New Tricks and Awesome Milestones

Here are a few videos from the past few weeks of all of our little guy's new tricks. :)

He's an aspiring beat-boxer... (he goes on an on...but it's so funny I couldn't stop taping him!)

Pianist...(this one is appropriately shorter)

And He's MOBILE!!! :)

Getting to a sitting position from laying down is BIG for us. Most people think of SB and think "leg weakness" but it's often so much more than that. Jet has good leg strength and muscle town but his torso muscles and even arm muscles are weaker than you'd think. We recently learned that on average SB babies (even in the best cases) are often behind 1 month at least in developmental milestones. Jet's been pretty good keeping up until around 7-9 months and ALOT of milestones (crawling, sitting up on their own, pulling up to stand) start happening around then....usually. Jet's PT doesn't really expect Jet to be on this schedule but we want to stay as close as we can for now. SO we've been working on this for the last month at least and I remember thinking "how do you teach him that?!" but he GOT IT! Not only that but he's moving around the floor and army crawling to get to toys. It's only a matter of time before he's into EVERYTHING. :)

We're so excited at this latest milestone and so proud of our little boy!

Meeting Spring.

Why hello spring...

We've never met...but my name is Jet.

Yes... it is a pretty cool name.

I really like your flowers...they match my shirt.

Can I touch them? I promise I'll be sweet.

Wow. Spring is even in the trees!

I really like these too...

Good thing my Daddy is so strong. He can lift me up to see them!

Daddy you look so little down there!

Wheee!

Is there anything better than being tossed into the warm spring air, and never once fearing Daddy wouldn't catch you? Babies are so trusting. And why shouldn't you be little baby?

We would never let you fall.

Now all that changes when you start moving around on your own...no promises there buddy.

When you're learning to walk, climb a tree, ride a bike...falling will be part of the process...and I honestly can't wait! Because for you to do all of those things would be

fabulous, fantastic and fun!

And even the falling will be a blessing. :)

10 Things I love about you...

10. The way you bounce on EVERYTHING.

9. Your new baby curls that wisp out above your ears.

8. That silly spitting game you play with everyone.

7. How cute you are when you take a tubby.

6. The fact that you can now wave "bye-bye".

5. The fact that you have no idea that "bye-bye" means someone is leaving.

4. Your chubby hands...and feet...and cheeks...

3. The way you snuggle.

2. Your 2 teeth.

1. The way I breathe you in and instantly feel a rush of sweetness and warmth flow over me.

You relax me, refresh me, comfort me, and heal me.

And I hope you never tell me to stop kissing you all over because I don't think I can.

Happy 10 month birthday to the sunshine of my everydays and the twinkle of my everynights.

The Progression of a Smile

Never under-estimate the power of mint-chocolate chip ice cream. :)

Mommy...that stuff you just put in my mouth was green..

and cold...

and kind of...sweet...

whoa...

Mommy!

That was YUMMY!

Some days...

Are just "watching cartoons naked" kind of days..

It makes the experience so much more interesting.

With no socks to keep you from holding your toes...

Does this not look like a total man shot or what? His hands! lol.

Nothing more relaxing...

A Vocabulary Lesson

I came across an inspiring video today some friends of mine were discussing on facebook. If you click on the link you can watch it - it is a speech given by Aimee Mullins - a record-setting athlete, model and actress who from childhood has been missing both legs from the shin down. She's beautiful, strong, and has wonderful presence in front of an audience, but it was her opening segment that both captivated and shocked me. She begins by saying that she recently realized she had never looked up the term "disabled." She has heard it all her life - and of course it's counterpart "disability" has made it's way into the daily lives myself of many of my fellow SB families. I've never taken offense to the word (though I may have rolled my eyes and thought "not really" when faced with that terminology in relation to my son) never taken offense that is... until I heard this woman read what a thesaurus had to say about the word "disabled" and only then did I truly feel the a catch in my throat and a my eyes start to burn. Here it is:

Main Entry:	disabled
Part of Speech:	adjective
Definition:	incapacitated
Synonyms:	broken-down, confined, decrepit, disarmed, handicapped, helpless, lame hurt,incapable, infirm, laid-up, maimed, out-of-action, out-of-commission, paralyzed,powerless, run-down, sidelined, stalled, weakened, worn-out, wounded, wrecked
Antonyms:	able, healthy

Can you imagine. Did you have any idea? The thing that got me the most were the antonyms - the things "disabled" is not - "able" and "healthy". I look at my son, I look at Aimee Mullins, I look at the beautiful faces of all the babies I've met with SB, down-sydrome, cystic fibrosis, and numerous other "disabilities" and though I know (like me) their parents don't see them AT ALL as "disabled" - the word is still thrown out there sometimes. And I think "Are they not ABLE?! Are they not STRONG!? are they not POWERFUL?!" You would never see their faces, and all they have done at so young an age, and all the lives they have touched since their birth, and think they were anything but amazing, empowering miracles. I was awakened by this discovery, stunned by it's implications, angered by it's misrepresentation, and saddened by it's insensitivity when I realized something...it's not the definition of "disabled" that limits our children - it's the word choice. We're simply using the wrong word. And now that I know the weight of the word "disabled" I am certain it will never be used in my presence to describe a child or any person for that matter - for there is no one out there (however suffering or challenged) who is not capable of greatness, who is not powerful beyond their disease or diagnosis, who is not able to change lives, touch hearts, heal souls, and give strength. And if you are ABLE do all this...no one... no one... can call you otherwise.

And to borrow a favorite phrase from a new friend and her blog...

The Naked Cowboy

You may think you've seen some good lookin' cowboys...

..but you've never seen one as cute as this.

Okay - so leave it to Daddy to think up this photo shoot. :) But when does Mommy ever pass up an opportunity to use the camera? Never! And with the especially warm weather yesterday, and this beautiful quilt just given to Jet this week (handmade with love and so special! Thank you Miss Lanetta.) We had no choice but to indulge out little model. :)

Could he be happier to be naked and outside? Let's just hope he's not always this comfortable with such public displays. :)

My All-American.

This first taste of warmer weather made us so excited for this summer to come. Don't get me wrong we're happy for spring to finally be here too. But Summer...ahh...

Daddy will be home all the time (a great benefit of teaching) and we can't wait to take our little man to the park, pool, backyard and all those fun places he slept through as a newborn last summer. :) So while I know we have a few rainy weeks ahead - and it's not quite as warm today - I look at this pictures and smile at the fun we will have and the memories to come.