Crabby-Snax

Jack Snack has had his crabby pants on lately. We've had to change formula over these past two days and the transition isn't making his tummy happy. I've been mixing the old formula with the new, slowly increasing the new and reducing the old. I've already noticed that his rope like poopies are softer, but his tummy is still grumbly. I do believe he is spitting up more now too. Not a lot, just more. Right now he's having a snooze on the couch on his tummy...right where I can see him. Which for me begs the question, How did our mothers sleep while we were on our tummies? If I can't see his back rise and fall, I have to go listen for his breath and touch him to make sure he's warm and well. Any trip to the bathroom is a well thought out mad dash! It's making me nuts that he's on his tummy asleep, but it does seem to be moving the gas along.Since my sunny little boy has been a storm cloud for much of the day, unless being held, here are a few pictures of how we've spent our day.

First we had a trip through the car wash. He didn't object, but he also was not his animated kicking and wiggling little self no matter how much I coaxed. He was happy to just chew on his hands.

He didn't do any splashing and hardly any cooing at all. He was happy to have the water splashed over and around him, but he wasn't the happy little elf I've come to expect in the bathtub. Poor baby. Next we tried a snuggle with his big sister.
I can see that he doesn't feel real spiffy. Poor Ducky. For the most part I wound up holding him for much of the day. I'm glad he's finally having a comfortable, restful sleep, but right now I just want him to wake up so I can flip him over!

Playing With the Other Mommy!

Willie loves to play with The Other Mommy!
All babies do!
Because she is just so much fun!
She gobbles up his cheeks!
And she lets him have a gobble of hers!
Yep! Willie loves The Other Mommy!

Ooooops!

I was pulling into the huge horrid lot at Costco today. I was waiting behind a car about midway down the isle that took forever. Finally, the driver plunked the trunk shut, got into the car, started it, I saw the lights for reverse, and then I didn't. She put the car back into park, shut it off and got back out. Waved at me as she walked away. Dang. Then I spotted a premium slot just being backed out of right in front! Right in front. I couldn't get closer if I parked on the covered patio! If I could get to it before someone else. Yes! I did it! I was there! But there was a guy standing in front of it waiting for someone. This is where the Ooooops moment begins. The guy was waiting, for another guy pushing a huge heavy cart. A roundish guy with up-tilted eyes, a round face, uneven small teeth revealed to me when he smiled very broadly at me and waved because I'd waited for him to move before pulling into the slot. And this is where I am guilty of stereotyping. The guy who had been waiting looked perfectly able bodied. He had a brisk vibrant step, yet the other guy with the broad smile was pushing the laden cart. Of course. He was the cart boy. He has Down syndrome. Or so I thought. I should have just left it at that. But, there were no shopping carts and I wound up walking all the way back to where I'd originally tried to park just to find a cart. And by the time I got there, the guy with the big broad smile was coming toward me to return a cart. And there was that smile. The one that is so telling. The one that says, "I sport an extra chromosome." The badge-of-honor smile that no one else can or has a right to wear. There is was. Proof! So I asked him, "Excuse me, but do you have Down syndrome?" I fully expected him to say yes and then I'd smile and say my baby does too and all would be happy. But instead I heard, in a rather deep and surprised voice, "Why no ma'am, I do not." Oh. Okay then. I'm sorry to have bothered you. And I high tailed it out of there feeling like a complete idiot. He had the look. He had the facial features. He had an overweight, round body. He was smiling and pleasant. He was doing the menial work for others. So I put him in a box and labeled it. Shame on me. How can I dare to hope that others will give my son a fair shake in life when I myself slide so easily, so willingly, into the stereotype of Down syndrome as everyone else does? And just to set the record straight, I am completely aware of the double standard here in my use of the word "idiot." It too was once used as a medical term every bit as much as the R word. The difference is that anyone can be an idiot or act like one or feel like one or be idiotic. The word retard is always used as a barb, an insult, a hurtful word, and is always aimed at or used to describe a certain group of people who society sees as deficient, less than, defective. Yes, anyone can be an idiot. Even me. It's nothing special. It takes a remarkable person indeed to have Down syndrome, to wear it proudly in their faces, their smiles, their zest for life! I should be so blessed. Oh wait - I am! I have William!You go, Jack!
Wear it loud...
...say it proud!
I will always be in awe of you! Even if your mother does take pictures of you wearing a dirty collared onesie!

"Oh, Down's Kids Are Soooo Happy"

For every one out there who thinks it's okay to call people by their chromosomal make-up instead speaking of them, or God forbid to them, like people, and to generalize them on top of that, for every time I've heard, "Oh those kids are always so happy!" or "Down syndrome babies never cry!" or "They've always got a smile on their faces!" and the best one, "They're never unhappy, ever!" To them I offer this:Will is a baby, not a chromosomal analysis. He's not a disease, a disorder or a diagnosis. And like any baby, he cries when he has a tummy ache, gets hungry, or gets scared or too hot or too cold. Some day he will cry when he feels sadness, like any other person, although I hope to stave that off for a while yet.

Watch Him Go! 360* Rotation!

This entire circuit takes less than 15 minutes. He may not be crawling yet, but he certainly is mobile!

Gotcha!

Willie is up for some Grabber Practice!Hmmm...this requires some skill...He's planning his stealthy approach...It was going to be an all out attack...until he noticed that The Squid was watching him! Almost..."I've got ya now!""Now if I could just get it to my mouth...Mommy saves the day by adding links. "Thanks Mom!""Oh...I got this one too!"No one is safe from the power of The Grabbers!Mmmmmm..."Now I'll taste this one!"It's an elbow assist! Two points!"Ahhh...the sweet taste of success! Tastes like chicken!"Willie is almost 23 weeks, errr 5 months and 1 week. He is finally able to open his fingers to grab at what he's aiming for, rather than just batting at them! He's been able to get soft fabric things into his mouth, as well as fingers and his Big Sister's hair, but now he can get toys into his slobbery little mouth! I took over 60 pictures while he played, but I have yet to find one where his eyes are open - danged flash setting on my camera has a split personality - but every time he got the toys swinging in all directions his eyes got really wide and he seemed quite proud of himself!

Yep, He's a Hottie!

Purely for experimental purposes, you know, so I could collect data...I ran Jax with the 'crack-snacks' and 'creases-pieces' a hot bath. Not warm. Hot. Take a look at what happened...the last pic is the money shot!
















Jax lingered long in the bath getting his newly aquired fatty rolls de-crispied and de-crunchied and The Girlie shot 54 pictures of our latest feat...and not a holler among 'em! Aren'tcha glad I only loaded 15 pics?