Max is 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!!!!!!

This video was taken at the end of last week just before we headed up to Sacramento for the National Down Syndrome Conference.

I could post a SUPER LONG post of all the amazing things about the conference but I actually don't have time!
I will post about it this week though because I want to jot down the important points.

Right now
It's Max's Birthday!!
Can you believe it????

This morning we sang happy birthday to him.
He had his infant stimulation therapy session
He helped me find a new pair of pants at Old Navy
And we strolled around the Americana
He took a very long nap in the Ergo
He practiced sitting, standing, grabbing, reaching out, rolling over and playing with his toys.
And now he is with his papa who just got home from work. They are having a deep conversation about something over there on the couch while I type away.

I want to let you all know that the postings have slowed down because my time has been cut short due to something called the GAME ON! Diet that my friend Krista wrote. The book was just published this last month and 16 of us are playing the game together. You can find more about it here. THE GAME ON DIET
Basically we are on 4 teams and we are trying to get the most points.
The winners get a prize and for this round we have put a bunch of money into the pot.
Basically each day we get points for:
20 minutes of exercise
drinking 2 liters of water ( it's 3 in the book )
going to bed 7 hours before you know you need to get up.
changing a bad habit ( ie: not watching tv or something like that )
Adding a new habit ( like taking guitar lessons or something like that )
communicating with teammates
etc

I must say that I wouldn't have done half of these things on a consistent basis if I weren't competing or on a team.
It's been life changing.
However - it also means that I only get 2 hours once Jerry gets home from work to be off from baby duty - and I need to make and eat dinner, any laundry, cleaning, nighttime stuff, and get my booty into bed so I don't lose points.
All that said - it's why I don't post as often. I usually stay up until 11 or 12 and can download photos, upload videos etc which all take more time than you think.
We are in the third week of the game and I'm on the 9th week of Jenny Craig. All together I've lost 18 pounds and 24 inches!

I've gained a new habit and lost an old bad one.
I'm more rested and more committed to my food plan.
I feel inspired by the team and everyone on all the teams
and we are going to play another round after this one ends!
Want to join us?
Let me know.

you can play from anywhere.

ok - back to MAX!!!

We are having a hoot with him and Jerry and I cannot believe he is 6 months old.
He is doing really great.
He starts Physical Therapy at our house once a week starting Monday and we are THRILLED about that.
I'm looking into going to something else during the week like a Music class - like Music Together
or Gymboree, or something else...still doing research on them all.

I'm still decompressing and digesting from the weekend conference and can't wait to tell you all we learned.
It was empowering, inspiring, exhausting, emotional and exciting. It felt like a bubble of normal ( our kind of normal )
everyone had a child like ours. I didn't have to explain or feel like Max is different - because he wasn't. And the unsaid bond with the parents was so great.

ok ok ok

more on that tomorrow when I can spend some time on it.
I must run and get my 20 minutes of exercise in and eat and get some other things on the list completed before i hop into bed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX - from your much skinnier and happier mama!