Let's Pretend (Part 3)

Two months ago, I posted about how my son was playing dress-up; even although, he wasn't walking yet. After two months, he keeps enjoying dress-up and the best of all, I enjoy watching him walking around playing with his dress-up toys.

Tommy came to my room this morning and found the cap from my wonder woman costume. He was playing with it and I thought he could wear it. We watched a Superman cartoon I found in You Tube to help him to understand who was the person I was telling him he was. Because he hasn't seen any Superman movies before. He liked the cartoon! He smiled at me every time I said: "Here comes the Superman." So, I asked to him "Who is Superman?" and he signed "me." It was the best I could do for him today. He wore the cap until nap time.

He has exceed our expectations since he was in the womb.
We don't know what the future grants for him,
but we will be there for him in every single stage of his life.
He is my little Superman!

Video of Tommy playing dress up

Finally, I could film Tommy putting his sunglasses on.
I was trying to do it since I got hi sunglasses in May
because he likes it so much, but I kept forgetting it.
He also likes to put his Aloha necklace on crossing his chest,
so he has his own fashion style.

I am currently creating a dress-up box for Tommy. My mother-in-law gave him a dress-up box and I have gotten a few more items, but I still have to work more on this project. As soon as, it is done I will post a photo.


Related Articles:

1. Tommy, "The Boxer"
   
2. Tommy's pretend play skills
3. Let's pretend
4. Let's pretend (Part 2)

Pouring -Pre-writing skill (Part 1)

Pouring seems to be a very simple activity, but for kids with low muscle tone means their pathway to handwriting because it helps to develop eye-hand coordination. Handwriting is an essential skill to learn in the early school years.

Pouring water is a fun activity for Tommy thanks to the measure cups my mother-in-law gave to him for his first Christmas. The best time to incorporate this activity in the daily routine is during bath time, specially, for full time working moms like me. The best age to introduce this activity to the child is when he or she is still a baby around 10-12 months. I used to just throw the measure cups in the bathtub and let my son to explored them. Later, I started demonstrating him how to scoop with the cups without making him to do it. I just did it for a few seconds while he observed me. Eventually, he started to pour by himself.

Tommy is currently working on pouring from one cup to the other and he is having so much fun because he laughs when he spills the water. I don't expect him to be able to pour the water from one cup to the other one because this is an activity for 3-year old kids, but he is an age appropriate to introduce the concept. Meanwhile, we are just having fun!

Tommy's toys for pre-writing skills

• Measure Up!® Cups by Discovery Toys: We use this set of cups to scoop, dump, fill, nest, stack, sort, count and introduce concepts related to color, size and volume. This cups can also be used as play-dough stampers.
• Fish Cup: I got this cup in Babies' R Us and it is an inexpensive cup, but it multiplies his value for the hours of fun that my son has by playing with his fishy cup.
• Sand & Water Mill: I got this toy at target for just $1.oo. This an excellent price, but it also multiples his value because my son's eye hand coordination is getting better and better after he plays with this toy.
  

Tommy began to pour

(1-year old)

Tommy pours in a more complex way
(2-year old)

Early Math Skills -"different" and "same"

The concepts of "different" and "same" are math concepts that will be used in later school years; therefore, they are considered critical first steps in learning to classify objects based on their visual characteristics. Our DT suggested to introduce these concepts to my son after he showed proficiency in matching.

Tommy got engaged with these activities since the first time I introduced it to him. I started playing the games What's different? and What's the same? with stuffed animals and animal figurines, which keep Tommy engages with the activity. We also play What's different? and What's the same? with the memory game Teddy Mix & match by Ravensburger, which is a memory game for ages from 2 1/2 to 5. We have also incorporated household items into the game to support Tommy's language development.

What's different? Game

What's the same? Game

The Teddy Mix & Match is an ideal beginner's memory game.
The large, extra thick cards are perfect for little hands.
It is a fun way to develop recognition, observation, association,
memory, and social skills by just playing with this memory game.
The graphics are well done that keep Tommy delights while we play.

"Walking on sunshine"

"Walking on sunshine" is how Tommy looks
when I see him in this video.
We always knew we will see him walking,
the wait wouldn't be forever.
Enjoy the video from our Sunday walk in
a near park close to our subdivision.

We are very proud of our son!

