Week 39 - February 17 - 23, 2011 - 38 weeks old

I've had a BIG week this week.  I've finally learned how to go from laying down to a sitting position ALL BY MYSELF, even outside of the bathtub!  (Mommy got some video of my fancy bathtub sitting up skills, which is what you see below!)  I also have managed to pull myself up to a "bent over/standing" position not once, not twice, but THREE times in the last two days.  I even did it for Ms. Audrey at school on Tuesday.  She was pretty surprised!  I can't wait to be able to move even more like the BIG kids at school in my class.  I get so frustrated when I can't seem to get somewhere and I really, really want to play with my friends at school who are movin' and groovin' all over the place!  
 

Kaety in the tub demonstrating her fascinating "sit up" technique...

As you can see, I have mastered the art of "the reach" and return to sitting.  I've even moved forward two pushes in a crawl position this week.  But I usually end up on my face, which isn't so much fun.  I'm sure trying though!  My next goal is actual forward movement consistently...someday...someday, I WILL crawl!   I'd also very much like to pull myself up on my standy table...I'm sure trying to do that...

We didn't do a lot this past weekend, just kept it kind of low-key because Mommy and Daddy had "housework" to do and Mommy was kind of tired.  That said, I got to try lots of new foods and I have decided that really, I just like food.  It doesn't matter what, BIG or small.  I've not found a food I don't like!  Also, our dog, Elliott likes food too.  He pretty much hangs out with me when I eat.  He must really like me, so I share with him sometimes.  Mommy got video of me eating my fish sticks, peas, carrots and pineapple at lunch this past weekend.  And you can see how Elli likes to help me!

I have also started to open and close my hand when Mommy asks me if I want some milk.  I *think* this is something that is supposed to signify that I do want milk.  Mommy does it all the time when she's giving me a bottle; she says it's the sign for milk!  So, if I do it too, does that mean I get a bottle every time?  :)

The other BIG news this week is pretty BIG. It turns out, that in late August, I'm going to be a BIG sister!  I don't know if I'm going to have a brother or a sister yet, but I'm sort of excited all the same...though I don't really like the idea of sharing my toys...who came up with that idea anyway?

Kaety finds out she's going to be a big sister...



YAYAY!  That's so exciting!



Ummm....wait a minute!  Does that mean I'm going to have to share my toys?

Whatchu talkin' about?  Can we re-think this whole thing?  Sharing toys stinks!

I can't wait for this next week when I get to see Ms. Colleen and show her all my fancy new tricks!  I hope your week is fabulous too!

WEEK 38 - February 10-16, 2011 - 37 weeks old

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I had my very first Valentine's Day this past week and it was fantastic.  We had a party at school and I got to play with all the kids in my class.  Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy didn't get to come, but I still had a fun time!

Ms. Audrey got some good video of me eating at school.  I really like french toast and cheerios and watch how I can sit at the table all by myself and scoop up food and *mostly* get it in my mouth on my own!


Daddy and Mommy are trying to make sure I practice self-feeding at home too.  I'm holding my bottle more and more...

AND...Saturday morning, Daddy gave me WAFFLES.  I love waffles.  When they were gone, I told him how much I needed more of them! 


I do love to talk.  I do it all the time.  In fact, this past week when I went to visit Dr. P to have my ears checked out (ear infection is gone!  YAY!), she remarked, "Well, at least we don't have to worry about her learning to babble!"  I made sure she had to use her outside voice to talk to my Mommy and Daddy...I was using mine as well to talk over her!!! :)

I love to talk and I love food.  In fact, I like to talk while eating my food.  That can create a mess, but Mommy and Daddy think it's funny!  I'm eating so much more these days.  I like pancakes and french toast and waffles and mandarin oranges and peaches and yogurt and blueberry pieces and spinach (I LOOOOVE spinach!) and chicken noodle soup and crackers and graham crackers and cheerios and beef stew and turkey with rice and chicken of all kinds...I'm becoming a regular foodie!  I actually prefer to try to feed myself and get frustrated when Mommy or Daddy won't let me grab the spoon.  It gets messy, but I can do it...what a big girl I am!!! :)

