This and That

I could not resist the potted tulips at Kroger recently. I took them out for their photoshoot debut on Saturday, and they did beautifully, don't you think? I am in love with them. I almost did not splurge this way, but each time I glance their direction, they pay me back with loads of joy.

We had such a nice weekend, despite our weather turning chilly again. It was okay, just not the mild spring-like temps that we have been teased with lately. It was so fabulous that N got an invitation to go to a concert! Social opportunities are the best and we are just as excited as he is when they come along. Yay for friends, for getting out, for enjoying good things! We are thankful.

While at the concert, he ate everything that did not eat him first. I think his growth is slowing, but his appetite is not. While he is already taller than I am (5' 4"), this fast metabolism is not going to last forever, and what happens when he can't devour so many groceries anymore?? He has some habits in place that need to be tempered. But then . . . . so do I. (Like the 7 dark chocolate kisses that just disappeared while I have been sitting here.)

Happy Monday.

Mmmm, breakfast!

(Yummy Omelet, by "N")


I meant to post yesterday but I did not get around to it. I was too busy lounging in my pj's and reading. Turns out, the great storm that was predicted to dump a bunch of snow on us did just that! I can't remember ever seeing this much snow in our southern state. So, naturally (and luxuriously), two days worth of work and school have been canceled. We are in happy, lazy bliss over here. I really love to have only a few options for my day, and I do not feel imprisoned as some do (but check with me in a few days).

Last time this happened, I was in happy, productive mode. That hit at about 8:00 pm yesterday. I suddenly got this urge to have something to show for the day, other than a bunch of pages read, so I cleaned out some drawers and did a few other things I have been putting off. But today, it is back to lounging. (That antsy, productive urge will hit after dark sometime.)

While I was sleeping in this morning, my dear son was cooking himself breakfast. Seems I reminded him of his love for omelets yesterday when I made him one with bacon and swiss cheese. We had homemade biscuits on the side, which he adores. Anyway, after I got up, he showed me a picture he had taken of the omelet he made, since there was not one for me! (He knows I do not like them crispy, which is the only way he turns them out.) I was very amazed at both his photography and his use of chopped vegetables!

I never know what he'll do when I'm asleep. Maybe if I go back to bed, he'll cook some lunch.

Special Exposure Wednesday -- Smackdown

THUD! Groan! Ughhhh! Arghhhhhh! Thud-thud! These were all noises coming from our family room last night. I need not worry or hurry, for they are the familiar sounds of my husband and son wrestling. (However, it does freak my mother out every time she hears it!) It meets some big need in N for proprioception.

I always fear the big "OWWWWWW, that HURT!", which is just as likely to come from my husband. Their tangled mass of body parts keeps me from being an on-looker most of the time (how do they do that??), but I had to snap some photos last night. This only made it go on longer than usual.

Day 26 -- Teen Scene

Because my son has Down syndrome, does it mean he does not go through the same developmental phases as everyone else? No. He did not escape teething, the terrible two’s, or the anxiety of the first day of school. He now must go through adolescence and experience all that that has to offer.

I must say, he seems to have passed through much of it unscathed. He has the occasional attitude. When I press for info or am overly protective, I get the suppression of the eye roll and the sigh of exasperation. He does not, however, seem to suffer from the extreme self consciousness of many teens. Rather, he seems to enjoy some limelight and to be fairly self confident.

What does he enjoy? Playing basketball is a passion. He plays alone or shoots with whoever happens to be around at the fitness club that he walks to. He loves any sport (especially soccer, baseball, and ping pong) and enjoys winning at board games and card games. He likes tv, action movies (and any movie), and watching football. He has long enjoyed writing stories and now does it on his laptop. He is better at anything on Wii Sports than any of us and has lately grown very fond of Wii Fitness, coaching all of us on its finer points.

