Wow, they like me, they really like me.

Kim, Mattie's mommy sent me this award. Thanks so much! How exciting!

According to the rules for the award, I have to pick 7 people to share this award with. Here are my seven people:

Dan Drinker
Shelley, over at household six
Meredith, at Cornish Adoption Journey
Kristen, at Faulkner Family
Dave, at Chewing the Fat (I adore you, Dave!)
Cory This woman, is an angel, I love her!
Shea

This is what you do to accept the award :-)
1. The winner can (and should, really) put the logo on his/her blog
2. The winner must link to the person from whom they received their award.
3. The winner must nominate at least 7 other blogs for an award.
4. The winner must place links to those blogs on their own blog.
5. The winner must leave a message on the blogs of the people they’ve nominated.

umm, errr, and ahh, hmmm

Hi! Just a few things of minor significance, or maybe no significance at all...

1. family portraits

Tomorrow we're going to have our FIRST EVER family portraits done at Olan Mills. Daniel and I have been married since March, 2001 and we have never had our pictures done. Rebecca hasn't had her's done since she was maybe 2. (School pics, yes) I did have PJ's done at about 5 or 6 months, (once) but they weren't the best. I won't likely have any to post for a few weeks, and that's if I get them on disc, which I guess depends on how much they want for that, because I don't have a scanner, so I don't even know if I'll be able to share them here. I hope they turn out well.

2. Poop and vomit

(LOL) Don't we all blog about poop at one time or another? PJ is on miralax once a day. But, since starting the prevacid, his poops got looser than normal and so I backed off. Well, he's gone 2 days without a poop, even though I gave him miralax both days, and I'm concerned he'll wait till we get to the photographer to have a blowout. If no poop before, I'll pick up suppositories while at Kmart tomorrow. He's still throwing up, too, and gaining weight very slowly now, because of the onset of vomiting, for about the last 2 months. The pediatrician doesn't seem to know quite what else to do, the upper GI results seemed pretty normal. I asked for a Pediatric Gastroenterologist referral, and was given an appointment for November 21. I don't know what else to ask for, so I guess I'll just wait it out... Any thoughts?

3. Jobs

Neither of us have one yet. Daniel DID get approved for unemployment, so we're making it (barely) and I'm looking now too. Gosh this economy sucks.

4. Church

Daniel and I have not ever belonged to a church. Today I went to a church who was having a fair for special needs children. This church has a nursery/sunday school program that they say is SN equipped. I'm thinking about checking it out. Certainly won't hurt PJ or me to have a little Jesus in our lives, and who knows, maybe Daniel will join in. Rebecca goes to church with my mom, and isn't interested in going with me to this other church, I guess she feels that her grandma's church is her church home, and I certainly don't want to mess that up, so won't make any demands that she switch. While at the fair, PJ got a little sunburn on his widdew nose, should make for a cute photo tomorrow. :o) Also, we met probably 5 or 6 local families with kids like PJ. That makes me happy.

I guess that's about it for now. Thanks for reading along.

One Year Check Up Stats

PJ had his check up today, and one of however many shots. We decided to break them up, he'll get one a month for the next few months. Today was Polio. Next month he'll get Hep C, and the flu shot. We're still waiting for word from medicaid about the rsv shot. He got it last year, but to be honest, he's been so healthy, I wouldn't be surprised if they denied it this time around. We'll see.

He's doing very well, still growing, although the weight gain has slowed significantly (this probably because of all the throwing up - which is still happening, even on both prevacid AND zantac.)

Today he weighed in at 20 lbs, 1 oz. On 6/28 he was 19 lbs.
He is now 27.25 inches, so in one year he's grown 10.25 inches. He's still a shorty, but his weight is height appropriate.

He is scheduled to see a Ped.GI, but not until November. His regular Ped is trying to get him an appt sooner, but only if there's a cancellation will we get one.

Tomorrow a new ENT office, and another hearing test, hopefully this guy can see into PJ's ears, because the last one could not.

PJ crawls all over the place, we'll be getting a gate for the kitchen, and have to close all the doors to keep him in view. He pulls to standing and does some side-stepping. He's starting to take an interest in TV (Noggin) to be exact, he loves "Jack's Big Music Show" That's when he gets his jumperoo time now, when we switch the tv on for him. He jumps to the music.

The Ped started making noises about weaning him off the bottle. I know he's not ready yet though, I'm not going to push that on him until he's a little more adept at managing the sippy cup or the straw cup. We practice with one or the other of them daily, but he needs too much help with them to toss the bottle, besides, bottle time is cuddle time and also it's how he goes to sleep. I promise, that when his top teeth start to make an appearance, I'll work on weaning him off the bottle.

Still unemployed, both of us.

I guess that's it from here for now, feel free to ask if I've left something off.

