to listen if needed. It’s a great place to make friends with individuals who share a common interest. We need that community to provide a safe social outlet!

You can join Alphae Toys for Special Needs community here

You can contact Nicole here

For Science!

Three's a Crowd: Parenting a Special Needs Child. Part Two

 If you ask a mother what sex she had hoped her child(ren) would be, most likely she’ll say,  “I didn’t care as long as I had a healthy baby”. Sometimes, however, things don’t go quite as planned, and mother’s find themselves digging deep for strength where they thought there was none. 

The two mom’s highlighted today had to do just that. Each of their children was born with special circumstances that most have the luxury of never facing.  Not only do they face their circumstances with brave faces, but they also have other children to tend to as well. Physical and mental energy, time and money are all things given to children naturally, but a special needs child may need just a little more. How do you give a child all of that when life continues to move? More importantly, how do you ensure your child gets all the love and attention they need when there are others that ache for the same amount of attention and love?

Amanda Rivera has two beautiful sons, is married, and splits her time between amateur modeling and being a homecare facilitator. From the outside Amanda is in a great circumstance. You would have never known that most of her family time is spent in hospitals and emergency rooms, fighting insurance companies and doctors, because her youngest son Tristan was born with eosinophilic eosphagitis. Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or EE is an allergic condition of the esophagus. Basically, Tristan has food Allergies. A lot of food allergies. This goes beyond your typical peanut or gluten allergy; Tristan must be a feed a special formula through a feeding tube in his stomach to sustain his health. He is limited in the food he can actually eat because there are so few choices. Peanuts, soy, gluten, dairy, meat, tree nuts, corn, this is the short list of some of Tristan’s Allergies. 

Amanda highlights milestones on her facebook support page Battling Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Tristan’s story. “Day one... ate a whole apple slice... let’s see how this goes”, and the pitfalls, “Tris is in pain again, I wish I could take it all away..”, but recently she opened up to talk about her oldest son Aiden. Amanda talks about how hard Tristan’s disease is on Aiden, and how he hates watching his brother suffer. He is only 8 and does not understand, but he knows he wants his brother to get healthy.“We try to bring him with us to less serious appointments. He didn’t understand when he was younger, but as he has gotten older he sees it and it upsets him.” 

When asked how she balances all of it Amanda said that, “Aiden actually came up to me and told me that he was not happy. I was devastated. I did not realize that he felt that way. I knew something had to be done. Jose (her husband) and I try to have days exclusively for Aiden. Whether it is a movie, taking him out to eat, whatever, we try to give him as much individual time as possible”. Individual time can be hard, but Amanda knows that it is worth it. 

“This disease affects the entire family, not just Tristan.” Amanda went on to talk about how she wonders if Aiden holds things in so he doesn’t seem selfish, but that is not what she wants for her son. “They both need attention and love and I’m going to give it to them”. Her best advice? Balance. “It is hard, and it’s not always going to work out the way you want it to, but putting the effort to recognize what you are capable of doing, and what you have accomplished is important. Don’t put yourself down”.

She’s taken to yoga and going to the gym to battle the mounting stress that occurs on a almost daily basis. Sometimes Amanda worries that she will not get the opportunity to go back to school to become a nurse, but she knows that she is doing the right thing and the opportunity will come when the time is right. “You just have to modify your plan and not beat yourself up because it didn’t go the way you wanted it to the first time around”.  

Cathy Wimple is a charming woman. She is funny and warm, and smiles often. We met recently for Alphae’s spring photoshoot and I immediately took a liking to her. Her daughters, Taylor and Brooklyn, were shy at first, but opened up and played as the day progressed. When the shoot was done Cathy began to open up about Brooklyn’s medical condition, Interrupted aortic arch & ventricular septal defect,a heart condition she has had multiple surgeries for. Heart defects like Brooklyn’s are the most common birth defects and are the leading cause of birth defect related deaths. 

Cathy praises the doctors and nurses at Michigan University Hospital as the main reason Brooklyn is still here to bless us with her sweet smile and head full of blond ringlets. “The hospital becomes a second home, and being able to trust the nurses and doctors that you see on a regular basis is an important factor”. The conversation went on an hour after the shoot was done. Cathy, talked about being in the hospital with her daughters and laughed when she understood my feelings of the dreaded “emergency cell”, a cell phone given exclusively to parents when a child is undergoing major surgery. 

Her daughter Taylor is protective of Brookyln and included her in all the games the kids played, making sure she felt comfortable and that she noticed all the different types of toys.

