Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2016
{31 for 21} All About Ellie.
VIDEO!!!! The Shine Box is basically an "about me" project Ellie is working on for school.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
{31 for 21} Reader.
I recently posted some videos on Instagram of Ellie reading.
She's reading at a pretty typical early kindergarten level. (For my teacher friends, about at a DRA level 1. I'm pretty sure she would dominate the DRA level A book and be instructional at a 1.)
So I must be magic, right? Or use my amazing teacher skills to help my kid with Down syndrome read?
Not quite.
Here's what we've done from the start:
Baby - Age 2:
* Read a lot of books
* Use See and Learn for Vocabulary
* Point out environmental print (Words you see around - i.e., Cheerios)
* Pointed out letters
* Baby Signing Time DVDs
Age 2 - Age 4:
* Send Ellie to school
* Rachel and the Treeschoolers DVDs, Signing Time DVDs
* Listen to all the Dr. Jean songs and try to maintain calm
* Read lots of books
* Learn letters and sounds (thanks school!)
* Use letter flashcards to help with letter and sound ID
* Watch sight word videos on YouTube while doing hair each morning
Age 5:
* Kindergarten! Yay! Thanks, IEP team! (They do so much for Ellie.)
* Read Ellie's "Book Bag" books each day after school.
* Point out sight words while we read
* Let Ellie "read" challenging books she has memorized
* Touch under each word when we read
And we talk a lot. To her, about her, podcasts, words, words, words.
But here's the thing. This isn't prescriptive. It's descriptive. It's what works for Ellie with her strengths and weaknesses and interests. So take it as my story and not what you should do, although you're welcome to try! I just read a study about phoneme blending for kids with Down syndrome and I'll probably attempt to tackle some of that next!
* Aff links.
She's reading at a pretty typical early kindergarten level. (For my teacher friends, about at a DRA level 1. I'm pretty sure she would dominate the DRA level A book and be instructional at a 1.)
So I must be magic, right? Or use my amazing teacher skills to help my kid with Down syndrome read?
Not quite.
Here's what we've done from the start:
Baby - Age 2:
* Read a lot of books
* Use See and Learn for Vocabulary
* Point out environmental print (Words you see around - i.e., Cheerios)
* Pointed out letters
* Baby Signing Time DVDs
Age 2 - Age 4:
* Send Ellie to school
* Rachel and the Treeschoolers DVDs, Signing Time DVDs
* Listen to all the Dr. Jean songs and try to maintain calm
* Read lots of books
* Learn letters and sounds (thanks school!)
* Use letter flashcards to help with letter and sound ID
* Watch sight word videos on YouTube while doing hair each morning
Age 5:
* Kindergarten! Yay! Thanks, IEP team! (They do so much for Ellie.)
* Read Ellie's "Book Bag" books each day after school.
* Point out sight words while we read
* Let Ellie "read" challenging books she has memorized
* Touch under each word when we read
And we talk a lot. To her, about her, podcasts, words, words, words.
But here's the thing. This isn't prescriptive. It's descriptive. It's what works for Ellie with her strengths and weaknesses and interests. So take it as my story and not what you should do, although you're welcome to try! I just read a study about phoneme blending for kids with Down syndrome and I'll probably attempt to tackle some of that next!
* Aff links.
Friday, February 5, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Some Video Fun.
A few videos from the last week or two...
Caroline is teething. Ellie is back in school, and so thankful for a routine to routine. On Tuesday morning, she was running around singing, "WE GO TO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY!"
And me? I'm just trying to catch up on life, and in shock realizing that Ellie turns FIVE a month from tomorrow.
Five.
Matt and I asked Ellie what we should get for her birthday. She said a cake. I asked what kind of present and she said a hippo. We all laughed and I told her that we needed a real answer, because I'm not buying a hippo.
Totally deadpan, she looked at Matt and said, "Okay, you can get me a penguin."
Is this the girl whose birth I feared? Who I worried wouldn't talk? Who I feared wouldn't have personality?
Ha.
