One of the downsides of living in the woods (or at least on the border of miles upon miles of woods? Mice.
We've seen them every once in a while in the basement. Ryun has traps set which usually prevent them from getting any further, but, on very rare occasions we have seen them in other areas of the house.
Case-in-point? Today, while I was sitting in my freshly cleaned and organized office, a baby mouse crashed head on in to my croc and took of in to an area unknown, hopefully with a freakin' concussion that will end his life. So me? I screamed like the girl I am and called my husband, the resident "bug and rodent killer" in to rescue me. Of course, the sneaky bastard (the mouse, not Ryun...although...) was gone upon Ryun's arrival...almost as if he knew what fate held in store for him.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Living Room Campout
Every once in a while, the girls like to have what we call a "Living Room Campout." They bring down all of their bed stuff, pick a spot and crash on the living room floor. They usually watch some tv, play with the toys, and are asleep around 10 or so. Well, tonight Julia came to my office and said, "I wanna have a dance contest, just like on the Disney Channel Games!"
This is the result:
This is the result:
Katherine: Before and After
Friday, August 29, 2008
Dependence
We have managed to get Julia sleeping in her own bed, and for the most part, starting the night in her own room. She stills seems to wake a lot (almost always once a night, sometimes more than once) so I have been going up, sitting in the rocking chair until she falls back asleep and then coming back down. It's been working fairly well (beyond the interrupted sleep and just plain annoyance of having to get out of bed in the middle of the night). Apparently, she has gotten used to the whole plan too, because at about 5:30 this morning, instead of crying, I could hear her over the monitor saying, "The rocking chair, the rocking chair." This all well and good, and certainly better than saying or otherwise implying that she wants to be brought down to our bed, but I am wondering at what point I should be expecting her to employ the method of self soothing? I mean, she is not always waking from a bad dream...sometimes she just wakes up for no apparent reason. Even then, she needs someone to come up and sit with her until she falls back.
I have no idea. But, GO ME for actually making a plan and sticking to it, even if it has been hard.
I have no idea. But, GO ME for actually making a plan and sticking to it, even if it has been hard.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
So...
...it has even become a reality yet and I am already nervous about Julia and her first dancing class. Julia just doesn't go and...do things without me. She needs a lot of encouragement, a lot of prompting and even at that, she is usually "on her own, a little withdrawn and not fully participating in the activity. I am having a hard time picturing her just leaving me in the reception area of the dance studio and going off to do her thing. I am also having a hard time seeing her, if she does actually leave and do her thing, you know, actually doing her thing. I realize hat the attention level of four year olds is not great to begin with, but Julia's "off in her own world" sort of thing is more pronounced than what I think the average four year old might display. I can totally see her wandering around the studio, looking aimlessly around, while the teacher is trying to get the kids to tap five times to the left, or whatever. I am going to try it though. I was also thinking of tyring to call the studio to see if I could visit with Julia a few times before her scheduled class to maybe give her an idea of what will be going on. I was also contemplating writing a letter to give to the teacher, explaining Julia and her various behaviors. I also thought about printing out a picture of her teacher which I can get online and maybe a few pictures of kids dancing and making a little, "When I Go To Dance" book for her. Or, I might just let her go and see what happens, with no pre-planning at all beyond talking about it with Julia.
While we are on the subject of things that are making me nervous, I just realized that Julia's first day of school is on a Monday...which means her first day will involve her riding to school on the bus as opposed to me driving her (her IEP states that 2 of the 4 days she will go on the bus, the opposite 2 I will drive her...she could have gone on the bus all 4 days but I like to drive her so I can visit the school and be more aware of what is going on). She seems pretty excited about the bus but I hope the excitement translates in to her getting on and going without a hassle.
All of this boils down to an entry that I need to write that basically boils down to this: Am I doing wrong by her by making her go on the bus, go to dance, or anything else that may be uncomfortable for her, or am doing the right thing by trying to fit her in to some mold that society has cast that says she has to go to dance or that she has to go on a bus to school, or that she has to go to school at all? There's a lot more to it than that but it will have to wait until I can get it out of my head and on to paper in some sort of coherent way.
