Happy Spring, Easter and Passover!

Images of Spring I took a few days ago. ( 50mm lens open to f/1.8 with a 4x close up filter on. )

Mama and Max napping ( I took this with my iphone just before Max woke up )

Max fell deeply in love with matzah on Passover this year. Look at him. He looks like he is yelling out for more. or saying " Don't you dare take away my matzah ! "

Spent Passover at David and Ann Asner's house. David taught Jerry how to play drums in High School! Ann and I met a few years ago on one of my visits to Salt Lake City and that is their son Aaron. It was fun to visit with them and celebrate Passover. The food was incredible but the entertainment of that family just being themselves - was what made it so much fun for all of us. They are warm, easy going, full of fun stories from their past and so loving.

I'm checking out books on decorating ideas for the new house ( Escrow closes May 11th - crossing fingers ) Max clearly has some ideas he wants to research for his bedroom.

Max visited the Pediatrician here. He is 25 pounds but we couldn't get his height - too wiggly. Blood test for thyroid function came back Normal. Dr. suggested we switch to Skim milk because Kids with Ds can tend to get overweight easily. Haven't made the switch yet. He is still on formula because we've had a hard time introducing him to lots of nutritious food. Now he is eating hotdogs, string cheese, graham crackers, teething crackers, wheat free cereal, yo baby yogurt, danables yogurt with a straw, cottage cheese, french fries, sweet potato fries, chips ( when we go to Mexican food ), Mexican rice ( when at restaurant ), All melons, bananas sometimes, grapes, apples, pears....I think that's it. He still has pureed baby food and that is where we are getting him to eat veggies hidden in fruits. he doesn't like bread, or melted cheese, or pasta, or any of the other foods you think toddlers may want....yet.

He has more sign language today than he did last week. he signs "baby" now which we saw him do very clearly for the first time today. He also signs house, flower, home, tree, stop. I'm sure there are more. I've written out the list of words a few weeks ago - I think he is up to about 40 signs now.

We hired a Physical Therapist named Michael Workman this past week. We will schedule him to start in a week or so. He is really amazing and we are really looking forward to getting started with him.

Marty ( Max's Grandma ) found one of the top Speech Therapists in the state of Utah and we are starting with her TOMORROW! Hooray!! Her name is Monica Ferguson. Tomorrow is a phone consultation and then we start one on one next week.

She has a recommendation for an Occupational Therapist as well so it looks like Max is hooked up!
He hasn't had any therapy since about January so it will be GREAT to get him back into the swing.
These are all therapists that we will pay for out of pocket as they are not offered through the state. We will also be seeing someone 3 times per month from DDI Vantage ( which is like the Regional Center in Los Angeles only you do have to pay a small fee for this which is strange ) who is called a " Child Development Specialist". Don't get me started on that one. Basically they give you the least expensive ( ie: least trained ) therapist first.

anyhow - we will keep the DDI Vantage therapist because I do like her and Max seemed comfortable with her and I am sure she has strengths that can benefit Max in some way. I'm just THRILLED that Max will have actual PT, OT and Speech from qualified and highly regarded therapists now. Sigh of relief for me. And thank you to all of you out there who gave us tips on where to find therapy! It has been a bit daunting for me to figure this part of Max's life out here in SLC.

In other news - the house we are buying is still moving forward! We had the inspection - and now we have to wait until May 11th - which is the Escrow Closing Date! ( knock on wood )

Jerry and I are looking at paint colors, and thinking about the things we want to do before we move in - like buy baby gates for the stairs! etc...

We are COUNTING THE DAYS!

We hope you had a lovely Passover or Easter or Both! This year we celebrated Easter with Grandma Marty, Aunty Sandy, Uncle Chris and 2 of their 3 kids, Sean and Tim. LOTS of yummy food! Tim made Crepes! Grandma Made "brunch" which is a baked dish with white bread, eggs, butter, cheese and bacon, fruit salad, bacon, Sausage...did I miss anything?

Max missed out on TWO Easter Egg Hunts because he was NAPPING through both of them this week so he still hasn't experienced that yet - but I'm sure there will be plenty of them in the years to come.

