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This is truly an amazing and inspirational account of the life of Alex. Not only does it record the events of this past year and conclude with the National Special Olympics Games in Nebraska, it includes mention of her birth and the knowledge that Alex will be a "special needs" child. The book, emphasizing the power of advocacy, is written with great good humor. Alex's success and future successes in life are a tribute to all who have reached out to her to allow her to become a happy, contended member of society. This is a good read!

This is an excerpt from a review from one of my blog readers - Thanks!

Some of you folks, especially the parents of children with Down Syndrome, will be familiar with the mother written exploits of Alex Bender from Colorado in her blog, The Ordinary Life of an Extraordinary Girl.

This is one of the very few blogs that I have come across which blogs about anything beyond babies and toddlers with Down Syndrome and since I have an 11 year old daughter I am always seeking inspiration and role modeling around what I can look forward to.
(Not that I don’t enjoy reading about the little ones too)

Alex’s mother, Gary, began her blog with the intention of capturing her daughter Alex’s 16th... More > year in a journal form. And what a year it was, full of joy, growth, grief family adventure and culminating in Alex’s representation of Colorado in the National Special Olympics.

Well, now Gary has taken that year and published it as an e-book! It is inspirational for all parents but especially for those up and comers – parents who have small children/babies with DS and are imagining the worst about the lives their children may have as they enter high school. She doesn’t say it’s easy by any stretch but Alex has a wonderful, full life and a spunky personality and certainly an amazing family!

I highly recommend checking out this book. I’m hoping that someday it will come out in hard copy so that I can have it on my resource bookshelf! Thanks Gary and Alex for taking the time and sharing your totally un-ordinary lives with us! < Less

This is a truly amazing book, filled with inspiration, wit and love of a remarkable young girl.

I love reading about the all the triumphs in Alex's life. As a spectator in Nebraska, at the Special Olympics, I was truly inspired by the talents of all of these extraordinary people. The blog is an inspiration to all of us and I cant wait to log on every day to see what Alex is doing next! A must read, for sure!