Happy 2nd Birthday Landon!!!

WOW!!  Can you believe it??  Landon is 2, today!!  This past year seemed to fly by even faster than the first.....YIKES!!  Although it's sad how quickly time goes by, TODAY, I am finding much joy in the place this amazing journey has taken us, so far. And I am feeling very blessed and thankful for this little love who has graced us with his presence.

At 2 years old, Landon..........

~has mastered the 4 point crawl
~can sign over 35 words, without prompting
~is beginning to self-feed (with a spoon)
~is beginning to take sips from a sippy cup & straw
~is FINALLY accepting new tastes and textures
~is officially WALKING more than crawling

~has 8 teeth (the 9th is on its way)......all 4 molars, 2 top front, 2 bottom front 

~has learned to climb on the couch (but has yet to find a more graceful way to get down)

~is PRACTICING climbing out of his crib, YIKES!!!:/

~can climb stairs alternating his knees and feet

~LOVES to take baths (and WILL NOT get out, until he is ready)

~LOVES MUSIC (singing and dancing are his favorite things to do)

~enjoys being read to (and is the best page turner)

~ADORES his big brothers (his face just lights up when they walk in the room)

~loves to WRESTLE with his brothers (and pull Elijah's hair)

~gives the best bear hugs and the sweetest and wettest kisses

~knows and points to different parts of his face & body

~can make the living room look like a tornado hit it in 2 seconds flat

~makes the silliest faces to make you laugh (especially when he knows he did something wrong)

~has begun the potty training process..........*sigh*

~IS TOUCHING HEARTS OF THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO MEET HIM!!

Landon had a very busy 2nd birthday............

~he went to feeding therapy first thing in the morning

~he went to PT in the afternoon

~then we went to Texas Roadhouse for a birthday dinner (well, we ate for him, lol)...and they did their signature "YEE HAW" for the birthday boy (and he actually sat on the saddle)

~then it was home for our family tradition "Birthday ICE CREAM CAKE" for dessert (and this year, Landon actually touched the cake and licked his fingers......the proof is on his "blue" tongue)!!  LOL

~then, of course, it was present time......I think Landon enjoyed the balloon & wrapping paper most!

We will be having Landon's party (with friends & family) next Saturday........BOWLING!!  Will post pics of the party then!!!  Here is a glimpse of Landon at a bowling party, last year..........cannot wait to see how he does this year:)

Walking, Climbing & Recipes(?)

These past couple of weeks, Landon has been keeping us VERY BUSY!!  Ever since I caught him on video taking his "first steps", he has suddenly turned into a WALKING machine!!!  lol  Much to my surprise, Landon has been spending more time in the vertical position.  I wasn't sure how this walking thing was going to go.......a few steps today.......a few more next month!!!  NOPE......this little boy just can't get enough of it.  He pretty much spends most of his time PRACTICING........and that practice has paid off.  I have come to LOVE Landon's little penguin waddle.....and I love how he keeps his hands up near his shoulders to keep his balance.  WOW......this was so WORTH waiting for!!  We are really starting to see Landon's "personality", you know, the toddler version!!  He sure is one determined little boy.  If he should fall, no discouragement on his part, he just gets right back up again........and he will keep on going until he masters it!!  More video to come!!
LOVE that:) 

It seems Landon isn't going to stop at just walking!  The boy is really on the move!  We now have a climber, too!!  WHOA!  For the past 2 weeks when I have gone into Landon's room, I have found him standing up (grunting), and then I noticed him trying to lift his leg on the crib bar(which is on the lowest setting)!!  YIKES!!  This naughty little boy is now trying to CLIMB out of his crib!!  SERIOUSLY??!!  THIS EARLY?!
DON'T LOVE that:(

One of my biggest fears is of Landon falling out of his crib.  Well, it is a long way down for a little boy who is 20lbs and only 31" long!!  It's just a matter of time before he conquers this too!!  Ugh!  I don't think I am ready to move Landon to a day bed yet.  He is only going to be "2" this Friday!!!  I just can't see him in a "bed" yet......he would look more like a doll or stuffed animal in it!!  lol  I am also not ready for him to fall or climb out of a bed and get into lots of other mischief!!  YES, he sure is cute......but he sure can be naughty!!  After all, he is a boy:)  I'm just so afraid of the can of worms that we could be opening!  It's just too soon!!

I posted a comment on FB and got lots of feedback.  I am still interested in hearing more about what YOU did with your little one(s)!!  Please........HELP!!  The crib tent cover was suggested too.....I'll have to look more into this!  Landon is an explorer AND he is determined.  How long will it be before he figures his way out of that too??!!  Well I guess it could buy me time, right?! 

The reason I am really getting concerned is because this past weekend, Landon was so determined to climb an ottoman at a family birthday party.  Once he set his site on the ottoman, he was more determined than ever to conquer it.  After about 5 or 6 failed attempts, he put his frustration to good use!  YES, the boy succeeded.......and then.....HE WOULDN'T STOP!!!  Oh, and did I mention that he can climb onto our couch now.......just wish he could find a more graceful way to get off!!  lol

It's very interesting in this world of "delays" that he would be right on track in the terrible two's department!  Correction.......he is actually ahead of the game!!  lol  Although I am very happy for Landon's gross motor explosion.......I am so not ready to have 3 boys on the go!!  Boy am I in TROUBLE!!! 

