Days Fly By

The past few weeks have been so busy around here.  Between seeing the geneticist, visiting my work friends, Thanksgiving, going to Long Island to visit my family, and planning Presley's Christening I barely have had any time to sit and write.

Since I last posted, Presley turned 2 months old.  He is getting so big and his personality is beginning to show.  He smiles at me all the time now and is starting to "laugh" at my silly faces.

Yea, I know he looks like a prisoner in that outfit, but I swear the stripes are blue and not black! LOL

The day before Thanksgiving, Don, Presley and I went to see the geneticist.  We had some questions that we needed answered.  The geneticist was fantastic and so super helpful. It was confirmed that Presley does have a true Trisomy 21 and that his Down Syndrome was just a fluke happening.  We also found that when we decide to have another baby, there is only a small percent chance that our next will have it.  Another Dr. had come in to see Presley (I think she was a respiratory doctor, or ear, nose & throat doctor) and she said he had no breathing trouble and looked great....well everything except his belly.  She had said it was hard and a bit distended due to him not pooping in a day.  Wouldn't you know the minute she left he went and his belly was soft again.  They were all very impressed with his overall strength and were commenting how they think he is going to roll over before we know it!!

After the appointment, I stopped by my work to visit my students then went to lunch for a bit with a few of my co-workers.  All of the girls just absolutely adored him.  He was passed around from one to the next,  and I assure you he didn't mind......I really think he enjoyed it!  I even think we was flirting with them!  By the end of the day he was exhausted!

Thanksgiving was a busy day too.  We went with Don's family for dinner and dessert.  It was the first time some of his family got to meet Presley.  And of course they loved him....

This past weekend we went to Long Island to visit my cousins for their birthdays.  It was a long car ride from home and Presley slept the ENTIRE way! I was so thankful that he did!  He woke up just as we arrived at the house and was greeted with smiles and everyone fighting over who would be the first to hold him.  He loved every minute of it.  He barely cried all day and really only did when he was hungry.  Napping was not an option for Presley as he was too interested in what was going on around him.  He wanted to be with the adults and see what was going on.  I tired to put him down in his travel bed for a nap when he had fallen asleep at one point in the early evening, and this is what we found when we checked on him a few minutes later...

Hello Mommy :o)

Today I spend the day shopping with my mom to get everything we need for Presley's Christening on Sunday.  He spent the day with his cousin Victoria (and my brother and sister-in-law, too).  She must have tired him out because he slept all the way home....we even stopped along the way to pick up Don from work. 

Don, Presley and Halo

This was the longest Halo stayed near Presley since he was born!  I think she is finally starting to get used to him being around.... and of course loving him too!

With all that has been going on I haven't had the opportunity to say how thankful I am for the unconditional support of my family and friends.  THANK YOU!  And a special thank you to my husband for being my everything....I LOVE YOU DON!

Presley's First Visit with Santa

This past weekend Don and I decided to get away to the Poconos.  On Saturday we met up with my sister-in-law, Kim, and niece, Alexa, at the mall to get Presley his christening outfit.   Kim bought him this adorable Santa outfit so we decided to take him to see Santa.   I took this picture while we were waiting on line to see the big man.  I just love that face!!!

And of course we had to get a picture of Presley and Alexa with Santa!

Unspoken Moments

So you know when you are looking at your baby and they look you in the eye for the first time and really seem to recognize you....or when they look at you and smile?? These are unspoken moments of love.  I witnessed a moment like this between Presley and my dad last night. 