While we are on the subject of things that are making me nervous, I just realized that Julia's first day of school is on a Monday...which means her first day will involve her riding to school on the bus as opposed to me driving her (her IEP states that 2 of the 4 days she will go on the bus, the opposite 2 I will drive her...she could have gone on the bus all 4 days but I like to drive her so I can visit the school and be more aware of what is going on). She seems pretty excited about the bus but I hope the excitement translates in to her getting on and going without a hassle.
All of this boils down to an entry that I need to write that basically boils down to this: Am I doing wrong by her by making her go on the bus, go to dance, or anything else that may be uncomfortable for her, or am doing the right thing by trying to fit her in to some mold that society has cast that says she has to go to dance or that she has to go on a bus to school, or that she has to go to school at all? There's a lot more to it than that but it will have to wait until I can get it out of my head and on to paper in some sort of coherent way.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
This Year's Schedule
Just in case you were wondering!
Monday: Katherine has Girl Scouts from 6-7 every other Monday. Emily has jazz from 6-6:45. Ryun has Poker from 8 til whenever he busts out.
Tuesday: Julia will be in a preschool dance class for an hour in the mornings.
Wednesday: 1st Wednesday of every Month: Emily and I will be at the middle school PTSA meetings at 7pm. Every 2nd Wednesday, I will be at PTA. Every Wednesday Katherine will be at Jazz from5:15-6.
Thursday: every other Thursday Emily will be at Girl Scouts.
Friday: NOTHING!
Saturday: Beginning in December and going through March Katherine will be playing basketball for an hour and a half per day.
Sunday: NOTHING!
Monday: Katherine has Girl Scouts from 6-7 every other Monday. Emily has jazz from 6-6:45. Ryun has Poker from 8 til whenever he busts out.
Tuesday: Julia will be in a preschool dance class for an hour in the mornings.
Wednesday: 1st Wednesday of every Month: Emily and I will be at the middle school PTSA meetings at 7pm. Every 2nd Wednesday, I will be at PTA. Every Wednesday Katherine will be at Jazz from5:15-6.
Thursday: every other Thursday Emily will be at Girl Scouts.
Friday: NOTHING!
Saturday: Beginning in December and going through March Katherine will be playing basketball for an hour and a half per day.
Sunday: NOTHING!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Emily...
...stayed home for the first time ever alone today. And yesterday? I sent her in to the convenience store down the street by herself to pick up potato chips to go with the sandwiches we were going to have at my parents.
She is growing up way too fast.
She is growing up way too fast.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Emily's EEG...Details and Photos
As mentioned in a previous entry, Emily's EEG came back completely normal! I had a feeling it would, call it mother's instinct, but actual proof that she appears to be done with seizures (at least for now) is nice. We have to get the official word from her neurologist who is on vacation until the beginning of September, but based on our past conversations, her clear EEG will mean that we will be gradually decreasing her medicine until it is no more. It's exciting and somewhat frightening at the same time, but Emily, when we found out that it was clear was oddly unexcited. When I asked her why, with the team of neurologists (Children's is a teaching hospital so we have students right through to attendings that come see Emily) still standing around she said, "I don't want to go home. The food is really good here." Everyone laughed, and I am trying not to be offended that she thinks hospital food is better than what I cook at home. Actually, what I think she meant by that is that she will miss being able to order room service off of a menu, which is how Children's handles the food service there.
Anyway, I took pictures.
It's not often that I see any of my kids with their hair completely off of their face (hello, have you seen how much hair my kids have?!?!). She looks beautiful, and scarily grown up.
And this, speaking of all of that hair? This is what it looked like after the leads were taken off. Three bottles of shampoo at the hospital (small, sample size but still), a couple of hours in the pool, and a shower or two since? She still looks like she has a bad dandruff problem. I am sure she will be all set after another couple of showers.
Anyway, I took pictures.
It's not often that I see any of my kids with their hair completely off of their face (hello, have you seen how much hair my kids have?!?!). She looks beautiful, and scarily grown up.
And this, speaking of all of that hair? This is what it looked like after the leads were taken off. Three bottles of shampoo at the hospital (small, sample size but still), a couple of hours in the pool, and a shower or two since? She still looks like she has a bad dandruff problem. I am sure she will be all set after another couple of showers.
One of these days...
...I will actually post something longer than a sentence or two.
Apparently, just not today!
Apparently, just not today!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Emily and I will depart for Children's Hospital in Boston for a 48 hour EEG. This results of this EEG will be the sole determining factor in the decision to take her off of her medicine for seizures (well, that and of course if she doesn't have any between now and then). She has not had a seizure in almost 4 years.
