What's going on?

It seems it's been forever since I've updated here. Things have been very busy for me lately. Since my husband and I seperated, I have gone back to work full time. I haven't worked full time since Cameron was born almost 5 years ago. My body and mind have had a lot of adjusting to do. Unfortunately, this has made it very difficult for me to be as involved in therapies and school as I previously have been. I guess you can't have it all can you? During the Christmas break and a small break from work I did have time to visit Cameron's Christmas party at school which I must say was just adorable. Cameron, like always, has a girlfriend and a caretaker. Isabelle not only plays Cameron's girlfriend, but also makes sure he is doing what is supposed to and helps him with tasks that are a bit more difficult for him. I was very impressed at how well Cameron fit in with his peers and how well he was able to communicate with them. It appears he feels right at home when he's there. Who could ask for anything more at school?

Alek however is feeling the struggle of the seperation. My once straight A student has brought home a interim with a "d" on it. A "d" i repeat. This is not because middle school is hard for Alek, this is simply because Alek has been not doing his homework. I have to take some responsibility for this. I have never before had to check Alek's homework or make sure it was done. It's just always been a given. Apparently now, its not a given. We're having to go back in time with him a bit and really check on him. On top of that he will be 12 in a few days and the pre-teen attitude has already started. Oh boy!

Rylee is doing well. Her and Cameron spend a lot of time causing trouble......the terrible twosome. They also fight pretty well. There is never a dull moment in my house, or a quiet one for that matter.

Everyone has been healthy and well. And a New Year means it's time for our round of 6 month check ups with all of Cameron's specialists. That makes for a busy time for us, but it's always good to have everything checked  and cleared for 6 more months.

As for me, I am struggling. Not with the seperation, more like the responsibility and the feeling of guilt I get when I fail to get it all done. I have had to skimp in some areas and avoid other areas of my life all together. But all in all, I'm a much happier person. I'm doing it alone and quite honestly that feels good.

Here are some recent pictures from Christmas!

What's happenin

Life has gotten so busy, I haven't blogged in forever. I've gone from working 2 days a week to 4-5 days a week, which is a huge change for me. I haven't worked this much since before Cameron was born. Since he now only goes to therapies on Wednesday mornings and goes to school 4 afternoons a week, I decided to work more. This was more of a necessity than a desire. Being a single mom isn't cheap or EASY!

Alek started middle school this year. We live close to the school so he is able to walk. Lately however he has wanted me to drive him. This gives us time together which I'm sure he feels like he never gets. It's pretty hard being the oldest cause mom is always focused on the babies. Along with going to middle school, he has also adopted the pre teen attitude. Talking back, arguing, being rude etc. This is the beginning of the fun times I'm afraid.

Cameron has started his last year in IPOP. He has the same teacher he has had the past two years and I'm grateful for this. He loves her and she loves him. They were very impressed at how much more Cameron is talking this year. At the end of school last year we were lucky to get a three word sentence out of Cameron. Now he is speaking in complete sentences very easily. He really gets a kick out of telling everyone he has two girlfriends and saying "you're jealous".

Rylee is walking and getting into trouble with her big brother Cameron. She isn't talking alot yet, just a few words here and there but she is getting cuter everyday. She loves her big brothers and they play very well together most of the time. She's learning early to fight back and knows how to get what she wants.

All in all, things are good. Busy but good. I'm trying to not get so busy that I miss these valuable years with my children. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate the moments when you're exhausted.

6 Month Checkups

As many of you know, there are often certain appointments that reoccur every six or so months. For us, they all seem to be on the same time frame, which makes it easy to remember but also makes for a busy few weeks. We have somehow gotten our dentist appointments, ENT, Cardio, and Developmental Ped appointements all running within the same 2-3 week period. Cameron did great at the dentist this time. 6 months ago, he was very reluctant to even allow the hygienist to put a regular toothbrush in his mouth. This time, he let her polish his teeth with the dental tool and real prophy paste. It did take some reasoning, but I was very proud of him. ENT went well too. While Cameron's hearing is good and he doesn't get many ear infections, we see the ENT every 6 months to have his ears cleaned. I'm always surprised to see the amount of wax they pull out of his tiny ears. He doesn't like having this done, but it's the only way to get it out at this point. He fought terribly and required me and a nurse to hold him while the doctor removed the wax. When it was all finished he went to the doctor and said "sorry". It was so cute. Our last appointment was with the developmental pediatrician. This is the doctor we love so much. He said that Cameron scored 85% on the developmental testing they did, which is considered in the normal range. He said that while Cameron's coordination is definitely a problem, he totally understands on the level of a typical 4 year old. YAY! Next week we go to the cardiologist for a check up and I'm sure we will leave there with more good news.

Disney and Down Syndrome

So we had the pleasure of attending the National Down Syndrome Congress's annual conference in Orlando this year. Are there two better things? I think not. First you have the greatest and happiest place on earth and then you finish it off with being surrounded by your own people. People whom you've never formally met, but that are your family. These national conferences are the one time of year where you don't feel like everyone is looking at you wondering why your different? It's the time when you see more Down syndrome than not. It's heartwarming and fun. An experience that cannot be matched.

We had a great time in Orlando. It was hot, but hey, it's hot here in Virginia too. Me and a good friend took Cameron, Alek and her son on the trip. We left early Sunday the 11th and drove straight through to Orlando. Everything was great until on an outing during our stay the AC in the car died. So on the following Saturday night, we left at 10pm and drove home all through the night to avoid the heat. It was a good idea although a very tiring one! We are home now trying to get back into our old groove but finding it difficult to adjust back to the "real" world. Cameron has asked me every day to go to Disney World. (He apparently doesn't remember the length of the ride).

I learned alot, met a lot of terrific people and got away from VA for a week. And did I mention that Disney World is the greatest place on earth. I can't wait to go back !