On Memorial Day, Colin visited the beach for the first time with his mommy, Nana, and Grandad. Unfortunately, Daddy had to work so he wasn't able to come with us. Colin loved to lay free on the blanket and feel the breeze....
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Little Boy in a Big Bed!
Colin has graduated to his crib already in his room for the past few days now. He has been sleeping through the night and getting up around 5:30 am to eat and sleeping for about 6-7 hours depending on when he actually falls asleep. He must have known his daddy was gone last night because he got up at 3:30 am and then again at 7:30 am. Aside from being tired, I don't mind because the more he heats, the bigger and stronger he will get.
To show you how active he is, I took this video this morning to send to his daddy because he had turned his body to a different position then when I had last left him.
To show you how active he is, I took this video this morning to send to his daddy because he had turned his body to a different position then when I had last left him.
Doctor's visit
Colin had his "1 month", which turned out to be 5 week, checkup on Tuesday. He weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. (what his daddy weighed when he was BORN) and was 21.5" long. His doctor was so impressed with Colin, especially when he showed her how he can roll over and lift his head to look at everyone. He also got his second Hepatitis shot which he handled pretty well. He let out one long scream and then fell asleep in my arms afterwards. We need to continue to make sure he is eating well so that he gains weight, so the doctor kept him on the higher calorie formula for now.
Here is Colin at 5 weeks old:
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
General Information
This link I just found for general information on Down Syndrome has been one of the easiest to read so far. Click here to get to the brocure.
It can be found at the National Down Syndrome Congress website.
I have also found the National Down Syndrome Society website to have a lot of great information as well.
It can be found at the National Down Syndrome Congress website.
I have also found the National Down Syndrome Society website to have a lot of great information as well.
Strong Boy
Colin rolls over already! Colin is 5 weeks old, but started rolling over at just 1 month old! Here is a video of his new skills...
Colin is also grabbing objects, spending time on his tummy lifting his head, tracks objects with his eyes (especially black and white objects) and is trying to hold his head up on his own when we hold him in a sitting position. We are so proud of him!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Early Intervention
One of the great things that is provided by the state of New Jersey is the Early Intervention program for children with disabilities. After the initial shock had worn off, and with the help of a friend who provided me with the initial research, I called the program and spoke with a very kind woman who started us on the process. I spent awhile talking to her giving her the information she needed on Colin. She was shocked at how young he was (maybe only 2 weeks old at that point) but informed us that the earlier we started the process the better. They will provide an initial evaluation which determines services he may need at that time, and then subsequent evaluations throughout his growth and development for the first 3 years of his life.
Two days before Colin turned one month, a physical therapist and social worker came to the house and spent about 2.5 hours here gathering information and evaluating Colin. He made us so proud that day by showing them everything he can do already...lifting his head, moving his legs in a crawling motion, grasping objects, tracking objects with his eyes, good sucking when eating, etc. They were very impressed because I found out that babies with Down Syndrome typically have low muscle tone. Colin sure is proving that wrong for himself!
After that evaluation, we were given suggestions to work on with him now which mostly include an emphasis on "tummy time" to further strengthen his neck and other muscles. A week after that, they come back to discuss financial information because there are some fees that we will be required to pay, and then another week later they come back to draw up Colin's Individualized Family Service Plan.
After the initial evaulation, Colin gave me another surge of confidence in him and this process for my husband and I. Colin is already proving to us that he is a fighter and we will continue to encourage and provide the things he needs to accomplish tasks and goals in life.
Two days before Colin turned one month, a physical therapist and social worker came to the house and spent about 2.5 hours here gathering information and evaluating Colin. He made us so proud that day by showing them everything he can do already...lifting his head, moving his legs in a crawling motion, grasping objects, tracking objects with his eyes, good sucking when eating, etc. They were very impressed because I found out that babies with Down Syndrome typically have low muscle tone. Colin sure is proving that wrong for himself!
After that evaluation, we were given suggestions to work on with him now which mostly include an emphasis on "tummy time" to further strengthen his neck and other muscles. A week after that, they come back to discuss financial information because there are some fees that we will be required to pay, and then another week later they come back to draw up Colin's Individualized Family Service Plan.
After the initial evaulation, Colin gave me another surge of confidence in him and this process for my husband and I. Colin is already proving to us that he is a fighter and we will continue to encourage and provide the things he needs to accomplish tasks and goals in life.
Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley
This is something someone gave to me and has really put this journey into perspective for me...
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around...and you begin to notice Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of a dream is a very very significant loss.
But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very specialy, the very lovely things...about Holland.
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around...and you begin to notice Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of a dream is a very very significant loss.
But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very specialy, the very lovely things...about Holland.
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