31 for 21 Day 7 Boys with Down Syndrome Love their Brothers!

 

 

just like most little boys, wyatt loves his brothers!  (more alike than different!)  since ethan went away to college, wyatt has developed an even more special bond with both ethan and forrest!   he gets excited when we pick forrest up from school, or if forrest is the first person he sees after naptime!   and he's even more surprised and excited when he sees ethan, because he doesn't see him every day!  i love their special relationships; how wyatt brings out a different side in both of his brothers.... a tenderness, protectiveness, gentleness..... love!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 for 21 Day 6 Boys With Down Syndrome Like Corn Mazes Too!

our family spent the day with friends at a nearby farm that has a 7 acre corn maze!  they have lots of fun activities for the kiddos in addition to the maze too!   wyatt had a blast!

i'm so glad that we live in a time when we don't have to "hide them away" because they have Down syndrome, aren't you???      i'm glad that we can share the joy that wyatt has brought to our family as we "live' our lives, like enjoying fun family outings together such as this one!

 

 

31 for 21 Day 5 The Night Wyatt Was Born....

precious wyatt.....

finally got him back, a little cleaned up!!!

i really wanted wyatt to be born on the 4th of july, but he would not cooperate!   he waited until the 6th of july to make his grand (and quick) entrance!!!    that was a monday, and it was a busy day!    i cooked fajitas for supper and we had a delicious meal!  i thought i might be getting closer to having him, but was not sure!  after a nice hot bath through contractions, we decided to call our obstetrician, who is also our friend, to see if it might be time to go to the hospital.... from the tone of my voice she said it was definitely time!  

proud daddy!!!

we got to the hospital about 9:30 that night, and he was born about 10:15!   i told tim once we got to the hospital that i just could not do this.....i was TOO OLD!  he just laughed.  but those were a pretty painful 45 minutes (i have never used pain meds)!!!!   as i was pushing, i told our OB i just couldn't do it, and she said "ok!"  LOL!!! RIGHT!!!! 

meet the brothers and g-mama....
that's our OB Dr Debbie!

so i thought i would share some of wyatt's birth pictures with you...... we did not have a prenatal diagnosis with wyatt because we chose not to have any prenatal testing.    i am so happy that we had these precious moments with wyatt, not having a diagnosis.   as i look at these pictures, i am fully convinced that no one involved with his birth had any idea that he had Down syndrome!    it wasn't until he was a couple of days old that it was suggested that he might have Ds..... 

blessings....




31 for 21 Day 4 Wyatt Loves His Friends!

we really miss wyatt's best friend clayton!  he and his momma came to visit us last month in our new home!  it was so good to see them!  






wyatt is also making lots of new friends at school and church!   he LOVES to go to school; it was so cute this week when we arrived at school at the same time as one of his classmates...wyatt was SO HAPPY to see him!  he left me in the dust to greet his friend!     he also LOVES to go to sunday school, preschool choir and awanas at our new church.  we are so very blessed that he has THE SAME COUPLE as his teachers in each of those classes!!!   WOW!!!  that is just unheard of!   he is always so glad to see them.  

my new, but quickly good, friend amy has a "typical" son who is 1 month older than wyatt, his name is a.j.   she also has an almost 2 year old who has Down syndrome.   wyatt and a.j. are in the same classes at church together and it is so cute to see them greet each other.   a.j. is ALL BOY and can give amy and his teachers a run for their money.... at first amy was afraid that a.j. would hurt wyatt in some way.  i don't worry about that!   we have discovered that a.j. has a special love for wyatt..... he is almost always excited to see wyatt, and gets angry at me if wyatt is not with me when i visit!   amy often brings him to class just so he can see wyatt!   just last week when amy was leaving our home,  wyatt actually said "a.j.!"   we were THRILLED!  we have not heard it again, but we know he can say it!!!  

this past sunday when we got to church, one of the little boys immediately said hi to wyatt and gave him a hug.  his mom told us that throughout the week her son had been talking about his friend "WHITE," (we are southern, you know!) and for a few days she had no idea who he was talking about..... WYATT!!!    precious!!!  thrills this mama's heart, i tell you!!!!    so happy that other kiddos love wyatt as much as he loves them!  

blessings.....

31 for 21 Day 3 Wyatt Enjoying the Beach!

 just like all little boys, wyatt loves to be with his dad and brothers, and he had fun at the beach labor day weekend!   

31 for 21 Day 2 Surprise! Wyatt Starts School!

 
 wyatt turned 3 shortly after we moved this summer.  when a child who is in the early intervention program turns 3, he transitions out of that program into the public school system.  it was NEVER our intention to put him in the public school system when he turned 3!   no way, no how!    we wanted him in an inclusive environment with all typical children who were talking! when will i ever learn to stop saying "no way"???   'cause you just never know.....


not so sure about all this attention!

wyatt had been receiving 7 therapies a week for the past several months, all provided through early intervention at NO COST TO US!!!   a rough estimate of what those therapies would have cost WEEKLY would be $650-700......WHOA!!!   we knew that we were blessed through that program, but certainly didn't realize what we would be missing once he transitioned out of it!  

1st day of school!

once we moved and did not immediately access private therapy for him, we began to see a difference in his development..... he was not progressing as he had been.  of course everything was new.... new town, new house, new church, new friends....   although we had him enrolled in a private Christian preschool, we met with the county's pre-k exceptional services director to see what services we could access for him in the area of therapies.  much to our surprise, we found them to be quite accommodating of our needs and desires for wyatt's education.   they were open to us enrolling him 3 mornings a week, as opposed to the full day/every day program that is available, and they were willing to place him in a class with children who were talking....  

ms amy, wyatt's teacher,
carrying him in on the first day of school!

principal smith checking on wyatt
for nervous mama!

at that point our heads were spinning because that was NOT our plan!!!  but we knew that we could not provide him with all of the private therapies that would be available to him in the public school system.   we had a last-minute IEP (individualized educational plan) meeting, and met the team that would work with him; his teacher (miss amy), and two of the therapists (speech and occupational).  we were thrilled with his team, and with how smoothly the process went!  we were told he would receive 1 1/2 hours of speech, and 1/2 hour each of occupational and physical therapies each week, as well as adaptive physical education.   we decided that we would place him in the public school system, knowing that if this was not a good "fit," we could always remove him!  

and now, 6 weeks later, we are VERY HAPPY with the decision we made, and i'll be sharing in the coming days all that he has been up to!!! 

blessings!

31 for 21: Day 1 October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

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october is Down syndrome awareness month!  although i have been "missing in action" for a few months, it's time to raise awareness of our awesome kiddos blessed with that "little something extra;"  Down syndrome!  

i'll be posting pics of wyatt and his friends, as well as sharing some good info about Ds!   hope to see you back here often!  

blessings.....