Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Progress! Progress! Progress!
I feel so AWFUL that I have not posted on Landon in a while! I have about 5 drafts (4 now) still waiting to be completed. We have been soooo busy.....boy does time go by quickly. Landon has been making some GREAT GAINS over the past month and a half, and honestly, I have enjoyed having a front row seat to this show. Often times, I can't even get to the camera to catch some of these moments on film because I am overwhelmed with excitement. Now that he has mastered these new beginnings, I am excited to finally share them with you. (pics and video coming soon)
So, here is what Mr. Landon has been up to these days.........
SITTING
Landon is now an utter "pro" at getting himself in and out of a sitting position. He pivots, is able to extend to both sides to reach for things without losing his balance. This is very exciting because he now can play with his toys without falling on top of them and banging his head. He transitions very well from belly to sit, side to sit and vice versa. Looks like he's been doing this for years:)
CRAWLING
Landon has also mastered the "commando crawl". Boy is he fast. He had been pulling himself on his elbows for some time and dragging his legs behind him. Of course this started at school.......I actually saw Landon do this about 1 week in. He's always holding out on us. This stage seemed to move quickly because he started using his legs shortly after that. Now he alternates using his feet and knees as he is moving. And on occasion, he will pop up on all 4's and rock and then dive forward. We are still working on that coordination piece. He will however go through the motions if we keep our hand under his belly. I am hoping that he will catch on soon!
STANDING
Landon is starting to bear more weight on his legs......FINALLY!!!! He is now learning that if he extends those little frog legs of his, he CAN and WILL reach new things. This has been ongoing progress for the past month. He is now able to bear most of his weight on his own with minimal assistance. I am so amazed by his good posture. And, he is quite PROUD of himself when he does this and will demand APPLAUSE......by himself and others!! LOL Now we are working on extending the amount of time he can hold his weight. Slow progress, but progress none the less.
CLIMBING
Landon has been working on climbing. His therapists use the couch cushions to make steps up to the couch. He amazingly does very well with this. Especially when he has his eye on the prize........his red sensory ball......he LOVES that thing!!! It's funny how he knows how to push off of his feet and use his arms at the same time. He looks so coordinated. Hmmm, if we can just get him to use that coordination on crawling on all 4's!!!
FEEDING
Landon is finally starting to accept the transition from purees to "real" table foods that require him to actually chew. This gain is a more recent one. And a very welcome one at that. This is one area that we really struggle with. His menu now consists of: toast w/ hummus, Gerber Graduate Cereal Bar, puffs, Cheerios, bananas, yogurt, cheese, bread. He has mastered these foods. Next on our list is: scrambled eggs, more fruits and veggies and adding small pieces of easy chewable meats. We are hoping to form a decent table food diet so that we can get off of the purees. Landon has had such an issue with swallowing vs. chewing his food. His ST now sees him 2x's a week, once which is strictly communication and the other is shared between communication and feeding. With the help of Landon's therapist, we have started using the "Jiggler" and some chew bars to stimulate his muscles. Then we alternate every few bites with a food that requires him to chew with a puree. We are starting to notice that he actually tries to chew the puree now. He's finally catching on!!!!
Landon is also doing more self feeding. He holds his bottle on his own now. He will challenge us at times........but we "usually" win! He loves to hold his own spoon. And with guidance, he is able to find his mouth:) It's not always neat, but hey, nobody is perfect!! LOL This is a very messy task, but one that we encourage wholeheartedly. It is extremely helpful that his teacher's at school practice with him. Landon has also got a great pincer grasp. Once he is able to locate his food, he does rather well picking it up. Now if we can just get the food to his mouth. We still have to guide his hand to his mouth as most times he would prefer to feed his eyes or his hair. LOL
We are making great progress with the "honey bear cup". Landon closes his mouth completely on the straw now and waits in anticipation for the fluid to come out. He is not actually sucking the water through the straw yet. We are still squeezing it for him. However, on occasion he is beginning to suck the fluid as we squeeze. As for the sippy cup, Landon would much rather bang it on his tray or bite on the spout. Again, on occasion he will actually take a few sips on his own, but he seems to be more partial to the honey bear.
