kissing the fish

GiGi had a major fishing day! They just kept biting! Once again she got so excited that she kissed the fish!~ She wasn't as grossed out this time and she was naming all of them as she caught them. I wonder why she named the large mouth Mommy???

lost her first tooth and the camp rock girls!

OK Seriously...when I say she lost her first tooth, I mean lost! She ate it with her Subway!!

I remember I was at a support group meeting when GiGi was an infant and they showed a video of an adult with some delays getting his teeth cleaned and he was strapped to the chair! Then they told how you needed to do whatever it took to clean their teeth. How about a tooth brush and regular dental visits?? I remember being freaked out and then talking to other parents who said that was a bit extreme. You think?

She had a cleaning and fluoride treatment and she is all good! She was a bit freaked by the bright light and laying straight back in the chair so they let her sit up a bit which made all the difference in the world. She is a bit of a control freak (no, I do not know where she gets that from) and I think laying there flat made her feel too vulnerable.

work out!!!

OMG!! I heard GiGi kind of breathing hard, grunting and counting. "Urgh 1, Urgh 2, Urgh 3 etc..." So I look over to see what she was doing and she was laying on the ground curling a dumb bell!! The only problem was that it wasn't a dumb bell at all, it was a 2 pound roll of Nestles toll house cookie dough! She is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!

School starts!!! Kindergarten!!!

OK... Seriously! She is constantly messing with me!!! I tell her to get dressed for her first day of school and she comes down in her t-ball uniform! It was complete with her crocs (on the wrong feet) and her purse! Obviously she changed to pose with Daddy!

We have had no structure at all this summer so the poor girl is being thrown to the wolves! I was a little afraid when they blew the whistle and told the kids that meant they needed to stop playing on the playground and line up. She was like "uh, don't think so! This stuff is cool!!" Reluctantly she got in line and started her first day in kindergarten!! She is at our public school with all the neighborhood kids! The next day I followed the bus to school again and watched from a far to see what she would do when the whistle blew. She was walking hand in hand with a friend from the other class(a boy!!) when it blew and they both looked at each other, let go of each others hands, hugged and went to their separate lines!!! Too cool!!!!!!!!

The Chicago Playhouse opens!!

Wow!! What an incredible day! Hundreds of people came to the opening and then 2 days later channel 7 was there!

It is amazing! They need murals on the walls, a gaming station and a flat screen for the teens and a few other items but the learning has already started! Their first literacy sessions began already and the kids did amazing! The tutors at this location are working on their masters at National Louis University and volunteer their time! The miracles never seem to end!! Everyone left the Playhouse with a picture of their families in this cut out. Isn't that cool??

They have done an amazing job and there is already talk about a Playhouse for the south side! Sioux City Iowa is next! I can't wait!!!

I was just going to post my Chicago pictures and GiGi came up to me so sweet and said "Mommy I tired" and gently picked up my hand and kissed as she told me she loved me!! SO the pictures will have to wait!! Then as I started typing this she got impatient and said "Mommy? Mommy? Mommy Gianni!!" So much for sweetness!!
(but it will be back!!) Gotta go!!

The next Idol or Top model!!

The Karaoke Queen is bustin a move! Apparently she has been watching too much Hannah Montana. Not only does she know the words to all of the songs but she has mastered her moves. As soon as the camera comes out she strikes a pose that changes with every snap of the camera!! Talk about attitude!!! (I wonder where she gets that from??)

She is all about accessories now. She will disappear and come back fully dressed head to toe with multiple head bands, purses, shirts etc.... First words out of her mouth "How do I look Mom? How do I look?" Then the Italian accent comes out "I like-a this one."

Just now she was trying to talk to me but I am typing so she said "Mommy?? Yoo-Who mommy!" and waved her hand in front of my face! She took money out of my wallet and wants to buy Bella a diet coke! She is hilarious!!

Water logged!

Always a part of the action! She must have climbed this ladder a hundred times and just kept jumping in the lake! She had arm floaties on (which she taught herself how to blow up by biting down and blowing them up while they were still on her arm!) so I just watched!!

