Monday, November 2, 2009

Need your vote!

Remember back a few weeks ago I told you all that I entered Riley in a photo contest on another blog.  Well, one of the photo's I submitted is in the top 5 and now I need your help with the voting.  It will be tough choice because all the photo's are amazingly cute but come on we all know that Hurricane Riley and His Big Brother Rex are the CUTEST!!!  Don't get side tracked by the gnome. 

So hop on over to Parenting BY dummies and vote please!  I'm falling behind and its only the first day so I need some moral support.  And just in case you need some motivation here are the beautiful boys you'll be voting for.


Saturday, October 31, 2009

Candy for All

Get It Down; 31 for 21


I wasn't sure if Riley would really have fun tricker treating or not but I should have never doubted it.  He was on FIRE tonight.  We went to the mall and he was all over it once he figured out that they were giving him treats.  It was a mellow evening since we took the kids to the mall.  After the candy gathering we met my parents and brother and sister in law for pizza.  It was a great Halloween. 






Friday, October 30, 2009

Treats!

Get It Down; 31 for 21
Riley got to test out his costume today at school as the trick r treated down the hallway.  It was a bit much for him but he had fun.  He was at a dead run up and down the hall and was not the least bit interested in listening or waiting for his class.  We even squeezed a fit with kicking in. 

After school today we went straight to Riley's first evaluation meeting with the school district.  I have to say it went much better than planned and we'll have his IEP meeting in a couple of weeks.  Its hard to believe he only has six more visits to the Guild school before he graduates.  Sad and exciting changes all at the same time. 



Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Woo Hoo

Get It Down; 31 for 21


The test results are in and my child that has Down syndrome is delayed enough to attend the Preschool in our public school system.   It boggles my mind that we have to have him evaluated to see if he qualifies.  Trust me he has Down syndrome.....it hasn't gone away or anything. 

Riley will be graduating from the Guild School at the end of November when he turns three.  Sadly it is only a birth to three so now he is transitioning to the public school system. 

Riley rocked his evaluations.  He has made so much progress that shows up on these standard evaluation and so much more that they can never start to measure with a test. 

Physical Therapy:                                              Age Equiv             
Stationary  ( tall kneeling,  standing on tiptoes)      18 months
Locomotion (walking, running)                              17 months
Object Manipulation (kicking, throwing)               20 months


This all comes out to be 2.13 standard deviations below the mean and you only need a  -2.0 to qualify for PT in the public school. 

Occupationa Therapy:                                      Age Equiv
Grasping                                                               15 months
Visual - Motor Integration                                      23 months

This all comes out to be 1.4 standard deviations below the mean.  We are hoping that though you are supposed to be 1.5 below the mean to qualify for OT in the pubic school that Riley will still be able to recieve services.   He really doesn't have classroom skills and that is supposed to be the focus so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

Speach
Riley scored at a 21 month level for both receptive and expressive lanuage skills.  This surprisingly low, but apparently he was a complete stinker when they were working on a portion of the test that he would normally do great at.  He had no interest in talking about the picture cards that we all know he signs and uses some words for. 

Cognitive skills rated at the 24 month level and Social Emotional at thre 30 month level. 


Sunday, October 25, 2009

21 Fun Facts about Riley

Get It Down; 31 for 21


The 31 for 21 Challenge wouldn't be complete without at least one list of 21.  A year ago I wrote a list of 21 Things about Riley......so many of those fun things are still true he's just more advanced at them.  You can find the orginal post HERE.  Hope you enjoy!

1.  Riley is using moving at high speed.  He rarely slows down but you know he really wants to "run" when he throws his shoulders back and his arms pump.

2. Riley idolizes his big brother.  When Rex is gone he misses him and yells for BUBBA when Rex come through the front door. 

3.  Idolizing Rex has helped Riley learn to do many things.  He wants to sit on his trike when Rex rides his bide,  he try to copy Rex jumping.  Who would have thought that being a copy cat would serve him so weel.

4.  Riley is starting to really love puzzels.  He has a colored peg stacking toy that he puts the pieces on the matching colored shapes on the colored pegs.  DON"T try to put them on the wrong colored peg......Riley will tell you about it. 

5.  Riley smiles the majority of the time but he sure lets you know when he doesn't like what you are doing.  He'll break your heart with the silent cry or covering up his face to show you that he doesn't want to see you. 

