WEEK 31 - December 23-29, 2010 - 30 Weeks Old

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010!  This week was HUGE - I can hardly wait to tell it all.  Not only did I get to celebrate my very first Christmas, but I turned 7 MONTHS OLD!  Mommy and Daddy cannot believe how much I'm doing and how much I change every week and this week was no exception.  It was filled with travel (to Florida to stay at Grammy Chris and Grampa Ward's), meeting all sorts of new relatives (my Uncle Jason and Great-Gramma Rose), seeing new sights (my first trip to a theme park!), and learning new things (I love to practice standing and have found out the bath is pretty much the coolest thing ever!).



Daddy and Kaety napping - Day 1



We started the week by my Mommy, Daddy, Sissy and me taking a redeye from Seattle to Orlando, Florida.  We went to go spend the week and Christmas with all my Mommy's brothers (she has 4!), her Daddy and step-Mommy, my brother Brian and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Alyssa, and my Great-Uncle John, Great-Aunt Ro and cousins Dave, Ashlynn, and Lucas.  It was a whirlwind to be sure.  I was so good on the flight...I was the only one who actually got to sleep.  There were LOTS of babies on the flight and they were all screaming pretty much the entire flight.  They woke me up a couple of times, but I just played quietly in Mommy's lap.  When we got off the flight, the nice man sitting across the aisle from Mommy said, "Your baby wins the "Best Baby Onboard" award for the flight."  Mommy was so proud.  Do I get a certificate or something? :)  Though I slept a lot, I was still tired when we got to Grammy and Grampy's house...I ended up helping Daddy take a nap; aren't I a good baby?

On Christmas Eve, we celebrated with a good 'ole family party.  I got to meet my Great-Grandma Rose and my Uncle Jason and spend some quality time with them and my Great-Aunts and Uncles and my awesome cousins.  I love to play with lots and lots of people and play, I did!



Great-Grandma Rose and me



Meeting my Uncle Jason for the first time!



Great-Aunt Ro and Great-Uncle John...he can jam a mean pink guitar!

Cousin Lucas and me...we're only 2 months apart!

Cousin Ashlynn and me...she's a spitfire!

Big Brother Brian showing me cool stuff...

Grammy Chris and Grampa Ward

Uncle Connor and me...

Uncles Kevin and Tommy...they are the funniest uncles EVER!



Tired out in my new outfit from Grammy Chris



Soon came Christmas day, and did you know the Big Guy, SANTA, himself, found me at my Grampa Ward's house?!  He brought me lots and lots of presents.  I got plenty of toys from my Uncles and my Grandparents and some nifty clothes.  We spent the whole day together as a family and had a really wonderful time, but boy, was it exhausting.  After a few hours, I had to take a nap right while I was in the middle of playing with some of my new toys!



Look at me in the big-girl tub!



One of the things I discovered while in Florida was how fun baths are!  I have graduated from my baby tub to a full-fledged bathtub and oh the joys!  I may have mentioned previously how much I like to be naked, well naked with water is definitely better!  I like to scooch and roll all over in the tub and I have found it is just plain fun!  Sometimes I get hung up on my belly and I have to fling my arms back and forth until I can move around again, but that causes lots of splashing and OH, I JUST LOVE IT!  Grammy and Grampy and Uncle Connor took Mommy and Daddy and Sissy and me to see some manatees while we were there and Daddy and Mommy think I look a little like a manatee in shallow water when I'm playing on my belly in the tub!  It's a good thing I think the manatees are cute, or I might take offense to that!



Happiness is taking a bath!

Mommy and Baby Manatees playing in the shallow water...is there a resemblance?





Kaety at her "standy" table

One of the cool new toys that my Uncles Kevin and Tommy bought me is a table that you can stand up next to, press buttons, turn pages, and it sings songs like the alphabet song and the numbers song, and it plays all kinds of catchy tunes.  I spent HOURS at that table while we were in Florida.  I was sad to have to see it go when Mommy and Daddy had to ship it home...I won't get it back until the second week of January.  BUT, the coolest thing about it is that it lets me spend time standing up (well, really leaning).  I LOVE to stand up (almost as much as I love a good bath).  Mommy and Daddy noticed that after a few days of playing with my table, I was much stronger and starting to lean a little less...we think Ms. Colleen will think this is good therapy for me.  Plus, it's really fun to boot...did I mention it makes a LOT of sounds?!

