Good bye 2010

Brady hit the sack early tonight in preparation for the big celebration. He is just thrilled about ringing in the New Year. He's planned a celebratory ensemble featuring sequences, feathers and leather. I thought it was a bit over the top, but he assured me that a "man" of his stature can pull it off. He also reminded me that he is extremely fashion forward and that 2011 is ready for such a statement.

Since we aren't exactly night owls the clock will strike "midnight" at about 7:05pm tomorrow. This way Brady can slam some bubbly, light some fireworks, dance a jig, kiss a few ladies and nail out his resolution list and still be in bed at 7:30 sharp! His beauty rest is an essential component to his appeal.

Mallory could care less and plans on following a great Netherlands tradition by eating a dozen donuts.

Happy New Year!

Testing

In parenting there are many tests, the first is to see if you can assemble a pack-n-play with your marriage still in tact. The next is to see exactly how little sleep you can function on. Well we passed the pack-n-play test 2.3 years ago, though it wasn't easy and there may have been a few tears and a broken toe. The sleep answer- 3 hours. Three hours is all our little darling Mallory has allotted her dearest mother. Turns out that the Grinch sneezed a nasty cold into our lives, stuffed it right in Mallory's stocking! Ugh. My parenting GPA isn't so great right now. Throw in an out of commission husband and sleep deprivation and you've got an underachieving mama. I'm totally on parenting probation. I wish Santa would have brought me a fancy parenting tutor aka a nanny. Maybe Mrs. Claus could volunteer now that she has a bit of free time on her hands!

Peace

As the world is rushing around doing last minute Holiday prep, we have been moving at a snails pace and enjoying the calmness of home. We've watched Christmas movies, over dosed on sugar, ran laps around the Christmas tree, wrapped, opened and re wrapped every gift under the tree and discovered the wonders of sticky bubbles. Seriously, they are the coolest invention on the planet. Bubbles you can touch! Brady had one that stuck to his ear for at least 5 minutes...bubble bling baby! The only down side is that they leave a mess resembling a snow globe.

Brady has diligently been prepping for the big man, but his idea of prep is a bit different than conventional standards. Our fireplace hasn't been lit in 4 years so that's an easy "check." Brady's a bit concerned about Santa's weight so instead of a plate of cookies he will set out a veggie tray and lemon water. He's kept the entire driveway shoveled so Santa can easily park his 2011 Jeep Wrangler. His stocking has been reinforced with care so the rolls of 100 doll'a bills won't knock it off the mantle and to conclude his Christmas prep he sent Mrs. Claus to the spa because he knows that a happy wife makes for a happy life!

Merry Christmas all!

Sugar

Mallory ate Santas cookies

Christmas is in 3 short days so Brady has been working over time to ensure a positive rating from the big guy. He's been so sweet that he is sweating frosting. He let me sleep until 8 this morning and when I got out of bed all the laundry was folded, the floors were mopped, Mallory was fed and all the bills were paid. I think Brady just landed himself on the "Nice" list for the next 14 years.

He knows when you've been bad...

Brady has been pulling out Santa's whiskers...hope he likes coal in his stocking!

Who's got it right?

The other night a man walked up to us with "the look." Before he even said anything I knew he was going to tell us about his relation to Down syndrome. Turns out he has a 62 year old brother with DS, or as he referred to him "a Downs." UGH! I let that slide, sometimes the people first speech gets old. Anyway, he was very sweet and continued on how "Downs people truly are the happiest people." I often hear this statement so Jeff and I got into a discussion about it. "What do people really mean when they say that and why?"

As a group we value intelligence, drive, ambition and determination. In our society these core traits equate a successful person, so we go to school, learn as much as we possibly can and then find a job that is meaningful and work our tails off...BUT what we are really working for is love, happiness, security and purpose. People with DS are naturally loving, caring and empathic individuals and their strengths fall into a category that is extremely pleasing and positive. When you describe the perfect friend or mate the list almost always includes caring, loving, trustworthy and funny followed by driven etc... So what we are all working so hard for is naturally hard wired into people with DS and we think that's why we often hear the "happy statement." Who has it right? Maybe people with DS have it. We are all searching for happiness so maybe the secret lies within that extra chromosome.

The video features three of Brady's current greetings. You never know which one you are going to get. My fav is "bumps" simply due to cold and flu season. There is one more greeting I couldn't show you on film. Brady calls it the swooner and it is reserved for Claire.

Ahhhhh

Just a little Christmas sweetness. Happy weekend to you all.