“I have worried that my oldest, Taylor, will end up having some kind of resentment towards her little sister, Brooklyn. With Brooklyn needing so much medical attention and therapies, a lot of our time is consumed with that.”. This seems to be a common feeling among parents of special needs children and Cathy seems to have found the important factor in making sure Taylor feels the love she and her husband have for her. “We strive to always make Taylor a part of it all. We talk about it, the processes of how and why we do things. She loves to help with the at home therapies we do with her sister, such as showing her word cards and trying to help her form the words to talk. “

From what it seems like, Cathy is doing a great job. Constantly she is updating her status or posting pictures of the girls playing together or funny things that were said. Her worries are not superficial at all, but the credit she deserves for her efforts is monumental. While like any normal household the girls may sometimes quarrel, they are in fact very loving and giving to each other like families can only hope for. 

Cathy knows that “ Finding a balance can take time. It's trial and error to see what does and doesn't work for the entire family unit.” She goes on to advise other families facing similar circumstances that, 

“The best advice I can give is to take it one day at a time. Some days will be tough, and push you to your limits. You have to keep in mind that tomorrow will be a new day, and that new day might just be the brightest day that finally puts you on a path in the right direction”.

Truer words could not have been spoken. 

Three's a Crowd: Parenting a Special Needs Child. (Part One)

Surgery.

It’s one of the few words I remember from Alejandro’s first appointment to the orthopedic surgeon. He was only two weeks old when we made the Michigan University Hospital our second home. Alejandro was born with  a severe case of congenital talipes equinovarus, otherwise commonly known as club foot. His right foot seemed to be ok, as far as club foot is concerned, but his left, the leg curved out like the limb of a bow, seemed to worry the surgeon, and we thought he might need corrective surgery on the entire leg. 

Alejandro's first attempt at transitioning to just Dobbs Braces

The surgery didn’t come till years later. Week after week of twisting his feet into cast. His crying sending me into a fit of uncontrollable giggles that resulted in more than one dirty look from nurses or physicians. There were braces, and cast, corrective shoes, custom plastic FABs, special sneakers, physical therapy, and exercises. Once a week we made the long trip out to the hospital, and once a month my entire day was consumed with not only twisting and crying, but MRIs and Ultrasounds that went on longer than necessary, because he was still a baby and did not understand how this scary situation was meant for him. 

When he was four the surgery finally came. By then Alejandro was a pro and wise to his situation. He knew he couldn’t run or play like the other kids without falling or getting tired easily, but he did it anyway. He started walking at nine months and has been unstoppable ever since. I should have known this powerhouse of a kid would take it like a pro, but thinking about him in surgery was too much for me. 

Seeing him go under, and having to carry around the tell-tale emergency hospital cellphone had me chain smoking outside the hospital for the two and half hours it took the surgeons. When they finally took us back to recovery and told me his spinal tap had not taken and he was going to be in a severe amount of pain, my heart hurt. The recovery room was crowded with screaming children fresh from surgery, and I found my little man at the very end of the long room surrounded by a gaggle of cooing nurses. His big blue eyes dampened with tears as one of the nurses rocked him gently. 

Alejandro on the trampoline despite a serious amount of "No's"

When we received a room, another child was already in there fast asleep. His head was shaved and neat stitches zig zagged across like a well loved rag doll. The few days we were there I learned that he had just received brain surgery for his epilepsy. His mother was going through a divorce because the father could not deal with the situation. She ran back and forth between her job and the hospital, enduring little to no sleep, and to top it all off she also had another child. 

That’s when it hit me.

Mother’s, like that woman, were epic beyond all belief. My situation was minor in comparison. Yes, it is a heart wrenching situation to go through medical procedures with a young child, but there is always someone out there that is going through their own private struggle that makes you look like you are crying in the baby pool while they swim out in the ocean. I still could not imagine going through Alejandro’s procedures with multiple children. I felt worn down all the time and my tiny view of the world was focused only on catering to his needs. Surely if there were two children, one might suffer the injustice of the little bit of attention I had left. 

Alejandro is great now. He runs and plays after relearning how to walk. After a ton of physical therapy, you would have never guessed. The image of that mother, however, keeps me humble and appreciative. 

Alejandro age 6

Tomorrow I’d like to dedicate part two to other parents, like that mom, who have children with special needs and are superheros in my minds eye. They do it all with multiple children, and make it look easy even when it isn’t. 

Happy Earth Day!

Looking for a great way to engage and teach your child about the earth? Look no further! A Night Owl Blog has 20 great activities for you and your little one to participate in.

Happy Earth Day Everyone! 

Autism Awareness Day

Making special needs toys is a huge task.

I try to talk to as many people I can,

stay informed,

learn,

keep an open mind,

but nothing is as taxing, 

or as selfless

 as raising a child with special needs.