6.  Riley is able to kick a soccer ball and I'm considering putting him in soccer tots.  Wouldn't that be the cutest thing ever!

7.  Riley will count to 3 with help.  He is good at repeating but often we get two and three all by himself. 

8.  Riley' melts your heart with his big brown eyes and then keeps it with his laugh.

9.  Riley turns 3 on November 30th but is the size of a typical 12-18th month old.  The majority of clothes are 18 month...  cost effective but SO boring to shop for. 

10.  Riley loves music.  He has several songs that he signs with but Twinkle Twinkle is a favority and he sings along. 

11.  Riley's only interest in TV are Signing Times videos.  He has a huge signing vocabulary.  I bet he is around 100 signs.  Now if only I new that many. 

12.  Riley loves people.  He is one of the most amazingly social kiddos I've ever been around. 

13.  I think Riley will have a career in music or some type of performance.  He loves all music and is often found "shakin his bootie"

14.  Riley loves food.  In his toddler class he now sits next to the little boy with food aversions.  He is the peer model for good eating skills.  Ya,  my kid is the class pig. 

15.  Riley is learning to jump.  He screams for MOOOM to watch and then yells UMP UMP while stomping one leg.  He can't quite get both legs up but he knows they should come off the ground.  It is hysterical.  Won't be long before he is a jumping fool. 

16.  Riley loves books.  Especially the touch and feel books. 

17.  Riley is going to be a Tiger for Halloween this year.  Last year he was a duck.  He couldn't walk yet so his super cute costume was wasted in the stroller.  Watch out folks he walks this year and I think he's going to love trick er treaing.

18.  When Riley gets scolded or told no if he doesn't hide his face and try to make you go away he attempts to make you laugh.  He uses all the tricks and squishy faces he can muster to try to make you laugh so you'll forget why you were telling him no. 

19.  When we go to my mom and dads Riley walks in the house and starts yelling for PA.  He's still a bit casious of my dad but he loves his Gramma and PA. 

20.  One of his favorite things he does at PA's house is visiting the chickens.  He often stands at the fence and "talks" to the rooster.    DOODLE DOO DOODLE DOO

21.  Riley is an amazing lil guy that is going to change people's perception of Down syndrome.  He will make them acknowledge him and tell him how cute he is even if they don't want too.  He is knows to say hi to every one we see and if they don't talk back to him he just keeps talking and getting louder and louder until they have to acknowledge him.  Hysterical!!!






Saturday, October 24, 2009

Lighting a Fire

Get It Down; 31 for 21

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -- Reggie Leach


How do you define success?  Is it a good job, or no job?  No kids or lots of kids?  Tonight for me success is watching my husband play Operation with the boys and giggling like he is 7 too.  Riley's joining in and making the man's nose light up just for shear joy.

 It seems that my idea of success changes from day to day and sometimes hour to hour.  So I guess step one for me is defining success.  Wow that is more difficut than in sounds.  Well, I guess its not the defining it, but figuring out how far you can push the limits of comfort.  I know with change come uncomfortable feelings, but how do you really know when you are following your heart and when you are just crazy and unrealistic. 

My calculater and my heart are just not seeing eye to eye these days.  I don't think Justin believes me when I told him today I was done with him and I was going to marry for money the second time????? Is it really to late to trade for a sugar daddy?

Friday, October 23, 2009

Making Changes

Get It Down; 31 for 21


Changes are coming for our family.  I can feel it in my heart and I am going to make them happen.  Sorry, I can't share details but there will be changes.  Changes that will make me SOOOOOOOOOO much happier and allow me to be a better mom, wife and person. 

I've been thinking about the length of this 31 for 21 challenge and how difficult it seems each day to find something meaningful to share.  As I was whining about it this evening it really made me stop and think about Riley.  He has Down syndrome every single day of every single month, not just the 31 days in October.  Riley doesn't complain, in fact he greats me every morning with a smile and a hug ( I'll forgive him for asking for Dad every morning)  There are few complaints when I haul him off to PT, OT or Speech therapies and really who doesn't complain a bit when they are asked to do a difficult work out for 2 hours twice a week.  I for one whine over the 1/2 hour I've been trying to fit into my day.  So, I'll stop my complaining and finish the challenge and hopefully allow one more person to see in to the life of a child with Down syndrome and there fore make each day just a little easier for Riley as he grows.