COMMUNICATION
This area took a backseat while Landon started cruising in other areas. We are happy to say that Landon has picked up on his signs again and is continuously adding to his signing vocabulary. His favorites at this time are: hi and bye-bye, more, eat, milk, all done, bath, book, dog, music and mama. However, we are convinced that Landon understands WAY MORE than he is capable of signing, at this time. He is also becoming more vocal and making lots of sounds. His favorite thing to say right now is "YEAH", while clapping his hands (of course)!!
We are so proud of Landon and each of these accomplishments. And believe me, we have celebrated each and every one of them........BIG!!! This little blessing amazes me every single day with his will and determination. With each new skill he acquires, he is one step closer to being just as independent as his brothers and his peers! Once again, proving that........HE IS MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT:)
Keep up the good work, Landon!!! We are so proud of you:)
So, here is what Mr. Landon has been up to these days.........
SITTING
Landon is now an utter "pro" at getting himself in and out of a sitting position. He pivots, is able to extend to both sides to reach for things without losing his balance. This is very exciting because he now can play with his toys without falling on top of them and banging his head. He transitions very well from belly to sit, side to sit and vice versa. Looks like he's been doing this for years:)
CRAWLING
Landon has also mastered the "commando crawl". Boy is he fast. He had been pulling himself on his elbows for some time and dragging his legs behind him. Of course this started at school.......I actually saw Landon do this about 1 week in. He's always holding out on us. This stage seemed to move quickly because he started using his legs shortly after that. Now he alternates using his feet and knees as he is moving. And on occasion, he will pop up on all 4's and rock and then dive forward. We are still working on that coordination piece. He will however go through the motions if we keep our hand under his belly. I am hoping that he will catch on soon!
STANDING
Landon is starting to bear more weight on his legs......FINALLY!!!! He is now learning that if he extends those little frog legs of his, he CAN and WILL reach new things. This has been ongoing progress for the past month. He is now able to bear most of his weight on his own with minimal assistance. I am so amazed by his good posture. And, he is quite PROUD of himself when he does this and will demand APPLAUSE......by himself and others!! LOL Now we are working on extending the amount of time he can hold his weight. Slow progress, but progress none the less.
CLIMBING
Landon has been working on climbing. His therapists use the couch cushions to make steps up to the couch. He amazingly does very well with this. Especially when he has his eye on the prize........his red sensory ball......he LOVES that thing!!! It's funny how he knows how to push off of his feet and use his arms at the same time. He looks so coordinated. Hmmm, if we can just get him to use that coordination on crawling on all 4's!!!
FEEDING
Landon is finally starting to accept the transition from purees to "real" table foods that require him to actually chew. This gain is a more recent one. And a very welcome one at that. This is one area that we really struggle with. His menu now consists of: toast w/ hummus, Gerber Graduate Cereal Bar, puffs, Cheerios, bananas, yogurt, cheese, bread. He has mastered these foods. Next on our list is: scrambled eggs, more fruits and veggies and adding small pieces of easy chewable meats. We are hoping to form a decent table food diet so that we can get off of the purees. Landon has had such an issue with swallowing vs. chewing his food. His ST now sees him 2x's a week, once which is strictly communication and the other is shared between communication and feeding. With the help of Landon's therapist, we have started using the "Jiggler" and some chew bars to stimulate his muscles. Then we alternate every few bites with a food that requires him to chew with a puree. We are starting to notice that he actually tries to chew the puree now. He's finally catching on!!!!
