Hello, all-Kerry here, back from a rather long and self-imposed hiatus. Before I go into the meat of my post tonight, I think I should explain where we've been. Towards the end of April, my health took a nosedive. No energy, constant headaches, wanted to sleep all the time. And my eyesight got...scary. It was a bit blurry one day, and I chalked it up to sinus pressure. It gradually got worse, and I finally made myself go to the doctor. I was diagnosed with diabetes, and while it's a pain in the ass, it's something I can manage. But it had to get worse before I could get better. My vision got to the point that I couldn't read, or drive, or see faces clearly. I had horrible reactions to my medication-nausea and vomiting (enough to make me wonder if I was pregnant!), severe reactions to eggs and dairy, and severe mood swings. Through all this, I was trying to manage my diet, start a regular exercise routine, and watch 5 kids in addition to my own. Long story short, I simply had to cut out any additional stresses or obligations, and one of those was the blog. Besides, it took over a month before I could get to where I could even see to type out a post. Bannon, whose life is in a perpetual state of chaos, and makes me look like a total amateur when it comes to managing kids/work/home, went along with me for the break. But we are slowly working our way back! If any of you are still hanging with us, we deeply appreciate it.
And now, the dreaded party. My little dude was invited to a birthday party, taking place tomorrow afternoon at a local park. All the kids in LD's preschool class were invited, and it sounds like a nice chance for Jeffrey to get to see some familiar faces. There's going to be swings and slides, which are some of the dude's favorite things in the world. And there's bound to be cake. Who doesn't like cake? I can't be BFFs with cake anymore, but I still have warm feelings for it. All in all, what's not to love about this party?
It's a very selfish reason, but it's one that breaks my heart. Gatherings like this are always a very sharp reminder that my son is different. His voice is very rarely part of the chatter. He simply stares silently at a child when asked if he wants to go play. When he does try to join in the play, he can only do so much, because his language skills just aren't there to allow him to understand that the kids are running from imaginary dinosaurs, or playing cops and robbers, or whatever. So he often ends up on his own, doing his thing, wanting Mom to come play because he knows Mom will understand what he wants or needs.
Those things hurt to see, but what really gets me is what I can't see. What does he think when a child asks him to play? Does he understand what they want? Is he choosing to be alone? Does he stay quiet because he knows he's not on their level? Does it hurt his feelings when he's not part of the group? While his communication skills are slowly but surely coming along, he's not at a point yet where he can tell his peers what he wants. While I try to help him do it himself, sometimes I have to intervene and speak for him. Unfortunately, mom involvement is the kiss of death on the playground, and kids usually steer clear when they realize a parent is watching. It just makes me so sad. Why did my little boy get dealt this hand?
I know I don't have much to complain about. There are so many children out there in more difficult situations, and I always feel so petty when I try to verbalize things like this. But I think every parent has the same wants for their children-they want their child to be healthy. To be normal. To belong. And during the preschool years, it's so hard for kids to understand that not every child is like them. My son doesn't look different, so why doesn't he talk to them? Why doesn't he want to play with them? It's difficult to explain why, but I try. I tell them that it's taking him longer to learn to talk, and that it's okay. That everyone learns things in their own time. I explain that my little guy can't say it for himself yet, but that he likes it when kids try to play with him, or say hi to him. I warn them that, if he gets mad or scared, he may scream, or maybe even hit, but that he's not doing it to be mean. If the child in question hasn't already taken off, I'll suggest that maybe they can go on the slide together.
And I'll remind myself that, one day, my son will be able to suggest playing on the slide in his own words.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Week 14- Sandwiches
by Bannon
When I saw that the reddit challenge this week was sandwiches I smiled because sandwiches are something that I can most definitely handle. I make them daily for the husband, myself and the kiddos. The hardest part of this challenge would be coming up with a sandwich that isn't the run of the mill boring peanut butter & jelly that I serve daily for lunch.
For Easter today I had plenty of hard boiled eggs sitting around here and I remembered a recipe I had seen in the new Pioneer Woman cookbook made with english muffins, hard boiled eggs, cheese and bacon. So I made it from memory and forgot to add the mayo and dijon mustard. These were liked by everyone but I know they would have been loved if I hadn't forgotten those two ingredients.
From The Pioneer Woman
When I saw that the reddit challenge this week was sandwiches I smiled because sandwiches are something that I can most definitely handle. I make them daily for the husband, myself and the kiddos. The hardest part of this challenge would be coming up with a sandwich that isn't the run of the mill boring peanut butter & jelly that I serve daily for lunch.
For Easter today I had plenty of hard boiled eggs sitting around here and I remembered a recipe I had seen in the new Pioneer Woman cookbook made with english muffins, hard boiled eggs, cheese and bacon. So I made it from memory and forgot to add the mayo and dijon mustard. These were liked by everyone but I know they would have been loved if I hadn't forgotten those two ingredients.
From The Pioneer Woman
Make-Ahead Muffin Melts
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Ingredients
- 12 whole Hard-boiled Eggs, Peeled And Chopped
- 2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise
- 12 slices Bacon, Fried And Crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
- 6 whole English Muffins Split
Preparation Instructions
Combine eggs with all other ingredients. Fold together gently. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.
