Happy Halloweenies!

In an effort to ensure that Brady can secure his own candy stash next year, he has been making great strides towards independence. We have been working diligently on moving from side lying to the sitting position for weeks now and last night we witnessed a little Halloween miracle! Brady pushed himself into the sitting position ALL BY HIMSELF...twice!!! Jeff and I were stalking him as he played in his crib and then it happened...presto! Brady popped up like a little pop tart. Jeff and I reacted like a couple of ping pong balls bouncing up and down and screaming with joy. High fives all around!! To make sure we understood this was no mistake, Brady continued to work his newly discovered move all day today. Jeff and I are still reeling and boasting about our boy. I think that is what makes having Brady so cool. We take nothing for granted. Each milestone has been earned and greatly savored. We accomplish everything together and we understand the hard work it took to get there. Another score for team Shannon!

Programming Note

Many of you have checked in on Brady regarding his surgery....the surgery that we postponed. For now Mr. B's manliness will have to wait. We decided to put the surgery off for a couple of months due to the "pandemic" occurring at Children's Hospital. A lovely lady called the other day to register Brady for his procedure and informed me that all patients and guest are required to wear a mask due to the pandemic. How swell. So I made the executive decision to hold off on the ball mission until March, when things are less germy. So instead of spending time in the hospital, the Shannon's are enjoying a stay-cation (a vacation at home). Jeff has the entire week off and we are thoroughly enjoying family time. Thank you to all that have sent happy thoughts and prayers our way. We really appreciate them and don't worry they don't expire until May.

A stay-cation takes some creativity to keep things lively. Brady has discovered the wonder of bubbles. I think this activity could occupy him for 3 years. He thinks they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. We have tried coloring which turned Crayolas into small missiles (helmets and safety goggles highly recommended during art time). The actual paper ends up with nothing more than "landing dots." I believe there are no mistakes in art so we have creatively titled Brady's masterpieces as "star wars." Next....

Shout out to NYC! Thanks for reading. Brady has now invaded the east coast!

Truce

It's taken 15 months, but the boys have decided to wave the white flag. It was a simple jester initiated by Bill and Brady gladly accepted. I even heard Brady apologize for ripping large chunks of fur from Bill's mid section. Brady explained that he is still working on his fine motor skills and the "release" motion is still a bit tricky. He also expressed regret about mistaking his tail for a climbing rope. This is definitely a working relationship, with a lot of room to grow.

Rib-it!

Halloween isn't for 6 more days, but we had to bust out the costume in order to attend our neighbor's pre-Halloween par-tay. As you can see from the photo Brady has really matured about the dress up portion of this holiday. His smiles and positive demeanor were a stark contrast to last year triple ensemble. The skeleton was filled with poo, the pirate was more of an "ugh" than an "arrrr" and the lion's mane was soaked with tears. I'm glad Brady has turned things around this year. We were going to have to give him up for adoption if he didn't comply with our FAVORITE holiday. We knew he had it in him! He's a Shannon!

Just Peachy

Fort Brady

All wasn't peachy for Brady last night. Things started off just like any other night of the week. I propped him up in his highchair and fed him his dinner. He's still on his yogurt kick so I selected the peach variety. He shoveled it in. He must have been hungry. And then "it" started. Brady took a trip to barf city.... 3 times. Maybe this was a continuation of his "character study" and he was channeling the exorcist? I'm not sure, but we did not like it. Bill was inches away from receiving a peachy, puke bomb! Yikes. It was a scene. Jeff and I surprisingly did not rush Brady to the ER despite convincing ourselves this was the end and Brady most definitely had H1N1. After all had calmed down and Brady's stomach had settled he chuckled and smiled. A refreshing site after the whole ordeal.

The conclusion? We think Brady has a STRONG aversion to peaches. He has had peaches once before and he took a less traumatic visit to puke city. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I'm connecting the dots. So moral to the story... no peaches for Brady until he's old enough to clean up the mess.

Dad

Rarely do I venture off on my own and leave Brady under the sole supervision of his father. From exhibit A you can see why. Today I went to a dear friend's baby shower and left Jeff in charge. Apparently I needed to clarify exactly what a "sippy cup" is. Jeff is grounded.

Looking back

Brady at 12 months

Brady at 13 months

Brady at 3 months

Before the surgery 1 year ago

Brady at 4 weeks

Brady in the oven- I'm 7 months pregnant.

Lately I have been thinking about the past year or so. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I see our little guy growing up so fast or maybe it's because I can see how far we have come. He continues to make us smile every single day. This morning Jeff looked at him and asked "why do I love him so much?" Brady has the incredible capacity to ignite happiness. His smile warms people to the core.

