Easter Eggs

As a family tradition we always color Easter eggs. Joshua loves doing this! It is fun to watch the eggs change color from white to vibrant pinks, greens, yellows, oranges and blues. Joshua enjoys rolling the eggs in the dye to make sure they all get colored. 

Here he is removing an egg to see if it is done or not. In the tin bowl, there is an egg with rubber bands around to add a cool effect; when the rubber bands are removed the egg will have white streaks! He prefers making these eggs because he can make them look like a basketball! He also wants to throw the basketball egg into the basketball hoop. I think that is so hilarious! 

He also likes to do a different form of egg coloring called tye-dye eggs! You squirt some drops of food coloring on the egg, roll the egg around, let it sit and then repeat with 2 more colors. When you have the dye on, you rinse the whole egg with water, then it looks like a rainbow! 

The final product! Don't they look magnificent? 

                     Noel

Tractor Revival

One of Joshua's first words was tractor or as he says is "tactor." Riding on it with his dad is a favorite activity. We learned early on not to leave the keys in it because of course it would be even more fun for him to drive it. 

Friday night I was jolted awake by Noel saying the words that every mother dreads, "Mom, my tummy hurts." This was was the beginning of another night of communing with the tile floor in the bathroom and every waste basket was put on double-duty.  Joshua had it the worst. However, Saturday morning, when he heard dad was going out to do some work on the tractor, he dragged himself out of bed, got dressed in his Carhartts and insisted on going with him. How could we resist? You can tell from his expression that his energy level is low but nothing like a tractor ride in dad's lap to revive the spirits of a "farmer" in the making. I could not catch it in a photo, but as the tractor revved up and drove off, his eyes lit up and I caught a glimpse of a small, joyful, smile ease across his lips.

Mom

Snow Tunnel

We think the spring thaw has finally arrived, to the dismay of the kids who love to play 

in the snow.  In a last "hurrah", they confiscated some garden shovels and made a tunnel 

in what remained of "Snow Mountain." 

Here you see Joshua, shooting into the "cave" 

with momentum gathered from the slide. 

There was a moment of anxiety when he thought he was stuck! Help!

After some serious wiggling and grunting he summoned all his strength and...

made it through! 

Mom

Take me out to the ball game!

 

He pitches! Strike three you are out of there!

He hits! Oh! that was a smashing single...

He runs to 1st, that was close but he is a fast guy.

He beat that pitcher bad.

Joshua loves to play baseball and as you can see he gets very excited.

He has been wanting to play since the snow flew, hauling his bag around

the house asking me to play with him.  Finally the snow was gone and

we got to play!  It is very fun to play with him because he is a good sport and loves to

play with friends and family.  He loves to play all the positions just like 

his brothers. :)

  CALEB

Giddy-up!

After a visit to the lobsters and the fish tanks, a trip to Meijer is not complete without a ride on Sandy!!! Oh, if only I could bring myself to ride a plastic horse with this much joy and abandon. I am sure my serotonin levels would go up and the wrinkles on my forehead would decrease.  Can't you just hear the whoops and hollers?!

Mom

Fire Vigil

Joshua has expensive tastes when it comes to syrup on pancakes, his favorite breakfast food. He will settle for nothing less then real maple syrup. After helping to stoke the fire and set the pot he has been holding a vigil by the barrel that is sloooowly boiling the sap down to syrup. When he has his mind set on something his patience astounds me! 

Mom

Haircut

I remember when we first started taking Joshua to get his haircut. It was not pretty. He was convinced  that the scissors were an alien weapon of mass destruction and that if he sat in that mysterious chair he was going to get his ears snipped off! We initially went to a lovely women that had a hair salon in her house which allowed us to help him work through his anxiety away from public scrutiny. After many appointments that involved bribing him with doughnuts, distracting him with toys or sometimes holding his arms across his chest while sitting on the floor so the stylist could use clippers to even out his hair, he now willingly climbs up into the barber chair. Perhaps the change in his attitude occurred when he realized the mysterious moving chair is fun to ride up and down. But I think it has more to do with his hope that on one of these appointments I will cave and allow him to get the mohawk he keeps begging for. As you can see from this photo, I did not give in today!

Mom

Barn Helper

Joshua is a big helper at the barn! He delights in coming to our neighbor's barn with his siblings and helping to feed the horses. His chores include filling up the water, helping with the grain, sweeping the barn and bringing out the hay. He also enjoys shoveling manure. I have never loved that chore, and doubt I ever will! In this picture he is tossing out the hay to Tate. He always has a joyful spirit as he helps and I enjoy when he comes with us.

