Pee Wee Soccer

Anthony's walking is getting better and better all the time.  Each day he gets more confident and I think we can now proclaim him to be a full-time walker.

Walking means so much more independence. Now he can more easily do fun things like carry stuff around, try out new dance moves, and best of all,  learn to play soccer.  We think he's a natural-- check out these ball skills!

Big Kids in Little Cars

First Trip to the Dentist

Yesterday was an exciting day- Anthony's very first visit to the dentist! Both Mommy and Daddy came along for moral support.  Anthony was very brave.  He sat in the big dentist chair all by himself, and picked out a new toothbrush.  He showed the hygienist how he brushes his teeth, and also how he spits afterwards.

It turns out that a kid's first dentist visit is really all about making them feel comfortable and checking for big problems.  They take the lead from the child and only do as much as the child will tolerate.  No x-rays or cleaning today, but the dentist checked Anthony's mouth for cavities and counted his teeth (19 of 20 have arrived).  They gave us a fluoride coating to paint on his teeth, which should protect his baby teeth for 6 months. 

He also takes fluoride tablets because we don't have it in our water:

The dentist said Anthony's teeth look terrific. No cavities! She went on and on about what a great job we're doing taking care of his teeth (If you think your dentist can tell what you're doing at home, they can't).

We really liked the dentist- she was very friendly and put us all at ease. The fact that Anthony has Down syndrome didn't come up, because it really wasn't relevant.  How refreshing to go to a medical visit and for once NOT hear the usual, "Down's kids this, Down's kids that.........."  When we made the appointment, we didn't mention that Anthony has Down syndrome, because we didn't think this would have changed what they did at the visit.  I wonder if we would have been treated differently if we did make a big deal of it, and acted like he had to be treated differently than other kids.

I guess the moral of the story is: Don't be afraid to take your child to the dentist, and you don't have to tell them ahead of time that he has Down syndrome if you don't want to.

  

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Happy Father's Day to the coolest Daddy of them all!

Ladybug Walk

We went on a Ladybug Walk today.

These are nature walks for preschoolers sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation. 

Each kid gets the use of a little backpack with a magnifying glass, spoons for digging in the dirt, and other tools that a tiny naturalist might need. 

Every week the Ladybug Walk is held at a different local park.  Today it was at Peninsula Park in North Portland- a great place for kids, with a beautiful rose garden, a fountain, outdoor swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and lots of trees and wide open spaces for exploring.

On our nature walk we discovered worms, spiders, and pine cones.  We heard a story about the Douglas Fir , and even learned how to safely climb trees!

Ladybug Walks are held every Friday.  Join one, have fun, and support your Parks Department!