August 14-16 - Shawn and I were able to take a much needed weekend away. We went camping and had a great time!
August 22 - We had a cookout with our Ds friends! It was so nice to get together and the kids had lot of fun playing too!
August 29 - Buddy Walk - This year was the largest Buddy Walk! The A Team had a great time walking for Down Syndrome Awareness. The weather cleared just in time for the mile long walk around Progressive Field. Thank you to all our friends and family who walked and raised money for The Up Side of Downs, our local Down Syndrome chapter.
August 31 - Ali's first day of preschool! She goes to school Monday-Thursday from 9:10-11:40am. The bus picks her up right in front of the house and her nurse Jackie goes with her. Ali loves school - she has so much fun interacting with all her classmates. Ali also receives PT, OT, and Speech at school and is progressing well in each therapy.
September 5-7 - Labor Day weekend Grandpa & Grandma Cianciola came to visit. G & G Cianciola and Mommy took Gavin to Memphis Kiddie Park - he had so much fun on all the rides! Also, Shawn and Gavin went to the Air Show!
September - Monday's - Gavin and I go to Story time at the Library. We sing songs, listen to Miss Angie read books and make a craft!
September 13 - We went to Patterson Farm on the east side for their Fall Fest. The Up Side of Downs had discount tickets for all the members and also had snacks and a music program for all of us to enjoy! It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun!
September 26 - Shawn's cousin Jerry got married! Ali & Shawn were in the wedding. Ali waved and blew kisses while Shawn drove her down the aisle in her power wheelchair. Ali had fun at the reception and Gavin found the candy table and ate lots of chocolate!
October 3 - Shawn & the kids and I went to pick pumpkins in Lodi. There is this huge field were you can pick any pumpkin from the field for $3! The crop was so good this year that we couldn't stop picking pumpkins! We came home with 5 big pumpkins and a bunch of small gourds!
October 7-9 - Gavin, Aunt Diane and I went to Cincinnati to visit with mom. It was a good half way point for all of us. We stayed overnight at an indoor water park. Gavin had so much fun! It was nice to visit with my mom! Can't wait until my mom AND dad come up to visit us again!
October 16 - Went to Rehab to pick up Ali's new manual wheelchair! We are so happy that our insurance approved a second wheelchair for Ali. We don't have a vehicle with a lift for her power chair so we needed to get a wheelchair that could break down easily and be able to fit in the Jeep. Ali's manual chair is yellow - it is so bright and cheery!
Now that Ali is going to preschool, the insurance company does not consider her "home bound" and there for will not cover home therapy. I knew it was a possibility but am so bummed that we have to go to outpatient therapy. It is so much work to get Ali in and out of the car and in the building for therapy. Besides the fact that half of our day is now school and she usually takes a couple hour nap after school. Our time is limited for outpatient therapy. Ali has PT once a week and is on waiting lists for OT and Speech - it could take 3-5 months for an opening at the outpatient therapy facility. At least she gets all her therapies at school, I just feel she would benefit from additional therapy. I guess we'll just have to wait!
Ali is getting so strong - she is crawling all over the house and is also pulling up to a kneeling position! She has also crawled up onto an over sized pillow then onto the couch! We are so excited that she is getting around so well! At school Ali is working on standing and will do so with some assistance for 2-3 minutes! Ali also uses her speaking valve at school and vocalizes 5 words! She also communicates using sign language. We are just so proud of her accomplishments!
Gavin is almost 2 and such a boy! He is all over the place and loves to play outside! Gavin is also talking so much and putting words together making sentences. He has also been really interested in books and makes us read him books before bed. Gavin is such a great brother to Ali - he always wants to play with her and is so excited when she comes home from school!
Make sure to check out all the new pictures HERE!