PJ's first birthday

In attendance were my 3 grands, Hailey, Azariah and CJ, My daughters Danyse and Rebecca, Calvin, his cousin Reggie, my mom, Daniel, myself, and of course, the wonderful, beautiful, spectacular cake eatin' PJ!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Rebecca's gift to me

She wrote me a poem. Here it is, verbatim:

Happy Birthday!

I got thinking about what I was going to get you, and thought if I was going to get you anything that it should be touching.

Poem
When I'm blue
I come to you
You always know
just what to do
You're there when I'm sad
or even when I'm mad
and for that you make me glad
It's obviously true
that we're not the perfect two
and for that I love you
I thank you for what you give me
and today I thank you for your birth
because without you my life would be hurt

I LOVE YOU

From Becca
To Mommy

Isn't she just amazing? I love this kid!

Seven Days equals Three Years

The title? Oh, right. It means that we have 3 birthdays in our house in 1 weeks' time. Rebecca, the 5th, me, the 10th, and PJ the 12th. Crazy huh?


Yesterday was Rebecca's 12th birthday. She knew in advance that money is tight these days and her expectations weren't big. Grandma came over and we had cupcakes and ice cream. She got a few presents from Grandma, and then we gave her our gift. I started by telling her that I hoped she wasn't disappointed....


And of course she wasn't!



She had told me months ago that she wanted a DS from nintendo and recently I told her that she wouldn't be getting one, not because she doesn't deserve it, but because we couldn't afford it. She's so understanding, I don't think it was really bothering her that she wouldn't be getting one, but it was bothering me. She is such a huge help with PJ, and loving school and doing well. I wanted her to know my level of appreciation. And I know, monetary gifts and valuable items aren't necessarily the way to show appreciation, but hey, we both wanted to do this for her.

She's gone missing ever since. LOL. In her room playing, playing. But still happy to come out and help me when I ask her to. She's spending the night at Grandma's tonight, to go to Sunday school with her tomorrow.

This guy needs his first haircut!!




And will be getting one next week (probably before his first birthday, but just a few days) and I'll try to remember to get pictures, and I hope he does well. (too much to ask for a first haircut?)

I wouldn't' mind a haircut myself for my birthday, and maybe I'll actually get one. Not sure.

PJ got a new (to us) big boy car seat, and we set it up and drove with him in it today for the first time and he was SOOO happy. I forgot the camera, we were busy running errands, so I'll try to remember next time we go out - he loves his big boy car seat - facing front and looking around and eating his toes and clapping hands and feet. Happy happy happy.

So that, my friends, is why in my house one week equals 3 years.

Labor Day

Well, PJ seems to be feeling better. I don't know what the deal was with the temperature, but he didn't wake up with one this morning, and he had a really good day. He did get a little warm this afternoon, but just a little, and I gave him my new friend Motrin, and he was fantastic after that. It looks like the prevacid is really doing it's job, and then some - he had a bit of diarrhea today, so now I'm wondering if I should stop adding the miralax to his morning bottle to combat constipation... I might lay off the miralax tomorrow, and see if we get regularity anyway, not sure. The pediatrician called again today to check on him, and said she'd call again tomorrow, so I'll ask her what she thinks about the prevacid and the miralax. We had talked about blood tests, but she wanted to wait a few days to see if whatever was causing the fever would manifest in something else, since it was new and didn't want to have to draw blood more than once. Anyway, knowing our fear("our" being collective, as in all parents with kids who have DS) she was ready to order the CBC if I pushed it, but I didn't. I know better now, and I will if it comes back. He's supposed to have blood drawn 1st week of October, to check his thyroid, so I would like to be able to wait, for his sake.

Twice a year a local church holds a childrens consignment sale. I've registered as a seller and have a bunch of stuff to price before thursday, when I have to deliver and set up. PJ has a lot of stuff that doesn't fit him! Mom's coming over tomorrow to help me get thru it. Only the fall/winter stuff will go at this time. Hopefully we'll make a little to be able to get him a new car seat. He's really over the rear-facing-laying-down-can't-see-anything infant car seat.

Got rid of the gray today, in an attempt to look younger for interviewing. LOL. Went a shade lighter, and of course, my brunette Rebecca doesn't like it, I think she prefers me to have a darker brown hair so that we look like we're related. PJ has a different therapy tomorrow, wednesday and thursday this week, plus a check up at WIC on Wednesday, Friday is Becca's birthday (oh God, I'm so not ready) and then NEXT Friday is PJ'S birthday! (mine is Wednesday, in between the two kids) So, lots going on, but without an income, it's going to be hard to spoil my babies.
*sigh*

Oh, and one more thing (since I'm ranting and wining), what's up with NOBODY but my mom donating towards the buddy walk????!!! I emailed EVERYONE, plus posted a bulletin on myspace. Is it because it's not looking for a cure? Isn't it enough that the organization they donate to will make life a little better for our kids?

OK.
Peace out.