Home school... No school!

I know... shocker... I actually posted something!

As most of you know, Justin had ear tubes put in about a month ago. He instantly showed signs that he could hear things he wasn't hearing before... and began making new sounds! He even said, "ME!" That was exciting to us considering he'll be 3 in May and can only say, Mom.

He can sign over 100 signs. Communication is not a problem, but speech is.

Well, the fun wore off. He isn't so excited about speaking after all. He can make many sounds... b, d, h, k, l, m, n, p... but only when he is babbling. I know it will come... but in the mean time... I need to work on it with him along with other things such as colors, matching, etc. He starts BIG BOY pre-school the 1st of May! He has been attending Early Intervention pre-school every Tuesday and a speech therapist comes to our house twice per month.

My girls are currently off track... and LOVING every minute of it so far. They are my biggest helpers. So I had a plan...

Here it is...

I start with a COLOR of the day. Today.... RED.
Can't have red day with out the red shirt!

I fill a container with RED items. To encourage the "n" sound, we KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK on the container. I wait for him to make the "n" sound.

...then we say, "Open" I wait for him to make the "o" sound.

I let him choose the item. We talk about it and focus on the color. We say "red", we sign "red"... and we repeat with each item.

When we are finished, I have him place the red thing (for lack of a better name) on the proper colored peg.

If he gets it right... we throw a major party! (you know that party...the clap and cheer kind!)
We will continue each day with a different color in the container.

I have also started to focus on one "turtle vowel" each day. Then we use and abuse that sound whenever we have the opportunity to. Oh... it's annoying... but I kind of think it might be working! Today was "A." (long sound) So you better believe that EVERY SINGLE TIME I called April's name, we focused on that "A" sound! Not to mention all the long "A" sounds that are used in books, food, toys... you catch my drift!
If he could just add these long vowel sounds to the b, d, h, k, l, m, n, p sounds that he knows... he'd have some words! Bye, hi, my, me, no... etc.

Now that part about my girls being off track... they won't let me slack off.... and that sure helps me! I'm not the only one that focuses on the sound of the day... they remember too!
Maybe... just maybe, in my next post... he might be making more sounds!

The ONEder fund - help spread awareness...

I know most of you in the "extra special genes" club know about the amazing, Kelle Hampton. I have been following her blog for one year now, when she found out her sweet Nella had Down syndrome. Her blog is beautiful. Simply beautiful. She is doing AMAZING things for the Down syndrome community. Please take a moment to watch the video she created... and if you are able, please donate to Nella's ONEder fund. Join with us in supporting the NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society). Please help spread awareness and create more opportunities for the world to understand that we are more alike than different.
(Justin is in this video... we feel so honored!)

click below to watch....
The ONEder Fund video

Thank you Kelle!

2010 in review...

This year flew by... much too quickly

...and I hardly blogged about it...
and I probably won't blog much in 2011...

but I'll do my best!

Here's our 2010 year in review!

our car hit 100000 miles
tired of the snow
trip to California
Justin started cruising furniture
spring sprung
Tyler started a new job
April turned 11
Tyler had a birthday ;)
little boy turned 2
Brynn graduated from pre-school
youngest brother got married - trip to California
Taylee turned 8 and was baptized
Brynn turned 5
14 years of marriage
summer came
Justin became a pro at hitting and biting
April finished 5th grade
Taylee finished 2nd grade
4th of July trip to California
Justin went from crawling to walking
April started 6th grade
Taylee started 3rd grade
Brynn started kindergarten
attended our 2nd Buddy Walk
leaves changed colors
Justin started pre-school - with out mom
Tyler purchased Black Ops
ate, ate, ate - Thanksgiving
snow snow snow
I turned 25 ;)
lots of family time - Christmas

Pretty boring... don't ya think? I'm telling ya... this is why I hardly blog. Our lives are quite boring... but I like it that way!
I hope you all have a fabulous 2011!

Sibling love...

Today was the day that my sweet girls went back on track after being off for four fabulous weeks! We had a great time surprising my parents in CA for Thanksgiving, baking, shopping, playing, etc. I never enjoy sending them back...
They play so well together and I really miss them when they're gone!
I realized this time... that Justin noticed that they were gone too. I'm sure he's noticed in the past... but he was looking all over the house... babbling. Pretty positive he was calling their names in his own way.

So I have a question for all of you out there. Have you taught your child how to sign names? If so, do you just make up the sign? I would love to teach him how to sign all of our names so that he can ask for us.

