More John Michael firsts (Golden Arches)... and "Roses"

OK, this isn't exactly something I'm proud of, but I guess it's a big milestone in typical American households.


John Michael ate his first order of Chicken McNuggets and french fries.



This isn't his first time eating french fries -- he actually likes this vegetable (wink). And he likes cheeseburgers. But I've tried chicken nuggets before and he just tossed them on the floor. Yesterday, I was super busy shuffling my older kids to and from art camp and fire camp and I caved, I mean, went through the McD drive-thru. He ate 3 out 4. I guess you could say he liked them!




Another first... I taught him how to dip his fries into ketchup. I think more ended up on the side of his chunky fist than on the fries, but he liked the process and the taste was a bonus.


Finally, I want to say... what's up with the toys in Happy Meals? I mean, this toy literally does nothing, except that the acorn in its pouch goes up and down. The look on John Michael's face should tell you how exciting this is. This was actually Greta's toy, but she passed it on to her little brother. When Nic and Anna were little, we used to say, "No, thank you," to fast food toys. The cashiers usually looked at us as though we were denying our children. Sometimes the kids would look for other kids in the restaurant and give them their unopened toys. Seeing this toy yesterday reminded me that that's not a bad thing to go back to.



If you're interested, I posted a photo that I edited with a new tool in my toolbox.

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Lesson 4 of JessicaSprague.com's "Photo Editing: Frame-ups and Special Effects" class taught us how to use clipping masks.

I used a photo of roses from my garden and applied a grunge clipping mask to it. The photo conforms to the clipping mask, giving it a grungy, worn look. I think I'll use this again and again.

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Lesson 3 -- Vintage Looks

Day 3 of my photo editing class was a lesson on creating a vintage look.

This photo I took of the girls in their 1950's diner dresses was perfect for this project.

I tinted Greta's hair, ruffle and cheeks and colorized Anna's hair, cheeks and logo on her dress. With Photoshop 7, I used about 7 different layers and changed the hue/saturation levels to achieve this vintage look.

Wordless Wednesday -- LEGOs

When John Michael was born, Nicolas was really sad for a while because having a brother Down syndrome meant (to him at the time) that he wouldn't have anyone to play LEGOs with or play ball.

John Michael continually proves to us that he is all boy first and Down syndrome is just a small part of who he is.

Here, brothers are playing LEGOs together, even though the pieces are too small for JM to put together. He's at the Mega Blocks stage for stacking, but took some time out of his busy toddler schedule to play with his big brother.

* Yes, I realize the pieces are super small and can be put in his mouth, but I was monitoring very carefully :-)

Curiosity -- Lesson 2 on Brushes

I can't get this photo out of my head. I love the intent look of curiosity on John Michael's face.

In Lesson 2 (at www.jessicasprague.com), I learned how to use brushes (like stamps) in Photoshop and to easily change colors to match those found in my photo using the eyedropper tool. The frame and word art are colors taken from the wings of the butterfly.

Rather than cropping out the docent's hand, I decided to use a frame brush to accentuate and draw the eye in to my (adorable) subject. (Of course I'm biased!) Check out the gallery at jessicasprague.com for more inspiration.

Mt. Shasta Memories -- July 4th, 2009

John Michael and Daddy hanging out at Lake Siskiyou (Mt. Shasta, CA)with majestic Mount Shasta towering in the background.

Nicolas plowing the back acre with Opa's tractor.

Playing a little Frisbee with Anna...

Greta at the Mt. Shasta 2 mile Fun Walk

Nicolas, my super trooper, carried John Michael the whole way on his back because Daddy and Anna left with the car before we could get the stroller out!

Doug and Anna ran the 5 mile and 2 mile races. John Michael is hiding in the backpack. It was a hot, but beautiful day!

Gorgeous sky above Mount Shasta, a 14,162 ft volcano.

My patriotic bunch!

John Michael reaching for a blue butterfly that is just being released at Turtle Bay in Redding, CA.

(* No butterflies were harmed in the shooting of this photo)

An Erato butterfly. I've never seen something so beautiful! We followed it to see where it would land. What a beautiful rose it chose for a great photo.

The Art of the Brick was the title of this show. Very cool!

Here John Michael is stacking Mega Blocks, something he's never played with before. He continually shows me that kids with Down syndrome should be given the same opportunities as any kid!

An actual T-Rex named "Sue" from North America. No flash was allowed, hence the low light. This was quite amazing to see in person. * They don't really know if it was a female, but that's the name they gave it.

As you can see, we had a fantastic July 4th weekend.

I hope yours was, too.

God Bless America!

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday -- John Michael the Artist!

Emptying my cabinets is a favorite pasttime for John Michael. Here, he discovered how fun it would be to play pick-up sticks with my paint brushes, scattering them across the floor.

Hmmm, tasty. Or maybe he's working on his next masterpiece.

We made a game of putting the brushes "in" the can. He caught on and thought it was fun...

only to scatter them once again.