Challanging Self-feeding skills with utensils

We are very proud that Tommy self-feeds with utensils because it is a big milestones for a toddler with low muscle tone. We continue challenging his fine muscles to get them stronger. The next step in self-feeding is eating with utensils more difficult food such as soup and spaghetti. I just gave it a try this morning and it was very fun to watch Tommy eating "Crema de Maíz" (corn cream), which is very popular in my country as breakfast. I just watched him eating and brought memories of my childhood with my sister. It was fun to watch him because he was a mess, but he ate all by himself with the spoon.

This post is specially for my mom who used to cook
"Crema de Maíz" for my sister and I all the time.
My sister and I were not fans of this dish.
But her grandson loves "Crema de Maíz."

Me la comí toda Ita.

No, No, No!

As we all know, Tommy is an explorer. So, the trash hasn't been out of a fascinating place to explore. On Tuesday, I put in the trash a Gatorade bottle. I went back to the kitchen when I heard a bottle falling where Tommy was. I went to checked on him and he was pretending he was drinking from the bottle I put away a few minutes before. He got mad at me because I took the bottle away and he had to wash his hands and mouth. To end our fight, I gave him a clean Gatorade bottle. I drank half of the bottle and I gave the rest to him. and this is what happened (see the video below):

Tommy is getting so independent

that I feel he will soon say:

"Mom, I am going to get married."

My husband feels that he won't soon be

Tommy's favorite because

Tommy will be hanging out with his friends.

Our baby is gone, but a beautiful boy is emerging.

I'm in charge, even when I'm sick

Last weekend, Tommy had a rough weekend because he got sick. It is the first time he gets very sick during the year that I had to take him to the doctor on Saturday August 7th. Our pediatrician did the Strep throat test, but it was negative. She decided to give him antibiotics anyways because he had a fever the night before. She also prescribed an inhalation solution to apply with a nebulizer because he had a cough and a whistle in his chest.

By Monday August 9th, Tommy was feeling better, but we had to keep inhalation solution treatment for 7 days. There were days he was alright with the treatment, but there were days where he wrestled. He didn't want the mask on.

Today was he last day of of the treatment; I sat him on his rocking chair to get him ready for his last inhalation solution and he took the mask and put it on his face and the expression on his face like he was waiting for me to turn the nebulizer on. I understood what he was trying to do. I turned the nebulizer on and he staid for 30 minutes applying the treatment by himself until the last drop of the solution. He is in the stage he is beginning to share and he shared his inhalation solution with me. I realized he was wrestling because he wanted to do it by himself, but we were holding him. I am impressed how mature and independent he is becoming. He is in charge, even when he is sick.

Video of Tommy using the nebulizer
all by himself.

A Gymboree Model

When I take photos of my son, I can see a beautiful child
with aptitude of a model regardless the syndrome.
He poses for the camera since he was 9 month old.

The Gymboree clothes was sponsored by mommy.

My perfect child

When we got the news about expecting a child with a genetic disorder, I decided to meet parents who had a child with Trisomy 21. One day, I was talking with one of them on the phone. He mentioned to me that he had a lost, he lost his perfect child. I don't judge him for feeling in this way because the way we all face situations in our lives is different and the way the syndrome affects our kids' health is also different.

I remember thinking of his words and telling to my-self when I was pregnant: "This not the way I feel, I still have the illusion of my first child and he still is perfect to me. The doctors say he has everything in place; he has a nose, two eyes, and a mouth; so he is not a monster. You know what! I won't let the syndrome win, I haven't lost my child and I have a lot of to get ready for the arrival of my son."

I have being raised with my feet on the ground, accepting people for how they are and not for how they look or how much money they have. People who know me know that I always do things in a different way according to my own criteria and not based on what other people can say or think. So, it was not a surprise for them that I would handle this situation with courage and perseverance. But I have to admit it, I am impressed of myself after reading the first emails I sent to our families and friends before and after my son was born. It has made me realize how strong I have being; how I have faced the future with my heart because I could see the past reading these emails. Now, I can see how the future is after 2 and 1/2 years. I want to share fragments of these emails I sent to our families and friends. I wrote those emails based on the reality of how superficial our world has became, expecting perfect babies based on physical beauty when the real beauty is the one that comes from the heart, which is endless.

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 13:51:59
We are so happy with our baby boy, not matter what. We are blessed because God gave us a son as we wanted. This is not a tragedy, it's a challenge and I know that the baby will be strong as we are... I am not afraid of facing this situation because I love my baby with all my heart.

