Mynoceros

Today we went to the Lazy 5 Ranch for our nieghbor's birthday party. It was super-fun :) We took a horse-drawn wagon ride through 3.5 miles of wildlife reserve, and fed all the exotic animals on the way. It was good fun, if not a little smelly and wet.





Ian liked seeing the Mynoceros (rhinoceros). His name was Luther.

Here are Bryan and Ian feeding the giraffes. How cool is that? And in North Carolina...?!

Didja Ever Have the Feeling...

...that you were being watched?

2 Steps Forward...

After yesterday's complete success with potty training, Ian has taken two steps back today. He wore his Diego underwear all morning, made it to the toilet 3-4 times, but missed the potty once (I say missed, but he actually went in the opposite corner--- don't know quite what happened because the PT was here working with Chase and I wasn't watching). Then, when Chase's OT was here (we've been Grand Central Station here today), Ian was playing in the playroom when he called out asking for a wipe...I went in to see what he was cleaning up, and it was his wet pants :( .

So. I guess there will be no potty present today. Maybe he'll do better after nap...

I will not give up this battle!

Potty Presents

Ian had a VERY successful potty day! He wore his Go Diego, Go! underwear this morning before nap, and again from after nap until bedtime WITH NO ACCIDENTS!!! Yee-haw!

We went to Target this morning and Ian picked out a "potty present"- okay, I picked it out, but it was a really cool marble run set that I wanted him to have, anyways. The deal was that he got this big potty present if he got through the whole day without any accidents.

So, he was all excited about his potty present. Then Daddy comes home. And he brings more potty presents. They were McDonald's toys.

Ian made it all day long with no accidents, and we let him choose his potty present (there is now a stack of presents on the back of the toilet). Guess what he chooses? Does he pick the kick-ass marble run? Nope.

Ian now has a surfing penguin from McDonald's. Hmph.

Cool Noculars

Ian says funny things that I forget...I really have to be better at recording them.

Here he is using his "cool-noculars"...

Chase's Smile

I promised a picture of Chase's smile. Here it is! Please disregard the ridiculously huge pajamas he is wearing. We're kind of running low on jammies that fit!

OBX Funtacular!

What an amazing time!

The beach was incredible, the kids were happy, and all my family had a chance to meet Chase.

We will definately be making the Outer Banks an official annual Maddex Family Vacation.

Milestones

Ian can open doors now.

This makes putting him down for bed and nap a little harder.

Today I was nursing Chase when he opened his bedroom door and announced that he "needs a little help putting on this shirt." He had opened his dresser drawer and apparently needed a change of clothes...?

I have to put that doorknob guard thingy on.

Margaritas

In my margarita infused state, I apparently updated you twice about Chase's eyes. I guess I thought that information was doubly important.

I'm sure there is some way to edit that post, but I don't feel like figuring it out right now.

Last week's update...

It's been a little nuts around here:

1- Chase's eyes are great! He passed all the tests with flying colors, even if he did look a little stoned because his eyes were dilated for the rest of the day.

2- Smiles everywhere! Chase has found his grin :) He's smiling at everything now! It's so cute, because it starts in his eyes- they crinkle up into little half-moons, and then the smile spreads over his whole face. I have pictures...I just have to download them from the camera. I will soon, I promise.

3- We went to the beach this weekend! We packed the kids and the car and drove 10 hours to the Outer Banks and had a total blast. Ian loved, loved, LOVED swimming in the waves and digging holes in the sand with Daddy. Chase slept most of the time under the beach umbrella. We were really there for my cousin's wedding, which turned out beautifully. We really have to go back every year. It's too fun not to go all the time.

4- Grace had baby Avery today...as far as I know...I'm waiting for her update.

5- I went to my first Mommy's Night Out with the Roots and Shoots group through the Down Syndrome Association of Charlotte. I was late (train, slow drivers, bad directions...yadda yadda yadda) but as soon as I had my margarita, everything was dandy :) Those mommies are so nice!

Free Time

I left Ian downstairs for a few minutes while I switched the laundry upstairs. What could he possibly get into in 5 minutes, right?

It was unusually quiet as I came back down the stairs.

It smelled pretty, too.


There he was, slathered in lotion...shiney, smiling, and eagerly awaiting my arrival.

"I needed a massage, Mommy."

Eye Update

Aside from looking a little bit stoned still (they dilated his eyes!) Chase is doing great!

The opthamologist said everything looks fantastic- the nerves, retina, and other eye junk is just the way it's supposed to be. Yay!

One more obstacle avoided.

Baby Eye Doctors?

My question is... how do pediatric opthomologists test baby vision?? I ask because the nurse just scheduled Chase for his first appointment on Thursday. She said it would last 2-3 HOURS! Oy.

I mean, what happens if he has to eat in the middle of that? Or take a nap?

And he doesn't even know his alphabet yet...;)

Good news/Bad news

Chase had his 2 month visit to the pediatrician today. She said he looks great- he's up to 9lbs 12 oz (way to go, breastfed boy!!) and he's pretty much on target with his baby milestones. He's starting to smile, coo, and hold his head up for tummy time. He's 50%-ile in head circumference and weight, 75%-ile in height. He had 3 shots and an oral vaccine. He was not happy at ALL about the shots.

Despite glowing reports and evaluations from this visit, I left a little melancholy. For the past few weeks, I guess I've been living without really thinking about the Down syndrome. He's just a baby- doing baby things! But going to the pedicatrician reminds me of that pesky extra chromosome. I love his doctor- she's on top of it all, and I guess that's what makes it hard.

She mentioned his Brushfield spots- they're definitely there. His skin has that mottled appearance that may last through adulthood- she said it's just another characteristic of Ds that doesn't really affect anything, doesn't really have an explanation, but is just there. She also talked about how even though he's meeting milestones now with PT, not to be surprised if he begins to slip behind soon. How's that for pessimistic? That's the only thing that she said that kind of truly upset me. But I guess she's just being a realist, and preparing me for what probably will happen.

Still. *sigh*

Bunko Excitement

Today I had the greatest idea ever. Well, ok, not ever. But it's the most inspired I've been in a long time.

I suggested starting a Bunko night with the DSAC Roots and Shoots group. Yay for mindless gaming! Stay tuned. I volunteered to host the first night :)

T21 etiquette

Not that this matters a whole lot to me, but to be politically correct, my kid has Down syndrome...not Downs. He's not a Downs baby. He doesn't suffer from Trisomy 21. He just has it.

Confessions

1. My newborn has Down syndrome, and I'm mostly ok with it. I just wanted to get that out of the way first.

2. I have 2 kids, but it still feels weird saying that.

3. I was a teacher in my life before kids.

4. My husband works amazingly hard for our family.

5. I love being a stay at home mom. Screw women's lib.

6. I have issues with control over stupid things, like what my kids wear.

7. It's hard for me to be around pregnant women right now.

8. I love food.

9. I love reality TV.

10. I'm 27, and yet I actively maintain a myspace account.

11. I am a terrrible procrastinator. I'm supposed to be finishing my graduate portfolio right now, in fact.

12. I buy lots of things online. Sometimes I don't tell my husband about them...



OK. I'm running out of random things to tell you about. Looking forward to blogging more...it's cheaper than therapy :)