To Charge or Not to Charge....My Cell Phone, That is

I'd noticed lately that my Iphone and Jake's Ipad weren't keeping their charge nearly as well as they used to.  And my husband had mentioned that his phone was having issues with charging as well.  So when I had an opportunity to get a portable charger, I jumped.

I'd been standing in line at Walmart over Christmas when I'd overheard two ladies next to a portable charging display unit about how fantastic the chargers were.  It was the first time I'd even heard of the things.  Every day I feel a little more antiquated.  I feel like I'm totally out of the technology loop now. 

Anyway, I'd been mulling their conversation over for months, wondering if the chargers were all the hype.  With all of our batteries having issues, and me being 6 months from being able to get a new phone, I figured the portable charger might be an alternative to me having to plug my phone in 3 times per day, or Jacob's Ipad dying in the middle of his therapies at school. 

I got a pink Lifeguard mini portable charger in the mail a few weeks ago.  I kid you not, I didn't get the thing out of the box before Nathan, my 15-year-old, snatched it from my hands, pulled it from the box, and refused to give it back.  It was the last I'd seen of it.  

Finally, today I asked him about the pink charger.  I mean, c'mon.  It's HOT PINK!  He can't possibly be using it, right?  At least not in public. I was wrong. 

Nate told me he takes it to school and, in fact, loaned it to a kid because his phone had died during class.  He said the phone was charged to 100% by the end of class and that he has been able to get 2 1/2 - 3 full charges out of Lifeguard before needing to re-charge.  

I asked him if he was going to give it back to me, and he just laughed.  I guess if me and the little one's are going to use a portable charger, we're going to have to buy one for ourselves. 

The moral of my little story?:  The Lifeguard portable charger is a GOOD product...IF you can get your teenage son to share!!

Jacob - A Little Brother in the Truest Form

I've been updating many of my blogs over the last several weeks, and it's given me an opportunity to walk down memory lane.  Some of those memories were filled with laughter.  Others with sadness and tears.  But the strongest vein of thought I felt throughout the months and years with Jacob thus far has been gratitude that Jacob is in our lives.

Yes,  my 4 1/2 year old is stubborn, devious, likes to dump things on the floors...or beds...or behind couches...you get the idea.  But he's also a lover, a giggler, a hugger, curious, sweet, devoted, and constantly trying to show love toward me.  He's wise beyond his years, and yet impulsive as a one-year-old.  And...Jacob is a little brother in the truest form of the term.

Jake is only 18 months younger than Courtney, but only half her size.  So, why is it, that every time she walks in the room, he either A) follows her around like a puppy dog   B) Tries (and usually succeeds)  to tackle her.  That little boy LOVES to hear his sister scream and/or squeal.  It's like his very existence depends on how loud Courtney yelps.

At times it's frustrating, and other times, I can't help but chuckle.  It's one of hundreds of little reminders for me that, although Jake has Down syndrome, he is more like the rest of us than he is different.

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Gemiini Update: Jacob's Speech is Progressing

This is my monthly post on Jacob's speech progression using Gemiini.

Admittedly, we haven't been using Gemiini as often as I'd like.  Jake's older sister had heart surgery three weeks ago, so our focus was on her for much of April.  However, whenever possible, I would sit down with Jake and go over the videos.  Plus, they have an app that we've downloaded that Jake can click on without requiring me to log into their system to watch the videos.  I've caught him several time with his Ipad watching those videos and making the sounds and signs to the words.

I've seen a lot of progression in Jake these last several weeks.  He's progressed from using signs and a series of grunts to babbling with consonants, and even trying to use words.  This last week he pointed to an object and said "there!" (which sounded more like 'dehyr', but whose complaining?), and last night he was doing the da-da-da thing.  What a leap from absolute silence. 4 1/2 YEARS we've been trying to get Jacob so say SOMETHING, and now it's happening.  Is it bad to say there are days I want to shed tears of joy at this development?

This morning we were on again.  He only managed to watch for 10 minutes, but he did all the signs, all of the sounds associated with the animals, and was attempting to say the words.  He'd either manage to say the beginning or the end, but not the entire word.  They're baby steps, but for me they are HUGE.  I have hope.  And there's nothing better in the world than having hope for your child and his ability to communicate.