Landon is also doing more self feeding. He holds his bottle on his own now. He will challenge us at times........but we "usually" win! He loves to hold his own spoon. And with guidance, he is able to find his mouth:) It's not always neat, but hey, nobody is perfect!! LOL This is a very messy task, but one that we encourage wholeheartedly. It is extremely helpful that his teacher's at school practice with him. Landon has also got a great pincer grasp. Once he is able to locate his food, he does rather well picking it up. Now if we can just get the food to his mouth. We still have to guide his hand to his mouth as most times he would prefer to feed his eyes or his hair. LOL
We are making great progress with the "honey bear cup". Landon closes his mouth completely on the straw now and waits in anticipation for the fluid to come out. He is not actually sucking the water through the straw yet. We are still squeezing it for him. However, on occasion he is beginning to suck the fluid as we squeeze. As for the sippy cup, Landon would much rather bang it on his tray or bite on the spout. Again, on occasion he will actually take a few sips on his own, but he seems to be more partial to the honey bear.
COMMUNICATION
This area took a backseat while Landon started cruising in other areas. We are happy to say that Landon has picked up on his signs again and is continuously adding to his signing vocabulary. His favorites at this time are: hi and bye-bye, more, eat, milk, all done, bath, book, dog, music and mama. However, we are convinced that Landon understands WAY MORE than he is capable of signing, at this time. He is also becoming more vocal and making lots of sounds. His favorite thing to say right now is "YEAH", while clapping his hands (of course)!!
We are so proud of Landon and each of these accomplishments. And believe me, we have celebrated each and every one of them........BIG!!! This little blessing amazes me every single day with his will and determination. With each new skill he acquires, he is one step closer to being just as independent as his brothers and his peers! Once again, proving that........HE IS MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT:)
Keep up the good work, Landon!!! We are so proud of you:)
Friday, May 21, 2010
No More Deal.......Just a Little Sale
Sorry friends, the .99 deal is over. The books went up to $13.50. Not exactly a great deal, but they are still on sale. Most books are $15 regular price and a couple are $20. So, you're looking at a savings of a whole whopping $1.50 on the $15 books and a $6.50 savings on the $20 books. Boy, was that short-lived:( I hope some of you saw this post early enough or heard about it through another source.
Keep checking back, maybe they will have a GREAT DEAL again:)
Keep checking back, maybe they will have a GREAT DEAL again:)
A Great Deal!!
A good friend of mine just passed on some wonderful information. Thanks for sharing this, Kim!!
Mayer-Johnson is having a sale on interactive books for .99 (they're normally $15) and they are currently running a special with FREE shipping! These books were recommended for Gracie by the Augmentative Communication Center at Children's Hospital. They're great for kids with Down syndrome.
Mayer-Johnson is having a sale on interactive books for .99 (they're normally $15) and they are currently running a special with FREE shipping! These books were recommended for Gracie by the Augmentative Communication Center at Children's Hospital. They're great for kids with Down syndrome.
The link to buy the books is http://store.mayer-johnson.com/us/interactive-storybooks.html
There are 12 books in the series. I bought 2 sets of books, one for me and one to donate to Landon's school. I paid $21.78 for 24 books. It beats buying the Boardmaker Program for $300+!!!
Hurry! This deal is only good while supplies last!!!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Test Scores..........
............at 14 months old.......blah.......who needs them??
So, another 6 months has passed, and this morning Scott, Landon and I found ourselves sitting on our living room floor with 4 of Landon's 5 therapists for his IFSP review. I must start off with letting you all know how much we just LOVE our EI team. I would not trade any of them for ANYTHING! We are so fortunate to have been placed with such a wonderful and caring group of therapists. These are a group of women, who I truly feel, BELIEVE in Landon's abilities and GENUINELY care about him.