Ellie, I'm so glad my fears were so silly. You are wonderful.
Caroline is teething. Ellie is back in school, and so thankful for a routine to routine. On Tuesday morning, she was running around singing, "WE GO TO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY!"
And me? I'm just trying to catch up on life, and in shock realizing that Ellie turns FIVE a month from tomorrow.
Five.
Matt and I asked Ellie what we should get for her birthday. She said a cake. I asked what kind of present and she said a hippo. We all laughed and I told her that we needed a real answer, because I'm not buying a hippo.
Totally deadpan, she looked at Matt and said, "Okay, you can get me a penguin."
Is this the girl whose birth I feared? Who I worried wouldn't talk? Who I feared wouldn't have personality?
Ha.
Ellie, I'm so glad my fears were so silly. You are wonderful.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
More Snowed in Fun.
First piece of news:
A plow arrived!
A plow arrived!
Whoohoo!
Monday was another day with streets covered with nearly two feet of snow, spent perfecting our gently sloped backyard sled run, and photographing Caroline in the dress intended for her baptism, which will not fit come April and the reschedule date.
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| Ellie coloring early Monday morning. |
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| Blue eyed beauty in her baptism dress. |
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| Sisters. |
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| Sisters. |
On Monday, Christina and I took a walk to make sure we could safely transport her to the other side of town, we sledded, we made pancakes, and we continued to make the best of the blizzard. The girls were sad to see Christina go - they both took naps for over two hours!
Some phone photos:
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| Caroline fell asleep like this. |
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| Sledding in the yard. |
My big girl, so brave with shots and animals, is not usually brave with adventure-type activities. (Which is weird, because as a baby she loved to swing high. Those days are done.) We loved seeing her sled!
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Fine Motor Fun.
Guys. Guys. Ellie isn't a big fine motor person.
But she has a new favorite game and I have to share with you.
I can't even find an affiliate link, but this game is amazing.
It's called "Don't Let the Bugs Fall."
The game is basically baby Jenga and it involves color identification (which Ellie has been doing forever, but still), rolling dice, fine motor of selecting a bug and removing it, cognitive to figure out which bug to pick, and turn taking on top of it all!
A friend brought it over for her and it's awesome. The video is kind of dark but it lets you see the game in action.
What games do you like to play with your kids?
But she has a new favorite game and I have to share with you.
I can't even find an affiliate link, but this game is amazing.
It's called "Don't Let the Bugs Fall."
The game is basically baby Jenga and it involves color identification (which Ellie has been doing forever, but still), rolling dice, fine motor of selecting a bug and removing it, cognitive to figure out which bug to pick, and turn taking on top of it all!
A friend brought it over for her and it's awesome. The video is kind of dark but it lets you see the game in action.
I like that Ellie was working on fine motor (and this is without her glasses!) Ellie liked the game because it's fun, and the biggest win? I agree! We played about eight times this morning and aside from the tediousness of setting up, the game was enjoyable for both of us.
What games do you like to play with your kids?
Monday, January 11, 2016
Reading.
It's been ages since I posted about Ellie and early literacy. At her school, they do a lot of phonics work, and she knows all of her letters and sounds. She's been working on blending the sounds together to form words, which is a challenge for her.
I decided it was time to start working on sight words with Ellie. Some parents of kids with Down syndrome start much younger, I waited for a few reasons. They do phonics at school. I wanted Ellie to comprehend what she reads. And I didn't get around to it until last week, with the exception of family names and a few random words. For a few months, Ellie has watched sight word videos while I do her hair, but I got serious the other day and made flashcards. I did our family names, some animals, and "see" so we could make the sentence "I see my ...."
She loves it! I didn't type the cards, but I used my good teacher "Handwriting Without Tears" printing. On the word "baby" I darkened one line of the "b," because I noticed Ellie struggling to differentiate between "b" and "p" and that was an easy way to draw her attention to the letter's features.
So, a week or so in?
Ellie loves her words. Caroline sits with us while we practice. Ellie often gets the words out herself to practice, so I know she really does enjoy it.