I am always amazed at her willingness to learn. She took swimming lessons but the stuff she does outside the lessons is so much more than she ever did in the lessons. I think hanging out with the big kids really motivates her to do more.

Seriously!!!

GiGi has turned into a real fisherlady!!!

OK...I am a total loser!  My laptop broke, we had our 5k with over 2,000 people, my Dad got sick, we went on vacation, opened a new Playhouse in Chicago, swam, tubed, 4 wheeled, went wave runnin, fished, boated, worked on the Playhouse projects, bought a house, sold a house, did karaoke, partied and finally had Channel 7 at the new Chicago Playhouse today before I had a chance to blog!!  Not to mention sports and the normal day to day!!!

I wish I had pictures from this weekend.  I had the three girls at the pool and GiGi decided she wanted to go off the diving board (after going off the big curvy slide 50 times!)  I told her no because I was by myself with the three of them and we should do it with Daddy there.  But do you think she would listen to me???  Before I knew it she was standing in line.  I thought for sure she would get up there and bail.  But when I saw the look of determination on her face I knew I better jump in because she was going to do it!  Sure enough she stood up there, looked right at me, put her hands up in the air and clapped them together (diving position) leaned here head forward as if to dive and then just jumped in!   I grabbed her only to be met with the usual "I do it myself!"   

She is still reading a new book every week.  Her soon to be kindergarten teacher came to her literacy session at the Playhouse and was blown away!  It was so cool!  OK, enough about academics back to the important stuff...SUMMER!!!   

Too funny!

Bella was making popsicles in a mini muffin tray and she was filling it too high and it was going all over.  So GiGi says "Bella, you gonna spill it."  Then she got really excited and said "OHHH Look!... Father (pronounced Fahder), son, Holy spill it!!!"  She was so proud of herself!  

Then yesterday she said to her babysitter Joanna (pronounced Jo-ah-na)  "Knock, Knock" then of course came "who's there?" GiGi said "Jo-ah-na" then of course "Joahna who" and she says "joahna glass of water?"

So psyched for the Gigi's Playhouse 5k this weekend!  My team was #1 but we got knocked down to third this week!!  Which makes me so happy because that means we have these incredible teams out there fighting for our kids!!  Love it!!  I would love to tell you their stories but I have to get the kids off to there last day of school!!  But then somehow a small baseball game at my house has turned into the class party for my 5th grader!!!

T-ball moves to coaches pitch!

First and foremost... Look! I finally got the pink helmet to match her mitt and bat!!  

This month we were able to start having the coaches pitch to our t-ballers if we wanted to.  Well, we never did this with our team (I am one of the coaches) but the team we were playing was doing all coach pitch so we thought we would try it too.   Some of the kids did OK, others not so good.  When GiGi came up I told the pitching coach not to worry about her just let her hit it off the tee.  (This was not a Down syndrome thing it was a coach thing.  I knew she never had tried it and I would have said the same for my other kids (mostly to save time!!) Anyway, he wanted to pitch to her so he did and what does she do???  She hits it!!!!!  Loser Mommy!!!

marshmallows

What is a memorial weekend without a bonfire???   Here she is roasting a marshmallow for her smores (and eating the extras)  I think she enjoyed it a little too much.  In the bathtub tonight she asked for a bon fire with marshmallow again (and then showed me how she would get 2 crackers and smoosh it all together)  When I told her we couldn't do it tonight I of course got the "Please mom, please, please, please"??  Where do they learn how to beg like that?

boating and tubing

"Look Mom, no hands"!!!  What a weekend!!  I couldn't believe that GiGi was on the first tube ride of the year!  She couldn't get to the back of the boat fast enough to get on that tube!  It was so cool!  We wiped out last year so I wasn't sure how she was going to react.   Obviously, it didn't bother her!!

The water was cold but that didn't stop her from going on the wave runner either!  We must have sang every song we knew when we were wave runnin'!  It was awesome.  Then she hung out in the hot tub for a little while and did some four wheeling with the kids.  It still is so funny to me that I thought all this was over for us when she was born.  She is the one that makes it the most fun!  If I only knew....

  

New pink bike

Yeah, yeah, yeah, she should have shoes on but.....  My Mom doesn't go on-line so it's all good! 