Poop Union

Brady has already taught Mallory something, not a life lesson, a coping skill or survival technique, but a good old fashion poop strike. Yeah, that's right a poop strike. Back in the day Brady boy was a card tote'n member of the poop union. He told Mallory "you better join up...or else." Well, our girl made'em proud by holding out for 8 days, EIGHT DAYS! Apparently it is typical for breast fed babies to skip the #2 for about a week, but Mallory was being a bit of an overachiever. I had to pump her full of prune juice and milk of mag. The combination was enough to blow a hole right through Hoover damn. Let's just say that I had to change her socks! (the one time I actually had them on her feet).

I hope Brady moves onto more important lessons like the meaning of life, the golden rule or being the best you can be. Useful tid bits, not creating self exploding bum bombs!

Sock Bandit

Brady has a couple of rules around his house. #1: no socks

No one shall comfortably lay around with cotton covered toes. He will whisk by you and rip them off with stealth like skills. The only thing that can stop him?..... footed pajamas. They have been declared the victour of the sock wars, but only until Brady has mastered scissors. Until then my friends, until then!

Rule #2- The only legal sock-like matter are the large ones on the mantle embroidered with "Brady" and only because they are eventually filled with confections g. Dear Santa....in accordance with Rule #2 of Brady's Law please fill his stocking with Vanilla pudding, 2 cupcakes, Claire and 1 pair of footless PJ's.

Sit and spin

Brady has mastered walking and now you can add spinning. He discovered the wonders of dizziness and all the wibbly wobbly joy it can offer. I didn't catch it on camera, but he added another element by putting the dish towel over his eyes and then setting into perpetual motion. He was so thrilled with himself and his new extreme version of the "cyclone."

Brady attempted another trick this morning....magic potion! He grabbed Mallory's gas drops (apparently he was feeling bloated) and chugged the entire bottle. I was pumping so I wasn't in the front row watching his every move. He came into the room and handed me the empty bottle! I immediately ripped the suction cups off, checked the area to see if he spilled the drops or drank them. Well, as he was licking is lips I realized he slurped those babies down. I grabbed the bottle, tried to read the microscopic WARNING instructions and then called poison control. Fortunately, gas drops are non toxic and the only side effect is a gas free day. Side effect? I think that's a win win for all. Brady boy can really rip some nasty toots. After the fart dust settled I was actually impressed with his fine motor skills. He was able to twist the top off and drink from a small container without a dribble. Nice work! There's never a dull moment with Brady boy around!

Sneaky Pants

Brady has always been a bit sneaky, but with the addition of our recent distraction...Mallory, he has been up to no good. Brady had been griping that his sweatshirt wasn't pressed and that the wrinkles make him look sloppy. blah, blah, blah! I told him that fleece doesn't wrinkle and ironing it is not an option. Well, he decided to take matters into his own hands. This is the bachelor version of ironing. He even threw in a wet wash cloth and a dryer sheet. Clever! Needless to say I emphasized the importance of removing ones trousers and top before giving them a spin in the dryer. I also pointed out that it's good practice to also remove oneself from the dryer before hitting start. Details lady, details! So when I helped him out I noticed a stench....I know our dryer sheets aren't poop scented and I'm pretty sure I only dry CLEAN clothes. Our darling little B man dropped a load. Apparently he was multitasking. He has a nac for doing #2 in enclosed areas. His favorite spot is the storage ottoman, followed by the baskets under the bassinet and now the dryer. The next time I catch him snuggling in for a "man break" I'm plopping him on the toilet. That's an enclosed area we can all appreciate.

Mallory's stats- get ready.....drum roll please....... Weight 16lb 13oz 97% percentile, Height 25.75" 94th percentile. I told her to maybe skip the 3rd piece of pumpkin pie, but nooooooo, this is the only time rolls are cute. Well, she's right. My little meatloaf can work a fat roll like no other. I take such pride in her State Puff like figure.

Girls are so confusing

These snippets are examples of why Brady finds girls so confusing. He offers a comforting hug and he gets a slap in the face. He finds it in his heart to forgive her and tries to offer a truce and he gets screamed at. GIRLS! He promptly told me that he would like to exchange Mallory for a male version, insisting Mallory is from Venus and he is only excepting siblings from Mars.

We are off to Mallory's 4 month well check. Let's see if we can jump into the 99th percentile this time! Shoot'n for the stars with our little meatloaf! Stats to be posted soon.

Birthday Monsters

Today Jeff is 34 and Mallory is 4 months! What a day to celebrate. Brady has arranged a montage of celebratory shenanigans. Beginning with a streak through the house sporting nothing more than his birthday suit. He figured Dad is getting to old to go streaking and Mallory's gross motor skills aren't refined enough to do any sort of running.

