Our Six Pack with a Twist

Our Six Pack with a Twist Welcome to Our Six Pack with a Twist! We are raising 6 kids, ranging in age from 1-18, including two boys who are rocking an extra chromosome!

Family blog focusing on motherhood, life with Down syndrome, activities for kids, organization, fashion, recipes, travel, and brands we love!

I introduced Lexie to one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid: moonlit walks through the snow! Whether it was w...
01/17/2025

I introduced Lexie to one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid: moonlit walks through the snow! Whether it was with siblings or best friends, these walks were some of my best memories. She thought I was a bit crazy this week when I told her to put boots and a coat on over pajamas, especially since we were ready for bed. I haven’t walked through the snow at night since I was a teenager, and I didn’t want to let another winter slip by without doing this at least once. She quickly learned how beautiful the snow looks in the moonlight, and how silent and peaceful the world is when it is cold and snowy at night. Every single sound is muffled, the sky is clear, and the air is refreshingly crisp.

There is so much that I miss out on now that I am caught up in the busyness of raising a lot of kids. I focus so much on checking things off my to do list, and fixate on what comes next. I need to work harder at living IN the moment, and sharing some of MY favorite things with my family.

Lexie and I shared a lot of laughs that night, and when we came inside, we did a few relaxing yoga poses. It was unexpected, and out of the ordinary, and I can only hope that it will become a favorite memory for her, too. I know it did for me!

3 mornings of preschool per week + 6 private therapies per week, and this little guy is loving it! I was worried it woul...
01/15/2025

3 mornings of preschool per week + 6 private therapies per week, and this little guy is loving it! I was worried it would be too much, but Hayden is thriving. He already knocked an OT goal out of the park, and he is only on his second full week of private therapy. He had a goal of staying focused on a task for 3 minutes, and he’s already up to 5. He was getting bored at home, so I think he just loves the change of scenery, and seeing new faces. We’re also hearing a few new words that he is using consistently, which is exciting. I just love hearing him boss around our dog with a firm no when she jumps on him in the morning, or tell himself nope before he does something naughty! 🤣

It’s interesting having kids ranging in age from 3-20. We’re in the midst of raising little kids, tweens, and teens. We’...
01/14/2025

It’s interesting having kids ranging in age from 3-20. We’re in the midst of raising little kids, tweens, and teens. We’re dealing with first days of preschool, while getting another kid ready for college. Then there’s the entire dating thing. Thankfully, our two oldest have picked awesome people who fit seamlessly into the chaos! I feed 10 people most nights of the week, and our home is always full, but I absolutely love it!

It was Hayden’s first time going in the snow for more than a minute, and he loved it! He does not like cold weather, so ...
01/13/2025

It was Hayden’s first time going in the snow for more than a minute, and he loved it! He does not like cold weather, so I really bundled him up, then pulled him around our yard in his little sled for a few minutes. He laughed the entire time, so I ended it on a positive note, before the crying over cold fingers and toes began.

I love all the snow we are getting this winter. It has been a while since we had snow that stayed on the ground for more than a day or two. I am not a fan of driving in it, but I appreciate its beauty, and I absolutely love a snowy hike! It might be a while before Hayden agrees, but I promised I would take him for a walk in his sled as long as there is snow on the ground!

Today was my last baby’s first day of school! I have honestly been dreading it, but it was time. He looked like a baby w...
01/09/2025

Today was my last baby’s first day of school! I have honestly been dreading it, but it was time. He looked like a baby walking into that building. Even his toddler backpack looked big on him. But he went in willingly, without looking back.

I only cried a few tears as we pulled out of the parking lot. Thankfully, Dylan and Coen were a good distraction! It’s hard to let go, but I know it’s going to be good for him.

Hayden’s preschool classroom is in the same school Liam attends, so he definitely looks tiny next to the 5th and 6th graders! Liam’s class has worked with that preschool class before, so I can’t wait for them to see each other at school. I’m sure they will be shocked!

Hayden will be attending preschool 3 mornings a week, then going to private therapy 3 days a week. He is 2 weeks into his therapy schedule now. He loves it, and has already made so much progress. He is signing more often, and saying a few new words. It’s exciting to see this progress, and I know preschool is going to benefit him, too!

When I picked him up, they said he had a great first day! He seemed very happy all day at home, and in therapy. That makes it easier for both of us! ❤️

It was dress to impress day at school, for their New Year’s celebration! Coen loves to dress up, so he was so excited ab...
01/08/2025

It was dress to impress day at school, for their New Year’s celebration! Coen loves to dress up, so he was so excited about this. He said the purple gave him W***y Wonka vibes. I love this kid! ❤️ He said he had a great time walking the red carpet at school, and told me I have to show off his whole “fit” so that’s in my stories! 🤣

No first day of preschool for Hayden today. Morning classes are canceled when there’s a 2 hour delay. He wasn’t the leas...
01/07/2025

No first day of preschool for Hayden today. Morning classes are canceled when there’s a 2 hour delay. He wasn’t the least bit upset!