Because GiGi loves our tag along bike (with me) so much she hasn't been riding hers as much as she should.  In fact, I caught her a few times looking down watching her feet instead of the road!!  So that is something we will be working on this summer.  Her endurance is really building up.  Yesterday she had to do 2 home-run runs (all bases) at t-ball and did great!!  Actually, when she finished she said "I'm dizzy!"  That is so her!   

St. Annes last day of school performance!

Wow!!  They started with the Pledge of Allegiance and went on to sing at least 12 songs!!  Talk about cool!  She was amazing!  This was the same class that had some parents questioning if GiGi "belonged" in their school.  So it was great to see her do so much better than some of the other kids!  When that happened I was hurt beyond words.  In fact, the very next day is when I committed myself to the national "i have a voice" traveling gallery project.  Though I knew I couldn't (shouldn't) take on such a huge project these parents left me no choice.  I can only hope and pray for their "perfect" children.

Some of GiGi's facial expressions and dancing had me cracking up!  My favorite part was during the Pledge of Allegiance when she said "and to the repubic, for which I stand, one-ation, under dog, individible, wit liberty and just for all."  "under dog"???  Is that show still on???  

It was a proud and weird day.  Knowing people teach their kids to judge others just freaks me out!  OK, I am over it.  (I am sooooo not!)   

  

I can read!!

I am so behind!!!  Between school, baseball, the 5k run/walk, the after party prep, finalizing the new 2009 "Inspire" calendar (which is amazing!!), tutoring, board meetings, birthday parties and my own partying I am buried!!  I usually don't complain but what the?????   OK better now!

GiGi started back in the free literacy program at the Playhouse and she is learning to read a book  a week!!  She is even getting the phonics component!!   Here are a couple of pictures of her and her tutorer Beth.  She is amazing and a VOLUNTEER!!!!!   The Playhouses are so blessed to have people like this teach our kids.  A book a week!!  Sorry, did I say that again??  We were reading earlier today and I am just so blown away by her progress.   

I love summer!!!

You can tell summer is here when the Hannah Montana CD is blaring at 7:30 am and the kids are outside playing in their pajamas before 8!!   I love it!  

I remember reading recently in a magazine that one of the best things you can do for your child is to allow them time to play alone outside.   You guys know me... I am still stalking from the window, but it still gives them a since of independence and they begin to explore a world they might not see with us constantly around guiding them!   

I have to share something I read on one of the 5k registration pages.   It was a quote from a proud Mom.  I wish I had a picture of her son to share but here is the quote.   

"When Vincie came into our lives we had no idea what a blessing he would be and how he would bring our family together in the truest sense you can imagine. When you're pregnant thinking of having a baby with Down Syndrome is the scariest and most taboo thing and when it happened to us we were shocked and a bit scared of the unknown. My sister, who has been Nancy's friend for years and a part of Gigi's Playhouse from the beginning was actually excited and happy for us. Her reaction was confusing to us at first but we didn't know what she knew - how absolutely amazing these little angels are. I feel like God gave us Vince as a gift. Down Syndrome awareness is so important for the quality of life for families, friends and children with Down Syndrome. We are excited to give Vince a good life and let him shower us with happiness as he's already done in his 8 months of life."

That sister is Auntie Ang who we all love so much!!  Vincie is a lucky boy!

Gotta go!  GiGi just came in and wants to do yoga!

Finish last post!

I guess I said Mother's day weekend so I should finish!  

Saturday morning started with a spa treatment for the girls!  (I was supposed to be at a spin class but I had scrapped my knee Friday night playing softball on a play at home. (yes, I got her out! Totally worth the blood!)  I know I could have done the class but I had an excuse! (In my brain anyway!!)  So the girls got up and wanted their nails done and their hair etc....  We had a non stop day ahead of us so it was good to have some girlie time alone with them.  We then headed to the Playhouse to catch the end of the 2 and under group (my favorite!) and attend the Hop, Skip and Jumper class for GiGi, which she of course LOVES!!!   From there we went straight to a party at a hall downtown for a communion party, then straight to Franco's baseball game then to my nephews 21st birthday party which lead to me singing with the band at 1 am!  All this was without my trusty camera so I have nothing for ya!  Except a great weekend with GiGi rockin' along all the way!  (except the later part of Saturday night!)  (Psheew!!)    

