We started this blog nearly two years ago when Addison was born. We initially began writing to keep everyone informed of her progress during our hospital stay, but continued updating it as she grew. It is our hope that this look at our first two years may help new parents who are in those same scary shoes we filled not so long ago. If I have one piece of advice that I would give to new parents of a child with Down Syndrome, it is that life is so much more normal than I ever thought it would be. I know the devastation and fear that can come with an initial diagnosis, but I also know the incredible joy and wonder you will experience as well. Congratulations and have fun!

New Additions

We have a new son & a new blog! Please visit us at www.twofortwicetheprice.blogspot.com. (There is a link to the right you can click on).

First Day of School

Today was a big day at the Taylor household. It was Addison’s first day of preschool. One of us might have cried a little bit when I dropped her off (and it wasn’t her!), but I guess that’s to be expected? I don’t know why I cried. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve left her somewhere, and I wasn’t at all sad about it. I guess I can blame it on pregnancy for now. We weren’t sure how she’d do with napping and eating away from home and away from us, since this is a new experience for her. But, apparently she did great and had a wonderful time. They said she really enjoyed reading books and music time- neither of which surprised us much- and she was a happy camper when we picked her up. My family has a tradition of taking a picture by the front door on the first day of school, so here they are.

She’s getting better and better at walking with minimal assistance, and yesterday she actually took one step on her own, but she just hasn’t pulled the trigger on walking on her own yet. We think she has the ability to do it, she’s just holding out. Maybe when that new baby comes along getting lots of attention she’ll decide it’s time for the big guns and take off.

For now, we’ll just continue to douse the right leg of everything she owns in Shout Advanced at the end of the day.

Saturday, August 29

We officially have a climber. Addison has now figured out how to climb up onto the couch, ottoman, kitchen island and coffee table. She has also discovered that she can turn the light off & on with just the touch of a finger. Very fascinating. She now wants to flip every light switch we walk by.

She’s going through a picky-eater phase right now, which includes throwing the foods she doesn’t want to eat. There’s no consistency to what she will or won’t eat. We can, however, always count on mac & cheese to be a success.

Addison loves her Bearfoot! I just thought this was the cutest picture. Doesn't she look like such a big girl?!

I just have to brag on Wes for a minute. He is the best daddy ever! He loves hanging out with Addison and never complains about watching her when I have to work. Last night I was making dinner and listening to him giving her a bath. I had to laugh as I heard her giggling and him explaining to her the physics of water dispersement as she placed her hand against the opening of the faucet and water sprayed out the sides and the top. He’s been wanting a bike trailer for a while now so that he can take her biking with him. Well, yesterday we finally got one.

Addison wasn’t quite sure what to think of her helmet at first, but as you can see, she warmed up to it quickly and even thought she’d try it out a bit, slapping it with her hands.

Thursday, Aug 20

Grans came to stay with Addison and me last week while Wes was fly fishing in New Mexico. We had a great time, and she helped us get LOTS done around the house and in the baby ‘s room. I can’t believe he’s due in just 5 short weeks!

Addison had a great time playing with Grans and dancing with her singing bear.

Sunday, Aug 8

Grammy came into town last week to watch Addison and give Wes and me a weekend away. We went to Branson and stayed in a beautiful cabin overlooking Table Rock Lake. It was great to have a couple days to sleep in and not have to plan our day around naps and bedtime! This is a picture of the view from the cabin.

Addison has been talking up a storm lately. We think she knows exactly what she’s saying, the rest of us just can’t understand it yet. She is getting more adventurous and always keeps us laughing. Here are a couple pictures of positions I’ve found her in over the last couple days.

Belly Pics & Brotherly Love

So some of you out-of-towners have been asking for pics of the growing belly. While I don’t know anyone who likes taking pictures by themselves, much less posting them online, here goes.

In other news, we took Addison to Philadelphia this weekend to meet our friends who still live there. She had a great time meeting everyone and loved having playmates around at all times. She’s always been a good judge of character and warmed up to everyone pretty quickly.

Matt, Kim, Rach, Wes, Nicolas, Jackson, Addison, Grantham, Bennett & Maxwell

Wes, Rach, Addison, Gianna, Lindsey, Gabe & Ella

Our last day in Philly, we had a little time to kill before our flight, so we took Addison to the park. Our little thrill-seeker loved it! I don’t think she stopped giggling the whole time we were there.

We had one flight on the way home that I was dreading because it was a 3 ½ hour flight, and Addison is more mobile and active than she used to be (and my lap is smaller than it used to be). Little did I know, our flight would turn into a 7 hour flight including weather delays, closed airports, holding patterns and an additional stop for refueling. It was a miserable evening, but Addison, true to form, made the best of it! She made lots of new friends on the plane and wooed the flight attendants. It’s always fun to overhear the people around you talking about how cute she is.