And other than that? The weather alternates between warm but rainy and cold, and my girls and I have been crafting, cooking, and dance-party-ing.
Here they are:
Although Ellie errs on the side of loving too hard, she really is the best sister. She fetches diapers for me but more importantly, she plays sweetly with Caroline. It's beautiful to watch.
I decided it was time to start working on sight words with Ellie. Some parents of kids with Down syndrome start much younger, I waited for a few reasons. They do phonics at school. I wanted Ellie to comprehend what she reads. And I didn't get around to it until last week, with the exception of family names and a few random words. For a few months, Ellie has watched sight word videos while I do her hair, but I got serious the other day and made flashcards. I did our family names, some animals, and "see" so we could make the sentence "I see my ...."
She loves it! I didn't type the cards, but I used my good teacher "Handwriting Without Tears" printing. On the word "baby" I darkened one line of the "b," because I noticed Ellie struggling to differentiate between "b" and "p" and that was an easy way to draw her attention to the letter's features.
So, a week or so in?
Ellie loves her words. Caroline sits with us while we practice. Ellie often gets the words out herself to practice, so I know she really does enjoy it.
And other than that? The weather alternates between warm but rainy and cold, and my girls and I have been crafting, cooking, and dance-party-ing.
Here they are:
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| Ellie: Dirty glasses and big smile. |
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| Caroline's face here... sisterly love. |
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| She looks worried a lot. Ellie might be the reason! |
Although Ellie errs on the side of loving too hard, she really is the best sister. She fetches diapers for me but more importantly, she plays sweetly with Caroline. It's beautiful to watch.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
{31 for 21} Phonics.
According to basically everyone, sight-reading (recognizing words) comes more easily than phonics (sounding out words) for children with Down syndrome.
So of course, I'm teaching Ellie phonics. My reason is very simple - they learn phonics at school. We also work a little bit on sight words, but not a ton. Ellie can read "Ellie," "mom," "dad," "Caroline," "up," and a few other random words.
Thanks to preschool and the flashcards I mentioned yesterday, Ellie has learned her letters and sounds (at least the short vowel sounds.)
So of course, I'm teaching Ellie phonics. My reason is very simple - they learn phonics at school. We also work a little bit on sight words, but not a ton. Ellie can read "Ellie," "mom," "dad," "Caroline," "up," and a few other random words.
Thanks to preschool and the flashcards I mentioned yesterday, Ellie has learned her letters and sounds (at least the short vowel sounds.)
Friday, July 17, 2015
When Ellie Was a Baby.
In order to prepare for baby sister, we've been talking a lot about when Ellie was a baby herself. We've also been talking about the various medical procedures she had as a baby.
I'll let Ellie speak for herself here.
I'll let Ellie speak for herself here.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Another Medical Post: The Teeth Doctor
I recently posted about Ellie's experience with a Holter monitor. Well, we are back today with more medical information, following a trip to the dentist. Here's a little preview from Ellie.
This year we had a much better experience. Ellie was fascinated by the idea of a teeth doctor, since she also has a heart doctor, tummy doctor, eye doctor, chromosome doctor, and general Ellie doctor. She also wanted to know if she can have an eyebrow doctor.
We talked a lot about what to expect. Although I did this last time we went to the dentist, Ellie was much more engaged in our conversation this year. She wanted to know if the dentist brushes hair. (No, just teeth.)
She fell asleep between gymnastics and the dentist, but woke up and was happy to enter the office and play with Legos. She fed a giraffe to a Lego dinosaur, made friends with the dental hygienists, and had a great time. When she walked back to the dental chair, she chose to sit like a big girl. Although a team was still required for hand holding, Ellie didn't fight too much until the x-rays.
Huge progress, Ellie! We are proud of you.
A quick search of my own blog showed me that I never posted about Ellie's first dental visit last year. I don't think I wanted to share that with the world. There were a lot of tears, some wrestling, and an attempt to lock herself in the bathroom rather than return to the dentist.