Mother's day weekend!

Yes, that says "We love you Grandma" but it was for my Mom!   (Don't start my nasty little friends!) 

Anyway, Sunday morning I woke to the most beautiful face staring directly in my eyes.  She was holding my hand (that was hanging off the bed) and excitedly said "HI!" Then "Good morning Mommy!" with so much anticipation in her voice!!  Well, the kids had been up getting breakfast ready (it was 6:44!  If they only knew I was out with my best friend the night before and on stage with the band singing "I love rock and roll" just 6 hours before!) Anyway, with all the kids getting things ready downstairs GiGi knew we were celebrating Mommy and couldn't wait to get started.  She had already given me all her gifts she made at school on Friday so when the kids started to give me stuff she just smiled and took it all in.  She opened up Bella's card to read it and said "Oh, lovely Bella".  She then disappeared and came back a couple of seconds later with a gift behind her back.   It seems she had gone into Franco's room to "go shopping" and came back and proudly presented me with a bobble head!!  It was hilarious!   

The "good game" line up!!

OK, Seriously...You know she has to be the cool one with her hat on backwards!  When we did our team pictures they said she should wear hers that way because it is so her!  (Couldn't have anything to do with her "cool chick attitude" could it??)
I think this is every kids favorite part of t-ball!  (mine to because it means another game over!) 

The kids all line up, slap hands and say "good game".

I love to see GiGi do this!!  I don't know why, but I think it is just another thing that I didn't think she would do when she was born.  I had heard so many things she wouldn't do and now she is doing them all!!   I am not saying she doesn't work at it.  We work hard, but the normalcy of her life just blows me away.  I still hope and pray that someday people will see her as I do.

Last year, I was trying to build up her stamina by walking to the park.  (1/2 mile each way).  So a mile walk for a four year old was pretty good.  Every time she wanted a horse back ride, or wanted me to carry her I would change how we were walking.  I would turn around and shout... "backwards"!  Then "hop on one foot"!  Then "sprint"!  By the time we got to the park we had so much fun that she never realized how hard she had worked!  Is distraction a good form of motivation?  I don't know but it works!!

I have to say our motivation has always been a bit...different!  As an infant when I wanted her to learn to pick up her food and feed herself I used a broken up pop tart!   Who doesn't love a frosted pop tart!  Plus, it was sticky so even if she accidentally stuck her hand in it it would stick and when her hands went to her mouth she got that yummy sweet treat! 

Same with drinking out of a straw.  She was 10 months old and I was still breast feeding.  I was at a big outdoor party, wearing a halter top, when she decided she was thirsty!  Of course, I couldn't find my husband and I was watching Bella who was 2 1/2 so I couldn't go inside to find a spot where I wouldn't be flashing anyone!  (The halter top was cute but not a good Idea when breast feeding!) Anyways, I tried to wait but it was like 90 degrees and she was parched!  So I just grabbed Bella's juice box and put it to her mouth.  She was so thirsty and once she got the taste she sucked up the whole thing!   (I had heard drinking out of a straw and open cup were going to be very difficult for her... but as usual she steps up to the plate!  (With proper motivation like dying of thirst!) KIDDING!

I am sure a nutritionist would question my methods...but whatever works is what I am going to do!!  It is not like we did it all the time. (well at least not after we mastered it!) 

Wow!  Sorry, don't know what started that rant..... 

GiGi starts the literacy program again today at the Playhouse!!!!  I am so excited!  We have been out of it for almost a year and she really misses it.  All the words and letters she knows perfectly are the ones she learned there!!  Can't wait!!  I'll keep you posted!

      

  

OUCH!!

What those pictures did not show was the gallery after party hosted by Steven Bagby!  (thank you Steven and Rose!)  They really know how to do it right!   

