1. his sweet spirit...he is such a precious baby boy!
2. how hard he works to do things that are so easy for other kiddos...without complaint!
3. his delightful laugh.....sometimes it's more of a chuckle!
4. the love he has for his brothers....and that they have for him!
5. his sweet, always ready, smile!
6. how he loves people.....all people! he is very people oriented!
7. his cute little commando crawl that gets him anywhere he wants to go! even though now he's
crawling on all fours mostly!
8. how he brightens any room he's in....home, dr's offices, church....the list goes on!
9. the love he has for my parents (g-mama and g-daddy)....he just lights up when he sees them!
10. how cuddly he is! he's a real "cuddle-bug!"
11. his silly faces....i've got to start catching them with the camera!
12. how he has drawn people together!
13. his love and interest in books....it's so funny when he takes a book away from us and
turns around with it, like "just for me!"....to "read" on his own!
14. the ministry i believe that he will have throughout his life!
15. how he has helped me realize there is more to life than "perfection"....which is SO overrated!
16. his beautiful hair!
17. how he gets SOOOOO excited about the littlest things!
18. the unconditional love he has for me...even when i don't deserve it!
19. how he claps for himself....it's so adorable! like, "look at me...did you see what i did?"
20. that extra twenty-first chromosome!
21. that he is our special, unexpected, surprise bonus baby gift from God!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
31 for 21: Day 30 Life is Good...We are Blessed!
wow! have i really blogged every day this month? i can't believe how this month has flown by! wyatt is napping now before we get him dressed for the afternoon's festivities. we'll probably hit a fall festival or two, and then go by my parent's house and sister's house for them to see the boys. ethan will be dressed up like a taco bell employee......he's working at taco bell tonight~ i convinced forrest to pair up with wyatt this year....he will be a knight and wyatt will be the dragon! i'm sure they will be so cute! our church fall festival is tomorrow night, and it is always a lot of fun!
tim and forrest have spent most of the morning in forrest's room cleaning out. seriously cleaning out! one thing that several parents of adults with Down syndrome have told me is how neat and clean their kids are! yay! there's hope yet! maybe wyatt will help forrest learn some organizational skills and encourage more tidiness! ha ha ha! if he'll just keep his own room clean i'll be thrilled!
most often i hear how "sweet" children with Ds are! this from people who don't have a child with Ds....parents of kids with Ds who are older than wyatt just laugh at this one! so far he is sweet, but he's also exhibited quite a stubborn streak! if he doesn't want to do something....good luck! and he's strong as an ox! not sure what i'm going to do with him when he gets bigger! pray for a cooperative spirit!
we've learned so much in the past 16 months......we knew virtually nothing about Ds! and we've had the opportunity to share and educate so many of our friends and family as well. i know that we have much to learn as he grows and goes through different stages....just like with our older children! they are complete opposites of each other, and we've had to learn how to parent each of them differently as well! the biggest difference that we have had with wyatt is all the medical interventions.....our older boys were exceptionally healthy! we have been blessed with three wonderful boys......and are so thankful that God entrusted us with our little wyatt, who was never in our plans.....but always in God's plan, which is so much greater than ours!
tim and forrest have spent most of the morning in forrest's room cleaning out. seriously cleaning out! one thing that several parents of adults with Down syndrome have told me is how neat and clean their kids are! yay! there's hope yet! maybe wyatt will help forrest learn some organizational skills and encourage more tidiness! ha ha ha! if he'll just keep his own room clean i'll be thrilled!
most often i hear how "sweet" children with Ds are! this from people who don't have a child with Ds....parents of kids with Ds who are older than wyatt just laugh at this one! so far he is sweet, but he's also exhibited quite a stubborn streak! if he doesn't want to do something....good luck! and he's strong as an ox! not sure what i'm going to do with him when he gets bigger! pray for a cooperative spirit!
we've learned so much in the past 16 months......we knew virtually nothing about Ds! and we've had the opportunity to share and educate so many of our friends and family as well. i know that we have much to learn as he grows and goes through different stages....just like with our older children! they are complete opposites of each other, and we've had to learn how to parent each of them differently as well! the biggest difference that we have had with wyatt is all the medical interventions.....our older boys were exceptionally healthy! we have been blessed with three wonderful boys......and are so thankful that God entrusted us with our little wyatt, who was never in our plans.....but always in God's plan, which is so much greater than ours!
