Video of Katelyn Talking About School and More...

Katelyn loves to talk about school and gabs non-stop at home. I shot this video of her last night since she was in a talkative mood. Unfortunately, she is overly sensitive to the sound of Ashley's voice, so she gets a little upset at the end and asks for her comfort activity: A hug from Mommy.

Katelyn Sings the 5 Little Pumpkins...

Katelyn learned this song at school, and we also have the book at home. She loves to sing this song constantly, especially right before bed. She usually does really well on her own and knows the correct words, but unfortunately this was the millionth time she had sung it, so she was being silly (and tired) by the time I took the video :)

Here is Katelyn singing the 5 Little Pumpkins:

Rain, Mud, Wind...Bring It On!

Today was the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism event in Boston, and despite the dreadful weather, Team Giraffe's Song accomplished our mission! Granted, our "team" only consisted of 3 people (Me, Kevin, and my grandmother) instead of the 11+ people who were originally planning on walking with us. Thankfully, Kevin's parents babysat the girls for us since we did not want to bring them out in the rain.

The event was held at a horse racetrack, which is 1 1/4 miles long. The track itself is dirt, and when you mix in torrential rain and wind, you get a track full of mud puddles. Many people took a few steps on the track and decided to head back inside for shelter. Kevin was just one of many people who chose not to walk at all, given the conditions. He tried to convince me and Nana that it was a bad idea to attempt the walk, but we were willing to take our chances.

As Nana and I were about to take our first slippery step onto the track, a woman warned us not to bother; "It isn't worth it," she said. Nana and I both looked at each other and thought the same thing: Katelyn is worth it!

With our goal in mind and determination in our hearts, we made our way onto the mud-filled track, which proudly displayed thousands of muddy holes, each in the shape of a footprint. As we pushed forward, we fought against a sea of people who had turned back, not willing or able to withstand the elements. Of course, Nana and I weren't sure how far we would actually make it either, but we were determined to at least add a few of our own footprints to the track in honor of Katelyn.

Battling the fierce winds and heavy rain, we trekked through the filthy mud one step at a time. Cheering each other on, against all odds, we both managed to complete the entire 1 1/4-mile track. Our shoes and pants were stained with mud, but we didn't care. We were proud of ourselves and each other for accomplishing even more than we had set out to do, given the circumstances, not to mention the fact that I am almost 7-months pregnant and Nana is 75 years old! Once we were finished, Kevin rewarded us with coffee and hot chocolate.

Inside, there was a great resource fair consisting of informational booths, activities for children, and merchants selling autism-related items, such as jewelry, scarfs, magnets, and more. Nana and I both got beautiful puzzle-piece pendants with silver chains to commemorate our achievement.

Although the weather conditions were not ideal, we made the best of it and had a great time at our first autism walk. Hopefully next year we will have a beautiful sunny day, but no matter what Mother Nature throws our way, we will be there, ready to face the rain, mud, snow...you name it. Bring it on!

Here are some pictures from the event...




Thank you to everyone who supported Team Giraffe's Song! We raised a total of $810 to date! (Please note, donations can still be made until the end of the year!)

Walk Now for Autism - only ONE week left!

Please join Katelyn and her family and friends in our fight to make a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.

Katelyn was diagnosed with autism in January of 2009 at the age of 30 months. With the help of her dedicated family, friends, and therapists, she is making tremendous strides.

It is our hope that, through vital research conducted by organizations such as Autism Speaks, we can learn more about the causes, treatments, and prevention of autism, while also raising public awareness.

To do our part, we are participating in Walk Now for Autism. We are not only walking in honor of our beloved daughter, we are walking for all who are or will be affected by autism, whether they be family members, friends, or people living "on the spectrum."

To make a donation (tax deductible) to Team Giraffe’s Song, you may either:

1) Visit our Team webpage by clicking here.
2) Use PayPal. Our Team PayPal account is giraffessong@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking an important step in the fight against autism!

Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Autism Speaks 501 (C)(3) Tax Id #: 20-2329938

Matching gift program: Many companies provide their employees with matching gifts. Please consult your employer on its matching gift guidelines and attach matching gift forms accordingly.