ENT appt

Doctors appointments are so much fun.

Old Navy family

We took Cohen into Old Navy on Sunday. He went straight up to the mannequins and began hugging them and touching them.

 So of course I had to take a pic but he had already figured out that they were different. Oh well. It was hilarious.

Cohen's winter wardrobe

bought Cohen a coat and hat from Target.

He's so sweet to let me dress him up and have him model for the camera.

Enjoy my little brown eyed boy.

Aggie tries on Mira Flex glasses

We got to try on glasses today. Aggie was in a crabby mood so she wouldn't smile or even hold still but I snapped a shot cause they are just too adorable not to share!!! Hoping these help with her eye crossing.

Jumperoo=naptime

Etta always fell asleep in the Jumperoo (until she quickly out grew it)

It brings me back to see Aggie doing the same

Aggie and Tommee Tippee

Aggie had only two teeth (middle bottom) when we met her but in just 7 short weeks, she has about 6 new teeth!!! She is almost constantly putting her fingers in her mouth and sucking or chewing on them 

so her OT suggests a pacifier. 

I tried a regular

I just found a Tommee Tippee "closer to nature" cheweether

I also got her a sippy cup!

Etta's SIB

My sweet girl was home for over a year before she started any bad behaviors. I blame it on a fall where she hit her head.

But several months ago, Etta started hitting her head....HARD...with her left fist and injuring herself.

At first, we could redirect her using her favorite rattle. As long as she held the rattle, she didn't hit.

But after a while, she was hitting more often than not so her OT gave us a PediWrap which has a metal bar in it to restrain her from being able to bend her arm at her elbow so she cannot reach her head. At first, she only wore it some of the time but then her hitting increased so she began to wear it most the time. 

That worked for quite a while but now she either takes it off or hits even with it on because it's worn out and she can bend it now...so in an attempt to prevent the SIB (self injurous behavior), I broke down and bought a helmet. It's a bike helmet I got on clearance at Play It Again sports for only $1.60. It worked for about 4 hours the first day. I don't want her to wear it all the time but I also don't want her to wear the wrap all the time and lose muscle in her left arm (from not using it) and, of course, I don't want her punching herself repeatedly in the head and ear.

We have taken her to an ENT and she will be getting new tubes. I give her Ginkgo and started taking her to a Chiropractor, my dear friend, Laura Lewis and her husband  Dr. Sam at Lewis family Chiropractor in Ohio. It absolutely breaks my heart to think of how she never hurt herself before. I hate seeing her restrained at all. I hate covering her beautiful hair. I am open to try anything before resorting to medication. I hope getting new tubes (and possibly hearing aides) and seeing a chiropractor regularly will help.

Crystal Proper Photo Session

The whole family

                                       Just Mommy, Daddy and the kids with Down syndrome.

                                                 I feel like this screams "FREEDOM!!!"

Cohen

2012 Columbus Buddy Walk

this is what Aggie looks like when she cries

Aggie O

                                                 Eating Avocado and Banana...YUM!!!

                                               I can already say "cheese" for the camera.

                                        Mommy said I have to look good for my first Dr. appt.

                                          Just what I was missing in Ukraine, bows and tutus!!!

just two cute

                                                   Love waking up to these two sweet faces.

practice with pudding

We NEVER buy or make pudding but Etta's OT said to try it for help with self feeding skills. It's also good for "drawing" or "writing" for Cohen but I can only handle so much mess at one time. LOL Maybe when it's warm outside again, we can lay out a tarp and then just hose off!

new(ish) toys

At our home school co op, it was discovered that Cohen and Etta LOVE ball pits so we made our own with a plastic pool. Although it takes up our entire living room, it provided HOURS of entertainment for all four kids!

And thanks to "aunt" Laura, Etta is enjoying this new-to-us toy. She likes to put all the blocks she can fit on top where it spins them around and plays a tune.

Morgan was so excited to receive hand-me-down army legos from his uncle Chad, he wrote him a thank you letter!!! I will try to get a pic the next time they are strung all over my living room, I mean, set up for battle.

Great Clips

Morgan cut his own hair :( Because he is 8 yrs old and has never done this before, we thought we were out of the woods with the whole "my hair was in my face so I trimmed it" thing. While trying to get it fixed at a salon, we decided to get Cohen's first real hair cut too! He did so good and looks great!