Well, amidst thinking about Cambridge, planning out the logistics of relocating overseas, sorting and packing the entire contents of my life, the show must go on.
I am first a mother, my husband’s biggist fan and advocate at large. So let me fill you in on our adventures outside of Cambridge.
As of late, our lives have been consumed with the Three Hills Arts Academy production of Guys and Dolls. They did an amazing job (as always). From the set, to costumes to the incredible talent on stage – it was a timeless hit! Everyone did such a fabulous job and I am proud to call you my friends. More pics can be found here. See the guy in the pink…yeah, he’s with me.
We all seem to have made it through unscathed…that being said I was a bit of a bag going into week two of performances (or into the last month before shows even started) and was sick of the endless nights of single parenting.
But it’s over and it was a success and there is no better way to celebrate than with GARLIC NIGHT! I feel, honestly, so blessed to have friends that love food as much as I do. We oohed, awed and drooled as we were welcomed by the aroma of Garlic. Sweet potato chipotle soup, walnut pesto linguini, garlic sauteed broccolini, garlic risotto, green beans, bruschetta, roasted chicken made with 40 cloves of garlic and so much more. It was divine.
When it is this good, we don’t even get half way through our meal before beginning discussions on what will be up next. Creole? Middle Eastern? British (where the national food is curry)?
Queue transition to Ella….
There is a lot going on in Ella’s world too, lately. Today, at school, while singing our Good-bye song, Ella stood….all by herself….for the whole song….with actions. It was spectacular. We love PREP so much and will be sad to leave it. It is where Ella came out of her shell, learned that she loves painting, loves to jump on a trampoline and loves to go down the slide. It is where she has learned how to take turns and is learning how to use her little passive voice.
She coming along with signing but the voice is still hidden and quiet. The last two weeks we have gone in early to meet with our SLP (Barb) to see if we can’t coax a little bit more out of Ella. Barb seems to think that Ella’s lack of vocalization is not and issue of ability so much as personality… and really, if you have met her, you know what I mean when I say that she can smile and get WHATEVER she wants. She does things (including speaking) carefully and with care and won’t go off babbling using sounds she is unfamiliar with.
Da, ta and tse are her favorites and she uses them often. I am pretty sure she says “down” confidently (meaning it isn’t a coincidence that she is making the correct sound). We’re now working on B’s and the Ah sound. I am still a little skeptical but I am truly thankful to Barb for joining with me in conquering this hurdle.
The other news in Ella’s world is that in May she will be going in for a sleep study consult and then an actual sleep study. After a referral was made because of Ella’s shockingly low O2 levels while in hospital pneumonia, she was put on a sleep monitor and labelled as semi-urgent.
I don’t really know what this means but I am trying to limit the freak-out. Before pneumonia, I never had reason to suspect that Ella had sleep apnea. She sleeps well, she sleep long, although I have been told that there are other kids with sleep apnea that also sleep very well. If it is bad enough they might suggest putting her on a cpap machine or make a referral to the ENT. I wouldn’t be worried one bit about it if we weren’t planning on moving overseas but then again, I also know a child whose parents were advised to follow through with the above recommendations, chose to do nothing, and their child is perfectly fine. Time will tell and quite frankly, I will be glad to get it out of the way, instead of have it come up in England.
We will also have her hearing checked again on Monday, now that the Down Syndrome Clinic FINALLY has a new audiologist and her eyes again in June. I am not worried about either.
Then there is Jakob…
Well the snow is melting at last!!!! and while the wind is bitterly cold the sun is warm. Today, he may have even been out in the sandbox with no shoes or coat. Ill-advised by Mommy, but he did it anyway.
He is getting so big and unbelievably sharp. This morning was just a typical example of Jakob’s aptitude for phonetics. “Does J starts with Jug, mommy?” He is coming into his own cultivating his natural charm, sass and compassion. I entrust his sponge-like heart and mind to God and I see God working in him already. Through the tantrums, arms crossed and furrowed brow his kind spirit is evident. He is an amazing big brother to any that are littler than he is. And while he tries to be brave he will say, “You’ll protect me?” when a fly buzzes by. I will protect you dear Jakob.
This weekend will see little rest so I savour these quiet moments. We have our Garage sale, and then Ben has a Chamber Choir concert Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Then after our hearing appt on Monday we will be off to BC on Tuesday. I hope it to be a much needed break and a good time with family.
Happy Hump Day Everyone!
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