Walking More And More!

Here is a video I took of Victoria today. As you can see, she is walking even more! She's doing great! It is so cute to see her walking around because she is so tiny!

I'm really having to watch her now. Her favorite place to sneak into is the bathroom! She gets into the toilet paper and I've caught her putting her hands into the toilet several times. That totally grosses me out, so I'm trying to keep the bathroom door closed at all times so she cannot get in there. I'm going to have to grow eyes in the back of my head now to keep track of everywhere Victoria is going!

Cars

Yesterday Victoria met with her physical therapist, Candace. Candace was so impressed by how Victoria is standing up from the floor, taking steps and cruising on furniture so well. She also commented on how huge it was that Victoria WANTS to do these things on her own. We don't have to prod and push her to do anything. She said this is a sign that Victoria has high cognitive levels, which was so encouraging to hear! She said normally Down's babies are content to do nothing. Victoria is the total opposite. She can't stand to be held still for long at all. She WANTS to be down on the floor going, going, going. So, these are all very wonderful signs that our baby girl is on the high-functioning end of Down syndrome. Yeah!

Candace wanted me to work with Victoria on using a push toy a little more so she can work on her balance. After Candace left, I had Victoria pushing a little car that Elyssa and Natalie both used as babies. The first few times Victoria pushed it, she lost her balance and fell. But, boy ... shortly after that, she was pushing that car like a pro. It was so fun to watch her!

I thought you'd want to see her wonderful progress! She's a cutie!

PS - You'll notice that when she pushes the car to the chair or wall and cannot go any further, she gets mad. I think that is the funniest!

The Long Awaited "Walking" Video

Many of you have asked about Victoria and if she is walking yet. She has started taking several steps and we are thrilled. I think the most steps we have counted are around 12. Those are small steps, mind you, but we still count them all! The cutest thing of all is that Victoria laughs while she walks most of the time. I think she is so proud that she is walking that she cannot contain her happiness!

So, here you go! Enjoy viewing our little miracle of God taking some of her first steps!

Buddy Walk Results

We had a wonderful time walking at Hank Aaron Stadium with family and friends for the Buddy Walk. We raised over $800 for the Down Syndrome Society of Mobile in honor of Victoria and were quite pleased with that!

Elyssa and Natalie loved walking with their sister! They especially loved the yummy cupcakes from Buttercream Dreams that they ate after their one-mile walk! They also enjoyed their visit on the fire truck and Coast Guard helicopter.

It turned out to be a beautiful day and we couldn't have felt more blessed to walk alongside Victoria! Thanks to all who donated funds in her honor! We love you all!

Buddy Walk Update

Thanks to friends and family we have raised over $375 for the Buddy Walk in honor of Victoria Jayne so far! It is still not too late to donate toward the Down Syndrome Society or to commit to walk with us in the Buddy Walk THIS Saturday at Hank Aaron Stadium. Registration starts at 9am and the walk begins at 10am with tons of games, food and entertainment to follow! We would love to have friends and family walk along side us as we honor our special little girl!

Make sure you let us know if you'd like to walk with us so we can meet you at the front entrance of Hank Aaron Stadium Saturday morning.

Buddy Walk

Hello friends!

We will be participating in the 2nd Annual Buddy Walk with our daughter, Victoria Jayne, to help raise money for the Down Syndrome Society of Mobile on October 10th. If you would like to participate with us or would be willing to make a donation, please let me know.

The registration for the walk begins at 9am at Hank Aaron Stadium and the walk begins at 10am. This is a non-competitive one-mile walk. Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome. At the conclusion of the walk, there will be carnival-type games open for the kids, musical entertainment, food and many other fun things that the entire family will enjoy.

You may register to walk at www.dssmc.org or you may do so the morning of October 10th when you arrive at the stadium. All walkers pay $10 and kids under 3 are FREE! Anything given above $10 to the walk is considered a donation. All registered walkers will receive a T-shirt to commemorate the day.

If you do plan to walk with our family in honor of Victoria Jayne, please let me know so we can meet you at the entrance of the stadium. If you are unable to walk but would like to make a tax-deductible donation, you can do so in honor of Victoria at www.dssmc.org.