Until next week, have a great one! :)

WEEK 37 - February 3-9, 2011 - 36 weeks old

I had a really nice week this week playing at school and spending time with Ms. Colleen for therapy.  It was the first time in a month that I got to see her, since the last time I was supposed to see her, I had pinkeye :( 

We had a really nice session where I showed her how much I love to try to pull myself up on Mommy and how much I love to stand.  We worked on me sitting on Ms. Colleen's leg and then standing up because I really like to stand up "straight-legged" (or like the Tin Man, per Ms Audrey :) ).  Ms. Colleen showed Mommy and Ms. Audrey how to work with me to bend my knees and help me start to push up with my knees, not just pull up with my hands.  Ms. Colleen also showed them some things to do to work on crawling.  I am SO good about getting up on all fours and bouncing and at moving backward, but I simply cannot figure out how to move forward!  Mommy and Ms. Audrey and Ms. Elsa are going to work on helping me learn how to coordinate all the things necessary to try to move forward too!

One other thing I've learned how to do this week is to move from my stomach to a sitting position.  It's not very graceful, and I started out by doing it in the tub (much to Mommy's shock).  She hasn't gotten video yet, but I know when she does, you'll be impressed.  Basically, I spread my legs as wide as I can, push with my hands and flip over to my butt.  I'm pretty proud when I do it.  Mommy's trying to work with me on a more graceful and ladylike transition so I don't have to do the splits first.  But for now, I'm pretty happy just to be able to get into a sitting position!

No, I didn't get to this sitting position by myself, but I needed to show you my snazzy jacket, courtesy of Aunt Jacqui!

It may seem strange, but my family is a bunch of procrastinators, so we had Christmas in February with all of Mommy's cousins this week.  Basically that meant that Aunt Kim, Uncle Paul, Auntie Rachel and Auntie Sarah all came over, played games, ate dinner, and then we opened presents.  Auntie Rachel and Auntie Sarah bought me a REALLY COOL dinosaur that I can ride on and learn to walk behind.  His name is Nester.  I adore him!  Here I am sitting on him for the first time...

Also, Mommy got some video of Daddy helping me to go for a ride.  Mostly, I like the lights on Nester's back and I want to chew on his dino spikes.  But I am learning to wiggle my legs and I'll be making him move on my own in no time!


I'm looking forward to next week, as I will get to go play with Ms. Holly and Kayla and, it's my FIRST Valentine's Day.  I hope I get some candy! :)  Have a great week!

WEEK 36 - January 27 - February 2, 2011 - 35 weeks old

Well that was interesting!  I turned 8 months old this week AND I went to have my Swallow Study done at Seattle Children's.  Mommy was so nervous, she didn't take ANY pictures (shocking, I know!).  Also, because it was in a room where they took pictures of your insides, Mommy and Daddy weren't sure they were even allowed to take pictures!  But, I thought I should describe what happened anyway.

We checked into the hospital and a very nice lady with long blonde hair (that I would really have liked to get my hands and mouth on!) put a bracelet on my ankle.  Then a man came and took my Mommy and Daddy and me back to a room where I got undressed except for my diaper and fancy shoes  and then sat in a REALLY tall high chair (it had to be 4 1/2 feet tall!) and Daddy held my arms above my head while the man took two pictures of my chest.  Mommy stood back with the technicians and watched all the wizardry they do on their computers.