I was at my parents house visiting while Don was at work.  I had an opportunity to run out and get some needed shopping done (babys r us & toys r us).  I didn't want to drag Presley along because he is sick and it was raining so I left him with my mom.  I got back to their house just about an hour later and Presley loudly informed me that it was time for him to eat.  Once he finished, he took a quick nap then woke up once the house started bustling with people.  I decided to put a blanket on the floor and do some tummy time.  Within moments of laying on his belly he fell fast asleep and didn't wake up until 4pm!  I guess he was able to get some relief from the congestion and coughing...yea yea I know the Dr's say "back" to sleep, but I couldn't bring myself to disturb him so I let him be.  Once he woke up, I knew he would be hungry, so I made sure to have his bottle ready quickly.  I was right.  He was starving.  Just as he finished his bottle, my dad came home from work.  I immediately handed Presley off to him so I could quickly pack up the car to leave.  And of course, the moment I stepped away he started crying.  I ran to the car bringing the first batch of stuff and quickly ran back into the house to get the next.  Presley was still crying...so my dad began singing to him (and my dad can sing very well)....

"Wise men say, only fools rush in. For I can't help, falling in love with you..."  Presley calmed down, opened his eyes and looked right at my dad.  As my dad kept singing, Presley kept staring at him....it made me smile and brought tears to my eyes knowing how my dad felt... I know it has been a while since my dad has had a moment like this...and I know it won't be his last...

                                  

Presley's First Cold

So for the past week, Presley has been battling a cold.  He has just a bit of congestion in his chest.  I took him to the pediatrician and was told that his lungs were clear (thank goodness) and his nose looked clear as well.  It makes me feel so helpless knowing there is nothing I can do to make it go away or make him feel better.  I will just have to wait for the cold to run its course.  Presley on the other hand is handling it much better than I am.  I am a nervous wreak....He is in good spirits and goes about his day like any other.  The Dr. said as long as he is eating and doesn't get a fever to not worry.  Today he actually had 5 oz of formula with each feeding, and sucked the bottles dry!  I guess I really don't have to worry about him not eating!  Hopefully he gets better sooner than later because I just can't stand to see my little baby sick....

 

Next Tuesday Early Intervention is coming to assess Presley for the first time.  Hopefully they will have some good things to tell us.  I do lots of "therapy" with him daily.  We work on tummy time and work on strengthening his neck by making him look side to side.  I give him massages after every bath to make him aware of his muscles (it also relaxes him).  I talk to him and tell him what part of his body I am massaging.  I talk to him all day long and read to him when I can.  I like to think that what I am doing has been helping.   I guess I'm going to have to wait to see... 

Where is the time going?

It's hard to believe that 7 & 1/2 weeks ago I gave birth to my perfect baby boy.  He was so tiny and it seemed that his skin was too big for his body.  It looked as if he had chicken skin.  I couldn't help but think that he was never going to grow into it.  All of the newborn clothes he had received as gifts were so big that it was almost comical to see him wearing anything other than his PJ's.  One morning I woke up and changed Presley and the chicken skin seemed to disappear over night!  He began to fill out and his newborn clothes actually began to fit.  :o) 

Fast forward to 2 days ago....It seemed as if Presley had yet another growth spurt over night.  His newborn clothes seemed a little shorter and a bit tighter than they did the day before.  His diapers were getting too small for his body (which still looks so little to me).  I actually spent the day yesterday changing his diaper (and outfit) just about every hour.  Last night I decided it was time to put Presley in the size 1 diapers.  It was very hard for me to do emotionally.  The diaper looked so big on him just as the newborn diaper looked on him shortly after he was born.  This was the moment I realized that my baby is getting bigger, and my baby will continue to get bigger and there is nothing I can do about it.  I kind of don't want him to get bigger.

I think I am having a hard time with Presley getting bigger because I know as he grows, he will be approaching the age where typical infants begin to hit their milestones.  That scares me.  It scares me to think that he may not sit at the same age as others, or crawl, or walk, or talk, or laugh.  I hate the thought that for the rest of his life I will be comparing him to what other kids are doing for their age and hoping that he is doing the same.  And I know I have to stop that.  I try so hard not to think of it and tell myself not to worry about it now and that we will cross that bridge when we get there.  I have to remind myself how well he is doing now and how many things he has been doing since birth that most newborns don't do.  I have to keep reminding myself that he amazed me the day he was born, and continues to do things to amaze me today.  Even though I don't know what the future has in store for us, I am confident he will continue to amaze us all...