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:37:52
85% of unborn babies are aborted for having Down syndrome in the USA every year. These babies are just killed because they are not what their parents were expecting. Some how, we are glad that we are the ones in this situation because we have the courage to fight for our unborn baby...
Down syndrome is not too bad as many people think. They are able to do pretty much everything that typical people do. But it depends of how much stimulation, care, and love they receive from their parents. We will protect and educate our baby as a typical kid with the same opportunities. We are keeping the illusion of our first baby and we are not going to give up until he will attend a school for typical kids, speak two languages, graduate from college and get married. See the link below (This girl is our inspiration, she is a wonderful person and excellent professional, and she has down syndrome which makes her more special).
http://www.bernadetteresha.com/aboutme.htm

Thursday, March 20, 2008 7:17:06 PM
The experience of expecting a baby with different abilities, not disabilities, has taught us to never feel sorry for the baby or the expecting parents. The society should congratulate and encourage these parents to decrease the percentage of abortion. Expecting parents of a baby with Down syndrome should be admired for the decision of going against a superficial worldwide society that expects perfect babies, when perfection doesn’t exist. Everybody has virtues and defects that don't make he or she less important for God. No body is excluded from God's love for being different...
We love our baby with all our hearts and we'll never stop to dream and fight for a better future for him as any other parents. He will reach all his goals because we will be there for him. We hope other parents in the same situation can understand that a baby is no less for having a genetic disorder; they just need the opportunity to be born.

This email was sent to me by one of my coworkers when Tommy was born: "A wonderful child and a wonderful mother. I’m sure he will grow up just like you… always with a smile on his face..." What this person said it is true. I always have a smile on my face and many people have told me this. Tommy is always smiling just like mommy. I am just impressed that it seems Tommy 's future is already written.

I can proudly say: I have a perfect child.
Why is he perfect?
He is perfect because he has a great personality emerging. People say he is fun to be around. He is a flirt! He winks his eyes to a little girl or a woman, the size doesn't matter. He is a joker, he always does things to make us laugh. He is a little helper, now that he is walking he likes to put the shopping cart in the lane after we put the groceries in the car. He is stubborn as my husband and I. He has aptitudes of an artist, a musician and a dancer. He loves his family, it is amazing how attached he is becoming to my sister by chatting through the computer. Every day, during bath time he says: "Tia" (aunt). He knows after bath time he will talk to her. He is a good learner, and I have heard comments from other people how smart he is. He is a healthy child, he barley gets sick. As any other two year old, he shows frustration when his unhappy and anger when things are not in his way. Lately, he pinches my skin if I don't let him do what he wants. He is a little rascal, he turned the stove on last week. When people hears his full name they like the way it rhymes. His face reflects the beauty of his heart. His physical appearance is perfect because he has my almond eyes and smile; he has my husband eyebrows and jaw; he has my father-in-law's chin; he has my mom's nose, he has my grandma's beautiful hair; he has my grandpa's chest; he has my dad's arms; he has my mother-in-law's nails; he has aunt Melissa's hands; he has my sister's toes; and he has aunt Amy's laugh. What a beautiful child I have, he is perfect!

These are my husband and I favorite
photos of Tommy when he was a baby.
His beauty is in his almond eyes.
He has changed, is changing and will change
many people's minds about people
with a genetic disorder.

A big surprise

Motivating our son to walk hasn't been that easy. As I have wrote in previous post, Tommy's major gross motor problem has been his lack of motivation to get mobile. Believe it or not, his lack of motivation has been stronger than Hypotonia. But we are happy, because all our efforts to helping him to walk has been worthed, Tommy is independently walking!

I think the day he realized he could do was on Thursday, July 28th. It was the first day I saw him walking longer distance completely independent, but it was just for a few moments. Over the weekend, he wore his brand new Wee Squeak shoes, which were a big hit. I think those shoes helped him enjoy walking because every time he steps the shoes squeak. On Monday, August 2nd, he independently walked during the evening. On Tuesday 3rd, he complete quit crawling and went to fully walk independent.

The joy we feel is enormous! I think sometimes that it is not happening because we have been waiting for so long. We were told by our PTs that he had the skills, but he wasn't confident to do it. I feel very happy for him because he will be able to interact better with kids of his age. I don't how long it will take for him getting the gross motor skills according to his age, but I am enjoying watching him being independent because it is how he is. As part of the enjoyment, I am taking him to places just for the fun of walking. I went to the mall last week and we didn't use the stroller following the advise of our PT. He walked with me! I went to the grocery store and he helped me to push the shopping chart. It is incredible to watch him walking around.