Maybe his super power is an excessively charming personality. I'm sure this is what he would have you all believe. Later we could find out that he's really a master manipulator and we are all just puppets in his show! He'll use that killer smile and pouty lip to finagle later bedtimes and girl/boy overnights. Only time will tell!

OMG

Look how cute our kid is! I guess when we have a blog dedicated to our child it's safe to assume we think he's pretty swell. It's also obvious he comes from incredibly good stock. I think the Shannon ego has been appropriately stroked!

Moving on...

Saturday morning we woke to an usual site for October.....SNOW! Real accumulation! The teethy weather girl called for a light dusting of the white stuff. Wrong! We got 4". My Halloween decorations are sagging under the weight of this fall surprise. On the upside I got to pull out Brady's Ugg's and cable knit sweater. With the cozy threads and uber cute kicks, Brady was style'n (and probably sweating). As much as I enjoy Brady's winter gear, I hope the snow is not a preview of a long and cold winter.

The Report

Yesterday Brady, Grammie Lou and I spent most of the morning and afternoon at the hospital. We began our morning with an ultrasound of Mr. B's privates. The tech was on the search for the elusive dudes, which I was kindly informed by the nurse that they are testes. I stand corrected. It turns out that "the right dude" has set up ship in the abdomen and the "left dude" is hovering above home base with a bit of a hernia around it. The good news is that both look healthy and have a nice shape. They just prefer the warmer climate of Brady's mid section. The bad news is that Brady will have a 3 stage operation to bring'em home. The first procedure will be on Oct. 27th and we will stay the night in the hospital to make sure Brady handles everything okay. They are being extra cautious because of Brady's history and sensitive airway. The next 2 procedures will follow within the next 9 months. So in the next year Brady's basket should be filled. I say should because there is a 50/50 chance that after all this the testes might not make it. UGH!!!!

After the ultrasound we went over to pathology where Brady had 4 pitchers of blood drawn (not really pitchers, but it felt like a lot). This was normal blood work that must be done on a yearly basis to monitor Brady's thyroid levels, iron and calcium. The results were pretty darn good! His iron levels were a bit low, so he gets to take a yummy iron supplement. I'm kidding when I say yummy. The supplement smells like poop and judging from Brady's reaction it tastes like poop too.

Finally, we met with the surgeon, Dr. Azarow, and he explained the ins and outs of the surgical procedure. By this point in the day Brady not longer trusted anyone in a lab coat so he wasn't the most friendly.

So back to the OR! Of course we aren't thrilled about having to put Brady through all this, but we really don't have another option. If we just let the little guys rest where they are now there is a huge risk of developing cancer. Brady is a trooper and he will do great, but we could all do without the stress!

DS awareness month

October is Down Syndrome awareness month. WOW a whole month! So I asked Brady what we should be aware of. His abridged version follows:

1. Be aware that his looks can kill

2. Be aware that he is accepting gifts (always)

3. Be aware that he is a lover not a fighter

4. Be aware that a little something called Down Syndrome is NEVER going to limit his potential

5. Be aware that his extra chromosome gives him super powers (he will not reveal the depths of these powers)

6. Be aware that he gets an entire month celebrating him and all that makes him uniquely Brady!

With that I would like to rename October as "Down Syndrome Celebration Month."

p.s. The video is another sample of Brady making us smile!

E.T. Phone Home

Please enjoy Brady's latest trick. We think it's pretty cool. Of course Brady thinks its a game, but I use it as more of a drill to increase fine motor skills. With Brady I do a lot of "purposeful play." It involves a series of games and movements that help him develop and build strength. Notice the focus and accuracy he applies when using his finger. His talents are endless!

The Buddy Walk

The 2009 Buddy Walk was a SUCCESS!! We are humbled and overwhelmed by the support from family and friends. Brady's Brigade made an impressive showing and finished 4th in the fundraising race (out of 117 teams). So if you were one of these impressive donors, give yourself a BIG pat on the back.

Brady enjoyed the morning and all the extra attention. He was revving his engines and drooling over the idea of a competitive event for weeks. I explained to him that it was a charitable, non-competitive WALK, but the boy has a taste for sport. He slammed a protein shake in the morning and made sure I packed the Gatorade. In addition, he insisted I trick out his stroller with a steering wheel and accelerator (no brake mentioned). His days of sitting idly by while I push him are over.

A huge THANK YOU to all who made the Buddy Walk such a grand event. We had a wonderful time and we greatly appreciate your support.

Buddy Walk 2010......Brady's Tidal Wave.....