Ignorance

Tonight my husband and I (Presley too) went to buy a new SUV.  We had been there for what seemed like hours and were in the final stages of negotiations when the sales manager decided to tell us a quick story about his uncle from Korea.  He was telling us how he gave his uncle some financial advice and unfortunately he decided not to listen.  He said , "My uncle was retarded and didn't listen to my advice."   My husband immediately took offense and demanded we leave.  I don't think the sales manager had known what he had said to make my husband so angry.  My husband informed this young man that our son has Down Syndrome and he finds that word to me highly offensive.  I can tell right away the sales manager became embarrassed and uncomfortable.  He began apologizing to me and my husband, but my husband did not want to hear it.  He wanted to leave.  I had to calm my husband down and explain to him that unfortunately there are a lot of ignorant people in the world who use the word "retarded" too freely.  The manager didn't know Presley has downs and I am certain if he did know that word would have never come out of his mouth.  I had to remind my husband that in our lives we are going to undoubtedly encounter more people than we would like who use that word, but that doesn't give us the right to get mad at them.  We have to educate them as to why it is unacceptable to use that word and calmly tell the person why we find it offensive and tell them about our son.  Education is the best weapon against ignorance and I plan to use my weapon whenever I can. 

Thankful

The past few days for us have been busy.  We have been out and about pretty much everyday.  We have gone out to lunch with a friend and went car shopping, visited with family and gone to dinner with Daddy.  Through all the traveling and being put in his car seat and then taken out again, Presley has been a trooper.  I have received so many compliments from different people on how good he is.  He is just so content and I am thankful for that.

Today Presley and I get to spend some time together at home and watch a little T.V.  While watching the show The Talk, they had a guest and his wife on the show who were on the reality show The Amazing Race.  They were talking about how they felt about being on the show and being away from their children (they had 4).  They said it was difficult (I can only imagine) especially since their youngest was born with hydrocephalus and they think she may also have cerebral palsy.  She is 3 years old and is functioning at about the same as a year and a half year old.  My heart ached for them.  But then they began to say how much they look up to her and how much she has taught them.  They see her everyday and see her amazing strength and strong will to never give up.  How amazing!  That's when I looked down at Presley and begin to realize how lucky we really are and how many things in my life I have to be thankful for. 

I know Presley will one day roll over, and I am thankful for that.  One day he will sit up and hold his head up on his own, and I am thankful for that.  I know one day he will push himself up on all fours and begin to crawl, and I am thankful for that.  I know one day he will pull himself up and begin to walk on his own, and I am thankful for that.  I am thankful for each milestone he may or may not reach.  I am thankful for the smiles everyday and the giggles that are to come.  I am thankful for each and every time he wraps his tiny hand around my fingers and squeezes so hard, and doesn't let go.  Presley has a clean bill of health to date, and for this I am thankful.  Our families have shown amazing support and look they forward to coming along with us on our journey, and for them I am thankful.  I am thankful for all that Presley will teach me on this journey.  I am thankful for the future and all we will go through together.   But most of all, I am thankful to God for my beautiful baby boy I have been blessed with.

Just Thinking

The weather is changing and getting colder and it is getting darker earlier.  When the season changes from Summer to Fall (or in this case Summer to Winter), I begin to think.  Today was one of those days.  I started thinking about my life; where I have been and where I am going.  I know the path I am headed down is going to be a long and sometimes hard one.....I look down at my son and instantly all my fears and apprehensions disappear.  I look at him and smile as my heart nearly explodes.  I love this little man.  I love his eyes, his nose and his little lips.  I love when he looks right into my eyes and smiles.  He makes my heart melt.  I think about the last 6 weeks of his life and can't help but smile.  I can't believe it has been 6 weeks since the doctor placed him in my arms.  It has been 6 weeks since I met the tiny person who would change my life forever.  It has been 6 weeks since I met the little man who would be my world.   I am so in love.

Daddy, please don't go

Mommy meet Presley...Presley meet your mommy

 

Presley's first "bed" 

Time to go home

It's tubby time!

Loving tummy time...and his thumb

1 month old