Spread on English muffin halves, then broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly. (Don't set them too close to the heating element.)
Serve immediately!
Spread on English muffin halves, then broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly. (Don't set them too close to the heating element.)
Serve immediately!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Week 13 - Russian food
This week our husbands went out of town together to Toronto on a guys trip to go see a soccer game. They also got to eat poutine (yum!) and lots of other great foods, drink local Canadian beers that they can't get around here and enjoy a child free weekend. While the boys were out having fun we ladies took the kids to the circus together and we found that Bannon's kids loved it and Kerry's son thought it was OK.
We also decided to work together to do our recipe for the reddit challenge this week. The topic is Russian food, which neither of us have any knowledge of other than Russian dressing or vodka, so this was going to be a bit of an education for both of us.
After looking around on the internet a bit the recipe we finally settled on was this potato knedliky (or dumpling) recipe. It was very simple to make and the kids enjoyed getting to help roll the dumplings. Taste wise, bacon grease makes everything taste better of course! I think they would be a bit bland without the bacon and onions.
Ingredients
Peel potatoes and then boil until soft.
Drain the potatoes well and return to the pot. Mash them until uniform consistency. You may want to let the potatoes stand for a little while to cool down after this step if you plan on rolling the dumplings by hand. Otherwise, thoroughly mix in the 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour, salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Roll one dumpling for testing. Drop it into boiling water, it should drop to the bottom, and float to the top when it’s done. If it starts falling apart add another half cup of flour to the dough. Make the rest of the knedliky and drop them into the boiling water. Again, cook until they float to the top and remove using a strainer.
At this point, the knedliky are done and ready for serving whichever way you like. For the way my family served them. Fry some bacon in a skillet until crispy, let dry, and cut up into bacon bits. Drain and set aside some of the bacon fat. Finely chop a sweet onion and fry in the bacon grease until caramelized, set aside.
Then using a spatula, fry the knedliky in the bacon grease (or butter if you don’t want to use bacon) until lightly browned on all sides.
Serve with a side of the caramelized onions and the bacon bits.
Kerry and Bannon
We also decided to work together to do our recipe for the reddit challenge this week. The topic is Russian food, which neither of us have any knowledge of other than Russian dressing or vodka, so this was going to be a bit of an education for both of us.
After looking around on the internet a bit the recipe we finally settled on was this potato knedliky (or dumpling) recipe. It was very simple to make and the kids enjoyed getting to help roll the dumplings. Taste wise, bacon grease makes everything taste better of course! I think they would be a bit bland without the bacon and onions.
Ingredients
- 4-5 baker’s potatoes
- 1-1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 4-5 pieces of bacon (or enough salo to render about 0.25 cups fat)
- 1 large sweet onion (finely chopped)
- Salt pepper to taste
Peel potatoes and then boil until soft.
Drain the potatoes well and return to the pot. Mash them until uniform consistency. You may want to let the potatoes stand for a little while to cool down after this step if you plan on rolling the dumplings by hand. Otherwise, thoroughly mix in the 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour, salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Roll one dumpling for testing. Drop it into boiling water, it should drop to the bottom, and float to the top when it’s done. If it starts falling apart add another half cup of flour to the dough. Make the rest of the knedliky and drop them into the boiling water. Again, cook until they float to the top and remove using a strainer.
At this point, the knedliky are done and ready for serving whichever way you like. For the way my family served them. Fry some bacon in a skillet until crispy, let dry, and cut up into bacon bits. Drain and set aside some of the bacon fat. Finely chop a sweet onion and fry in the bacon grease until caramelized, set aside.
Then using a spatula, fry the knedliky in the bacon grease (or butter if you don’t want to use bacon) until lightly browned on all sides.
Serve with a side of the caramelized onions and the bacon bits.
Kerry and Bannon
Friday, March 23, 2012
A Low Day
Kerry here. I'm not sure why I'm posting this here, other than that I need an outlet. So, if you don't want to hear a bunch of confused meebling, you might just want to wait for the post after this. :-)
I've been struggling with the concept that our Little Dude is a "special needs" child. I was very baffled, and honestly kind of shocked, when I was told this during the enrollment meeting for his current school. I understand it, logically-he has a clear need for speech therapy, as well as some physical therapy. We were warned waaaaay back when he was a baby and diagnosed with hydrocephaly that he would need therapy. So it shouldn't have been a surprise. But, when I think of "special needs", I tend to think of children who have more obvious needs. I look at my son, and I feel like calling him a special needs child somehow takes away from other children who are considered to be the same. I don't know why I feel this way, and I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to find out that this offends other parents of special needs children. So, if you're one of those parents, please accept my apologies. I look at my child, who seems mainstream on the outside, and it just feels wrong to me.
But today, my niece looked at me and asked why LD isn't doing the same thing I just asked her to do. I tried to explain that he doesn't always understand or follow instructions, and that we sometimes have to actually physically lead him. And I realized it, then-he does have special needs. If he were to run out into the street, and I were to yell at him to stop, I have no idea if he would actually do it. He's in a near-constant state of frustration because of the disconnect in communication. He won't go up or down stairs by himself. While he seems to enjoy preschool, and gets his therapy there, there's no notable improvement yet in their opinion. Getting the report this past week with nothing but "minimal improvement" was so disheartening for me, even though I know he has only been there a few weeks.
