Weekly Therapy Update & More

I'll start with some fun pictures.  Raymond and Lily really enjoy sitting with each other on the sofa and draw on their Magna-doodles. 

Raymond will reach over and draw on Lily's board, then she will lean over and doodle on his.  They both think that is very funny!

Chris caught Raymond trying to put the Magna-doodle pen in his g-tube.  Oh boy!

Lily likes Nutella...a lot.

Yesterday, I took Isabella to the surgical center where she is having her dental surgery next Wednesday.  The center offers personal tours with a nurse for children.  She was able to see everywhere they will be taking her and they explained everything that will happen before and after the procedure.  The staff was very nice and very welcoming.  One of the things the nurse told Isabella was that she would have a bandage on her hand when she wakes up.  She continued to tell her that there would be something that looks like spaghetti sticking out from under it that would be used to help her fall asleep.  So to not be surprised when she wakes up and sees it.  When we were walking out to the car Isabella told me she didn't want to be rude to that nurse but the spaghetti thing she was talking about was called a tube.  I then explained to Isabella that most 5 year old's don't know that.   

The nurse also showed Isabella one of the operating rooms.  Isabella had to be fully covered to go in.  Lily, Raymond and I waited in the recovery area since Raymond was in the stroller and it wasn't allowed in the operating room.  Isabella looked like a little doctor.  It was cute to watch her walk holding the nurse's hand like such a big brave girl.  Isabella wore the hat the nurse gave her the entire way home.

Therapy for Raymond is still a little off.  This entire month of July is hectic for us.  Hopefully August will be more on track. 

I also received notification of our mediation with the BCIU (since I didn't agree with their plan for Raymond).  It should take place sometime in the beginning of September.  I will keep you updated on that.  Here are the updates from this week.

"Raymond sat on the floor in long-sit immediately when handed a toy today and did not use ring sit at all!  He practiced floor sit to stand with a lot of help.  He is doing a great job with hopping like a frog and standing like a tree.  He attempted downward dog position one time but refused wheelbarrow walk.  Raymond fatigued after 30 minutes of therapy during routine of play."

-Lisa, Physical Therapist

07/11/2012

"Raymond worked nicely today!

Pizza - Raymond imitated "roll" and signed it.  He said "shake" to tell Lily what to do.  He signed "more" spontaneously.

Doors (puzzle) - Prompted Raymond to sign "open".  He imitated sign and "oh" sound : )  Raymond labeled cow w/ "moo".  He didn't say "more", but imitated lip closed.

Used "all done" words and sign.

Requested "bubble" spontaneously.

-Kristen, Speech Therapist

07/12/2012

Until Next Time!
Lots of Love,

Olympic Torch Relay

You might remember me telling you that Raymond was being honoured by Penny Green, one of the people chosen to carry the Olympic torch.  She ran her stretch of the relay Monday morning in Dunstable, England.  Here are a few pictures from the event. 

 Coca-Cola was Penny's sponsor.

When the torch is lite from runner to runner it is called the kiss. What a neat moment for both people.

A BIG thank you to Penny for honouring Raymond.  You did a wonderful job and we are all so proud of you!  Also, thank you for sending me all these pictures and the t-shirt.  Part of me wants to wear the t-shirt every day because I'm so proud and the other part of me never wants to wear it because I'm afraid something will happen to it.  So exciting!

Bringing people together for global Down Syndrome awareness...how cool!!!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Coupon Savings!

I've been keeping track of my coupon savings over this past year.  I thought it would be fun to total it up.  This total sum comes from paper coupons only.  It doesn't include the store sale prices or shoppers cards.  From July 1st, 2011 to July 1st, 2012, my coupon savings were $2,487.85!!!  And no, I'm not a crazy couponer...but I do like saving money.

Gotta love that!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Funny...

This totally cracks me up!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Weekly Therapy Update - Sort of...

