We received some terrific news today and although we felt we knew this all along in our hearts, it's wonderful to have confirmation to tamp down any doubts. Or doubters--and there are those that look at your with doubt in their eyes.
Son#3 was tested recently and shows NO signs of cognitive delays! This means there is no sign of Autism. The word they used was "average". I can live with average.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
How the Summer Was Won
For most people summer is something they look forward to & dream about the time spent away from home with their family in the warm sunshine. We're not most people.
I would venture to guess just about anyone reading this post has figured that out by now. Not only do I hate the heat, the sun gives me monstrous headaches and the kids never seem to have enough to keep them occupied. They really do miss school & the routine. Did I mention I hate the heat? Summer is my LEAST favorite time of year. So for all the times you're hearing friends and family lamenting about, "Where did the summer go?" I'm going to let you in on how we survived the summer around here & how happy we are it's over.
You'll notice I haven't blogged since the first week in June. Well, let's just say summer takes three of me and there's only just the one. I can't remember sitting down much of the summer actually. As my mother says it's a wonder I'm not super skinny. Summer school was wonderful & I enjoyed the break every morning with the two bigger boys gone from 8-noon. I actually got some things accomplished, cleaning the garage out and such. Don't be too impressed, it's really taken me 2 years. We even had almost 2 solid weeks of rain--I was in heaven! We played outside a lot of the first part of the month and the kids really enjoyed the beach ball, sprinkler, trampoline, swingset, sidewalk chalk and little baby pool to play cars/trains in. Around here with 100+% humidity, we don't get out much of July/August. It never seems to be worth the effort you put out for 10 minutes of feeling wiped out the rest of the day. Even the kids don't seem interested at all after 30 minutes. But we found plenty at the library and such to keep us busy inside the rest of the rainy month of June.
The kids had the first week of July off of school and Hubbo's father came to visit. We got to meet his new wife Ms. Yvonne. The kids loved the time with them & we got to get out and about as a family quite a bit. We went to the aquarium, which son #2 really seemed to enjoy. I think he would have stayed all day peering at the fish. Although the kids weren't as impressed with the shark feedings as we adults were, but then, we're taller. We also went to an animal sanctuary with tigers & lions. Hubbo and his dad did some of the feedings with frozen chicken legs. That was impressive and I took many pictures. The baby loved the petting zoo type part and was fearless around the llamas, geese, and goats especially. Son#1 said he could have done without the sanctuary for the following reasons: it smelled, flies, too hot...oh and the other flies. For July the heat really held itself at bay while our company was here and we did our fun things. The kids all enjoyed it and I am thrilled to report they were all very well behaved. We were impressed!
Son#1 loved VBS and found an older girl in Drama Time that he has a crush on. Boy it starts young! I finally got their picture & I think it'll make a nice scrapbook page to show him when he's 18. Son#1 also has started middle school and doesn't seem to impressed by it all. But that's Autism--resistance to change at it's best! We go this week to his open house where hopefully we will sort it all out with the teacher. He's having huge adjustments and many of them with getting up at 6:15am, bus leaving at 7am. Not to mention, new school, new teachers & new bus driver who is nowhere near the perfection of patience we reached in previous years. That's a lot to deal with for him. He'll probably start back wearing his medicine patches or a half of one, soon to help him cope with his anxiety about it all.
Son#2 is back on the old meds with no tics. The tic seemed to be from caffeine intake. Now that we monitor that, we've had no problems. Well except the eating/weight issue it causes, but we're working on that one. He had a good 9th birthday because we were able to find a replacement for a 2 year old singing pig he had that he wore out. It's very hard to find a non-speaking/non-traditional toy loving child, a birthday present. Much less more than one. The pig was a life saver and boy has he driven us crazy with it--a sure sign he loved it.
That leaves son#3 and boy has summer given him a big boost! First he had his 3 year check-up where the doctor informed us he was off the percentile chart for height and 98th% for weight. His hip/foot have straightened out a lot, although he'll have to start some PT soon to help keep him from walking on his tip toes. He's always done it for balance to counter the foot he drags. Sure doesn't slow him down though. And son#3 is talking in complete sentences now too! A sound close to Hubbo & I's heart although on a crazy day can drive me bonkers. But he's a huge help around here and is quite the happy boy 99% of the time. Who could ask for anything more? He keeps us all happy & laughing even when we're in the trenches.
We took him for evaluation to get placed in a pre-school program in the public school system here for this fall. With the brothers history, and him taking awhile to talk, we want to be sure we are proactive with his speech and give him some kids his own age to learn from. Ours not being the most typical household to learn in. Son#3 loved VBS with son#1. They both really enjoyed the stories of David and the other kids. And son#2 got plenty of time with daddy, his favorite playmate.
