Milestones and Music Therapy!!

Posing with Lightning McQueen!

Life has been super busy these past couple of weeks. We've had plans almost every day, either with friends or appointments. It's been lots of fun. :)

Today, we had an appointment with the developmental specialist and she was lovely. I thought that I would have to drive to The Children's Hospital weekly for appointments, but we don't. The specialist will come out to our home and work with Adele. We are going to start with baby massage. She is trained in baby massage and I am interested in learning. What's great is that we can also do this with Brinley. She is still young enough to reap the rewards. She was pleased with what we are doing with little Adele right now, tummy time, working on her neck muscles and focusing on feedings and making sure that Adele is healthy and growing. She recommended that we put her on a breastfeeding pillow on her play mat, this will help with working on her muscles. She will reach for toys, hopefully and work on her neck strength. The other thing was to lay her on her side once in a while so that she can also work on her muscle tone. It's all about the tone.
I know that many babies (not all) with Down syndrome lay flat and don't kick or reach a lot until they build up some strength. Adele reaches and kicks. She's quite the mover and the shaker. She makes me smile.

Sleepy today :)
 

Tomorrow we start music therapy. I am excited to get going on introducing the girls to different instruments and sounds. Brinley loves music. She loves to dance. She hasn't been around any instruments but I have a feeling that she will enjoy it immensely.

Went from the couch onto my wooden toy :(
Mommy had a heart attack and wanted to barf!

Why music therapy is beneficial....

Brain Waves: Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state. Also, research has found that the change in brainwave activity levels that music can bring can also enable the brain to shift speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.

Breathing and Heart Rate: With alterations in brainwaves comes changes in other bodily functions. Those governed by the autonomic nervous system, such as breathing and heart rate can also be altered by the changes music can bring. This can mean slower breathing, slower heart rate, and an activation of the relaxation response, among other things. This is why music and music therapy can help counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress, greatly promoting not only relaxation, but health.

State of Mind: Music can also be used to bring a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. This can help prevent the stress response from wreaking havoc on the body, and can help keep creativity and optimism levels higher, bringing many other benefits.

Other Benefits: Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which can also reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time), boost immunity, ease muscle tension, and more. With so many benefits and such profound physical effects, it’s no surprise that so many are seeing music as an important tool to help the body in staying (or becoming) healthy.

Pudding made me feel better!

My friend Jenny, who I go to for advice, left a great comment on my last blog. She seems to always make me feel better and encourages me to just focus on Adele, who is just a little girl.

Jenny.....

Oh no, no, no!! Don't EVER do the Baby Center thing!! Nothing good comes from places like that! You don't need updates on what your kid should be doing. I say get off there right now!

Ok, so you already know that each child with Ds is different. They all do things on their own timeline. The range for meeting milestones for kids with Ds is so damn wide that there is no need to even go by it. Like for walking...They say anywhere between 17 months to 4 years old. So ya, wide range! Sitting is the same thing. I would venture to say most sit around their first Birthday. Some much sooner, some a little later. I think Russell was about 9 or 10 months. Walking was just after his second Birthday.
I will tell you this. The milestones will matter to you, because you're a Mom and you won't be able to help not worrying about it. But don't let it consume you. I was consumed by it. If I could go back in time it is the one thing I would change Krista. I would have just enjoyed the slower pace, not worried as much, and just relaxed. Because those milestones I once obsessed over, I can't even remember now when exactly he hit them. When exactly he did roll over, or sit, or crawl...I have to go back and look them up. Because they don't matter anymore. Anyway, so that's my long rambly advice. Don't let it consume you! Enjoy the pace.

Ah the vasectomy...lol...Damn you for not having one more kid! I remember being all excited for Brad's...Cause ya, I popped out five kids, three of which had his big ass head...*ahem*...So I was looking forward to his discomfort. I was very angry when the Doctor would not let me watch! I mean why did Brad get to watch every thing I had to go through but I couldn't watch this?! And this is the part you won't want your husband to read...I felt sooooo bad after Brad got it done. I have never seen anything swell up like that before or turn that color. It was almost horrifying! And if I knew it was going to be like that for him I would have just got my tubes tied. So be nice to him when he gets it done!! lol

Who needs a spoon??

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