Potty Training Update

We're still working on potty training. My son will sit on the potty each morning. He likes to see a doll use the potty first so I "feed" the baby and then let it go potty on the toilet. He then jumps up on the seat and sits there while I read him books. He hasn't actually gone potty yet, but he knows what it means when I say, "Let's go potty." He'll sit there for awhile and he understands that afterwards he needs to flush the toilet and wash his hands. He isn't afraid of the toilet which is progress for him.

I read short book on potty training in one day. It isn't really in one day because you spend a few weeks ahead of time preparing for the "big day" and then you spend a few weeks, or even months, afterwards cleaning up accidents and following up on using the toilet. For my other 9 kids I've just waited until they were ready and looked for signs that they could understand. Since my youngest has had dry diapers and points to his diaper when he wets, I think he's getting ready.

We also watch potty training DVDs and sing songs about it.

It's slow going, but he'll get there. Meanwhile, we'll read a lot of books and sing a lot of songs together.

The Inspiration of Team Hoyt

The world sees Rick Hoyt as handicapped and many pity him. Yet, in the eternal scheme of things, he is not the one that is handicapped, we are. His challenges, like my son's, will never keep him out of the celestial kingdom, while mine will.

While watching this video and the love this father has for his son, I am reminded of the scripture in John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Have a tissue nearby while you watch this.

He's Not a Chromosome Count

My son still amazes me when he does things I don't expect.

He loves to play on Starfall (www.starfall.com) and today I watched him choose a game about the body. Words were listed at the top of the screen. In the middle of the screen was a figure of a kid. Along the sides of the kid were spaces with arrows pointing to different body parts like head, arm, foot, hand, etc. I stood in amazement as my four-year-old, who doesn't speak much, matched words to body parts by clicking on the word at the top and dragging it to the correct space. Time and time again he did it correctly. As soon as he'd match one, he'd look at me and smile.  At the end of the game, the kid on the screen did a little dance so my son stood on his chair and shook his little bootie. So cute!

The more I see him do things like this, the more determined I am to make sure he doesn't get shoved into a "box" designed by well-meaning people who decide he'll only do certain things because he has an extra chromosome. He's an individual with talents just like everyone else. He may have challenges, but so what?

He needs to be evaluated as an individual, not as a chromosome count.

Family Photo Session or Torture at the Talley House

This is an attempt at a family photo. I just love my youngest son's smile, even if it is goofy.

Here's a close-up of that smile.



And this is the best representation of what our family photo sessions are like . . .