Good Buddies

Addison and Bearfoot are good buddies these days. She is always interested in him and loves to crawl on him and play with his ears. She is learning to be gentle, a quality we're hoping she'll retain when her baby brother arrives in a couple months! Don't worry. The interest is mutual. Bear very much likes to clean up after her meals, and tries to sneak in a lick whenever he can.
"Just how much of this stuff can I take?" Addison's been a little cranky lately, and over the last few days we've discovered 5 teeth coming in! Poor thing. I'd be cranky, too!

Happy Independence Day!

Last weekend, we had a great time in Waco for Independence Day. A weekend full of family and fireworks while lighting a few trees on fire in the process is never a bad time. This, of course, was Addison's second July 4th holiday, and she loved every minute of it. On Friday morning, we had a doctor's appointment at the Children's Hospital in Dallas to get Addison a checkup. There is a clinic in the hospital that deals only with kids with Down Syndrome, so we thought we would go check it out to make sure we aren't missing anything. We were happy to find out that not only are we already doing all the things we should for Addison's development, but we are also getting better services here in Oklahoma than those available in Dallas to some extent. I guess the state of Oklahoma has something going for it after all.

We then headed to Waco and got to spend the weekend with Grans & Grandaddy, Uncle Russ & Aunt Brittan. Addison warmed up quickly this time, which is good, because they weren't willing to wait long to get their hands on her! She was quite the party girl- never one to turn down music. We decided there are probably some dance parties in our future. We also got to see Addison's great-aunts, great-uncle and cousin this weekend. It was great to see everyone, and a little weird to realize the next time we see a lot of them, Addison will have a little brother!

Florida Beaches are Wonderful

If you ever want to find out how many swimsuits a little girl has, just take her to the beach and you will most certainly find out.  If you ever wondered how many swimsuits a little girl needs, I recently discovered that it’s about two a day.  You will notice that the pictures don't show Addison wearing the same one twice...

I can hear the sound she's making when we took this picture, a sound that is inquisitive.  However, every time I see this picture, I fast forward about 12 years and imagine her saying, "Dad, what...are...you...doing!  Hello!"

We just returned from a week in Florida, and what a wonderful week it was.  We discovered that a week on the beach with an eighteen-month old isn’t as relaxing as we thought it would be, but it’s still more relaxing than a week in Tulsa.  

Addison was a little apprehensive about the ocean when she first dipped her little piggy toes in the water, but quickly warmed up to it once she had a solid death grip around one of our necks. 

By the end of the trip, we found out a couple of new things about Addison:  1)  She has an iron gut, because she can take down about a pound of beach sand and not get ill and 2) she has no problem jumping into a pool as long as someone is there to catch her.

"Kids with Downs Just Don't Get Any Better Than This"

Those are the words we heard from the developmental pediatrician on Tuesday.  You just can’t get better feedback than that.  I’m sure there are kids out there with Downs who have done things earlier than her or faster, but what a great compliment nonetheless.  We just have to brag for a minute here.  Addison is in the 18-24 month range for her social and adaptive behaviors.  Just this week she decided to start standing on her own, using a fork, and has picked up at least 5 new signs.  This has been one of those weeks that makes it all worth it! 

It's a Good Thing She's Cute...

... because she can certainly be mischevious!

Planning her escape

Fun in the sun

Addison picks up new signs everyday.  She is getting really good at it.  Above is the sign she does when we say "I don't know" or "what's that?"  but she also does it every time Daddy leaves the room.  I truly believe she's saying, "where'd he go?"

Addison really gets into her reading.  Above, she was signing fish, but I missed the picture.  I guess here she's telling us just how big her fish was!  She also has recently learned the signs for pig, butterfly and itsy-bitsy-spider.  Too cute!

So, so close to standing on her own!

Addison has become increasingly curious lately.   It’s been nice that she can entertain herself a little more, and we’ve taken advantage of this newfound freedom to get a few things done.  Occasionally, we will realize that things are just a bit too quiet.  Those are the moments that make good pictures…

 (The 80's called- they want their hair-do back!)

There are a few other things she’s started doing as well.  She likes to pull her hair clip out of her hair and try to eat it.  When I try to put her hair in pigtails, she shakes her head back and forth (hence the bad hair-do in many of these pictures).  She also thinks it’s funny now to pick up her food from her tray and throw it.  While I do not enjoy this, Bearfoot appreciates it very much.  

But that's all okay, as long as she continues to snuggle!