Remote learning day yesterday, 2 hour delay today. These girls were so happy! I caught them loudly singing “Tomorrow” fr...
01/07/2025

Remote learning day yesterday, 2 hour delay today. These girls were so happy! I caught them loudly singing “Tomorrow” from Annie while they waited. It’s moments like this that I am going to miss so much when Lexie goes to college in August!

Happy 85th Birthday to my dad! We stopped by to visit this afternoon, and took him a cake we knew he would love. We are ...
01/07/2025

Happy 85th Birthday to my dad! We stopped by to visit this afternoon, and took him a cake we knew he would love. We are so lucky to have him in our lives! ❤️

They were supposed to go back to school today after winter break, but ended up with a remote learning day. They were exc...
01/06/2025

They were supposed to go back to school today after winter break, but ended up with a remote learning day. They were excited to stay home again!

We enjoyed one last lazy day at home today before we have to return to our busy life. We did have plans tonight, but the...
01/04/2025

We enjoyed one last lazy day at home today before we have to return to our busy life. We did have plans tonight, but the snow changed that. We were 100% okay with that! This 2 1/2 week winter break was much needed, and we’re sad to see it come to an end!

After transitioning out of Early Intervention in November, Hayden had his therapy evaluation last month where Liam goes,...
01/03/2025

After transitioning out of Early Intervention in November, Hayden had his therapy evaluation last month where Liam goes, and he started tonight. He has been wanting to go back every time Liam goes, so he was so excited when his physical therapist came out to get him. It was bittersweet watching him walk in without me, but he did great!

He will be getting speech therapy twice a week, physical therapy twice a week, occupational therapy once a week, and feeding therapy once a week. I’m not quite sure how we are going to keep up with that therapy schedule, plus 3 mornings of preschool each week, in addition to Liam’s therapy, and all the sports and activities, but I will figure it out! We can always change things if we need to. For now, he enjoys it, and that’s what matters!

Happy New Year! I’m not sure what 2025 holds for us, but it HAS to be better than 2024. We rang in the new year with fri...
01/02/2025

Happy New Year! I’m not sure what 2025 holds for us, but it HAS to be better than 2024. We rang in the new year with friends, then spent New Year’s Day together, with some family. One day we will all be in the same place at the same time for a picture! Here’s to family, friends, happiness, growth, and good health in 2025!

ristmas Eve at our house! ❤️ We didn’t get home until nearly 10 PM on Christmas Eve, so we had to rush to get in all of ...
12/31/2024

ristmas Eve at our house! ❤️ We didn’t get home until nearly 10 PM on Christmas Eve, so we had to rush to get in all of our traditions. The kids opened their Christmas pajamas, and we all changed into them. They hung their new ornaments on the tree. We then started a new tradition of giving each kid a game on Christmas Eve. After putting out milk and cookies, leaving carrots for the reindeer, and putting out Santa’s key, a few of us sat down for game night with the new games. It was a lot of fun, and we agreed that we love this new tradition! After the kids were snuggled up in bed, Santa showed up!

Christmas Eve Part 1! 🎄 Woke up early to run errands. Stopping at a grocery store at 9:30 AM on Christmas Eve is NOT a...
12/30/2024

Christmas Eve Part 1!

🎄 Woke up early to run errands. Stopping at a grocery store at 9:30 AM on Christmas Eve is NOT a good idea!

🎄 Had Christmas Eve breakfast with the kids.

🎄 Wrapped a few gifts that arrived that day.

🎄 Visited with a friend who stopped by.

🎄 After Grant got home, we went to his mom’s house for dinner.

🎄 The kids opened their yearly ornaments. Some special milestone ornaments were Coen’s kindergarten ornament, Lily’s teenager ornament, and Lexie’s 2025 graduation ornament. After that, we exchanged gifts with Grant’s mom.

🎄 We visited Grant’s uncle, who just got home from the hospital.

🎄 Our next stop was my parent’s house, to visit with them and one of my sisters. We ate dinner, and had a lot of fun!

🎄 We said our goodbyes, then headed back home for our own family celebration!

Part 2 coming up next!

Santa!!! We are very last minute this year, so we waited in line, outside of Santa’s House in Zelienople, for an hour an...
12/24/2024

Santa!!! We are very last minute this year, so we waited in line, outside of Santa’s House in Zelienople, for an hour and 40 minutes last night. It was worth it though. It’s the best place to visit Santa, and we have been going every year since 2004. From 1 tiny newborn to 6 kids later…

We survived the wait in the cold with only a few complaints. When we got into the house, Liam was happily reunited with one of his favorite people. He reluctantly moved so Coen and Hayden could have a turn. Coen completely froze, with a big grin on his face, and Hayden was mesmerized. The best moment was when Santa poked Hayden’s tiny belly, and Hayden stuck his tongue out at him!

