On November 18 2009 at 4:02 am William Alan Bartosch was joyfully welcomed into our family. He weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 in long. We were stunned to discover that he was born with Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome. We love him unconditionally from the top of his toe-head to the tips of his toes. We know that this diagnosis will not define him. He is a happy, healthy little boy that just happens to have an extra chromosome.



Follow us on this unexpected and exciting journey as we learn how to live life Will's Way.



Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Preacher Returns

Will the preacher was back last weekend at the lake.  He is trying to tell us something very serious and important...we just don't know what it is!


 
Which leads me to say that the harder and harder I am listening, the more and more I am hearing what Will is saying.  He said 'apple' clear as day this week while watching his signing video that has the signs for fruit in it.  I am sure he has many more words that I am just not picking up on yet. 
The great, great news is that he went back to speech therapy this week expecting to start from square one with a new therapist, and in walks his old therapist.  She had her baby several months early and is already back from leave.  Her baby girl is doing well but in NICU for awhile.  We were so happy to see her!  She got Will to count 'one, two, three'!

Will also had his first occupational therapy appointment with a new therapist this week.  I can't really say how it went for sure.  Since the only time available was in the middle of the day when I have my nieces and nephew, I couldn't go back to the room with him.  The therapist said he did 'ok'.  She said he played with trucks, but since he already knows how to do that I am not sure if he accomplished much.  I hope to have him improve his utensil and coloring skills along with just general improved play skills.  He is just going to do the OT for the summer since he will get a lot of theraputic play when school starts up again.

Luckily Will makes us laugh, because he is deep in the midst of the terrible twos!  As I have said before, all the pictures I post of Will are cute and funny, but we have had several moments lately of screaming, crying and whining which I chose not to document on his blog.  I am sure it is mostly a stage and a sign of extreme frustration on his part, but it seems to be getting worse.  Which reminds me how much I hate it when I tell someone new that my son has Down syndrome, and they reply 'oh they are the nicest, sweetest people'.  That sterotype didn't bother me in the past, but it does now.  He is not any more like ALL people with Ds, than I am like ALL people with blue eyes.  He has the normal highs and lows that everyone experiences, and I am here to tell you, he is NOT always happy.  He is getting more picky with food, more angry when he doesn't get his way and more whiney when he wants something.  He is trying my patience for sure.  It is hard to not wonder if something else is going on with him since I can't ask if something hurts.  I hope this phase passes soon!

Will also had fun last weekend visiting a bison farm near the lake and playing in the lake and on the boat with his cousins.




1 comment:

Unc ricky said...

I love that you documented William drinking and driving on the boat...busted!

You know what RA would say about the "turrible" twos...remember, this too shall pass...