This past Tuesday, Noah had his last speech therapy session with Trip. He's come such a long way with his speech. Noah will try to say new words almost daily--elephant, ornament, and train track are just a sample of his new vocabulary. Though he did not cooperate on Tuesday, I do feel confident in our decision to discontinue speech for the time being. His vocabulary is exploding, and we know how to encourage his speech. If we decide that his is not progressing, we can opt to begin therapy for him again.
It was a bittersweet day. When I think back to his pediatrician first recommending ST, I was very much against it. Noah didn't seem delayed to me, or to Chris. We gradually opened up to the idea of ST, and we got a wonderful speech therapist in Trip. Noah formed a bond with him, and mostly cooperated during his sessions. He has learned to assert himself with his siblings, and though he may get on a tangent and babble in his own language, at least he is attempting to communicate his needs. And the word "no" has become a staple in his vocabulary, especially when it comes to bedtime!
For now, we are going to remain optimistic about his speech, and pray that he will continue to make great strides in acheiving his goals!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
'Tis the Season...
After such a horrible November, I was hopeful that December might bring a bit of comfort and joy to us. I had my post-op on Dec. 3. As I was waiting for an entire hour to see the doctor, my mind began to wrap around the situation from November. I am fairly certain I know why God chose for me to get pregnant and then to lose the pregnacy. Well, that may be a bit forward for me to claim to know the mysterious ways that God works, but I have a few guesses.
To begin with, I think this may have happened to help Chris and me really communicate. With three small children and work, we often get so wrapped up in life that we forget to communicate with one another. The day of my post-op, three weeks since my D&C, we finally talked about the miscarriage for the first time. We may not have reached any conclusions, but we did finally talk about things. Chris did not respond well when he found out I was pregnant. I was shocked, but ultimately, I was extremely happy and excited. I felt fulfilled, something I had been missing recently. As I learned the fate of the pregnancy, subconsiously, I blamed Chris. Naturally, I knew he didn't want the miscarriage, but in my state of hormones, I felt the need to blame someone. He didn't want to talk about the miscarriage because he knew that I might be feeling this way. Truthfully, he doesn't want more children. I, on the other hand, desperately want one more child. My baby fever was bad before, but it is off the charts now. Have we figured out our differences on this matter? Absolutely not. However, he did agree to talk about having another child once he finds a new job, hopefully soon after the New Year. I can accept that, and I can respect that. However, my dr. seemed to think we might do well seeking professional help. We both declined, because her reason for suggesting it was unfounded. My dr. suggested counciling because Chris and I weren't talking about the miscarriage, but what she didn't realize was that we couldn't talk--two days after the surgery, Chris lost his grandmother and went to Arkansas for the funeral. After he came home, Katie ended up very sick, and then I got sick. By the time I was better, it was time to see the dr. So, in a nutshell, we have opted to not seek professional counciling at the time, mostly because we finally able to process things.
Another reason I believe this happened was to provide support for my friends. One of my high school friends discovered that she was pregnant a few weeks after I did, and she was only a week behind me. She goes to my OB, and her ultrasound was only days after mine. I found on Thursday that my babies had passed, and she discovered the following Monday that her baby had passed as well. The bond that has formed between us has been amazing. She had her D&C only one day after I had mine. Through our darkest, loneliest days, we had each other for support, and I truly believe that has helped me through this time. As well-meaning as friends and family are, the only person who can truly relate is someone who has gone through a very similar situation. During those first hard weeks, we constantly messaged one another and cried to each other, both of us longing for our angel babies. As we've fought through difficult situations, we can express our sadness at seeing other pregnant women, longing for what we had mere weeks ago. When our husbands cannot understand why we burst into tears for no reason, we lean on one another for support. As well, I have another friend who had lost a baby in the summer due to an ectopic pregnancy. She miraculously became pregnant again and was due a couple weeks after I was, but she lost this baby at 11 weeks as well. We have created such a support group for one another. Another one of my good friends sent me a gift simply to cheer me up. I am beyond blessed to have such supportive friends and family.
I also believe God must have a great plan for my future. I pray that he will bless us with one more child, but I think he must've realized that I had begun to lose my way, and this was his way of snapping me back to reality. I did not pray as much as I should've. I would call on God for favors, but did I talk to him to thank him for my blessings?
There is not a doubt in my mind that 2011 will bring it's share of good times and bad, but I pray I can see the silver lining as I continue this long journey of healing.
To begin with, I think this may have happened to help Chris and me really communicate. With three small children and work, we often get so wrapped up in life that we forget to communicate with one another. The day of my post-op, three weeks since my D&C, we finally talked about the miscarriage for the first time. We may not have reached any conclusions, but we did finally talk about things. Chris did not respond well when he found out I was pregnant. I was shocked, but ultimately, I was extremely happy and excited. I felt fulfilled, something I had been missing recently. As I learned the fate of the pregnancy, subconsiously, I blamed Chris. Naturally, I knew he didn't want the miscarriage, but in my state of hormones, I felt the need to blame someone. He didn't want to talk about the miscarriage because he knew that I might be feeling this way. Truthfully, he doesn't want more children. I, on the other hand, desperately want one more child. My baby fever was bad before, but it is off the charts now. Have we figured out our differences on this matter? Absolutely not. However, he did agree to talk about having another child once he finds a new job, hopefully soon after the New Year. I can accept that, and I can respect that. However, my dr. seemed to think we might do well seeking professional help. We both declined, because her reason for suggesting it was unfounded. My dr. suggested counciling because Chris and I weren't talking about the miscarriage, but what she didn't realize was that we couldn't talk--two days after the surgery, Chris lost his grandmother and went to Arkansas for the funeral. After he came home, Katie ended up very sick, and then I got sick. By the time I was better, it was time to see the dr. So, in a nutshell, we have opted to not seek professional counciling at the time, mostly because we finally able to process things.
Another reason I believe this happened was to provide support for my friends. One of my high school friends discovered that she was pregnant a few weeks after I did, and she was only a week behind me. She goes to my OB, and her ultrasound was only days after mine. I found on Thursday that my babies had passed, and she discovered the following Monday that her baby had passed as well. The bond that has formed between us has been amazing. She had her D&C only one day after I had mine. Through our darkest, loneliest days, we had each other for support, and I truly believe that has helped me through this time. As well-meaning as friends and family are, the only person who can truly relate is someone who has gone through a very similar situation. During those first hard weeks, we constantly messaged one another and cried to each other, both of us longing for our angel babies. As we've fought through difficult situations, we can express our sadness at seeing other pregnant women, longing for what we had mere weeks ago. When our husbands cannot understand why we burst into tears for no reason, we lean on one another for support. As well, I have another friend who had lost a baby in the summer due to an ectopic pregnancy. She miraculously became pregnant again and was due a couple weeks after I was, but she lost this baby at 11 weeks as well. We have created such a support group for one another. Another one of my good friends sent me a gift simply to cheer me up. I am beyond blessed to have such supportive friends and family.
I also believe God must have a great plan for my future. I pray that he will bless us with one more child, but I think he must've realized that I had begun to lose my way, and this was his way of snapping me back to reality. I did not pray as much as I should've. I would call on God for favors, but did I talk to him to thank him for my blessings?
There is not a doubt in my mind that 2011 will bring it's share of good times and bad, but I pray I can see the silver lining as I continue this long journey of healing.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
"You Give Me Fever"
"Fever! Fever in the morning, fever all through the night." This pretty much describes our household this past week. It's no secret that Katie went to the hospital with the flu. She developed pneumonia and ended up at CHOA urgent care on Thanksgiving night. Aidan's had a low-grade fever all week, complaining that his leg hurts and he's congested. Noah developed a fever on Thanksgiving, but so far, he seems to be ok. On Wednesday, much to my dismay, I began aching and coughing, but I refused to let myself get down. I took medicine and fought through Thanksgiving and working at Van Adams the day after Thanksgiving. However, last night, I gave in. I am coughing so hard that it hurts, and my congestion has been building all day. I went to the dr. today, and he thinks I have the flu/respiratory virus and a sinus infection. Chris is the only one who seems to gotten by on this one, and I am glad that he seems ok, at least for now.
How many more days until December? This truly has been the worst month I can remember. November started so positively, too. I got my approval from insurance for the pregnancy, and I was excited that I could get an ultrasound. Then I got mad because my dr. wanted me wait until Nov. 18 for my first ultrasound. I forced the issue and got an ultrasound the first week of November, only to get excited when I saw twins and disappointed when I was told neither one was alive. The D&C was a nightmare, and then Chris' grandmother passed away two days after my surgery. Now, everyone is sick, and we've ended up at the hospital. The icing on the cake? There was a flat tire on the van this afternoon. I'm done!!!!! I need a break.
Maybe, just maybe, December has some kind of cheer coming our way. November has been nothing but a disappointment.
How many more days until December? This truly has been the worst month I can remember. November started so positively, too. I got my approval from insurance for the pregnancy, and I was excited that I could get an ultrasound. Then I got mad because my dr. wanted me wait until Nov. 18 for my first ultrasound. I forced the issue and got an ultrasound the first week of November, only to get excited when I saw twins and disappointed when I was told neither one was alive. The D&C was a nightmare, and then Chris' grandmother passed away two days after my surgery. Now, everyone is sick, and we've ended up at the hospital. The icing on the cake? There was a flat tire on the van this afternoon. I'm done!!!!! I need a break.
Maybe, just maybe, December has some kind of cheer coming our way. November has been nothing but a disappointment.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Really?!
For the most part, I try to stay optomistic. Sometimes things get me down, but I usually try to look at the bright side of things. Well, I can officially say that November is one of the worst months I can ever remember. Over the weekend, my parents watched the kids for a couple of hours on Saturday so that I Christmas shop for a couple of hours. Katie had Nutcracker rehearsal, and she had fun. We got home, and she ate three slices of pizza. Aidan, on the other hand, went to bed at 7 pm, complaining of achy legs and a headache. I was praying he did not have the flu. Well, around midnight, Katie knocked on our door, complaining her stomach hurt and that couldn't sleep. I took her temp--it was 102! We gave her a bucket and Tylenol, and sent her to bed. She kept knocking on our door, and on Sunday, we found both Katie and Aidan laying on the floor in front of our door. Aidan got better, but Katie stayed in bed all day, fighting that fever. Today, she still had that fever and vomiting, so I decided to take her to the dr. They tested her for strep and flu, and sure enough, she has the flu. However, her dr. felt that she was too dried out and sent us to Scottish Rite for fluids. Really?! My parents took the boys, and when Chris picked them up, Aidan had a temp as well. His fever is around 100.5, so it's not as bad, but really?
To make matters worse, I have had some complications since the D&C. I began bleeding heavily on Friday, and it's continued. I'm kind of getting worried, but I can't drag kids sick with the flu to the OB's office, so I will call and try to get some medicine called in. As my sister Becky said, I won't be of any use if I end up in the ER.
However, for the moment, I am trying to look for something positive right down during this very dark time. I am thankful that Noah is not sick, and I am thankful to have a supportive family. I think everyone can agree that this has been a bad month for us. We lost our twins, we lost Chris' grandmother, and now we have the flu that sent Katie to the hospital. But, December is next week. Maybe something positive can happen. Maybe we can find some kind of joy this holiday season.
To make matters worse, I have had some complications since the D&C. I began bleeding heavily on Friday, and it's continued. I'm kind of getting worried, but I can't drag kids sick with the flu to the OB's office, so I will call and try to get some medicine called in. As my sister Becky said, I won't be of any use if I end up in the ER.
However, for the moment, I am trying to look for something positive right down during this very dark time. I am thankful that Noah is not sick, and I am thankful to have a supportive family. I think everyone can agree that this has been a bad month for us. We lost our twins, we lost Chris' grandmother, and now we have the flu that sent Katie to the hospital. But, December is next week. Maybe something positive can happen. Maybe we can find some kind of joy this holiday season.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Life Ain't Always Beautiful
Over the past two weeks, I've had a lot of time to reflect on things in my life. Most of the time, I'm pretty good at trying to look at the bright side of things. However, I must admit, right now, I'm having a hard time. I've just been reminded not to take anything for granted--it can be taken away in an instant. Chris lost his grandmother just two days after the D&C. He's in Arkansas right now for the funeral, and he's coming home tomorrow. As much as I need him at home, he needed to be there. Losing three people in one week is too many. Our November has not been the best. Actually, it's been miserable. As shocked as I was to learn of my pregnancy, I am beyond devastated that it ended in two miscarriages. I didn't appreciate what I had, and it was taken away.
Each day is difficult. Sometimes, I don't want to get out of bed. Most times, I am avoiding friends because I'm just not ready. I take it hour by hour, not even day by day. I cry daily. Sometimes it's a lot, sometimes it's not, but my emotions are filled with anger and disappointment.
When I had the miscarriage before Aidan, Chris and I watched "The Princess Diaries 2", and I will forever associate that with my D&C. Kelly Clarkston's song "Breakaway" was the main song in that movie, and any time I hear that song, I think of the pregnancy that I lost. This time, though, one song came to mind. If you listen to the lyrics, it can fit almost any situation, and it's so true. "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" really seems to fit right now. I tried adding the actual video, but it's missing the sound, so here's the link. Just listen to the lyrics--they are amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDNMtn0t2A
Each day is difficult. Sometimes, I don't want to get out of bed. Most times, I am avoiding friends because I'm just not ready. I take it hour by hour, not even day by day. I cry daily. Sometimes it's a lot, sometimes it's not, but my emotions are filled with anger and disappointment.
When I had the miscarriage before Aidan, Chris and I watched "The Princess Diaries 2", and I will forever associate that with my D&C. Kelly Clarkston's song "Breakaway" was the main song in that movie, and any time I hear that song, I think of the pregnancy that I lost. This time, though, one song came to mind. If you listen to the lyrics, it can fit almost any situation, and it's so true. "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" really seems to fit right now. I tried adding the actual video, but it's missing the sound, so here's the link. Just listen to the lyrics--they are amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDNMtn0t2A
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Empty
My surgery was at 7:30 am in Day Surgery at GMC. Now, why it's called "day surgery", I will never know. It should be called "middle of the night surgery". We had to get up around 5:15 this morning. I was less than eager to go. Naturally, I did not sleep well. We had to be at the hospital at 6:15 this morning. I was lucky enough to get a nurse who knew how to lighten the mood. He tried to help me relax, and it helped. I asked him if I could change my mind and go home, and he said yes, but that he doubted that it would make things better. The nurses wheeled me back into the OR, and I broke down. At that moment, they gave me anethesia, and I passed out. I went to Lala Land, a place without pain, without worry, without sorrow. I knew I was asleep, but for once, there was no pain. When they woke me up, my head was pounding. They forced Coke and graham crackers into me, then rushed me out the door. We were home by 10 am and I slept most of today. They gave me three prescriptions--ibuprofin, an antibiotic, and a medicine to stop bleeding.
Physically, I'm in good shape. I am healthy, and though my blood pressure was high yesterday, they were not worried about it at all--they have chalked it up to stress and emotional upset. Emotionally, though, I am a mess. I am constantly in tears. I feel very incomplete right now. I've spent the past three months protecting the twins, feeding them, nurturing them, doing everything I could to keep them safe. Their hearts were once beating, but they both stopped. There's still so much we don't know about the twins. I don't (and probably won't) know their genders, and we have no clue why their hearts stopped. My body didn't recognize that they were gone, and it still doesn't. My previous miscarriages happened before there were heartbeats. This time, it was different. I literally feel like I have lost two of my children, and my family is not complete.
Time will heal many of these emotions. For me, typically, the quickest way for me to heal after a miscarriage is to get pregnant with a healthy pregnancy soon. I don't know what will happen. I wish I knew what the future held, but I don't. The twins were a complete surprise, and no sooner did we get excited about them then they were ripped away. They were on this earth for a short while, but my sweet angels will never be forgotten.