This year we had a much better experience. Ellie was fascinated by the idea of a teeth doctor, since she also has a heart doctor, tummy doctor, eye doctor, chromosome doctor, and general Ellie doctor. She also wanted to know if she can have an eyebrow doctor.
We talked a lot about what to expect. Although I did this last time we went to the dentist, Ellie was much more engaged in our conversation this year. She wanted to know if the dentist brushes hair. (No, just teeth.)
She fell asleep between gymnastics and the dentist, but woke up and was happy to enter the office and play with Legos. She fed a giraffe to a Lego dinosaur, made friends with the dental hygienists, and had a great time. When she walked back to the dental chair, she chose to sit like a big girl. Although a team was still required for hand holding, Ellie didn't fight too much until the x-rays.
I admit, I had fairly low expectations, but Ellie has been calm during medical procedures lately, with the exception of the Holter monitor. She was "age appropriate," according to the staff. She wore her protective eyewear, and in the end, she received a rubber ducky and a toy mermaid for her troubles.
Huge progress, Ellie! We are proud of you.
Friday, July 3, 2015
More Swimming.
Who is this little fish smiling in the pool? Swim lessons are some of the best money we've spent! I let Ellie caption these.
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| "Me swimming in the big pool. Ms. Meghan. With the bathing suit on." |
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| "Me! Scoopin' water. Ms. Meghan. On a noodle. And scooping. Two noodles." |
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| "Me swimming. And Ms. Meghan." (I asked how she feels there.) "I'm HAPPY!" |
Her swim teacher happens to be a reading specialist who is teaching ESY this summer, which means that she is uniquely in touch with Ellie's specific needs. And she got a kick out of it when Ellie busted out a Dr. Jean song in the pool.
If you have a preschool or Kindergarten aged child and you don't know Dr. Jean, you are a lucky, lucky parent. In case you missed it on Instagram, here's a sample from Ellie.
Also on Instagram - you can follow my photography business here.
Monday, June 22, 2015
#Ellieflips End of Spring Gymnastics.
A few shots from instagram of Ellie's last gymnastics class of the season. We'll be waiting impatiently for the next season to begin on July 6!
Gymnastics has been wonderfully inclusive and Ellie has thrived in class. She's gaining great skills and it helps her direction-following, too. Ellie's natural flexibility is an asset in gymnastics, and she's gaining more strength and balance.
Gymnastics has been wonderfully inclusive and Ellie has thrived in class. She's gaining great skills and it helps her direction-following, too. Ellie's natural flexibility is an asset in gymnastics, and she's gaining more strength and balance.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Raining Tacos.
Are you familiar with this song?
My husband loves it. My kindergarten students love it. And shocker, my four year old loves it.
It'll be stuck in your head all day. Sorry/not sorry.
My husband loves it. My kindergarten students love it. And shocker, my four year old loves it.
And in case you are unfamiliar with this song, here's a link to the original artist.
It'll be stuck in your head all day. Sorry/not sorry.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Final Countdown/Summer Learning Goals.
We are in the final countdown... One more week of school for Ellie and me, then summer vacation is upon us. You can catch my countdown on my photography Facebook page.
No big travel plans await this year, and days stretch out wonderfully ahead of us.
Ellie didn't qualify for extended school year (ESY), and I didn't sign her up for summer school. Instead, Ellie and I will be doing "Mommy and Ellie summer school," a.k.a, staying home and doing some learning activities.
I figured that posting this publicly would be good accountability. Here's what we're working on. Please ask how it's going so I stay on track!
MATH:
Ellie has been in love with this Rainbow Number set recently. Of course, half the time she uses the dots (counters) to build a snowman, but the rest of the time, she tries to count and she identifies the numerals. I love the visual and it's cheaper than Numicon, which I would love to invest in at some point.
The link above is from Amazon, but I got our set on Zulily. I just don't know how often it's up on Zulily - I usually find it in a special needs type collection.
