This Bean Was Made for Walking

We have a walking BEAN! Soon, there will be NO stopping him. Don't miss Roscoe giving Lucas his support.

For those who don't know, Down syndrome often causes delay in a child's global development which means a child will reach all the developmental milestones, just at his/her own pace. Lucas has reached several milestones within the average timeframe, but has needed a little extra time to reach others, such as walking. We've tried not to obsess TOO much over the "typical" guidelines so we can more fully enjoy Lucas and celebrate all the big and small victories along the way. More important than "when" kids master their milestones is "how" and Lucas has great posture and his core strength is improving every day which are essential to everything he'll ever do (I never thought I'd learn so much about how the body works).

With the help of weekly speech/language, physical, and occupational therapies, the support of his teacher and assistants (a total of 10 women!) and his slew of specialists, Lucas is making huge strides and holding his own among his peers. He surprises us daily with his inquisitive, independent, fun-loving nature. We are so proud of our bean, can't you tell?!



Please leave a message for Lucas...I think THIS merits one!

Peek-A-Boo

Here's our son in action...he's teething since he's got two bottom teeth coming in and don't mind the seeds all over him...boy loves his dragon fruit (blame his father). By the way, he knows many of his body parts now too. Remember to turn up the volume. Enjoy!

Dynamic Duo Update

Here is another installment of the dynamic duo. I'm glad someone is enjoying Lucas' Spiderman chair! When not otherwise lounging on our furniture, we're happy to report Roscoe is also enjoying the company of his trainer from "Canine Counselors" and learning to be a good dog (most days). The last shot is of Lucas as Prince Charming at the "Fairy Tale Ball" -- an end-of-the-year fundraiser for Lucas' school. Lucas will be "graduating" to the toddler II classroom in the next couple of weeks as the new school year begins Monday, August 18th (Tom's birthday). The goal is to have him independently walking by then and he continues to make strides in that direction every day. This is THE month!

Home from NDSC Convention

I returned late last night from the National Down Syndrome Congress annual convention in Boston. Although I had to go solo, it was an awesome experience and my head is still spinning from the emotions and all the information -- I learned so many things, including matters that will have an impact on Lucas' life and our world. I particularly enjoyed the keynote presentations, hearing from self-advocates (young adults with Down syndrome) and connecting with like-minded parents.

I was very excited to see a preview of the new NDSC public service campaign -- in both Spanish and English -- titled "We're More Alike than Different" which I'm going to help promote in south Florida because I feel the campaign can help shift the general public perception of people with Down syndrome. It's funny, I feel as though I've been drafted into this role of advocate, but one I'll gladly do if it can help shape Lucas' future into a more accepting and loving place. Stay tuned for more as soon as I catch my breath...for now, I must finish bathing Lucas who is busy banging on his xylophone (thanks, Mom!).

Watch out NBA

Here's Lucas enjoying one of his favorite bath-time activities and saying the one word he's got down...it still needs perfecting, but he's gettin' it! Enjoy.