Physically, I'm in good shape. I am healthy, and though my blood pressure was high yesterday, they were not worried about it at all--they have chalked it up to stress and emotional upset. Emotionally, though, I am a mess. I am constantly in tears. I feel very incomplete right now. I've spent the past three months protecting the twins, feeding them, nurturing them, doing everything I could to keep them safe. Their hearts were once beating, but they both stopped. There's still so much we don't know about the twins. I don't (and probably won't) know their genders, and we have no clue why their hearts stopped. My body didn't recognize that they were gone, and it still doesn't. My previous miscarriages happened before there were heartbeats. This time, it was different. I literally feel like I have lost two of my children, and my family is not complete.
Time will heal many of these emotions. For me, typically, the quickest way for me to heal after a miscarriage is to get pregnant with a healthy pregnancy soon. I don't know what will happen. I wish I knew what the future held, but I don't. The twins were a complete surprise, and no sooner did we get excited about them then they were ripped away. They were on this earth for a short while, but my sweet angels will never be forgotten.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Heartbroken
By now, most of you know I am 11 weeks pregnant. I have a pregnancy blog I've been writing in weekly as well, and one of my friends accidently stumbled upon and found out about the pregnancy before I was ready to announce it. Most of you also know it's twins, but that at the ultrasound yesterday, they could not find a heartbeat for either twin.
This is a surprise pregnancy. Noah was a surprise as well, but this time, both Chris and I were stunned. I barely got up the nerve to tell Chris. I took about 7 tests before I believed that I was pregnant, and each one got brighter than the last one. Chris' initial reaction was not the best. After a couple of weeks, though, we both adjusted to the idea of a new baby. I have wanted a 4th child since before Noah was born, but Chris disagreed. I was thrilled that God had taken control and blessed us with another baby.
Due to some insurance issues, I had to wait a bit to be seen for the pregnancy. However, from the very beginning, I was sick. I have nauseous for the past two months now, and have too many food aversions to name. I am certain I have lost weight, and this is why I always posted on Facebook that I felt yucky.
I finally got my insurance stuff figured out, and called my OB on Monday to try to force my way in this week. I had taken another pregnancy test on Halloween, and it freaked me out because it wasn't as bright as my original tests had been. However, considering how sick I've been, I figured everything was ok. Anyway, I finally convinced them to do bloodwork on Tuesday. I was a nervous wreck until I heard from them on Thursday, at which time they told me that my bloodwork looked great but they wanted to go ahead and get a dating ultrasound in. I was so nervous on Friday, but I prayed extra hard for the news to be good.
As they took me back to get the ultrasound, I was almost in tears. I explained how nervous I was, and the tech told me it would be ok. She did an abdominal ultrasound, and immediately, I saw two sacks. I also did not see a heartbeat, but I prayed that maybe I was just missing it, or maybe the other baby would have it. After a few minutes, the tech got my midwife, and my worst fears were realized. Not only was I pregnant with twins, but neither one had a heartbeat. I threw up when they told me. I had so many people praying for good news that I couldn't believe God could be so cruel. Everything we have gone through this pregnancy to have to face a double miscarriage was too much to handle. I had a missed miscarriage before Aidan, and it was devastating. This is about 100 times worse than that. To begin with, Chris does not want a fourth child. I desperately want a fourth child. In fact, Chris even talked about getting sterilized regardless of how this pregnancy turned out. I can't deal with that. When I lose a pregnancy, the only thing to help get over it is for me to get pregnant again. Right now, I feel lost, and empty inside. I want these babies more than anything in the world. What did I do to deserve losing not one, but two babies at one time? I am full of hurt, anger, resentment. I don't want to have a D&C. I already look about 5 months pregnant, and I'm not ready to let go. I've cried so much, yet the tears won't stop. I know they say God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but I can't handle this. I need some good news.
I am overcome with the outpouring of love and support I've received from friends and family, some of whom I've never met. Ladies who have known me since I was pg. with Aidan have posted prayer requests on their Facebook pages, and I am humbled. I feel so bad, but I don't understand why God would give me a double blessing only to rip it away. I have no strength, and my pregnancy hormones are off the charts right now--over 300,000! I am grasping onto a glimmer of hope that maybe another ultrasound will reveal they were wrong, but I doubt it.
Please keep us in your prayers. We need strength--at least, I do.
This is a surprise pregnancy. Noah was a surprise as well, but this time, both Chris and I were stunned. I barely got up the nerve to tell Chris. I took about 7 tests before I believed that I was pregnant, and each one got brighter than the last one. Chris' initial reaction was not the best. After a couple of weeks, though, we both adjusted to the idea of a new baby. I have wanted a 4th child since before Noah was born, but Chris disagreed. I was thrilled that God had taken control and blessed us with another baby.
Due to some insurance issues, I had to wait a bit to be seen for the pregnancy. However, from the very beginning, I was sick. I have nauseous for the past two months now, and have too many food aversions to name. I am certain I have lost weight, and this is why I always posted on Facebook that I felt yucky.
I finally got my insurance stuff figured out, and called my OB on Monday to try to force my way in this week. I had taken another pregnancy test on Halloween, and it freaked me out because it wasn't as bright as my original tests had been. However, considering how sick I've been, I figured everything was ok. Anyway, I finally convinced them to do bloodwork on Tuesday. I was a nervous wreck until I heard from them on Thursday, at which time they told me that my bloodwork looked great but they wanted to go ahead and get a dating ultrasound in. I was so nervous on Friday, but I prayed extra hard for the news to be good.
As they took me back to get the ultrasound, I was almost in tears. I explained how nervous I was, and the tech told me it would be ok. She did an abdominal ultrasound, and immediately, I saw two sacks. I also did not see a heartbeat, but I prayed that maybe I was just missing it, or maybe the other baby would have it. After a few minutes, the tech got my midwife, and my worst fears were realized. Not only was I pregnant with twins, but neither one had a heartbeat. I threw up when they told me. I had so many people praying for good news that I couldn't believe God could be so cruel. Everything we have gone through this pregnancy to have to face a double miscarriage was too much to handle. I had a missed miscarriage before Aidan, and it was devastating. This is about 100 times worse than that. To begin with, Chris does not want a fourth child. I desperately want a fourth child. In fact, Chris even talked about getting sterilized regardless of how this pregnancy turned out. I can't deal with that. When I lose a pregnancy, the only thing to help get over it is for me to get pregnant again. Right now, I feel lost, and empty inside. I want these babies more than anything in the world. What did I do to deserve losing not one, but two babies at one time? I am full of hurt, anger, resentment. I don't want to have a D&C. I already look about 5 months pregnant, and I'm not ready to let go. I've cried so much, yet the tears won't stop. I know they say God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but I can't handle this. I need some good news.
I am overcome with the outpouring of love and support I've received from friends and family, some of whom I've never met. Ladies who have known me since I was pg. with Aidan have posted prayer requests on their Facebook pages, and I am humbled. I feel so bad, but I don't understand why God would give me a double blessing only to rip it away. I have no strength, and my pregnancy hormones are off the charts right now--over 300,000! I am grasping onto a glimmer of hope that maybe another ultrasound will reveal they were wrong, but I doubt it.
Please keep us in your prayers. We need strength--at least, I do.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Trick or Treat
Halloween 2010 was a pretty good day for us. On Friday, Aidan got to wear his Mario costume to school and got a huge bag full of candy. Katie got a treat bag at school as well, and then there was a dance at her school. I dressed all of the kids up in their costumes and we headed over to Dyer ES. They had Sonic there selling hamburgers, hot dogs, and corn dogs, as well as mozzarella sticks and slushies. Katie wanted a burger, but the rest of us chose corn dogs. Chris joined us at the school after he left work. They even had someone dressed up in a hot dog costume--Aidan was terrified of him! It's funny--Aidan loves the Chick-Fil-A cow, but that's it for costumed characters. Noah, on the other hand, loved the hot dog dude! He talked up a storm to the hot dog and gave him five. Katie got her face painted, and both Katie and Aidan ended up getting tatoos on their cheeks. The kids got grab bags and glow sticks, then we danced. Aidan cracked us up--white boy can dance! He loves dancing all around, and he's pretty good at it. There was a costume contest, but we didn't win, of course.
Sunday, Halloween, started out slowly. We ended up at the Dollar Tree, searching for some white gloves for Aidan's Mario costume, but had no luck. Chris went to Van's house to help for a bit and earn some extra cash, but he came home around 4:30. My parents came over at 5:30 to help hand out candy. We ate Checkers for dinner, and the trick or treaters began coming around 7 pm--much later than I expected. We went out at about 7:15. Katie was Hannah Montana, Aidan was Mario, and Noah was Thomas the Tank Engine. Last year, Noah could've cared less about trick or treating. However, he totally got into it this year! Katie and Aidan would run up to the door, and Noah would run up behind them. Whenever anyone gave him candy, Noah would shout, "Thank you! Good-bye!" It was adorable!
This neighborhood was fantastic for trick or treating. We have sidewalks, and almost all of the candy was good--not much cheap stuff. Well, there was the house that thought giving out Delta Airlines peanuts was a good idea.......but that was the only lame treat. Numerous houses gave out full sized candy bars--score for Chris and me! The kids got so much candy that we had to come home to drop off a load so that we could head back out for more fun. At about 8:15, Aidan was spent. We headed home, and our kitchen table was covered with treats! The kids took quick baths and passed out. It was one of the best Halloweens we've ever had!
Sunday, Halloween, started out slowly. We ended up at the Dollar Tree, searching for some white gloves for Aidan's Mario costume, but had no luck. Chris went to Van's house to help for a bit and earn some extra cash, but he came home around 4:30. My parents came over at 5:30 to help hand out candy. We ate Checkers for dinner, and the trick or treaters began coming around 7 pm--much later than I expected. We went out at about 7:15. Katie was Hannah Montana, Aidan was Mario, and Noah was Thomas the Tank Engine. Last year, Noah could've cared less about trick or treating. However, he totally got into it this year! Katie and Aidan would run up to the door, and Noah would run up behind them. Whenever anyone gave him candy, Noah would shout, "Thank you! Good-bye!" It was adorable!
This neighborhood was fantastic for trick or treating. We have sidewalks, and almost all of the candy was good--not much cheap stuff. Well, there was the house that thought giving out Delta Airlines peanuts was a good idea.......but that was the only lame treat. Numerous houses gave out full sized candy bars--score for Chris and me! The kids got so much candy that we had to come home to drop off a load so that we could head back out for more fun. At about 8:15, Aidan was spent. We headed home, and our kitchen table was covered with treats! The kids took quick baths and passed out. It was one of the best Halloweens we've ever had!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A Dramatic Change
Over the past month, I have dreaded getting out of bed daily. The main reason for this is having to deal with Noah all day. Now, I know this sounds horrible, but his behavior has been horrible lately. All he does all day long is throw things over the banister and at people, as well as try to hit. He gets disciplined (such as time-outs and spankings), but he didn't care. My floor downstairs was covered in junk from all over the house, because it wasn't just Noah's stuff that he was throwing--it was whatever he could get his hands on. A lot of people would suggest taking the stuff away that he throws, but when it's Katie's stuff or Aidan's stuff, I can't do that. And I repeat, Noah would get punished, but it didn't phase him a bit.
On Sunday, Chris decided to completely clean the house. He knows I haven't been feeling great all month, so he figured he would help out. In the process, he took the trains off of Noah's train table and replaced them with his Disney Cars instead. He cleaned up all of the junk that was littering the floor downstairs and put everything away. When we went to Noah's room, he was happily playing with his cars. In fact, he let us play with him. On Monday, his behavior was different immediately. He kept pulling me into his room to play with him, and he threw only a couple of things. He was content almost all day.
Today was the big surprise. Once again, Noah was content when he got up this morning. He ate his breakfast and asked for seconds, which surprised me. We got dressed and played some, then went to the post office and dry cleaners. Today was speech therapy, so when Trip showed up, Noah decided to get right to work. Trip pulled out the Mr. Potato Head to go over body parts, and Noah quickly repeated each one. Then, Trip took out the picture cards and told Noah he was going to give him some new words today, the hardest words he has. Included in the words were nun, noon, pop, toot, tune, nine, etc. Noah easily repeated all of the words, with the exception of four. After that, Trip showed Noah some verbs and had him identify each action. Noah got all but one of them. We were beyond impressed. It just proves, once again, what we've thought--Noah knows his words, but for some reason, doesn't feel the need to use them.
We made it through the day without one item getting thrown or going to time out. He ate his breakfast and lunch well, and even said "More, please" when he gave me his sippy cup, asking for more milk. He has turned into an incredibly sweet, fun boy who is actually communicating with us. It really makes me wonder if he was feeling "neglected" before and was simply acting out as his way of communicating his needs. I hope we're in for much more of this behavior!
On Sunday, Chris decided to completely clean the house. He knows I haven't been feeling great all month, so he figured he would help out. In the process, he took the trains off of Noah's train table and replaced them with his Disney Cars instead. He cleaned up all of the junk that was littering the floor downstairs and put everything away. When we went to Noah's room, he was happily playing with his cars. In fact, he let us play with him. On Monday, his behavior was different immediately. He kept pulling me into his room to play with him, and he threw only a couple of things. He was content almost all day.
Today was the big surprise. Once again, Noah was content when he got up this morning. He ate his breakfast and asked for seconds, which surprised me. We got dressed and played some, then went to the post office and dry cleaners. Today was speech therapy, so when Trip showed up, Noah decided to get right to work. Trip pulled out the Mr. Potato Head to go over body parts, and Noah quickly repeated each one. Then, Trip took out the picture cards and told Noah he was going to give him some new words today, the hardest words he has. Included in the words were nun, noon, pop, toot, tune, nine, etc. Noah easily repeated all of the words, with the exception of four. After that, Trip showed Noah some verbs and had him identify each action. Noah got all but one of them. We were beyond impressed. It just proves, once again, what we've thought--Noah knows his words, but for some reason, doesn't feel the need to use them.
We made it through the day without one item getting thrown or going to time out. He ate his breakfast and lunch well, and even said "More, please" when he gave me his sippy cup, asking for more milk. He has turned into an incredibly sweet, fun boy who is actually communicating with us. It really makes me wonder if he was feeling "neglected" before and was simply acting out as his way of communicating his needs. I hope we're in for much more of this behavior!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Kid's Night
Last night, Aidan quietly asked me (as I was tucking him into bed) if we could go to Chick-Fil-A tonight and see the cow. I told him I would talk to Daddy about it and we would see. I spoke to Chris about it, and then I remembered that Tuesdays are kid's night at CFA on 124 in Snellville. Katie has ballet on Tuesday evenings in Grayson, so that worked out well.
Katie's ballet practice went well, and while she was there, we washed the van and got Chris a haircut. We picked Katie up and went to CFA. Aidan was beaming as we walked inside! It was really crowded, so we had Katie and Aidan sit in a booth while we ordered. One of the girls from Katie's Girl Scout troop was there as well, so Katie talked to her friend while we waited. On kid's night, you get one free 4 piece kid's meal with an adult meal purchase, so Aidan and Noah got the free meals and we paid for Katie's. Unfortunately, we didn't see the cow at first, but Aidan was ok. We had told the kids that they had to eat within a half hour because Chris had another surprise for them. They had hoped to exchange their prizes for ice cream, but we didn't have time. As we finished up dinner, the cow appeared! Aidan ran up to him and gave him a high five! This is a huge deal because Aidan has always been terrified of costumed characters, but he loves the CFA cow!
After CFA, Chris drove to the dollar theater. We have taken the kids to the regular theater, but Noah just cannot sit still enough during a movie yet. He likes to talk halfway through, and we feel guilty with other people in the theater. Anyway, Chris was wanting to see "Despicable Me", and Noah was free to the movie, so it was a great deal! The kids loved it! It was actually a really cute movie with a good message in it. Naturally, Noah decided to talk midway through the movie, but he did eventually calm down.
Overall, it was a good night with the family. We don't often go out for a night out, especially on a weekday, but the kids had fun, as did the parents!
