Happy Holloween

There goes our friendly neighborhood Spidey......

Spiderman aka Jonathon......

Brothers.......

And he is off to save the world......

cool pumpkin spotted......

School bus.....

Jonathon's pumpkins.....

Jonathon's pumpkin.....

A boy and his pumpkin.....

Happy boy and his loot!

A Very Good Year Trick or Treating!

Working hard!

I had Jonathon 's IEP about 2 weeks ago.  We discussed some things that will need to be accomplished for him to be able to go to Kindergarten next fall.  We discussed how if I or them do not feel he is ready I have other options.

Over all Jonathon is doing well, but we still have things to work on.

The first important goal for me for him is back to potty training.....Jonathon has been toilet trained for some time now... Even though that is so there is still some areas that need to be tweaked a little.  For instance:  I used to have to check with him every 3 hours to make sure if he had to go or not.  As of this past summer I no longer have to do that.  He is fully potty trained.  But no I guess he is not "fully" yet.  Because I go with him....I help pull his pants down....I help him hop up if he needs to sit down....I help him down when he is finished....I help pull up his pants..well no one is going to do that in kindergarten.

So we went out to Kohls this morning and hit up a good deal and got 6 pairs of pull on pants/sweats.  No more jeans for now.  He had 2 pair of sweats that we have started working on him doing this on his own.  He doesn't do too bad.  He gets mad sometimes and wants mommy to just do it.  But overall he is doing great.  He just has a hard time pulling up the back of his pants.  I am sure he will figure it out before next fall.

I also had a new stool made again....actually this one is a platform for him.  It's about 2 inches off the floor and its square so its safe.  He is too tall for the plastic stool now, but not tall enough for nothing.  So we started out with daddy making one....which was nice....it just wasn't what I was talking about and it wasn't really safe....it kept sliding and it just wasn't big enough....sooooo.....Mr. Randy stopped by and we told him what we needed and.......when we got home today....we found a surprise!  He made Jonathon a platform....just right and Jonathon said "cool"  But then daddy got his feelings hurt and was going to take his outside and Jonathon stood up and said "NOOOOO"  He grabbed it and placed it on the carpet and started playing with his hot wheels on it.  A happy daddy then and a happy Jonathon.  It all worked out!!!

I will post pictures tomorrow of the new stuff!

Dental Appointment

Today we went and seen Dr. Dentist!

Last year when I took Jonathon to meet a pediatric dentist in the same office where my older boys go it was a complete disaster.  She did not take her time with Jonathon and he ended up screaming so bad that he had broken blood vessels in his face.  And I knew we did not want her.  And she said" I can't help you"  Really.......

We found a great dentist about 1 hour from our home.  We went and met with him and he set up a procedure at Childrens Hospital of Michigan to get xrays, teeth cleaning and anything else that needed to be done.

Jonathon went in April and had his xrays, teeth cleaned and a space added in between his two front teeth.  He had cavities in there because his teeth were too close together.  It was out patient and when he was finished we took him home.

When we went for our follow up visit Dr. Dentist gave me some ideas on what to do to get Jonathon to brush.

Over the past 6 months I have made sure that Jonathon has brushed his teeth in the morning and at night.  There have been times when I have said "Why bother"  He just doesn't like it and he is probably going to have a ton of cavities and have to be put under again!!  Plus it's very frustrating that I have to do this on my own. (sorry to say, but hubby is not much help)  But then I say to myself that would not be fair to Jonathon so we brush anyway.  Some days are good and some days are bad.  The good days are around more and more.

I was worried about our appointment today.  I have been telling Jonathon for 1 week now, getting him ready.  Hoping that he understood.  I was very very nervous on the way there today.  I couldn't even drink my coffee.  Then we were late, because I made a wrong turn.....OOPS.

We signed in at 8:33a.m.  We had a few minutes to wait so I got out Jonathon's IPAD.  He sat quietly and put some puzzles together on his Ipad.  Other kids looked from a distance.  I thought it was pretty cool.  Then we were called.  Okay here we go......Put the Ipad away and followed the nurse back.....got a few feet and then Jonathon noticed everyone in dr. gear and stopped.....and said "NO"  and turned around to leave.

I grabbed his hand and told him it was okay. That they were not doctors, that they were dentist helpers.  And the nurse helped confirm that with him.  I practically had to drag him back to the room and then he seen the "chair"  Oh my!!  He didn't want any part of that.

As I was putting him in the chair and getting out blue puppy.....Dr. Dentist was explaining what he was going to do and the staff was getting ready and as I am getting out blankie, headphones, they are starting and Jonathon begins to cry and scream......I quickly tell him "ok, let me get your music"  I grab my cell phone and quickly scroll through to find Elmo Lets go Tubbin.....This calms Jonathon down some where he at least is not screaming.  One Dr. Dentist.....3 staff members and mommy .....I just kept talking to Jonathon and telling him how proud I was and that he was doing great and that he had blue puppy and that he was almost done.  And before we knew it......we were done.