I know I shouldn't feel this way, and that I should give it more time. But I can't help myself, so I worry. And then I toss and turn at night, so I'm tired. I struggle to keep up with 5 kids that aren't mine, as well as the one that is. I try to do housework, laundry, cooking-all these things that other parents totally kick ass at doing, but feels like such a struggle to me lately. I don't feel like this every day, but I do today. I think I need a vacation, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
But I do have some bright things on the horizon. It's the weekend! The first Crew game is tomorrow-not sure if I'll be there, but I'm happy the season is starting. I'll get some time with just the three of us, and next Thursday and Friday will be just me and my Little Dude. If the weather holds, I'd like to take him to the zoo. I'll tell him about the animals, and maybe he'll be able to tell me a little something about them, too. And I'll slow down, and be patient, and remember that this will all take time. And as a parent, that's the best thing I can give to my child.
I've been struggling with the concept that our Little Dude is a "special needs" child. I was very baffled, and honestly kind of shocked, when I was told this during the enrollment meeting for his current school. I understand it, logically-he has a clear need for speech therapy, as well as some physical therapy. We were warned waaaaay back when he was a baby and diagnosed with hydrocephaly that he would need therapy. So it shouldn't have been a surprise. But, when I think of "special needs", I tend to think of children who have more obvious needs. I look at my son, and I feel like calling him a special needs child somehow takes away from other children who are considered to be the same. I don't know why I feel this way, and I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to find out that this offends other parents of special needs children. So, if you're one of those parents, please accept my apologies. I look at my child, who seems mainstream on the outside, and it just feels wrong to me.
But today, my niece looked at me and asked why LD isn't doing the same thing I just asked her to do. I tried to explain that he doesn't always understand or follow instructions, and that we sometimes have to actually physically lead him. And I realized it, then-he does have special needs. If he were to run out into the street, and I were to yell at him to stop, I have no idea if he would actually do it. He's in a near-constant state of frustration because of the disconnect in communication. He won't go up or down stairs by himself. While he seems to enjoy preschool, and gets his therapy there, there's no notable improvement yet in their opinion. Getting the report this past week with nothing but "minimal improvement" was so disheartening for me, even though I know he has only been there a few weeks.
I know I shouldn't feel this way, and that I should give it more time. But I can't help myself, so I worry. And then I toss and turn at night, so I'm tired. I struggle to keep up with 5 kids that aren't mine, as well as the one that is. I try to do housework, laundry, cooking-all these things that other parents totally kick ass at doing, but feels like such a struggle to me lately. I don't feel like this every day, but I do today. I think I need a vacation, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
But I do have some bright things on the horizon. It's the weekend! The first Crew game is tomorrow-not sure if I'll be there, but I'm happy the season is starting. I'll get some time with just the three of us, and next Thursday and Friday will be just me and my Little Dude. If the weather holds, I'd like to take him to the zoo. I'll tell him about the animals, and maybe he'll be able to tell me a little something about them, too. And I'll slow down, and be patient, and remember that this will all take time. And as a parent, that's the best thing I can give to my child.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
My boy...
My little dude seems so much bigger now that he's three. Maybe it's because he's in preschool now. Maybe it's because the words are coming faster and clearer. It could be his sudden burst of imaginative play, or the fact that his shoes are already outgrown, or that he's a little more independent every day. Maybe it's really just my awareness of how time is moving so fast, and that my best efforts to slow things down don't seem to be working. But my boy had his birthday, and his first day of school, and I had to take pictures to make sure I can remember how small he used to be, once upon a time...
The birthday party! My boy loves balloons, and pizza, and carrot sticks. He also loves Murray Wiggle, as evidenced by his shirt.
Me, showing off Bannon's gift to Jeffrey. I wondered briefly if this shirt (which says, "Arrrgh! Hands off me booty") would come in my size, then thought better of it.
My sweet little man, ready for his first day of school. It felt so strange and wrong to put him in a room full of strangers and expect him to just get on with it. I thought, having taught preschool for many years, that I'd be okay with it, but I was finally on the other side, approaching it as a parent instead of a teacher. We both cried (I at least managed to pull away from the school before I did), and then Bannon and I went to lunch, where I drowned my sorrows in fish and chips and iced tea.
Looking much happier on his way to his second day of school, wearing the headband he had made the day before in class. He calls it his hat, is quite proud of it, and still wears it around almost a full week after he made it. That's got to be some kind of record for a preschool craft!
Tomorrow will mark his fifth day of school, and every day seems a bit easier-just some whimpering (but no tears) at drop off today, and he clearly loves riding the bus home. He seems to have picked up some new songs and dances at school, which he loves to do at home. He's starting to learn the names of his classmates. He's so big. And I'm so proud.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
52 Weeks of Cooking Week 7: Love Inspired Cooking
by Bannon
Love inspired cooking. What was I going to make for love inspired cooking? The only thing my kids were begging for on Valentines Day was red milk. Reddit gave a very wide category this week so I was having a hard time coming up with something I considered love inspired. Then one night I saw in the refrigerator a can of crescent rolls and remembered a recipe I saw on Pinterest for smores crescents and I knew I had found my recipe. To most women chocolate = love.