The morning started off with Landon greeting his therapists with tons of smiles and lots of cuteness. He really is such a ham..........and, quite the flirt. Any other day, this technique, would be Landon's way of getting his therapists to go easy on him. lol That's right, he sure is one CLEVER little boy!! Then......the "TEST" began......ugh! Landon was asked to do lot's of tasks, you know, perform on cue! Ha!! As much as our little munchkin loves attention and as social as he is, Landon does what Landon wants to do...........WHEN.......he wants to do it. Definitely a LEADER......and we love it:) Some things he nailed, some he missed. He even surprised us here and there. I guess you could say he is well rounded....lol:)
Then, it was "result" time. You know, the "SCORES", that charts your child's abilities to those of a "typical" child. Hmmm, first of all, Landon HAS Ds and with that comes delays. Second, he is being tested on what he will do right then and there, not what he does (and is known to do) on a daily basis. Personally, I feel that this test is negative based and focuses on the areas of delay. After much discussion, Scott and I have come to the conclusion that we are strength based parents. We are choosing to focus on all the things that Landon CAN and WILL do and we are so proud of each of his accomplishments. Although this test is mandatory, we have chosen not to have the results read. Nope. This assessment will go straight into Landon's binder where it's white paper will yellow over the years. All we know is that Landon is thriving, learning new skills and reaching milestone's. And his timeline is 100% OK with us. Scott and I will continue to provide Landon with all the tools necessary to help him reach all of his goals and Landon will choose how and when to use them.
Being part of this blogging community has really helped me to keep things in perspective. I have been so inspired by so many of your children. I truly see what our children are capable of doing. It's not about comparing where our children are at any given moment but rather celebrating those moments WHEN they happen.............and together, we will:) And for all our kiddos hard work.........I give them all a score of a perfect "10"!!!
So, another 6 months has passed, and this morning Scott, Landon and I found ourselves sitting on our living room floor with 4 of Landon's 5 therapists for his IFSP review. I must start off with letting you all know how much we just LOVE our EI team. I would not trade any of them for ANYTHING! We are so fortunate to have been placed with such a wonderful and caring group of therapists. These are a group of women, who I truly feel, BELIEVE in Landon's abilities and GENUINELY care about him.
The morning started off with Landon greeting his therapists with tons of smiles and lots of cuteness. He really is such a ham..........and, quite the flirt. Any other day, this technique, would be Landon's way of getting his therapists to go easy on him. lol That's right, he sure is one CLEVER little boy!! Then......the "TEST" began......ugh! Landon was asked to do lot's of tasks, you know, perform on cue! Ha!! As much as our little munchkin loves attention and as social as he is, Landon does what Landon wants to do...........WHEN.......he wants to do it. Definitely a LEADER......and we love it:) Some things he nailed, some he missed. He even surprised us here and there. I guess you could say he is well rounded....lol:)
Then, it was "result" time. You know, the "SCORES", that charts your child's abilities to those of a "typical" child. Hmmm, first of all, Landon HAS Ds and with that comes delays. Second, he is being tested on what he will do right then and there, not what he does (and is known to do) on a daily basis. Personally, I feel that this test is negative based and focuses on the areas of delay. After much discussion, Scott and I have come to the conclusion that we are strength based parents. We are choosing to focus on all the things that Landon CAN and WILL do and we are so proud of each of his accomplishments. Although this test is mandatory, we have chosen not to have the results read. Nope. This assessment will go straight into Landon's binder where it's white paper will yellow over the years. All we know is that Landon is thriving, learning new skills and reaching milestone's. And his timeline is 100% OK with us. Scott and I will continue to provide Landon with all the tools necessary to help him reach all of his goals and Landon will choose how and when to use them.
Being part of this blogging community has really helped me to keep things in perspective. I have been so inspired by so many of your children. I truly see what our children are capable of doing. It's not about comparing where our children are at any given moment but rather celebrating those moments WHEN they happen.............and together, we will:) And for all our kiddos hard work.........I give them all a score of a perfect "10"!!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Thank You, AGAIN!!
How exciting......another award. This time a BIG THANK YOU goes to Courtney over at The Adventure of Pudge and Zippy ............I am happy beyond words for this acknowledgement, you are much too kind. Courtney is mom to both LC and Jace who are the most "PUDGIPPY-licious" kiddos you will ever meet. That's right folks, this term has officially been added to the dictionary. If you want to know what it means, you'll have to go and check them out! Be prepared for lots of cuteness and tons of adventure as these 2 cutie-patooties are sure to fill your heart with laughter. It's sure to keep you coming back for more. I'm so glad we became blogging friends. I just love reading about LC and Jace's latest shennanigans:) Thanks for the sense of humor, Courtney!!! (Sorry it took me so long to figure out how to copy this award onto my site. These blocks have made it very tricky...lol)
Here are the rules for the award:
1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. Name the person who gave the award to you and link to their blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blogs to let them know.
