August, September & October

Once again our busy schedule has gotten the best of me! I just loose track of time and before you know it I have forgotten to update everyone on our happenings! Well here it goes:

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!

Corn Fest 2009

Oh yes...the Corn Fest was in town last weekend! YeeHaw! Love me some corn! Anyways...the fam went to the corn fest last weekend - the first time the 4 of us all went together! We had such a nice evening, ate some yummy Sweets corn, listened to some music and seen some friends! We took Ali's power chair (Thanks Aunt Heather for letting us borrow your van!), but there was too many people to let her 'drive' around. So Shawn did all the driving!

I almost forgot...Ali did really well with her surgery the first week of August! She had tubes put in her ears and some other minor things taken care of. And Ali also got the 'all clear' to go and attend preschool! Yippee! We have a meeting next week to revise her IEP with the school and for Ali to take a tour! Can't wait and can't believe my little girl is going to school!

Shawn and I are going camping this weekend. I think this is the first time in over a year that we are really spending time together without any interruptions! And I think it has been over 3 years since we've been camping - I hope it is as much fun as I remember!

Check out the pics from the Corn Fest here!

July in review

So my goal was to make a post every week. Well...that obviously didn't happen! All I can say is life has kept me away from the computer! So here is a summary of July:

6/24 - We went to Rehab to pick up Ali's power chair! WooHoo - new driver! I made cookies for all of Ali's therapists and nurses at rehab - just another little treat and 'thank you' to everyone. We practice using the power chair almost everyday, Ali can control the chair with sensors in a head rest and Shawn & I have a joystick (at almost 300lbs, it is kinda heavy to push in a manual mode). Ali will be able to take this chair to school - it will help her to socialize, participate with her classmates and be somewhat independent. I can't believe she is going to school at the end of August!
7/2 - Ali went to Build a Bear for the first time and loved it! It was for her friend Lili's 4th Birthday!
7/4 - We went over Mammie & Dia's house for a cookout! Took Ali's power chair and she drove it all over the back driveway!
7/5 - They Darmour's from the Cinci area were in town and came over for a cookout! We had a blast! Uncle Charlie, Aunt Sharon, John, Dominic also came over!
7/8 - Gavin's last swim lesson - he had a great time and even earned a certificate!
7/11 - Charlie Massi's wedding in Fremont - it was a very hot day and Ali was not holding up so Ali and Shawn drove back home and Gavin and I stayed for the reception then went home with my parents! It was so great to see all of our out of town family! Congrats Charlie & Mary!
7/12-19 - My mom stayed in town to visit and help with a garage sale! Thanks Aunt Diane for all your help too! (Thanks Dad for dropping off and picking up Mom!)
7/20-24 - Another week full of therapies. Ali is getting so strong! She is even starting to crawl again! We are also starting to wean her from the vent - slowly!
7/27-31 - A full week of therapies and doctor appointments. I'll be happy when the weekend comes!
7/28 - Gavin and I went to the Splash Pad at the Park - Hayden and Parker were there too! The boys had fun in the water!

Looking ahead, Ali is scheduled to have a surgery for tubes for her ears on Monday August 3rd. If you remember, this was scheduled for the beginning of June, but Ali spiked a temp when we checked into the hospital so we cancelled the surgery and went home! I hope this doesn't this time - although I do think that Ali gets PICU induced fevers, she just doesn't want to be there! (Can't blame her, neither do we!) We are planning on a Wed. discharge - I will keep everyone updated - I promise! :)

Click HERE to see pictures from the July!

Thanks for all the continued thoughts and prayers! We are so happy that Ali is getting stronger everyday!