Sissy and Uncle Connor in front of Hogwarts Castle!

On the next-to-last day we were in Florida, I got to experience my very first theme park!  Mommy, Daddy, Grampy and Grammy took Uncle Connor and Sissy and me to Universal Studios!  Uncle Connor and Sissy wanted very much to see the Harry Potter World that was there and get to experience first-hand some of the awesome adventures in Hogsmeade.  Unfortunately, pretty much everyone who was in Florida also decided to go to Universal Studios that day.  We waited in line for 2 1/2 hours just to get into the Harry Potter World once we were in the park.  Then, once we were in, we waited over an hour and a half just to walk through the Harry Potter castle and go on one ride.  Then, Sissy and Uncle Connor waited 1/2 hour for Butterbeer and then they waited an hour to go into the wand shop.  You see a theme?  Waiting was pretty much what we did all day.  It's a good thing I'm a patient baby, or there might've been some serious meltdowns.  Despite all the waiting, the HP World was really really cool and very well done...they just need to work on crowd control a little!  Next time we go back, Mommy promises to spend some time in Seuss Land for me...we walked through there on our way out of the park and it was filled with lots of wonderous lights and colors...looked pretty neat to me!

Mommy, Uncle Connor and me INSIDE the castle...sooo cool!

Did I mention Florida was COLD?  And we did a lot of waiting.  This is definitely the way to wait in line!!!

Unfortunately, our Florida visit had to come to an end.  I so loved spending time with all my family and getting to play all the time.  I was REALLY REALLY good on the flight home as well...the guy across the aisle from Mommy (a DIFFERENT guy!) remarked to her that I was a pretty fantastic baby.  Well, she knew THAT! :)  I guess the awesome pj's my Grammy and Grampy bought me are fitting...they have angel wings on the back...how cool is THAT!? :)

Kaety's Angel Wings :)

I hear next week brings with it a New Year and expectations for all things good.  I'd have to say I think this year has been pretty spectacular, I mean, after all, I was born!  Next week, Mommy will take a moment to help me write about all the things I've learned and done this year and all the promise the next year brings.  Until then, we hope you have a wonderful New Year!  Ta Ta For Now!!!

WEEK 30 - December 16 - 22, 2010 - 29 weeks old

 Hello there! 

I had a little bit of a rough start to the week.  The day Aunt Terri was here, daycare called my Mommy and Daddy and told them my hands and feet were PURPLE!  When I was a little baby (ok, a bit littler than I am now), my hands and feet would turn purple when I was cold, but that hasn't happened in a really long time.  So Daddy and Mommy called the doctor and they said to take me off the Azythromycin.  Daddy took me to the doctor and they determined I was just getting cold at school because I keep taking my socks off and the teachers can't keep them on me!  So, Mommy has been putting me in tights for school, which I find very frustrating, but at least I don't seem to be turning purple anymore.  Unfortunately, as a result, I missed a couple days of antibiotics and I started to get worse again, my cough came back and I'm VERY stuffy.  So, back on the antibiotics I went.  I sure hope I get better before next week when we head to Florida for Christmas and get to see all the family!

Despite not starting out the week so well, things seem to be looking up!  I got to ride my very first pony this past weekend!  My cousin, Sarah, is a professional horse trainer and decided it was high-time for me to get on a pony.  Mommy wasn't sure because she thought I might be too young, but I told her I'm a big girl!  We went down to Sarah's barn and I met the pony, "Sprite."

Meeting Sprite

I was able to sit on "Sprite" who was a pretty big pony.  I enjoyed sitting on her, but mostly I thought licking the saddle horn was scrumpdillicious! :)

Saddlehorns are salty!

Big girl on a pony, sporting my first ponytails!

