Sight Words

With Kindergarten approaching for Owen, we started to work on some site words.  Thanks to the recommendation from my mom, we found this great video called "Meet the Site Words" that both boys have responded to.   It focuses on a visual approach to recognizing site words, an approach we know all about since kids with Down syndrome also respond much better to visual prompts.  It is amazing to watch as both boys learn the beginning site words.  I attached a video below of Owen reading the longest sentence we could come up with for the beginning site words he knows.  And if you listen when Owen gets to the word "you,"  Mason shouts it out before Owen.   We also found that if we put two or three cards out for Mason and ask him which word says, "X,"  he will get it right about 75% of the time.  At 2 years old.  With Down syndrome.  It's truly amazing.  Both of my boys are.

Dapper Diaper Dude

I don't have much to write today ... because I think these pictures say it all.  Last night Mason was in an especially goofy mood as we were getting ready for bed.  For once, the camera was handy and I grabbed it to snap a few of my diaper dude hamming and dancing it up!  As I look at these pics, I can't believe how fast my little baby boy is growing up ... gonna be 3 in a couple of months ... and a big brother in a couple more.  How can we make time slow down???

Oh, and one more ... It started out as a Robin costume, add about 2-3 more capes and the Iron Man mask on top.  Whose scared of this multi-caped masked crusader??

Opening Day!

It's become a Lochhead family tradition.  The first home Nationals baseball game of the season.  We are so there!  It signifies the first "event"of Spring - Baseball season!  This year, it was cold and rainy so we made the difficult decision to leave Mason, who was just starting to get a cold, at school.  I felt so guilty about this ... until I sat there shivering with my toes going numb.  I knew it was the right decision.  Nonetheless, the three Lochheads braved the elements and had a great time.

 
We even got a personal visit from Screech in our section! 

Go Nats ... the Four of us will be back ... when it's a little warmer :)   

It's a GIRL!

We are thrilled and excited to be welcoming a baby girl into our family this August!  We took Owen with  us to the gender ultrasound and I wish I could say that he was enthralled with the photos of his sibling, but I couldn't get that kid to take his eyes off of "Angry Birds" on my iPhone.  HA!  But, he did say, "I knew it was going to be a sister because we already have two boys and we need another girl."  How thoughtful!  We really would have been excited either way but this mama is pretty happy to have a little girl to spoil.  Brian, on the other hand, is a little shell-shocked.  And while he says he likes the "idea" of a girl, after two boys I think he's a little unsure of how girls "work" (or maybe a little nervous about having a mini-Kristin in the house!)    

Yep, you read that right!

We are so very excited (and a little bit nervous) to announce that we are adding another little munchkin to our already crazy household.  This new addition should be arriving in August.  The doctors say mid-August, but we'll let this little one decide.  I hear you all now ... could it possibly be a girl... another boy?   We won't find that out until late March, but will happily welcome either sort :)

For inquiring minds, we did have the same first trimester screening that we did with Mason.  We, again, wanted to know if we were going to be blessed with another chromosomally enhanced child.  We knew that our odds of having another child with Down syndrome were increased to 1:100, compared to typical odds of 1:400 for someone my {cough} age.  We prayed that this baby would have only 46 chromosomes, but knew that it was out of our hands.  And we have already learned that our family would be okay.  Either way.  At the screening, we were told that the nuchal fold measurement for the new baby was 1.2 (compared to Mason's whopping 5.1) and that measurement, coupled with some blood tests, decreased our risk of Down syndrome to 1:1500.  We feel pretty good about that.  But, odds are what they are .... odds.  Life is what counts.

We will keep you posted on this blog of the adventures of this pregnancy, although we are hoping for no adventures and instead a very boring, very uneventful pregnancy!  Owen is very excited about the baby, volunteering for him/her to sleep in his room... but assuring me that he would come and get me if the baby cried.  We also asked Owen if he wanted a boy or girl baby, to which he, of course, responded, "A boy.  Because I like playing with boys better."  Typical 4 year old boy!   Mason doesn't really understand but knowing how sweet Mason is with his cousin Alexa and having super big brother Owen as a role model, I just know he will adjust to big-brother-dom just fine!

SNOW!!

Wow, has it really been almost 2 months since my last post?  I can't believe I totally flew past Christmas... and the new year without ever writing a blog post.  I wish I had a really good excuse, but I guess I've just been lazy.  Or not had much to say.  I have a ton of Christmas pictures ... maybe I'll do a Christmas in July post?   My peace offering are some snow pictures from the snowfall last week.  Despite the disaster it caused to rush-hour traffic (It was coming down at 2-3 inches an hour during peak afternoon rush), the snow was perfect.  Just enough for good snow balls, sledding and snow forts.  And it was a thick wet snow which made it easy for packing.   The boys had a blast sledding ...

 And though I wasn't sure about the safety of this endeavor, "the three boys on a sled" trick actually went over quite well...

Even though it resulted in a little snow bath for Mason!! 

Owen enjoyed trying new "tricks" ... I'm gonna be in trouble when this one gets older.  

And even the photographer got into one picture! 

Mason tried to eat the snow with every chance he got.  It's amazing we were able to get a picture of the little boys holding still. 

Owen and Brian made a snow fort in the backyard which has even been made more elaborate since these pictures were taken. 

And of course there's the obligatory snowball flight.  Watch out!!!

I'd like to promise that it won't be so long until my next post ... Okay.  I promise it won't be so long until my next post!  

A visit with Santa!

The mall at Christmas time, not just Christmas time .. but Thanksgiving weekend.  Seriously NOT the place I like to be.  The crowds.  The sales.  The pushy sales people.  I don't like it.  BUT, I've found that it is the absolute best time to tackle the annual "picture with Santa."  People are in shopping mode, but not necessarily in Santa mode.  Which means NO LINE!!  Plus, we go early in the morning right when it opens so that helps, too.  

I wasn't sure what Mason was going to do this year with Santa.  We had been talking about Santa to which he pointed at his picture and repeated the name (but refused to say HO HO HO).  But, he's been going through this separation anxiety thing lately and I thought for sure this year's picture would include my big old mug in the photo.  But, Mason was a pro.  He waved from afar and then we placed Owen on Santa's lap first.  I firmly believe that Mason would walk into fire to follow his big brother.  So Mason had absolutely no problem sitting on the knee opposite Owen.   It's never tough to get two kids to pose when all of the pressure is on.  I can't remember exactly what was said during the winning pose, but Mason was tickled.  And Owen was beaming.   I'll take it! 

Oh, and what they asked for?  I never know what's going to come out of Owen's mouth when put on the spot.  But, apparently, Owen wants Iron Man dress up clothes and, per Owen, Mason wants Yo Gabba Gabba toys.   Santa better get cracking!