Life With Ty #21 - The Wedding

On Columbus Day weekend, Eric and I made the very brave step of taking a 2 year old and a 5 week old on a four day trip.  I think this was a rite-of-passage for us as parents.  First of all, we didn't have much of a choice.  My sister was getting married...not an event you miss, or leave the kids home for!  So, about two weeks in advance I began making my packing list.  Each of us had a column, divided into categories (clothes, toiletries, food, etc), with little boxes to check off next to each item.  When all was said and done, I had created four full pages (each page with two columns of items), of crap I somehow needed to shove into the least amount of bags possible, and then shove again into our car.  It was my all time greatest organizational challenge...good thing I thrive on organization! :)

This was about 3/4 of our stuff, minus a pack and play, bouncy seat, and dog overnight bag...not bad, right?!

Three hours before departure, I had finished packing...I wasted no time!  Not one thing was left behind, everything was neatly organized into bags based on category (and labeled of course...can't stay organized without labels!), and everything was packed for easy accessibility based on the day we would be needing each item.  I'm not going to lie...I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge!!!

Okay, so on to Ty...he is the subject of the posts this month after all!  Ty was given the honor of being ring-bearer in Mel and Pat's wedding, which shows the unconditional love they have for Ty, because anyone knows a 2 year old is not going to give a stellar performance walking down the aisle, and most certainly cannot be trusted with rings unless they are made of plastic!  We arrived in Westport, Connecticut the day after our trek south began (we made an overnight pit-stop at Lala and Poppi's house).  Of course, the day of the rehearsal, and Ty was refusing to eat anything but graham crackers, and was in a stinker of a mood. But we dressed him up in his "casual" gray pin-stripe suit, packed about 50 graham crackers, and headed out to the rehearsal.

So the bridal party lined up.  We had decided that Ty would walk down the aisle next to me (the maid of honor), so he wouldn't be scared.  Our cue to walk comes, and what does Ty do?  Sit down in the wet grass, right at the start of the aisle, with his "uhhhhhh!!!" sound of disapproval...of course.  So I picked that little butt up, carried him down the aisle legs flailing, and assured the not-impressed justice of the peace that I would be coming up with a plan B for our little ring bearer!

The next day was the big event.  Someone was looking out for Mel and Pat, because it was the ONE day in two weeks that it did not rain, and was absolutely beautiful for their outdoor wedding.  Close to show time, I brought Ty to the bridal suite to dress him in his little black tux.  He sat like a little ham in the chair while I put on all 5 pieces, smiling for the cameras and loving the attention.  I had my fingers crossed that this was a good sign for his wedding performance!!!  The best part though, was when the beautiful bride emerged from her dressing room, Ty looked at her and said "WOW!" (rightfully, so!). 

Finally it was go-time...and I made my first mistake.  I put Ty's suit jacket on...with his flower boutinnere pinned to the lapel.  Now, I should mention that Ty has an irrational fear of bugs.  He has never been bitten or stung, has never accidentally eaten one...all bug experiences to this point have been positive...but he HATES them...freaks the hell out, hates them.  So on goes the beautiful tux jacket, and what does Ty think is six inches below his face?  A massive purple and white BUG.  This led to pure hysteria as Ty frantically ripped his boutinnere off of his jacket, and jumped in my arms.  So I'm holding him, and I pick up my bouquet...more "bugs", more hysteria.  (We really need to work on distinguishing different types of flowers from bugs).  Oops...not a good way to start the walk down the aisle! 

So we're lined up, ready to walk, and Ty is doing his fish out of water routine...whipping his body from side to side in an attempt to get me to put him down.  Not happening.  So I started the one game I know that will always make him stop crying or whining or misbehaving...the "What does ___ say?" alphabet game.  It goes like this...Me: "What does A say?" Ty: "ah, ah", Me: "What does B say?" Ty: "buh, buh"...all the way to z.  So there we are, maid of honor and ring bearer, walking down the aisle at a gorgeous outdoor venue on the water, listening to the string quartet play their music, playing the "What does ____ say?" game.  Classy!  But you know what?  We made it without a tantrum or tears, and I'm pretty sure the photographer was able to get a good picture or two!