Mommy also got pictures back from Ms. Audrey that they used to help decorate for our Christmas party last week.  I had the most fun dressing up for Christmas, as you can see...mostly I just really like being nakey-butt with antlers on :).  These are some of Mommy's FAVORITE pictures of me!

 

We are headed to Grandpa's house in Florida for Christmas, so I got to open some of my very first Christmas presents before we left...

Opening first Christmas presents with Mommy's help

I'm sure I'll have lots of adventures to share from Florida!  They tell me the big guy is going to come visit and will bring me even MORE presents at Grandpa's house.  I'm pretty excited!  Have a wonderful Christmas and I'll let you know all about mine next week...Ta Ta! :)

WEEK 29 - December 8 - 15, 2010 - 28 weeks old

I've had a good week this week, though I've been a little under-the-weather.  The week started with me all dressed up in my VERY FIRST frilly tutu skirt from my wonderful cousin Leia!  I was the talk of school in my fancy outfit.  Mommy told Daddy we're going to have a lot of tutus as I get older! :)

During the week, the cold I've had for a while now got worse and I started coughing like there was a seal in my throat, so Mommy and Daddy took me back to the dr.  They said I have an upper respiratory infection and put me on my very first antibiotic, Azythromycin.  It's a very thick pink liquid, and I actually like the taste of it!  At the doctor, they weighed me and I am 17 lb, 4 oz!  Mommy says I'm getting heavy to cart around in my carseat!

This week at school I got to play some fun rolling and scooching games and did some art projects in preparation for the classroom holiday party where all the parents got to come for a pot-luck lunch.  I made a really pretty picture for my parents using paint and then we painted on bubble wrap so we could feel new textures.  Mostly, Ms Audrey said I was interested in watching the paint drop from the paint tube and then feeling it goop between my hands...Mommy thinks this might bode well for my ability to help with cooking!

I got to spend time with Ms. Colleen this week too.  I won't get to see her again until the New Year, so she worked me hard, trying to teach me all about transitioning from sitting to the floor and back up again.  I was ok with all the work until she tried to take my chewy toy away...that did not please me.  I really have to have things in my mouth at ALL times because my teeth hurt so much.  A girl needs to have things that comfort her especially when she's teething!  That said, we had a good session with Ms. Colleen and I'm getting more and more comfortable when she puts me in a crawling position.  If only I could move my hands and legs by myself, I could really go places!!



Mommy and Daddy got my 6-month pictures and our Christmas pictures in and they turned out FABULOUS.  Mommy decided that we should post a couple of her favorites here for everyone to see.

Playing innocent...

DEEELICIOUS!

Sweet Angel

My Sissy and Me

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'm telling Mommy and Daddy a story...

One other big event for the week was that I got to meet my Aunt Terri, who was my Mommy's best friend in high school.  She came into town visiting some of her other friends and came to stay with us for one day.  My Mommy hadn't seen Aunt Terri for 21 years (Mom says that's a long time...).  I really loved meeting her...she is super nice and played with me and even bought me a Starbucks bear!  I hope she comes back to visit and it doesn't take another 21 years!

Me and Aunt Terri

Finally, I'm getting really fond of baths every night.  I'm starting to splish and splash and I'm really into those books you can take into the tub.  Not only are they fun to hear Mommy read to me, they are quite nice to chew on to soothe tooth pain!  Daddy and Mommy are going to try to get video, but in the meantime, thought I should share this picture of my crazy hair post-bath...it's getting really long...

Have a good week!

WEEK 28 - December 2 - 7, 2010 - 27 Weeks Old

Christmas is coming!  We've entered December and Mommy and Daddy got our tree up and decided they needed a photo shoot to get me in front of it. I was a good sport and as you can see, quite photogenic!



So...here's my big news for the week... I'm a SCOOCHER!  That's right people, I can move myself (backward) across the floor all the way across our living room.  It takes time and I've not yet perfected the practice, but good golly, I'm trying!  Mommy set me down the other night and went to go work on dinner and when she looked back a few minutes later, I had pulled the "disappearing baby" trick!  I was at the Christmas tree, looking at all those shiny baubles and ornaments just within my grasping reach.  (Mommy and Daddy have since moved said baubles out of my reach...spoil sports!)  Mommy was SHOCKED.  She called Daddy, then they set me BACK in the middle of the floor and I had to do it ALL over again...but they were sneaky and watched this time, taking pictures. 

