She is 2!!

I apologize for how long it's been and for how long this will be!! But it's worth it!!

It was a Minnie Mouse invasion around here!! Which by the way is her favorite right next Veggie Tales... but we went with the minnie mouse theme and it was the best reaction you have ever seen from a little girl!! Had I known her reaction to the balloons alone I would have for sure had a camera ready and rolling!! She was so thrilled and so animated!! It was priceless!!

We will get to the pictures in a minute. But lets talk about all the things little Miss Mia is up to. She is walking around like a storm on wheels. Getting into everything and taking her babydoll along for the ride. I have put a shopping cart in my bathroom so she can go shopping while I am getting ready in the mornings now. It sure makes for a fun morning!! Clothes are pulled off hangers, she gets to get all the deoderants and soaps out she wants and push it around!! Woohoo for a mama of 4!! I don't get as stressed about it all being put up neatly anymore... this is just a place for fun now!! & I like it!!

Mia is in therapy 4 days a week. We get to see Miss Ren for PT twice a week, Miss Kathy for Speech twice a week, and Miss Julie for OT twice a week. It makes for a busy week but it's a lot of fun watching her grow and learn. It is amazing to me to see all the little changes that happen with every appointment. She is so eager to learn and play. Her words, albeit stubbornly, are starting to really make their way. We just got a wonderful app (Proloquo2go) on our iPad for her to help her communicate even more with us and we are discovering it's a little harder than we thought but she is so smart and it is surely going to be a blessing.

She is busy most days playing with all her Little People houses and zoo's. Reading her books- and oh grandma Karen Llama Llama Red Pajama was/is a huge hit!! We read it with such animation that she sits for a very long time wanting it read over and over!!

We have also discovered the play gym at the park. We used to go and just swing but with her walking and really exploring more we opted to take a peek at the tunnels and slides... She navigates her way thru all of it (with absolutely NO fear, despite mama's fear) all on her own. She has such a sense of adventure!! It is such a joy to watch her go!!













We had a fun time at Pumpkin Patch this year. And with Mia walking it was a lot of fun. She is so animated about everything and oooooohing and awwwwwing over all the pumpkins was of no exception!!









And then there was Halloween. She made it thru a couple block of trick or treating this year. It was so fun. She walked up to a couple of doors all by herself and said "hi!" in her sweet little voice!! Everyone loved that sweet little ghost!!

She didn't like it up under her arms so we had to let the ribbon out a bit...but she still was such a cutie!!






And here are a few random ones!! Thanks for stopping by.







Mia is putting her baby to sleep here... hiding her eyes so baby will sleep. What you don't have a picture of is Mia turning around from baby with her hand on her hip and then this is her turning back to kiss and hide her eyes... silly baby just wouldn't go to sleep!!

18 months!!

It's hard to believe this little girl is 18 months!! She is weighing in at 23 pounds and is 31 1/2 inches tall. She is shooting up and up everyday it seems.
She is beginning to take her steps. She has mastered the standing up and now just trying to find her balance and go. She is so stubborn in this area. It must be her idea and she doesn't like applause unless she asks for it. It is the funniest thing!! So it seems that if she has made it around the corner and no one is looking she is up and taking steps. If she does it in the same room and no one is looking at her she is bold and on the go but the second you acknowledge her efforts she plops back to her booty and scoots away!! But when she has done it and you ignore it- she plops down and waits for you to look at her and starts clapping!!! It's so funny. So we join in and celebrate her!!

We just attended the annual picnic for the North Dallas Down Syndrome Guild. Such a wonderful event and so much fun meeting up with all the other families!! Our whole family enjoyed the day!! Including Miss Mia.

Over spring break we went to San Antonio and Mia had the best time at Sea World seeing all the animals but we had the most fun watching her!! She is a Queen in Training!! She waves with both hands to both directions at all the people passing by. Saying "hi" to most!! And stealing every ones hearts!! It was so wonderful!!

Her talking is continuing to progress. She is even using a couple of signs at the appropriate times to let us know when and who she wants. Yes I said who!! She is mama's girl all day long but when Daddy walks in she loves to tell me Dada Dada!! And she uses the sign with it and that's all she wants of good ol mama!! She has also started saying up and stop a lot!! Up is- pick me up, or get up to whomever, or look up as she says up and light... she is just a smarty little girl!! Peek a boo is still one her all time favorite games she plays it with anything she can put over her head or yours. She is also loving to dance. It is so funny to see it evolve from just a little shimmy while sitting to holding her hands up with her fingers pierced together (as if she was going to snap) and her whole body swaying with such a smile!!

She is doing wonderful and a beautiful as ever!! Ethan loves to tell her how beautiful her hair and eyes are everyday as she snuggles him up in the mornings. It's absolutely the most precious moments ever!!!

Here she is at the beginning of one of our camping trips we took this spring...



Her she is in the bouncy house at the picnic yesterday... her first time in one and I am not sure how I got her out!!! She loved it!!









She is trying to get my camera in this shot... she has a new love for wearing the big ol Nikon... she is so smart. Wants to play with all the buttons and take your picture... it's just too heavy for her. I might just have to get her own little camera to play with!!




She likes to pull grass pieces but not be in the grass... very curious!!


Look at me standing... but here she is plopping down...

Merry Christmas

I have a disclaimer... I have tried 6 times over the last 2 months to load up pictures and updates for Miss Mia and Blogger has been uncooperative. I am trying now to load again.. so I hope this message comes to you with pictures!!! I have sooo many to share!!

Mia is continuing to be Amazing. We had our big appointment through the Down Syndrome clinic at Dallas Children's and we got to see a host of many different specialist. She has checked out to be completely healthy on all accounts. We are on a thyroid medicine for a very acute case of high thyroid. Very typical. She is now in private therapy rather than the Early Intervention for PT so that we can be more aggressive and she already showing off her stuff!! We are almost ready to start taking those steps by ourself!! She wants to move and walk so badly but balance holds her back. Her new therapist is awesome and we are thrilled to be in such good hands.

She is recieving RSV shots right now so she doesn't get a visit to the hospital this year. She just had her first ear infection. :( But is doing great!! The only other thing we are waiting to have looked at is a high count that showed up suggesting Celiac disease. It's apparently common amongst down syndrome children and so we have to undergo a endoscopy to rule it out concretely.

She was evaluated thru her private therapy to recieve Occupational and Speech and test above average and was not able to qualify for being right where she should be!! We were thrilled for her!! I think the brother and sisters always including her in everything is really paying off!! She is a chatterbox and sometimes we even know what she's saying or trying to say!!

Her current vocabulary includes... mama, daddy, bubba, bye bye, whoa, uh oh, up, ba-ba (milk or bottle), nigh nigh (mama I am ready for bed), ba (ball), more, waves hello when asked and claps on command if not all the time. I am sure I am leaving out something but she is doing great!! We have soooo much fun on a daily basis!!

Here are the photos we just took for our family photo shoot... but I will include mostly those of Mia. We had over 380 and that would take forever to upload... but you get the best!!

Love to you all... Merry Merry Christmas!!