Brotherly love and Boy Scout camp

Nicolas made it home safely from a week away at Boy Scout camp. He's such a vibrant part of this family and we've all missed him very much, including Anna who has had to be the big sister all week and take on some of Nic's chores.

While at camp, Nic earned 4 merit badges -- Music, Wilderness Survival, Leatherworking, First Aid and he partially completed Environmental Science. Wow! For Wilderness, Nic and another scout had to spend a night outdoors and could only bring 3 things with them. He brought a towel, plastic bag and a flashlight. They made their own shelter from pine needles, wood and branches. He said he only slept for 30 minutes the whole night! For Music, he had to compose 12 measures of a song, sing God Bless America with proper posture and voice, name the 5 instrument groups and attend two live music performances (he used my vocal jazz concert and a music in the park we attended with our family recently). I love the short piece he composed for piano. There are some cool jazz chords in there.

All week, John Michael has been pointing to Nic's picture around the house and saying "K". It is so sweet to see them together again. He gave Nic big hugs and kisses and smiles.

While at camp, Nic said he saw a boy from another troop who had Down syndrome. He said he was about 12 or 13 years old. He didn't have a chance to talk to him, but I got choked up thinking about John Michael being a Boy Scout in the future. He'll be the best Scout ever. The BSA has a special allowance for people with different abilities. Where typical kids age out of Boy Scouts at age 18, there is no age limit for those who have developmental disabilities. Recently, I saw a video of a young man (age 40!) with Down syndrome who earned his Eagle Scout rank. That is so hard to do for any young man, so I was doubly impressed when I saw that (not to mention I was crying by the end of the video)!



Have a great weekend! Mine's already getting better :-)

Almost Wordless Wednesday -- First trip to the zoo

Click to enlarge

Doug and I took the kids to the Sacramento Zoo on Father's Day (Nicolas is at Boy Scout camp all week). It was John Michael's first time at the "big" zoo.

The top right photo is funny -- John Michael is pointing to a lizard with his chubby middle finger. It was also his first carousel ride. We had a great day -- such a fun way to celebrate the Best Daddy in the World.

That night, John Michael had another first. He pooped in the bathtub (photo not included LOL)! I'm so not good with floating poop, so "Best Daddy in the World" took care of it and washed all the toys while I took JM in the shower to get clean.

Book and Toy Recommendation

I love it when we find toys that do more than just entertain, make noise, and eventually collect dust. Here are a couple that recently caught my eye and have been a hit with John Michael.

We bought the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Mailbox at Target after John Michael first saw it at Gabby's birthday party. It has so many great learning features such as putting the 3 letters in the thin slot, opening and closing the mailbox to put the package in, a snail shell for turning and a jingly spinning thing to manipulate little fingers. It has a music setting and learning setting as well. After a while I get annoyed by the little bird that makes noise every time you touch it, but you could also turn off the sound.

Another great find is the Slide and Find Words book. We bought this at Barnes & Noble off the shelf. On each page, children learn their colors, match pictures on opposite pages of different sizes, and the best part is the sliding door that reveals a related picture; e.g., a banana on the outside and a sliced banana behind the window. Each sliding window (4 per page) opens in a different direction (up, down, left and right) so there's lots of fine motor work on that as well. John Michael is working on that as well as pointing with his index finger (vs. his middle finger) 50% of the time.

We also really like these blocks. They are Parents brand from Target. The blocks are bigger than traditional wooden blocks and are rubbery in texture. They can be squeezed to make a sound, have numbers and pictures all around, come in different colors, have a "lip" or raised edge for easy grabbing and the texture makes it easier to stack on top of each other as well as balance on carpet.

Finally, there's no better playmate for John Michael than Daddy and his siblings. Sorry, Target doesn't carry these particular models anymore. ;-)

Sharing the Love...

It's gonna be another hot day here.

In a little while, we're going to buy a plastic pool for splashing. Here are some photos to make you smile.

Greta and John Michael sharing the love...

and kisses...

and the best hugs...

John Michael is showing off his new International Down Syndrome Coalition (IDSC) for Life onesie. Check it out if you have a chance.

Have a great weekend!

Honest Scrap Award!

Thank you to Edel (aka Squelly) of The Dreamer's Day in London for presenting me with the Honest Scrap Award. I am honored to have been chosen. How wonderful to communicate with people across the world with a few clicks on the keyboard!

In accepting this award, I need to do the following: 1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award. 2) Share "ten honest things" about myself. 3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me. 4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it.

Ten things about myself:

1. Sometimes I am reserved and have difficulty making "small talk" in social settings, until I get to know you better. Then you can't stop me! I have found my voice through writing/blogging.

2. My first instrument was the accordion. I took lessons for 3 years, but secretly wished I could've played piano instead.

3. I love being in nature with my family but am not keen on camping.

4. I am very unfocused and easily distracted throughout the day. Also, Need More Sleep! (or is it 4 kids?!)

5. I was at the top of my class in high school (grade-wise, not socially), but struggled once I got to college. It took 7 years to finally settle on a BS in Applied Mathematics & Statistics. I sang throughout high school and college and would've loved to have a vocal performance degree.