A birthday suit must be worn on such a glorious day, so he figured he'd take one for the team. Thank you B-man, thank you! Brady is always generous with the hugs, but today is an exception. He is layering them on his old man like this could be his last day on earth. I had to remind him that 34 is no where near "the end" and that dear old Dad has at least 60 more birthdays to go before he "goes." He thanked me for the good news...with a hug. Mallory was also on the receiving end of the hug marathon. Her hugs land somewhere between the WWF and sweet brotherly love. Brady has yet adjust his 2 year old strength when it comes to his sibling. Lastly, since Brady's funds are tight and we cut up his credit card he had to get creative this year. His gift to Dad? Self potty training....no way, Play Dough self portrait...already done, he went with a stylistic rendition of Thunder Road (Bruce, man, Bruce). I've never seen a 2 year old play the guitar and sing with so much conviction and heart. Happy Birthday Mr. Shannon and Happy mini birthday to the little M.R.S. We love you both!

Gobble Gobble

Happy Turkey Day folks! I desperately searched for the infamous turkey onesie so I could recreate the image for Mallory. I am pretty certain Brady hid it in order to insure he would never have to see it again and to also spare his sweet sister from my Holiday ensemble addiction. In order to prevent my children from future therapy sessions I settled for seasonally colored coordinated numbers. They looked lovely in hues of the harvest! It seems silly to wrap my kids in clothes driven by a seasonal color palette, but I love it. There is nothing better than warm brown cords, a camel cable knit sweater and chocolate suede boots. Mallory's only requirement is that the pants have a little give in the waistband. My little meatloaf is sporting a muffin top like no other. Now looking back at this picture of Brady, I'm thinking someone could have also used a bit of elastic around the middle.

In honor of Thanksgiving Brady would like to make note of all that he is thankful for:

1. Apple pie

2. A Holiday that encourages over eating and naps

3. The NFL, mainly the cheerleaders

4. Mom (of course)

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Claire update- she's doing GREAT! The botox worked and she is a "go, go, go'n" just fine. The biopsy for the Hershsprungs came back NEGATIVE! YEAH! and the botox relaxed things enough that her bum has healed. Our girl and her very relieved and exhausted parents have found comfort again.

Time

With two kids it is a bit tough getting places on time. There always seems to be one more thing to put in the bag, or someone drops a load in their pants. SOMETHING always seems to pop/poop up. Some of those things demand a photo. Some moments are way more important than promptness. Often Brady creates little moments that make time stand still and say "hey we'll get there...right after you recognize how adorable I am." That happened this morning. I slapped his new stocking cap on his tiny little melon and gasped! Warning...clock stopping adorableness ahead! So I quickly snapped a few pics, changed a diaper, grabbed a coffee, ran back upstairs to snatch up a swim diaper, ran downstairs, ran back upstairs to swipe the swim towel off the dry rack and ran out the door. We greeted coach wetsuit at exactly 8:17 (2 minutes late) and cannon balled a crazy cute moment in time.

Claire update- Brady's lady has surgery tomorrow. Keep those prayers a'come'n. She is doing great. The surgery is troubleshoot the nightmare of her BM issues. They will also be taking a biopsy of her colon to rule out Hershbergs disease, a disease common in kids with DS. Claire will also be getting her first botox shot. You all know that she is Brady's OLDER lady, but the botox isn't for her 3 year old crows feet, it's for her bum. This will hopefully relax things downtown and make it easier to go, go, go. Ah the wonders of Botox. We are hopeful that the Doctors will find the answers they are looking for and our sweet little girl will find some comfort very soon!

Brady and Mal

People always say that Mallory looks like Brady, but I have never seen the resemblance. These pictures are of both kids at about the same age, give or take a few days. Mallory's resemblance is still up in the air. I don't think she looks like any of us yet. Brady of course thinks she has his charming personality, but in the looks department, she's her own formula.

These days Mallory has been demanding a more upright vantage point. I've relocated her from the Boppy lounger to the exersaucer and jump-a-roo. I think it's so she can keep an eye on Mr. B. She's got to establish some kind of defense strategy when it comes to Brady's toy launching. It's a regular D-day when he gets his hands on a bucket of balls. INCOMING! He calls it "sharing," I call it "time out."

These two are carrying on like real siblings. Brady will give her a quick smack and then 10 minutes later offer the most heart warming hug. After Mallory bores with the various dangling toys on her exersaucer she passes the time by staring at her big brother. The way her cheeks crinkel when she sees him is sweeter than sugar.

