Help Cecily's Closet celebrate one year of helping families of children with special needs in San Diego! We're getting together at the Corvette Diner for Fun and Games!

March 21st
4-9pm
2965 Historic Decatur Rd
SD 92106

15% of the night's proceeds will go directly to fund our efforts! You MUST bring this flyer with you! Please download it here and pass it along!


Onwards and upwards!

This activity is for dads, stepdads, and men involved in raising a child with autism.  It is designed for sharing some fun time with your child, along with other Dads. 
     
Activity :   Bowling at Mira Mesa Lanes
When :  Saturday, Feb 26, 2011                             
Time :  12:00 Noon ~ 1:30 pm 
Location :   Mira Mesa Lanes                  
                    8210 Mira Mesa Blvd                                    
                    San Diego, CA 92126
                    www.MiraMesaLanes.com       

Cost :              $6/person bowling (Lane + shoes)          
Ages :             All ages welcome - bring Siblings, bring Grandad
 
RSVP :            Please Pre-register so they can reserve lanes and secure your spot.

Onwards and upwards!

Day one of exercise for the 5k! (a jog for most people) We're running on Team Cessy! You can walk, run, hobble, ride your bike or just come to watch! We're participating in Sharon's Ride. Run. Walk for the San Diego Epilepsy Foundation.  Check out our team page here!

April 17th De Anza Cove inside Mission Bay Park!

Thank you to Cecily's nurse Kim D. for organizing this event for us! If Cecily can spend hours  a day working to sit and stand then Brien and I can definitely devote a day to fighting Epilepsy. I love their motto - "Not another day lost to seizures!" There has to be a cure for this disease and we are determined to put our efforts towards finding one!  This walk has nothing to do with Cecily's Closet and everything to do with joining with other parents, family, friends for a day of celebrating life and what peope can do when they join together to make a difference.

I have to admit when I picked up the flyer at Dr. Crawford's office I thought - cool - I'll advertise this on Cecily's Closet. These days I barely have time to shower never mind exercise.  Kim encouraged me to make the time for exercise and while I am only one day in (and already sore...) I think this is a very good decision not only for me, but for my family.

Facts About Epilepsy
181,000 new cases of Epilepsy are diagnosed each year!
70%  of people become seizure free for five years on medication 
If someone is having a seizure you should NOT put anything in their mouth!

With medication Cecily has been winning her fight with epilepsy. She's at risk for a host of new seizures but with the care of her loving family, her wonderful neurologist Dr. Crawford, and the research being done to find a CURE we know her future will be bright! Help us make a difference.  Onwards and upwards!



 

As we approach Cecily's second birthday we are shocked. Is she really almost 2 years old? Where did the time go? It has been buzzing by and I know everyone, and especially every Mom, feels like this but I want to make it stop. It just seems like we spent a lot of her precious first year fighting, worrying, and fearing what the future may hold for our angel. It took us the greater part of her first year to realize that our time would be better spent celebrating, enjoying, cuddling and living in the moment.  If only I could get that time back now. I know there is no point in looking back... but it is a good reminder to make the most of each day.  Yet some days despite all the progress - old habits die hard.

Our little angel is pushing forward in every area and we are so grateful for the team of people we have helping her prepare her next years' goals.  She works so hard every day - whether it be to pull herself up on her knees, climbing onto the bean bag to grab a fist-full of hair or a loose shirt, or standing in front of the mirror admiring herself! (Yes, she really does enjoy her mirror time...)  When we see her every morning and we hear her little babbles the day unfolds with a smile.  Noah remains her most favorite supporter.  Her therapist asked me last week what motivates Cecily. She is not really attached to specific toys or blankets. She is attached to people. Her brother is her biggest cheerleader and her favorite person to grab, cuddle or kiss.  He can just walk into the room and her face beams and her legs kick with delight. It is precious.  Noah is also a big fan of baby.  He makes up songs about her and they are quite cute. 