The rest of the story is about the adults (which I'll save for another day), because the cranky ring-bearer was sent to his room for bed shortly after the reception began!  But all in all it was a successful event, and a successful trip.  And I have to say, he was probably the cutest ring bearer I have ever seen!  Thanks, Mel and Pat for trusting our two year old with your wedding! :)

My beautiful boys!  (Please note Ty's all black and white tie, and Brady's little shirt and tie...so cute!) 
Hoping we got a better picture of the little guys on the professional camera, but they are pretty darn cute!!!

The happy couple!!!

Life With Ty #19 - Grammy





Last night, Ty's Great-Grammy went to live with the angels.  Grammy was the only great-grandmother that Ty ever got to know, and oh, did she love her great-grandson!  

 

From the first time that she met him, Grammy always had high expectations for Ty, and knew that he would grow up just like any other child, Down Syndrome or not.  I remember going to visit one weekend, and Grammy told me she had been reading a book about Down Syndrome to learn more about Ty and what his life might entail.  One fact in particular, said that placing a toy that made noise at a child's feet, helps him to gain awareness of his legs and learn to use them more actively.  Sure enough, there was a musical toy just for that purpose waiting for him, and sure enough, he loved it!  It was so touching that someone who had grown up in a generation where Down Syndrome was hidden away, so wholeheartedly loved Ty and was willing to learn about DS, all for her great-grandson.

 



Grammy meeting Ty for the first time

 

Snuggling with Grammy

The last time we saw Grammy was over the summer when we stopped in for a surprise visit.  She was sitting in the courtyard outside, and was so happy to see Ty.  We watched as he ran laps around the courtyard, and was mesmerized by the nylon windsocks and pinwheels spinning in the gardens.  Grammy couldn't get over how well Ty was walking, and how curious he was about his surroundings.  As we left, Grammy gave us some money to buy a windsock for our garden from her, for Ty, which we picked out on our way home.  It was a really nice last day that we all spent together, and I'm so grateful that Ty got to play with Grammy that day. 

 

 

We are going to miss Grammy, and will be certain that Ty and Brady remember their great-grandmother as they grow up. 

 

We love you, Grammy!

Life With Ty #16 - Ty or Brady?

Let's play a little game...it's called "Ty or Brady?"  Ready, set, go!

 

 

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Okay, they don't totally look alike, especially in those last pictures...there are definite differences in their features, but there is no doubting that these boys are brothers!  Before Brady was born, we really wondered what he would look like, and how much he would resemble Ty.  Honestly, when your first child has Down Syndrome, there's always a part of you that wonders which features are inherited and which features are influenced by the 21st chromosome...at least that was something we had always wondered!  As soon as Brady was born though, we instantly saw the resemblance...and I'm pretty sure Eric and I referred to Brady as "Ty" on more than one occasion!  While there are subtle differences in their eyes and noses, I can honestly say that they look very much alike, Down Syndrome or not.  (And they both look very much like their daddy...he must have some very strong genes!)  Such handsome little guys! 

Life With Ty #11 - The Rocking-tiger

Last night, we arrived home from speech therapy to find a very large box in our living room.  Curious, we opened it up to find this little guy inside...a rocking-horse tiger...a rocking-tiger!  Ty immediately had to check it out...was it real?  Did it bite?  Could he pet it?  His inspection process ended with a big kiss on the tiger's head.  

 

This is no ordinary rocking-tiger, though.  This new addition to our household traveled all the way from Virginia, from Ty's great-great aunt and uncle, their children, and their grandchildren...several generations of Gormans.  He has been well-ridden and well-loved over the years, and was so generously passed down to Ty and Brady, so they could continue to love him for years to come!  I just love things like that...things with a story and a history. 

