Splish! Splash! Laik's 2nd Birthday Bash!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Laik Leffew!

He is not a fan of heat....nor was his cake!

Sweet boy, with curls!  

Add a Chester's Cheese Puff to a melting cake and whaa-la...Eat up!

I don't know why their eyes are closed, but it looks serious!

I think Laik is telling his daddy that he wants a swimming pool in the back yard! ;o)

A little more cake and this is a party!

Laik with all the cousins and friends!

Laik loves the water! 

The Lord knew he had to be a summer baby, because birthdays at the lake = fun....for everyone!

Happy Birthday Laik!

WE LOVE YOU...to the moon and back times three!

Everything is improving...

It has been quite a while since I last posted, but life has been full speed ahead! So, this post will probably be as random and jumbled as our last few months have been.

Laik is famous!  He is currently smiling all over Chattanooga and the surrounding areas on billboards!

"What's the smile of a little boy worth?"  To me....everything in the world!  Siskin Children's Institute is fabulous and if you want to know more....just visit the website  www.siskin.org  and if you feel the urge to donate to an institution that is helping children with special needs, tell them Laik sent you!  

Since beginning in December at the Institute, we have seen such improvement with Laik!  

Also, notice the "Champy's Fried Chicken" sign in the lower right corner of the photo....it's a great place to eat if you are in Chattanooga....go on in and let Laik smile at you while you gnaw on some chicken!  

Laik is also beginning to really get some golden locks!  On this afternoon in the car, I couldn't resist snapping his picture.

Sitting in the big chair at The Best ENT Office in Chattanooga!  Dr. St.Charles is great with Laik!
A ENT update:  after having about 4 ear infections, Laik had tubes inserted in March 2011.  Since then, no ear infections!  Yeah, but at this visit, we did learn the the tubes have moved into the ear canal, so it is a watch and see game....more tubes might be in our future.  But so far, so good.

Laik is all about feeding himself these days.  It is a mess for sure, but it does make me so happy!  He is making improvements with his feeding/eating.  He does great getting food off the tray and he will even take things from my hand in the car!!!!! (remember, a few post back, I mentioned that it would be so nice if he I could hand him things....now I can!  Thank you Lord!)  He will grab a fork or spoon, but would rather bang it on the table than scoop food and bring it to his mouth.  We continue to work on that.

Holding his bottle!!!  Is the fat lady singing?  She should be.  The days of constantly having to hold his bottle for him are over!  I do still have to hold it for him sometimes, but he is MILES better than before. He is also in the process of making the transition to a sippy cup.  I wanted to skip the sippy and go straight to the straw, but oh well.  Living with Laik and planning is like having a "birth plan"....it is gonna change or not happen.....So take it in stride and deal with it!

Another reason for the fat lady to sing.....NO MORE THICKENING!   Laik just passed his most recent swallow study last week!  Good-bye ThickIt!  He is a smidge uncoordinated with his swallowing, but he isn't aspirating!  GO LAIK!!!

Again, just a sweet little pic of my smiling boy!  His smile is infectious!  I love it!!!  This was one evening at about 11:00 pm....I have a night owl.  Not always, but he does seem to know when Friday and Saturday night roll around. (My mother has teased that my first words were, "Here's Johnny!" so the late nighter in him must be from me.)

Doing a little artwork on the playground.  Then he chose to use the pink chalk as a brow liner?!?!?

And, doing a little "patrol detail" on the playground.  Laik enjoys being in the cozy coupe police car, but currently, his only gear is REVERSE.  But all that is about to change, I think.  Two weeks ago, we had a fitting for a gait trainer.  Once that arrives, he will be in boot camp training with his PT and I'm sure it will be GAME ON.  Game on to see which one of them is the most stubborn.  Will Ms. Lisa give in or will Laik pop the clutch and grab 2nd gear, and start moving forward?  I'll keep you posted.

As always, Living Leffew is busy, but Laik sure is taking us places.  Places that I never thought I would have to travel, but the scenery is great each time we land.  The flight and landing can be rough, but the destination remains enlightening, because Laik is there!