One of his favorite activities that he enjoys with his dad is playing Rock Band. The feeling is mutual; his dad can pretend fame right along with his son and they can learn songs together. Dad does guitar while N plays drums. They learn and master songs, go on to others, then get a new CD. Just today I heard N playing one of their favorites in his room -- “Long Time” by Boston. Loudly. It made me smile to think that this familiar rite of passage has not escaped him either.

Day Eight (of 31 for 21) -- Pride in Your Heart

We have had a few issues with N being overly competitive. This does not pose a problem until he is playing sports and publicly loses it. We have chanted the age-old mantra until we are blue in the face, "It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Then we explain and give examples to illustrate this to the best of our abilities. Still, he gets so fired up when playing soccer or baseball that I fear for the other players. And with him playing in leagues for kids with special needs, we try to stress letting everyone have a chance at passing the ball, being successful, etc. We had to remove him from a soccer game once, and we always repeat "Be a good sport!" before the start of any game.

WELL. Today he went to a pep rally for his high school football team. After school he told me he learned something at the pep rally. Want to know what it was? "It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Maybe it will catch on, coming from someone else. But the best part of what he learned (I think)was when someone said that it is not shameful if you lose, but that you always need to have pride in your team and pride in your heart.

Let's see if Mr. Cut-throat relaxes a little tonight at baseball.

Day Seven -- Football and Pickup Trucks

Because I have been married to my sweetie for more than half my life now, I am posting a picture of how he looked when we were in high school! I have unearthed this recently and our son, N., has been truly amazed by it. Not as much because his dad had so much more hair then, but because he played football! N loves some football and is wishing he could play. He and my husband have watched college football every Saturday since it started this season, and they have some big time, he-man bonding hours. I am glad to be included, as it really seems like I should only be invited on special occasions.

My husband says he liked me back at this point in our lives . . . I don’t know if that is true or not. We met in the fourth grade and this picture was taken in the tenth grade. I think there were others much more on his mind at this time than I was, but I’ll pretend with him. If I had known then what kind of a dad he would someday be to our sons, I would have grabbed on for dear life and never let him go. (Of course, if I had done that, we would not be married now, but . . . . just sayin’.) He is a most patient and kind-hearted man.

I am glad that going our separate ways for college ended up cementing the bond between us. I wish I could re-live just one day when he picked me up for high school in his pickup truck!

Special Exposure Wednesday

LABOR DAY HIKING





Check out Special Exposure Wednesday here.

Wrestling Camp

Today N is at an all day wrestling camp. This is very exciting to him because he likes to wrestle his dad. And he usually wins. I saw a flier about this camp and showed it to my husband, who said, “Hmm.” That means, “Let’s not.” I noticed that it was for a wide age-range of kids, and I thought it might be a good introduction to the sport, so I pursued the idea. After all, there is a possibility that he might be able to manage his school’s wrestling team, so I figured he would need to know stuff about it. Like the rules and like how hard it really is. The only slightly unnerving thing was the liability release, which was pretty descriptive about what all injuries could occur, but we won’t go into that. (That whole atlantoaxial instability issue . . . recent x-rays showed N’s to be fine.)

I needed some things from the library the other day, so I took N and a friend, and we loaded up on books about wrestling (and other stuff). He impressed his dad that evening with some wrestling facts and rules. Ted shot a glance at me. I put on my angelic smile and did a praying hands gesture at him. Later, he sent an inquiry to the director of the camp, via email. Ted explained that N has Down syndrome, may be slightly too old for the camp, it could be full, etc., etc. He gave him every “out”, but the guy quickly replied that he would be happy to have him! (We have done this numerous times for various events, including a week long music camp at our local university, and have never been turned down.) I was nearly giddy because I knew that N would be.

Later that night we went to Starbucks, where we had some tasty cold drinks made by our favorite employee, Manly A. As we were hanging out, I heard Ted describing the upcoming event to N. “OH PLEASE, YES, Dad, PLEASE!!”. Ted smiled and said, “OK.” (Not “Hmm”.)