Next, we went into another room and they put the smallest little hospital gown on me.  It was at this point that Mommy started to get nervous.  Then they laid me down with my hands above my head and strapped me to a board that rotates 270 degrees!  Most kids cry at this point.  I did not.  I am a big girl.  And  good girl.  Everyone said so :).  Daddy stayed in the room with me, Mommy went back with the technicians to watch on the fancy screens.  A doctor came in and Daddy helped them give me some cherry flavored stuff to drink while the doctor moved me all around on the board and took lots of pictures of me while I was drinking.  Mommy said you could see me swallowing the cherry drink and then watch it in my tummy and then see it empty into my duodenum (whatever that is!).  The doctor spent a lot of time looking at the pictures and then she talked to Mommy and Daddy afterward and said that all my parts look good!  She said there is no anatomical reason for my "urping" so much, but that she would send all the results to Dr. P. 

The nurses dressed me (they actually fought over who got to hold me...they loved my chunks :)), and then Mommy and Daddy got to bring me home.  Dr. P called later that day and said she thinks we can take care of this!  So, she switched my prescription from Zantac to Prilosec and told Mommy and Daddy to keep me on soy formula and try giving me a little cereal before or during each bottle.  I'll go back to see her on Valentine's day to check my ears (to make sure the infection is gone) and to talk about my belly issues.  So, we'll see how it goes!  Mommy and Daddy are relieved that there doesn't appear to be anything physically wrong.  They'd sure like to figure out why I urp so much, though (and so would Ms. Audrey!).

Speaking of Ms. Audrey and school, one of my teachers, Ms. Kathy, has left for a few months.  She's going to have a baby in the middle of February and spending all her time playing with, lifting, and following around a bunch of babies/toddlers was getting to be a little too much.  I sure hope I get to meet her new baby girl when she comes...I've spent a lot of time talking to her in her Mommy's belly!

At school this week, we did a really fun art project.  Ms. Audrey traced my body on paper and then I got to paint it with my whole body!  I LOOOOVED doing this and Mommy loves the pictures! 

Getting started ... before the paint!

What is all this wet stuff?

Hey!  This is kinda fun!

Do I have something on my face?

I DO have something on my face... :)

Have a great week!

Pure Love Giveaway - Make Your Heart Happy... A Message from Kaetlyn's Mom:)

Hi folks!

Kaetlyn's Mom here, hijacking her blog for a good reason...

I wanted to take a quick moment to give a shout out to another mama and her blog in the DS community.  Her name is Patti and she's a mother of 10 (yes, I said 10), who is doing some AMAZING work to help the kids of Reece's Rainbow get adopted.  Reece's Rainbow is a non-profit adoption organization that helps kids with DS and other disAbilities get adopted.  Patti's 10th daughter, Lily, is chromosomally enhanced like my little Kaetlyn and has inspired Patti to reach out and just help as many kids as she can through her "Pure Love Giveaway" on her blog. 

The "Pure Love Giveaway" has over 15 prizes including an Apple iPad and Nikon D90 Digital Camera Kit.  What do you need to do to win one of these FABULOUS prizes?  All you need to do is donate $10 to one of the three children from Reece's Rainbow to enter.  Donate to each child and you can enter 3 times!  It's basically a $10 raffle ticket and it WILL help save a child's life.  What better reason to buy a raffle ticket.  Seriously.  SERIOUSLY.

After you make a donation, simply post a comment on Patti's blog that you did so.  If you make more than one donation, post more than one comment.  The comment is your raffle ticket, so to speak. 

Patti has been passionately raising money to help these kids for a while and this has grown into a truly awe-inspiring and heart-warming movement.  Two of the girls you see, Olga & Kareen have been fortunate enough to find families hoping to bring them home forever.  Continued donations will help ensure that will happen. 

Most of you know I don't ever do things like post for giveaways, etc.  But this is special in my heart.  It involves adopting kids, for which I have a soft spot, given my several AWESOME adopted cousins, and DS, which, well...you KNOW I have a soft spot there for my Kaety-did.  So, if you have a chance, check out Patti's blog A Perfect Lily and donate to Reece's Rainbow.  It'll make your heart happy.  I know it does mine :)