It's exciting (not the actual trip to the hospital but the possibility of her going off of her medication) but scary just the same. Going off of her medicine, even if her EEG results come back clear, brings with it the chance that she could have one. Of course, that chance exists even when she is on the medication. Seizures are weird like that.
Anyway, if you could all send some positive vibes this way? It would be much appreciated!
It's exciting (not the actual trip to the hospital but the possibility of her going off of her medication) but scary just the same. Going off of her medicine, even if her EEG results come back clear, brings with it the chance that she could have one. Of course, that chance exists even when she is on the medication. Seizures are weird like that.
Anyway, if you could all send some positive vibes this way? It would be much appreciated!
Does anyone know...
...if I can auto-forward my Verizon email right to my gmail account? I use Outlook and I can't seem to find an auto-forward option(if such a thing exists). I wonder if i can set that up right at the Verizon website?
***UPDATE***Nevermind, I figured it out.
***UPDATE***Nevermind, I figured it out.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Emily?
Is shaving her legs for the first time ever today.
That might be a little TMI, but really? How is it possible that I have a child old enough to do such a thing?
That might be a little TMI, but really? How is it possible that I have a child old enough to do such a thing?
Julia...
...has successfully spent the last few nights in her room. Over the past two nights, she has also started the night asleep in her own room as opposed to falling asleep on the couch and being transported to her room. YAY!
I went to Borders the other day and found a book, cd and stuffed animal deal that was on clearance for only $4.99. The CD contains a bunch of soft, "sleepytime" music. one of the concerns I had for her was that her room is street facing and perhaps the noise of cars etc (not that a lot of cars go by at night but still) might be distracting to her. I set the cd up on repeat so it plays softly (but just loud enough to make that the thing she hears as opposed to the cars). So far, we have had to sit in her room until she falls asleep, but hopefuly soon, she will just go in awake and fall asleep on her own.
YAY!
I went to Borders the other day and found a book, cd and stuffed animal deal that was on clearance for only $4.99. The CD contains a bunch of soft, "sleepytime" music. one of the concerns I had for her was that her room is street facing and perhaps the noise of cars etc (not that a lot of cars go by at night but still) might be distracting to her. I set the cd up on repeat so it plays softly (but just loud enough to make that the thing she hears as opposed to the cars). So far, we have had to sit in her room until she falls asleep, but hopefuly soon, she will just go in awake and fall asleep on her own.
YAY!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
In other milestone related news...
...for the first time in, well, eons, Julia spent the entire night sleeping in her room.
She woke screaming around 11:30. I was still awake so I went up to her room and sat in the rocking chair we recently put in her room for about a half hour or so until she fell back asleep. I started to leave but she woke again, so this time I sat at the kids computer that's set up on the landing and fooled around with that for about another half hour until she fell asleep soundly.
For the next few weeks my plan is going to be let her fall asleep wherever, bring her to her room and when she wakes, go up and do just what I did last night (I say when rather then if because for months on end she has woken up screaming every night with no exception). I will do this with the hope that eventually, she will not wake up anymore, or at least not every night.
After that is squared away (which hopefully will be sooner rather than later because hello, I need my sleep) the next step will be to get her to start the night in her own room. I am going to bring my cd player up there and find some calm and soothing music to play on repeat for her, as well as look into getting her a night light (rather than leaving her door open with the hall light on). For the first few nights, I will sit next to her in the chair until she falls asleep, but will gradually move further and further away until eventually, I am no longer in the room. I am hoping this will not take too long, and the goal of course will be for me to put her up in her room awake, read to her, tuck her in and leave.
It would be nice if this all could be in place before school starts again because if I think I am tired now, school starting will bring on a whole new level of tiredness.
She woke screaming around 11:30. I was still awake so I went up to her room and sat in the rocking chair we recently put in her room for about a half hour or so until she fell back asleep. I started to leave but she woke again, so this time I sat at the kids computer that's set up on the landing and fooled around with that for about another half hour until she fell asleep soundly.
For the next few weeks my plan is going to be let her fall asleep wherever, bring her to her room and when she wakes, go up and do just what I did last night (I say when rather then if because for months on end she has woken up screaming every night with no exception). I will do this with the hope that eventually, she will not wake up anymore, or at least not every night.
