Four Months Old!!

Russell is turning four months old on Monday! I am so very proud of him and all he is accomplishing. Every new thing he does creates such excitment in our house! When I first found out I was pregnant with him I worried about the age difference between him and my other children, but I am finding having older kids and then Russell is such fun as the older kids take such an intrest in Russell and all that he learns. It's fun to have the older kids to share this joy with and watch as they cheer their little brother on.

So what has Russell learned in the past four months??

Besides how to be ADORABLE!

Russell has learned to keep his head a little steadier. He is not a fan of tummy time, but he sure tries hard to keep his little head up. I still think it's those big cheeks of his wieghing him down!

He has accomplished rolling over!! That was a VERY exciting moment for all of us. We all huddled around him and watched as he did it over and over....the kids were thrilled!


He  has started noticing things and reaching for objects. For a long time I was worried about his eyes and if he could see good. For some reason I have been worried about his eyes since birth. They were really yellow for a long time as he had jaundice, but that obviously cleared up as he got older. Russell didnt seem to fucos or follow objects for a long time either, and that worried me. But I am not worried anymore....he is doing great and I know he can see and focus and I love watching him try to grab things. At six months Russell goes in for a check up and he will see an eye specialist then and redo blood tests and stuff to make sure everything is still good.

I waited a long time for Russell to smile....for me that was a huge milestone. Down Syndrome is a scarey thing at times...I find the scariest part of it is just not knowing...not knowing what exactly his issues will be. We have been told over and over again that Russell is a mild case...BUT...there really is no telling until he gets older. To me when he smiled it was like I knew he was "there"  If that makes any sense...I just wanted to know he knew me, to know he was happy...hard to explain what I mean, but I think other Mothers out there in my situation will understand what I am trying to say. Russell giggles now and NOTHING melts me heart more. He is such a happy little fellow and such an easy going content little boy.

Every month I have the Health Nurse and the Infant Development Specialist come by the house. I feel blessed to live in Canada and have the programs Russell will need to help his development be free and available to him as he grows. I feel for the Mothers I have read about who have to struggle and fight for their children and the programs out there that their children need. That is one thing I do not take for granted!

The Infant Specialist I meet with told me that because Russell was born six weeks early that I do not track his development by the date of his birth...I have to track it from the date he was originaly due on which was Dec 25th. I am to do this until the age of two. So even though Russell is turning four months, really he is just starting his third. Russell wieghs 14lbs...he goes down for the night around 8pm and sleeps through the night and wakes up around 7am. He has done that since he was two months old!! What a good baby!!

So although Russell is right on track and doing awsome with his development and milestones, I still tend to worry from time to time. I am scared to death I will miss something...I am scared to not do everything in my power to help him grow and develop. What if I screw up...what if I dont find all the information I need and I miss out on something that would have helped him sooner. I just want the very, very, best for him. I guess for the most part I need to let go of some of that worry. I know I am doing my best, I know he will reach all his milestones and it really doesnt matter what time line he follows...he is on "Russell Time" and I am along for the ride!

Russell rolls over! 3/22/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

World Down Syndrome Day

Today is a day we try to make the world more aware of Down Syndrome. This specific day was chosen because it is the third month and the 21st day, representing the 3 copies of chromosone 21, resulting in Down Syndrome.

 I have to admit that a few short months ago I knew next to nothing about Down Syndrome, I thought I knew what it was, but really I didnt. I find people think they know about it but all their ideas or thoughts on it are so filled with outdated information and mixed with so many myths or untruths that really very few understand it completly. So today is a special day as we try to help those around us understand more of what Down Syndrome really is and how very special and "normal" those who have it really are.

Down Syndrome has always existed, it affects all races and genders in all geographical areas. Some people associate Down Syndrome with the Mothers maternal age. The fact is that 80 percent of children born with Down Syndrome are born to Mothers under the age of 35. A sad truth is 90 percent of women finding out their baby has Down Syndrome will abort.

Nothing a woman or her partner do before or during pregnancy causes Down Syndrome. It is said to happen in the early stages of cell division during conception and the reasons why are not yet known.

There are three types of Down Syndrome. The first type is the most common, it is called Trisomy 21. This is where the person affected will have three copies of the 21st chromosone in all their cells instead of the normal two.

Mosaicism is where only some of the cells have been affected so some but not all have the extra genetic material.

Translocation would be where instead of a entire extra chromosone, a piece or part of chromosone 21 is touching another or has broken off and attatched to another chromosone. This type can be inherited from either parent.

