From Challenge to Triumph

I got the most awesome text while I was at work this morning.  In the middle of my ICU Skills Fair that I am required to complete annually to maintain my nursing competency, my mom (who was watching Jack for me) sent me a video text message.  Gotta love technology these days, right?!?!

Anyways, the video brought me to tears right there in the middle of a classroom at the Nursing Education Center ... it was a video of my little Jack straight up WALKING while pushing a his little lion push toy ALL BY HIMSELF!!!  He'd kind of done this for us earlier this week, but not nearly as independently as he did today, and let me tell you, it made my whole week! 

Jack just makes me prouder and prouder every single day.  I was impressed with him crawling, pulling to stand, and cruising, but this nearly walking thing has honestly caught me a little by surprise.  It's truly amazing how much I celebrate even the smallest milestones (although I consider almost walking a HUGE milestone!).  The feeling you get when your child does something for the first time is just unparalleled, but coupling that feeling with people continually reminding you that your child "will be delayed" just compounds those emotions even greater and makes you prouder than you ever thought possible.

I've found myself wrapped up in planning for the Buddy Walk (among other things) these past few weeks, and I'm so glad that my little buddy has forced me to keep sight of why we're doing all the work we're doing for this event.  This weekend is ABOUT celebrating our exceptional children who happen to have an extra chromosome.  And, I have only person to thank ... my Jack ... for giving me the perspective to live life in a whole new way, to celebrate our triumphs over our challenges. 

Good night, friends!  May you seek and find strength this week to appreciate your challenges, as it is they that allow you to better celebrate your triumphs.

High Five!

On day 11 of my "31 for 21" mission, I'm going to be super unoriginal, and remind everyone about the Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro's "High Five" campaign!

It's not too late to "High Five" Jack!  The Buddy Walk is only 5 DAYS away, and it's time to show Jack and others with Down Syndrome your support!  If you'd like to donate to the DSNGG, please considering doing so in the forms of "high fives" in Jack's honor.  ($5 equals one "high five," and so $20 equals 4 "high fives" and so on.)  To donate, please visit www.buddywalkgreensboro.org, click on "Donate" and complete your information. When the screen says "Review your donation" CLICK ON "DONATE IN SUPPORT OF" written in small blue letters, listed on the left hand side underneath the words "Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro," and type in "Jack Hickling - HIGH FIVE(s)" before your final click. If you have trouble paying via PayPal, shoot me an email for more information about mailing a check in.

Thanks everyone!!!  See you tomorrow!

Cruising

Well, guess who's cruising all over the place?  That's right ... our little Jackers went from crawling to pulling to stand and cruising in just one month!!!  We couldn't be prouder of our little buddy!

We had a great PT session this morning with Carrie.  She was really impressed with Jack's new moves.  She actually was planning to assign him cruising "homework" today, but Jack left her with no choice but to change her teaching plans!  As his mother, I was of course extremely proud of Jack, but words cannot express how happy it made me to see Carrie so proud of him too!

I worked at the hospital for a few hours today, and so Ci Ci watched Jack for me.  After work, I met her and Jack at her house, where I found him walking behind his little push-toy lion!  He moved slowly and kind of shuffled his feet rather than picking his feet up and planting them down, but he was walking right along while pushing the toy without ANY help!!!

I think walking might be just around the corner for our little buddy ...

Family Wedding Fun

We made it home safely from Connecticut this evening, and I have to say that Jack is the BEST.  Baby.  Ever.  Although we were going nonstop all weekend ... from a flight to a rental car drive, to a bridesmaids luncheon to a rehearsal dinner, to several family breakfasts to a wedding ceremony and reception ... Jack maintained his cheerful smile and typical showstopping gregarious behavior. 
Everyone LOVED him!

Here are some photos from our busy, but very beautiful and very fun weekend. Thanks so much for awesome time, Hickling family!!!

Uncle Chris, baby cousin Zack, Daddy and Jack at the rehearsal dinner

Jack hammin' it up with Great Uncle Tommy at the church before the wedding

I just had to sneak a shot of Jack and Daddy during the Lord's Prayer

Nancy and Jake's first kiss as a married couple

Daddy and Jack ... I just love seeing them laugh together

It doesn't get cuter than a little boy all dressed up (except for shoes) sitting on the front steps of a church ...



How handsome!!!



Jack N' Zack (whose wearing an awesome tuxedo onsie, by the way!)

Little Zack and his beautiful mommy

Love this one ... Chris (Robert's twin brother), Alice and baby Zack

Jack loved looking at the water!  Such a beautiful setting.

The Hickling clan gettin' down on the dance floor!

As usual, Jack was the life of the party!

Dancing with Daddy

Dancing with the beautiful mother of the bride, Great Aunt Kathy

Jack got dressed in his jammies later in the evening, but before falling asleep,
he insisted on giving a proper thank you (and goodbye kiss) to the stunning bride.

Party Animal

We just got home from Nancy and Jake's beautiful wedding at the beautiful Inn at Longshore, and Jack had himself a blast!  As always, our little guy was the life of the party, from getting snuggles from all kinds of new friends to dancing his little toosh off with Mommy and Daddy!  He tuckered out from all the excitement around 9:45 and is sleeping like a log! 

We got some wonderful photos from the wedding, including Jack with the stunning bride herself.  I'll be sure to post them soon!

Sorry this is such a short post, but we're pretty pooped from all the weekend partying. 

Thanks for checking in with us.  See you tomorrow! 

Hotel Fun

This is Jack's first time staying a hotel. It's a nice hotel with great ammenities (except a mini fridge, which means we have to keep Jack's milk and yogurt on ice in a cooler the old fashioned way). I was a little worried about how Jack would adjust to hotel life for a couple days, but I think he's coping just fine ...

 Wouldn't you say?!?!

 He was so proud of himself being able to make us laugh by smooshing his face up against the mesh of the hotel's rental Pack-N-Play.

 Such a goober!

This was all really funny when he was doing it, but now the poor little buddy has a "mesh rash" on his face from all this clowning around!  I hope the rash clears up before the wedding tomorrow, so he'll look extra handsome in his new outfit, especially since the outfit cost more than Mommy's whole wedding ensemble, including her shoes!!!

Safe Travels

We made it safely to Connecticut today around 3pm, after a short flight from Greensboro to Laguardia and then about a 45 minute drive to our hotel in a rental minivan (which is totally awesome, by the way).  As usual, Jack was a complete angel on the plane.  He drank his ba-ba during takeoff (to help equalize the pressure in his ears) and then slept most of the flight.  And, even though he's only napped for a total of about 45 minutes combined today, he's been very sweet and playful.  He's such a seasoned little traveller!!!  I swear, we can take this kid anywhere.

We are at Robert's aunt and uncle's house now for some pre-wedding festivities (this family likes a good party, let me tell you).  Earlier when we were at the hotel, I got some great photos of Jack playing in his "crib" (the playpen/sleeper that belongs to the hotel).  He's such a ham!  I'll do my best to post them sometime this weekend.

Happy Thursday, everyone!  See you tomorrow!