Jones:
-had another botox injection in July and will have his third next week. We are all very comfortable with the procedure now and absolutely LOVE the staff at the American Family Children's Hospital Sedation Clinic. We are in and out in two hours, with no real side effects. The botox has helped give him the confidence to push through the tightness to reach and try to move his arms/hands more. It loosens his hamstrings to help him gain stregthen in his legs.
-is cruising around in his gait trainer after some minor adjustments by the lady that works with his equipment. One day he even went all the way around the block, although had to be pushed a little bit. He loves being out with Owen and the neighborhood kids or just a quiet walk with Tom or I. Now that it's colder, I've been taking him to a quiet mall close by and he even likes to go in the stores with the walker. He likes to bang into things and reach up to touch clothes.
-has been working with a Communication Development Program using symbols to tell us what he wants. He loves it, when the boards come out, he throws his arm up in the air "I'm ready!" They are assessing him to see if a communication device is appropriate and if we could get the funding for it. In the meantime (and in addition to) we got an iPad (Tom won it through work) and Jones loves that thing, he gets so mad when I check my email on it.
- is going to a Storytime Preschool at the UW Speech Department. He attends Monday and Wednesday for an hour and a half. He loves it and is engaged the whole time! It's all boys somehow, only 3 on each day, he's the only one that attend both days. The other boys have Down Syndrome, except one who had brain damage in utero and has severe epilepsy. He is buddies with them all and loves his teachers. He is definitely very interested in talking and is making progress. He says "Hi" all day long and may say one other word during a day. He has said a lot of words once.
- feeding issues are going well. He is interested in a sippy cup but really likes me to get my finger wet and put it in his mouth. I do it to rinse his mouth after brushing teeth but now when we are out he likes to get a drink at the fountain or just out of a cup that way. He is eating more challenging foods now. Loves a peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese and pastas. We still feeding him some Stage 3 baby foods when we go out to eat or are having a meal like steak & brussell sprouts that just aren't even appetizing to try to whiz up in the food processor. It's just easy for him. We are continuing trying to encourage him to self-feed, not making a ton of progress there but it's ok.
- motor skills are coming along, he wants to walk so badly! Crawling is definitely a challenge for him and sometimes he's not into it but we make time for it everyday. Tom and Owen getting down with him and making games out of it helps so much.
- he is a funny one. He loves to watch this ONE Baby Einstein DVD, On the Go and throws a fit if I try to expose him to a new one. Oh well, whatever makes him happy (and allows me to make a meal). Even more crazy is that it was Owen's most favorite too. He'll even watch it with Jones.
- his old PT retired and I am really excited about all the new ideas and follow throughs that the new Physical Therapist and I are working on already. She's really detailed and very resourceful. Sometimes a change can be good.
- in addiiton to all the new good stuff with PT, I'm looking into a lot of new therapies for Jones. Cranioscaral massage therapy, more Chiropractic (although I love our old Chiro, we are going to see another family friend who takes Jones' insurance), special needs swimming classes, a medical setting rehab PT to compliment Birth to Three PT.
Owen:
- is settled at his new school Van Hise. He's made friends, kept his old (one is silver and the other's gold).
- He just finished reading Because of Winn-Dixie in his reading group (that he got moved out of temporarily but is back in now - long, boring story) and will be starting a new book this week.
- I will be starting to volunteer in the class this week so looking forward to seeing what is going on and helping.
- Will be taking a clay art class and will start Basketball in January.
- He is starting to have more responsibilities around the house, which has met with much whining in a language we can only describe as demonic BUT, he does it.
- continues to play mostly with Legos.
- is getting big! He even does things now like take a shower and wash his hair by himself. I still can't believe that one.
- he had been coming in our bed in the middle of the night since getting bunk beds. We switched him back to a queen bed and that has improved. Although the yesterday he came in about 5 am, and woke us up at our normal time (7:15 am) by saying his sleep "This is California." LOL.
- he is becoming very quick-witted. Owen and I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond with Brett to help him pick out a new bedskirt. We were joking and Owen said "Where are we? Bed, Bath and Brett?" We are still chuckling, he loves to laugh.
The Ames Street Cafe:
- although I'm still a bit depressed about my failed attempt at Coq au Vin, on the bright side, two ladies asked me for the recipe for a tart I made for a Baby Shower. It is easy, beautiful and a nice change from the standard (yet marvelous) Apple Pie. As Annoying Orange says, "Try It!"
French Apple Tart
Pastry Dough -
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 to 4 TBL ice water
Filling -
6 apples, peeled, cored, halved and sliced thin
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup apricot preserves, heated and strained
Preheat oven to 375. Blend flour, salt & butter with a pastry cutter or your hands until mix resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the ice water and gently stir with a fork, adding water until it comes together. On a lightly floured surface, rollout dough to fit a 10 inch fluted tart pan with a removable rim. Arrange the apples in the pastry shell. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the apples, dot with the butter. Bake for 45 min, or until the crust is cooked through and the apples are golden. Brush with the heated, strained apricot jam while the tart is still hot. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
