Etta's Dance Moves- 22 Months

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Who Needs A Kangaroo Climber?

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Etta's First Maria Cookie!

:D

I gave Etta her first Maria cookie at lunch today.  She loved it!  She just kept shoving more and more in her mouth until she had so much, she had to spit it out onto her tray and try again with the now smaller pieces! LOL. 
Also, the couple of pictures at the end are from this morning. I was trying to entertain her with the camera in the Dr's waiting area. It didn't really work. She got up an hour early this morning and was a PILL while we were waiting and for Dr. Morrison. He claims he was still able to see what he needed to see even though she was screaming and had her eyes closed! He says her prescription is still the same and that she doesn't HAVE to wear her glasses, so we don't have to force her. Good thing cause she hasn't worn those things since last summer! So, we just go back in 8 months...

Mmmmm... SO good.....

Can you tell her eyes are still dialated?

and from the Dr's office...

Music with Mar (with Mrs. Jennifer)

A friend of ours, Jennifer, has recently taken over as a Music with Mar instructor.  Today, a handful of us decided to descend on the class!  A lot of our friends were there!  Of course, Delaney and Molly were there because they are Jen's daughters.  We also saw Owen & Suzy, Emma & Amy, AND Annabelle & Angelia.  Etta's not really in the "sit-in-your-lap-and-listen-to-an-instructor" mode yet.  I felt kinda bad for Jen because my kid (and a couple of other kids) just kind of wandered around the whole time.   I was able to convince her to stay in my lap with some goldfish for a little while, but that little tummy can only hold so many golfish!  Jen, I hpoe we weren't too much of a distraction!  After class, I sat out in the grass in front of the church and gave Etta her lunch because I knew she would probably fall asleep on the drive home and I wanted to be able to put her straight into bed.  So, she DID fall asleep on the drive home.  She slept HARD for 15 minutes.  Then, OF COURSE, she didn't transfer from the carseat to the crib.  *sigh*  So, she hung out and played and then I fed her again and she started acting sleepy again.  So, around 2:15, when she would normally be waking up from her afternoon nap, I put her down for a nap.  She's passed out now... FINALLY! 

Here are a few photos from Music with Mar:

Annabelle

Owen

Delaney

Etta and Emma

Emma and Owen

Etta and Emma having a private conversation...

Whew!  Big morning!

(also: still rear-facing at 22 months!!)

Reece's Rainbow

So, I know I've talked about Reece's Rainbow before, but I'm going to talk about it again! I'm also certain this won't be the last time I talk about RR.  It feels like such an important part of me.  I have a place in my heart for adoption and there are some wonderful little specials who need homes in a terrible way!  RR is an International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry.  Their desperate hope is to find homes for children with Ds (and other special needs).  Most of the children are in Russia and other Eastern European countries (Ukraine, Bulgaria, etc.).  Sadly, it is still socially unacceptable in these countries to parent a child with Down syndrome (and other special needs).  Most of these children are placed in an orphanage soon after birth.  Many are just abandoned in the hospital after they are born.  They are placed in "baby homes" and initially raised with other typically developing children.  Then, when they turn four or five, they are placed in institutions.  One day they are playing with their friends outside on a little playground and the next, they are strapped into a crib, many times they are sedated.  When they get sick, they are left untreated and literally left to die.  Most die in the first year.

The true hope is that stereotypes can be broken, and the birth parents will want to raise their children.  Much of it is misinformation, and lack of resources.  There is a new offshoot of Reece's Rainbow called Connecting the Rainbow.  An organization started by a couple of parents of children with Ds.  Their goal is to go into these counties and find the pockets of parents choosing to raise their children.  They bring resources and hope.  The two mom team is actually wrapping up their very first trip to Bulgaria.  The task seems daunting, but their determination is inspiring. 

How can you help?!?  Well, besides feeling drawn to actually adopt one of these beautiful souls, you can help by spreading the word about Reece's Rainbow and their mission.  Go to their website and look at those sweet faces wating for a Mommy and Daddy.  http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ You can also help by donating money to aid in the overwhelming cost of adoption.  Most of the time, it is not that there is no desire to adopt, it is a lack of funds to do it.  Most of these adoptions cost around $25,000 - give or take a few thousand (this includes airfare and the cost of an apartment while in country). 

The blogging community has recently rallied around a very special little girl in Russia named Lera.  She is days away from institution and has lost TWO families who had commited to her adoption.

Could you be Lera's forever family?

Lera: Born August 7, 2005

Lera is a gorgeous little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is 4 years old. She is quite high functioning, and doing very well. She has flat feet and a systolic heart murmur, but no major heart conditions. She is able to walk and climb, she eats by herself, dances, and understands and follows directions. She has also been transferred to the regular class, so she is living and learning with her typical peers.

Primrose School of Brentwood

After OT this mornng, Etta and I went up to visit my friends Lauren and Carrie who are helping open a brand new, awesome, HUGE Primrose School in Brentwood.  Lauren is the Director and Carrie is the assistant director and my other friends, Amy and Susan own the franchise.  All five of us worked together a few years ago at Primrose School of Cool Springs.  So, really, this is like a "dream team".  If the school wasn't all the way up in Brentwood, I'd probably send Etta a couple days a week. 

The school isn't going to open for another three weeks, and there is still much to be done.  But they are working QUICKLY!  E and I went up there a week and a half ago and SO much work has been done in that short amount of time.  I can't wait to see it again when it's all put together!

Peek-a-boo, "aunt" Carrie!

"Aunt" Lauren giving me a ride in her chair!

Checking on enrollment!

Say "cheese"!!

Then, after we got home, I was in the kitchen and I heard this "swish, swish, swish" sound from the living room and this is what I found:

BUSTED!!

Photo Shoot at Harvey Park

One of Etta's friends, Liam, LOVES his drumsticks.  Seriously.  It was what motivated him to crawl.  He likes talking to it and waving it around.  It's really not too surprising that his favorite "toy" is a drumstick.  His daddy is a professional drummer.  Liam's love for his drumstick has inspired his parents to write a children's book about it.  Yesterday, Etta was invited to be a part of a mini-photoshoot for this book at the park.  She loved playing with all of the musical instruments.  After the photos, I let her play on the playground.  Of course, her favorite was the slide.  I tried putting her in my lap to swing and she tolerated it for about 2 minutes, even laughing, but it was short-lived and she decided she'd had enough.  I was happy that she did it at all!  Etta has some sensory issues with swinging.  So, her OT, Shelby, will be happy to hear about this!

Etta's counting it off!  "a-one, two, three, four!!!!!"

Liam: "uhhh.. you've got my stick"

Etta: "talk to the hand"

Truitt: "oh no, she didn't!"

Kangaroo Climber

Last weekend, Etta's cousin Rylee gave her the Kangaroo Climber she had outgrown.  We brought it home and I scrubbed it down before finding a spot for it in Etta's playroom.  She loves climbing all over it and sliding\down the little slide over and over.  Thanks again Rylee, Nancy, and Michael!!

Here are a few quick shots I took this afternoon...