We look forward to a special day in which we can honor our special little girl, Victoria Jayne!

On My Own

Victoria's physical therapist told me a few weeks ago that it wouldn't be long before Victoria could rise to standing on her own without pulling up on something. At that time, I thought ... "are you sure??" But, here I am today with a video of proof that Victoria can sit in the middle of the floor with nothing around her to pull up on and she can STAND!!! Praise the Lord!! How exciting to see this little girl doing such marvelous things! I seem to live almost every day in amazement as Victoria continues to do new things!

PS - The other exciting part of this story is that I am seeing more and more that Victoria "understands" what I'm asking her to do, although she doesn't "talk" back to me each time I give her a command. It is so wonderful to see her comprehending language. When you have a special-needs child, this is something you do NOT take for granted.

Victoria came through her surgery this morning very well! We were thankful to hear that her heart rate stayed stable during the entire procedure and that Dr. Bryars was able to put the tubes in her ears, after all. He said it was very difficult because of the small size of her ear canal, but the surgery was a success. We are thankful to the Lord for keeping His hand on our little Victoria! Here are some photos from the morning.

Surgery Today ...

My day started at 2am, when Natalie woke with a "croupy" cough. She was crying a little but I was able to just pat her back and she went right to sleep. I hate that Mark will be dealing with a sick child in my absence today, but what can you do? That is the "unexpected" joy of having children, right?

I never went back to sleep after waking at 2am. I had planned to get up around 3am or so to prepare for Victoria's surgery today. She is having tubes put in her ears and I have to have her at the hospital at 5:15am. I think I will be a zombie by noon!

As you begin your day, I'm asking that you say a little prayer for Victoria. Her surgery will begin around 7am. It should be a short surgery, but I do imagine it may last longer than a routine procedure. Victoria's ear canals are so narrow that her doctor has informed me that it will be "difficult." Pray for God to be with Carter Bryars, her ENT, as he performs her surgery. Pray that all will go smoothly and that Victoria will remain in stable condition throughout the entire procedure.

I will post an update later today to let you know her progress!

Say What?

Today Victoria met with one of her therapists, a "special instructor", to be accurate with her title. Her special instructor teaches Victoria and me sign language that will help facilitate Victoria's speech that will come later on. Her instructor comes every 2 weeks to our home. She will usually ask me how much Victoria is babbling. Victoria does babble, but it comes and goes depending on how much she is stimulated by her environment. As a busy mom it is hard for me to sit directly in front of her all day and "talk" to her. So, I just do the best I can in everyday life and pray that God uses it all to help her along.

I asked her special instructor today when down syndrome babies usually start to say words. I kinda wondered when she might say, "Mamma" or "Daddy." I wasn't quite prepared for the answer she gave me. She told me that it is normally around 3 or 4 years of age. I was shocked and I felt my heart sink. To think I might not be able to hear Victoria say my name for several more years just tore my heart up. Can you imagine?

I have been grieving tonight, to say the least. Grieving and praying. I knew the road of having a special-needs child would be filled with joy and grief, so these feelings are not new to me. I've had a little of both through this journey.

I guess my grief reminds me that I'm human. It reminds me that the success of Victoria's future isn't all up to me. Her life and future are held in the hands of her heavenly Father, God. In moments when I want to cry (and, I have done some of that today), I have to, again, surrender and say, "God, I cannot do this alone. My emotions need to be held secure in Your hands. When my mind cannot wrap itself around what I don't understand, keep me sane. When I think my sweet little girl should be able to do things that others say might not be possible, help me continue to have faith in the One who created her."

If you are in a place of "not understanding" what is happening in your life, just hold on! Hold on with me to the most secure person in the universe ... God! Hold on to a wonderful verse that I cling to so often in my walk of faith:

"You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book. The very day I call for help, the tide of battle turns. My enemies flee! This one thing I know: God is for me!" Psalm 56:8,9

Even if Victoria doesn't "talk" to me for several more years, I will still cherish her. I will cherish her smile, her glowing eyes that say so much in themselves alone, her hugs, her open-mouth, slobbery kisses and her little grunts that try to tell me things that I may not understand. God, help me to cherish every moment and to learn that in the times that I might have to cry ... You catch those tears in your bottle and know every one!