Other early math skills include sorting and of course 1:1 correspondence. I've been counting everything. Ellie has, too, but her 1:1 correspondence and even rote counting need some help. We often watch letter and sound videos when I do her hair, but we may switch to counting songs.
"More and less" is an early math concept that I think Ellie is developing, but I want to be more intentional this summer.
LITERACY:
I've dropped the ball on the DownsEd materials, but I still love them and the concept. Ellie has the readers and can "read" and point to the words in some of the books, but has trouble identifying the words out of context. I also printed up a bunch of readers from DSFOC in both English and Spanish for some of my students who don't have Down syndrome, but who are visual learners. I'll be bringing those home this summer to read with Ellie and work on sight words.
In terms of phonics, Ellie knows her letters and sounds, so we'll just keep building words with her favorite flashcards and making the sounds for each letter. She loves that activity. I spell a word (i.e., "CAT") and we make the /c/, /a/, and /t/ sound.
Here's the uppercase version of the flashcards. They also have sight words. Again, I've found cheaper on Zulily (but you have to pay shipping, so it's kind of a wash unless you have Zulily credit).
Ellie LOVES her flashcards. I think the textured letters help keep it interesting. We won't use them for handwriting as our school district uses Handwriting Without Tears and I love it!
BOOKS:
Although books fall under literacy, I need to add this as a separate section. Ellie has already gotten ahold of baby sister's books and is memorizing them! I'm going to encourage this so Ellie can "read" to Caroline! Her current favorite is "10 in da bed and the little one said ROLL OVER ROLL OVER and they all roll over and one fall out OUCH!" (Which is almost what the book says.)
Ellie is continuing to take gymnastics this summer and is also signed up for four 1:1 swimming classes. Wish us luck. She isn't always agreeable in the water, although she seems to be turning over a new leaf this summer!
In our spare time, we need to get our house ready for baby sister, and Mommy wants to learn more about using a speedlite for her camera. So I have a feeling this summer will fly by! We also have yet to hit the spray ground, which I plan to correct very soon!
Happy Summer! What great learning do you have planned?
No big travel plans await this year, and days stretch out wonderfully ahead of us.
Ellie didn't qualify for extended school year (ESY), and I didn't sign her up for summer school. Instead, Ellie and I will be doing "Mommy and Ellie summer school," a.k.a, staying home and doing some learning activities.
I figured that posting this publicly would be good accountability. Here's what we're working on. Please ask how it's going so I stay on track!
MATH:
Ellie has been in love with this Rainbow Number set recently. Of course, half the time she uses the dots (counters) to build a snowman, but the rest of the time, she tries to count and she identifies the numerals. I love the visual and it's cheaper than Numicon, which I would love to invest in at some point.
The link above is from Amazon, but I got our set on Zulily. I just don't know how often it's up on Zulily - I usually find it in a special needs type collection.
Other early math skills include sorting and of course 1:1 correspondence. I've been counting everything. Ellie has, too, but her 1:1 correspondence and even rote counting need some help. We often watch letter and sound videos when I do her hair, but we may switch to counting songs.
"More and less" is an early math concept that I think Ellie is developing, but I want to be more intentional this summer.
LITERACY:
I've dropped the ball on the DownsEd materials, but I still love them and the concept. Ellie has the readers and can "read" and point to the words in some of the books, but has trouble identifying the words out of context. I also printed up a bunch of readers from DSFOC in both English and Spanish for some of my students who don't have Down syndrome, but who are visual learners. I'll be bringing those home this summer to read with Ellie and work on sight words.
In terms of phonics, Ellie knows her letters and sounds, so we'll just keep building words with her favorite flashcards and making the sounds for each letter. She loves that activity. I spell a word (i.e., "CAT") and we make the /c/, /a/, and /t/ sound.
Here's the uppercase version of the flashcards. They also have sight words. Again, I've found cheaper on Zulily (but you have to pay shipping, so it's kind of a wash unless you have Zulily credit).
Ellie LOVES her flashcards. I think the textured letters help keep it interesting. We won't use them for handwriting as our school district uses Handwriting Without Tears and I love it!
