Piggy Tails!

Sarah's hair is getting so long so I decided to try piggy tails on her.  She  is so cute! Hmm, she is not thrilled with the new do.  Now she has to figure out how to get two bows out before mommy catches her and puts them back. From the back. Brotherly love. Sarah has also grown.  Today I had to put on 3 outfits before I found one that fit.  She just wore these outfits!  She is now in 24 mo/2T.  Wow, we started the summer still wearing some 12 mo.  Her foot has also grown.  Her toes were at the tops of her shoes this morning too.  How much can a kid grow in one night?  I had to go buy new shoes today.  Size 5.  She was wearing a 1 or 2 when we adopted her.  Her feet look huge in these shoes, but they are the right size.  Wow.

Sarah Excels

Sarah is doing great.  Once she got her tubes in she is in to everything and doing something new every few days.  She can pull to stand on anything now.  She is taking steps holding on with one or two hands.  She is crawling and scooting as well as continuing to roll.  She has started going up the stairs.  She is repeating words that we say and saying new things.  Today she even tried to stand without pulling up.  She got up on hands and knees and then put one foot down and then just one hand.  She could not get up, but she is trying!!!  We had her IFSP meeting yesterday in which we basically look at last time's goals and write new goals.  Miss S had met most of her goals and then some and we had to write mostly new goals for her!!!  YAY!!!  Also the physical therapist calculated that for stationary skills she was at 50% delay in Jan now she is only 33% delay!!  Most do not decrease their percent delay and if so not by that much!  On locomotor she was at 56% delay and now 43% delay.  How is that for proving statistics WRONG!!!  WAY TO GO GIRL!!!!  OT was only showing at 27% delay.  They have to have 25% to be delayed.  I don't know what % she was when we started.  In personal-social skills she is at 20 months of age, adaptive 15 months, Receptive communication 19 mo, expressive 15 mo, cognitive 21 mo.  How is that for improvement!  We were told last year at the Down syndrome clinic that basically to expect Sarah to do things at twice the age a "typical" child would.  We told them that we expected Sarah to do things as she was capable and we would not accept their norms.  She is encouraged and challenged to excel at her pace and she has picked a fast pace!  We are so proud of our little angel.  She is such a blessing.  Today we also had her sedated ABR(hearing test).  She has failed 3 hearing test and we got the usual speech that  children with DS are at high risk for hearing loss, we don't think the regular test is accurate based on what she is doing, but we need to do this test to just make sure.  We prayed that her hearing would be normal.  We felt in our hearts it was.  She acted like it was normal and PRAISE THE LORD it is.  She has perfect hearing.  God has been so good to us.  He gave us two beautiful children that have blessed us so much.  Please pray for Sarah she is having a bit of a rough time from the anesthesia.  She acted like she was afraid that her throat would hurt like it did with her tonsillectomy and would not drink or swallow for a bit.  She also has whelps from the tape on her eyes, around her mouth, the heart monitor, and IV area.  The IV area is also bruised.  She looks pitiful, but she is a trooper and played and had a good afternoon despite all she had been through today.

Hard Head

Today we went to the water park with the church preschool department and Abigail and her mommy.  The kids really enjoyed the water although it was very chilly water.  Elijah did not even seem to have a fear of it today.  It was great to see him really enjoy playing in the water and not afraid of it.  It was also much easier to hang on to wild water girl with him being more independent.  We then had a picnic lunch.  All was going well when Elijah flipped off the picnic bench and landed head first on the concrete.  It knocked his breath out and took a few seconds for him to cry.  I couldn't figure out how to get to him while holding Sarah.  A friend got to me and took Sarah and I grabbed Elijah as he started screaming.  It seemed like hours, but was only seconds.   Once I got him calmed down I could not find a knot on his head and panicked.  I immediately called the ped, and they gave me the info I already knew that I needed to watch for and if he had those symptoms to go to the ER.   I was more concerned that he did not have a goose egg knot.  I loaded up and we came home.  I called Doug and told him to be ready to meet me at the ER if Elijah did not have a knot by the time we got home I was going to the ER.  Well, he made up for not having a knot to begin with.  I can see the knot across the room now!  No ER trip for now.  He is fine.  He is eating, playing and acting fine.  I will keep watching him and make sure he does ok.  While Elijah was screaming Sarah joined him.  She screamed louder than he did.  She did not like seeing her brother hurt and crying.  They are so close.  They have a very tight bond that melts my heart.  I know that the bond they are creating now will last them through adulthood.  I pray that it grows stronger everyday and they are always close.  Sarah was so happy to be in the carseat next to brother so she could make sure he was ok herself.  She is also fine now.  She was a bit clingy when we got home, and is napping now.  Think she was just startled at mommy handing her over to someone fast.  I took the camera, but did not get any pictures.  I will try next time!!  Hope everyone has a great day.  Snuggle with your kids a bit today, I know I am.