With her second birthday almost here Noah is focused on the important things - like her party. When will it be? What will we eat? Who will be there? Will it be a baby party or a family party? Can we have trucks? Will he get a treat bag? Will there be balloons... He is excited and he keeps saying that now she'll be walking soon.  His comment the other day caught me off-guard. I try and live in the moment, and worry about the present day - but his positive energy and conviction about her walking got my wheels turning.  I was thinking about how hard she worked tosit, and to army crawl.  I was thinking about her muscle tone and how she is getting stronger and stronger everyday.  I fell back into an old habit of worrying. Would she walk? Am I doing enough therpay? Am I doing too much therapy? The never ending list my brain manages to comes up with...
 
Noah's pure excitement and steadfast belief that she would walk shook me into thinking about all the possibilities... And just like that my spin-cycle was cut short. Noah started shouting..."She is walking! She is walking!"  I was sitting right behind Cecily while she was working on her standing... and thought what is he yelling about? I am sitting right here. She is not walking. But sure enough I looked down and she lifted up her left leg and put out her right hand to reach for the chair next to the ottoman. She picked up the other foot and was indeed attempting to cruise! It was yet another reminder to me to never underestimate Cecily. It was a reminder that you must believe in the power of Noah's pure enthusiasm for everything that Cecily will do.  As we were doing our high-5's and dancing about Daddy walked in the door and Noah ran up to share the wonderful news! It was progress. It is progress. It will happen. And progressfpr me is living in the moment. Not worrying. Not looking back. Just enjoying the simple joys of parenting.  onwards and upwards!

Socal Advocates for Youth (SAY) is providing FREE tax preparation for those who qualify.  e-File and get your tax returns earlier! (IRS Vita Site).

Call for an appointment: 858-974-3603
4340 Genesee Ave. Ste. 207 SD

This is a great opportunity for low income families. Share this with people who may be able to benefit.  Onwards and upwards

It has been quite a week for Cecily's Closet. We are so excited and we wanted to give a BIG thank you to Emerson Network Power! They recently made a very nice donation to Cecily's Closet that will help us fund our room makeover and equipment recycling programs!  And thank you to the amazing advocate for Cecily's Closet, Kelly, that helped to make this happen!

There are a handful of people that have provided the energy, belief and positive support required to get an operation like Cecily's Closet off the ground. In a sea full of reasons NOT to do this now - there have been a few people that have embraced our desire to help a few families in San Diego and who have empowered us to make small changes that make BIG difference for other people.  Kelly and her husband are two of those amazing people!  We will be forever grateful for their individual support and for them rallying the support of others at their respective workplaces for Cecily's Closet. 

And we also have a fabulous new addition to the Cecily's Closet crew. I would like to thank Gina for the time she has taken to sit down with us, brainstorm, reach into her contacts and help us take Cecily's Closet to the next level.  We are looking forward to working with her this year because we know we need help and we're not too proud to ask for it! We are so excited about 2011! Life is busy. We know it won't be easy... but anything worth having is worth fighting for! We are committed to helping more families in 2011 and we are very grateful for the support we are receiving from family, friends and the community! 

And on a personal note, Cecily is taking small steps towards standing. With each passing day she is putting her feet firmly on the ground and standing for almost two minutes!  Noah is thrilled and can't wait for her to be able to chase him! She is fighting so hard to do this and it makes me realize how lucky I am to be able to walk, run, skip, jump and move.  Seeing her fight and work so hard for the most basic of movements has convinced me that I must get back into shape and that I should not take my health for granted.  I will be training for a very small race - a warm-up lap for most of my friends... but I am going to start small - with a 5K! for the Epilepsy Foundation.  I will be posting more about this in the coming weeks.  If you would like to join me, please do!  I'd like to get in shape while raising awareness for Epilespy and the amazing children who live with this condition.  Onwards and upwards!

Cleaning for a Reason

If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

Onwards and upwards!