Friday, October 29, 2010
31 for 21: Day 29 How Much Does Wyatt Hear?
today turned out a little differently than i expected. that happens a lot with wyatt. i had to "play doctor"..... at least i had to decide if he needed to see a doctor! ongoingly, i am not sure about wyatt's hearing, if there's fluid in his ears, if he has an ear infection, if he's congested......the list goes on. it's so hard to tell with wyatt, he just does not express much pain, and has had an ear infection with no real symptoms. he has only been diagnosed with one ear infection, but i am concerned that he may have had other infections that we were not aware of when he has been congested in the past.
all that leads up to today.....actually last night. as we were playing, wyatt did not respond to the squeaky sound of his discovery toys blue ball....and he was wearing his hearing aid. we tried over and over and got no response. he also had a glob of yellow/green snot at one point after he got upset about something. this week he has also sounded kind of "chokey;" like he was gagging on drainage. he was also playing with one ear, poking at it. this morning i told his developmentalist (who is also an RN) all this, and she tried the blue ball again, with no response. she recommended that i take him in and have him checked.
i am glad i did.....the ENT saw him within 30 minutes, and prescribed an antibiotic for his sinus issues. we talked a while about wyatt's adenoids and eustachian tube, and my concerns that he might have blockage of his eustachian tube due to his adenoids. he decided to order an x-ray of his adenoids, the only way to determine if his adenoids are large. we know wyatt's tonsils are large, but he told me that they do not remove tonsils at this age. ugh! but they do remove adenoids if they need to be removed. yay! so we go back in 2 weeks to follow up on that.
we also did a quick booth test there with our audiologist and he tested wyatt at around 20 decibals in his left year! yay! praise God! previously he has tested at 35+, so this is improvement. our audiologist also indicated that the booth at that office is not that great for testing, which means he might test better in their office. i'm glad he tested that he is hearing better, but i am still concerned about the high pitch of the ball that he does not respond to.....maybe it's the congestion.....or not.....i just wish there were definitive answers somewhere!
kiddos with Down syndrome often have hearing loss....it is usually conductive, which means it might not be permanent. often as they grow, the ear canals enlarge and allow for better hearing. they also often have problems with sleep apnea, which can be treated with the removal of their tonsils and adenoids, which might be large. so that's just another medical specialty that i am working on!
all that leads up to today.....actually last night. as we were playing, wyatt did not respond to the squeaky sound of his discovery toys blue ball....and he was wearing his hearing aid. we tried over and over and got no response. he also had a glob of yellow/green snot at one point after he got upset about something. this week he has also sounded kind of "chokey;" like he was gagging on drainage. he was also playing with one ear, poking at it. this morning i told his developmentalist (who is also an RN) all this, and she tried the blue ball again, with no response. she recommended that i take him in and have him checked.
i am glad i did.....the ENT saw him within 30 minutes, and prescribed an antibiotic for his sinus issues. we talked a while about wyatt's adenoids and eustachian tube, and my concerns that he might have blockage of his eustachian tube due to his adenoids. he decided to order an x-ray of his adenoids, the only way to determine if his adenoids are large. we know wyatt's tonsils are large, but he told me that they do not remove tonsils at this age. ugh! but they do remove adenoids if they need to be removed. yay! so we go back in 2 weeks to follow up on that.
we also did a quick booth test there with our audiologist and he tested wyatt at around 20 decibals in his left year! yay! praise God! previously he has tested at 35+, so this is improvement. our audiologist also indicated that the booth at that office is not that great for testing, which means he might test better in their office. i'm glad he tested that he is hearing better, but i am still concerned about the high pitch of the ball that he does not respond to.....maybe it's the congestion.....or not.....i just wish there were definitive answers somewhere!
kiddos with Down syndrome often have hearing loss....it is usually conductive, which means it might not be permanent. often as they grow, the ear canals enlarge and allow for better hearing. they also often have problems with sleep apnea, which can be treated with the removal of their tonsils and adenoids, which might be large. so that's just another medical specialty that i am working on!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
31 for 21: Day 28 Friendships are a Blessing.....
i've been encouraged this week.....two people that i didn't realize were reading mentioned how much they have enjoyed reading every day....one mentioned that she hasn't been able to open her link this week and is disappointed. another said that i'll have to keep up the daily posts! that's the encouragement that i needed to keep writing.....thanks ladies!
i am so blessed to have so many people who love and support us in this unexpected journey. i know that i have blogged about some of them already, but i would be remiss to not mention two friends who have walked every step of this journey with me. susan and shirley have been with us throughout. they are the two first people i told that we were pregnant. (and they were as shocked as we were!) they are the two first people i told, sobbing, that wednesday afternoon when we got home from the hospital, that wyatt might have Down syndrome. susan lives here and shirley lives in louisiana....i miss her so much! they have been my shoulders to cry on, my encouragers, my supports, my friends.
