Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Transition

It has been a busy month and a half.  November and December means holiday craziness and right in the middle of it all we had Nicholas' evaluations for transition from EI to preschool services and his eartube replacement surgery. 
Nicholas' surgery went great and confirmed that he has no hearing loss.  Yay!  This might sound crazy but in the last 24 hours since the surgery we have noticed an increase in sounds from him.  Can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring.
The evaluations went well also.  Nicholas scored within the low average range for cognitive ability.  He is moderately delayed in fine motor and severely delayed in speech.  But, he scored average for gross motor and that means he doesn't qualify for physical therapy services!   The school district meeting is soon and I hope he gets placement in an integrated preschool for next year.  The evaluator told me that he might recommend a typical preschool with a push-in special education assistant, but I am hoping he can stay where he is right now in an intergrated program. 
I am also officially 11 weeks pregnant now.  Starting to get excited and to spread the word to a few close family and friends.  I am waiting to tell everyone  until after my first sonogram which should be in two weeks.  It seems like everything is going fine, esp. because I am with my usual morning sickness and have to take medicine to get through the day.  The worst was when I couldn't find my meds the morning of Nicholas' surgery and began the morning, which required us to get up at 5:30 am, throwing up.  Oh, and I had to throw up  a couple times at the hospital too :(
Besides that we have been enjoying the snow, holiday parties and play time at home. I better get back to work and internet christmas shopping, pictures next blog for sure!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Brother Love

I lately have been terrible about taking pictures of the boys.  So this week we met with Samara, an amazing family photographer and I got some great pictures of the boys.  This one I am in love with.
 It absolutely reflects their love for one another.  Nathan just loves Nicholas...he watches over him, in a very kind and loving way.  He treats him like his friend, but is careful with him like a big brother.  Nicholas just adores Nathan (as I write, they are on the floor giggling to eachother).  He wants to do everything that Nathan can do and feels secure around him.  So much so, he can be fearless attempting to do Nathan tricks.
And they both have the most amazing blue eyes and long lashes...oh, I love these boys so much!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Keeping Busy

We have had a busy fall.  With school stuff, birthday parties, and halloween/fall fun, I've barely had time to sit down.  Which is good because I need to keep myself busy.  I have something on my mind and I need to not think about it for a little while (I'll explain later)! 
Today we went to a Halloween party at a local college.  It ended up being 70 degrees today, which is quite unusual for here, so Nicholas' warm winter costume wasn't going to make it to the party.  But, Nathan's superman costume worked perfectly, and Nicholas was a little skeleton.  Nana and Papa joined us and we took a hayride, painted pumpkins and other good stuff. 



My boys are growing up so fast.  Nicholas has made significant changes the past few months since starting school.  He holds hands much better...don't get me wrong, he still wants to run around, but he will hold my hand for much longer of a period of time.  He also communicates so much more.  He uses many more words and can express himself in creative ways. 

We are keeping busy and a busy week is ahead of us getting ready for Halloween...

Friday, October 8, 2010

What a Treat!

I recently had a day to myself with the boys.  So, I decided to get crafty and  make some trick or treat bags with them.  This is one of two projects that I really wanted to do this Halloween season (the other is to make the pumpkin cake pops from Bakerella).
So, we got to work...






Nicholas has a cold, so he decided to snack and watch.  His first cold of the school season, but.he made it a month into school before he got it, so I can't complain too much.  Oh, and we scheduled surgery with the ENT for December to replace his ear tubes.  I really hope that helps improve his speech.

Here is our homemade trick or treat bags (very bad shot, but you get the idea).....

Nathan could NOT wait for his Superman costume to arrive in the mail.  He REALLY wanted it to get here.  So, it finally arrived and he eagerly put it on...my little Superman...now if only I can convince Nicholas to wear a costume...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Wheels Around the Park

Yesterday we went to the Down Syndrome Parent Group's Annual Walk..."Wheels Around the Park."  It truly is an amazing event.  The walk began the year Nicholas was born and we have attended every single one.  In the past, going to the walk used to bring mixed feelings...some happiness because of all of the support, but sadness because...well, because we were attending the event because OUR son has down syndrome.  But this year, it was all GOOD. 

