Look What I Can Do!!!!!!

Getting Landon off the bottle has been a huge deal for me.  Both Mason & Elijah were off the bottle by the time they were both one.  Although I know that this  may take a little longer for our little kiddos with Down syndrome, I can't help but to "still" have that expectation for Landon.  I have tweaked that expectation a bit, but I am "still" determined to make it happen, even if it is a "little" later!!  I have tried so many things.....sippy cups, honey bear cups, open cups, straw cups, etc.  On occasion we would move 1 step forward and then fall 2 steps back.  VERY FRUSTRATING!!  I read blogs upon blogs, I asked friends and I even got to speak personally (on the phone) to one of my blogging buddies for some much needed advice that actually helped.....THANK YOU, LAURA (Anne & Whitney, Up, Down & All Around).  You see, all along the answer was right under my nose, in my own house and did not cost me any more than a few bucks!!!  Had I known then, what I KNOW now.......I could have saved myself from ALOT of frustration!!!  AND, Landon may have been off the bottle a little sooner too:)  

You see, the problem wasn't that Landon couldn't drink out of the straw rather the fact that his brother's were giving him the good stuff....you know, SUGAR (aka, Capri Sun)!!  Did you see him go!!  That NEVER happened when I was teaching him to drink!!  lol  (BTW, he only seems to communicate with his brother's this way...hmmm, I wonder why??!!)

***NOTE TO SELF***

I guess that "note to self" NEVER made it to my notebook!!  HA!  Because, I am always researching toys to see what will be helpful to Landon, you know, cause & effect, gross/fine motor skills, hand/eye coordination, etc.  I pick & choose each toy I buy for Landon with one thing in mind...... how will this toy help Landon achieve his goals?  Endless amounts of money later, I have a collection of toys that get thrown around the house by 3 boys, (and not played with), only to have to clean it all up at the end of a VERY.LONG.DAY.  And ONCE AGAIN, the answer was right under my nose..........

1 active 4 year old + SUGAR ='s

1 EXTREMELY HAPPY & SILLY LITTLE MONKEY (and endless hours of FREE entertainment)!!!!

All joking aside, I am over the moon happy for my little man!!  He has really been working so hard to reach each new milestone.  Last week, while we were at Elijah's "Day of Celebration", Landon was home with Lauren, his OT.  (A little side note:  I am usually home for ALL of Landon's OT sessions).  For a couple of weeks, Landon has been playing with his toys....on his knees. And on occasion, he would attempt to push off one of his feet to "ATTEMPT" to stand.  Always so close....but never quite made it all the way.  When we got home last Wednesday, Lauren informed me that Landon did indeed "PULL TO STAND", not only once...... but 6/7 times.  Are you kidding me??  Do  you know how much time & effort I put into helping this little guy reach that goal??  I know, not 1/2 as much as he did to ACCOMPLISH it!! 

 That's right folks, LANDON DID IT!!!!!!

Oh Landon, we are SO.VERY.PROUD.OF.YOU!!!!!!!

*****Landon did his "first" pull to stand over a week and a half ago.  It took a few days for me to get this on video.  Landon had another OT session with Lauren this past Wednesday (once again, I missed it, as I had to go and pick Mason up from Summer School).  When I returned home, AGAIN, Lauren informed me that not only did Landon pull to stand (numerous times) at our coffee table, TODAY (while I WAS NOT THERE) he took his very FIRST step while holding on to the table.  I am speechless and a little disappointed that I missed "that first" too:(  I am however, so very grateful to Lauren, for all her hard work with Landon and for believing in him.  Those disappointing moments pass rather quickly when I look at the BIG picture........my little man IS reaching new milestone's (and all his hard work is paying off)!!!*****

KEEP.REACHING.FOR.THE.STARS.SWEET.BABY.BOY!!!!  YOU.CAN.DO.IT!!!!!!!