Raymond has only had one therapy session this week. Since Lily was so sick I didn't have Lisa and Stacy come to the house on Monday & Tuesday. Lily is finally feeling better and has started to regain her appetite. She does, however, have the worst diaper rash I have ever seen (from having diarrhea for so many days). The poor little thing can barely sit down. I need to go to Target to buy different diaper rash ointment because the stuff we've been using isn't working. 

With the holiday, our normal therapy schedule was thrown off a little this week to begin with. Stacy and Lisa will be here later today and Kristen came yesterday. Here is the note from that session-

"Raymond worked very well today! Language and sign bombardment. He spontaneously used signs for bird, dog, beep, help, more and bubble.
He said woof, moo, bird, bubble, vroom, pop, town, okay, sit, down and no.
Prompted him to sign open, in, on, bear and car. 
Raymond responded very well to sign and prompting to "wait" and directions, "Bus in Bag"."   

-Kristen, Speech Therapy
07/05/2012

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

SPLASH!!!

Last Wednesday Isabella asked to go to Hoss's for lunch, so we did.  The three (well two) kids and I can eat there for $9.00.  That includes tipping the waitress.  Isabella ate lots of chicken noodle soup and Lily had peas, ham, red beets and crackers.  Poor Raymond watched but was a very good boy.  Hoss's was busier then I anticipated but school's out now and the farmer's market is on Wednesday's, so maybe that's why.  After lunch we headed over to Jo-Ann Fabric's to buy another pack of bias tape to finish up a project I was working on for Raymond's room. 

We are taking one of Raymond's dressers out of his room to make space for a learning area.  I want his therapist to be able to go into his room with him alone and have a place to work at, unbothered.  There are a few small things left in the dresser that I need to move.  We were at Ikea the other week and saw a bathroom organizer for on the back of a door.  I thought something like that would be nice on the back of Raymond's closet door.  So I decided to make one.  I think it turned out really well considering that I didn't have a pattern and I've never really made anything like it before.  If I had to do it over again, I would put the two larger pockets on the bottom.  I think it's going to work out great!  How long until Isabella asked for one? : )

Thursday I set up the swimming pool. Isabella's been asking to go swimming but it's either been raining, too hot or we had too many other things to do that day. Everyone was very excited. I put the kids bathing suits on them then slathered them up with sunscreen. I put my bathing suit on too. I bought a new bathing suit at Ross and I love it! I never thought I would say that about a bathing suit but I really do love it...and it was only $17.99. Yay for me! : )  

 This was the best pre-swimming group shot I was able to take.  At that point, no one wanted to sit still to have their picture taken.

The pool was still filling up with water when the kids got in.  They didn't want to wait anymore! 

We stayed outside in the pool for awhile.  Raymond was having a hard time keeping warm towards the end because he kept standing up and sitting down.  It's difficult for him to understand that if he stays sitting in the water he would stay warmer.  We played, splashed and had fun!

After Daddy got home, we went to That Pet Place in Lancaster.  Isabella needed some new plants for her fish tank and Daddy will use any excuse to go there.  The kids all love it too.

Lily liked looking at the cats.  I took her over to the birds and she kept pointing back at the cats and saying "Dadt!" (that).

 Raymond was asleep for awhile when we first got there. 

He was happy when he woke up at the pet store.

Okay Grandma and Grandpa...do you see this sign?  Look familiar?  The 8,000 lizards running around your yard are on sale at That Pet Place for $6.49 each.  You could catch a bunch and make a fortune!  Isabella will help!

About 4:30 in the morning on Friday, we had a horrible storm.  Debris from the storm hit the kids pool and it was a goner.  We searched all weekend for a new one.

Lily has discovered why string cheese is called string cheese.  If she gets a hold of a piece and it pulls all the way down, she squeals, laughs and shoves it in her mouth.  She is so cute!!!

 On Sunday Lily woke up with a 103.5 degree fever. The poor thing just laid around and didn't move. I was able to get her to eat a Greek yogurt frozen popsicle that evening. Her fever hasn't gone away yet. Hopefully she feels better soon. Poor baby!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,