    Noel

Tapping Trees

Joshua wants to be in the middle of what ever adventure the other kids are pursuing. Today it was checking the sap buckets on the first tree our family has ever tapped. They were thrilled to discover that, despite the 35 degree temperatures, this robust, stoic, sugar maple, easily over 100 years old, was basking in the southern sun and it's veins were gushing under the warm rays. The bucket was almost over flowing with the sweet, clear liquid. The only disappointment was the realization that the syrup he loves so much does not come ready made out of the tree!

Mom

Driving

Caleb and Noel recently taught Joshua how to steer the golf cart. His legs can't quite reach the gas peddle but he was ecstatic to finally have his hands on the wheel after bumping along as a lowly passenger. Just wait until he grows a bit. He'll be checking the sap buckets and doing the barn chores on his own!

Mom

Rhythm and Rock

Children with Down syndrome are gifted with superb flexibility. This gives Joshua an advantage when it comes to creative dance moves. It's difficult to capture in still photos but he can bend and twist in ways that would make most of us wince! 

Ready position...

Meet you in the middle.

Taking a bow!

Sock Hands

Thursday, March 14

If you want to experience what it is like to try and write with low-muslce tone, put a sock on your writing hand, pick up a pencil and write your name, copy your favorite recipe or write a letter to a friend. It's difficult and tiring and you and I  are not also trying to manipulate the pencil with fingers that are just a wee bit short for this exercise. But Joshua, through much practice, can write his name and he is working diligently to learn the other letters. He needs some coaxing or incentives to encourage him to do his writing worksheets but he is making progress! Go spuds!

Mom 

Biking

Wednesday, March 13

The snow has almost melted and the temperature has risen to a whopping 45 degrees. Oh course it's a perfect day to maneuver your bike off of the garage ceiling (with help from big brother and sister) and take it out for a spin! Doesn't the smile on his face say a thousand words. He is having a riot despite the fact that his hands and feet are cold (you can't ride your bike in your boots) and if I had not insisted on sweatpants he would have been in his shorts too!

Mom

Birthday Cake

The birthday cake has finally been resurrected from the freezer! 

Tuesday, March 12

Blowing out the Candle,

cutting it,

and...

at last, the first taste!

Mmm!

                                                                     Noel

Snow Fun

They all love the snow!

Monday, March 11

Moses has some new creative plan with a slide. He always 

gets his siblings in on it too!

The plan is to sit on the slide and have the other

person push them down the hill (the newest form

of sledding:).

Wow, look at Joshua run! He has so much more 

endurance and does not tire so easily now. 

                   

                                                      Noel

Bed - head

Saturday, March 9

Good morning! I love Joshua's thick, blond hair. He takes after his dad's side of the family with their gorgeous "locks" that are dense like a shag carpet.

Mom

Cardboard Boat

Friday, March 8

Joshua working diligently on his boat. I know it does not look like it could float or sail (just yet!) but he is proud of it and we are delighted with the enjoyment he gets out of mixing colors and playing with paint. Tune in another time to see if a Cuties box can really hold water. Do I dare let him play with black tar?

Mom

Story Time

Wednesday, March 6

Flannel sheets, soft pillows and the comraderie of sibling love; Joshua loves the coziness of story-time as much as the story itself.  The harmony achieved between colorful, descriptive pictures, the inflections in the readers voice and a simple plot help him to enjoy and be fully engaged in a story. Lean in and listen, can you hear his giggles and sighs?

Mom

Chef

Tuesday, March 5

One day while I was making a salad Joshua climbed up on the stool with a table knife in his hand and began chopping away at a carrot. Because he is challenged in the area of speech and struggles to articulate his questions, this is often how he expresses his desire to do something; he just does it! At first his "chucks" of carrot were not restaurant grade but with practice, (notice the expression of concentration on his mouth as he cuts this piece of celery), his fine motor skills have shown great improvement. A chef in the making!

Mom

Giggles with Dad

Saturday, March 2

What better medicine to help you bounce back from an attack of the raging stomach flu then a good laugh with your kids. Joshua was more then happy to oblige since he loves to laugh and has the most delightful and authentic giggle.

Mom

Cardboard Castles

Moses is the creative genius behind today's cardboard and scotch tape creation. He heisted some old art-work off of the refrigerator for decoration and then invited his resident squire and princess to join him behind the ramparts. Joshua is always his most enthusiastic participant and together they come up with some pretty regal activities.

Mom