6. I love blogging and meeting other moms through blogging who have a child with Down syndrome.

7. I am a terrible procrastinator, but can really get my brain in gear when the pressure's on.

8. My name, Monica, dates back to 4th century northern Africa or Phoenicia. St. Monica is the patron saint of mothers. She prayed for her son (St. Augustine) for many years who eventually converted to Christianity. My name also means "advisor", which fits since I like to help people and share what I've learned.

9. I was born on the Feast of St. Francis -- October 4th. Maybe that's why I love nature.

10. I would love to take classes in HTML, writing, and art to see where they might lead. I love doing graphic art on the computer, too. Sometimes I think about getting a teaching credential for math, but that desire usually fades away.

Now for the hardest part -- coming up with only 7 blogs that I love.

In no particular order:

Jennifer @ Three's A Charm
Lisa @ Genetically Enhanced
Sheree @ The Phamily Blog
Sharon @ Brennan's Beginnings
Ria @ Bill and Ria - Sharing experiences about life, parenting, and Down syndrome
Beverly @ Adventures of Home Schooling Noah
Debbie @ Three Weddings
Maggie @ Take a Walk on the Happy Side

and for a new blogger --

DS Mama @ Down Syndrome New Mama

OK, so who's counting anyway? I could easily add 10 more!

Will ya get me outta here?!?!?

This was too funny. Greta climbed into John Michael's crib after he woke up from his nap. They were trying to kiss me through the slats -- nice, big, fat, juicy, wet kisses (top right photo). BTW, John Michael's shirt says "Miso Cute" -- a hand-me-down from his cousin, Cole. I agree!

Visit with the geneticist at the MIND Institute

John Michael enjoyed his time at the UC Davis MIND Institute this morning while waiting to see his geneticist.

Stacking is a big thing these days. I loved these huge Lego-style plastic blocks. So fun!

Ahhh, our favorite tank engine... Thomas!

Trains, trains, and more trains.

The UC Davis MIND Institute is an amazing place. Architecturally, it's a beautiful building of brick with the inside filled with glass and light beechwood. Artwork from patients with autism spectrum disorder line the walls, all professionally framed. Some pieces are so incredible, they look like master artists painted them and should be found in galleries. The waiting room for children is also very impressive. This place is primarily for children with neurological disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome. However, John Michael's geneticist that he saw a year ago, also has an office here.

Doug and I with John Michael, along with Dr. M and two interns, crowded into the small room. Dr. M was immediately impressed by John Michael, having last seen him when he was four months old. At that time, we had many worries, concerns, and questions over what health issues may arise during his first year. As we all sat down, John Michael smiled, waved and reached to shake hands with her and the interns who were there to observe. He is very social and loves to interact with people. The purpose of the visit was to follow-up from a year ago and to see his development. It was also my one chance to ask an expert's opinion face-to-face about some treatments other parents are doing with their children, such as high doses of vitamins or taking them to the Institutes in Philadelphia, PA.

On high doses of vitamins, she said that there haven't been any conclusive tests to suggest that it is beneficial, but she has some parents that say they've noticed marked improvement with cognitive function and muscle tone. Other parents have said it hadn't had any effect. She said water-soluble vitamins were harmless in high doses, but to be careful for fat-soluble vits that could build up and cause liver damage. I asked her specifically about Nutrivene and she said a colleague of her said it's a balanced vitamin product and could be used.

As for the Institutes, she has heard of it and said it was highly regarded for children who are brain-injured. Down syndrome is a type of brain injury, according to Dr. Dolan of the Institutes and the children are given therapies based on that. Dr. M said that parents who've taken their children there are very happy with the intense therapies and use of oxygen for cell regeneration (I hope I said that correctly).

Even for parents who cannot or would not do the Nutrivene or Institiutes programs, Dr. M highly recommended daily multiple vitamins, such as Poly-vi-sol, for children with Ds. I can't recall specifically the medical reason, but something like their bodies don't absorb nutrients from food as easily. But don't quote me on that!

So, I will do my best to remember to give John Michael his vitamins... because it's good for his cells.

She noted that his height (50th percentile) and weight (75th percentile) are excellent and his head circumferance (3rd percentile) is typical for children with Down syndrome as their heads and brain size are smaller than the general population.

Finally, I asked Dr. M about Mosaic Down syndrome. It's been a question in my head for a long time.
She said that at first glance, she suspected Mosaicism due to his mild facial features. He could have a simple skin biopsy to find out. In the hospital, just after birth, they tested only about 20 cells. With skin cells, it takes about 2 months to grow and test about 100 cells to see if all or only some have the 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome. Of course, if he does have the Mosaic form, she did tell us that nothing technically changes in how we care for him as it is still Down syndrome. It just gives us more information about him. I'm not sure when that'll happen.

We don't need to follow-up with her since John Michael's needs will be taken care of by his pediatrician. But it sure was good to just have an expert take a look and say, "You're doing a great job... John Michael is doing fantastic." Sometimes we just need an extra pat to affirm all the hard work we do. And that was well worth the copay!