Katie's ballet practice went well, and while she was there, we washed the van and got Chris a haircut. We picked Katie up and went to CFA. Aidan was beaming as we walked inside! It was really crowded, so we had Katie and Aidan sit in a booth while we ordered. One of the girls from Katie's Girl Scout troop was there as well, so Katie talked to her friend while we waited. On kid's night, you get one free 4 piece kid's meal with an adult meal purchase, so Aidan and Noah got the free meals and we paid for Katie's. Unfortunately, we didn't see the cow at first, but Aidan was ok. We had told the kids that they had to eat within a half hour because Chris had another surprise for them. They had hoped to exchange their prizes for ice cream, but we didn't have time. As we finished up dinner, the cow appeared! Aidan ran up to him and gave him a high five! This is a huge deal because Aidan has always been terrified of costumed characters, but he loves the CFA cow!
After CFA, Chris drove to the dollar theater. We have taken the kids to the regular theater, but Noah just cannot sit still enough during a movie yet. He likes to talk halfway through, and we feel guilty with other people in the theater. Anyway, Chris was wanting to see "Despicable Me", and Noah was free to the movie, so it was a great deal! The kids loved it! It was actually a really cute movie with a good message in it. Naturally, Noah decided to talk midway through the movie, but he did eventually calm down.
Overall, it was a good night with the family. We don't often go out for a night out, especially on a weekday, but the kids had fun, as did the parents!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Stressed
Things have been stressful around our house lately. As I wrote last week, I have been sick, and I am still not feeling great. I don't have much of an appetite, yet I am forcing myself to eat what I can. Noah's been going through a rough stage lately. He's decided that it's hilarious to throw objects down the stairs, therefore creating a huge mess in our downstairs hallway and on our landing. I have told him that he's being a bad boy when he does that, but the only thing that seems to get through to him is placing him in time-out.
Katie and Aidan have had pretty good weeks. Aidan is going to the pumpkin patch with his class on Tuesday, and Katie had fine arts night this past Thursday, where she sang with her class and we got to see her artwork. She's also been hard at working practicing for "The Nutcracker"!
We have been searching for Chris a new job. We need one that pays better and offers benefits. His current job was fantastic after his being unemployed for 8 months, but he's been there for 2 years now and still hasn't had a raise, and we could use more money. Who couldn't?! He's been picking up some work helping his boss get his house ready to sell, so that's been some nice money. I just feel like I never see him anymore, and I'm stressed with that as well.
On the plus side, Noah's been wanting to read books a lot lately. He frequently comes and sits in my lap, wanting me to read him a story. It seems to be helping his vocabulary quite a bit!
Katie and Aidan have had pretty good weeks. Aidan is going to the pumpkin patch with his class on Tuesday, and Katie had fine arts night this past Thursday, where she sang with her class and we got to see her artwork. She's also been hard at working practicing for "The Nutcracker"!
We have been searching for Chris a new job. We need one that pays better and offers benefits. His current job was fantastic after his being unemployed for 8 months, but he's been there for 2 years now and still hasn't had a raise, and we could use more money. Who couldn't?! He's been picking up some work helping his boss get his house ready to sell, so that's been some nice money. I just feel like I never see him anymore, and I'm stressed with that as well.
On the plus side, Noah's been wanting to read books a lot lately. He frequently comes and sits in my lap, wanting me to read him a story. It seems to be helping his vocabulary quite a bit!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sick
I knew there was a reason I hate colder weather--it's when the germs come out full-force! I tend to get very few colds, but numerous sinus infections each year. Back in May, I had one of the worst illnesses I had had in years. I went to the dr. and was treated with Amoxil, but after a few days, I got worse instead of better. I was so congested that I literally could not breathe through my nose at all. If you have ever been that congested, you can relate. I went to a different doctor who was very sympathetic. He changed my antiobiotic to Augmentin, gave me an antibiotic shot and steriod shot, then prescribed strong decongestants and cough syrup. It was my best decision to go to the doctor--within 2 hours, I could breathe through my nose again! I got better fast, and I haven't been sick since then.
Until now. Chris and the kids have had on again/off again sore throats and congestion, but it hit me last night. I could feel the congestion building--what a horrible feeling. I pray that, perhaps, I will luck out and only have a bit of a cold instead of a sinus infection. I am not a nice person to be around when I don't feel well, and I haven't felt well all week. It began with a migraine hitting me on Monday and lasting until Tuesday night, when the sore throat and congestion built up. Come to think of it, it was probably my sinuses causing the headache. When Chris gets sick, he stays in bed all day and rests. When I get sick, I still have to get up and take care of kids. Too bad moms don't get sick days!
At least the kids don't seem sick now. I need to get their flu shots--their former pediatrician never had them in stock last year, so the kids got the shots when we changed doctors last winter. This year, though, we all need to get those shots. For two years now, Katie has contracted the flu, so I don't want to risk it this year. Two years ago, she ended up in the hospital for dehydration and high fever with the flu.
Here's hoping we are in for a mild (illness-wise) fall and winter!
Until now. Chris and the kids have had on again/off again sore throats and congestion, but it hit me last night. I could feel the congestion building--what a horrible feeling. I pray that, perhaps, I will luck out and only have a bit of a cold instead of a sinus infection. I am not a nice person to be around when I don't feel well, and I haven't felt well all week. It began with a migraine hitting me on Monday and lasting until Tuesday night, when the sore throat and congestion built up. Come to think of it, it was probably my sinuses causing the headache. When Chris gets sick, he stays in bed all day and rests. When I get sick, I still have to get up and take care of kids. Too bad moms don't get sick days!
At least the kids don't seem sick now. I need to get their flu shots--their former pediatrician never had them in stock last year, so the kids got the shots when we changed doctors last winter. This year, though, we all need to get those shots. For two years now, Katie has contracted the flu, so I don't want to risk it this year. Two years ago, she ended up in the hospital for dehydration and high fever with the flu.
Here's hoping we are in for a mild (illness-wise) fall and winter!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Terrible Twos
Last week, I had a meeting with Noah's service coordinator with his speech therapy. Catina took over back in the spring, and I really like her. We had to discuss Noah's progress over this past year, and we also discussed if he would be continuing in the public schools once he turns three.
After getting our insurance information (haha--they won't pay a penny of ST because Noah wasn't born with a cleft palate), we discussed Noah's progress over the past year. Noah does well with Trip, but lately, Noah is bored with ST. He wants to do his own thing. Whenever Trip comes over, Noah hides and throws a fit for the first 10 min. of his therapy. Last week, at least Noah did eventually come around and cooperate for a little while. The problem is that Noah is tired of repeating the same words. Chris and I have decided to begin showing him the Baby Einsteins again. Some experts completely disagree with letting children watch any tv, but our kids have always been enthralled with the Baby Einsteins, and they are quite educational. Most importantly, they introduce new words and Noah will happily repeat them. Catina thought it was a fantastic idea, because we are working with Noah while he watches the tv and interacting with him.
We have decided not to continue with ST once Noah turns three. We believe that he's being stubborn and knows his words, because he does speak some. If he were to continue, he would be evaluated and placed into a class with other ST children. Instead of having therapy once per week, he would go to "school" daily for nearly 6 hours, which is far too long, in my opinion! If Noah is bored with ST once per week, I shudder to think of how he would respond to it daily.
The other issue we are having with Noah is throwing things down the stairs. This behavior just began, and it's very obnoxious. He will throw shoes, toys, water bottles, etc down the stairs and just giggle. We have been putting him in time out, but it seems to have no affect on his behavior. When Aidan was Noah's age, he would literally throw himself on the floor and throw a tantrum if he didn't get his way. It got so bad that we would not go places. Luckily, Aidan outgrew that and is so sweet now, so I can only hope that Noah's behavior will continue to improve.
After getting our insurance information (haha--they won't pay a penny of ST because Noah wasn't born with a cleft palate), we discussed Noah's progress over the past year. Noah does well with Trip, but lately, Noah is bored with ST. He wants to do his own thing. Whenever Trip comes over, Noah hides and throws a fit for the first 10 min. of his therapy. Last week, at least Noah did eventually come around and cooperate for a little while. The problem is that Noah is tired of repeating the same words. Chris and I have decided to begin showing him the Baby Einsteins again. Some experts completely disagree with letting children watch any tv, but our kids have always been enthralled with the Baby Einsteins, and they are quite educational. Most importantly, they introduce new words and Noah will happily repeat them. Catina thought it was a fantastic idea, because we are working with Noah while he watches the tv and interacting with him.
We have decided not to continue with ST once Noah turns three. We believe that he's being stubborn and knows his words, because he does speak some. If he were to continue, he would be evaluated and placed into a class with other ST children. Instead of having therapy once per week, he would go to "school" daily for nearly 6 hours, which is far too long, in my opinion! If Noah is bored with ST once per week, I shudder to think of how he would respond to it daily.
The other issue we are having with Noah is throwing things down the stairs. This behavior just began, and it's very obnoxious. He will throw shoes, toys, water bottles, etc down the stairs and just giggle. We have been putting him in time out, but it seems to have no affect on his behavior. When Aidan was Noah's age, he would literally throw himself on the floor and throw a tantrum if he didn't get his way. It got so bad that we would not go places. Luckily, Aidan outgrew that and is so sweet now, so I can only hope that Noah's behavior will continue to improve.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
I'm Not Ready
When Katie was born, I became a bit isolated. We kept to ourselves in Winder, and then Aidan was born, and once again, we stayed fairly isolated. Then we moved to the apartment in Douglasville and I became pregnant with Noah. I joined MOPS, and I met some of the nicest, most caring and unselfish women I've ever known. They gave up their Christmas Eve to take Katie and Aidan out so that I could rest with Noah on our first day home from the hospital. They even made us lunch, dinner, and Christmas breakfast, and my heart was overflowing. We then moved to our house in Winston, and I continued to stay friends with MOPS women. Katie made friends with our next door neighbors, and suddenly, we no longer kept to ourselves. Those kids were constantly over, helping themselves to my food and making messes, but we nipped that in bud and the kids rarely came over. Instead, Katie became friends with our other neighbors, and it worked out well. Then, we moved again, and unfortunately, our neighborhood did not have any young kids in there, so once again, we became a bit isolated.
As we began searching for a house to call our own, we came upon our current subdivision. We drove around and saw several young children, happily playing on the sidewalks. We made the offer, and 4 months later, moved in! We have been craving having young families around so that the kids can play with other children and stop living like nomads. We began going to the pool, and Katie quickly made a friend named Mary. Another time, as we were walking to the pool, a car pulled beside us and recognized Aidan--a boy from his pre-k class, Hayden, lives across the street from us, and his dad coaches t-ball in Dacula!
Most recently, Katie has made friends with the girl next door, Mackenzie. Suddenly, Mackenzie is over at our house daily, and Mary has been stopping by as well. I am not ready of this!! What happened to the days of playdates, where the moms made the plans and chatted while the children played? Suddenly, Katie has become Ms. Popular, and her new friends are constantly ringing the doorbell and asking Katie to play with them. Overnight, I have turned into That Mom--you know, the one who wants to know exactly where her child is at all times, sets a specific time for her child to be home, and has implemented strict guidelines when friends are over. Don't get me wrong--I am thrilled that she is making friends, but I have not been on this side (the parent side) of having friends over without adults. She growing up too fast. All of a sudden, I am flashforwarding 10 years and can envision her asking to go out to the mall in her friends' cars--augh!! I know this is part of growing up, but I am having to grow up as well, in a sense. I am becoming more than a mom of small children. I am also the mom of an older child, and it's a bit scary, because it's unchartered territory for me. Now that she's 7, of course I can't expect to have "playdates" like she used to have. Instead, she's going over to friends' houses and inviting them over here. She's making plans to go trick or tricking with a group of friends, and poor Aidan cried when Katie took off with her friends without him. It's a time of change for all of us!
As we began searching for a house to call our own, we came upon our current subdivision. We drove around and saw several young children, happily playing on the sidewalks. We made the offer, and 4 months later, moved in! We have been craving having young families around so that the kids can play with other children and stop living like nomads. We began going to the pool, and Katie quickly made a friend named Mary. Another time, as we were walking to the pool, a car pulled beside us and recognized Aidan--a boy from his pre-k class, Hayden, lives across the street from us, and his dad coaches t-ball in Dacula!
Most recently, Katie has made friends with the girl next door, Mackenzie. Suddenly, Mackenzie is over at our house daily, and Mary has been stopping by as well. I am not ready of this!! What happened to the days of playdates, where the moms made the plans and chatted while the children played? Suddenly, Katie has become Ms. Popular, and her new friends are constantly ringing the doorbell and asking Katie to play with them. Overnight, I have turned into That Mom--you know, the one who wants to know exactly where her child is at all times, sets a specific time for her child to be home, and has implemented strict guidelines when friends are over. Don't get me wrong--I am thrilled that she is making friends, but I have not been on this side (the parent side) of having friends over without adults. She growing up too fast. All of a sudden, I am flashforwarding 10 years and can envision her asking to go out to the mall in her friends' cars--augh!! I know this is part of growing up, but I am having to grow up as well, in a sense. I am becoming more than a mom of small children. I am also the mom of an older child, and it's a bit scary, because it's unchartered territory for me. Now that she's 7, of course I can't expect to have "playdates" like she used to have. Instead, she's going over to friends' houses and inviting them over here. She's making plans to go trick or tricking with a group of friends, and poor Aidan cried when Katie took off with her friends without him. It's a time of change for all of us!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
This and That
What a crazy couple of months we have had! We have finally almost finished painting the house--the only rooms left are the downstairs bathroom and the dining room. Unfortunately, we need the bathroom tiled before we can install the toilet, and we haven't had much luck getting Chris' friend, who promised to help us out, to actually help. We've replaced several light fixtures, and we finally have some art on the walls.
Katie's off to a fantastic start in second grade. Seriously, how can she be in second grade already?! So far, she's gotten all As on her assignments, so I hope she can continue with the good work. Lately, she's been wanting to read more than what is required nightly for school, so I hope she continues her love of books. Luckily, she makes friends easily, so she has become friends with several girls in the neighborhood and in her class. In fact, our next door neighbor is only a year older than Katie, and they have quickly become good friends.
Aidan is adjusting well to Pre-K. I must admit, I was worried about him. He can be kind of shy, and for the longest time, he would cry if any child came up and tried to play with him. However, he loves school and has made a couple of good friends, one of whom lives across the street from us. His name is Hayden, and he and Aidan rode bikes together in our driveway and on our sidewalk last Saturday. He always wants to do "homework", which are simply those activity books I found in the $1 section at Target that is geared for Pre-K--things like learning the beginning sounds of words and writing letters. He has become much more well-rounded lately. He is enjoying his Thomas trains again, as well as his Imaginext Batcave and playing Nintendo. He's asking to play t-ball again, which is perfect because Hayden plays t-ball and his dad is a coach, so Aidan will be very happy!
Noah has been a bit more of a challenge. Lately, he fights speech therapy and refuses to repeat anything for Trip. Instead, he will talk up a storm any other time, but it's only half in English. He has his own language, and I know he's telling me about his days because I catch familiar words mixed in with his words! However, this has been my most trying week with him. He has become very stubborn and determined to get his way, and he's actually quite strong. I don't know where he has learned this, but he pushes his siblings and will throw hard toys at us. Keep in mind, he only does this at home--he's great around other kids or adults! On Tuesday, I went into our utility closet to throw something away, and he slammed the door while my head got caught between the door and the door frame! Needless to say, it hurt for a long time, and though I rarely spank my children, he got two swats on his bottom and went to time out. Once my pain subsided, I talked with him and explained that he gave me a boo-boo and was not being a good boy. He decided to stay in his room for an hour more. I am at my wit's end. I must admit, I am at a complete loss with how to discipline Noah. When he gets into a stubborn mood, he cannot be reasoned with. He will cry if one of his siblings, in trying to play with him, plays with any of his toys because he thinks they are taking his things. Any advice on discipling Noah is appreciated. He will stay in time out, but I'm not sure how much of an effect it has on him, you know? Every time he hits, he goes to time out, but we are still having the same behavior.