they have both given up so much to be there for us. shirley would have gotten in her car and drove down here that wednesday afternoon if i needed her to....she offered. she did come and stay with us for a week after wyatt was born, to help me. she left her family behind to be here with us, which is not easy when you have 3 kids at home to make arrangements for. she cooked, cleaned, shopped, and did so much for us while she was here. she did the same thing after wyatt's open heart surgery. i will never forget the sacrifices she made to be with me when i needed her.
susan made arrangements for endless meals to be provided for us after wyatt was born and after his open heart surgery. she has been there for me in so many ways.....no matter what, she will drop everything to do anything that i need! she drove my parents and tim's mom up to atlanta for wyatt's open heart surgery. again, no small task, having to make arrangements for 2 kids at home. but she never hesitated to do that for us. she was a tremendous support to us that week in atlanta, especially during the waiting. she helped me "think" when i was too overwhelmed to process "stuff!"
i do know how tremendously i am blessed to have these friends.....to have so many of these friends! christy and kym, who i've posted about previously....and so many others. it saddens me to think that there are people who do not have the support system that i have. our common bond is our love for Christ and our relationship with Him. He brought us together at different times in each of our lives, and He continues to bless our relationships.
i am so blessed to have so many people who love and support us in this unexpected journey. i know that i have blogged about some of them already, but i would be remiss to not mention two friends who have walked every step of this journey with me. susan and shirley have been with us throughout. they are the two first people i told that we were pregnant. (and they were as shocked as we were!) they are the two first people i told, sobbing, that wednesday afternoon when we got home from the hospital, that wyatt might have Down syndrome. susan lives here and shirley lives in louisiana....i miss her so much! they have been my shoulders to cry on, my encouragers, my supports, my friends.
they have both given up so much to be there for us. shirley would have gotten in her car and drove down here that wednesday afternoon if i needed her to....she offered. she did come and stay with us for a week after wyatt was born, to help me. she left her family behind to be here with us, which is not easy when you have 3 kids at home to make arrangements for. she cooked, cleaned, shopped, and did so much for us while she was here. she did the same thing after wyatt's open heart surgery. i will never forget the sacrifices she made to be with me when i needed her.
susan made arrangements for endless meals to be provided for us after wyatt was born and after his open heart surgery. she has been there for me in so many ways.....no matter what, she will drop everything to do anything that i need! she drove my parents and tim's mom up to atlanta for wyatt's open heart surgery. again, no small task, having to make arrangements for 2 kids at home. but she never hesitated to do that for us. she was a tremendous support to us that week in atlanta, especially during the waiting. she helped me "think" when i was too overwhelmed to process "stuff!"
i do know how tremendously i am blessed to have these friends.....to have so many of these friends! christy and kym, who i've posted about previously....and so many others. it saddens me to think that there are people who do not have the support system that i have. our common bond is our love for Christ and our relationship with Him. He brought us together at different times in each of our lives, and He continues to bless our relationships.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
31 for 21: Day 27 Wordless Wednesday....Pure Joy!
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| walking with "bubba" (forrest) |
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| me and my dad! |
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| wow! |
the pure joy in wyatt's face in these pictures is simply beautiful!
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| this is the pic we used for "wyatt's warriors" buddy walk team tag this year! |
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| hanging out w/ethan and megan |
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
31 for 21: Day 26 The Toy Store We Call Home.....
our house looks like a toy store! it looks like toys r us exploded in our living room! i know that i am not alone. i've actually seen other homes that look just like ours! it seems that just about every week one therapist or another brings a really cool toy for wyatt to work with. "just" what he needs! and then i'm off to get the next "must have" for him......much to tim's chagrin! i think it's the "i've got to give him every advantage because of the Ds" mentality that causes me to buy whatever he needs developmentally at the time! i actually do try to buy things that will last a long time and have multiple uses.....
we have TONS of books; wyatt LOVES books! he sits and "reads" them a lot....he even says "open" when he opens the book sometimes! we also have LOTS of balls; all kinds of balls. big beach balls, little hard balls, medium size texture balls....wyatt loves balls, and throws the ball back and forth to anyone who will play with him! and he loves musical toys....of all varieties! from his baby einstein piano to his fisher price sing and play stage, to bells, shakers, etc.....the list goes on and on! he'll sit and press the buttons on his baby einstein book and "dance;" rocking back and forth or side to side....in rhythm with the music! he's so funny!
the list of toys goes on and on and on; of course it doesn't help that i actually saved lots of the older boys' toys.....they accumulated quite a few as well! i was thinking this morning it would be good to have shelves somewhere so we could rotate toys on and off the floor....instead of having them spread out all over the living room! oh well....he's only a toddler for a short time.... one day our floors will be clean and bare again, and we'll have a teenager "holed" up in his room watching tv, playing video games, texting his girlfriend.......sigh...