Note to self:  Be VERY CAREFUL what you wish for!!

Changing direction here........

Our local support group 21FrienDS is collecting recipes for a Mother's Day fundraiser!  We are trying to collect as many recipes from our families & friends to make this a successful event.  Do you have a favorite dish, smoothie, dessert or appetizer that you like to make??  Care to share it??  All recipes will reference the person sharing as (Landon's T21 friend/family, Landon's OT, Friend of the Gomes Family. etc.)  Please include your name & where you are from.  You will also have a chance to purchase these cookbooks on line, too!!  All proceeds will go to 21FrienDS for parent seminars, group activities, education materials, etc.!  I would love for some of Landon's blogging buddies to be included!!  Please share!!  You can email me your recipe at:
kelbelle101@comcast.net
or you can fax them to me at: 508-997-4520. 

We are collecting recipes until this Friday, February 11th......which just happens to be Landon's 2nd birthday!!!

Also, Kim, 21FrienDS' group leader has officially introduced our support group to Face book.  If you have a chance, stop on by and "Like" our page or request to join the group!!  (you can find the link on my FB profile page)  We cover the Southeastern, MA area from Cape Cod to Rhode Island!!  You do not have to be from our area, sharing information and ideas with other support groups (both near and far) and networking can only make "OUR" Ds community that much stronger!!  Thank you Kim for giving us the opportunity to share our children with others and for giving others the opportunity to learn more about Down syndrome (FIRST HAND)!  Our kiddos are touching and opening hearts.......EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!!

The Price You Pay.........

.........if you don't play by Landon's rules.........

Landon's First Steps!!!

Yesterday morning found Landon & I at the pediatrician's office.  An awful cough hit Landon hard.......the result......STREP THROAT & CROUP!!  Ugh!  We were so close to making it through a whole month "sick free"!!  Ok, so we'll try this again in February!!  And we'll keep our fingers crossed that he at least remains "sick free" until after his 2nd birthday (Feb. 11th)!!  If you recall, he wasn't so lucky for his 1st birthday:(  Although we got some not-so-good news.......there has to be some GOOD for every not-so-good, right??!!  Well my friends, Landon has officially joined the 20+ pound club!!  That's right, he weighed in at 20lbs. 11oz!!  AND......he did it exactly 2 weeks BEFORE his 2nd birthday!!  YEAH!!!  BUT......(yes, there is always a BUT in there).....his pediatrician feels that it is best if he remains rear-facing until he gains a few more pounds......ha!......so we are hoping he will face forward by the time he is 3!!!  lol  Oh well, we are one step closer!!

A few posts ago, I mentioned how Landon has been sporadically taking some independent steps.  It always happens so quickly and it has not been easy trying to catch it on film.  BUT, (see, there's always a BUT), I have been determined to catch his first steps so that I could share it with everyone.  I don't have to tell any of you just how hard Landon has been working to achieve this milestone.......MOST of you already know this.  But I know that ALL of you can appreciate his hard work and know what a BIG moment this is for Landon AND for us!!  What better way than to share & celebrate this moment than with our closest family & friends!!

Landon DID IT!!  He just might be running around the backyard with his brothers this spring!!!

Poor Elmo:(

Ahhhhh, boys!!!!!!!!!

"Happy" Water Therapy

Although the holidays brought lots of chaos, they also brought Landon a much needed break from his busy therapy schedule.  We were at a bit of a stand still where water therapy was concerned.  When Landon began water therapy, he was very receptive to it.  But as time went by, he became quite stubborn and pretty much made his PT work MUCH harder than he did.  We tried pretty much everything, turning off the lights, talking softly (to avoid the echo) and keeping his ears covered with a "swim band".  It was just enough to pacify Landon into getting in the pool where he would then turn to complete "mush".  It was pretty pathetic!!  lol

I guess............absence REALLY does make the heart grow fonder!!  After a 4 week break from the pool, Landon gave us all a BIG surprise!!  Not only did he just tolerate his session......he actually worked (willingly) & ENJOYED it.......with the lights on & no swimband to drown out the sound!!

Note to Self:  When times get stressful, take a break, regroup and TRY AGAIN!!

Ds CLINIC!!!

This past Thursday, Scott, Landon & I hit the icy roads and made our way to Children's Hospital Boston for Landon's appointment with the Ds clinic.  Landon sees a team of therapists and a pediatrician (all who specialize in Ds) about once every 6-8 months.  I guess you could say that Scott & I use this as a "checkpoint" to see how Landon's weekly EI therapies are helping him to achieve different goals and to see if there are any other recommendations that the clinic might have to offer.  After all, this clinic is specifically designed for children with Down syndrome.