These were super simple to make. Just preheat the oven to what the package directions say on the crescent rolls. Separate the rolls and place a few chocolate chips and a few marshmallows on each roll. Then roll them up like a standard crescent roll taking care to keep the marshmallows and chocolate inside.
Pop them into the oven, I think they cooked for 12 minutes. I followed the crescent roll package directions again.
When they came out I saw the one flaw I made. I should have closed off the ends of the crescent rolls a bit better to try to keep the marshmallows in because they melted right out.
But in the end it really didn't matter because they tasted really, really good. Simple to make too and kids would love to help make these as well.
**************
I have to say I ignored the 52 weeks challenge the past two weeks due to illness and work but I wanted to let you know what I did. Two weeks ago was the alcohol challenge and I went super simple and made bratwurst in beer. The kids and I were sick most that week so I was not into doing anything related to cooking challenges or blogs.
Last week I did complete the Brazilian challenge but I didn't get around to posting it. The husband thought it was a bit bland and needed more onion. I thought it was nice and light.
Brazilian White Rice
Love inspired cooking. What was I going to make for love inspired cooking? The only thing my kids were begging for on Valentines Day was red milk. Reddit gave a very wide category this week so I was having a hard time coming up with something I considered love inspired. Then one night I saw in the refrigerator a can of crescent rolls and remembered a recipe I saw on Pinterest for smores crescents and I knew I had found my recipe. To most women chocolate = love.
These were super simple to make. Just preheat the oven to what the package directions say on the crescent rolls. Separate the rolls and place a few chocolate chips and a few marshmallows on each roll. Then roll them up like a standard crescent roll taking care to keep the marshmallows and chocolate inside.
Pop them into the oven, I think they cooked for 12 minutes. I followed the crescent roll package directions again.
When they came out I saw the one flaw I made. I should have closed off the ends of the crescent rolls a bit better to try to keep the marshmallows in because they melted right out.
**************
I have to say I ignored the 52 weeks challenge the past two weeks due to illness and work but I wanted to let you know what I did. Two weeks ago was the alcohol challenge and I went super simple and made bratwurst in beer. The kids and I were sick most that week so I was not into doing anything related to cooking challenges or blogs.
Last week I did complete the Brazilian challenge but I didn't get around to posting it. The husband thought it was a bit bland and needed more onion. I thought it was nice and light.
Brazilian White Rice
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups hot water
- Place the rice in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water; set aside.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion in the oil for one minute. Stir in the garlic and cook until the garlic is golden brown. Add the rice and salt and cook and stir until the rice begins to brown. Pour hot water over rice mixture and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and allow to simmer until the water has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
My Productive Day That Wasn't
Today the kids had off from school for teacher meetings. I had all these plans ready: cleaning up around the house a bit, laundry and the kids and I were going to try our hand at making homemade fortune cookies from scratch for tomorrow's parent-teacher conferences. Last week I had found a simple enough looking recipe for them on Pinterest (look here for it) and was really looking forward to trying it.
Then life stepped in.
This morning the four of us were sitting around talking when I noticed that one of my older son's teeth was almost completely pink. After getting closer there seemed to be a chip in the tooth and he then said that he had been eating around that area for a week because it hurt.
So instead of doing fun things with the kids today I got to go to the dentist. It wasn't the end of the world because since he had the day off anyways the kid didn't have to miss school. The dentist was able to take the chip off that tooth fairly easily and since it's a baby tooth we don't have to worry about what it looks like.
But when it was all said and done the last thing I wanted to do was go back home and spend what was left of the day baking fortune cookies. So we stopped in to the local Asian market to buy prepackaged fortune cookies for the teachers tomorrow. I know they will still like them but it would be nice if a day could go the way I want it to sometimes.
-- Bannon
Then life stepped in.
This morning the four of us were sitting around talking when I noticed that one of my older son's teeth was almost completely pink. After getting closer there seemed to be a chip in the tooth and he then said that he had been eating around that area for a week because it hurt.
So instead of doing fun things with the kids today I got to go to the dentist. It wasn't the end of the world because since he had the day off anyways the kid didn't have to miss school. The dentist was able to take the chip off that tooth fairly easily and since it's a baby tooth we don't have to worry about what it looks like.
But when it was all said and done the last thing I wanted to do was go back home and spend what was left of the day baking fortune cookies. So we stopped in to the local Asian market to buy prepackaged fortune cookies for the teachers tomorrow. I know they will still like them but it would be nice if a day could go the way I want it to sometimes.
-- Bannon
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Slipping Through My Fingers
Kerry here...I'm not even going to try to apologize for the delay in posting. Life is hectic, it seems pretty non-stop, and there are days where I have to choose between time to shave my legs, or time for breakfast. However, I have a few minutes of blessed quiet time. There's a great breeze coming in, the sun is shining, and my lunch of Cup-o-Soup and Dr. Pepper seems to be doing the trick. So here I am!