Chris and I have been working a lot lately. I've been helping out at Van Adams Jewelers, but Chris and I have also been helping Van get his rental house cleaned and ready to sell. His ex-wife used to live in the house and completely destroyed the place--we've been tearing and scraping wallpaper, scrubbing the bathrooms and kitchen, scrubbing doors and baseboards, and we will help paint. Van is getting new carpet and a kitchen floor, since a leaky sink destroyed the hardwood in the kitchen--such a shame. We're doing this to help Van and also to earn some extra money to fix up our own house.
Peaches has been enjoying having a fenced in yard and loves playing ball outside. Unfortunately, she got into some mouse bait that was hidden the garage, so she's currently at an emergency vet with Chris. Luckily, Chris knew immediately what she was playing with, so he took her in. They've induced her to vomit, and we're hoping she can make a full recovery. Chris mentioned that he's getting rid of the bait when he gets home--it's just not worth it. He had our exterminator set the bait just in case there were unwelcome guests who made our garage their home while the house was vacant--not that we've seen any, thank goodness. Please keep Peaches in your prayers--she's such a sweet, loyal girl who loves the kids as though they were her own, and whose been there for us when we need her.
Katie's off to a fantastic start in second grade. Seriously, how can she be in second grade already?! So far, she's gotten all As on her assignments, so I hope she can continue with the good work. Lately, she's been wanting to read more than what is required nightly for school, so I hope she continues her love of books. Luckily, she makes friends easily, so she has become friends with several girls in the neighborhood and in her class. In fact, our next door neighbor is only a year older than Katie, and they have quickly become good friends.
Aidan is adjusting well to Pre-K. I must admit, I was worried about him. He can be kind of shy, and for the longest time, he would cry if any child came up and tried to play with him. However, he loves school and has made a couple of good friends, one of whom lives across the street from us. His name is Hayden, and he and Aidan rode bikes together in our driveway and on our sidewalk last Saturday. He always wants to do "homework", which are simply those activity books I found in the $1 section at Target that is geared for Pre-K--things like learning the beginning sounds of words and writing letters. He has become much more well-rounded lately. He is enjoying his Thomas trains again, as well as his Imaginext Batcave and playing Nintendo. He's asking to play t-ball again, which is perfect because Hayden plays t-ball and his dad is a coach, so Aidan will be very happy!
Noah has been a bit more of a challenge. Lately, he fights speech therapy and refuses to repeat anything for Trip. Instead, he will talk up a storm any other time, but it's only half in English. He has his own language, and I know he's telling me about his days because I catch familiar words mixed in with his words! However, this has been my most trying week with him. He has become very stubborn and determined to get his way, and he's actually quite strong. I don't know where he has learned this, but he pushes his siblings and will throw hard toys at us. Keep in mind, he only does this at home--he's great around other kids or adults! On Tuesday, I went into our utility closet to throw something away, and he slammed the door while my head got caught between the door and the door frame! Needless to say, it hurt for a long time, and though I rarely spank my children, he got two swats on his bottom and went to time out. Once my pain subsided, I talked with him and explained that he gave me a boo-boo and was not being a good boy. He decided to stay in his room for an hour more. I am at my wit's end. I must admit, I am at a complete loss with how to discipline Noah. When he gets into a stubborn mood, he cannot be reasoned with. He will cry if one of his siblings, in trying to play with him, plays with any of his toys because he thinks they are taking his things. Any advice on discipling Noah is appreciated. He will stay in time out, but I'm not sure how much of an effect it has on him, you know? Every time he hits, he goes to time out, but we are still having the same behavior.
Chris and I have been working a lot lately. I've been helping out at Van Adams Jewelers, but Chris and I have also been helping Van get his rental house cleaned and ready to sell. His ex-wife used to live in the house and completely destroyed the place--we've been tearing and scraping wallpaper, scrubbing the bathrooms and kitchen, scrubbing doors and baseboards, and we will help paint. Van is getting new carpet and a kitchen floor, since a leaky sink destroyed the hardwood in the kitchen--such a shame. We're doing this to help Van and also to earn some extra money to fix up our own house.
Peaches has been enjoying having a fenced in yard and loves playing ball outside. Unfortunately, she got into some mouse bait that was hidden the garage, so she's currently at an emergency vet with Chris. Luckily, Chris knew immediately what she was playing with, so he took her in. They've induced her to vomit, and we're hoping she can make a full recovery. Chris mentioned that he's getting rid of the bait when he gets home--it's just not worth it. He had our exterminator set the bait just in case there were unwelcome guests who made our garage their home while the house was vacant--not that we've seen any, thank goodness. Please keep Peaches in your prayers--she's such a sweet, loyal girl who loves the kids as though they were her own, and whose been there for us when we need her.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
"Out!"
Never has one short word meant so much. "Out" is only three letters long, but it has been given new meaning.
Yesterday, Noah took a bath by himself. Usually, he and Aidan will bathe together, but Aidan wanted to take a shower instead. Noah's been in speech therapy for nearly a year now. His vocabulary grows weekly, but he always say "Uh, uh, uh", and points to whatever he wants. It's kind of frustrating, because at this age, I expect him to tell me what he wants. If he wants a drink, I expect him to say "Drink!", but all I ever get is "Uh, uh, uh!"
Yesterday, Noah took a bath by himself. Usually, he and Aidan will bathe together, but Aidan wanted to take a shower instead. Noah's been in speech therapy for nearly a year now. His vocabulary grows weekly, but he always say "Uh, uh, uh", and points to whatever he wants. It's kind of frustrating, because at this age, I expect him to tell me what he wants. If he wants a drink, I expect him to say "Drink!", but all I ever get is "Uh, uh, uh!"
Bathtime is one of Noah's favorite times of the day. He adores splashing the water, and he will refuse to get out of the tub, or throw a tantrum while we try to dress him. Last night was different. I was getting his towel out and making sure I had his diaper and pjs while he splashed around. He loves pouring water out of his bath cup and "washing" his hair. As I was getting everything prepped for when he got out of the shower, the unthinkable happened.
"Mama.....out!" Noah was standing up and holding his arms up towards me, signaling that he was ready to get out of the tub. I looked at him for a minute, not quite sure I believed him.
"Out!" he said again.
I must admit it--I nearly cried! For the first time in his entire life, Noah told me exactly what he wanted, and he told me with real words. Naturally, I took out of the tub and got him dressed.
My baby boy is growing up. He's making tremendous progress, and I now know that he is capable of telling me his needs with actual words. I am so proud of him!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Ballet
My boys know what they like. Aidan started out by loving Cars, then Thomas, and now Mario and Super Hero Squad. Noah loves Cars and Thomas. Katie is a bit different. She's a bit more...ahem....fickle. Katie will see a new Barbie and want to buy it today, but will forget about it in a week. She will save up her money only to waste it on things she doesn't care about. She signed up for cheerleading when she was in kindergarten only to refuse to do any cheers. Therefore, when I mentioned other activities that might interest her last fall, I wanted to see what she would remember. I mentioned soccer, softball, cheerleading, gymnastics, and ballet. She decided she wanted to take ballet. Keep in mind this was the fall of 2009, one year ago. However, since Katie is Katie, I decided to wait and see how long she stayed interested in ballet. She continued to talk about it during the winter and spring, so I began looking into ways to introduce her to ballet. Grayson School of Ballet had a summer intensive that would've given her a crash course in ballet, but we decided to wait and sign her up for the new dance year that began Aug. 9.
At this ballet school, the girls are divided up into classes based upon their ages, not their experience. Katie is in Ballet II. We purchased the royal blue school uniform leotard that has Grayson School of Ballet embroidered on it, but we purchased some pink Danskin tights and pink leather ballet slippers elsewhere.
On her first day of ballet, we tried pulling her hair into a bun, but her hair is so thin that it didn't work very well. However, she got dressed in her outfit and was eager for her first class. Luckily, Chris was off of work that day, so he stayed home with the boys while I took Katie to dance class. Parents are not allowed to stay and watch except on special days (due to lack of space in the studio), so I went to Publix while she danced. When I picked her up, I was greeted with a huge grin and could see her class finishing up through the window. She danced across the floor, trying her hardest to follow the steps. When her class let out, she told me how much she loved ballet! I was stunned!!
She had ballet again this past Tuesday, and once again, she loved it! I am so glad to have found something that Katie has a true interest in learning. I took ballet when I was a child and I loved it, and then I took clogging for awhile after ballet. It taught me a lot about poise and grace, and I hope Katie will learn a lot of that as well. It's an activity that is physically demanding, but can be so much fun and so enjoyable.
At this ballet school, the girls are divided up into classes based upon their ages, not their experience. Katie is in Ballet II. We purchased the royal blue school uniform leotard that has Grayson School of Ballet embroidered on it, but we purchased some pink Danskin tights and pink leather ballet slippers elsewhere.
On her first day of ballet, we tried pulling her hair into a bun, but her hair is so thin that it didn't work very well. However, she got dressed in her outfit and was eager for her first class. Luckily, Chris was off of work that day, so he stayed home with the boys while I took Katie to dance class. Parents are not allowed to stay and watch except on special days (due to lack of space in the studio), so I went to Publix while she danced. When I picked her up, I was greeted with a huge grin and could see her class finishing up through the window. She danced across the floor, trying her hardest to follow the steps. When her class let out, she told me how much she loved ballet! I was stunned!!
She had ballet again this past Tuesday, and once again, she loved it! I am so glad to have found something that Katie has a true interest in learning. I took ballet when I was a child and I loved it, and then I took clogging for awhile after ballet. It taught me a lot about poise and grace, and I hope Katie will learn a lot of that as well. It's an activity that is physically demanding, but can be so much fun and so enjoyable.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tantrums
The move has been hard on all of us. Katie and Aidan have both given us behavioral issues. However, it's Noah that's given us the most trouble. Before the beach, he was very laid-back and fun to be around. Lately, it's been horrible. Every time we leave the house, he will throw a tantrum. He has to help open the car door and close the car door. If we go to a place, such as Target, that has automatic doors, he will refuse to come inside until HE opens the door. If we don't understand what he wants, he will literally forget every word and begin screaming at the top of his lungs. He will scream so loudly that my ears occasionally begin ringing now, even when he's not around. I am at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do to keep him happy, but more than anything, I just want him to communicate his needs to me. I don't want him to melt down over everything.
Today, Noah had a good day. We went to the post office, and he was sweet. He stood still and talked a little bit. Our tire went flat yesterday as soon as we arrived at a birthday party, so we had to get two new tires this afternoon. As we entered the store, Noah tripped and skinned his right knee. I tried to bandage it up, but he screamed and would not let me help him. I got him to relax, and I told him that if he was a good boy, we would get a treat. He repeated "good boy", and calmed down. After nearly 2 hours, the car was fixed, so we stopped by Steak 'n Shake for a grilled cheese, one of Noah's favs! We had to go to Publix next, and I asked him to be a good boy again. We walked calmly into Publix, got one of the carts he can "drive", and though he nearly melted down because he couldn't open the door from inside the cart, he quickly calmed down and he got a chocolate chip cookie. When the baker handed him the cookie, he smiled and said "Thank you!" The baker grinned. The rest of our trip was uneventful, and we managed an outing without much crying.
On Saturday, though, Noah melted numerous times. We went to Lowe's first, and there is something about Lowe's that Noah does not like. He screams bloody murder when he walks in the door. He was buckled into his stroller, but he managed to wriggle enough that he almost fell out, head first, during his fit. We went to Kohl's next, and once again, he screamed and cried. Payless was the same, and so was Target. We were exhausted and have no idea how to help him control these tantrums.
Aidan went through a similar phase, and outgrew it after about 6 months. 6 months is a LONG time.....................
Today, Noah had a good day. We went to the post office, and he was sweet. He stood still and talked a little bit. Our tire went flat yesterday as soon as we arrived at a birthday party, so we had to get two new tires this afternoon. As we entered the store, Noah tripped and skinned his right knee. I tried to bandage it up, but he screamed and would not let me help him. I got him to relax, and I told him that if he was a good boy, we would get a treat. He repeated "good boy", and calmed down. After nearly 2 hours, the car was fixed, so we stopped by Steak 'n Shake for a grilled cheese, one of Noah's favs! We had to go to Publix next, and I asked him to be a good boy again. We walked calmly into Publix, got one of the carts he can "drive", and though he nearly melted down because he couldn't open the door from inside the cart, he quickly calmed down and he got a chocolate chip cookie. When the baker handed him the cookie, he smiled and said "Thank you!" The baker grinned. The rest of our trip was uneventful, and we managed an outing without much crying.
On Saturday, though, Noah melted numerous times. We went to Lowe's first, and there is something about Lowe's that Noah does not like. He screams bloody murder when he walks in the door. He was buckled into his stroller, but he managed to wriggle enough that he almost fell out, head first, during his fit. We went to Kohl's next, and once again, he screamed and cried. Payless was the same, and so was Target. We were exhausted and have no idea how to help him control these tantrums.
Aidan went through a similar phase, and outgrew it after about 6 months. 6 months is a LONG time.....................
Southern Methodists
I was born and raised a Roman Catholic. As a child, I gladly took part in every part of my religious upbringing, from First Communion to Confirmation. I was an active member of youth group, and I loved participating in the Life Teen Mass on Sundays. Chris, however, was brought up Southern Baptist. Not simply Baptist--Southern Baptist. He was raised without dancing, drinking, and everyone singing praise music at church. When we decided to get married, we were both faced with questioning our religious stands. Though both of us are strong Christians, we didn't feel that getting married in the Catholic Church or Baptist Church was the right fit. We ended up getting married at a Methodist Church. It worked for us. We both still attend the churches we were raised in sometimes, but we also have attended Methodist churches.
Yesterday, we had an opportunity to attend a new church. Chris saw a Methodist Church just down the street--Prospect UMC. It was a smaller looking church, and Chris thought it might be nice to attend a smaller church, just to see what it was like. To begin with, the parking was a nightmare! However, once we went inside, many people were happy to help us figure out where the nursery was. We got Noah settled, and Katie and Aidan went to regular church until they called the kids for children's church. As soon as we got into the santuary, something seemed vaguely familiar. There was a screen in the middle of the alter, and the choir was very animated, singing praise music that was quite unfamiliar to me. Immediately, I felt uncomfortable. Growing up Catholic, I prefer a very specific format at church, and not a ton of music. Chris has never been comfortable with a lot of music during church. Some people really love churches that are contemporary, with videos and lots of music, but that's not for Chris and me. This church reminded me of my in-laws' Southern Baptist Church! They sang about 10 songs, and there was nothing familiar during this service. Chris said that he'd heard of Southern Baptists, but never Southern Methodists! When we picked the kids up, they were so excited and loved the church! Naturally!! However, I think it's safe to say we won't return to that church--it was not our cup of tea!