We ran into all of our "DS friends" ....and it is quite a number!!  And the kids are growing up...so fast.  The kids had such a great time playing games, getting their face painted, etc.  Nathan actually said to me when nit was time to go home "Mom, can we come back tomorrow?"

 And our good friends and family came out to show their support for our Nicholas.  We are truly blessed!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

The Great Valley Pumpkinville

We started celebrating fall early this year.  We decided to head out to Pumpkinville today.  It was perfect...just a bit overcast and not busy at all.  We went with the usual crew: aunt, uncle and cousins and nana, too.  The kids loved posing for pictures.....
And took the cow hay ride (that's me holding Nicholas to make sure he doesn't jump out LOL)...
We also did pony rides, the corn maze and a really bumpy hay ride.  And they had pumpkin donuts with home-made cider.
Today was a great way to kick-off fall (even though the Buffalo Bills got killed today).  And we shared it with some of our very favorite people.
On another note, I survived 3 days on Nutrisystem so far (even with all of those home-made temptations today).  I have to say that the food is terrible though.  I don't think I'll be able to tolerate another month of the food.  But, I'm hoping that I will drop some weight this month so I can switch to Weight Watchers with a smaller stomach and body :) 
Happy Fall!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Crying

Today I cried.  I haven't cried in a long time.  Well, at least not about Nicholas having down syndrome.  But today, I cried because I realized how much harder it is because he has down syndrome.  Today was Nicholas' second day of preschool at his special education school.  And when I dropped him off, I learned they assigned an aide to him because he cries.  And the aide holds him to calm him down. 
See, I had planned on putting Nicholas in a typical 2 year old playgroup for awhile now.  In my head, Nicholas is more typical than not, and the school was the same one Nathan went to at age 2.  How much different can Nicholas be than Nathan?  Yes, he can't talk as much but he can still communicate by signing.  Plus, it is only one day a week for two hours. 
But, tonight was the orientation for parents at the typical school. And I felt out of place.  I knew two moms there and their two boys will be in Nicholas' class.  But despite that fact, and the fact that I knew the teacher and the school, I felt like I didn't belong there.  As we talked in the group and laughed about two year olds, I wanted to say outloud "But my son has down syndrome!"  And I looked around and thought how much easier life would be if Nicholas did not have down syndrome.  How I would be smiling and laughing instead of crying inside because I am a nervous wreck about sending him to a typical class for two hours a week!  And how this school can't offer an aide to hold Nicholas when he cries after he realizes that I dropped him off.
I feel like I need to be strong and just give it a chance.  Even if we fail and he doesn't make it through even a class, at least I can say I tried.  I just need to stop crying about it. 
I

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Half Success

First day of 2 year old preschool was what I'll call a "half success." We started out successful. Nicholas woke up happy, ate well, and looked great....

..he was happy to smile with me for the camera...

...he was ready to head out the door...
And drop off was easy. A bit "too easy". We went in and he set off to play with the school toys. He didn't look back when I walked out the door. I thought to myself "what was I worried about?"

Then came pick up time...two and a half hours later. When I walked in, the front door ladies told me he started out okay, but then he didn't want to come in from outside and wanted to go the gym. So, I knew this wasn't good. Nicholas is quite stubborn.

I got to the room and they were all in circle time singing songs he knows, songs he can sign too. But, Nicholas was crying. And was beyond thrilled to see me.

Having a child with down syndrome makes me ask myself lots of questions. And the questions go something like this :
Did he cry today because he has DS or because he is a two year old boy that is having trouble adjusting to mom being gone?
I know, seems like a pretty dumb question. But, having a child with his diagnosis makes you wonder those things all the time.
Does he have tantrums because he has down syndrome or because he is two years old? Does he choose to run away from me because he has down syndrome or because he is an exploring two year old? I hope some day I can learn to stop asking myself those silly questions. Because I know deep down in my heart, that this is his personality. And he cried today because he missed me and is smart enough to know that this is a new thing for him.