Some of you know that my Little Dude is receiving speech therapy. Tuesday was his third session, and so far he is running through with flying colors. It's nice to go once a month-it gives me a touchstone of sorts to see his progress. We live with it every day, and so we're used to his quirks and progress. But when they see him, it's a celebration. He asked for juice instead of just hauling me into the kitchen? Hugs from the speech therapist! He jumped with both feet together? Applause from the physical therapist! Look, he's using pretend play! The OT gives everyone high fives! I love that LD gets the extra cheers from them-The Dude and I celebrate any new achievement, but I think we forget to keep cheering after a while. But we never stop being proud.
We also seem to work with him non-stop at home. Parents in this program always have "homework", to keep the momentum up between monthly sessions. It can be challenging to hold LD's attention, and it can definitely be time-consuming, but it has really paid off. His therapy team know I blog, and they actually encouraged me to discuss what we do. There are exercises to help him gain a greater, deeper awareness of his body. Those exercises are what has led to learning to jump, labeling his own body parts without needing a mirror, and his sudden ability to tell us when he has to go potty. We coach him to say "no" and "mine", which amuses me because it seems that those are viewed as bad words in toddler land. It's hard to teach a child to share while simultaneously telling him it's okay to say "mine"! We've taught him sign language, and we're now working on imitative play. We repeat the same words endlessly. And there's the "sensory diet", which is a series of five activities meant to stimulate nerves, work muscles, encourage movement of the mouth, measure fine motor skills, and to encourage a mess. For example, we'll start by bouncing on an exercise ball while singing a song about bouncing on the ball. Then we'll do some deep nerve stimulation by doing joint compressions. After that, we'll blow bubbles, then stack some blocks, then end with finger painting. And our reward is watching our son open up a little more every day. I'm not complaining about what we have to do-we are so very lucky to have a wonderful team to teach us and help us, and we're grateful that our little guy is otherwise happy and healthy.
At this last session, as LD was playing with his therapy team, I was pulled into a meeting with Jeffrey's coordinator, his rep from the county, and a rep from our local school district. Once LD turns three, he'll be receiving treatment from the school, assuming he still needs it by then. He has the option to receive home therapy, or to be sent to a preschool. This preschool is located close to home, is staffed by what sounds like a wonderful team of educators and therapists, and is in a new, modern building. The classes have 16 children-8 with varying special needs, and 8 "peer model" children. It would be 4 days a week, in sessions of 2.5 hours a day. I was okay with all of this, until the school rep said that we could choose to have LD bussed. As she was telling me about these cute little buses with special car seats and an assistant to help buckle him in, and a very patient and friendly bus driver, all I could see in my mind was my baby (who suddenly seemed very tiny) being whisked away by a bunch of strangers, potentially crying every day for Mommy, and all I could do would be to stand on the sidewalk and wave.
My internal hysteria must have shown on my face, because the rep quickly backed off the talk of buses. She reassured me that I could drive LD if I preferred, I'd always be welcome to observe and visit, and I don't even have to do school yet. And I know-I KNOW-that school would probably be the best bet. LD would get some much-needed interaction with other kids. It would be such a boost for his self-esteem. But...all I could feel was the sensation that time was slipping away, my baby was slipping through my fingers, and that one day very soon, I'll wake up to see a kid who doesn't need Mommy as much as Mommy may want him to. Does every mother feel this?? I know he'll grow up, that it's my job to help him grow up to be the very best person he can be, but I am not ready for this at all!
I suppose all I can do is try to work through my own hesitation and fears, and be as ready as I can be when the day comes-maybe sooner, maybe later-that I have to let my baby go. Bannon, in true best friend style, listened to me wail, insisted that it's totally normal to wail, and promised to be with me whenever it's time to send LD off to school. I know it's dumb, but going to school seems so...final. Like he'll get on to the bus a toddler, and get off of the bus as some older, alien child, and my baby will be gone forever. I know that can't be true. My mother refers to me (still!!) as her baby, and I'm sure she'll see me that way for the rest of her life. And it suits the two of us just fine. So, in the meantime, I'll stop worrying about what I'm losing, and focus on the times when it's just our little family, seeing life through the eyes of our boy.
By the way, no matter how much I whine about losing my baby, I won't miss diapers at all.
Some of you know that my Little Dude is receiving speech therapy. Tuesday was his third session, and so far he is running through with flying colors. It's nice to go once a month-it gives me a touchstone of sorts to see his progress. We live with it every day, and so we're used to his quirks and progress. But when they see him, it's a celebration. He asked for juice instead of just hauling me into the kitchen? Hugs from the speech therapist! He jumped with both feet together? Applause from the physical therapist! Look, he's using pretend play! The OT gives everyone high fives! I love that LD gets the extra cheers from them-The Dude and I celebrate any new achievement, but I think we forget to keep cheering after a while. But we never stop being proud.