Yesterday, we had an opportunity to attend a new church. Chris saw a Methodist Church just down the street--Prospect UMC. It was a smaller looking church, and Chris thought it might be nice to attend a smaller church, just to see what it was like. To begin with, the parking was a nightmare! However, once we went inside, many people were happy to help us figure out where the nursery was. We got Noah settled, and Katie and Aidan went to regular church until they called the kids for children's church. As soon as we got into the santuary, something seemed vaguely familiar. There was a screen in the middle of the alter, and the choir was very animated, singing praise music that was quite unfamiliar to me. Immediately, I felt uncomfortable. Growing up Catholic, I prefer a very specific format at church, and not a ton of music. Chris has never been comfortable with a lot of music during church. Some people really love churches that are contemporary, with videos and lots of music, but that's not for Chris and me. This church reminded me of my in-laws' Southern Baptist Church! They sang about 10 songs, and there was nothing familiar during this service. Chris said that he'd heard of Southern Baptists, but never Southern Methodists! When we picked the kids up, they were so excited and loved the church! Naturally!! However, I think it's safe to say we won't return to that church--it was not our cup of tea!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Moving
After a very long, drawn out process of trying to close on the house, we are finally in our new home!! The closing was a week ago yesterday, and we began moving that afternoon. Wouldn't you know it--the temp was 100 degrees when we began packing up the UHaul! It figures--when we moved to Grayson, it was the coldest day of the year--it was in the teens when the movers arrived and it took them over an hour to get their truck up our steep driveway in Douglasville. Of course, I wasn't even helping during that move--poor Noah had been sick for days, and we ended up at the pediatrician. They went to catheter Noah to test his urine, and he was so dehydrated that they couldn't get anything, so they rushed us to Scottish Rite. After 3 bags of IV fluid, we were released and got home late that Friday night. The movers had gotten everything into the house, but there was a lot to do. Unfortunately, Noah did not get better, and we ended up back at Scottish Rite on Sunday. A month later, Katie got a nasty case of the flu that kept her in bed for literally a week, and at one point, her fever got up to 106 degrees, and I rushed her to the hospital, where she also had some IV fluids. We had a rough start in Grayson, but we truly loved the area and made friends. It was only appropriate for us to move away from that house on the hottest day of the year after moving in on the coldest day of the year. I must admit, I'll take the heat ANY day over the cold. When it's cold, I can't help because I get too cold to move.
The move on Friday took 12 hours. Luck was on our side. UHaul said they had no big trucks for the weekend, and Chris' friends who had volunteered to help us move were all busy, so we were about the call movers when Chris' mom said her friends were willing to help. Chris went to UHaul to get a small truck, and was surprised to find out a large truck had just been returned and we could have it until 9 am on Saturday. Quickly, people began arriving to help us out. The kids went with Chris' parents for the weekend, and suddenly, we had about 10 people helping us out. God was looking out for us. Our next door neighbor in Grayson unexpectedly showed up to help, as well as Chris' co-worker and numerous other friends. We loaded up the truck and came to Dacula to unload it. It took 5 men to get our poor washer up the stairs, but they worked quickly and efficiently. Some people left after the truck was unloaded, but others stayed for another run back to Grayson for another truckload. The UHaul was unpacked for a second time around 3:30 am, and we ended up dropping it back off and stopping at Waffle House for some breakfast. We got to bed just as the sun was rising, and we got up aroundv 10:30 am. Chris had to work, but I went back to the Grayson house because our friends were helping to take the swingset apart and move it for us. We ended up moving for another 12 hours that day, and we had to get a new toilet for the downstairs half bath. Saturday night we went to be around 5 am, so at least the sun wasn't up yet. Chris let me sleep until 1 pm on Sunday, but he couldn't sleep, so he unpacked. We went back to Grayson to clean up the house, and we left it spotless. The bank rep. was so impressed on Monday! He said they would be able to put the house on the market immediately, and he thanked us profusely for keeping the house in such good condition. I had to scrub our new house because, unfortunately, the prior tenants did not care and left the house a filthy mess. I bleached the counters in the kitchen, and scrubs the floors. We had had the carpets dry cleaned and disinfected, and we replaced all of the toilet seats. We have begun replacing the crummy, dirty blinds with fresh plantation blinds, and we have painted the kids' bedrooms and bathroom. My poor kitchen has a really ugly floor, so I am hoping to pick up some hours at Van Adams to save up for a new floor! We will begin painting the family room and kitchen soon, because it desperately needs paint! The house was a fantastic deal, but it will take a lot of paint to get it looking great inside.
Now my stress is different--I'm stressed about making our house a home, which is nicer than worrying about getting the house!
The move on Friday took 12 hours. Luck was on our side. UHaul said they had no big trucks for the weekend, and Chris' friends who had volunteered to help us move were all busy, so we were about the call movers when Chris' mom said her friends were willing to help. Chris went to UHaul to get a small truck, and was surprised to find out a large truck had just been returned and we could have it until 9 am on Saturday. Quickly, people began arriving to help us out. The kids went with Chris' parents for the weekend, and suddenly, we had about 10 people helping us out. God was looking out for us. Our next door neighbor in Grayson unexpectedly showed up to help, as well as Chris' co-worker and numerous other friends. We loaded up the truck and came to Dacula to unload it. It took 5 men to get our poor washer up the stairs, but they worked quickly and efficiently. Some people left after the truck was unloaded, but others stayed for another run back to Grayson for another truckload. The UHaul was unpacked for a second time around 3:30 am, and we ended up dropping it back off and stopping at Waffle House for some breakfast. We got to bed just as the sun was rising, and we got up aroundv 10:30 am. Chris had to work, but I went back to the Grayson house because our friends were helping to take the swingset apart and move it for us. We ended up moving for another 12 hours that day, and we had to get a new toilet for the downstairs half bath. Saturday night we went to be around 5 am, so at least the sun wasn't up yet. Chris let me sleep until 1 pm on Sunday, but he couldn't sleep, so he unpacked. We went back to Grayson to clean up the house, and we left it spotless. The bank rep. was so impressed on Monday! He said they would be able to put the house on the market immediately, and he thanked us profusely for keeping the house in such good condition. I had to scrub our new house because, unfortunately, the prior tenants did not care and left the house a filthy mess. I bleached the counters in the kitchen, and scrubs the floors. We had had the carpets dry cleaned and disinfected, and we replaced all of the toilet seats. We have begun replacing the crummy, dirty blinds with fresh plantation blinds, and we have painted the kids' bedrooms and bathroom. My poor kitchen has a really ugly floor, so I am hoping to pick up some hours at Van Adams to save up for a new floor! We will begin painting the family room and kitchen soon, because it desperately needs paint! The house was a fantastic deal, but it will take a lot of paint to get it looking great inside.
Now my stress is different--I'm stressed about making our house a home, which is nicer than worrying about getting the house!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Talkative
As we were driving home from the beach on Saturday, Katie and Aidan began talking--a lot! Soon, though, Noah decided to chime in.
"NIGHT-NIGHT!" he would scream.
"Sleep tight!" I would respond.
"NIGHT-NIGHT!" he would scream again.
This continued for quite some time. Soon, though, he began saying other things, such as Mommy, Daddy, Katie, Aidan, Noah, etc. For the first time that I can remember, he was constantly talking. Maybe it's not much of a conversation to some, but for us, this was huge!
"NIGHT-NIGHT!" he would scream.
"Sleep tight!" I would respond.
"NIGHT-NIGHT!" he would scream again.
This continued for quite some time. Soon, though, he began saying other things, such as Mommy, Daddy, Katie, Aidan, Noah, etc. For the first time that I can remember, he was constantly talking. Maybe it's not much of a conversation to some, but for us, this was huge!
The Potty Wars
Aidan began potty training last summer. We had to work with him diligently to get him to pee in the potty. He became comfortable enough to use his potty seat to pee, but refused to poop. This past winter, we ended up in the hospital because he became so constipated and we thought he was having an appendix attack. This spring, he became comfortable enough to stand when he pees, and, for the most part, he will use any toilet to take care of business, but he is still not potty trained overnight, so he still refuses to poop in the potty. Usually, he will go a week between poops, and by then, he's hurting a lot.
As we packed for Myrtle Beach a little over a week ago, I completely forgot to pack his potty seat for poops. Once we got to the beach house, I wasn't overly concerned because he rarely poops in the potty anyway, and I knew I had plenty of pull-ups for overnight use. We were at the beach on Friday when Aidan began dancing around.
"Aidan, do you need to poop?" I asked him.
"Yes, Mommy. Will you take me back to the beach house?"
"Yes, Aidan, but I expect you to actually poop if we walk all the way back to the house. If you do, I will give you some Coke as a reward."
Our pediatrician has recommend rewarding his pooping in the potty, and usually, at home, I will reward him with something non-food related, but at the beach, my resources were limited. He loves Coke, but it's not something he gets daily. I figured that might motivate him to take care of business. The beach house is enough of a walk from the part of the beach where we play that I did not want to walk all the way back only for him to refuse to potty.
Aidan happily walked back to the house. It was hot and sunny on Friday, and when we got to the house, he went to our bathroom. He was timid about not having a potty seat, but I promised to hold him so that he wouldn't fall in. As I helped him, he quickly took care of business. I was so proud of him!
"Mommy, can I have my Coke now?"
"Of course, Aidan. I am so proud of you!"
As we made our way back to the beach, Aidan boasted to everyone about pooping in the potty. He was in a fantastic mood from that point on.
We began driving home on Saturday, and, once again, Aidan said he needed to poop, but also said it wasn't urgent. When we got back to Grayson, he pooped in the potty again! We were impressed. However, the biggest surprise was yesterday--when he got up yesterday morning, he pooped in the potty for a third day in a row, and his pull-up was clean! Yes! Finally!! Maybe our potty war is finally coming to a close! For some reason, pooping in the potty at Myrtle Beach seemed to erase his fear of pooping in the potty. And for that, I am thrilled beyond words. Maybe he won't be constipated anymore. The past two days, he pooped without being bribed. Instead, he was simply proud of his accomplishment!
As we packed for Myrtle Beach a little over a week ago, I completely forgot to pack his potty seat for poops. Once we got to the beach house, I wasn't overly concerned because he rarely poops in the potty anyway, and I knew I had plenty of pull-ups for overnight use. We were at the beach on Friday when Aidan began dancing around.
"Aidan, do you need to poop?" I asked him.
"Yes, Mommy. Will you take me back to the beach house?"
"Yes, Aidan, but I expect you to actually poop if we walk all the way back to the house. If you do, I will give you some Coke as a reward."
Our pediatrician has recommend rewarding his pooping in the potty, and usually, at home, I will reward him with something non-food related, but at the beach, my resources were limited. He loves Coke, but it's not something he gets daily. I figured that might motivate him to take care of business. The beach house is enough of a walk from the part of the beach where we play that I did not want to walk all the way back only for him to refuse to potty.
Aidan happily walked back to the house. It was hot and sunny on Friday, and when we got to the house, he went to our bathroom. He was timid about not having a potty seat, but I promised to hold him so that he wouldn't fall in. As I helped him, he quickly took care of business. I was so proud of him!
"Mommy, can I have my Coke now?"
"Of course, Aidan. I am so proud of you!"
As we made our way back to the beach, Aidan boasted to everyone about pooping in the potty. He was in a fantastic mood from that point on.
We began driving home on Saturday, and, once again, Aidan said he needed to poop, but also said it wasn't urgent. When we got back to Grayson, he pooped in the potty again! We were impressed. However, the biggest surprise was yesterday--when he got up yesterday morning, he pooped in the potty for a third day in a row, and his pull-up was clean! Yes! Finally!! Maybe our potty war is finally coming to a close! For some reason, pooping in the potty at Myrtle Beach seemed to erase his fear of pooping in the potty. And for that, I am thrilled beyond words. Maybe he won't be constipated anymore. The past two days, he pooped without being bribed. Instead, he was simply proud of his accomplishment!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
"It's like a heat wave!"
Am I the only one who breaks a sweat walking outside for 60 seconds? My goodness, this heat is crazy! It's too hot to go to the park, play on our swingset, or even ride bikes. How in the world can I possibly entertain these children?
I went to IKEA for the first time in December. I met up with several of my Douglasville friends, and it was an interesting experience. Katie was at school, but Aidan and Noah loved playing with the slide, train table, and kitchen. We ate a delish lunch of swedish meatballs, and then my heart dropped. Noah had vanished! Literally! I had turned my back for about 30 seconds, and Noah was nowhere to been seen. My poor pregnant friend was stuck watching the "good" children while the rest of us frantically started running through IKEA. What felt like an eternity later, an employee guided us to Noah, who was running through the showrooms! Immediately, he was strapped into his stroller, and we called it a day!
However, I have decided to try to get better organized when we move, so I wanted to swing by IKEA again. Within the past month, Noah has gotten very good with sitting in his stroller when needed and following directions. Yesterday, we had a playdate at IKEA, and I took all three kids there. I even decided to brave the store without a stroller--nuts, I know! The walk inside the building was easy, and we quickly found our friends in the children's section. All of the children played on the beds and then found the tents, kitchen, and train table. Soon we decided lunch was in order. Katie and Noah had mac and cheese, but Aidan wanted a PB&J, and I had to have the meatballs again. We also had some chocolate cake! The kids played in the play area at the food court, and then we decided to walk the showrooms. This time, Noah stayed with us! In fact, all three kids were on their best behaviors! I was able to find some storage, and it was a very fun (and cool) afternoon.
Today, we met my parents for lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Apparently, the forecast called for near record temps, with readings close to 100*. Luckily, CFA has an indoor playground, so we figured this would be a good option. As soon as we got there, we saw the CFA cow outside waving. I knew that wouldn't last long, and sure enough, the cow came inside. Aidan is terrified of costumed characters, and cries every time we go to Chuck E. Cheese. To everyone's surprise, Aidan ran up and gave the cow a hug! The cow patted Noah on the head, and gave high 5s to everyone. We stayed at CFA for about 2 hours, watching the kids play, playing with the cow, and exchanging the kids' toys for ice cream!
By the time we got home, it was 100*, so I figured it would be a great day to cool off in the kiddie pool. I know about you, but I always think that the pool is too cold, because the hose water is always cold. Today, though, the water warmed up in about 5 minutes, and after a half hour, we had to pull the hose back out and add more cold water to the pool. Katie and Aidan took turns holding the hose and spraying everyone! They made rainbow water--coloring on the pavement with different color chalk and pouring water over the colors, thus creating rainbow water!
After an hour, we took baths and got dressed for bed, even though it was only 5:30 pm. We had dinner, and Noah went to go play in his room. I went to check on him, and he was fast asleep at 6:45 pm! I guess the heat wore him out! I can't wait to see how the kids handle the beach next week!
I went to IKEA for the first time in December. I met up with several of my Douglasville friends, and it was an interesting experience. Katie was at school, but Aidan and Noah loved playing with the slide, train table, and kitchen. We ate a delish lunch of swedish meatballs, and then my heart dropped. Noah had vanished! Literally! I had turned my back for about 30 seconds, and Noah was nowhere to been seen. My poor pregnant friend was stuck watching the "good" children while the rest of us frantically started running through IKEA. What felt like an eternity later, an employee guided us to Noah, who was running through the showrooms! Immediately, he was strapped into his stroller, and we called it a day!
However, I have decided to try to get better organized when we move, so I wanted to swing by IKEA again. Within the past month, Noah has gotten very good with sitting in his stroller when needed and following directions. Yesterday, we had a playdate at IKEA, and I took all three kids there. I even decided to brave the store without a stroller--nuts, I know! The walk inside the building was easy, and we quickly found our friends in the children's section. All of the children played on the beds and then found the tents, kitchen, and train table. Soon we decided lunch was in order. Katie and Noah had mac and cheese, but Aidan wanted a PB&J, and I had to have the meatballs again. We also had some chocolate cake! The kids played in the play area at the food court, and then we decided to walk the showrooms. This time, Noah stayed with us! In fact, all three kids were on their best behaviors! I was able to find some storage, and it was a very fun (and cool) afternoon.
Today, we met my parents for lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Apparently, the forecast called for near record temps, with readings close to 100*. Luckily, CFA has an indoor playground, so we figured this would be a good option. As soon as we got there, we saw the CFA cow outside waving. I knew that wouldn't last long, and sure enough, the cow came inside. Aidan is terrified of costumed characters, and cries every time we go to Chuck E. Cheese. To everyone's surprise, Aidan ran up and gave the cow a hug! The cow patted Noah on the head, and gave high 5s to everyone. We stayed at CFA for about 2 hours, watching the kids play, playing with the cow, and exchanging the kids' toys for ice cream!
By the time we got home, it was 100*, so I figured it would be a great day to cool off in the kiddie pool. I know about you, but I always think that the pool is too cold, because the hose water is always cold. Today, though, the water warmed up in about 5 minutes, and after a half hour, we had to pull the hose back out and add more cold water to the pool. Katie and Aidan took turns holding the hose and spraying everyone! They made rainbow water--coloring on the pavement with different color chalk and pouring water over the colors, thus creating rainbow water!