So, 10 things that make me happy (in no particular order):
10) My morning cup of coffee! (for those who know me well, this cup of coffee makes them equally as happy)......lol =)
9) GNO's with good friends and great conversation! (even though we don't have them often, it's good for the mommy's soul)
8) Curling up on the couch with a good book! (even better when accompanied by a thunderstorm)
7) Mexican food and a "GOOD" margarita!! (need I say more?) =)
6) Family get togethers. (Crazy! Fun! Chaotic! And also a reminder that you are never alone. You will always have a whole team of people who love and support you, no matter what.)
5) Friday night "date-nights" with my hubby. (Probably the longest period of time that we are together and able to have an uninterrupted conversation....isn't that right honey?!)
4) Each unique relationship I have with each of my boys!!! (I just love their individual personalities =)
3) My 3 boys playing together! (on a good day of course....lol) There is nothing better than a child's belly laugh!
2) BEDTIME. (I love when my head just sinks into the pillow after a long day. And, aahhhh, the SOUND of SILENCE.....*sigh*)
1) Bloggy Love. (It's so nice to be able to share this journey with so many amazing families. It makes me so happy to watch milestone's being met, new discoveries being made, awareness being spread and sharing with others how loved and valuable our kiddos are to their families and their communities.)
I would like to pass this award on to 6 other AMAZING kiddos and their moms. If you have the time, please pay each of them a visit. They are sure to keep you coming back for more!!! I sure can't get enough of these little ones!! In no particular order:
1) Cathy over at A Walk in Lily's Garden
2) Rachel over at Blessings from Aubrey
3) Laurie over at Days With Dylan and Cassidy
4) Denise over at Sweet Ella Grace
5) Chrystal over at One More, More than One
6) Katie over at Happy Jack
Here are the rules for the award:
1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. Name the person who gave the award to you and link to their blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blogs to let them know.
So, 10 things that make me happy (in no particular order):
10) My morning cup of coffee! (for those who know me well, this cup of coffee makes them equally as happy)......lol =)
9) GNO's with good friends and great conversation! (even though we don't have them often, it's good for the mommy's soul)
8) Curling up on the couch with a good book! (even better when accompanied by a thunderstorm)
7) Mexican food and a "GOOD" margarita!! (need I say more?) =)
6) Family get togethers. (Crazy! Fun! Chaotic! And also a reminder that you are never alone. You will always have a whole team of people who love and support you, no matter what.)
5) Friday night "date-nights" with my hubby. (Probably the longest period of time that we are together and able to have an uninterrupted conversation....isn't that right honey?!)
4) Each unique relationship I have with each of my boys!!! (I just love their individual personalities =)
3) My 3 boys playing together! (on a good day of course....lol) There is nothing better than a child's belly laugh!
2) BEDTIME. (I love when my head just sinks into the pillow after a long day. And, aahhhh, the SOUND of SILENCE.....*sigh*)
1) Bloggy Love. (It's so nice to be able to share this journey with so many amazing families. It makes me so happy to watch milestone's being met, new discoveries being made, awareness being spread and sharing with others how loved and valuable our kiddos are to their families and their communities.)
I would like to pass this award on to 6 other AMAZING kiddos and their moms. If you have the time, please pay each of them a visit. They are sure to keep you coming back for more!!! I sure can't get enough of these little ones!! In no particular order:
1) Cathy over at A Walk in Lily's Garden
2) Rachel over at Blessings from Aubrey
3) Laurie over at Days With Dylan and Cassidy
4) Denise over at Sweet Ella Grace
5) Chrystal over at One More, More than One
6) Katie over at Happy Jack
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)