We also seem to work with him non-stop at home. Parents in this program always have "homework", to keep the momentum up between monthly sessions. It can be challenging to hold LD's attention, and it can definitely be time-consuming, but it has really paid off. His therapy team know I blog, and they actually encouraged me to discuss what we do. There are exercises to help him gain a greater, deeper awareness of his body. Those exercises are what has led to learning to jump, labeling his own body parts without needing a mirror, and his sudden ability to tell us when he has to go potty. We coach him to say "no" and "mine", which amuses me because it seems that those are viewed as bad words in toddler land. It's hard to teach a child to share while simultaneously telling him it's okay to say "mine"! We've taught him sign language, and we're now working on imitative play. We repeat the same words endlessly. And there's the "sensory diet", which is a series of five activities meant to stimulate nerves, work muscles, encourage movement of the mouth, measure fine motor skills, and to encourage a mess. For example, we'll start by bouncing on an exercise ball while singing a song about bouncing on the ball. Then we'll do some deep nerve stimulation by doing joint compressions. After that, we'll blow bubbles, then stack some blocks, then end with finger painting. And our reward is watching our son open up a little more every day. I'm not complaining about what we have to do-we are so very lucky to have a wonderful team to teach us and help us, and we're grateful that our little guy is otherwise happy and healthy.
At this last session, as LD was playing with his therapy team, I was pulled into a meeting with Jeffrey's coordinator, his rep from the county, and a rep from our local school district. Once LD turns three, he'll be receiving treatment from the school, assuming he still needs it by then. He has the option to receive home therapy, or to be sent to a preschool. This preschool is located close to home, is staffed by what sounds like a wonderful team of educators and therapists, and is in a new, modern building. The classes have 16 children-8 with varying special needs, and 8 "peer model" children. It would be 4 days a week, in sessions of 2.5 hours a day. I was okay with all of this, until the school rep said that we could choose to have LD bussed. As she was telling me about these cute little buses with special car seats and an assistant to help buckle him in, and a very patient and friendly bus driver, all I could see in my mind was my baby (who suddenly seemed very tiny) being whisked away by a bunch of strangers, potentially crying every day for Mommy, and all I could do would be to stand on the sidewalk and wave.
My internal hysteria must have shown on my face, because the rep quickly backed off the talk of buses. She reassured me that I could drive LD if I preferred, I'd always be welcome to observe and visit, and I don't even have to do school yet. And I know-I KNOW-that school would probably be the best bet. LD would get some much-needed interaction with other kids. It would be such a boost for his self-esteem. But...all I could feel was the sensation that time was slipping away, my baby was slipping through my fingers, and that one day very soon, I'll wake up to see a kid who doesn't need Mommy as much as Mommy may want him to. Does every mother feel this?? I know he'll grow up, that it's my job to help him grow up to be the very best person he can be, but I am not ready for this at all!
I suppose all I can do is try to work through my own hesitation and fears, and be as ready as I can be when the day comes-maybe sooner, maybe later-that I have to let my baby go. Bannon, in true best friend style, listened to me wail, insisted that it's totally normal to wail, and promised to be with me whenever it's time to send LD off to school. I know it's dumb, but going to school seems so...final. Like he'll get on to the bus a toddler, and get off of the bus as some older, alien child, and my baby will be gone forever. I know that can't be true. My mother refers to me (still!!) as her baby, and I'm sure she'll see me that way for the rest of her life. And it suits the two of us just fine. So, in the meantime, I'll stop worrying about what I'm losing, and focus on the times when it's just our little family, seeing life through the eyes of our boy.
By the way, no matter how much I whine about losing my baby, I won't miss diapers at all.
Monday, October 17, 2011
I'm still here!
Kerry here-wow, has it really been a month since I blogged? It's amazing how life gets away with you, and from you. I'm sorry we haven't written! This past month for me has been hectic, enough to prompt a friend of mine to order me to have a night out. I haven't gotten that far yet, but I'm trying to find little ways to treat myself, and keep myself somewhat sane (sanity is relative, here). And one of my little time-outs turned into one of my favorite moments as a parent.
Have you ever had one of those moments? The type that, while it would ordinarily get
lost in the bustle of your day, managed to burrow its way into your heart? I had one of those this week.
The Little Dude and I had just gotten home from running
errands, and it was lunchtime. I was
trying to bribe him into going inside, but instead he made a beeline for a
small pile of leaves by the sidewalk. He
immediately began to pick them up and throw them in the air, laughing and
smiling like he had found the most amazing thing. At first, I was frustrated-I like to run on a
schedule, and playing outside was not on the agenda. But I decided to give him a few minutes. And a few more, then a few more after that. Watching him run through the leaves simply
made me happy. He’s been hard at work on
his therapy, our general schedule has been hectic, and if anyone needs some
down time, it’s a two year old boy.
It was windy, and LD was fascinated by watching the leaves
blow across the yard and into the parking lot.
He began to run headlong into the wind, arms out, face scrunched with
delight as the wind blew his hair back.
The weather was perfect, sunny and just warm enough. The sun made my baby’s hair glow with this
golden light, but it couldn’t compete with the light coming from my boy. He was happy, alive, and totally in the moment. I couldn’t help but join him in the
leaves. We ran into the wind, threw
leaves at each other, and were in the moment together.