I spoke with Dr. Dentist quickly.  He told me that he was so proud of me..."me".....I even said "me"?  He reminded me how I came to him upset and looking for help.  And that he told me what I needed to do and I did it.  And that Jonathon would not be getting a good clean teeth report if I had not listened. WOW was all I could think!  And it made me proud.  Jonathon has no cavities! He was put into a drawing to win a $25.00 gift card.  And we will go back in 6 months.  And hopefully in 6 months it will be a little better for him.  We signed in at 8:33a.m. and we were back in the van at 9:03a.m.

So I took him to Walmart to pick out a new toy for being such a big boy and letting Dr. Dentist clean his teeth.  He picked 2 monster trucks....He is big into Monster Jam right now.  He now has Hot wheels and Grave Digger!!

I am so proud of Jonathon.  I know how much certain things scare him.  Like the noise of the dental tool to clean his teeth.  To sit there and let the dentist clean his teeth and not wear his headphones.  Phenomenal!  Amazing!  I will always do my best to make sure he is happy, safe, and protected!

I love you Jonathon Joseph!  Rest well, you did great today!!!!!!

wordless Wednesday

Challenges & Celebrations 2011 Conference

I went to this conference yesterday.  The conference was sponsored by St. Clair County Community Mental Health, St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency and St. Clair County Down Syndrome Support Group.

I went to "What your other Children without Disabilities are Thinking: Sibling Issues for Parents"
Keynote Speaker Brian Skotko.  I thought Brian was a very good speaker and I really enjoyed listening to him.  I was not able to stay until the very end to get my book signed, but I did purchase his book and cannot wait to read it.  Check it out and get yourself a copy.  If you ever hear his name go listen to him.  He is great!

I also attended Ipad = Ican  Keynote Speaker Ann Orr.  I enjoyed listening to Ann also.  But she was just an Ipod/Ipad geek.  She was not from Apple Company and I already learned about a whole bunch of apps, so I was not really impressed with her.  I went to listen to her thinking I would learn about the Ipad2 and how to use it and how to use the apps when you download them.  So I really could have skipped her.  Oh well.

Oh and I went and listened to an O.T.  Her name was Kim Perrin.  "Addressing Challenging Behaviors Through Sensory Strategies"  Now her I could have sat and listened to for a long time.  She was very informational.  I don't really have a lot of problems with Jonathon.  I was curious what it was all about and glad I went.  I learned that water is a good thing.  I learned that if you have a child that is really out of control.....ex: head banger ...to the point of dangerous..you could just give him/her some water to play with(like in a bucket in the middle of the kitchen floor) not worrying about the mess.  And it relaxes the child.  Water is calming.  I am so glad that I have Jonathon in swimming.  and of course he loves the shower and our pool and mud puddles etc.

Jonathon picks at his thumbs and peels the skin off to the point where it bleeds and I have to put a bandaid on(which he hates).  so she gave me some ideas to try out on him.  and to keep track of when it happens.  So I will.  She actually ran out of time talking to our group.

My sister and I then ate lunch and had to head for home.

During the conference I met up with the president of St. Clair County Down Syndrome Support Group...which is the group we belong too.  And she had a gift for me......well for Jonathon!

I had submitted a scholarship letter to her at the beginning of October asking for Jonathon to be a recipient of an Ipad2.  I explained about my research and why I felt that it would benefit him!  I am so happy that he was given this device!  It is going to help him so much with his learning!

So I loaded it up last night and showed him really quick!  Lets just say he loves it.  He was upset when he had to put it away to go to bed and he calls it his pad.....games mom!

I would have never known the world of opportunity for my son with an Ipad2 if it wasn't for me finding a4cwsn.com and reading and researching.  I joined a4cwsn.com on facebook.  It is a wonderful community and a person can learn so much.  I already have 123 apps on Jonathon's Ipad2. I have only paid $17.00 total.  Most of them were free and some of them I won.  Through a4cwsn.com.  I am so glad that I found Gary James..... Please go and check it out....You will not be disappointed!

I uploaded a video of him seeing his Ipad2 for the first time.  Learning video upload is confusing. sorry.  it posted all on its own.  Hope you enjoy.  That was his very first look at an Ipad2.  He thought the character Mongo was really funny.  You are supposed to eat the fruit not the junk food.  He was being silly last night and actually doing both, because Mongo will turn blue from a tummy ache.  But he knew how to operate it after a few seconds and with time he will be really good at this device.

Jonathon's Ipad2

Jonathon's Ipad2 a video by cmp1969 on Flickr.

Here is Jonathon seeing the Ipad2 for the very first time and he is playing Mongo.

Wordless Wednesday