WDSD

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. *(thanks to Ecki and Meredith for the reminders!) Today, March 21 was chosen for this day because Down syndrome means to have a 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome. 3/21. As did Ecki (www.oppositekids.blogspot.com) about Kayla, I'm giving you 21 things about PJ.

1. He is 18 months old, and still takes a bottle to go to sleep. (It's our cuddle time - is my excuse, truthfully, he's just not ready to have it taken from him)

2. He has the most beautiful blue eyes. They are almond shaped. He lucked out with some recessive blue eyed gene and is the only one in our immediate family with them.

3. He saw me snap my fingers a few weeks ago, and now often tries to snap his fingers.

4. He doesn't seem to have any problem with sensory issues, especially when it comes to food. He loves everything, except hes not too high on vegetables.

5. He started walking at 16 months, but will not keep shoes on. Anytime we go anywhere the moment he's in his car seat, shoes AND socks are off. I'm sure I get judged for having my barefoot boy out in all kinds of weather, but he will not keep them on.

6. He usually has 1 two hour nap, and goes to bed by 8pm, and sleeps until 6-8 am.

7. He says "bah!" which sometimes means bath, other times it means ball. He says nana, for banana, mama, dada, behbah (becca). I'm thinking speech is where his biggest delays are.

8. He is now waiving and saying "hey" which for those of you who don't live in the south, "hey" means "hi". He waives and says hey to anybody who'll look at him in the grocery store, at wall-mart, wherever he happens to be.

9. His favorite television show is "Jacks Big Music Show". 2nd place is the Wiggles.

10. On 3.16.09 he weighed in at 23 lbs 4 oz, and measured 29 inches long. (He's a shorty, even on the DS growth chart.)

11. He recently got to have Wendy's chicken nuggets for the first time, and he definitely wants them again.

12. PJ loves music, and loves to dance. It's a funny sight, watching him dance, I'll try to get a video of it one of these days to share.

13. He has a mouth full of teeth, he's probably missing 4 to 6 still, but I think more are coming in now, because he's drooling. The bottom teeth are crooked, but the top look pretty straight.

14. He's finally taking an interest in books.

15. One of his favorite "games" is throwing toys over the baby gate into the kitchen. He also likes to take small items and push them under his sister's door, or the bathroom door, if that's where she happens to be.

16. PJ is obsessed with (ok, less than obsessed, but has a strong interest in) electrical cords. He will struggle to get behind the entertainment stand or behind the computer desk to yank on the cords. We finally gave him an extension cord to play with, which seems to have helped.

17. He has become afraid of the vacuum, but is still fascinated by the sound the bathtub makes when the water is draining.

18. Bath-time is one of his favorite times of the evening, even if he's tired and grumpy, I can count on bathtime chearing him up, at least while he's in the tub. Once he's out, he's grumpy again.

19. PJ loves animal crackers, but I have to break them up, and give him one piece at a time, or he'll shove the whole thing in his mouth and end up choking. He doesn't quite get the idea of moderation, or bite sized.

20. He adds more to our family than I could ever explain or describe, and I'm honored to be his mom.

21. He's definitely NOT happy all the time, that's a misconception. He's happy alot, but he has his mean, angry, pouty, defiant times, too. But then again, he's his daddys boy, right?