I know that, as time goes on, I may lose the details, but
I’ll always remember the light shining on my boy’s hair, that beautiful smile
of pure happiness, and how my heart swelled with joy and love.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Who Knows What Got Into My Son
by Bannon
Last night I was trying to get the kids showered up and in bed. Since it was Sunday they were both resisting going through the routine because they didn't want the weekend to come to a close. I finally get the older one cleaned up and ready and start on the younger. I told him to get undressed and go hop in the shower and I went back into the kitchen to clean up dinner.
Dh comes in to say that ds2 did indeed get undressed and for some reason instead of going to the bathroom before his shower like normal he decided to pee in the laundry basket. He didn't realize he was doing it until it was done and so he was really upset. My poor little guy. He told me he was so embarrassed. I found it to be hysterically funny!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Lovely, Love My Family
Things are settling in nicely here with the nieces being here after school. The first week was a bit of an adjustment-testing boundaries, convincing the Little Dude that he has to share with even more kids, the usual. But it's brought a surprising amount of love into our home, which was something I didn't really think would happen. My nieces are very open in showing each other love, and it spills over to me, the LD, and the other boy I babysit. They'll pull they boys onto their laps for hugs and kisses, play with them, and generally make a happy mess. One activity we did today that the older and younger kids all had fun with was finger painting with shaving cream. Sometimes, we'll use paper and color, but today we just spread it out onto the train table and let everyone get to it.
I knew from previous experience that I'd have to stay on my toes with activities for all the kids, and that's been a challenge for me. Things that will engage the 2- and 3-year-olds won't do the trick for the 10 year olds. Fortunately, they have come up with some great ideas. The older girls are convinced that I'm going to teach them to cook! So we've been working on some basics, as well as actually giving them some experience with an oven. They've learned how to use a knife, how to measure, how to sift, and they've gotten a healthy dose of respect for a hot oven. So, to let them test their skills, the 4 girls all chipped in to make homemade pizzas for a large family dinner. For the dough, we used a recipe from Once A Month Mom.
2 3/4 c. lukewarm water
1.5 T. granulated active yeast
1.5 T. kosher salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
6 1/2 c. flour. I used whole wheat flour for the dough. Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a large bowl. I let my littlest niece, who is 3, pour in and stir the ingredients. Next, mix in the flour without kneading, using a wooden spoon. Leaving the dough in the bowl, cover with a towel and let it sit for 2 hours. At this point, you can either use the dough immediately, or you can refrigerate it for 4 hours, then separate into individual portions (we got 3 medium pizzas out of this batch), wrap it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, place into freezer bags, and freeze them. If you choose to use the dough immediately, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease your pan, press out the dough and top with whatever you choose. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust and toppings are golden. If you want to use frozen dough, thaw it in the fridge, dust it with flour, then roll or press it for your crust. The older girls prepared all the toppings, including chopping up tomatoes and peppers, as well as putting on the saucy pepperoni, etc. They all really liked cooking it, and they really liked eating it! The crust got a thumbs up from everyone involved, and it was really easy to work with.
But, more than the food, or the messy projects, I think the kids (and the parents) are enjoying our increased closeness the most. The title seems very appropriate, especially since it's from a song by The Roots that appeared in Yo Gabba Gabba, a favorite show of my 3 youngest charges. Enjoy!
I knew from previous experience that I'd have to stay on my toes with activities for all the kids, and that's been a challenge for me. Things that will engage the 2- and 3-year-olds won't do the trick for the 10 year olds. Fortunately, they have come up with some great ideas. The older girls are convinced that I'm going to teach them to cook! So we've been working on some basics, as well as actually giving them some experience with an oven. They've learned how to use a knife, how to measure, how to sift, and they've gotten a healthy dose of respect for a hot oven. So, to let them test their skills, the 4 girls all chipped in to make homemade pizzas for a large family dinner. For the dough, we used a recipe from Once A Month Mom.
2 3/4 c. lukewarm water
1.5 T. granulated active yeast
1.5 T. kosher salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
6 1/2 c. flour. I used whole wheat flour for the dough. Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a large bowl. I let my littlest niece, who is 3, pour in and stir the ingredients. Next, mix in the flour without kneading, using a wooden spoon. Leaving the dough in the bowl, cover with a towel and let it sit for 2 hours. At this point, you can either use the dough immediately, or you can refrigerate it for 4 hours, then separate into individual portions (we got 3 medium pizzas out of this batch), wrap it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, place into freezer bags, and freeze them. If you choose to use the dough immediately, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease your pan, press out the dough and top with whatever you choose. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust and toppings are golden. If you want to use frozen dough, thaw it in the fridge, dust it with flour, then roll or press it for your crust. The older girls prepared all the toppings, including chopping up tomatoes and peppers, as well as putting on the saucy pepperoni, etc. They all really liked cooking it, and they really liked eating it! The crust got a thumbs up from everyone involved, and it was really easy to work with.
