31 for 21: Day 6 I love October!

This time last year Piper was too small for us to enjoy the pumpkin picking process with her. This year she was more engaged in the process and actually smiled and kicked her feet in excitement as we walked around trying to find the perfect pumpkins. Of course when it came time for her to smile with her pumpkin she wouldn't.

 However she would pose for me with the pumpkins and the hay display later.

31 for 21: Day 5 Awareness

As this whole month is about awareness, I was so happy to receive an email today informing me about the Princeton Disabilities Awareness: Down Syndrome Conference. My family is looking forward to the event. If anyone else in blog land would like more information here is the link:Princeton Disabilities Awareness: Down Syndrome Conference

Hope to meet some of you there!

31 for 21: Day 4 A New Daycare

Piper had her first day at a new day care yesterday. I am taking a college course and needed someone to watch Piper while I was in class. Luckily the college has a daycare, with a discount to students! I was a little hesitant at first. It was going to be a new place for Piper, it wasn't her old daycare that we loved so much, but it was my only choice at short notice.
When I went for a visit a few weeks ago everyone seemed nice including the director. The room was clean and organized. While touring the place I shyly brought up that Piper has Down Syndrome. It was awkward for me, and it is somewhat hard to explain. Unlike my husband I have not freely "shouted from the roof tops" that Piper has Down Syndrome. We are both at a stage that we love Piper unconditionally and we are perfectly fine with the fact that she has Down Syndrome, she is our daughter and we would never change anything about her. However when it comes to strangers I am hesitant in telling them that she has Down Syndrome, why this is I'm not truly sure.
After telling the director she informed me that she could tell and that she had a Masters in Special Education. This made me feel a lot more comfortable leaving Piper at this new daycare. Just knowing that there was someone who knew more about it. I picked Piper up yesterday and Ms Edy said Piper had a great day, she was really impressed that Piper was such a good napper. Apparently they struggle to get the other babies to nap and when they finally go down it is for a max of 30min. I told her that Piper has always been a great sleeper.
I dropped Piper off for her second day, fingers crossed she has another great day!

31 for 21: Day 3 "Just like any Kid"

Now that I am spending this year at home with Piper, to make sure I'm here for all of her Early Intervention services. We have been going out to the local library and participating in some great music and early literacy classes.

Piper loves them, especially the music classes. She likes to shake the rattles, bang on the drums and play with the scarves. I love seeing her exploring and enjoying life. When I see her in these classes she is just like any other kid there, which as a parent with a child with Down Syndrome means the world to me.

31 for 21: Day 2 "New Kid at School"

Sometimes I still feel like the new kid at school. For me this journey of Down Syndrome is "school". Now that we have past our first year of getting to know and understand what Down Syndrome is, and also to except that our daughter has Down Syndrome. Feeling like the newbie has its ups and downs. Having new things come up all the time, however are they just Down Syndrome issues or just being a new parent questions. I find myself asking more experienced parents questions about this, that and the other. There are days where I feel like I know everything there is to know, I mean I did scan chapters of our "Manual" Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents Guide. I am thankful for the group that I am apart of as I not only have made some great friends but they have always been a sounding board for me. I just might feel like the new kid until a new parent shows up and then I will turn into one of those more experience parents guiding them on this journey.

31 for 21: Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Today marks the first day of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This time last year I was still in hospital after having my beautiful daughter Piper, Sept 28th, 3 days early. It wasn't until halfway through October did I find out that it was National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. My first post was actually Oct 22nd. So in honor of my first 31 for 21 post, I thought I would post a series of "One" pictures.

One day old

One week old

 One month old

One year old

It has been a great 1st year, I am looking forward to many many more.

Milestones...

This summer has been filled with so many milestones, who know our little lady would grow so much over three months. We had been working on sitting for awhile and with most developmental milestones we have decided not to get worried about what she is not doing. She will do stuff on her own time and when she is ready. Saying that while we were on our cruise in June, we sat Piper on the bed fully expecting her to fall as we hadn't seen her sit by herself, and to our surprise this is what she did...

We were so surprised it took as awhile to realize she wasn't going to fall over and we thought we should be taking pictures of this! Now she was sitting she hated being on her belly or back and wanted to be sitting.

That didn't last long because recently she hasn't been happy sitting and now wants to stand. She is holding her weight on her feet so much better and holding hands and standing, however, depending on her level energy she will either stand nice and tall or bend at the hips ( I call that her lazy position).

On the feeding front she is loving eating puffs and rice rusks, however she hasn't quite got the pincer grip, she still rakes the puffs and gets them trapped in her hand. But if I feed them to her she will open up wide and chew chew chew!

She is also able to hold her own bottle, and we are practicing using a sippy cup, she uses it as a teething toy instead.  

As for teething, I really wish it wasn't so a traumatic experience for her the night her first tooth finally broke through she screamed bloody murder, Mark couldn't believe how quickly I shot up and ran to her room. Now she has two and plenty of more on their way.

I swear her tooth is there on the left hand side.

And finally the start of crawling... She has been working on rocking on her hands and knees in PT. She is also starting to creep, even if it is backwards Piper is mobile!!! I guess I should baby proof the house.

 

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