For those of you who didn't catch this on facebook... Justin has pretty much mastered home visits from Early Intervention. (walking, stacking, sorting, etc.) He will now have a Speech Therapist do home visits! I am so excited to focus on Speech. He will continue his pre-school class once a week on top of this. (He does say "Mom!", makes an "aaaa" sound for airplane, an "mmmm" sound for car and "ma," which we think is more.) I can't wait to hear more words come out of his mouth!

Three Angels...

I read this on another amazing blog and wanted to share it... I hope my friends who have already read this or posted this don't mind that I am sharing it...

Once upon a time, three angels were busily working in the miracle factory. They were responsible for wrapping up all the little miracles and sending them on their way. Normally they wrapped each one in bright, sturdy paper with big, shiny ribbons. They stamped it with a delivery date and away it would go to the parents who eagerly awaited its arrival. Things usually ran pretty smoothly. One day, however, down the conveyor belt came a little miracle that made the angels pause.

"Oh my," said the first angel "this one's uhm...well...different."

"Yes, he is unique." said the second angel.

"Well I think he is quite special," said the first angel "but I don't think he will quite fit our standard wrapping procedures."

And the second angel added, "And we know he's special, but will everyone else?"

"Not a problem," said the third angel "obviously a special miracle deserves extra special wrapping; and of course we'll send him off with our most heartfelt blessings. Then everyone will see how special he is."

"What a wonderful idea!" replied the others.

So they searched the shelves high and low for their finest paper, and their most delicate ribbons. When they were done, they stood back and admired their work. "Beautiful!" they all agreed.

"Now for our blessings," said the third angel "for it is time for him to go." "I will bless him with innocence and happiness," said the first angel.

"And I will bless him with strength to face the many challenges that lie ahead" said the second angel.

"And I will bless him with an inner beauty that will shine on all who look upon him" said the third angel.

Before sending him off, the third angel, who was very wise, gently tucked a note inside.

And it said:

Dear Parents, Today you have received a very special gift. It may not be what you were expecting, and you may be disappointed, angry and hurt. But please know that he comes with many blessings, and, while there may be pain, he will bring you much joy. He will take you in a very difficult journey, but you will meet many wonderful people. He will teach you patience and understanding and make you reach deep inside yourselves to find a source of strength and faith you never knew you had. He will enrich your lives, and will touch the hearts of all who meet him. He may be fragile, but he has great inner strength. So please handle him with care, give him lots of attention, shower him with hugs and kisses, love him with all your heart, and he will blossom before your eyes. His spirit will shine like the brightest star for all to see, and you will know that you are truly blessed.

Author Unknown

We LOVE our very special gift...

Custom car for J-man!

I had to share this...
I was at Costco with my kids the other day.
This is what they saw....

...and of course, this is what they said...
"Mom... we should get this for Justin!"
Yes... Daddy drives a Mustang... and wouldn't that be cute.
But no way... at least not right now. He's too young... and it's NOT in the budget.
~
So they came home and made this... just for him...

...oh yes... that is HIS personal license plate! It might not be a Mustang... but it's custom built just for him!
I LOVE my kids!

Holy Moly... Finally... an update!

Now seriously... I have fallen off the blogging train... in a major way. But it is November... the month to celebrate all that I am Thankful for! I hope to blog more than once this month, but it's very possible that it won't happen. So here is a much needed family update... the family that I love so very much! The family that I am VERY thankful for!

We were able to enjoy Disney on Ice thanks to my sister and her free hook-up!
Everyone had a great time!

Oh yes... Halloween has come and gone... and here are some pictures to prove it!

I happen to think my kiddos are pretty creative... and yes... those are Justin's sweet hands. It broke my heart to toss that pumpkin in the trash!

April... also known as my twin! She is loving 6th grade... An honor roll student! She is the art lover of the family! She has so much talent... and she doesn't get that from me! She is a wonderful daughter, sister, cousin, friend... and baby-sitter!

Taylee... She is doing great in 3rd grade! Loves learning cursive and multiplication. She is a great reader and also an Honor Roll student! She is a wonderful sister and can play "big" with April, and "little" with the younger two. We love that about her!

Hilarious Brynn... She always keeps us laughing. She's so quick to tell us, "No" when we ask her to do something, then quickly says, "Remember... it's opposite day" when she knows we aren't kidding around! She is doing so well in Kindergarten and loves that she can read! Honor Roll student here too! Justin... adores her! Maybe it's because she plays with the same toys that he enjoys playing with!