The big 2nd birthday is just 11 days away.  I can't believe that our journey with Laik has already been two years, but I can't imagine life without him.

Summer has always been a time for fun. With Laik Leffew, it is certainly happening....Fun.

Fun with a capital F!

A friend like me...

Todd and I were told that it would be very unlikely to ever meet another child with Trisomy 12p.  Well, the odds must be in our favor because today, I did!  

Meet Brett, Drew and Laura Ketcham!

Unfortunately, Todd had to work today, but my mother and I were able to meet up with the Ketcham family in Atlanta at the home of Laura's parents.  (This was not Mother's first meeting with a Trisomy 12p family.  In September, while attending the UTC/Nebraska football game, Mother, my sister, brother-in-law and aunt were able to meet up with Kristin and Ellen Brown in Lincoln.)  How did I find these people?  FACEBOOK.  Of all of its many cons, one of its pros is the Trisomy 12P Parent Support Page.  That page has helped me to connect with numerous T12p families, but the families are all over the states and the world!  

I confess, when I first found the page, I was a silent stalker!  I never commented, but I looked at the photos and read the post, over and over!  Anything to give me some real insight to what the prognosis was going to look like in the future.  The paperwork we were given by doctors was full of medical jargon and research information that painted an ugly picture.  The FB page gave me exactly what I was looking for:  photos, not just statistics.  And Drew Ketcham caught my eye...I saw the blue-eyes, the blonde hair, the fair skin and I thought, that is what Laik is going to look like when he gets bigger.  

Long story, short:  I made up my mind that I wanted to meet the other families.  So, I sent messages, made phone calls, sent texts and emails, and today my first meeting happened.  I was anxious, nervous, and excited all at the same time.  Many thoughts crossed my mind, I was full of questions, but then I got there...

I had a bit of a directional issue (easy to do in ATL) which had me a bit flustered and LATE! But, once I pulled into the driveway, weight literally lifted off of my shoulders.  Laura and her parents greeted us.  It was like pulling up to family we hadn't seen in a while.  I never once felt uncomfortable or out of place.  We introduced ourselves, hugged and went in to meet Brett and Drew.  And we found ourselves chatting in a thousand directions.  We put the boys on the floor to interact and then we just enjoyed the company of another family like us.  Brett stated it best, "we don't have to apologize, you are like us!"

We had lunch, we talked about everything from church with a special needs child to potty training to Disney World to beach vacations to schools to wheelchairs and vehicles.  

Then I took out my camera and started snapping photos of the boys.  It was interesting to watch them interact and check each other out.  Drew demonstrated his walking skills, as well as, his pretty savvy wheelchair maneuvering skills!  

I found myself watching Drew's every move.  I was trying to mentally document everything about him so I could relay the information to Todd. It was exciting to see him communicate with his parents.  

Laura commented on behaviors that Laik exhibited that reminded her of things Drew did when he was younger. 

We swapped stories.  

We "snuggied" the boys A LOT!  I spent a precious few minutes on the sofa with Drew.  He crawled up beside me and was so sweet.  He then proceeded to take his shoes off, spin around, put his feet in my lap and get comfy.  My heart was melting! 

Laik showed off his best "if you're happy and you know it" claps!

And there was a lot of sweetness, with jibberish talk, that I would love to know the meaning!

It was a site to behold.  Two boys, 5 years apart, with T12p just hanging out.

Their expressions in these photos could tell a story....enjoy them, I know I did!

It goes like this:  

Drew:  "and that is exactly how it happened"

Laik:  "seriously, I can't believe it!"

Drew:  "man, that is hilarious"

Laik:  "don't tell everyone!"

Drew:  "you always say that..."

Laik:  "I know..."

I can hear those deep little voices saying, "I didn't do it!"

One happy boy!  He was sneaking his way to try to escape out the side door!

I love this picture!  It's like two friends, laughing and deciding when they will do this again!

It was a good, good day!  We hope to meet up again....at the beach!  

Laura and I agreed, "It is what it is!"  

Here's to making more connections and meeting more new friends...like us!