BOOKS:
Although books fall under literacy, I need to add this as a separate section. Ellie has already gotten ahold of baby sister's books and is memorizing them! I'm going to encourage this so Ellie can "read" to Caroline! Her current favorite is "10 in da bed and the little one said ROLL OVER ROLL OVER and they all roll over and one fall out OUCH!" (Which is almost what the book says.)
LIFE SKILLS:
Ellie is continuing to take gymnastics this summer and is also signed up for four 1:1 swimming classes. Wish us luck. She isn't always agreeable in the water, although she seems to be turning over a new leaf this summer!
In our spare time, we need to get our house ready for baby sister, and Mommy wants to learn more about using a speedlite for her camera. So I have a feeling this summer will fly by! We also have yet to hit the spray ground, which I plan to correct very soon!
Happy Summer! What great learning do you have planned?
P.S. There's affiliate links here, and everything is a link to a product I own and like.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
It's a .....
Well, I'll let Ellie tell you.
Caroline Grace, we can't wait to meet you.
(Although NIPS testing had suggested a girl, the accuracy for gender hasn't been published with a positive predictive value study. But yesterday, we had a surprise doctor's appointment because Caroline was causing trouble. She is okay, and while they checked on her, they confirmed the gender!)
Caroline Grace, we can't wait to meet you.
(Although NIPS testing had suggested a girl, the accuracy for gender hasn't been published with a positive predictive value study. But yesterday, we had a surprise doctor's appointment because Caroline was causing trouble. She is okay, and while they checked on her, they confirmed the gender!)
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Headed Out.
Time to head home has arrived, but we made sure to leave the beach with a bang.
Ellie finally got brave enough to get in the water on her own.
We met up with Matt's brother and his wife, which was the absolute highlight of Ellie's vacation (and ours.)
We ate take out on the beach and watched the sunset.
Ellie made new friends with some of the nicest big kids I've ever met. We're talking such sweet kids we found their parents and told them good job.
We'll miss you Naples. Until next time....
And a little video from Instagram.
Ellie finally got brave enough to get in the water on her own.
We met up with Matt's brother and his wife, which was the absolute highlight of Ellie's vacation (and ours.)
We ate take out on the beach and watched the sunset.
Ellie made new friends with some of the nicest big kids I've ever met. We're talking such sweet kids we found their parents and told them good job.
We'll miss you Naples. Until next time....
And a little video from Instagram.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Milestones and Down Syndrome.
Some milestones that come without much thought for typically developing kids are huge for kids with Down syndrome. One of those milestones is the ability to ask and answer questions, a skill Ellie is continuing to work on. And while she isn't quite on target with questions and answers, we have actual conversations now.
Ellie has been playing more imaginatively when she sits with her toys, and she's currently attempting to put Daddy's watch on Curious George.
Here's another shot of my sleepy girl yesterday. I love her eyes here. She looks exhausted, though.
Ellie has been playing more imaginatively when she sits with her toys, and she's currently attempting to put Daddy's watch on Curious George.
We continue to hunker down in the cold, and have plans to make some soup and maybe cookies today. What are you doing to enjoy your three day weekend?
Here's another shot of my sleepy girl yesterday. I love her eyes here. She looks exhausted, though.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
A Day in the Life…. With Down Syndrome {Preview}
World Down Syndrome Day is March 21 (3/21, for three copies of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down syndrome.) My dear friend Meriah is setting up a website to show what a day in the life is like for people with Down syndrome. Ellie has (sort of) agreed to be interviewed.
And don't forget to enter the sweet giveaway!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Dollhouse and Music.
Ellie recently received the best hand-me-down ever - a dollhouse. The first day, she played with it for about three hours straight. When she got in the car and spotted it in the backseat, her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "A dollhouse! For Ellie!"
I will credit school for doing a great job - Ellie's letter and number identification are improving. I was shocked the other day when she handed me a puzzle piece of the number 8 and said, "Hi mama. Here's a 8!" No clue she knew that!