Oh, I guess it was more than half a success today. Because he was exhausted when I picke dhim and took a wonderfully long nap...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Changes

There are a lot of changes happening in our house, esp. with my Nicholas. He has officially went from baby to little boy.

He has gone from a crib to a big boy bed. It is a super cool red race car bed....and he loves it!

He also starts preschool on Tuesday and the thought of it just makes me sick to my stomach. It is going to be much harder for me than for him. I still think of him as this little...


When in fact he is really this big...

I hope I can make it through the morning without crying. The class is only 9 to 11:30, but it is the first class without me.

I am truly excited for him. I think it may be the fact that there are no more babies in my house that is hitting me hard. I love that they are becoming independent little boys. But I miss those baby moments. This is going to be a bittersweet week!

Monday, August 9, 2010

My Superboy is Four!

My little "superman" turned four on Saturday. Four. I can't believe that four years ago, my baby boy was born. And because he is such an amazing little boy, he deserved a SUPER party. A party fit for a superhero....

...one filled with the types of things mini superheros like to do...wear superman capes, bounce in the sky, fly down a slide and make masks to disguise....

Preparing for a superhero party is no easy task. I made 14 super capes...eight boy capes and four girl capes.

And I had to do my best to keep my house and yard clean and set up for the party...
...but it was worth every minute of work...it was so much fun watching Nathan's friends light up each time he handed them their cape, they put them on and turned into superheros. And I was so excited when the capes survived all of the bouncing and sliding. Worth every minute!

And after that day, I swear Nathan grew taller, became even smarter and just became a "big" boy. I am so proud of him. He is extremely smart, he is very loving and kind, and very protective of his brother. He is shy, sensitive and funny.

He made me realize how much I could really, really something...and I'll never forget those many months of rocking him to sleep and whispering to him how much I loved him. Oh my baby, my beloved baby, is now four!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Happenings...

Oh, summer keeps us so, so busy that I barely have time to update this blog. I really wanted this blog for myself - mostly to document all the wonderful things - we do in our family. So, here is what has been happening in the past month or so:

Nicholas has decided that he wants to JUMP! He loves to do it and claps so proudly for himself afterwards. Nathan is getting more and more confident with swimming. He will put his face in the water and swim without his floaty in shallow water.

Nathan's superhero 4th birthday party is now in preparation mode. I'm close to completing the superhero capes I made for both the boys and girls coming to the party. It was fun making them and he is so excited to be able to wear them with his friends.


We have been doing some major outings to the beach. We took our annual week vacation (our 3rd year!) up at there with friends...and HAD SO MUCH FUN. The weather was perfect. Six kids together everyday for five days and we all stayed unbelievably sane. Definitely already looking forward to next year.



Sadly, I had a miscarriage over the Fourth of July weekend. Funny, seems like I am just throwing that out there, but the doctor said I had a chemical pregnancy and it was a very, very early miscarriage. I knew right from the beginning when I took the pregnancy test that something was not right. It said positive, but I felt NOTHING. I wasn't throwing up like I did every day with my two boys :) So, for me, it it almost like it never happened. And that is good.

And here are just some crazy faces that make me laugh:



Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Good Stress

Things have been quite busy lately...both good and stressful at the same time. It is the start of summer, which is always a GOOD thing because it means mini-vacations up at the beach, visits to the pool, playgrounds and just plain with friends in the oh-so-missed-during winter-sun. So, it is good that summer is starting....

But, it is stressful because i realize that we can't just do whatever we want, whenever we want to...we have eight therapy sessions (PT, OT, Spec Ed, Speech - - all two times a week). So, we have to do our best to enjoy summer around therapy sessions. Secretly I just want to call all of them and cancel for the entire summer. No therapy until September, we are just having fun this summer!!! But, I don't have the guts to actually do it....and I don't want to "risk" what might happen if Nicholas doesn't have his weekly therapys. So, we will make the best of our summer days (around therapy, of course).

We had a scare on Saturday. I mean BIG scare. We got together with our friends - -friends that we met after Nicholas was born and ones that have little ones that are close to Nicholas' age that have DS. It was such a good time. Until, Nicholas went missing. The house we were at had a gate and all of the kids were playing...after I returned from the bathroom, I asked my hubby where Nicholas was and he didn't know...and then I saw the gate was open. I ran outside, and I didn't know what to do..I felt helpless...do I scream? call 911? run? where?