Much love,
*c

I love you through and through

Aunt Cathy and Uncle Ralph bought Max the book " I love you through and through" a long time ago and now Max is doing sign language with the book. It's so super cute that we videotaped it twice. One with papa reading it and one with mama reading it. He signs different things in each one so it felt important to show both... Plus viewing more cuteness is never a bad thing!
here you go!


Untitled from Catherine Just on Vimeo.







Untitled from Catherine Just on Vimeo.






Have a great weekend everyone!
We are so thrilled that the weather is climbing up to 60 degrees today.
We can't wait to get outside!!!!!!
xoxoxo

WOW! thank you Kristin!

wow! It's working! I'm learning from my friend Kristin how to make my images larger on my blog...
how about some more.....( and that's my papa from his recent trip to visit us last weekend - handsome yes?! )

 bathtiiiiiiiime

 my parents from last weekend. We had a lot of fun. We visiting the house we are buying and my mom measured the entire house and is making us some architectural plans so we have an idea of where to put things and how large or small things need to be - THANK YOU MAMA!

 While my mom was doing all the measuring, Max and my papa watching Signing Time together.

 One of Max's favorite toys. Oh I so love my 50 lens at 1.8. Yep photo geek.

 We wait too long in between haircuts and now you know why. He is completely traumatized. Screams the entire time and we have to hold him steady because he is strong and wants to pull himself away. Grandma Marty was there and she was in complete shock because she's never heard Max cry! She thought Max was just always happy. Well - no and here is the proof. Not happy. at. all. I HATE watching him scream and cry like this. It rips my heart out. I get pissy, controlling ( ok MORE controlling ) and my heart races. This was the BEST haircut he's had ever. Thank goodness for a patient gal who knows how to keep on cutting and get it RIGHT. He usually ends up with a crooked haircut from all the squirming and screaming.

 Phew - back to our happy little fella with less hair in the eyes.

 Playing with his camera toy while his cousin Stephen and his Grandpa hang out with him at the new house.

 Yep - me and my mama. I think this was taken at Oasis Cafe which is one of my favorite places to go in Salt Lake City. My mom and I sort of went CRAZY and ate everything in sight all weekend. One thing I highly recommend while eating all the bad foods on the menu....try this "pancake". You won't be dissappointed but you won't be able to put on your skinny jeans the next day. swe all shared it and still felt like we gained a thousand pounds. We also went to Eggs in the City which we all REALLY liked a lot, Z Tejas  BEST guacamole I've had in Salt Lake City. The one where they make it at the table for you. Ohhhh yes. Rumbi Grill had great fish tacos, and Finns ohhh the omelet with baby shrimp, capers and havarti cheese.... We met with Jerry's family at Tres Hombres, my parents really liked the shrimp fajitas. And we also went to one of my regular places ( I go here once a week! ) Vertical Diner. Thank God for their Taco Salad!....SO much food. They came to visit Max and instead got a tour of all of our favorite restaurants. Well Max was with us. We just haven't really been into using the kitchen much at the condo we are subletting. It's small, we don't have our kitchen supplies here and well....Max is still at an age where we can take him with us without it causing a loud, screaming, running around the place scene.

 Kristin's son Max turned TWO last week and we went along with them to celebrate at Wheeler Farm. Here are a few photos. That's her daughter Piper with the fellas. She is GREAT! She loves my Max. And I love HER!

 Piper and Max - looks like they are screaming at each other.

Everyone is feeding the ducks, and Max is looking at the other geese and ducks walking past them

And of course - some total Cuteness. He loves to watch his shadow and he looks down a lot while he is walking. He he still holds his hands up like that to help him with his balance. He is wearing that Superman shirt he wore on the day of his eye surgery. That feels so long ago. I love this scenery in Salt Lake City. I am LOVING the friends I am meeting here, the AA meetings are GREAT here, The Down syndrome community is so warm and inviting, the city is easy to navigate and and well you can see these mountains as they surround the city. It's incredible. I haven't even started to dive into the photo community or art scene here yet. I'm too busy figuring out these other interests right now and finding Max's therapists and well, buying a HOUSE! that's still moving forward and we are so excited.