Below is her abbreviated version of the Dr. Jean letter sounds song. If you can't catch it or you aren't familiar with the song, the portion Ellie sang is "A for apple, a a a, B for bounce, b b b b b b, C for cut, c c c c c" and then she skipped to "Z for zigzag!"
As a Kindergarten teacher, I hear too much Dr. Jean at work. As a mom, I hear WAY too much Dr. Jean at home, but at least my kid knows her letters. (If you want to see how the song really goes, here's a link. Have fun.)
She knows what she loves. Receiving the dollhouse on a rainy/sleety Friday couldn't have been better timing. Ellie is currently operating the dollhouse oven telling the dolls, "It super hot. Be careful!"
I will credit school for doing a great job - Ellie's letter and number identification are improving. I was shocked the other day when she handed me a puzzle piece of the number 8 and said, "Hi mama. Here's a 8!" No clue she knew that!
Below is her abbreviated version of the Dr. Jean letter sounds song. If you can't catch it or you aren't familiar with the song, the portion Ellie sang is "A for apple, a a a, B for bounce, b b b b b b, C for cut, c c c c c" and then she skipped to "Z for zigzag!"
As a Kindergarten teacher, I hear too much Dr. Jean at work. As a mom, I hear WAY too much Dr. Jean at home, but at least my kid knows her letters. (If you want to see how the song really goes, here's a link. Have fun.)
Stay tuned later this week for a post about some specific skills we are working on at home!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
2015.
2015 has arrived, and I didn't stay up to watch the ball drop. We had a little basement campout in Ellie's toy tent, but she had a bad cough, and after watching Finding Nemo, I ended up spending the night patting her on the back while she slept fitfully. Thankfully, she is back to her normal self today, and we spent some time this morning wandering the National Museum of Natural History.
While I didn't make any specific resolutions, here's some of what you'll see in 2015:
My first attempt at a project 52: On the Practising Simplicity blog, there's a challenge to take a portrait of your child weekly. That's a good goal as nailing Ellie down for a good portrait gets harder and she gets faster. I'm also working to begin taking portraits on a part-time professional basis, and I don't want to stop taking photos of Ellie in the meantime.
I'll be writing more about learning activities with Ellie and hopefully sharing more of her thoughts with you as she becomes increasingly verbal. She's communicating her ideas more clearly and we are gaining an understanding of how Ellie sees the world.
Of course, you'll still read about our daily lives. I started this blog when I knew I'd have lots of people to keep informed about Ellie's NICU progress, including the moms I knew online who were also pregnant with babies with Down syndrome. The blog has also served as a way to keep family and friends up-to-date on Ellie, and the daily life stuff continues to be the main reason I continue to update this space.
I hope you all have a great start to the year and I can't wait to see what 2015 brings!
In the meanwhile, enjoy Ellie's take on 2015. She plans to eat Mac and Cheese.
And a few more shots from today.
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| Checking out a giraffe model at the museum. It was tall. |
My first attempt at a project 52: On the Practising Simplicity blog, there's a challenge to take a portrait of your child weekly. That's a good goal as nailing Ellie down for a good portrait gets harder and she gets faster. I'm also working to begin taking portraits on a part-time professional basis, and I don't want to stop taking photos of Ellie in the meantime.
I'll be writing more about learning activities with Ellie and hopefully sharing more of her thoughts with you as she becomes increasingly verbal. She's communicating her ideas more clearly and we are gaining an understanding of how Ellie sees the world.
Of course, you'll still read about our daily lives. I started this blog when I knew I'd have lots of people to keep informed about Ellie's NICU progress, including the moms I knew online who were also pregnant with babies with Down syndrome. The blog has also served as a way to keep family and friends up-to-date on Ellie, and the daily life stuff continues to be the main reason I continue to update this space.
I hope you all have a great start to the year and I can't wait to see what 2015 brings!
In the meanwhile, enjoy Ellie's take on 2015. She plans to eat Mac and Cheese.
And a few more shots from today.
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