Ty has already discovered the excitement of the rocking-tiger, and took his first ride this afternoon.  (It took him a day to work up the courage to sit up there!)  He loved it, and his ride ended with another kiss on the tiger's head...his seal of approval!

 

 

Welcome to the Momnie family, rocking-tiger!  The boys look forward to many years with you!

Life With Ty #8 - Brothers

I've always hoped to have a small litter of children - not huge, 3 or 4 is enough - but I have always wanted my children to have the experience of having siblings.  When I found out that I was having another boy, I was SO excited to be giving Ty his first brother.  I envisioned wound-up, dirty little boys in jeans and t-shirts running around the house playing imaginary games, rough-housing, and laughing.  And while we're not there yet, I'm pretty sure that's where my future is headed.

In his 5 short weeks of life, Brady has managed to capture Ty's heart.  The first time Ty met Brady, he looked at his little brother with the biggest smile on his face, and literally attempted to climb in the bassinet with him.  And every day since has been the same.  When Ty wakes up in the morning he signs "baby" and walks over to wave and smile at Brady.  He is truly happy to see him.  While Brady sits in his bouncy seat, or lays in his playgym, Ty scoots up next to him to chat, pet his hair, and help him play.  If Brady's pacifier falls out of his mouth, Ty puts it back in for him.  When Brady starts to get fussy in his seat, Ty will rock it like he's seen us do.  He's even taken it upon himself to wipe Brady's spit-up off of his mouth.  I know that many toddlers have a hard time when a new baby is introduced into the family, but I can honestly say that Ty loves his brother and enjoys having him around.

But that adoration goes both ways.  Seeing Ty's face can get an instant smile out of Brady.  It takes a few seconds of talking and exaggerated smiles for Eric and I to get Brady to smile and talk back to us, but Ty gets them the second he crosses Brady's line of vision.  That little guy loves his big brother. 

It's only been a month, but I love to watch the bond developing between my boys.  We have a long, fun future ahead of us!

Life With Ty #7 - First Christmas

First Christmas

 

When I first became a parent, one of the things I most looked forward to was playing Santa.  Christmas is by far my favorite holiday, and I couldn't wait to be the one to instill in my children that sense of magic and excitement of Christmas morning.

 

The day after Thanksgiving is our "decoration day".  We spend all afternoon pulling down boxes, decorating the tree, and hanging the lights outside.  I'd be lying if I said I don't count down the days in November in anticipation of this day!  That first "decoration day" was my favorite, because we could include Ty.  He hung his very first ornament on the tree...and ate numerous others!

 



 

 

On Christmas morning, I may or may not have woken up Ty to open his presents from Santa...I was definitely like the child in the situation! :)  It was worth every minute of lost sleep though!  Ty opened his stocking all by himself, playing with each toy that he pulled out.  This picture is still one of my favorites, with his "seriously, this is all I get?!" look on his face!

 

 

 

To a 9 month old baby, wrapping paper is the ultimate gift, and Ty appreciated every square foot of it!  I'm pretty sure we spent a good chunk of that morning playing with paper, but hey, whatever makes a kid happy!

 

 

 

Christmases have gotten more and more fun as he's grown older and more aware, but that first one will always be my favorite.  You only get first experiences once, and my first adventure as Santa definitely lived up to the hype!





Baby #2 In the Spotlight

I've been meaning to sit down and give an update on baby #2 for weeks now, and haven't had the chance. So here it is!

First news...baby # 2 is a BOY!!! I'll admit, we've actually known with fair certainty that he is a boy since our 12 week ultrasound. As tiny as he was then, technology is amazing, and there was no doubting he was all boy when our ultrasound technician showed us the "gender shot"! She was about 90% sure it was a boy, but had the decency to advise us not to buy anything just yet!!! So for the past two months I've had a little fun listening to everyone tell me they were SURE I was having girl, knowing darn well we are not! :) We are SO thrilled though. My visions of motherhood have always included a litter of messy, loud little boys running around, so my dreams are becoming reality! Plus, pulling out all of Ty's newborn clothes (some still with tags!) is a blast! Baby Boy most definitely has a name, but we have decided to keep it a secret until his arrival. We love his name, it suits his little personality that I'm starting to notice, and only want others to know once it's written on a birth certificate and cannot be influenced otherwise! :) (I really hope I don't slip!!!) So for the next 20 weeks, feel free to refer to him as "baby boy"!