Rolling over to prep for scooching...

Backing up...

Hey...this is FUN!

GOAL!

Later that night, Daddy got some quick video of my new skillage.  Mommy says she's either going to have to vacuum every day now so I don't end up covered in dog hair, or get more, bigger quilts on which I can play.  (I think she's going to find vacuuming every day to be a wee bit too taxing, and I'm guessing I'm going to get to eat some of that yummy dog hair before you know it!)


In other news, this past weekend I got to spend some time with my very good friend, Madison.  It was her Mommy's birthday, so we all went to dinner.  I got to visit with Gramma Doris (she spoils me with her big smiles and giggling!) and Grampa Jim and see Auntie Rachel and Uncle Jimmy and meet Madison's Papa.  We had such a great time and I really love the way Madison always wants to hold my hand.  It makes me really happy! 

Speaking of really happy, I'm digging all this moving around and getting to see the world.  Ms. Audrey took us on a buggy ride at school and I was the HAPPIEST girl on the trip.  I love to look at everything we pass by on our buggy rides...the fish tank, the front desk, other kids playing on the playground...ALL of it! 

My friends and me on a buggy ride...look how much fun I'm having!

After my buggy ride, Ms. Audrey took me back to class and went to give me a Baby Mum Mum snack and I surprised the heck out of her by literally snatching it out of her hand and making short work of that delicious biscuit.  I even fed it to myself!  Mommy and Daddy didn't know I could do that...at home I play it pretty low key and let them do it for me, but I think my act has been blown by the pictures Ms. Audrey took!

My other big news of the week was that Ms. Colleen came to school and not only did we do therapy (wherein I showed her my snazzy scooching skills), but she and Mommy also updated my IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan - basically the plan we follow with my Early Intervention team to help make sure I'm continuing to do meet milestones and move ahead).  I achieved almost all the milestones Mommy and Daddy set with Ms. Colleen and Ms. Donna back when I was 3 weeks old...the only one we still need to work on is having Mommy and Daddy start using signing more consistently with me.  Mommy says that when they set those initial goals, they would never have thought I would come this far this fast...but what they've learned is never to underestimate me!!!  Goals on my new IFSP include:

• increased communication skills:  more signing for Mommy and Daddy and for me to try to learn a few of my own to use by the time I'm a year old; also more talking for me - Mommy doesn't think I talk enough with consistent babbling...little does she know that when I start, I won't stop!
• increased self feeding (I'm happy to see they are going to keep me fed...I don't want to have to live on my reserves, you know!)
• more hard work on the gross motor skills:  Mommy and Ms. Colleen think I may be crawling in a couple of months and think that I can be pulling myself up to stand and cruising around the living room by the time I'm a year old...I'm up for the challenge!
• work on fine motor skills:  apparantly there's this "pincer grasp" thing they want me to try...if there's food involved, I'm in!

We'll see if I reach those goals, but one thing's for sure...with Mommy, Daddy, Sissy, Ms. Audrey and Ms. Colleen on my side, anything seems to be possible!

Oh!  And before I go...take a look at my first ever school photos!  I even smiled for the camera!!! :)

WEEK 27 - November 25 - December 1, 2010 - 26 weeks old

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! (Belated)

 

I AM 6 MONTHS OLD THIS WEEK!!!

 

Mommy and Daddy cannot believe that I am 6 months old.  They say it has flown by in a blink of an eye.  We've had some trying times, but overall, it's been an easy, breezy 6 months.  Mommy says I need to stop growing so fast, but I'm ready to keep in going!