After an hour, we took baths and got dressed for bed, even though it was only 5:30 pm. We had dinner, and Noah went to go play in his room. I went to check on him, and he was fast asleep at 6:45 pm! I guess the heat wore him out! I can't wait to see how the kids handle the beach next week!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Independence Day!
Our Independence Day did not work out exactly as we had planned. Originally, we had planned to move last week and spend our day at the neighborhood pool, but since that did not happen, we had to come up with some new plans.
Our 4th of July got off to a slow start. I made blueberry and chocolate chip muffins, and we skipped church this week. We decided to go see the house again, so we grabbed some Checkers for lunch, and then we headed to Lowe's. I know--exciting stuff!! Actually, we thought it was kind of exciting. The occupants in the house decided to take the nice plantation blinds and leave us the flimsy, cheap blinds, so we are going to slowly convert all of the blinds. However, since we are going to be painting and fixing up numerous things, we are going to do it one room at a time from here on out. We did, however, decide to go ahead and replace the blinds in the kids' rooms since they tear up the cheap ones too easily. We also got some curtain rods for all of the rooms. We have pretty much decided on color themes for each room, and the kids picked out their own paint colors. I have already purchased a new bathroom set for the kids' bathroom--it's whales! Chris and I also found a new duvet set for our bedroom. Since we plan to stay at this house for awhile, we are redecorating, since I haven't really decorated a house since we left Winder in 2007.
We decided to go to see the fireworks that First Baptist Snellville puts on every year. We have been known to actually participate in the festivities, but more often, we go to Britt Elementary, which is next door to the church, and we have a perfect view of the fireworks without the crowds. We decided to have a tailgate dinner of KFC, and then we went to the school playground. The kids had a blast! Very few people were there, but Aidan's t-ball coach from last year was there, so that was fun catching up with him and his family. Unfortunately, by the time the fireworks were ready to begin, I was not feeling well. I can only eat Hebrew National hot dogs without getting ill, but I had decided to split a chili dog from Checkers with Chris because it sounded so good. I guess those 3 bites didn't agree with me, because my poor stomach was in knots, and I didn't really get to enjoy the fireworks. Noah did enjoy them, though--he kept saying "wow" every time they would burst in the sky! Katie, Aidan, and Noah all enjoyed the fireworks--for the first time ever!! By the time we got home, the kids were exhausted.
On Monday, Chris had the day off, so I went to work in the evening instead, and we took the kids to Lenora Park water park. It's the first time we've been all year, but the kids usually enjoy it. Last year, Noah only went once and couldn't really play because he was still so young, and then he was in the cast the rest of the summer. Aidan didn't really like the water park because he can't swim. I had decided to buy Aidan and Noah some Puddle Jumpers this year. One of my friends has one and gave it a great review, so I did some research online and found out that everyone liked the Puddle Jumpers. They are Coast Guard approved life vests that look like those inflatable swimmies, but they are much safer. Aidan has a fish Puddle Jumper, and Noah's is a turtle. For the first time ever, I was not nervous taking all three kids to the water park. Noah was hilarious--he would slide down the water slide and "dive" into the water, giggling the entire time! Aidan loved the lazy river--he even let go of us to float on his own. Katie put her swimming lessons to good use and practiced keeping herself afloat. After 3 hours, the kids were worn out!
We had a great holiday weekend, and can't wait to head to Myrtle Beach on Saturday!
Our 4th of July got off to a slow start. I made blueberry and chocolate chip muffins, and we skipped church this week. We decided to go see the house again, so we grabbed some Checkers for lunch, and then we headed to Lowe's. I know--exciting stuff!! Actually, we thought it was kind of exciting. The occupants in the house decided to take the nice plantation blinds and leave us the flimsy, cheap blinds, so we are going to slowly convert all of the blinds. However, since we are going to be painting and fixing up numerous things, we are going to do it one room at a time from here on out. We did, however, decide to go ahead and replace the blinds in the kids' rooms since they tear up the cheap ones too easily. We also got some curtain rods for all of the rooms. We have pretty much decided on color themes for each room, and the kids picked out their own paint colors. I have already purchased a new bathroom set for the kids' bathroom--it's whales! Chris and I also found a new duvet set for our bedroom. Since we plan to stay at this house for awhile, we are redecorating, since I haven't really decorated a house since we left Winder in 2007.
We decided to go to see the fireworks that First Baptist Snellville puts on every year. We have been known to actually participate in the festivities, but more often, we go to Britt Elementary, which is next door to the church, and we have a perfect view of the fireworks without the crowds. We decided to have a tailgate dinner of KFC, and then we went to the school playground. The kids had a blast! Very few people were there, but Aidan's t-ball coach from last year was there, so that was fun catching up with him and his family. Unfortunately, by the time the fireworks were ready to begin, I was not feeling well. I can only eat Hebrew National hot dogs without getting ill, but I had decided to split a chili dog from Checkers with Chris because it sounded so good. I guess those 3 bites didn't agree with me, because my poor stomach was in knots, and I didn't really get to enjoy the fireworks. Noah did enjoy them, though--he kept saying "wow" every time they would burst in the sky! Katie, Aidan, and Noah all enjoyed the fireworks--for the first time ever!! By the time we got home, the kids were exhausted.
On Monday, Chris had the day off, so I went to work in the evening instead, and we took the kids to Lenora Park water park. It's the first time we've been all year, but the kids usually enjoy it. Last year, Noah only went once and couldn't really play because he was still so young, and then he was in the cast the rest of the summer. Aidan didn't really like the water park because he can't swim. I had decided to buy Aidan and Noah some Puddle Jumpers this year. One of my friends has one and gave it a great review, so I did some research online and found out that everyone liked the Puddle Jumpers. They are Coast Guard approved life vests that look like those inflatable swimmies, but they are much safer. Aidan has a fish Puddle Jumper, and Noah's is a turtle. For the first time ever, I was not nervous taking all three kids to the water park. Noah was hilarious--he would slide down the water slide and "dive" into the water, giggling the entire time! Aidan loved the lazy river--he even let go of us to float on his own. Katie put her swimming lessons to good use and practiced keeping herself afloat. After 3 hours, the kids were worn out!
We had a great holiday weekend, and can't wait to head to Myrtle Beach on Saturday!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Patience
I am not a very patient person. I really do try to be. I think my kids have taught me a lot about patience, sometimes without even meaning to. I have learned to be calmer when I take all three of them out, and I have learned the things that set them off. When you're pregnant, you have to wait 9 months to meet this amazing person that you have felt grow inside of you for almost a year. Potty training--oh, yes, much patience is needed for that as well!
If I have learned one thing during this process of buying a short sale house, it's that I need to be patient, and that's been a challenge. I have so many ideas for ways to make the house our home that I am eager and want to get started. I feel like a child on Christmas--I can't wait to see my present!
When I wrote my post on Tuesday, I was very bitter, angry, and above all else, disappointed. There is only one other time I have felt that way, and it was in 2005. When Katie was about 18 months old, just after Christmas, Chris and I went to Cherokee, NC. It was our first trip since having Katie that she didn't go with us, but it was a much-needed break. After coming home, I found out I was pregnant and due in October, just after Katie's second birthday. I was so excited! My OB-GYN does not confirm pregnancies until you are at least 6-8 weeks along. The reason for this is that they do a free, early ultrasound to make sure everything is moving along as it should be, and the heart doesn't usually begin beating until around the 5th week of the pregnancy. I went in when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I was having morning sickness and felt very pregnant. When we looked at the ultrasound, though, I knew immediately something was wrong. I couldn't see the flickering of a heartbeat, and the baby wasn't as big as it should've been. I didn't understand--when I had a miscarriage before Katie, my pregnancy symptoms simply vanished and I began bleeding. This time, though, I was ill. I was not bleeding. I knew they had to be wrong, so I refused their advice of scheduling a D&C immediately and asked for another ultrasound and some bloodwork. When the bloodwork came back, I was indeed pregnant--my numbers of HGC were around 75,000, a good number for where I was in the pregnancy. However, my numbers from 2 days later dropped a little, so we had another ultrasound, and the baby was smaller. I felt empty inside. I began crying, and I couldn't stop. Chris knew how upset I was, so we left Katie with his parents and headed out to Biloxi, MS because I wanted to go to a beach. We packed nothing. My crying continued most of the drive, but when we got there, I felt better. We didn't find a hotel room until 3 am, but we ate Whattaburger and talked. We went dancing. Basically, we got away. The next day, we went to the beach and enjoyed the salt air for a bit, then we drove back home. I had my D&C on March 16, and vividly remember watching "The Incredibles" with Chris and Katie that night. However, the worst was yet to come. After my surgery, they tested the pregnancy materials and discovered that I had had a partial molar pregnancy. This means the child had an extra set of genes, but the worst part was that a molar pregnancy, even when removed surgically, could come back and spread like cancer in my uterus. I didn't know how things could get worse, but they did. My dr. recommended not getting pregnant for a year, and I would have tests often to test my HGC levels. Once they hit 0, I would be told to wait 3 more months and then I could try again. My patience was maxed out. Not only would I never meet that child, I wasn't allowed to get pregnant again for a YEAR! That felt like an eternity to me. I knew in my heart God must have a plan, but I felt alone. I started having weekly tests, and my HGC levels dropped drastically after 1 week. By the time it had been a month since my surgery, my levels hit 0. At that time, I was told to wait the 3 months, but then I could try again and not wait the year. After 2 months, I discovered I was pregnant. My doctor wasn't happy, but immediately began tests, and the baby was healthy. At 14 weeks, I began bleeding, and I couldn't stand the thought of another miscarriage. I went to the doctor, and the ultrasound not only revealed a healthy baby, but we found out it was a boy due on Valentine's Day! Aidan was born on Feb. 7, 2006, and was quite healthy. Sometimes I wonder what the other child would've been like, but I know that Aidan was meant to be here instead. He's a loving, sweet boy, and I cannot imagine our family without him.
So, even though I'm disappointed that I'm not in the new house today, as we planned, I know that we will be. Somehow, some way, things will work out, and my patience will be rewarded. We are blessed that Ironstone, the bank that owns our current rental house, has agreed to let us stay indefinately, and we do not pay rent, either. Every month that goes by without rent or mortgage means we are saving that much more money in our account, building up a bigger nest egg. I couldn't see it the other day, but I'm beginning to see the hidden blessing in waiting.
If I have learned one thing during this process of buying a short sale house, it's that I need to be patient, and that's been a challenge. I have so many ideas for ways to make the house our home that I am eager and want to get started. I feel like a child on Christmas--I can't wait to see my present!
When I wrote my post on Tuesday, I was very bitter, angry, and above all else, disappointed. There is only one other time I have felt that way, and it was in 2005. When Katie was about 18 months old, just after Christmas, Chris and I went to Cherokee, NC. It was our first trip since having Katie that she didn't go with us, but it was a much-needed break. After coming home, I found out I was pregnant and due in October, just after Katie's second birthday. I was so excited! My OB-GYN does not confirm pregnancies until you are at least 6-8 weeks along. The reason for this is that they do a free, early ultrasound to make sure everything is moving along as it should be, and the heart doesn't usually begin beating until around the 5th week of the pregnancy. I went in when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I was having morning sickness and felt very pregnant. When we looked at the ultrasound, though, I knew immediately something was wrong. I couldn't see the flickering of a heartbeat, and the baby wasn't as big as it should've been. I didn't understand--when I had a miscarriage before Katie, my pregnancy symptoms simply vanished and I began bleeding. This time, though, I was ill. I was not bleeding. I knew they had to be wrong, so I refused their advice of scheduling a D&C immediately and asked for another ultrasound and some bloodwork. When the bloodwork came back, I was indeed pregnant--my numbers of HGC were around 75,000, a good number for where I was in the pregnancy. However, my numbers from 2 days later dropped a little, so we had another ultrasound, and the baby was smaller. I felt empty inside. I began crying, and I couldn't stop. Chris knew how upset I was, so we left Katie with his parents and headed out to Biloxi, MS because I wanted to go to a beach. We packed nothing. My crying continued most of the drive, but when we got there, I felt better. We didn't find a hotel room until 3 am, but we ate Whattaburger and talked. We went dancing. Basically, we got away. The next day, we went to the beach and enjoyed the salt air for a bit, then we drove back home. I had my D&C on March 16, and vividly remember watching "The Incredibles" with Chris and Katie that night. However, the worst was yet to come. After my surgery, they tested the pregnancy materials and discovered that I had had a partial molar pregnancy. This means the child had an extra set of genes, but the worst part was that a molar pregnancy, even when removed surgically, could come back and spread like cancer in my uterus. I didn't know how things could get worse, but they did. My dr. recommended not getting pregnant for a year, and I would have tests often to test my HGC levels. Once they hit 0, I would be told to wait 3 more months and then I could try again. My patience was maxed out. Not only would I never meet that child, I wasn't allowed to get pregnant again for a YEAR! That felt like an eternity to me. I knew in my heart God must have a plan, but I felt alone. I started having weekly tests, and my HGC levels dropped drastically after 1 week. By the time it had been a month since my surgery, my levels hit 0. At that time, I was told to wait the 3 months, but then I could try again and not wait the year. After 2 months, I discovered I was pregnant. My doctor wasn't happy, but immediately began tests, and the baby was healthy. At 14 weeks, I began bleeding, and I couldn't stand the thought of another miscarriage. I went to the doctor, and the ultrasound not only revealed a healthy baby, but we found out it was a boy due on Valentine's Day! Aidan was born on Feb. 7, 2006, and was quite healthy. Sometimes I wonder what the other child would've been like, but I know that Aidan was meant to be here instead. He's a loving, sweet boy, and I cannot imagine our family without him.
So, even though I'm disappointed that I'm not in the new house today, as we planned, I know that we will be. Somehow, some way, things will work out, and my patience will be rewarded. We are blessed that Ironstone, the bank that owns our current rental house, has agreed to let us stay indefinately, and we do not pay rent, either. Every month that goes by without rent or mortgage means we are saving that much more money in our account, building up a bigger nest egg. I couldn't see it the other day, but I'm beginning to see the hidden blessing in waiting.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Done
I'm done. I've had it. A family can only take so much stress before it begins to destroy them. I wish we had never looked into buying a house. It's been one disappointment after another, and I can't handle any more. Our closing was supposed to be tomorrow. We were having the carpets cleaned today and having our final walk-through. The utilities are on, we are packed, and everything is in boxes. We have to be out of our current house by July 5--and we were lucky to get those 5 days. Aidan is set to begin Pre-K by our new subdivision, and we have friends helping us move.
We began looking at houses in March. After searching for a few weeks, we found a house we thought was perfect, and we made an offer on the house in late March. We had our pre-approval, and our closing was set for May 24. The seller accepted our offer, so we had to wait for BOA to approve it since it's a short sale. According to new laws, they had to give us an answer within 10 days. 10 days came and went, and still no response. Finally, at the end of April, BOA gave us the approval. We began finalizing the details for the loan, and that's when we realized Chris' credit score had dropped 130 pts. Now, he has zero debt and had not taken out any new cards or loans. That's when we realized that our loan officer's advice had destroyed Chris' credit. Somehow, against all odds, we finally got a loan approval. Unfortunately, we couldn't get verification of credentials quickly, so we kept being told that closing was 2 weeks away. Finally, we got a closing date of June 30 last week. I couldn't get excited--I had been disappointed too many times. Last Friday, things fell apart again. BOA was trying to add another $8000 to the loan because we hadn't closed by June 22! Umm....we TRIED to, but kept getting told we had to wait for approvals. The bank backed down and kept the loan amount they had originally agreed to. Chris and I were prepared to walk, but luckily, things fell back into place.