Which ever form of Down Syndrome a person has they are still unique. Never should two people with Down Syndrome be compared. Each has specific issues all their own. Some are born with a multitude of health issues while others may have none. Some have all the characteristics or features of Downs while others may have only one or two. Their range of abilites are wide and vary from person to person.

The most important thing to understand is that they are just like you or me. They feel love, joy, pain, hurt. They learn, laugh, grow. They can do everything a "normal" person does...it may just take them a little longer. One thing I will never forget is something Russells pediatrician said to us during a meeting we had back in December...she said "Russell is only limited by your imagination of what the possibilities are"

Russell is a blessing to our home...and honor for us to raise. A beautiful, perfect, precious baby boy in every way, and brings more joy and happiness than I ever imagined possible.

  

















                                                    WE LOVE YOU RUSSELL!!!!!!

                                                

Perfectly Russell

I have read so many amazing blogs recently by other Mothers who have children with Down Syndrome. I have been so touched by their honesty and their courage to describe in detail the feelings they had and the ones they still struggle through. I know how difficult it is to try to explain to others what I am going through and some of what I am feeling from time to time...it can be hard to even admit some of it to myself let alone share it with others...but I find every time I talk... it helps... it moves me forward. I think most of what makes talking about how I feel so difficult is that I am scared to death someone won't understand...they will think I don't love or adore Russell... And oh, how I DO love and adore him.....more than anything!

There are still days where I look down at him as he is lying in my arms and I think "How, how is this little boy not perfect!" and I remember back to a conversation I had with a friend of mine and she said something to me I will not forget...I was telling her about a difficult day I had a few weeks back....

 I was registering Jordy for Kindergarten. As we stood in the empty hallway of the school trying to fill out forms with the help of the principal out of a door came a little boy with Down Syndrome and his teacher. My eyes followed him as he walked by...it took my breath away, I was frozen to that spot just watching him....then as he and his teacher disappeared down another hallway out of another door came two little girls...one of those girls had Down Syndrome also...I couldnt believe the coincidence of me standing in that hall at that particular time and just happening to see two children with Down Syndrome. I wondered to myself if these children have perhaps always been around me but I have never before noticed them....Having Russell has made me aware of these children where as before I had him I just never payed any attention, never noticed. I watched this little girl....I couldnt take my eyes off of her....she was laughing and talking with the other girl....she was "normal". Thats all I want for Russell...for him to live, to laugh, to love. I stood there silent for a long time...the woman helping me fill out the forms asked me a question and it hit me...one of my "unexpected moments" hit me...I paused for a good minute before answering her. I couldnt speak, I felt hot tears stinging my eyes and I knew if I opened my mouth I was going to burst into tears and this woman would think I was some over dramatic Mother crying over registering my daughter for kindergarten....I dont even know why those moments hit me....why they happen out of the blue. I cried all the way home that day, and I dont even know why. I can't explain how I feel during these times cause I dont really know myself what I am feeling. One day, one day I am sure they will fade away like so many other feelings I have struggled through the past couple of months.

Anyway the point of my story, I was telling all this to a friend of mine...I was saying how its still hard to believe some days that this has happend cause when I look at Russell to me he looks perfect and she summed it up for me quite beautifuly when she said....

            "He is perfect, he is perfectly Russell"

One Spring Day...

SPRING!!  After waiting for months and months for it to warm up enough to spend time outside without freezing to death...it has arrived!!!  And here is what we did this one fine day......

We went for a walk....ever feel like you are being watched?? Thats how spring feels out here on the Ranch. While the cows are down here waiting to calf, every where you go a hundred eyes follow you!

Jordy likes to watch them back.....

And on our little walk Jordy finds a birds nest

And then more walking....we go for daily walks to the bridge, Mom and Dads dog, Toby, tags along. Do you notice the gaint stick dragging behind Jordy??? Yes, thats her pet stick.....

Then a bit of rock and stick throwing in the river.....

We LOVE mud puddles...only when we are wearing our shoes though...rubber boots are no fun...or at least that seems to be the logic of a five year old....

Then we need to spend time with our Chilli pups....Jordy has her favorites!

Little Russell is quite content to spend most of the day in his stroller...the fresh air did him good! He will have to get use to mine and Jordys little outings....he is in training, Jordy needs to show him the ropes of what goes on here at home during the day, because next year he will take his place as my little buddy as Jordy heads off to school.

My princess and my little cowboy!