It’s been awhile since we had an update on Eric. The walking thing was huge when it happened, but it’s old now. After all, he’s been doing it for like 1/7 of his lifetime. No big deal. Here’s some more:
1. No more high chair. Not sure how it happened, but he has a place at the table now, in a regular chair. And he’s FAR surpassed any claim Serena ever had to being Crumb Champion. By far. He wields his own utensils now, too. There was a time when I wondered if this would ever happen.
2. Likes being read to and pays attention to the book. Points things out and talks about them.
3. Dances. Often helpfully suggests we turn on music for this purpose.
4. Runs. Well, sort of. It’s more like a very purposeful walk.
5. Stands on the couch. And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
6. Puts on his pants. Often several pairs at once.
7. Fake cries. Fakely. Glancing up to see if anyone is noticing.
8. Carries a stuffed bear around with him and feeds the bear things he cooks in the wooden kitchen. Offers us food also, often balancing a wooden mushroom, for instance, precariously on a plate. While walking. This isn’t easy.
9. INSISTS and OBJECTS. Often. And loudly! I’ve said this before, that for months after Eric was born I thought he’d be the “easy” one. Clearly a case of counting chickens well before they’re hatched. Eric has a plan and DEMANDS its implementation. If only we knew what he was talking about more often.
10. The talking thing. He’s doing much more of it, and repeats words all the time and uses them spontaneously (sometimes not quite the right word, but close). The trouble is his articulation. Down syndrome = low tone = facial muscles aren’t as strong = hard to understand. But he’s soaking up new words like a sponge, and much of the day is about naming things. He knows what they are already, but now he’s practicing saying them himself.
Eric, you’re a bit of a handful but I wouldn’t want you any other way. You make messes, break things, object loudly when you don’t like something and insist on having things the way you want them. You live your life with PASSION and with HEART, and I’m so very proud of you!
[tags]down syndrome, early childhood development, milestones[/tags]
August 1st, 2007 at 8:26 am
Quick comment, then I gotta run:
Eric rules.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Great to hear about the little one again, that is so cool he is doing all that stuff. WTG Kiddo!
August 1st, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Post more pictures of the cutest kid in the world with these, yo! Second, I mean. Close. But second.
And oh lord, the fake cry. I still do that. Good luck!
August 1st, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Sween: Yep, and doesn’t he know it!
Christina: I’ll give him a hug from you, thanks! And one back to Vince!
Cry it Out: I know, that post was totally crying for a picture, wasn’t it? Coming soon, I promise!
August 3rd, 2007 at 12:49 am
Oh my….I believe he and Elainah would be good friends…the certainly have a lot in common.
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:21 am
Rebecca: they most certainly would be good friends. Either that or they couldn’t stand one another (lol), but more likely it would be a partners-in-crime sort of thing. So much energy!
August 12th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Would you like to share this in the carnival?
I am hosting the first ever Down sydrome blog carnival tomorrow August 12th, on Cause of Our Joy http://cause-of-our-joy.blogspot.com . If you have a favorite post about Down syndrome to share, please email it to me ASAP, and I’ll post it. My email is leticia77@optonline.net
Don’t worry if you missed this one, we’ll be doing this every week on different blogs, so you can join in another time, or host it yourself. I just thought this would be a great opportunity to get to know one another better and spread Down syndrome awareness.
Hope to see you at the carnival!
Leticia Velasquez