 

I celebrated my first Thanksgiving this past week.  I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday so far!  LOTS of food was had.  I got to see most of my Spivey family - my Uncle Allan, Aunt Barbie, Cousins Anna, Eric, Paul, Heather, Justin, and Aunt Glynnis and her boyfriend Steve.  I loved playing with them, especially Heather and my Aunt Barbie and her new dog, Sophie (like the name of my favorite toy, Sophie La Girafe, whose nose I like to eat every day!).   I ate sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie and decided that I'm a BIG fan of pie...BIG!!

 

I spent some time this week showing off my new sitting up skills while watching Baby Mozart and Baby Noah...

And I spent time with my Sissy while she was here, learning to play the piano - she's an aficianado! Between Sissy and my Aunt Barbie (who is a professional and a piano teacher), I'm pretty sure I'm going to play before I'm 5!

 

My first piano experience

I have also experienced several more foods this week.  I'm a big fan of the avocado.  As previously stated, I LOVE pumpkin pie!  I have had finger foods - apple puffs that Mommy and Daddy give me - and Baby Mum Mums that I can give myself sort of - but mostly I like Mommy to give them to me (see video below)! I've also become adept at blowing zerberts, which you can also see below.

I also had my next set of professional pictures taken this week for my 6 month birthday.  My friend, Nathania, took them of me, Sissy, Mommy and Daddy.  We should get them back next week. Mommy and Daddy are SO excited to see them!  Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well still, so I didn't do too much smiling, but when I did, Mommy said it was like a ray of sunshine!  Hopefully next week I'll have both those AND my school pictures to share...

 

On Monday, I went to the doctor for my 6 month appointment (and more shots).  I didn't really like the shots so much.  Dr. P says I'm doing REALLY REALLY well despite my little cold.  She said that according to what she sees, I'm measuring right on target with most of my typical peers!  Here are my new stats that show how well I'm developing:

• WEIGHT:  I weigh 17 pounds and 2 ounces - that's in the 75th percentile on a typical growth chart and in the 90th percentile for the Girls with DS growth chart!
• HEIGHT:  I am 26.75 inches long - that's in the 75th percentile on a typical growth chart and in the 95th percentile for the Girls with DS growth chart!!  We're not sure how I am measuring so tall...Mommy says to keep at it though because my genes (her genes!) are working against me :)
• HEAD:  My head is 16 cm around - that's in the 45th percentile on a typical chart (no DS chart to compare to).  Mommy says I have a little head like her!

Right now, I'm meeting all the milestones of my typical peers with the one exception that I don't yet consciously pass a toy from hand to hand (it has to stop at my mouth first!), so we think that's pretty fantastic.  Dr. P. says she can see tooth buds on my bottom gums, which is why they're so darned sore all the time!  It won't be long now, Mommy thinks!

 

I also met with Ms. Colleen this week.  She said, "Will you look at her sitting!  It's not long now before she'll be army crawling!"  I think she was impressed.  AND I stayed awake for the WHOLE visit - YAY ME!  At the end, I got cranky because I was SUPER hungry.  Mommy says I have an "ON/OFF" switch - there's no warning...I just get hungry and implode.  At least that's what she thinks!  Ms. Colleen also watched me eating because Mommy is concerned about my tongue thrusting, though I seem to be doing MUCH MUCH better.  She had some suggestions, though said it really isn't that bad.  Go figure, every time Mommy says, "Can we work on this..." the next time we meet, I've got it mastered.  I keep telling Mommy I'll do it all in my own time...she just needs to learn patience!!  Anyway, Ms. Colleen is going to make me a foam insert for my chair at school to help me with sitting while eating so I don't have to focus so much on the sitting and can concentrate more on the FOOD...now that's my style!

OH!  I almost forgot!  I met SANTA CLAUS this week!  Yessirree Bob, I got to sit on the Big Man's lap my very own self!  I went with my friend Kayla (remember, she had heart surgery at the end of last month...I'm happy to report she's doing STELLAR now!).  We played while Mommy and Holly shopped and then went to have a picture with Santa.  We had to do a couple of takes because, honestly, I looked like a line-backer in the sweater I wore the first few pictures.  I think the one we chose turned out really nice.  I hope you do too!

Until next week...hope you have a good one :)