My house is now 90% packed. Our kids have picked out paint. We are ready to move. Today, though, the unthinkable happened. Chris got a call from our realtor explaining that the seller doesn't have the right to sell the house. The deed to the house is in a trust, and no one can figure out who has the right to sell. So now, we are back at square one. My nerves are fried. I am in tears. I am beyond done. So, we don't know what's going to happen. We need major prayers.
We began looking at houses in March. After searching for a few weeks, we found a house we thought was perfect, and we made an offer on the house in late March. We had our pre-approval, and our closing was set for May 24. The seller accepted our offer, so we had to wait for BOA to approve it since it's a short sale. According to new laws, they had to give us an answer within 10 days. 10 days came and went, and still no response. Finally, at the end of April, BOA gave us the approval. We began finalizing the details for the loan, and that's when we realized Chris' credit score had dropped 130 pts. Now, he has zero debt and had not taken out any new cards or loans. That's when we realized that our loan officer's advice had destroyed Chris' credit. Somehow, against all odds, we finally got a loan approval. Unfortunately, we couldn't get verification of credentials quickly, so we kept being told that closing was 2 weeks away. Finally, we got a closing date of June 30 last week. I couldn't get excited--I had been disappointed too many times. Last Friday, things fell apart again. BOA was trying to add another $8000 to the loan because we hadn't closed by June 22! Umm....we TRIED to, but kept getting told we had to wait for approvals. The bank backed down and kept the loan amount they had originally agreed to. Chris and I were prepared to walk, but luckily, things fell back into place.
My house is now 90% packed. Our kids have picked out paint. We are ready to move. Today, though, the unthinkable happened. Chris got a call from our realtor explaining that the seller doesn't have the right to sell the house. The deed to the house is in a trust, and no one can figure out who has the right to sell. So now, we are back at square one. My nerves are fried. I am in tears. I am beyond done. So, we don't know what's going to happen. We need major prayers.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Polite
Noah and I skipped ST this past week. We rarely cancel, but we had a playdate at the zoo with some friends, and I think exposing Noah (and the other kids) to as many kids as possible is just as beneficial as ST, and Tripp understood. My kids had a blast at the zoo--Katie had never been before, and even though Aidan and Noah have been before, they still enjoyed it immensely. While we were at the zoo, I was dreading taking Noah out of his stroller. We've been going through power struggles lately when it comes to Noah sitting in the stroller, and I figured the zoo would be horrible. Oddly enough, I was willing to let Noah walk, and he requested to get back into his stroller! One of the big differences in Noah vs. the other kids around his age is that they tend to tell their moms what they want, and their moms ask them what they want. I realized that this is my fault--I had assumed that Noah couldn't speak much that I didn't need to ask him what he wanted to do. Several of my friends also have speech-delayed children, yet they do still included their kids in decisions. I made it my mission to focus on asking Noah his preferences this week.
As I started asking Noah questions, he began answering me. One aspect of parenthood that I have always focused on as my children began speaking was being polite. I try to always ask my kids to please do something, and then I thank them. As a result, Katie, and especially Aidan, are fairly polite. I mean, they're still kids, so they can be demanding, but overall, they understand that I am more willing to comply to a request if they are polite. Well, I began asking Noah to please sit in his car seat. Surprisingly, he began happily climbing in and letting me buckle him up! But the biggest surprise was when I thanked him--he said "You're welcome"! As the week progressed, he's been saying thank you to me when I give him his sippy cup, when I give him food he wants, or when I put him in a shopping cart or stroller. If I tell him thank you for behaving, he will always reply with "You're welcome".
On Friday, I had a bad day and desperately needed some intense retail therapy. We went to MOG, and Noah climbed into his stroller easily and told me "You're welcome" when I thanked him for behaving. After buying some things at Old Navy, Bath and Body Works, and Yankee Candle, we went to the soft playground. I let the kids play for about 45 min., and when it was time to leave, all three of them easily left, and Noah easily got back into the stroller!! I was beyond amazed! Maybe I've been making things harder than they had to be..............
Needless to say, I have learned an important lesson about communicating with Noah. Even though we skipped ST, he has come a long way in a week!f
As I started asking Noah questions, he began answering me. One aspect of parenthood that I have always focused on as my children began speaking was being polite. I try to always ask my kids to please do something, and then I thank them. As a result, Katie, and especially Aidan, are fairly polite. I mean, they're still kids, so they can be demanding, but overall, they understand that I am more willing to comply to a request if they are polite. Well, I began asking Noah to please sit in his car seat. Surprisingly, he began happily climbing in and letting me buckle him up! But the biggest surprise was when I thanked him--he said "You're welcome"! As the week progressed, he's been saying thank you to me when I give him his sippy cup, when I give him food he wants, or when I put him in a shopping cart or stroller. If I tell him thank you for behaving, he will always reply with "You're welcome".
On Friday, I had a bad day and desperately needed some intense retail therapy. We went to MOG, and Noah climbed into his stroller easily and told me "You're welcome" when I thanked him for behaving. After buying some things at Old Navy, Bath and Body Works, and Yankee Candle, we went to the soft playground. I let the kids play for about 45 min., and when it was time to leave, all three of them easily left, and Noah easily got back into the stroller!! I was beyond amazed! Maybe I've been making things harder than they had to be..............
Needless to say, I have learned an important lesson about communicating with Noah. Even though we skipped ST, he has come a long way in a week!f
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Progress
As a mother, I have many days that do not rank high in my memory--honestly, they are days I would like to forget. For the most part, though, I have great days mixed with not so great moments. Occasionally, I will have fantastic days, days when all of the stars appear to have aligned and all is right with the world.
I awoke this morning to the sound of my husband's phone ringing. Now, anyone who knows me knows not to call me prior to 9 am--I am not much of a morning person. However, feel free to call me at 1 am!! Seriously, though, I am completely out of it most mornings and stumble my way out front to see the kids. Anyway, the kids' dentist office called not once, but twice! I returned their call only to discover that, since changing our dental benefits, we would no longer qualify for $5 office visits. Instead, we would be charged the fantastic price of $159 PER CHILD! For some reason, their dentist is considered to be a specialist, so I told the office thanks, but no thanks. Instead, I called the dentist Chris and I use and was able to set up appointments for all three kids at the end of July, thus qualifying for $5 visits. I figured I must be in for a forgettable kind of day.
Our realtor called next. As most of you know, we have had a contract on a house since the end of March, and our original closing date was May 24. Our loan officer was kind enough to make a royal mess out of everything, so we are still waiting on a closing date. The catch is that we are supposed to be out of our rental house June 30. Our former landlord was kind enough to not pay the mortgage with our rent money, so the bank foreclosed on the house at the beginning of May. However, the bank has been extremely generous in allowing us to finish our lease at the rental house, and not even charge us rent! Since it was not our fault that the landlord did not pay the mortgage, the bank is very willing to work with us. When Chris got off of the phone and told me we are closing on June 30, I barely reacted. I guess I've been disappointed so many times with this house that I'm finding it hard to believe that we are actually moving next Wednesday!! However, it's official--we will be moving next week! That changed my perspective on the day.
Ever since we put an offer in on the new house, I've been so worried about Aidan's Pre-K enrollment. Back on March 1, I got up at 5:45 am (I know, right?!) and made sure I got to Pre-K registration around 6 am to grab a highly sought-after slot. Well, that school is in Grayson, and will not be as convenient once we move. I went to a school that is across the street from our new neighborhood, hoping that they might have some space. Naturally, I was told there was a waiting list and would find out in June if another class was added. I got the call today--Aidan is in! Orientation is at the end of July!
With some many positive things happening today, Chris and I decided to take the kids to The Home Depot to pick out paint colors and grab some things for the new house (such as doorknobs--yes, the former occupants took the doorknobs!). We will actually order the paint next week, when we move, but we wanted the kids to pick their colors and we wanted to see some options for the rest of the house.
However, the biggest surprise today was Noah! Sure, I was excited Aidan got into the convenient Pre-K. I was amazed to get an actual closing day on the house. But I nearly cried when I realized that, for the first time in at least 6 months, Noah ATE (not drank) three meals today! He actually did it! For breakfast, he had milk and a granola bar--typically, it's only milk. Lunch was fun--we went out to Zaxby's, and Noah actually ate most of his grilled cheese and a few fries. Dinner amazed me the most, though--he ate almost his entire bowl of chili, and I filled it up! Now that's what I call progress!!!! I never would've thought I'd be so excited about my child eating.
I awoke this morning to the sound of my husband's phone ringing. Now, anyone who knows me knows not to call me prior to 9 am--I am not much of a morning person. However, feel free to call me at 1 am!! Seriously, though, I am completely out of it most mornings and stumble my way out front to see the kids. Anyway, the kids' dentist office called not once, but twice! I returned their call only to discover that, since changing our dental benefits, we would no longer qualify for $5 office visits. Instead, we would be charged the fantastic price of $159 PER CHILD! For some reason, their dentist is considered to be a specialist, so I told the office thanks, but no thanks. Instead, I called the dentist Chris and I use and was able to set up appointments for all three kids at the end of July, thus qualifying for $5 visits. I figured I must be in for a forgettable kind of day.
Our realtor called next. As most of you know, we have had a contract on a house since the end of March, and our original closing date was May 24. Our loan officer was kind enough to make a royal mess out of everything, so we are still waiting on a closing date. The catch is that we are supposed to be out of our rental house June 30. Our former landlord was kind enough to not pay the mortgage with our rent money, so the bank foreclosed on the house at the beginning of May. However, the bank has been extremely generous in allowing us to finish our lease at the rental house, and not even charge us rent! Since it was not our fault that the landlord did not pay the mortgage, the bank is very willing to work with us. When Chris got off of the phone and told me we are closing on June 30, I barely reacted. I guess I've been disappointed so many times with this house that I'm finding it hard to believe that we are actually moving next Wednesday!! However, it's official--we will be moving next week! That changed my perspective on the day.
Ever since we put an offer in on the new house, I've been so worried about Aidan's Pre-K enrollment. Back on March 1, I got up at 5:45 am (I know, right?!) and made sure I got to Pre-K registration around 6 am to grab a highly sought-after slot. Well, that school is in Grayson, and will not be as convenient once we move. I went to a school that is across the street from our new neighborhood, hoping that they might have some space. Naturally, I was told there was a waiting list and would find out in June if another class was added. I got the call today--Aidan is in! Orientation is at the end of July!
With some many positive things happening today, Chris and I decided to take the kids to The Home Depot to pick out paint colors and grab some things for the new house (such as doorknobs--yes, the former occupants took the doorknobs!). We will actually order the paint next week, when we move, but we wanted the kids to pick their colors and we wanted to see some options for the rest of the house.
However, the biggest surprise today was Noah! Sure, I was excited Aidan got into the convenient Pre-K. I was amazed to get an actual closing day on the house. But I nearly cried when I realized that, for the first time in at least 6 months, Noah ATE (not drank) three meals today! He actually did it! For breakfast, he had milk and a granola bar--typically, it's only milk. Lunch was fun--we went out to Zaxby's, and Noah actually ate most of his grilled cheese and a few fries. Dinner amazed me the most, though--he ate almost his entire bowl of chili, and I filled it up! Now that's what I call progress!!!! I never would've thought I'd be so excited about my child eating.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Potty Training?
Ah, if there is one aspect in which I can, without a doubt, admit to completely stinking at as a mother, it's potty training! I remember when Katie was 18 months old. I was very excited at the thought of potty training her, so I went to Target by MOG and bought her a royal potty! No joke--it played royal music when we "flushed" it. My enthusiasm must not have been contagious, though, as Katie refused to go potty. Soon, her third birthday came and went, and she was still in diapers. By that point, Aidan was 6 months old and I was so done with having two in diapers at once. I asked my pediatrician, and she suggested not giving Katie an option and forcing her to wear underwear. Katie also went on Miralax, which was a script at that time. We had two birthday parties to attend just after beginning the Miralax, so I was smart and dressed Katie in a pull-up, just to be on the safe side. The first party went smoothly, with no accidents. Once we got to the second party, the unforgettable happened--the Miralax not only worked, but worked it's way down Katie's entire lower body! The pull-up was no match for it. Poor Katie had to get a bath at a birthday party, and even borrow clothes since hers got destroyed and I didn't think to pack any others since she was in a pull-up. Lesson learned! However, the following week, she was completely potty trained during the day, with no accidents.
Aidan was a bit different. He's more stubborn than Katie, and even though he hated being wet in underwear, he would simply not give in and use the toilet. Finally, last summer, several months after his third birthday, he became potty trained during the day. Except that he isn't. Getting him to have a BM in the potty has been an even worse nightmare than Katie's Miralax incident. Poor Aidan was holding his BM to the point that we went to the pediatrician in Jan. and had an x-ray. Aidan had an impacted stool, but our pediatrician believed it was best to let him suffer and refused to help him. Needless to say, this was NOT ok with Chris and me, and was one of the reasons we changed pediatricians this past winter. We ended up at CHOA Immediate Care, where the doctor and nurse were so kind to Aidan that his misery ended and he was awarded a new teddy bear by the dr., a bear he named Hero. A week later, on his 4th birthday, Aidan ended up in the ER because Chris and I thought his appendix had ruptured, only to discover that he was impacted again. The screams from Aidan were unreal, and he could not stand up or walk. I felt the stool in the right side of his abdomen, and that's why we believed his appendix was about to rupture. After that fiasco, he has relax quite a bit with his BMs. Sure, we're not there yet--there are many mornings he wakes up to a BM in his pull-up, but I will take that ANY day over those hospital trips. Our new doctor has encouraged us to simply reward his BMs in the potty, and not punish over having them in his pull-up. It's a process, but slowly he's gaining confidence.
One can only imagine how excited I must be at the prospect of potty training another child. After all, I've had nothing but pleasant, easy experiences thus far. Therefore, I shocked myself by deciding to go ahead and try to potty train Noah. We tried for the first time today. It seemed to go pretty well at first, but by this evening, he had two accidents. At least he was excited to sit on the potty, and continued to sit on it throughout the day. I have no idea how long I will decide to continue potty training him, or if I will decide to wait until winter, but it seemed like a good time. He's interested in it, so I figured it couldn't hurt. If only we could get a success....maybe then I wouldn't dread potty training so much!
Aidan was a bit different. He's more stubborn than Katie, and even though he hated being wet in underwear, he would simply not give in and use the toilet. Finally, last summer, several months after his third birthday, he became potty trained during the day. Except that he isn't. Getting him to have a BM in the potty has been an even worse nightmare than Katie's Miralax incident. Poor Aidan was holding his BM to the point that we went to the pediatrician in Jan. and had an x-ray. Aidan had an impacted stool, but our pediatrician believed it was best to let him suffer and refused to help him. Needless to say, this was NOT ok with Chris and me, and was one of the reasons we changed pediatricians this past winter. We ended up at CHOA Immediate Care, where the doctor and nurse were so kind to Aidan that his misery ended and he was awarded a new teddy bear by the dr., a bear he named Hero. A week later, on his 4th birthday, Aidan ended up in the ER because Chris and I thought his appendix had ruptured, only to discover that he was impacted again. The screams from Aidan were unreal, and he could not stand up or walk. I felt the stool in the right side of his abdomen, and that's why we believed his appendix was about to rupture. After that fiasco, he has relax quite a bit with his BMs. Sure, we're not there yet--there are many mornings he wakes up to a BM in his pull-up, but I will take that ANY day over those hospital trips. Our new doctor has encouraged us to simply reward his BMs in the potty, and not punish over having them in his pull-up. It's a process, but slowly he's gaining confidence.