After that is squared away (which hopefully will be sooner rather than later because hello, I need my sleep) the next step will be to get her to start the night in her own room. I am going to bring my cd player up there and find some calm and soothing music to play on repeat for her, as well as look into getting her a night light (rather than leaving her door open with the hall light on). For the first few nights, I will sit next to her in the chair until she falls asleep, but will gradually move further and further away until eventually, I am no longer in the room. I am hoping this will not take too long, and the goal of course will be for me to put her up in her room awake, read to her, tuck her in and leave.
It would be nice if this all could be in place before school starts again because if I think I am tired now, school starting will bring on a whole new level of tiredness.
When you have a child with special needs...
...milestones are measured just a bit differently than they normally might be.
Take for example today. Julia learned how to jump off of the couch on to the floor. Typically, this is not something I would encourage for safety reasons, but for Julia, this was big. In recent weeks she has gone from jumping in place, to jumping forward to, well, jumping off of the couch. Emily came running in and said excitedly, "Mom, Julia just jumped off of the couch" to which I responded, "Really?! I really don't want her doing that but let me go see her do it one more time for confirmation." Emily found that funny.
It took me back to the time when she was first learning how to walk (at about 20 months or so) and her Physical Therapists were telling me to have her practice walking on uneven surfaces, and things with different textures (she used to have major sensory issues with her feet and would not walk on the rug, but walk on the floor etc). They encouraged using the couch for both gross and sensory motor play, with the couch providing both an uneven surface and a different texture for her to feel on her feet. I always thought it sounded backwards actually telling a kid to walk and jump on the couch when I was used to saying things like, "The couch is not a jungle gym" or "The couch is meant for sitting on."
Take for example today. Julia learned how to jump off of the couch on to the floor. Typically, this is not something I would encourage for safety reasons, but for Julia, this was big. In recent weeks she has gone from jumping in place, to jumping forward to, well, jumping off of the couch. Emily came running in and said excitedly, "Mom, Julia just jumped off of the couch" to which I responded, "Really?! I really don't want her doing that but let me go see her do it one more time for confirmation." Emily found that funny.
It took me back to the time when she was first learning how to walk (at about 20 months or so) and her Physical Therapists were telling me to have her practice walking on uneven surfaces, and things with different textures (she used to have major sensory issues with her feet and would not walk on the rug, but walk on the floor etc). They encouraged using the couch for both gross and sensory motor play, with the couch providing both an uneven surface and a different texture for her to feel on her feet. I always thought it sounded backwards actually telling a kid to walk and jump on the couch when I was used to saying things like, "The couch is not a jungle gym" or "The couch is meant for sitting on."
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Help!
I am entering this photo in to a contest and am looking for a good caption/title for it.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Offering Your Opinion
Okay to do freely, or only when asked (or otherwise indicated that it is wanted)?
People Two
Katherine's model pose.
Julia, the beach bum.
Emily loved the waves crashing over her.
Gorgeous.
The J Team.
People One
Four cousins smiling=happy photographer.
Up to her neck in sand, Julia is.
They're silly.
The art of exfoliation.
Award winning, I think.
It was difficult...
...but I have managed to pick out 25 of the 220 picture I took while on the Cape and marked them as my favorite. They will be grouped in to the following categories; scenic (two sets) people (2 sets) and art (1 set). I will be posting them here, in groups of five over the next hour or so.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
What do you think...
...would be the five most important lessons/morals/values that a person should come away from childhood with?
Why?
Why?
Friday, August 1, 2008
Oh, and if you are wondering...
...where I will be?
Here.
Chapin Beach. One of my most favorite places in the world.
Here.
Chapin Beach. One of my most favorite places in the world.
This may be...
...the last entry for a week, or it may not. I had intended to write, in advance at least a few entries to appear here next week, but this week? I have been a slave to my washing machine, my dryer, my kids (oops did I just say that?) and time has just not allowed. There is still some chance that I might, depending on how much I get done and at what hour, but, there is also a chance that we might have internet access on the cape. We will have a laptop on hand, it's just a matter of whether or not there is a wireless connection available to "snag."
Anyway, check back if you are so inclined. You never know what might miraculously appear.
Anyway, check back if you are so inclined. You never know what might miraculously appear.
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