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Archives For July 2011

dick tracy wears watch hat and trenchcoat trench coat

Sunday’s Are For Relaxing…And Other Things

Rick Smith —  July 19, 2011 — 7 Comments

Sunday’s are always great at our house!

We try to worship, laugh, eat, sleep, and play as hard as we can….and I think we do a pretty good job at it!

This Sunday we went to visit our friend Mark Matlock preach which meant Noah had to visit a new nursery. But, as you can see in the video he did fine (notice he was eating in the video!) I think I’m going to nickname Noah, Audrey ii, because he loves anyone who will feed him!  If you get that reference you’re awesome.

dick tracy wears watch hat and trenchcoat trench coat

"Six-two and even, over and out!"

By the way, whenever I’m not sure if this is just a new parent thing, but whenever I have to leave Noah somewhere for the first time I have this sudden urge to put on a trench coat, and talk into my watch.

Dick Tracy style!!

I want to ask a million questions, make a copy of the drivers license, ask them to let me see what’s on their iPod playlist, and if they are a MAC OR PC.

But I resist the urge.  Man, being a new parent is tough.

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In Family
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Our son. Not ruined by any means.

Open Letter To GQ Magazine Concerning People With Down Syndrome Being “Ruined”

Rick Smith —  July 19, 2011 — 76 Comments

This is our son Noah. He was born with Down syndrome.

To Jim Nelson, Editor-In-Chief

I am writing you concerning a comment that appeared in your recent online article “The Worst Dressed Cities In America.” In the blurb regarding city number 40, Boston, I was extremely disappointed and hurt by this very insensitive, and ignorant statement:

“[Boston] is a bad-taste storm sewer…[Boston] suffers from a kind of Style Down Syndrome, where a little extra ends up ruining everything.”

As a parent of a child born with Down syndrome I will assure that your assumption that a person living with Down syndrome is “ruined,” is wrong, hurtful, insensitive, and ignorant.

People born with Down syndrome have three copies of their 21st chromosomes; compared to the two copies that someone without Down syndrome has.

So technically people with Down syndrome do have a little something “extra” if compared to someone born without Down syndrome.

So the “extra” part of your statement is true.

However, your article goes on to imply that that little something extra “ruins everything.”

I would like to know what you mean by that statement. Was your article implying that all people with Down syndrome are “ruined?” If so, can you please define “ruined” for me?

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In Resources
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our son with down syndrome playing on his texture blanket

Baby Noah Likes His Texture Blanket

Rick Smith —  July 17, 2011 — 1 Comment

A few weeks ago Noah’s physical therapist introduced him to texture blanket to help with his sensory development.

We really wanted to find one for Noah to have at home, and thankfully our friend Laura (Lilly’s mom) offered to make him one! (Thanks again Laura!)

As you can tell Noah really liked being able to feel the different textures and fabrics.

our son with down syndrome playing on his texture blanket

I really like my texture blanket!

picture of our son with down syndrome playing with fun toys

I like to play with fun toys on my texture blanket! :)

In Resources
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father playing with son with down syndrome in down town fort worth

Noah Does It Big For His Seven Month Birthday

Rick Smith —  July 17, 2011 — 7 Comments

Wow, it’s hard to believe our little guy is seven months old today.  It really does seem just like yesterday we were meeting him for the first time.

Without a doubt this has been the best seven months of our lives.

I can’t even explain to you how fun it is to live life with my amazing wife, and sweet little son.  I seriously wish I had time to tell you about all the incredible ways God has been working in our life.

It’s mind-blowing!

Fun With Friends

cute boy with down syndrome play with his friend

Noah's thinking about lunch!

Noah had a busy (but fun) day today.

During the afternoon he and my wife had a play-date with Lilly and Laura.  Laura’s making Noah a really fun (and very useful) texture quilt.

Sensory development is important for any child during the first year of their life. A texture quilt is basically a quilt made out of many different kinds of fabrics; smooth, rough, soft, plush, etc, that touches the babies skin as he plays on it.

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In Family
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Oh no...!

I Forget That Our Son Has Down Syndrome

Rick Smith —  July 15, 2011 — 18 Comments

I forget Noah has Down syndrome.

Seriously.

We didn’t find out Noah was born with Down syndrome until about four hours after he was born.

So I’ve known Noah when I thought he had the same number of chromosomes as you and I, and I’ve known Noah after learning he was built with a little something extra.

And I can say with absolute certainty that there is no difference in the way I see him.  Not at all.  It’s 100% same.  He’s my son.

And I’m head over heels in love with him.

Oh, and I wouldn’t change one chromosome about him. seriously.

Doctor’s Appointments Are My Kryptonite

Doctor's appointments have the same effect on me.

Not long after arriving home from the hospital with Noah the strange mix of emotions we felt after learning he had Down syndrome went away, and Noah was just Noah.

We saw him no differently.

He wasn’t “our son who has Down syndrome”.

He was simply “our son.”

