It's almost birthday time!

I've started planning Lauren's 2nd birthday party!!

What?! 

I can't even believe she's almost 2! We're having a little party at my amazing in-laws' house. I can't wait to pick out decorations. And I'm pretty sure a girl needs a new dress for her 2nd birthday :)

She's seeing physical medicine and rehab tomorrow. It's known as our area's Down syndrome clinic and the doctor has a son with Down syndrome! I'm excited to hear their recommendations. What we actually decide to do is largely based on what our medical insurance will cover. Out of pocket costs for therapy is craaaazy when insurance doesn't cover any of it. Lauren's Medicaid coverage ends on Friday. 

I'll update after our visit :)

They're always so sweet....

Could someone PLEASE pass Lauren the memo that kids with Down syndrome are always happy and sweet? Snuggly and adorable?

Okay, she's almost always adorable. But now that she's almost 2 she is crazy! Does it magically occur to kids right around their second birthday that they can wreak havoc in many ways?

 

Those are chips. It's like a chalk outline from a crime scene! Look how proud she looks? She's not even kind of sorry. In fact, when I saw her I immediately exclaimed, "Lauren!!!" and do you know what she did? She clapped and asked for a kiss.

 

She's like a tiny, chubby, baby monster.

 

She also managed to lock herself in the bathroom this morning by getting in (with a suspected accomplice of about three and half feet tall). She got in, opened the drawer to the vanity and blocked the door from being opened. I tried to shut the door through the tiny opening with a straw. She took the straw. FINALLY after much coaxing she shut the drawer and I grabbed my make-up and deodorant covered baby out of there.

 

And now Ryan is kindly sharing a snack of sparkly hot-air balloon stickers with his baby sister. Who are these tiny creatures and how the heck did they get in my house?!

Almost 2

I haven't blogged in forever. We're busy! Were about to get busier... Come this fall I will be in school (I'm getting my bachelors degree in nursing. Not necessary but I want it), my husband is going back to school full time and BOTH kids will be in preschool.

Yes, we are crazy.

Lauren is likely starting preschool in the fall!! She'll be 31 months. Our district says that kids in special Ed can start preschool at 29 months. So we're getting a year less of early intervention than we thought. I'm terrified.

I am pretty sure Lauren will love school. She's a social butterfly! But she's my baby, I don't feel ready and this is a big jump outside of my comfort zone. Good thing we have all the way to September.

Lauren also recently had her 2 year checkup. Yep, she's almost 2!! She's doing well. She's healthy ( she had pneumonia but recovered well with antibiotics and didn't need to be hospitalized) and loved the doctors office.

Ryan wa sick too so we took him to his pediatrician yesterday for a re-check. He's A-okay and barely cried! He played with baby sister really well and even found a group of kids to talk to. He introduced Lauren to them (without any prompting) because she was waving like crazy and saying hi! He's such a good boy!

She's obviously pretty delayed. The one thing she scored on age-level were her social skills. If you've ever met Lauren I'm sure you're not surprised! 

She's pretty delayed in motor skills, even for a kiddo with Down syndrome. We're having her see the physical medicine team to find out if there's a "why" other than her already diagnosed significant low muscle tone. I'm sure they'll make some physical therapy recommendations. Unfortunately, Lauren hates physical therapy and our insurance doesn't cover it. I'm not paying a bazillion dollars for something she can't/won't participate in. Maybe I'll sign her up for a toddler gymnastics class or something, I don't know. We're going to have to be creative! Her Medicaid coverage ends in a couple of months and we can't afford to pay out of pocket for therapy.

She is crawling like a maniac as cruising on the furniture like a champ! She even took a few steps with a push toy a couple of times. I think that some kids will do things as they're ready an as their muscles mature, regardless of how many therapy interventions we throw at them. Or maybe I'm just telling myself that to make me feel better. 

I'm eager to see the physical medicine peeps to get their take on it!