But, more than the food, or the messy projects, I think the kids (and the parents) are enjoying our increased closeness the most. The title seems very appropriate, especially since it's from a song by The Roots that appeared in Yo Gabba Gabba, a favorite show of my 3 youngest charges. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Fun Freebies and a Big Boy
Before I start to blog, can I vent for a second? Insight, the providers of our internet/cable/phone service, are MAKING ME CRAZY. We just have trouble with one item or another on a fairly regular basis. Thought we had it all fixed, then we realized we were losing our internet again. Got that back (kind of), now the phone can't be used. Le sigh. We were sent three vouchers for free pay-per-view movies for our troubles, so I guess an adult movie marathon is supposed to make up for it. :-D I'm not sure where the breakdown is, everyone we speak to seems to be very earnest in their desire to get things fixed, but we have yet to get a long-term solution. Anyhoo, that's been part of the reason for the lack of blogging, along with just being very busy these last couple of weeks. But I'm back!
First, I have to brag on my big boy. I haven't really discussed it, but the little dude has a speech delay. He's just hit the 2 1/2 year mark, and since there hasn't been any great leaps in development, I went ahead and scheduled an evaluation for him. Of course, now that I've done that, he's suddenly trotting out short sentences and names and a new understanding of communication. We're still getting him evaluated, but I don't have the same worries I did before. He's also transitioning to a real cup, instead of a sippy with a straw. I really have to let go of my issues with him getting messy, lol. He's been climbing like crazy, and managed to do playground equipment all by himself. I even had to buy him fall clothes in a 3T! I know it doesn't seem like much, but he just suddenly seems so much older to me. The Big Dude and I were getting misty-eyed last night looking at his oddly large clothes, wondering where our baby went. I'm even starting to entertain the notion of (whimpers) preschool. Nothing at all wrong with preschool, of course--I taught 3's and pre-K kids for a decade--but I never thought he'd be getting old enough for it! How did all my mom friends handle the realization that their baby isn't such a baby anymore?
As far as the fun freebies go, I have a lot to tell you about! I've been using two sites, House Party and Vocalpoint. House Party allows you to register to host a sponsored party for your family and friends. I registered today for two different parties, one featuring pizza made with Johnsonville sausage, and the other one with board games! If you're selected, you'll be sent a package with everything you need. For example, the game party will get you two free board games, coupons for discounts on the games for your guests, recipes, napkins, drink stirrers, etc. I've been to a few, and they were really fun! A Fresh Wave party got me a goody bag with 6 different air fresheners, and a Breakstone party had coupons for discounts on Breakstone products, a cutting board, and some yummy food. Best part is, it's all free!
Vocalpoint is different, no parties are required. You'll receive different merchandise (or a coupon for the item free), and you'll be asked to fill out a survey or blog about your experience with them. So far, I've gotten free salad, and I'm being sent the new Swiffer duster next. As soon as I get to the store to get my salad, I probably will briefly blog about it, just because I want to keep the freebies coming. Also, keep an eye on Suave's Facebook page, they've been talking about running the free product giveaway again!
First, I have to brag on my big boy. I haven't really discussed it, but the little dude has a speech delay. He's just hit the 2 1/2 year mark, and since there hasn't been any great leaps in development, I went ahead and scheduled an evaluation for him. Of course, now that I've done that, he's suddenly trotting out short sentences and names and a new understanding of communication. We're still getting him evaluated, but I don't have the same worries I did before. He's also transitioning to a real cup, instead of a sippy with a straw. I really have to let go of my issues with him getting messy, lol. He's been climbing like crazy, and managed to do playground equipment all by himself. I even had to buy him fall clothes in a 3T! I know it doesn't seem like much, but he just suddenly seems so much older to me. The Big Dude and I were getting misty-eyed last night looking at his oddly large clothes, wondering where our baby went. I'm even starting to entertain the notion of (whimpers) preschool. Nothing at all wrong with preschool, of course--I taught 3's and pre-K kids for a decade--but I never thought he'd be getting old enough for it! How did all my mom friends handle the realization that their baby isn't such a baby anymore?
As far as the fun freebies go, I have a lot to tell you about! I've been using two sites, House Party and Vocalpoint. House Party allows you to register to host a sponsored party for your family and friends. I registered today for two different parties, one featuring pizza made with Johnsonville sausage, and the other one with board games! If you're selected, you'll be sent a package with everything you need. For example, the game party will get you two free board games, coupons for discounts on the games for your guests, recipes, napkins, drink stirrers, etc. I've been to a few, and they were really fun! A Fresh Wave party got me a goody bag with 6 different air fresheners, and a Breakstone party had coupons for discounts on Breakstone products, a cutting board, and some yummy food. Best part is, it's all free!
Vocalpoint is different, no parties are required. You'll receive different merchandise (or a coupon for the item free), and you'll be asked to fill out a survey or blog about your experience with them. So far, I've gotten free salad, and I'm being sent the new Swiffer duster next. As soon as I get to the store to get my salad, I probably will briefly blog about it, just because I want to keep the freebies coming. Also, keep an eye on Suave's Facebook page, they've been talking about running the free product giveaway again!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Is it summer?
I am loving the weather we've been having. Mid to upper 70's daily is perfect for me temperature wise. But it isn't so great for the kids. They have started swim team and lessons but it's way too cold to be in the pool for so long in the morning. So when I hear that the weather is going to get up into the 90's, I can't help but be a little happy that the pool is going to warm up. Plus it's been awful odd to be fixing them hot chocolate after swimming to warm them up again. It's June, not February.
Is your weather as crazy as ours?
B
Is your weather as crazy as ours?
B
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