Every day could be different.

Every day can be a challenge,

but the love is the same.

Never ending, and deep, and beautiful. 

The kind of love only a parent can give.

Please take a moment today to share this post.

Maybe it will stop and make someone think.

We can all change the world together. 

Do you know what's in your children's toys?

Happy Easter!

From our family to yours, we hope you had a safe and happy Easter!

Sew it Sunday: Bunny tutorial

With Easter looming right around the corner I thought that our first Sew it Sunday pattern could appropriately be this sweet and simple bunny. This is a great pattern for the beginner
toy maker/sewer and would look extra cute in your easter basket this year.
Let's get started!

Step one:

Gather your materials: Felt, stuffing, scissors, and thread in contrasting or complimenting colors.

Cut out all of your pieces from our Bunny Pattern

Step two:

Sew the face onto the body.

Step three:

Sew on the belly and add any details you would like. 

Here I've hand stitched the eyes and gave our bunny a little hair.

It looks great with safety eyes too, but this bunny is for a newborn.

Step four:

Sew the legs, arms, and ears together. If you would like to stuff them this would be the time to do it.

Step five:

Place all the piece, back, front, arms and legs together. 

Adjust all the pieces where you would like them and pin.

Step six: 

Sew around the edge of the bunny leaving a 1/8 inch border and a one inch opening.

Cut thread.

Step seven:

Stuff your bunny through your one inch opening and machine close.

Step eight:

Enjoy your new bunny!

You can be as original as you would like. This pattern is very simple and very adaptable. 

Have fun! Show us how your bunny came out on our Facebook fanpage

As always, we work very hard to create these patterns for you and are more than happy to provide them for free. You do not have permission to sell dolls used from this pattern, and must obtain permission to publish this pattern elsewhere. We'd love to be in your blog so email us if you'd like.

Sweet treat

I love holidays.
Not just most of them, or the big ones, but all of them. National pie day, halloween, christmas, teacher's appreciation day.. the list is enormous. Maybe it's the kid in me, or the idea of making a day a little more special than the rest, but whatever it is,  I can never resist finding new ways to treat little chef.
These white chocolate covered strawberries are perfect for  parents who want to make a healthy alternative to all of that candy, and maybe (just maybe) you can let the little ones in on the project.

aren't they adorable?

If you're not so much into DIY you can always buy a bunch from Harry and David

Parent Testers

Think you know what makes a cool toy? Want to test new Alphae Toys for free? Sign up for our newsletter and you could be randomly selected to review toy ideas, choose the newest toys, or receive free unreleased toys!

New friends!

Got some great pictures today from some new friends!

Meet Ms. Bella!

And Ms. Janiyah!

An article and our contest.

Our feature came out today. I love the excitement of anticipating a feature. 

I especially love reading about our company from a fresh point of view. 

Also, tonight is your last chance to enter in our contest to win a $50 gift certificate don't forget to do that! 

Contest

It's about time we had a little contest. How does a $50 gift certificate sound? Awesome right? Head over to our Facebook page for full details!

10 Negative Choices You May Not Know You're Making for Your Company

 I always get into my own thoughts just before an interview. I like to think about where the company is going, where it's been, what I've done/do/will do. 

Basically I like to know what I'm going to say or not say before I say it.

Truthfully I shouldn't worry. Things are running smoothly and when I do make mistakes my team is there to catch it before it becomes something we actually have to worry about.

Before you begin to think that I've always had it together you should know that I have made mistakes. Most of them were little, but a few were big.

There is nothing wrong with this. Mistakes are our best teachers and help us reach a higher level of perfection. The problem comes across when you do not learn from your mistakes, or when you have no one to tell you what you are doing wrong. I don't make the same mistakes I made 5 years ago or even yesterday.

By the way, families are great motivators, but let's be honest, not everything you do is THAT fantastic. So skim my list before you think you have everything under control.

10. Artsy Fartsy photos. Seriously, no one cares how amazing the corner of your product looks. Keep it simple, take a picture of the entire product on a white background and call it day.

9. A really crappy artsy website. Same as #10, people don't care. Create a simple easy to use website with clear navigation and supportive information. Customers will get mad that they don't know how to enter your store before they even see your products. Think apple; modern, clean, easy to navigate and pretty.

8. Not knowing what your company is about. I like to call this the "Gap Identity Crisis". Every time I walk into the Gap I'm not quite sure who they are selling to… Me? My 30' something year old cousin? My mother? My well dressed grandmother? If customers can not tell what you're about  and who you're trying to sell to, they're not likely to stick around. I don't go into home depot to buy a bra. Figure out what you're going to sell and make sure your customers can figure it out too.

