Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It's really really official! Max is WALKING!!!

Max is Walking! It's Official!! from Catherine Just on Vimeo.



So I've heard from other folks around town - that once kids have the eyes surgery they just get up and start to walk! Seriously. I thought this was amazing but I didn't really know what to expect with Max....and guess what? He had the surgery on july 28th and on August 17th ( just 20 days later ) he just kept on walking without falling! I noticed right away that his center of gravity had changed and he was a lot more stable in his standing and his attempts at walking ( he has been taking up to 8-9 and sometimes 12 steps since around his first birthday ). Seeing it all come together is pretty amazing...and clearly Max gets a kick out of it as well. I'm jumping for joy for the little guy and I just love watching him be able to keep up with his friends at playgroup after months and months of him being left in the dust by all his cute girlfriends and guy pals. And - with walking also comes the amazing POWER NAP from about noon until 3 or 3:30. Oh man is this an incredible thing! I can stop eating lunch in 5-10 minute slurps while fearing he will wake up ( which is usually did )
AND I can make dinner - check e-mail - read - watch tv - call a friend - update my blog (!) and possibly do a little cleaning up ( but who wants to do that? Not me )

These days his schedule is

Monday - Occupational therapy 8-9am

Tuesday - Physical Therapy 9-10am about 30 minutes from home

Wednesday - Playgroup 9:30-11:30 which he just started to go back to because he isn't napping in the morning anymore. YAY for playgroup with his pals!

Speech therapy 1-2pm ( changing Sept 9th )

Thursday - Water therapy 4-4:45pm

Friday - Playgroup 9:30-11:30 at Club 21


Speech will change to 9am on Thursdays
and we have a few regularly schedules playdates with some friends and their kids each week as well.

ok - I'm off for a little playdate with a friend Max hasn't really seen in a while and I get to catch up with her mama and I'm looking forward to that and watching him walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk!

Hooray for Max!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I'm gonna get your belly!!

I'm gonna get your belly! from Catherine Just on Vimeo.



My friend Cori up in Sacramento showed a video of this same game with her son Joey and I wanted to try it out and see what happened! ( Joey was born 4 days after Max and he has an extra chromosome too ....and when Cori and I met we found out that we actually grew up a few blocks away from each other and went to the same high school! We met in Sacramento at the National Down syndrome Conference when our babies were about 5 months old. Funny how Down syndrome connected two people who lived so close and never had met until now! )

I LOVE hearing my son laugh. I may have to go in for another laugh fest later today!
hee hee hee!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Teleclass Tonight!!

Heart shaped Leaf I found on my morning walk
I love the light during my morning walks!


Just a quick post that TONIGHT I'm going to be giving a FREE TELECLASS!!

If you want to call in we will be discussing photography, mindful image making, finding inspiration and reconnecting with your authentic self through photography. P.S. there will be photo exercises I'll be sharing with you all and some secret treats just for those who call in....I want to tell you but then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it????

Don't miss this!
Call in time:8:30pm eastern, 5:30 pacific time
Dial in number: 218-862-1300, Conference code: 538349

- I would LOVE to have you join us.

My friend Sheri Rosenthal and I will be doing this teleclass together.

She is an amazing spiritual teacher and I run my retreats with her company Journeys of the Spirit.

Hope to see you on the call tonight!!!!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Max are you REALLY 18 months old today!!??

MAX!!!
week #2 of our photobooth Project - Thank you Claire!


Happy 18 months!
I can hardly believe it's been a year and a half ALREADY!
So much is going on for you that I need to take a moment and write it all down so I don't forget.
Here goes:

you are healing very well from the eye surgery that took place last week. Not sure if your eyes are totally straight - and we have suspicion that they are slightly off so we are taking you to the doctor Friday morning to check....

The day after surgery you got croup! You sounded like a dog barking when you coughed. Luckily it only lasted 2 days. The cough is still around but not at all as bad.

you are using sign language all the time and started weekly speech therapy to help you out.
your signs are:
milk
more
all done
hungry
food
hi
bye
see ya later
ball
book
more book

you understand a LOT more than this and it's so exciting to see you communicate with us and with people around you. You LOVE to wave hello and goodbye to everyone who meets you and you are still just a bright, shining, happy, easy, sweet, loving, smiling, joyful, fun to be with baby.
ok - you are officially NOT a baby - but to me you are still "baby max".

here you are a few days after surgery - clearly having a hard time adjusting!



I made a time lapse movie of our morning time together - taken just 2 days after your eye surgery. I SO love hanging out with you! Your papa and I love you so much and I cannot wait to show this blog to you when you are old enough to read and understand it. I hope some day to figure out how to publish this into a book for you. I tried once but realized I need some help with it.

Max, I cannot imagine my life without you.
I love you
just the way you are.
You are perfection.
You are a ray of sunshine.
You are my pride and Joy.
You make my heart sing out.
And I just love being your mama.

thank you for sharing your life with me. I love to see that sparkle in your eye and that smile on your face....ohh, that face! I want to pinch those cheeks of yours right now just thinking about you. Augh you make me melt.
I hope the surgery gives you what you need to live an even fuller life my darling baby boy. You deserve to have all doors open to you.
( and for you to be able to see them clearly! )
xoxo
your mama
*c

Morning Time from Catherine Just on Vimeo.