Tommy has never follow the gross motor millstone charts. He does small progress in his gross motor skills during a long period of time; but when he is into it, he does everything at once. From walking independent in a week ago, he can walk the front porch stairs, one hand supported, up and down. I honestly thought it will take longer. He is also showing interest in running, he currently can run both hands supported and I will star one hand supported this week. Now, our big goals are walking the stairs up and down without support and running, which I don't think it will take too long for him because he enjoys everything that is movement and running provides much sensory input into his body than walking.

We waited to post about Tommy is walking because we wanted to give a surprise to my mother-in-law and father-in-law because they were out of town. My father-in-law is coming over today; so, it will be a big surprise for him.

Music enriches language development

I am exploring every possible way to stimulate my son in every aspect of his development. My desire to help him, as much as I can, has brought me to find useful information that is molding the way I teach him, such as: Born to Sing: How Music Enriches Children's Language Development by Ann Gadzikowski, former Grants Coordinator, Chicago Children's Museum. Below is a fragment of the article:

When I was a preschool teacher, I had a child named Lizzy in one of my classes. She rarely spoke. At three years old, Lizzy usually communicated with me by tugging on my sleeve and pointing her finger at what she wanted. Yet I wasnít at all worried about Lizzy. My confidence in her was so strong because I knew there would be at least one time every day when I would be sure to hear her voiceóduring music time. Quiet Lizzy came alive whenever she heard music. She clapped, she danced, she even sang along to class favorites such as "The Wheels on the Bus" and "This Old Man." Her favorite song was "Where is Thumbkin?"

Eventually, Lizzy did begin to speak and soon was able to talk and communicate like other kids her age. She taught me that music is a powerful tool for giving a voice to a quiet child.

All children benefit from experiences with music. Music enhances learning, especially language development. Children's experiences with music build vocabulary, listening skills, and language acquisition.

Parenting is not that easy, but it is fun! Having my child has made part of my childhood comes back. I think I am experiencing a second childhood through my son with the American style. He will go to pre-school next year and I want him to be familiar with the popular American children songs. So, I have to learn the songs to sign to my son because I wasn't born in the USA I am not familiar with popular children's songs.

I got a radio for Tommy a couple of months ago because the ones he had where for babies and they were to basic for him. I started my search and I found The Little Tunes MP3 player by Blue hat Toy Company. The sound quality is good because it is not too loud and even the highest volume decibel. The bottoms are toddler friendly, which make it fun for Tommy because he turns the volume up and down, turns it off and on, and switches the songs. It can be used with headphones and download music to the radio.This is a real radio!

After I got the radio, I didn't know the songs. Then, I began to search for lyrics and I found www.kididdles.com, the best in children's music. In this website, you can find songs to listen to with the lyrics to read. They have a selection of 2,000 of the most popular children's songs, organized by alphabetical and subject order. It also has free download for the song sheets and music sheets.

The little Tunes radio and www.kididdles.com

are the perfect combination for hours of fun.

Tommy and I are learning the song

Six little ducks.

	Six little ducks .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

The future is for us to see

Back in April, I posted about the article "Down syndrome teen gets driver license." For my surprise, Clayton Marr's Mother found my post about her son and left her comment, which I would like to share with you:

Sophie Marr said:

"Hi Guys, I'm Clayton Marr's Mother. My husband and myself were really surprised how far Claytons story has travelled. We are very proud parents. Its been really nice to read your adventures. Positive thinking and lots of love... you guys have it sorted. Take care,

Sophie." May 24, 2010 1:47 AM

As parents, we all want the best for our kids. For parents with a child with a genetic disorder parenting is different and more challenging, but our kids' diagnosis make us stronger with time. For some parents, it will take longer to accept it because having a child is a change in your life; but having a child with a genetic disorder changes your life forever. The most important lesson I have learned since I was prenatally diagnosed is: The future is for us to see, and not to judge. Clayton's family didn't know when he was a newborn if he would be able to drive when he would become a teenager, but with "Positive Thinking and Lots of Love", as Misses Marr said, things that seem impossible can be possible regardless the syndrome.

Tommy drives a Toyota Highlander

Related Article: Down syndrome teen gets driver license

Mission: Impossible

Toddlers are so much fun. There is an "Impossible Mission" for them every day. My 2 year old is not the exception; he keeps exploring everything around, which is the best way to learn. He always has been fascinated for the computer since he was a baby. I cut him yesterday using the computer. He was activating all kind of windows and he was able to open one of my design software. He did click on everything he could. When I am chatting with my family in Panama, he also pretends he types to them, so I just click on "return" to send the message. Of course, they laugh of Tommy's messages because they are very hard to decode.

Mission: Impossible

Actor: Tommy