The problem was boot camp the next day at 6 am!  I woke up at 5 and got up to get dressed but instead laid down on my closet floor!  I finally got up and made it to boot camp only to hear we were going to start the work out with a 2 mile run!!  I had just finished my last glass of wine 5 hours ago!!!!  As usual, I thought about GiGi and how hard she works for me and I knew I had to do it.  (Even though my feet were ready to bolt to my car and go back to bed!)

Launched our traveling gallery at the Loyola University Museum of Art!!

The first picture is of photographer Thomas Balsamo, me, our Executive Director Jenni VonTobel, gallery project manager Lisa Schuh and Steven Bagby our partner in crime!  The second is Steven walking out of the room right before we opened the doors to the public and the third is the people drinking wine, eating delicious food and taking in the incredible gallery!!

LUMA was blown away at the amount of people who attended this exhibit!!  The flow was non stop all night!!

Talk about incredible!!!  As you guys may or may not know...We started the "i have a voice" traveling gallery with the help of photographer Thomas Balsamo and Steven Bagby from Babgby advertising.   

It made it's debut last week at the Loyola University Museum of Art on Michigan Avenue!!  Yeah Baby!!!  The gallery brings a unique sophistication to Down syndrome and makes you take a second look at our kids and all they have to offer.  To see the wisdom and strength in their eyes through these larger than life photos is something I can not explain.  You need to experience it for yourselves.  The gallery will be traveling across the country and the schedule will be on our website soon!!!   We are also doing a book based on the "i have a voice" philosophy.

Anyways, between the McHenry location opening and the gallery launching (both within 4 days!) I was on an emotional roller coaster!  To see the life the Playhouses have taken on just blows me away!  I still believe that it is all based on miracles that happen to this day but the people helping those miracles grow make me so proud!!  I never would have dreamed we would come so far so fast!  Thanks to all of  you!!!!!! 

       

t-ball

OK I forgot the pictures last time so here they are!!  The first thing she said when I wanted to take the picture was "pose?  OK...BAM!" and she flung her hip out with her hand on her head.  (That is the official t-ball pose you know!) 

GiGi got the game ball at the last game!!  She totally rocks!  She was the grand slam hitter and had to run all the bases!  It was awesome.  I really wanted a pink helmet but now she thinks she is cool wearing her brothers black one.  (and it actually matches better.  Wouldn't red be cute too?  It would totally match her socks!  Isn't that what t-ball is all about??)  

McHenry Playhouse opens!!

How cool is that!!    Check out GiGi with the donut in her hand during the ribbon cutting!! (how unusual!!)  The other little girl in the picture is Riley and that is her Aunt Susan who spearheaded the opening of the McHenry location!!  The energy and excitement reminded me of the Hoffman opening with about 1/16 the stress!! (that was all on them this time!) 

I can't tell you how incredible it was.   But I will later.  I have to get ready for the Gallery opening tonight at LUMA!!  Down town BABY!!!  I am afraid of drunken blogging tonight so I thought I better at least get the pictures from the opening out before I get all emotional again tonight with the gallery!!    

McHenry Playhouse opens!!

Hangin' with Grandpa at the Senior center!

Of course that is Grandpa in the red GiGi's Playhouse shirt!!   Grandpa and his friend Murad (in the bottom picture) are some of GiGi's biggest fans!  If she was born when they were her life would have been much different than it is today!    

literacy

I just have to share what I saw at the Playhouse today!  This little guy was a reading machine during his literacy session!  I remember when he started in the GGP program in January and he wasn't even talking that much!  He is only 3 1/2 and it is obvious his mother takes his tutoring very seriously and practices at home because this kid is doing incredible!  Plus our amazing tutor, Beth (a volunteer I might add) really knows what she is doing!   I have seen her work her magic and I am constantly in awe of her.  

After seeing that I know I need to sit my butt down with GiGi and do more reading!  She loves it, but the time.... I just have to make it.  It is so important and she is always so proud when we are doing it.  We have not been in the literacy program for almost a year and it shows!  She really misses it.  She is signed up for the next session and I can not wait!   She is learning phonics in school but the stuff she learned in the literacy program is the stuff that has stuck with her the most!  She still refers to it in school all the time.  Each time she does I feel that guilt for not getting her back in the program sooner but you can only do so much and we are back on track now!  I often wonder if I would have been better off just having her in only one preschool and then used the other time for literacy.   I really believed that the socialization was so important for her and I thought I would squeeze the literacy in but it just didn't happen.  (Can you tell I need to let it go??) 

t-ball

OK... I do not have pictures because I am the coach of the team and it is a little busy!  Last weekend was baseballs opening day and between all the kids we had 8 games over the weekend!   

