Ayla is one!

Today Ethan's Girlfriend Ayla is a year old. I can not believe that it has been a year since she was born. Where has the time gone? For those of you who don't know, Kadi and I met at a support group meeting when we were both pregnant. Kadi was due about a month before me. I remember so clearly when she walked into the room crying. I had never even met her before but I had this strong urge just to hug her. I felt so bad for her yet I knew exactly how she was feeling. We exchanged e-mail addresses and discovered that we had a lot in common. We both even had the same doctor. We were exactly what each other needed. At the time we met, I was still struggling with the diagnosis but had already cried my tears. I was starting to accept it. I think Kadi needed someone who knew how she was feeling. I was struggling with knowing if I would be able to do this. Since Kadi was due a month before me I saw everything that she was going through and I knew that we both would be okay in the end. Sometimes I think God puts people in your life for a reason. Really what are the chances that everything would happen the way it did? Anyway, I remember the day she called me and told me that she had the baby. I had so many questions for her. I wanted to rush over to the hospital and see Ayla. I swear I could have kept Kadi on the phone for hours. But you know what, the most important thing for me at the time was just seeing that she could do it. She made it through the delivery and did love her daughter. Knowing all that made it bearable for me. I remember the first time I saw that sweet little girl. She was sooooo adorable. I just felt so much love for her. I just can't believe it has been a year. I can't believe how far me and Kadi and our little ones have come. I look forward to many more years of having that sweet girl in my life and her mommy too! So Happy Birthday Ayla!!!! Ethan and I love you very much and look forward to watching you grow into an amazing young women.

Okay, I have been horrible at keeping this blog up to date. Things have been going really well lately. Ethan is still doing pretty much the same things as before and is still NOT sitting on his own yet. I know he can do it, he just refuses to do it. His therapists have been working extra hard to accomplish this goal. I hope to have him sitting by Christmas. To him it is much less work to lay on the floor with a toy than to actually use his stomache muscles. He is a little lazy poop :) Just kidding. He really is such a joy in my life. He the the sweetest baby, the cutest too! I couldn't imagine my life without my little guy.

Yesterday Ethan had a little playdate with his girlfriend Ayla. It was so cute. I just love seeing them together. Ethan rolled all over the floor and tried to take off Ayla's socks a few times. Ayla just sat staring at Ethan. I guess she was mesmorized by his good looks. My friend Kadi and I sat them together on the floor to get some pictures. Ayla beat up on Ethan a little bit and he just sat there and took it until she turned her head and then he got a fistful of her hair. I took some cute pictures of them.

Videos of Ethan

ready to enlist!!!

Ethan is army crawling!!!!!!! Tonight we had some friends over and we were playing video games. Ethan kept tugging on the cords and getting tangled in them. So I moved Ethan to the other side of the living room away from the cords. A few minutes later I see Ethan rolling to one side and pushing with his opposite leg. Then he rolls to the other side and pushed with his other foot. He made it all the way across the living room. I almost burst with pride. He still is not sitting up yet but he sure knows how to get what he wants. I made him do it several times just to make sure it was real. When he got tired of doing it he took over the attitude, "I'm done, just give me what I want." It just goes to show that kids are capable of much more than they let on.

Also, My friend Kadi and I were interviewed a few weeks back by CNS news here is a link to our stories.

Kadi
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/Content/Article.aspx?rsrcid=37599

Mine
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/Content/Article.aspx?rsrcid=37509

Buddy walk

We had our first Buddy walk on Saturday and it was amazing. There were so many people there. I almost started to cry when I saw everbody walking down Garfield in their blue shirts.


They had a lot of stuff for kids to do. They had games and crafts and face painting. They also had a pie eating contest which my husband and son really enjoyed!



Okay, I"ll admit, I enjoyed it too!


I took so cute pictures of Ethan and his girlfriend Ayla!

Here is Ayla pulling up her shirt for Ethan. HA HA

Here are some more cute pictures of the little lovebirds



I can't wait until our next buddy walk!

Buddy Walk

Tomorrow is our Buddy walk and I am so excited!!!!

Overheard today from my son. "Emma, throw those toys at my head. It won't hurt"

Of course, I had to investigate further only to find that my son was wearing a hard hat. Too cute!

My sweet boy

The other day I was at therapy with Ethan and I met a new mom of a 10 week old baby. She was still having a hard time with her son's diagnosis. I felt so bad for her. I remember being there too. The only difference is I found out during my pregnancy and she found out after. I have heard some people say that they are glad they didn't find out. For me I am really glad I knew. While at first it was hard, it did give me a chance to learn about Down syndrome before he got here. I also had my chance to grieve. I remember so clearly in my mind the day I got my amnio results. I really felt like I had just lost a close member of my family. I remember not being able to even drive to work because all I could do was cry. I can't imagine what people thought of me. Some family members thought I was worring for nothing. They didn't understand the pain I was feeling though. I tried my best to put on a happy face, but deep down I was a wreck. People told me "not to worry because as soon as I saw my son I would fall in love with him." I don't care how many times I heard it I just could not believe it. Now here it is 9 months later and I can't believe how much I DO love my son. I couldn't imagine my life without him. I feel so bad for that new mom and hope that she can get to the place I am at soon. As a matter of fact, one of my friends, who also has a daughter with Down syndrome told me at our support group meeting that she thinks I am going to be the president of our support group one day! I had to laugh at that. Watch out Lucy, here I come! My little man is still not sitting up yet. It is funny though, just as I am focusing on one thing he does something completly different to shift my attention. He is waving hi and bye now. I have to admit, he might be behind in his gross moter skills but he sure does not seem to be lacking in his social skills. Here is a little video of him waving!