Happy Thanksgiving!

This year I am thankful for...

~Chase's School
~Alex's new school and the fact that he is enjoying it!
~My group of best friends that continues to stay hilarious year after year after year
~Chase beginning to crawl and walking so well with his walker
~My wonderful Husband who is SO fantastic with our kiddos
~All of our family

and of course

Chase

 Alex

And our AMAZING Make-A-Wish Ladies!!!!!

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Look Who's CRAWLING!!!

Chase has been "army crawling" for quite some time. He "drags" himself along. That is because of his lack of coordination. Suddenly Wednesday his hiney popped up in the air, and on his knees he began crawling. No one was sure he's ever figure this out!!!

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              (Just click play)  :)

XOXO

97 Rock "Make-a-Wish radio-thon"

ELMO!

Make-a-Wish Part 2

Chase had a fantastic time Tuesday night getting into everything (ok, so did Mom and Daddy)!!!  Half of his room is completed, half is being delivered here soon, so the fun goes on!  Tuesday night he was given a desk, bean bag chair, multiple rope lights, net lights and a lighted bubble tube.  He got many room decorations including mirrors and decals.  We opened multiple tactile sensory toys, motion toys, Fisher Price toys, giant blocks, and an adapted swing...Still to arrive are his fiber optic ceiling, a karaoke machine, physical therapy equipment, a trampoline, gym mats, an adorable rug, a wave shaped bookshelf, a water table etc. etc....AMAZING!

 

XOXOXOXOXO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is Chase's WISH DAY!

All I know is that tomorrow, at 6pm, ELMO is going to show up at our front door with a truck load of sensory items for Chase!  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  

Thank you, in advance, Make-a-Wish of Western New York!

I will be posting many pictures soon, I promise!!!

XOXO

BYE BYE BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!

No more feeding tube!  Happy...HAPPY day! 

Saying Goodbye to the Feeding Tube

It has been only eight months since Chase got his G-Tube...and it's been two months since we used it!  We hope to be tube free by his birthday.  It's normal for kids to lose up to 10% of their weight when taken off the tube feeds, Chase has gained!!!  He's doing fantastic with food.  When he got the tube he was 20 pounds and he is now 25 pounds 6 ounces.

We had our meeting with the school district last week.  It went fantastic.  He'll be going to preschool three 1/2 days a week.  He'll be going to CHC (Center for Handicapped Children) Learning Center in Williamsville.  On the days he's in school he will have therapy with their therapists...and the AMAZING part is that the district is allowing him to keep his therapists at home the days he's out of school.  We brought a few of our girls to the meeting and I think it helped that Anissa cried, lol.  She and Chase have a special bond!

We visited CHC 2 weeks ago (then requested that Chase go there) and I was so impressed.  Their philosophy is to not hold anyone back, if Chase is ready for "traditional" school before kindergarten, they will move him on.

I went into our visit at CHC with the attitude "I'm just looking, he's going to a normal preschool".  As soon as I saw everything they had to offer, I knew I was being ridiculous.  At a traditional preschool, what would Chase do on the playground?  Where would he sit during circle time?  Who would help at lunch?  I want him to be as "normal" as possible, and CHC will help him to do what is normal for him.

I can't believe he's almost 3!  When did that happen???

I remember when he fit in my hand!   

XOXO

Special Needs, Special Moms, Society

I have started a much needed support group on Facebook...please join and invite others as well!

We plan on having a lot of fun and being there for one another when other friends might just not understand...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=125145890861759

Make-A-Wish Part I

Last Thursday night we had a wonderful visit with our volunteer team from The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Miss Margi and Miss Kayleigh. Chase's PT, Sarah, Special Instruction Teacher, Anissa, And Speech Therapist, Denise, were all there to help design the perfect therapy/sensory/play room for Chase. The entire room's theme revolves around this set of wall mirrors:



There will be a "starry sky fiber optic ceiling", tons of mirrors, tons of lights, a bubble tower that changes color to his voice, a trampoline, karaoke machine, lots of texture exercises, gym mats, a big storage shelf shaped like a wave, a big vibrating turtle, a water table, a spin top big enough to put him in and spin him around (lol), and a bunch of other therapy items and toys!

I can't wait!

Margi and Kayleigh stayed until around 9pm, at 10:30 that night Margi called to say she had gotten Alex and a friend each a spot at the "Geek Squad Academy" for 4 days in July! HOW SWEET is it that she was SO excited to have done something for Alex!?!? So Alex and Christopher (Paula's son and longtime friend of Alex) will be geeking it up together this summer! They'll be learning about making movies, editing music, etc.

As soon as we hear anything new I'll be sure to fill you in. XOXO

Before & After Pictures of our New Home!

Busy Busy! Yesterday was "Media Day" with the USDA. What a nice event! There were 23 people total including friends, family and Chase's therapists. The representatives from the USDA spoke first about our family (it was so sweet!) and gave us a giant key and big hanging basket welcoming us home. We were then given a chance to share our appreciation (I made Dave talk while I held a sick Chase, of ALL days for him to be sick) followed by a front lawn photo shoot :o). John, from the Batavia USDA office brought a ton of cookies and drinks provided by his wife! YUMMY! We were interviewed by the Clarence Bee, now I have to find out when the Bee comes out. lol I'd hate to miss it!

Since we've spent the last 3 weeks doing nothing but fixing up the house, we figured it's time to share some pictures!

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!

Disco Balls!!!

Our favorite new spot!

Chase in a bag! (A gift from the USDA):

Our other big news is that Chase's pediatrician referred him to Make-A-Wish. They will be coming Thursday night, with all the therapists, to help plan a therapy room for him! He needs a place to play where he can throw himself around without us worrying about him hitting his head on a table edge! We're SO excited!!!

HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!!!