Justin... who happens to be ALL boy! As you can see... we find him in the most dangerous places... and his toys in the most random places! It doesn't seem possible that he is 2 1/2... and already attending pre-school (with out me) once a week! He is walking so well... and even trying to run. He can sign more than we can keep up with. We need to brush up on our signing skills to keep up with him! His new trick... is to answer "no" by shaking his head.... and we LOVE it!

There you have it... a much needed update. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas... and Happy New Year! ... because heaven knows when I'll get back on this thing again! ;)

Family... of all sorts

So you know by now it's Down syndrome awareness month. Most of my family and friends who read this blog know enough about Down syndrome by now... or we are lucky enough to be in this "club" together. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a beautiful family... and by that... I mean each and every family that I belong to. My family, my husbands family, my church family, my Down syndrome family.... oh how I would be so lost with out each one. (I'll warn you now... this post might not go anywhere.... my mind is racing today)

Today I am feeling all sorts of emotions...

I smile because I am happy - happy Justin chose to be a part of our family - happy simply because Justin is happy - happy because my family and friends adore him so much...
I laugh because I am proud - proud of each and every milestone - proud to be his Mom - proud of the family we've created...
I cry because I feel alone, scared, nervous, frustrated - I cry because I don't know what he wants or needs, so therefore I feel like I am failing him...
I find myself in a daze because I am thinking about our future - or I am simply trying to pick myself up from having "one of those days"...

So what this boils down to is...
We are MORE alike than different. You may or may not have a child with special needs, but we go through a lot of the same emotions. Being a part of a family is comforting. Most of the time that is what gets us through the day... each and every day.

I need people in my life that will smile, laugh with me (or at me for that matter... as long as I am in on the joke), cry with me... hey, you can even daze with me! (Dazing is best with a cold Diet Coke in hand!)

We're coming up on the 2 year mark of finding out Justin has Down syndrome. Oh boy was it scary. I cried... ask my Mom... I cried HARD. (even though I knew with all of my heart before the test that he had Down syndrome... it was difficult to hear.) I held Tyler, he held me. I tried to act strong, but I felt very weak. We both had to be strong for each other, for the girls. I couldn't sleep. I didn't know how or when to tell my girls. Would they be angry or embarrassed, or would they love him the same way the had been for the last 6 months? I was up all night doing research. My mind was racing...

I'll never forget the way I felt the next morning. What a sweet blessing we were given. It was a blessing I never thought I wanted... but a blessing Heavenly Father knew we needed.

I want to thank each one of you for being in my life. We ARE family... and I love you.
... and dear, sweet Justin... you are everything we always needed!

(picture was taken the day after we found out our sweet boy had extra special genes!)

Pumpkin Patchin'

This is THE spot. The spot we go every year with Grandma and Papa Q.... and today was gorgeous!

.... and I'm not gonna lie. I don't like fall so much. It means that snow is right around the corner.

I've got some FABULOUS info! Over $420 was raised at the Chick-fil-A fundraiser last week! Yahoo! Thanks to all those who helped out in any way!

I've got some MORE fabulous info! A playgroup has been set up for this Thursday! If you need details... send me an e-mail and I will get them to ya!
tequick (at) comcast (dot) net

Happy Fall everyone!

Fundraiser for the UDSF!

Hi friends!
I have some exciting INFO!
South Jordan Chick-fil-A is having a fundraiser for the UDSF!
Yep... you heard me!
Darling faces and Delicious food all at ONE location!

South Jordan Chick-fil-A
October 12th
5:00 - 7:00 pm
10% of all revenue will be donated!

We would LOVE to see YOU there!

P.S. loco-in-the-coconut (a blog buddy... you know who I mean) will be here from Canada! I am so excited to meet them!

Darling video...

in celebration of Down syndrome awareness month!
I absolutely LOVE positive messages... this one makes me smile!

Loads of Love to all of my angel friends...

I'll do it as you do...

Down Syndrome Creed

My face may be different
but my feelings the same.
I laugh and I cry
and take pride in my gains.
I was sent here among you
to teach and to love.
As God in the heavens
looks down from above.
To Him, I’m no different,
His love has no bounds;
It’s those here among you
in cities and towns
That judge me by standards
that man has imparted,
But this family I’ve chosen
will help me get started.
For I am one of the children,
so special and few ,
that came here to learn
the same as you.
That love and acceptance,
it must come from the heart.
We all have a purpose,
though not the same start.
The Lord gave me life
to live and embrace.
And I’ll do it as you do
but at my own pace.
-Unknown