I am happy to report that Landon did extremely well and Scott & I were able to have some questions that we had, answered.  Landon's day went something like this:

Pediatrician:

Landon had his exam with Dr. Davidson and everything looked good overall.  She charted his weight/height/head circumference......and GUESS WHAT??  Landon is officially "TOUCHING" the Ds growth chart for weight.  He was 19lbs. 11oz. and was in the 1 percentile.  lol  I'm just so happy his weight issue is heading in the right direction.  (Looks like his feeding therapy is working.)  His height was in the 10th percentile and his head circumference in the 25th percentile.  Dr. Davidson felt that although Landon is on the small side, he is growing in proportion.  Yay!!  She also gave us a "Follow Up" plan on testing that would be coming up.  It helps having it written on a form with all the info in one place.  She gave us some highly recommended websites to check out (most that we are already familiar with).

Two areas of focus right now are: speech & walking.  Although Landon has 2 ST's a week, I know that this is an area in need of much help.  Dr. Davidson recommended the Augmentative Communication Program as additional help in this area.  Once we figure out Landon's preferable way of communicating, we can tackle this area more directly.  Landon has about 30 signs he uses consistently, we use many different apps on the iPad and he enjoys using picture symbols.  Although he is attempting to put his lips together to make sounds, he is having a difficult time following through. 

PT:

We met with Priscilla (PT) for about 45 minutes.  She pretty much did a therapy session with Landon to see what he could do.  As I stated in a previous post, Landon is sporadically taking about 3-4 independent steps now.  I like to say that this skill is EMERGING as he is not doing this consistently yet.  However, we have been watching Landon's feet closely as it appears that he tends to roll in on his ankles.  We have been debating about AFO's with his EI therapists but the con census has always been to let his feet strengthen "naturally".  At this point, this thought process remains, seeing Landon is just now spending more time on his feet than on his hands & knees, we need to give him the opportunity to develop on his own.  With that said, we will monitor his feet closely over the next couple of months and go from there.  Landon has already self-corrected a couple of things in this area......first his right foot turned in, and was later corrected......then it was his left foot, same thing.  His feet are now straight when he cruises.  We just need to give his ankles a little more time to see if Landon can correct it on his own.  With that said, we don't want too much time to go by that could cause any other issues, so we will watch him closely.

Priscilla also noted that Landon would benefit from a lot of sit to stand activities.  This will help him to keep his hips aligned in the correct position while strengthen his legs and ankles at the same time.  Note taken!!  Another thought would be minimal sensory input (via Spio Vest).  Only to be used for certain activities.  Not an absolute necessity, but another option.  If anyone has any input on this vest, please share!!

Dental:

Landon now has 7 teeth and we were informed that an 8th tooth is making its way down.  Although Landon's teeth have come in, in random order, they appear to be coming in straight and even.  They are slightly jagged on the ends and his molars do have a semi-deep groove.  I am pretty faithful in the brushing area and Landon seems to be OK with this.  His two front teeth are straight but they appear to be very close together.  Possible crowding later on??!!  The recommendation at this point is: if & when we choose to offer Landon juice........stay away from apple juice.  In liquid form apples are super high in sugar.  And because Landon's molars tend to have deep grooves.......stay away from raisins!  Because they are sticky in nature as you chew them, they tend to get caught in the grooves which is a very difficult area to brush.  INTERESTING!!!

Nutrition:

This is one of the 2 areas (nutrition/speech) that I was a bit disappointed!  After giving the nutritionist a run down of Landon's daily feeding schedule and an overview of what he has been doing with the Feeding clinic......there really wasn't any recommendations.  Hmmmm!!  I'm not really sure if it was because we are doing everything that needs to be done at this time (with Landon's feeding specialist)??  STRANGE!!  This session took all of about 15 minutes:(

Speech:

Another disappointment:(  After giving the speech therapist a rundown of Landon's services and what he IS and IS NOT doing, there really wasn't any distinct recommendations!  Not even confirmation that Dr. Davidson's recommendation of the ACP (augmentative communication program) was a great idea!!  WEIRD!!  She sat there making "m", "b", "d" and "l" sounds with Landon to see if he would copy her (hmmm, didn't I just tell her that he does not do that??)  Landon does make all of those sounds.......when he wants to!!!! 

Audiology:

We took a pass on this session, this time around.  Landon will see the clinics ENT, Dr. Lee next month (February 14th).  It had been a very long morning (about 4 hours) and Landon was getting very hungry & tired.  (Mommy & Daddy too:)

Opthamology:

Landon is due for his follow up eye exam next month!!  Stay tuned:)

I would like to state that this clinic generally has about 4 different therapists in each area (and 1 pediatrician).  However, depending on your appointment date and the cycle rotation of the therapists, you just don't know who you are going to get.  Although we were disappointed (this time around with speech and nutrition), we generally have been extremely happy with this clinic.  The information provided has always been extremely informative.  I still feel very fortunate to live so close to Children's Hospital and I am grateful to the Ds clinic and all that it has to offer!!

We would love to hear any of your thoughts/ideas/recommendations regarding any of these issues that your kiddos may have experienced!!  PLEASE SHARE!!