Our visit was short, because there was a long line behind us. Santa is a good man. He said he was staying until 11 PM so he could see all the kids. We wished Santa a Merry Christmas, and raced back to the car, with armfuls of Santa goodies, and promptly turned on the heat full blast! Next year we vowed to get in that visit earlier, but that probably won’t happen!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve eve is filled with appointments, errands, last minute shopping, gift wrapping, and a Santa visit. I am giv...
12/23/2024

Christmas Eve eve is filled with appointments, errands, last minute shopping, gift wrapping, and a Santa visit. I am giving up on sleep tonight!

Annual cornflake wreath making night with my mom! My kids are so lucky to have this tradition with their grandma! ❤️
12/23/2024

Annual cornflake wreath making night with my mom! My kids are so lucky to have this tradition with their grandma! ❤️

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This snow globe has sat in our home every Christmas, mostly untouched, for over 15 years. This year, Hayden decided he loves it! He carries it around during the day, sits it on the shelf at naptime and bedtime, and refuses to give it up!

We spend a lot of time in exam rooms, and Hayden has no problem expressing his opinion about waiting! (I love those mad faces and snorts!) #heartwarrior #homiewithanextrachromie #lifewithdownsyndrome #thisisdownsyndrome #trisomy21

When you have 5 older siblings, you get to experience a lot of things: Competitive cheer, school cheer, powder puff football games, track meets, baseball games, chorus concerts, musicals, school events, and more! He is used to life on the go, and always has a big smile on his face! #heartwarrior #bigfamilylife #competitivecheer #changingthenarrative #differentnotless #differentisbeautiful #downrightperfect #downsyndromejourney #downsyndromefamily #downsyndromeisbeautiful #extrachromosomeextracute #homiewithanextrachromie #nothingdownabouthim #perfectjustthewayyouare #thisisdownsyndrome #trisomy21 #upsyndrome

When you have a child with a disability, you, your child, and your life is constantly being judged. Please remember this: Some people might consider it a burden, but that child is someone’s pride and joy! #downsyndrome #thisisdownsyndrome #downsyndromeadvocate #downsyndromefamily #heartwarrior #nothingdownaboutit #nothingdownabouthim #downrightperfect #downrightwonderful #downrightawesome #downsyndromeawareness #differentisbeautiful #differentnotless #upsyndrome #lovesyndrome #trisomy21 #changingthefaceofbeauty

Liam, Coen, and Hayden love playing outside! As you can imagine, our family of 8 is very busy, with lots of sports, activities, and appointments. We spend a lot of time in the car driving from place to place, sitting indoors at appointments, and cheering on family members at sporting events or activities. Exploring the great outdoors doesn’t happen as often as we would like!   #sponsored We’re not alone! Did you know kids spend 90% of their time indoors? @carterjoey.co , an outdoor company for children, wants to help families get outdoors, and be active, not busy. They partnered with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood to help change that. The Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood x carter joey products help bring themes from the popular show to life outdoors, with the help of their Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Sling Pack and Patches!   My little boys love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and they were so excited to use the perfectly sized sling pack on their outdoor adventures! They took turns wearing it, and I think we might have to get one for each boy. Coen was especially excited about the patches, and loved earning them by finding a worm (ewwww!), using binoculars, and finding animal tracks, all in our backyard!   Click the link in my bio to order - get ready to adventure and explore as a family with carter joey!   #BeActiveNotBusy #carterjoey #danieltiger #adventuresofchildren #theoutdoorchild #lifewithlittles

All of our kids have an incredible bond, but I am so glad Liam and Hayden have each other. So many parents who have children with Down syndrome end up adopting another child with Down syndrome (if not more). At first I didn’t really understand why, but now I get it. There’s a reason why we use the term “The Lucky Few.” I am blessed to watch their friendship grow. 💙💛 #thisisdownsyndrome #upsyndrome #heartwarrior #theluckyfew #downsyndromeawareness #trisomy21 #mosaicdownsyndrome #downrightperfect #siblinghoodlove #nothingdownaboutit #downrightwonderful #brotherlylove

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Our Story

Welcome to Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too! Motherhood, Down syndrome, Fashion, Lifestyle, Kids Activities, and everything in between. I’m Stefanie, and I live in Pittsburgh with my husband and our four kids. Dylan is 13, Alexandria (Lexie) is 11, Liliana (Lily) is 6 and Liam, who is rocking an extra chromosome, is 4! Four rabbits and a giant English Mastiff puppy round out the chaos! My blog began almost a decade ago when we had two kids, and over the years, my family, and my blog grew. You can also find me over on Pittsburgh moms blog, volunteering for the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, running, sipping hot tea, shopping, reading and taking LOTS of pictures. It’s my hope that by sharing my family’s daily adventures, I can show the world what life with Down syndrome is REALLY like!