3-D Grandma

Well, ok Grandma is not 3-D.  The kids are wearing 3-D glasses from VBS.  But....I made you look!!!!!!! Here are some more pictures of the kids at Grandma's: Sorry today's is short, I am too tired to think.  I will try to share more tomorrow.  Have a great evening.

Family Reunion

We had a great time at the family reunion on Sunday.  Sarah got to drive Elizabeth's wheelchair.  Yes, by accident...She grabbed the control and took off.  Good thing I was in front of the wheelchair and was able to get her hand off the control.  Boy that could have been wild!!  I don't think Elizabeth would want to go on a ride with Sarah at the wheel.  Here are a few pictures of Sarah and Elizabeth: Deanna (Doug's sister) had fun holding Sarah, of course today Sarah seems to think I need to hold her all day.  Of course I have tons of time to do that today along with therapy appointment, laundry, unpacking, cleaning the rim from the toilet, etc.  Why is it that I clean before going on a trip and return 4 days later and there is a rim in the toilet?  That just is not right.  I have added those new vavoom things to the tank.  I will let you know if they work, of course I still need to clean the rim so I will know if it works or not.  Maybe I will get to that this week.  Maybe.  Lindsey also enjoyed holding Sarah. Hmm, I think this is a theme.  Elizabeth, Deanna and Lindsey all holding Sarah.  No wonder she is rotten.  Tony just ate. and ate Ok Tony I am going to take your picture, put your fork down!!God's Handiwork Sorry, Tony I had to pick on someone!  Elijah was in a mood and would not let me take his picture, but I did anyway. Those are all of our family reunion pictures.  I have more pictures with Grandma I will share later in the week.  Hope everyone has a great week!!

Going to Grandma's!!

We are heading to IN to see Grandma and to go to a family reunion.  This will be the first time Sarah has gone to the reunion.  Last year she was still trying to adjust and bond so we did not go.  I think Elijah and Doug went and the girls stayed at home.  We have decided to leave tonight after kindermusik in hopes that they will sleep.  I do not want a repeat of last weeks travel to Pop-Pop's.  Elijah was asking how many more minutes before we ever got to the interstate.  Please pray that they sleep.  I will post again on Mon of our adventures.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!!! I love looking back at last summer's pictures.  They look so little. Here is a picture at Elijah's 2nd birthday and one of Sarah this month, they are almost the same age in these pictures: 

Then, Now, and more to come!!

Last June about a month after Sarah came home: Look how little they look.  Wow how they have grown.  Sarah was just holding her head up and occasionally rolling over.  Now she is into everything and on the go!! Here is a recent picture: They are great siblings.  They love each other so much.  Sarah looks up to Elijah and loves to imitate him and do what he is doing.  Elijah is so loving to Sarah.  He is a great big brother.  Doug and I turned in our formal application for another adoption last week and started our training classes this week.  I know another child will be a blessing and will be accepted by all.  I guess today as I look at my family I wonder how will another child impact us?  How will it affect Elijah and Sarah?  How will it impact Elijah's and Sarah's relationship?  What does the future hold?  Only God knows and he has it all figured out.  He has the perfect baby planned for us.  Look at Sarah and how perfect she is.  Only God could create such a beautiful family like ours.  I do not doubt or worry about the future because I know God is in control and has it all planned.  I guess I am being sentimental today and just wondering, maybe a little worried, about a third child and the impact of all of the changes to our family.  I know this is normal.  We all question changes.  Hmm, now I need to figure out the nursery.  I am planning on putting the baby and Sarah together until they are a little older, but maybe I need to put the baby in our room in a crib at first.  Oh well, something to think about in the coming months of waiting.  Hmm, guess I need to get the house in order for the homevisit.  Better get the paint cans out and get to work!