I looked down the street and saw a woman waving to me holding Nicholas' hand. I ran to her and as soon as I grabbed him, I began bawling, just flowing with the tears. It was the scariest few moments of my life.

But, I knew it was coming. Nicholas is a "runner"...he is very mischevious and loves to wander and explore (preferably on his own). Nothing holds his attention very long, so the minute he can "escape", he does.

The good that came out of this scare is we are now having a fence put up in our back yard. Because although he escaped from an opened fence gate, we were able to enjoy most of the night with him protected by fence. We just have to lock our fences religiously. And with a pond next to our house it is a must, we can't wait any longer for it.

I can't wait for summer fun in our to be safe-fenced in backyard. It will be so GOOD!!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Preschool: An End and a Beginning

The End: Nathan had his last day of 3 year-old preschool this week. On Thursday, the school had a picnic for all of the families. It was a perfect day. The sun was shining and the boys were ready to play. My boys do not like animals so much, so the pony ride was a no-go. But they loved climbing and playing on the playground.

I was sad to know that 3 year old preschool was over for Nathan. He just loved it, and his teacher just loved him. It means one more year closer to kindergarten, which i am dreading. But, I have to come to terms that he is growing up and is so cool now that I don't think I will ever get a picture without his sunglasses on...
The Beginning: I was so THRILLED when I spoke to the preschool teacher and learned she was open to having Nicholas in the 3 year old class (a year and a half from now). The school has never had a child with down syndrome (or even a significant disability I believe) in their 40 plus years. So, the fact that they are open to working with us, made me SO happy. And I hope we can set the way for future families. Just look at him, how could anyone resist having him as a student? Oh, he is such a love!!



So, as one ends the 3 year preschool experience, the other is going to get to experience it in a little over a year. And that makes me so happy :)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Mother's Day

We celebrated Mother's Day twice this year, once at Nathan's preschool and then at a Sunday brunch at our house. Nathan's preschool is truly a magical place. When I walked in for the Mother's Day party I was given a beautiful hat made by Nathan, and a spot at a nicely decorated table (with chairs meant for little boys and girls). Then, I waited eagerly for the door to open and the show to begin...


And finally Nathan came and announced his name and jumped off the stairs onto the stage.


Nathan was my little flower and sang lovely songs to me. Of course, all of us moms in the room had eyes full of tears!

Then we shared a snack...


...and I was given a precious gift. Nathan's was quite unique as his had all blue buttons (his favorite color) and were lined up precisely (all the other kids had buttons everywhere), which shows his personality. I just love it.


Before brunch on Sunday, I attempted to take pictures of the boys to give as a present for the Nanas. I have a new camera, so of course, I could do it by myself. Ha, ha...now I know why professional photographers are needed...the boys wanted nothing to do with posing for a photo. And Nathan wanted to "choke" Nicholas every time I had them get together. So here is what I came out with and I decided I'm just going to have to keep trying...

And finally, the best mother's day gift I received a new toy for the boys. Yes, another ride on toy. But this one has seat belts, which allows the boys to drive together around the neighborhood. And the joy they have on it is priceless!! (Plus, Nathan earned part of the cost while modeling at fisher price...the toy is supposed to come out in August with him on the box!)

Oh, and it snowed on Mother's Day...SNOW! But we had so much fun and I'm so blessed to be a mom to these wonderful little boys!!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Daddy's Fishing Buddy

Nathan caught his first fish today. I am not sure who was more excited... Nathan or daddy.


I was inside with Nicholas and the speech therapist when I heard the yell"I got a fish!" So, of course, I run out to go see. When daddy saw I didn't have my camera, he yelled for me to run and get it. I then realized they didn't yell for me necessarily, but for me to capture the moment for the two of them. Nathan was so excited, and daddy was so proud.


So fishing buddies they are now. They spent the rest of the day fishing and I'm sure many more summer days are ahead.