moments, milestones, things I take for granted

[momofrussell]

I thought I'd give you all a Russell update. I realized in watching his milestones lately , that I took so much for granted in the grand scheme of things... in the DS community and within my household... heehee....

At 7 yrs old... Russell FINALLY can....

Point to his nose when asked (he only knows this body part)

Follow simple directions like throwing his diaper away

Know to brush his teeth after breakfast or before bed

Can go to bed BEFORE falling asleep, he knows what "bedtime" means.

TRIES to sing... (no real words.. but he tries awful hard!)

Get us a diaper when asked

Likes mommy to put lotion on his hands

Can bring me a shirt to put on him on his own. (usually it's after he is dressed LOL... like when he brings me Reece's Dora nightgown and wants it on LOL)

***********

Thats all I can think of now. I realized lately some things we take for granted. Like knowing where our NOSE is... or for our kids to do it... DS or typical child.. and Russell JUST learned at 7 yrs old. Talk about appreciation! And knowing he can understand simple directions. Or knowing to brush his teeth.... I realize all these simple things I THINK are simple.. and it's taken Russell 7 yrs to "get".... it makes me proud and happy knowing he does "get it" and continues to "get it" and just how hard those simple tasks ARE for him to get.....

Who knew knowing where your nose is, would get me teared up.

A.

[Kristen]

A - that's a great update! You know, Carter still refuses to point to his nose when asked (he will grab ours instead), but when Dora says "Vamanos, vamanos, let's go..." he and Syd both point their noses. What's with noses?

[meghans_mom]

Ok, here I go again....

Awww....A.....where you had me in tears [of sadness] with the last post, now I have tears of joy ;D
WTG Russell on all your accomplishments!!!!! And thanks to your mom for sharing with us...it's so nice to take time to enjoy wonderful things!

hugs again, laurie

[PaigesMom]

Way to Go Russell. How proud your mommy is!!!

So often in life people DO take things for granted, you are so right.

Thank goodness for our kids who make every moment special!!

[Jodi]

Hey A -

Who knew "simple" could be so "complex"!! LOL!!

I know whatcha mean... cry and celebrate - these things mean more to us than most people will EVER imagine (or appreciate!!). WTG Russell!!

[wrblack]

WTG, Russell!
At 7, Russell is at least 2 or 3 steps ahead of Charlie, 5 3/4. Literally and figuratively, I think. We're still working on getting Charlie up and walking without human or mechanical assistance, i.e. holding somebody's fingers or supported by his walker.
But we've signed him up for Miracle League baseball.
And for quite some time Charlie eagerly scoots his cute little butt over to his mommy when she tells him it's time for snack.
That thing from George Will on Jon's dog that I looked at earlier today made reference to the sense of isolation in the human experience that may be intensified for people, like our kids, who are dealing with a bit more challenge than most. Oh, for those who don't know, I think things Russell and Charlie have in common are Down syndrome, visual impairment, and being somewhere on the autistic spectrum.
Anyway, that George Will thing reminded me of a Greg Palmer thing, also to be found on that Riverbend site, well, wouldn't you know, I can't get to that site just now, but here's a snip from same piece, The End of Cute, taken from www.fathersnetwork.org/page.php?page=633&SESSION=39a0b2f05ea5d151e0e4bd2207da4e5b&s=0

<<I have an image of Ned's life as an adult that gives me peace -- and in one sense he provided it. As I said, we read to him every night, and one of the things he and I have been reading for years is four or five poems a night. We have our favorites. Last year in his English class, one Friday the teacher gave her students the weekend assignment to find a poem that meant something to them, and memorize it to recite in class during the following week. Ned put his hand up, and the teacher started to tell him how he didn't have to do the assignment if he didn't want to. Ned said, "I'm ready now," and she, shocked but expecting something in the "Roses are red, violets are blue" vein, said "Go ahead." Ned stood and recited this, by Georgia Roberts Durston:


When the pale moon hides and the wild wind wails,

and over the tree-tops the nighthawk sails,

the gray wolf sits on the world's far rim,

And howls; and it seems to comfort him.

The wolf is a lonely soul, you see,

No beast in the wood, nor bird in the tree,

But shuns his path. In the windy gloom

they give him plenty, and plenty of room.

So he sits with his long lean face to the sky

Watching the ragged clouds go by.

There in the night, alone, apart,

Singing the song of his lone, wild heart.

Far away, on the world's dark rim

He howls, and it seems to comfort him.


I didn't know Ned had memorized "The Wolf" until his teacher sent a note home telling us how astonished, and moved, she was by it. And I guess I don't know why Ned likes it so much. I know I see it as something about him as an adult, maybe shunned, maybe alone, but comforted by his own sweet howl, by the singing in his own heart. >>

I doubt that Charlie will ever be as advanced as Ned Palmer. And he may never catch up with Russell. But I think he does have his own sweet howl.
'Course, it would be nice if Russell and Charlie would learn to say "mama," or some approximation thereof.
Cheers,
Bob

[momofrussell]

Bob... just remember... Charlie IS younger then Russell too... So, you'd have to compare Russell at the same age as Charlie.. not at 7...Russell was no where NEAR where he is, when he was Charlie's age. In fact, it's just been in the past year actually... what Russell has accomplished.

"we've come a long way baby!"

Oh.. and "somewhere on the Autism spectrum" LMAO.. you are way to kind... I know just where Russell is on that spectrum....

A.

[ALLISA]

I wanted to add one of my own....

It is my favorite.....

Eirn is five and will now "Kiss on Command" !

I just LOVE it !!

[Jessie]

What an emotional rollercoaster kind of day you have had A!!

I was so glad to see this post because I know you have commented before about how it's hard to not compare Russell to other kids his age and be sad about it. I go through the same thing . . . there are days I feel like "oh, if only Jason could talk, life would be great", and then there are days (many) that it just hits home that it's much more than his verbal skills. I love to hear about the progress the other kids make, but I also know how it feels to have that remind you of where your child is . . . or isn't.

Again, we're with ya A!

Jessie

[ourangelalicia]

Way to go Russel!

Ali's newest big accomplishment is that she has learned to give real hugs on command. Now she is getting picked up a whole lot more!