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In Parenting
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down-syndrome-baby-boy-physical-thearpy

It May Look Like Band Practice, But It’s Hard Work!

Rick Smith —  July 14, 2011 — 8 Comments

Although it may look like we’re hanging out with Noah at his percussion practice today (although I’m not sure what a yellow balloon would be doing there?) we’re not.

We’re (well Noah is) actually working very hard.

Don’t Believe A Toy Is Just A Toy

We’ve spent countless hours at different therapy appointments since Noah was born, and I”m amazed at the creative ways the therapists come up with to help our little boy develop into everything that God has created him to be.

At first glance their office looks like an enormous playpen stocked with more toys, swings, and elephants then a 7 month old would know what to do with.

However, those toys, are tools.  Tools those therapists use to help our little boy get stronger.

Pretty neat, huh?

For instance, banging on the little toy drum helps Noah to develop tactile feedback and stimulation; important for any growing boy or girl.

And what looks like a fun swing with a yellow balloon hanging from it actually serves a much greater purpose.

As the swing gently moves from side to side, and back and forth Noah has to use his tummy muscles (his core) in order to keep his balance.

Adding the yellow balloon adds an even greater degree of difficulty to the exercise.

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In Therapy
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cute down syndrome boy picture eating high chair

Noah Pulls Up A Seat At The Big Boy Table

Rick Smith —  July 13, 2011 — 7 Comments

Since Noah has done so well sitting up lately we thought it was only appropriate that he join us at the grown-up table for dinner.

Although he isn’t ready for a full on high chair quite yet, the fantastic feeding chair that my wife bought for him seems to work well for now.

Noah has a tendency to occasionally slide down in the chair while his eating. His occupational and physical therapist suggested that we use some foam inserts inside of the chair to help give him support until he can fully sit up on his own.

(It’s hard work for a baby to learn to sit up, but it’s been so fun watching him learn!)

Noah Pulls Up A Chair

It was nice to have little Noah at the table with us tonight.

cute down syndrome boy picture eating high chair

He feels so grown up sitting at the adult table!

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In Family
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picture of our boy with down syndrome working hard at occupational therapy

Noah’s Occupational Therapy Just Got Upgraded

Rick Smith —  July 12, 2011 — 4 Comments
picture of our boy with down syndrome working hard at occupational therapy

This (almost) seven month old works hard!

It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve taken Noah to occupational therapy.

He goes to physical therapy twice a week, every week, but only goes to occupational therapy once a week, every other week, and his last apportionment fell on The Forth of July so he didn’t have it.   (confused yet?)

But it gets every more fun.

Noah’s occupational therapist told us during his visit today that our little boy is now strong enough to have his occupational therapy visits upgraded…..to once a week, every week!

Which means we will be visiting Our Children’s House at Baylor three times a week….every week. (Head spinning yet? Mine is.)

There Has Never Been A Better Time For A Baby To Be Born With Down Syndrome

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In Therapy
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picture of our baby with down syndrome eating yams

The Rody Horse Is An Inexpensive And Easy Developmental Toy

Rick Smith —  July 11, 2011 — 20 Comments

A few weeks ago Noah’s physical therapist started using a small inflatable elephant to help him develop the core strength required to sit up on his own. Even though it looked like a toy, it turns out it wasn’t. It was actually an expensive therapy tool that can only purchased from a medical supply company.

YIKES!

alternative rody horse down syndromeriding elephant at physical therapy down syndrome

 

 

 

 

I wanted to get buy one in order to help our little boy develop the core strength needed so that he could sit up on his own, but before we shelled out the cash I wanted to see if there was perhaps a cheaper alternative.

The Rody Horse Is A Great Physical Therapy Tool

After doing some research I found out that a lot of parents used (and were very happy) the Inflatable Rody Horse. So I figured why not.

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In Resources
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This ninja turtle toy is like me - a fatherhood ninja

Our Baby, Sleeping Like A Baby

Rick Smith —  July 10, 2011 — 12 Comments

As much fun as I have have creating these daily one minute videos of our son, I have to admit it’s not always easy. My goal is to record, and post, a video every single day.

But sometimes the day just simply runs out before I get a chance to even record the video (much less edit, upload, and post.)

That’s what happened today.

I had actually planned on recording our little guy playing on his new Rody exercise horse. But once my wife got home from work, and we had some dinner, Noah was down for the count. (And my wife followed closely behind.)

our new born boy with down syndrome sleeping in his crib

Sleeping like a baby.

They say you’re never supposed to wake a sleeping baby (or sleeping wife) so I didn’t. However I still wanted to be sure I captured some footage from today, so I scratched the horse idea, and worked with what I had (which actually turned out to be as equally adorable.)

I pulled out the Nikon and recorded something that I doubt anyone would ever be interested in watching unless it involved a cute, little baby. Our little guy sleeping.

That’s it.

Just a sleeping baby. (But a really cute sleeping baby.)

Fatherhood Has Taught Me How To Be A Ninja

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In Family
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