Back in the game...

Well, I am happy to report that Positive Patty is back, for the most part--after my tyrant a few weeks ago.  We all must admit, sometimes we just gotta write, vent, scream, bitch, and be negative every once in a while.  Raising kids is hard and there are challenges and frustrations.  90% of the time, raising children is rainbows and sunshine, but that 10% is full of tantrums, sleepless nights, and days of hearing "MOMMMMMMMMYYYYY" one too many times.  I wouldn't change it for the world; and I'm even crazy enough to admit that possibly, maybe, we will see...in a few years, there could be the addition of Mehlinger #3 to the family to add just a little more chaos, because we need that, right?


 Our family is beyond ready for the fall weather and change of pace to come.  This summer, as we all know, has been filled with rain, humidity, and HEAT!  I took Lilly to the park today and it was a miserable experience.  It's was just so hot.  She was ready to leave after 30 minutes.  It's sad when you kid tells your that she just wants to stay inside because it's too hot.  We have resorted to front porch rocking with popsicles many times this summer to cool down.  I cannot wait for the day when we can play outside alllllll day without continuous sweat and the worry of baking under UV rays with an index of 10+.  With cool weather brings sweatpants and lounging around, football and tailgaiting, some of our family favorite things to do!  We cannot wait to test out the fireplace at our new house, too.  In the past, we have always spent countless evenings at Billy's parents with his sister and husband, enjoying beverages and a warm fire and now we can finally experience it at our own house.  Our home in Charleston didn't have a fireplace and we longed for one for five years!

Summertime wagon ride

Yellow River Game Ranch fun!

Silly animals!

Since this is an Emily blog, I must update you on her!  She's continuing to make excellent progress.  She's rolling over constantly.  Her days of playing under her jungle gym are long gone.  She doesn't stay under it for more than 30 seconds.  We are still working really hard on getting her to sit up, but she's still not very sturdy.  We primarily work on that during therapy.  Lately, therapy has been nothing but misery and it's really stressful.  Emily is a week shy of 9 months and doesn't even attempt one iota to sit up.  It's got to get boring laying down all the time!  We play in the Bumbo too, but that doesn't promote good posture and she really needs that strength so it's not an item that's used too often.  So, what it all boils down to is me sitting, holding her up, and her getting pissed.  It's also hard because we spend a lot of time in our playroom and Lilly desperately wants to me to play with her babies but I've always got one hand on Emily.  If she could only sit up....  She spends plenty of time on her back and thankfully, she doesn't really have a flat head.  Whew!

Hiding from the inevitable....THERAPY!

It never gets old sneaking in on a sleeping baby just to get one last glimpse.

Rolling so much she gets stuck!  Guess it's time for a new toy...

I am getting anxious about wanting to start speech and occupational therapy.  Our physical therapist does it all for now, but Emily is approaching 9 months and I'd like to start her on some finger foods and the beginnings of drinking from a sippy cup.  We need OT for the food and ST for the drinking.  Plus, I'd like speech to come and watch her eat her solids to make sure that she's not thrusting her tongue too terribly bad.  That is a common trait of those with DS.  If you're ever holding her and she's hanging her tongue out of her mouth, kinda like a dog, gently push it back in.  We also don't have any teeth yet and I keep checking.  One mom on a private FB group said her son is 14 months and still without teeth.  Tooth eruption is a common delay in those with Down syndrome.  Maybe we will get one by her first birthday, but if not, we will continue to love that little gummy smile she give us daily.  Speech will also help us learn how to properly sign with Emily (although we already do) and help her communicate with us.  She doesn't coo like the typical baby.  Her "speech" is more like a long, drawn out moan.  It can get confusing deciphering this from fussing.  She doesn't babble much.  When she does, it is soooooo cute though-even cuter than it was with Lilly because we heard it from her daily.  It's a once a week occurrence with Em.

EVERYTHING goes into the mouth....

Mouth again...

Annnnnd more mouth.  WHERE are her teeth!  Hiding I do suppose...
 

It still doesn't get easier when I see other babies reaching milestones before Emily.  I know she has this disability, and trust me, I've FULLY accepted it, but I'm only human, and a slight twinge of jealously takes over when I see milestones met and my sweet nugget is struggling to do the most basic things.  She can do some pretty awesome things that I bet your kid can't...like stretch her legs into a straight V and over her head (it's graphic, so I'll spare you the picture).  That's the extreme flexibility that she has that comes with DS.  She also had a battle scar that is a testament to what kind of survivor and fighter she has already been in her 8 (almost 9) months of life.  She can do yoga poses like no other, too.  She does some pretty cool stuff.

Picking out some paint at Lowe's

Raising Emily isn't always roses and sunshine though.  I re-read the Trip to Holland story recently and I'm reminded that even though we are not going to the same place as most parents, our place is just awesome and full of surprises and joy.  Emily definitely has a little mind of her own lately.  She doesn't like being left alone and does have the "stranger danger" affect going on.  Her hardest time of day is from 5:00pm-bedtime, which seems to be getting earlier and earlier lately.  She's just really, really, really fussy around 6:00pm so we go ahead and do bottle and bed.  She rolls around in the bed for at least 30 minutes, but I guess she likes being in her own space and in her jammies.  She doesn't cry, she just lounges.  Her other vice is that she is definitely a mommy's girl.  I am her primary caregiver and she knows exactly who I am and longs for me, and only me.  This can get taxing at times and leaves me exhausted by the end of the evening.  Billy is gone for work from 7am-7pm which is before she wakes and after she goes down.  It's hard and tiring.  Many moms have a desire to be a stay-at-home mom, but it's not always everything it's cracked up to be.  I am FOREVER grateful that I have the opportunity to stay home, but I seek adult interaction-constantly.  If I'm ever around you and I talk your ear off, just smile and nod...I need adults!  I wouldn't trade this job for the world, don't get me wrong despite the bitching that sometimes goes on.

Our little firecraker, Miss Lilly started school and is having a really good time.  On Friday, her teacher commented that she didn't finish her snack because "she was into everyone else's business."  My mom was there with me and we both just laughed because she gets that honestly.  My brother, mother, and I are constantly stirring that pot.  Poor thing!  This week she begins going the normal "full day" from 9-12.  Last week was just two days and a warm up for only two hours.  I'm really looking forward to the time alone with Emily and time alone with myself!  Time to organize, clean, shop, or lounge-peacefully!  Lilly thrives on structure, school, learning, reading, crafting, and interacting with others.  I am confident that this school year will make her a happy (ier) girl once again since pulling her out in March.

Patiently waiting to meet her teachers

First homework assignment completed...check!

First day of preschool!

Lounging

Day 2 of preschool :)

Before I wrap up for  the night...don't forget-if you want to participate in the Buddy Walk (Sunday, Oct 13th at 1:00pm at Centennial Park), make sure you REGISTER to walk with our team.  Also, the deadline for ordering shirts is WEDNESDAY.  If you are even considering wanting one, please send me your size.  We specifically didn't put the date of the walk on the shirts so that we can use them year after year-which also means that if you can't walk this year, you may be able to next year and will still sport our team wear :)

Time for some R&R.  Busting up the walking trails with my mom in the morning to work off some of the ice cream that keeps making it's way into my mouth on a nightly basis.