Anyway, there are 160 kids in this t-ball league (luckily only 12 are on my team!)  and GiGi is doing awesome!  As with most 5 year olds we draw in the dirt, sing Hannah Montana etc... but we also play some serious ball!!  I remember she was singing away and next thing I knew she was running for the ball!  When she throws the ball you can still hear her recite "point, step THROW"!  Every time I see her up at the plate (tee) to hit I hear the other coach saying "I know you can do it by yourself I am just getting the ball ready..."   She cracks me up!   I could not have been  more proud than I was at her first game!   We only have 6 games this weekend so I promise I will take a picture!

  

Bike riding

Ok ...seriously!  I always say she won't surprise me and there she goes!   About a month ago GiGi's Playhouse had an awesome class facilitated by a PT named Robin and it was called "trikes".  It was all about riding a tricycle.  She had an obstacle course and even a ramp for the little guys!  Anyways, it was an awesome class and  I was really happy with GiGi's tricycling riding skills.  

The other day we were at a sports store getting her new shoes for t-ball (another story!)  When she sees this pink 2 wheeler that she loves!!  (except for the fact it didn't have a bell!  She was a little surprised by that!)  Next thing I know she hops on and is riding it down the aisle!  A two wheeler with training wheels!   Of course I had to buy the bike right that minute and while I was at it I bought the big attachment that goes on the back of my bike so another person could ride along with you. (like a tandem bike)  (Poor GiGi she makes one small step and I want the world!)  We got the bikes home and hooked that big thing on to my bike and she wanted nothing to do with it!  It was a little shaky and she was scared.  So Paul rode the bike and I ran next to her (for what I thought would just be a ride down the drive way but ended up being an extended run to the park!)  By the time we got to the park she was a pro!!  I loved the way she looked on the back of that bike!  So proud and happy!!!  Now it is hard to get her on the new pink bike because she always wants to ride this one!

MY POINT?

OK, this blog isn't about bragging rights but about having the life I never thought I would have.   I remember when GiGi was born... I remember being petrified but thought we were going to be OK but then everyone in the hospital started to treat me different.  They said they were sorry, they kept sending in the clergy, they couldn't even look at me.  Don't get me wrong, they took good care of me but to them life as I knew if was over.  I actually remember thinking we would never even go to McDonald's again!  As you can see we do everything and more than we did before GiGi was born.  Is life busier?  Uh yeah!!  But wouldn't it be as your family grows?  Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know the point of this blog  is not to brag (though I do a lot of that) but to let you see the incredible life I thought I would never have.

OK one more thing...on that subject.  Potty training.  That was another thing I was told will come later.   The people who tell you what your child will and won't do things (or when) don't know me or my child!  I wanted her trained when she turned 3 and she was!  Was it easy?  Hell no, but potty training never  is!!    OK I am starting to get off on a soap box so I better stop!!   

 I am just so sick of limitations.  All of the kids who decided to train at that age are doing great!  I think it gave them self confidence and independence at an earlier age.   OK I'll stop but it will not be the last we hear about limitations and where everyone can put them!!

lost at the beach

Here is GiGi at the restaurant with the ipod on.   Anyway, that day we were at the beach and it was PACKED!  All the kids and Paul were in the water and GiGi and I were with friends on the beach burying each others feet.  Next thing I know I look up and she is gone!  Talk about heart attack!  I knew she would not go into the ocean but there was so many people there I didn't know how I was going to find her.  I yelled to Paul to scan the beach and he pointed right next to us.  She was just two chairs away asking 3 teenager girls where her mom was.  All I heard was "Where is my Mommy?"  I was so proud of her.  She only lost us for a minute and was already looking for us.  My other kids would have roamed around forever before realizing they were lost!