Well, that about does it. You're caught up on our goings-ons. I promise now that I have more time to myself with the kids in school, to blog more often. If you don't hear from me though, I'd start checking local bus stations & airports, I haven't had a vacation yet this year.
I would venture to guess just about anyone reading this post has figured that out by now. Not only do I hate the heat, the sun gives me monstrous headaches and the kids never seem to have enough to keep them occupied. They really do miss school & the routine. Did I mention I hate the heat? Summer is my LEAST favorite time of year. So for all the times you're hearing friends and family lamenting about, "Where did the summer go?" I'm going to let you in on how we survived the summer around here & how happy we are it's over.
You'll notice I haven't blogged since the first week in June. Well, let's just say summer takes three of me and there's only just the one. I can't remember sitting down much of the summer actually. As my mother says it's a wonder I'm not super skinny. Summer school was wonderful & I enjoyed the break every morning with the two bigger boys gone from 8-noon. I actually got some things accomplished, cleaning the garage out and such. Don't be too impressed, it's really taken me 2 years. We even had almost 2 solid weeks of rain--I was in heaven! We played outside a lot of the first part of the month and the kids really enjoyed the beach ball, sprinkler, trampoline, swingset, sidewalk chalk and little baby pool to play cars/trains in. Around here with 100+% humidity, we don't get out much of July/August. It never seems to be worth the effort you put out for 10 minutes of feeling wiped out the rest of the day. Even the kids don't seem interested at all after 30 minutes. But we found plenty at the library and such to keep us busy inside the rest of the rainy month of June.
The kids had the first week of July off of school and Hubbo's father came to visit. We got to meet his new wife Ms. Yvonne. The kids loved the time with them & we got to get out and about as a family quite a bit. We went to the aquarium, which son #2 really seemed to enjoy. I think he would have stayed all day peering at the fish. Although the kids weren't as impressed with the shark feedings as we adults were, but then, we're taller. We also went to an animal sanctuary with tigers & lions. Hubbo and his dad did some of the feedings with frozen chicken legs. That was impressive and I took many pictures. The baby loved the petting zoo type part and was fearless around the llamas, geese, and goats especially. Son#1 said he could have done without the sanctuary for the following reasons: it smelled, flies, too hot...oh and the other flies. For July the heat really held itself at bay while our company was here and we did our fun things. The kids all enjoyed it and I am thrilled to report they were all very well behaved. We were impressed!
Son#1 loved VBS and found an older girl in Drama Time that he has a crush on. Boy it starts young! I finally got their picture & I think it'll make a nice scrapbook page to show him when he's 18. Son#1 also has started middle school and doesn't seem to impressed by it all. But that's Autism--resistance to change at it's best! We go this week to his open house where hopefully we will sort it all out with the teacher. He's having huge adjustments and many of them with getting up at 6:15am, bus leaving at 7am. Not to mention, new school, new teachers & new bus driver who is nowhere near the perfection of patience we reached in previous years. That's a lot to deal with for him. He'll probably start back wearing his medicine patches or a half of one, soon to help him cope with his anxiety about it all.
Son#2 is back on the old meds with no tics. The tic seemed to be from caffeine intake. Now that we monitor that, we've had no problems. Well except the eating/weight issue it causes, but we're working on that one. He had a good 9th birthday because we were able to find a replacement for a 2 year old singing pig he had that he wore out. It's very hard to find a non-speaking/non-traditional toy loving child, a birthday present. Much less more than one. The pig was a life saver and boy has he driven us crazy with it--a sure sign he loved it.
That leaves son#3 and boy has summer given him a big boost! First he had his 3 year check-up where the doctor informed us he was off the percentile chart for height and 98th% for weight. His hip/foot have straightened out a lot, although he'll have to start some PT soon to help keep him from walking on his tip toes. He's always done it for balance to counter the foot he drags. Sure doesn't slow him down though. And son#3 is talking in complete sentences now too! A sound close to Hubbo & I's heart although on a crazy day can drive me bonkers. But he's a huge help around here and is quite the happy boy 99% of the time. Who could ask for anything more? He keeps us all happy & laughing even when we're in the trenches.
We took him for evaluation to get placed in a pre-school program in the public school system here for this fall. With the brothers history, and him taking awhile to talk, we want to be sure we are proactive with his speech and give him some kids his own age to learn from. Ours not being the most typical household to learn in. Son#3 loved VBS with son#1. They both really enjoyed the stories of David and the other kids. And son#2 got plenty of time with daddy, his favorite playmate.
Well, that about does it. You're caught up on our goings-ons. I promise now that I have more time to myself with the kids in school, to blog more often. If you don't hear from me though, I'd start checking local bus stations & airports, I haven't had a vacation yet this year.
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