More importantly...baby boy looks HEALTHY!!! I don't think either of us realized how nervous we were to re-live the medical scares that we endured with Ty, until the moment of truth on that exam table!!! All of his organs and systems appear to be developing normally, however. Our ultrasound tech was incredibly thorough in her measurements, and in addition to being healthy, he is growing on track (actually a little ahead of schedule), so my fears of bed rest due to poor blood flow were eased as well!!! It was a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. I could handle another Down syndrome diagnosis pretty easily, but if we had to face the critical medical complications that Ty was suspected to have, I'm not sure where I'd find the energy to face them!!! So all is well, and we do not need any further tests or ultrasounds for the remainder of the pregnancy...that's new territory!!! Big focus now is the nursery...easy peasy! :)
So all in all things are great. I'm still feeling great (minus the occasional growth spurt that baby boy has, where I feel like I did a serious ab workout for a few days)! His little kicks are finally starting to surface, which is my favorite part of pregnancy! Up to this point his movements have mainly been somersaults, so it's nice to feel a tiny hand or foot once in a while. And with the intensity that he starts moving with, I have a feeling he's going to be my "sprited" child!!!
I'll leave you with a picture of baby boy. We spent the last (relaxed!!) few minutes of our ultrasound watching him attempt over and over to put his little thumb in his mouth. I think he was a bit frustrated! Cannot wait to meet him!!!

Halfway to meeting our baby boy!

Easter 2012!

We had a wonderful Easter!  I can't believe this was Ty's third Easter with us already; each year keeps getting more and more fun! 

 

The Easter Bunny visited Ty, bringing several "arts-and-crafts" type gifts this year...playdoh, fingerpaint, crayons...as well as a few other fun extras.  My intention was to give Ty his basket after we all had breakfast, but he quickly spotted it on the counter, pointing and yelling "BAS!" (his version of the word "basket" that we taught him the night before), and practically jumping out of my arms to see what was in his "bas".  He methodically took each item out of the basket one at a time, inspecting it closely before moving on to the next.  I don't think he totally understands the concept of the Easter Bunny yet, but he certainly understands the concept of gifts!  We spent our Easter morning exploring playdoh and creating fingerpaint pictures, which was a blast!

We were fortunate enough to have two Easter dinners this year at Ty's Nanny's house, and then his Grandpa's house (which the baby greatly appreciated!).  Ty had a blast hunting for eggs at his Nanny's house, and we discovered he has a knack for locating eggs hidden in random places!  He then spent the rest of the afternoon practically running all over his Grandpa's house; I'm pretty sure he'll sleep well tonight!!!

 



Happy Easter, everyone!!!

The Second Birthday Celebration!!!

Introducing the newest two-year old around!!!

Ty's birthday began with lots of hugs and kisses bright and early in the morning from his proud Momma!  Here is the first picture of the brand new two-year old, a little startled in his bed!

Ty celebrated his birthday with the help of his family and a few of his little toddler friends from his playgroup.  It was a nice, relaxed afternoon in good company!  Naturally, Ty's party theme was "ABCs", being one of his greatest interests right now! 

Though he wasn't up for eating his cupcake, he was very interested in the candle!

Being such a big boy now, Ty received his first set of golf clubs, and his first lacrosse stick from Mom and Dad!  He knows exactly how to use both, and spends a good portion of his days playing his new sports in the playroom!  Daddy is very-much looking forward to having a golf-buddy this summer!

Ty also received a new set of wheels, which he has put a few miles on since his birthday!

A tired little guy after his big day!  Next year, there will be a fourth family member joining this picture!

Thank you again, to everyone who helped to make Ty's second birthday so special!