we have TONS of books; wyatt LOVES books! he sits and "reads" them a lot....he even says "open" when he opens the book sometimes! we also have LOTS of balls; all kinds of balls. big beach balls, little hard balls, medium size texture balls....wyatt loves balls, and throws the ball back and forth to anyone who will play with him! and he loves musical toys....of all varieties! from his baby einstein piano to his fisher price sing and play stage, to bells, shakers, etc.....the list goes on and on! he'll sit and press the buttons on his baby einstein book and "dance;" rocking back and forth or side to side....in rhythm with the music! he's so funny!
the list of toys goes on and on and on; of course it doesn't help that i actually saved lots of the older boys' toys.....they accumulated quite a few as well! i was thinking this morning it would be good to have shelves somewhere so we could rotate toys on and off the floor....instead of having them spread out all over the living room! oh well....he's only a toddler for a short time.... one day our floors will be clean and bare again, and we'll have a teenager "holed" up in his room watching tv, playing video games, texting his girlfriend.......sigh...
Monday, October 25, 2010
31 For 21: Day 25 Wyatt's Hearing.....
so wyatt received his bone conductive hearing aid last week. i know that a lot of kiddos with Ds have mild to moderate hearing loss, and my goal is for him to speak as clearly as he possibly can. the educational specialist at hope haven reminded me last week not to be so focused on his speech that i neglect other forms of communication (i.e. picture cards and signing).....i'm trying to remember that!
his audiologist is not convinced that he needs the bone conductive hearing aid. his developmentalist and speech therapist think that if it helps him at all, then it's worth it. i agree with them. however, i am not sure how/when i will know if it is helping him! i asked his audiologist this morning if he will give him the "booth" test to try and see if there is any improvement. he said we can try that in a couple of weeks, once wyatt gets more used to it. i THINK that he is responding to whispers on that side of his head, but i'm not sure. he's probably only worn it about 6 hours total since we received it about a week ago. let's just say that he does not just leave it alone and go about his merry way! he's done better with it than i thought, but it's a struggle.
it does not look like i thought it would look; we were expecting the "baha" type that is worn on a stretchy "sweatband" type thing that wraps around his forehead. this one is on thin metal strips that are like a headband over the top of his head, with the aid and receiver sitting behind his ears. it does not look awfully comfortable; it has to fit rather snugly. maybe he's getting in some good OT every time he "whips" it off his head! every time i fit it back on him, i smile sweetly and say "thank you Jesus that Wyatt can hear!" trying to convince him that this is a good thing!
i'm anxious to see if there is any difference in his hearing test. i wish that we could test him tomorrow....but i feel like i'm "bugging" our audiologist! it would be nice to know if it's working! last night the (very young) waitress at ihop asked us about it; specialists have recommended that her 3 year old, who has cerebral palsy, get an implant for mild hearing loss. i'm glad that i was able to talk with her about it, from the little bit of experience and multitude of research i've done! i love how God works through our life experiences to minister to and help others......
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| bone conductive hearing aid |
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| picture cards.... |
his audiologist is not convinced that he needs the bone conductive hearing aid. his developmentalist and speech therapist think that if it helps him at all, then it's worth it. i agree with them. however, i am not sure how/when i will know if it is helping him! i asked his audiologist this morning if he will give him the "booth" test to try and see if there is any improvement. he said we can try that in a couple of weeks, once wyatt gets more used to it. i THINK that he is responding to whispers on that side of his head, but i'm not sure. he's probably only worn it about 6 hours total since we received it about a week ago. let's just say that he does not just leave it alone and go about his merry way! he's done better with it than i thought, but it's a struggle.
it does not look like i thought it would look; we were expecting the "baha" type that is worn on a stretchy "sweatband" type thing that wraps around his forehead. this one is on thin metal strips that are like a headband over the top of his head, with the aid and receiver sitting behind his ears. it does not look awfully comfortable; it has to fit rather snugly. maybe he's getting in some good OT every time he "whips" it off his head! every time i fit it back on him, i smile sweetly and say "thank you Jesus that Wyatt can hear!" trying to convince him that this is a good thing!
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| happy as can be! |
i'm anxious to see if there is any difference in his hearing test. i wish that we could test him tomorrow....but i feel like i'm "bugging" our audiologist! it would be nice to know if it's working! last night the (very young) waitress at ihop asked us about it; specialists have recommended that her 3 year old, who has cerebral palsy, get an implant for mild hearing loss. i'm glad that i was able to talk with her about it, from the little bit of experience and multitude of research i've done! i love how God works through our life experiences to minister to and help others......
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