7. Not pricing your products correctly. This goes hand in hand with figuring out who you are. Sometimes your price range can really make or break you. If you're too cheap, customers may think you are cheap. Make sure to research products similar to yours after figuring out your cost and labor.

6. Thinking you can do it all. You seriously can't. That's why companies have employees, or use freelance services. No man is an island, and no man can successfully navigate all of the working of a business and still have time to maintain product on their own.

5.Thinking you have something to offer people, thus making them want to help you. 
 If you are approaching a business/person because they have something you need/want that they can easily get, chances are, you have nothing they want. Let's be super realistic and stick to people (at first), that can give you what you want, and you can give them what they need. This may mean staying local, or finding other small businesses. Whatever it takes. Baby steps.

4.Not making decisions. Make a plan then act on it. Do not waste time doubting ever step, or weighing things to heavily, you have to have a plan, but you also have to actually follow through.  

3.Crappy cold calls and talking waaaay to much. Research your client. There is nothing worse than "uhm…. can I speak to whoever is in charge of sales and buying stuff?" Research your potential client. Nothing says I didn't try like a stupid cold call, or if they're nice enough to actually talk to you, repaying them by talking their ear off instead of pitching your company in a nice clean two minutes. You are wasting their time and yours.

2. Feeling insecure. If you don't believe in what you do, how are you going to convince people they should give you their money? Someone sold pet rocks, rubber bands shaped like nonsense for $4 a pack, BOTTLED WATER for crying out loud. Those are some of the dumbest, yet smartest products ever invented, and why? Because they believed in their product and made others believe in it to.


1. Not having a plan; business, back up or otherwise. I got myself into deep water when I did a major sale with a sample sale company. I thought the situation was great. I'd sell things for a cheaper price near Christmas and make a huge sale. The person helping me set up the sale said to not set my hopes too high, most people don't sell as many vouchers as I asked for. The problem is I DID sell as many vouchers as I hoped. I was only 50 short of completely selling out.

At no point in time did i consider the amount of time it took me to make each product, what would happen if I did sell all my vouchers, who was going to help me, if I was fully stocked, if I was going to offer my entire store for sale, or just a few select products. I didn't put a lot of thought into it and it showed. I didn't fail as miserably as it sounds because I did end up getting help from family, but it still really really sucked and it put my in a position that made me seem unreliable and a poor business woman, meanwhile I already had 2 years under my belt with perfect business standards. Some customers may not take the time to realize that you are human. All they see is a business. A crappy business that screwed up their order and wasted their money, time and energy. Never go into anything without considering ever angle possible. Answer these questions and plan them out or you'll find yourself out of business in less time it took you to start.

It's finally here!

It's finally here and I couldn't be any happier.

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awwww soookie!

Our catalog is out!!!! Click the picture to head to the online catalog. 

Final section and 6 days to launch….

I'm cutting it super close. Some things took longer than I anticipated and the flu took me down for a few days, but I'm back on track and working on my last section for the catalog and website. 

Learn is by far my favorite section for the store. It's the toys that develop thinking processes and personalities… I have to dig a little deeper in my designs and push past just cutesy and marketable. 

I love this piece for instance. A tanagram block set of sorts… or a child's first abstract art set, whatever you'd like. Each face has a different pattern enabling the child to create their own patterns or designs. 

Some designs are pretty straight forward, zig zags or lines, and others, (like this sample) create a huge modge podge of designs and awesomeness.. 

Can't wait till launch! So much more to show you guys. 

DIY Light Box

Introductions.

Before we get started on this big adventure together, I think it's best that we introduce ourselves. 

Hi, I'm Danielle. Designer, founder, CEO, social media guru, 

and general snack maker for Alphae Toys. 

That handsome little devil is my son and head/most accessible model.

He's 6 going on 34. You know the type.

Just so you know, our site hasn't launched yet. The big date is February 9th, but you're welcome to contact us on twitter @alphaetoys on Facebook or (my personal favorite) Pinterest

I work with some pretty great people. While we all still have our own lives, jobs, and obligations, they still believe in this company enough to dedicate countless hours and energy into the possibility of success. It's pretty phenomenal to meet people like that. I have been a very lucky woman. 

You don't normally get to choose such a great team right out the gate. 

So, I make toys. Great toys! Eco-friendly toys focused on cognitive development is the fancy explanation I give people, but really I just want to make quality toys built around a child's development needs. Whether those needs be run of the mill or a little more special than other's. 

For now I have to go off to "my real job", but I hope you'll send us a tweet or like us on Facebook, or just follow our boards on pinterest while what we love (eventually) becomes what we do too.