Brady's Lady

Brady's lady, Claire Bear, needs some love and support. Typically it's not kosher to post about other people's business, but his first lady is going through a rough patch. She is having a bit of trouble going #2, which is leading the Doctors down a crazy diagnostic path. This is of course extremely stressful for Brady's in-laws (future in-laws). At times like these I/we feel helpless, but I know the most comforting and helpful thing we can all do is say a couple of prayers. In Omaha we have wonderful Doctors and surgeons right at our fingertips and they are diligently figuring out a plan for Miss Claire. In the meantime, Brady is hoping that a load of love letters, a large peperoni pizza, 3 hugs and a big fat kiss will be the perfect medicine.

Speechless

Ahhhhh isn's she cute!

I don't have a lot to say today so a barrage of pictures will have to suffice. Brady claims that his beauty makes most people speechless, today he is correct! 1 point Brady.

Par-tay

"careful woman, I could burn my nose hairs"

"Just a quick sip while no one is looking"

It's official, Grammie Lou is 49...again. We enjoyed a day of celebration in her honor with a massage, pedi's, a Mexican fiesta and cocktails. Brady was in a festive spirit and really livened things up. He bounced around techno style on the porch, slammed a few shots, went streak'n and sang a little ditty. He even brought his own pink flask. I documented his attempts to conceal his consumption! Busted! He was thrilled such a glorious occasion could be enjoyed for 1 extra hour. I politely reminded him that the time change occurs WELL past his bedtime and he calmly informed me that the contents of his pink flask were indeed RedBull and to step off! He was making it until 2 a.m. no matter the cost. Fortunately the sugar crash from the cake rocked his little world and he was out by 8:04!

Today Brady is beginning his Olympic career at the Young Athletes Program. I'm not sure what to expect, but I am positive if it involves climbing, jumping, running, crawling or anything remotely physical he will be in hog heaven. I'm pretty sure he is going to try and get "rough housing" to be the next new Olympic sport.

Friday

Today we are enjoying a day of nothingness, just the pure joy of staying in our "jam-bows" until noon. I think the kids are enjoying the fact that we aren't rushing out the door or running from one appointment to another. It's an idle day where the to do list is recycled and we throw our feet up to enjoy the 300th viewing of Over the Hedge. Brady has issued a snow day so Mama's school is closed for the day. He's eating up the idea of a 3 day weekend. I haven't the heart to tell him that Mama's school operates 360 days a year. Holidays are only granted for birthdays, Mother's day (of course), Christmas, New Years and Flag Day. I'll save that announcement for tomorrow.

It's Grammie Lou's 60th birthday tomorrow, but if you ask her she will be enjoying her 49th birthday yet again. 49 is a good number and should be celebrated year after year. Brady is pumped to party down and has planned a special birthday dance for her. It involves a tail feather, a couple shoulder shakes and a sprinkler. He's pulling out all the stops for such a glorious event. Thank god he has settled on a dance because the commemorative tattoo wasn't going to fly with me. Happy Birthday Grammie Lou!! Thank you for all you do for our family. We love you!

ps- sorry for the sideways picture. I fixed it in picasa, but it doesn't translate when uploaded to blogger. Just tilt your head. She's cute vertically and horizontally.

Mama School

I have enrolled Brady in "Mama's school." Where and what is Mama's school you ask? Well, it's my classroom of one taught by me, myself and I. I'm sure Brady envisioned his teacher being a bit younger, probably a lot hotter and definitely not related, but he will have to settle with dear old Mama.

I have set up a "curriculum" to focus on four specific areas: 1. Fine motor skills 2. Speech 3. Gross motor skills 4. General social skills

This set up allows Brady to develop simple things like sitting in a chair and expanding his attention span. He is incredibly interested in the world around him so the idea of having to sit in a chair and focus on a task is challenging. Brady will be going to pre school in the fall so I thought it was time to rehearse some of the common classroom routines. This way when Brady hits the classroom for real it won't be such an adjustment....hopefully.

Here is a sample of what we do:

Sing welcome song!

1. Open with reading a book. I make Brady turn the pages and allow him to point and "chat" about the pictures

2. Fine motor drill- lacing beads, stacking 1" blocks, popping bubbles (combine this with speech exercise by saying "pop" every time he pops a bubble).

3. Art- drawing on paper with a crayon or marker. Practice taking the cap off and on of the marker. Emphasize NOT eating the crayon! UGH!

4. Gross Motor- climb in large box and throw balls EVERYWHERE!

5. Speech- run through flash cards from DownsEd See and Learn program

Sing closing song.

I vary the exercises depending on Brady's mood. We always finish each task on a positive note. I follow his lead because I want to ensure that "learning" is a good experience.

So far he likes school. Last night he ran to his table, sat down, said "Mama" and pointed to the books. It was pretty cool.

For help I've asked my EI team for some direction. I've also contacted the district for a list of expectations for Kindergartners.

I guess the teacher in me is still alive and kicking.