Warning....

Never leave a 21 month child unsupervised with a pop-tart or this could happen.....

Hmmm, yes that is filling up her nose!  I turned my back to fix Elijah some juice and she grabbed the pop-tart off the plate and proceeded to feed herself.  I think she liked it... Well maybe...... there might be more on her hands than what actually got in her mouth... I should have taken pictures of the highchair when we were finished.  I did not realize that one pop-tart could be spread and smeared on soooooooooo many places.  It took me over 30 minutes to get the pop-tart off the highchair.  I do not think we will experience the joy of pop-tarts again for a long, long, long time.  Besides, they don't have any nutritional value to them, they are just one of the few things that Elijah will eat of a morning that do not require cooking.  He loves eggs and bacon.  Now, how many mornings do you think I have time to cook?  I am doing good if we are dressed by noon add cooking and we are still in our jammies when Doug gets home at night!!  We have a fast breakfast on mornings that Sarah has therapy so that is 3 days.  I did find the oatmeal mini cookies that they both seem to like and they are not as messy.  Maybe we will stick to those for now!

Weekend Fun!!!

On Friday we headed to Pop-Pop and Karen's for the weekend.  Everyone had a blast. Elijah loved the fishing and caught several fish.  He caught the biggest fish.  I think it was a brim.  Pop-Pop told him it was one of the biggest brim he had ever seen. Elijah was so proud of that fish.  Then as they were taking another fish off the hook, it got free and began flipping about.  It hit Elijah in the head as he was trying to catch it.  That turned in to a whopper of a fishing tale and became a shark that hit him in the head!!!  Hmm, fishing tales start early.  Sarah was not as impressed with the fishing.  She had her fun in the pool.  She splashed and kicked until she wore herself out and she fell asleep in the float.  It was so cute.  Elijah is not as thrilled with the water.  I think it is time for swimming lessons for him.  It took him forever to get use to the water and then he would only go in with Sarah's float that had the seat in it.  We spent Father's Day there and headed home after lunch. No, it still is not fun traveling with kids.  They are not good travelers.  We are going to Grandma's this weekend.  We have decided to go at bedtime in hopes that they sleep.

VBS

This week in VBS at church.  I have been taking pictures and last night I viewed them on the computer and I guess I did not save them and of course I erased the card when I reinserted it in the camera today.  I am so upset that I have lost all of those pictures.  I had some really good ones.  Oh well, that is that. 

VBS has really been good.  I am helping to teach 1st grade.  We have mostly boys.  They are a bit wild, but really are doing good.  They are having a great time.  Elijah is in a great class.  They are doing tons of stuff.  He is having a ball.  Sarah is doing good also.  She is really loving music and all of the attention.  She is sitting at the table by herself and feeding herself.  She looks so big sitting at the table.  Today they had snow cones and she really loved her's.  She is really standing alone a lot now and is balancing well.  She is wanting to take steps and will take one and then freezes or leans until you catch her.  She will be walking soon.  I will try to take pictures again tomorrow and will post if I can.  Here are a few that I took this afternoon of Sarah standing and proof that she really loved her snow cone.

Water Park

This morning we took the kids to the water park.  They both had a blast.  It took Elijah awhile to get use to the water, but then he had a lot of fun.  Sarah took right to it.  She loves the water.  They only lasted about 1 1/2 hours and then they had enough.  We grabbed a snack and Sarah nearly fell asleep eating so we left, got some lunch and came on home.  Both kids took a good nap.  Here are some pictures of our fun!  Oh, I forgot, but Sarah crawled across the playroom floor today!!!!  She has done a short crawl, but never this far.  She was so proud.  Of course the camera was upstairs so I would not forget it and she has yet to crawl again.  Maybe soon I will get it on video to share!

Found my camera

It was buried deeper than I thought!  LOL!!!  Here is more of the fun...... I love seeing Abbe's hair flying and Elijah's expressions!  They are so cute.  Olivia was cute trying to do what the big kids were doing.  Can you believe she is only 6 months older than Sarah?  She is so much bigger than Sarah, and way more active.  Sarah did her best keeping up with them today.  She was right there doing what they were.  She was taking a nap during the ball bouncing fun!