Signing Time Digital Sale!

Signing Time is having a huge Digital DVD sale!  All individual Signing Time Digital videos regularly priced at $9.99 will be just $5 each when you use code "5dollars". This includes videos from Baby Signing Time, Signing Time Series One or Two, Potty Time, Rachel and the TreeSchooler, Bible Fun or the new Signing Time Sentences.  There is no limit on how many you can get but the sale coupon code does not apply to pre bundled sets. You can get all 4 vidoes from the Baby Signing Time set, individually, for just $20.  I have never seen such a great sale.

 I just wrote a post the other day on in the Baby Center DS Community page about why the digital videos are a much better investment than the physical DVD's and now with this sale they are an even better deal!   This special pricing only lasts until Saturday August 13, 2016. Here is a  if you are interested. 

link to shop

3 on the 21st Blog Hop

For today's 3 on the 21st Blog Hop, hosed this month by With a Little Moxie, we are asked to post the following:
One truth (about Ds/our lives with Ds)
One tip (- information on something related to Ds/raising a child with Ds/or just parenting in general)
One photo

This is my first blog hop in a while so here goes:
  
One truth:  Kids with Down syndrome generally have a receptive knowledge that far surpasses  their expressive communication skills.

One Tip:  Sign Language and teaching reading as soon as a child understands 50 words, can help parents and educators have a more accurate way of measuring a child's receptive knowledge. 

One Photo:

This is a photo of Ben reading one of Mommy's books.  It does not matter if it is thick or thin, photos or no, Ben loves books.  He once carried a phone book around for a full week.  Took it every where he went and tucked in into bed with him at night. It was cute. 

Happy Blog Hop Everyone!

Awesome Surprise!

Yesterday, when I got the mail, there was a big envelope in the mail box marked media from Woodbine House. I was so excited to see the new addition of Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome inside.

It was back in January that I saw a post on one of the Facebook groups asking for pictures to be submitted.  At the time the deadline had been a few weeks off yet, so I thought I had some time to think about what kind of picture I would like to submit.   I had a few pictures of him using sign language, so I decided to send in one of him signing eat.  (one of his favorite signs). Thinking that it might be good to give them a choice, I got out Ben's flash cards while he was having a snack, to see what would happen.  The second card down was nose, and I got a cute picture of him pointing to his nose as he read the card.  I had wanted to try for a better shot, but knew that we might not get a better one before the deadline, so I went ahead and submitted these two photos and called it good.  I was shocked that about an hour later, I got an email back from an editor at Woodbine House, stating that they already had all the pictures they needed for the book, but since Ben's pictures were so appropriate to the theme of the book, they were going to try to squeeze one in.  So after I signed the release and sent it back, they said to expect the book some time this summer.  So when I got the book yesterday,  I was surprised and happy to see that both pictures made it in the book. 

Page 74, Ben signing eat.

Page 104, Ben sight reading the word nose.

Yesterday was one of the busiest days of the year for me, so all I had time to do was quickly skim through the book. Today is a big laundry day, as I try to catch up from not being home the last 4 days, due to baseball tournaments.  Hopefully between loads, I will be able to start reading this book.  It looks like it has a bunch of great information in it.  It also has some adorable pictures in it of many beautiful children.

18 months old!

Ben is 18 months old today. It is hard to believe that time goes so quickly. At first we were worried about Ben being behind and all the things he might not be able to do. But now I don’t worry so much. Ben is learning - just at his own pace. Can he do everything his peers can? Well no. But there are plenty of things he can do. Here are a few.

-Can crawl anywhere he wants to, and crawl fast if you are coming after him.

-Eats like a horse.

-Is drinking soy milk from a cup with a straw and is doing pretty good.

-Loves his thumb.

-Sleeps great.

-Loves to take a bath and play in the water.

-Cruises along the sofa, table and any other surface he can pull up on.

-Likes to pull up on the door or window.

-Loves to horse around with his big brothers.

-Signs all done, bath, more, and out.

-Waves hi and bye.

-Gives kisses (watch out for that tongue!)

-Loves to sway and dance to music.

-Likes to turn on the music on his crib toy, even if it is 4:00 in the morning.

-Communicates very clearly that if you have food you will be sharing some with him.

-Loves to have books read to him.

-Throws them on the floor when you say "the end".

-Can not stand to have his blocks, books or toys put away neatly in their containers.

-Throws his toys over his shoulder when he is done with them.

-Throws his cup and spoon over the edge of the high chair after every drink or bite.

-Sees himself in the mirror and says "Ba".

-Can reach things on the dining room table, that I thought for sure were out of his reach.

-Is very curious about his surroundings and likes to explore.

-Loves to clap for himself and for others.

-Has the most precious little belly laugh.

-Is a total flirt.

-Can melt your heart with his smile.

-Has been an inspiration to our whole family.