One can only imagine how excited I must be at the prospect of potty training another child. After all, I've had nothing but pleasant, easy experiences thus far. Therefore, I shocked myself by deciding to go ahead and try to potty train Noah. We tried for the first time today. It seemed to go pretty well at first, but by this evening, he had two accidents. At least he was excited to sit on the potty, and continued to sit on it throughout the day. I have no idea how long I will decide to continue potty training him, or if I will decide to wait until winter, but it seemed like a good time. He's interested in it, so I figured it couldn't hurt. If only we could get a success....maybe then I wouldn't dread potty training so much!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Girls' Day Out
Katie loves her American Girl, whose name is Amanda. Katie got her for Christmas this year. I knew the American Girl Bistro and store were at North Point Mall, but that's still kind of a long drive from Grayson. We went to a birthday party at the AG Bistro back in April, and it was wonderful! I spoke with my sister Rachel and mom, and we decided to take Katie to tea at the AG Bistro. Unfortunately, my mom couldn't make it, so Rachel, Katie and I enjoyed tea.
The AG Bistro is an amazing place. They really cater to little girls. The dolls get their own high chairs attached to the tables, and everything is pink and purple. Rachel and I ordered tea, but Katie wanted pink lemonade. Rach and I tried an orange tea and Earl Grey tea. They brought out the food, which was delicious. On the top tier, we had mini strawberry muffins and fruit kabobs with cantaloupe, strawberries, and honeydew cut into flower shapes. On the middle layer, there were three kinds of sandwiches: grilled cheese mini hearts, which Katie adored and ate 3 of; star-shaped turkey and cheese, which Katie tried but didn't eat much of; and ham, cheese, and tomato on pretzel bread, which Katie completely refused to try! Rachel and I thought the sandwiches were wonderful! On the bottom tier, we had heart-shaped gooey brownies topped with powered sugar, chocolate chip cookies, and mini cupcakes with pink icing. Katie gobbled up the sweets!
After tea, we had to shop some at the AG store. All of my kids get allowances based upon their behavior charts, but Katie recently spent some money, so I agreed to pay half of what she found, which kept her in a fairly small budget. She ended up getting a new red shirt for her doll, and some accessories--socks, shoes, sunglasses, and a headband. We rarely have the opportunity to shop at the AG store, so that's why I gave in on funding some new things for Amanda. The kids know that they the reason they get allowances is so that they will have money for special things, and that it's very rare that I will buy them toys unless it's Christmas or their birthday.
We had so much fun, that I am debating having Katie's birthday party at the AG Bistro for tea, but the bad news is that tea is only offered during the week. I'm not sure how that would work out for her friends.
I know we will go back for tea another time. The best part was that Katie got to feel very special spending some one-on-one time with her mommy (and her aunt), and I want all of the kids to feel special. I'm afraid Katie sometimes feels left out as the only girl, and spending time with her is so important.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Breakthrough
Every once in awhile, my kids will really surprise me. Chris and I are working through situations with each child. Sometimes, we get instant gratification with our efforts, but most of the time, we don't reap the benefits until months later.
Katie can be a great big sister, when she wants to be! Unfortunately, she seems to enjoy causing trouble more than being a good example. Katie is really smart, though. Since this is my blog, I figure I can brag just a little. This past year in school (first grade), Katie got all As the entire year and scored in exceeding expectations on her CRCT standardized test. Unfortunately, she gets bored, which can cause trouble at home. Today, she had her friend Lindsay come over. Katie and Aidan constantly disagree on certain things, but one thing Katie really was looking forward to was watching a Hannah Montana this afternoon. As it turns out, Lindsay wasn't really a fan of the show, so I was surprised (and proud) that Katie hid her disappointment and watched another show, a show that I thought everyone might like. It can't be easy to have one's hopes set high only to be knocked down. She handled it very maturely--and it made me realize just how much she's grown up.
Aidan's issue is potty training. He pees in the potty like a big boy--he even stands. Unfortunately, pooping is another issue. For some reason, he's always been scared of pooping the potty. We even have had to take him to CHOA for an impacted stool. It was obvious he needed to poop today--he had to change underwear and he whined a lot. When Chris came home, he offered Aidan $1 to poop in the potty. For some reason, that really motivated Aidan, and sure enough, he obliged! Obviously, we are not above bribes!
Chris has really worked with Noah on getting him dressed. Noah used to really fight getting dressed. As he was getting his bath, he decided he wanted to hold onto my pajamas, which are kind of a safety blanket for him. I told him he may hold them, but not in the tub. Noah was not pleased with me, and proceed to throw a bit of a tantrum. I ended up holding the pajamas close to the tub, just out of his reach, and that seemed to satisfy him. Eventually, Noah decided to try to grab the pjs, to which I responded with a stern "no". I told him once again that he could hold them once he was finished with his bath. He stuck out his lower lip, but held his arms up, telling me he was ready to get out. As I dried him off, he got my pjs, and directly laid down and did not move while I dressed him. I was amazed! Apparently, he got the message that he got what he wanted if he cooperated!
Of course, who knows what tomorrow will bring..... :)
Katie can be a great big sister, when she wants to be! Unfortunately, she seems to enjoy causing trouble more than being a good example. Katie is really smart, though. Since this is my blog, I figure I can brag just a little. This past year in school (first grade), Katie got all As the entire year and scored in exceeding expectations on her CRCT standardized test. Unfortunately, she gets bored, which can cause trouble at home. Today, she had her friend Lindsay come over. Katie and Aidan constantly disagree on certain things, but one thing Katie really was looking forward to was watching a Hannah Montana this afternoon. As it turns out, Lindsay wasn't really a fan of the show, so I was surprised (and proud) that Katie hid her disappointment and watched another show, a show that I thought everyone might like. It can't be easy to have one's hopes set high only to be knocked down. She handled it very maturely--and it made me realize just how much she's grown up.
Aidan's issue is potty training. He pees in the potty like a big boy--he even stands. Unfortunately, pooping is another issue. For some reason, he's always been scared of pooping the potty. We even have had to take him to CHOA for an impacted stool. It was obvious he needed to poop today--he had to change underwear and he whined a lot. When Chris came home, he offered Aidan $1 to poop in the potty. For some reason, that really motivated Aidan, and sure enough, he obliged! Obviously, we are not above bribes!
Chris has really worked with Noah on getting him dressed. Noah used to really fight getting dressed. As he was getting his bath, he decided he wanted to hold onto my pajamas, which are kind of a safety blanket for him. I told him he may hold them, but not in the tub. Noah was not pleased with me, and proceed to throw a bit of a tantrum. I ended up holding the pajamas close to the tub, just out of his reach, and that seemed to satisfy him. Eventually, Noah decided to try to grab the pjs, to which I responded with a stern "no". I told him once again that he could hold them once he was finished with his bath. He stuck out his lower lip, but held his arms up, telling me he was ready to get out. As I dried him off, he got my pjs, and directly laid down and did not move while I dressed him. I was amazed! Apparently, he got the message that he got what he wanted if he cooperated!
Of course, who knows what tomorrow will bring..... :)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Bubble Boy
When I was growing up, I thought adults had it made. After all, they were the ones who could eat whatever they wanted, buy anything, stay up late, and tv whenever. As a child, I felt that my parents were extremely strict--I couldn't date until I was 16, I couldn't pierce my ears until I was 18, I couldn't ride in friends' cars, etc. However, one of the main points I remember from my childhood was the introduction of Nintendo. We had an Atari, and my parents never upgraded to the brand-new Nintendo. How cool was it to visit my friend's house and play with Mario, Luigi, and the gang? Honestly, I don't remember if I ever asked for a Nintendo, but it seemed like all of my friends had one. Above all, I'm not sure why I cared--I've always been horrible at video games! When I met Chris, he had a Nintendo 64, and we had a blast playing Mario Kart on it. Since we've been married, Chris has begun selling video games and systems online for extra income, and at times, the income has been better than his "real" job! I mean, that's how we survived when he was unemployed for 8 months right after Noah's birth.
I always knew my kids would get interested in video games--I mean, we have dozens of systems and hundreds of games in our garage for sale on Amazon! When Katie was 5, Santa brought her a pink Nintendo DS. Chris and I debated if she was old enough to handle it, and she proved that, not only was she responsible enough to take care of it, she did not play it excessively. That's one thing I've alway prided myself on as a mother. I am a firm believer that most things should not be off limits to kids, but instead should be offered in moderation. Case in point--my kids are not told that they can NEVER have Coke to drink. Instead, they know they get Coke on special occasions, such as at a birthday party. If something is off limits, that simply makes the object more desirable. I feel the same way about tv--the kids are allowed to watch it for an alloted amount of time daily, and for the most part, we stick to it. Therefore, my kids understand (and learned at an early age) that they must decide what show(s) are most important, and decide how to spend their time.
Since Katie was so responsible with her DS, we decided to get a red and black DS for his fourth birthday. Almost immediately, we learned the error of our decision. His love for Thomas the Tank Engine and Super Hero Squad diminished as he spent more and more time on his beloved DS. Soon, Chris set up a Nintendo 64 for the kids, so I felt like Aidan was constantly playing video games. Something had to change, and it had to change fast! We tried setting time limits for playing video games, but it was difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. We tried making Aidan earn time by doing well on his behavior chart (more on that in another post), but that didn't work, either. Eventually, Chris moved the 64 to the family room so that I could monitor the time more easily. I have finally worked out a system that works very well for us. Any time Aidan wants to play video games, I set the timer in 30 min. intervals, and he does very well by turning off the tv when the timer goes off. He is playing with other toys again, and I don't have such angst with the video games.
However, as with every issue, there is a silver lining to Aidan's love of video games. He and Chris have recently really bonded over playing Super Mario Wii in the evenings. Oddly enough, the Wii has brought my family together in a way I would never have imagined. As soon as Chris gets home, Aidan runs up to his daddy and asks to play with him. Chris and Aidan turn on the tv, and Noah runs into the family room and intently watches. Katie proudly tries to coax Aidan along in the game.
The funniest part about Chris and Aidan playing the Wii is that Aidan is obviously not as skilled as Chris. Chris is always Mario, and Aidan is usually Toad. Well, the Super Mario Wii has a new feature for a 2-player game. If one player is in trouble, they can "bubble up", which means they can't be killed. For about 75% of the time, Toad is in the bubble, so Aidan's new nickname is Bubble Boy! Aidan thinks it's hilarious, and everyone in the family will joke about Bubble Boy.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Feeding Therapy
Is there really such a thing? If so, what in the world does it entail? Apparently, I may learn firsthand what, exactly, feeding therapy is. As most of you know, Noah has been in speech therapy for about 9 months now. Tripp is our speech therapist (ST), and comes to our house every week on Tuesdays at 11 am. Noah and Tripp have a special bond--Noah will jump up and down to greet Tripp, and will eagerly look to see what goodies Tripp has for him to play with. Noah has come a long way since beginnging ST last fall--he has a vocabulary of about 30 words now! Tripp works with Therapy Solutions in Dacula, but comes to our house through the Babies Can't Wait state program. Essentially, any child under age 3, regardless of income or insurance, is covered by BCW for speech therapy. Most insurance companies won't cover ST, hence the point of offering free (or deeply discounted) ST to children under age 3.
But I'm getting off-track. Let's rewind to when Noah was a baby, around 4 months old. He would scream quite loudly, and nothing would calm him down. He would spit up most of the meal that he had nursed, and solids didn't seem to make a difference. We were still in Douglasville at that time, so Dr. Flowers suggested putting Noah on prescription Zantac for reflux to see if it helped him with his eating. Almost immediately, our eating issues were behind us. No longer would Noah spit up every meal. He grew into a different baby--sweet, calm, and happy. After being on Zantac for 6 months, we moved to Grayson and took him off of the medicine. In May 2009, Dr. Hogan suggested putting him back on the Zantac because his eating patterns were still off. In August, Dr. Hogan suggested ST since Noah wasn't talking much. Never once did I believe that the two might be related. That is, not until recently.....
Noah used to clean his plate for every meal. Seriously, my then 18-month-old would eat more than his siblings did combined. Suddenly, this past December, just after his second birthday, Noah got more picky. Foods the he loved he would no longer touch. One by one, we lost foods. Initially, Noah would happily eat anything I placed in front of him, with the exception being fruit. He liked pureed fruit, but he would never touch an actual strawberry, banana, or apple. The only fruit he would eat was watermelon! He did, however, adore applesauce, and these things called Buddy Fruits that I found in the Publix produce department. They are pureed fruits in portable containers that you simply squirt into your mouth! Slowly, though, applesauce feel off of Noah's list of acceptable foods, and now there are only a handful of foods that Noah will eat, and I use the term "eat" loosely. For the most part, he will not eat more than a couple of bites of any of these foods. Here is his current list of acceptable foods, and ones with * means they are only sometimes acceptable (he might completely refuse the food one day only to eat several bites of it the following day):
Kraft American cheese slices, Goldfish, yogurt*, cheese pizza*, chili with cheese*, mac and cheese*, peanut butter crackers*, grilled cheese*, spaghetti with meat sauce*, french fries, and chicken nuggets*.
I am not exaggerating--I have no clue how this child has not lost weight. He likes milk, too. Do you see a common theme in his foods--almost all of them have cheese in them. Oh, and ice cream is also acceptable to him. I've worried about his eating habits before, but I've mostly dismissed them as Noah simply being picky. However, after ST today, I am finally getting professionals to be concerned with Noah's eating habits. Tripp has asked me to make up a list of the foods Noah will eat, and he's going to talk to his boss about Noah possibly getting some feeding therapy with him as well. So what is feeding therapy? Essentially, Tripp will sit down with Noah and offer him an array of foods. Tripp will watch Noah's reaction, and coax Noah to try the food. At this point, we are not sure if Noah's problem is from the reflux or a more serious problem, such as texture sensitivity or problems with swallowing. Apparently, it's quite common for children who need ST to also need FT. Honestly, I hope Noah can get FT--I've worried for a long time if he's lacking vitamins from his poor diet.
For now, I will continue to work with Noah on eating. There are days when Noah basically eats nothing but Goldfish, if we're lucky. After 6 months of this behavior, it's no longer considered simply a phase, or Noah trying to take control of something in his life. I know some people might suggest simply offering Noah foods I want him to eat, and only those foods. Guess what? I've tried it, and the child will starve himself for days instead of eating. Smoothies? Noah might take a couple of sips of it, but then won't touch it again. I think it's gotten to the point that Noah is simply not hungry any more. You know the feeling--you're stomach is so empty that the thought of food makes you feel worse.
I never would've believed reflux from Noah's infant days would plague his eating habits during his toddler days, or that speech and eating are related, but my third child is teaching me that, although I may have 3 kids, I still have a lot to learn as a mom!
But I'm getting off-track. Let's rewind to when Noah was a baby, around 4 months old. He would scream quite loudly, and nothing would calm him down. He would spit up most of the meal that he had nursed, and solids didn't seem to make a difference. We were still in Douglasville at that time, so Dr. Flowers suggested putting Noah on prescription Zantac for reflux to see if it helped him with his eating. Almost immediately, our eating issues were behind us. No longer would Noah spit up every meal. He grew into a different baby--sweet, calm, and happy. After being on Zantac for 6 months, we moved to Grayson and took him off of the medicine. In May 2009, Dr. Hogan suggested putting him back on the Zantac because his eating patterns were still off. In August, Dr. Hogan suggested ST since Noah wasn't talking much. Never once did I believe that the two might be related. That is, not until recently.....
Noah used to clean his plate for every meal. Seriously, my then 18-month-old would eat more than his siblings did combined. Suddenly, this past December, just after his second birthday, Noah got more picky. Foods the he loved he would no longer touch. One by one, we lost foods. Initially, Noah would happily eat anything I placed in front of him, with the exception being fruit. He liked pureed fruit, but he would never touch an actual strawberry, banana, or apple. The only fruit he would eat was watermelon! He did, however, adore applesauce, and these things called Buddy Fruits that I found in the Publix produce department. They are pureed fruits in portable containers that you simply squirt into your mouth! Slowly, though, applesauce feel off of Noah's list of acceptable foods, and now there are only a handful of foods that Noah will eat, and I use the term "eat" loosely. For the most part, he will not eat more than a couple of bites of any of these foods. Here is his current list of acceptable foods, and ones with * means they are only sometimes acceptable (he might completely refuse the food one day only to eat several bites of it the following day):
Kraft American cheese slices, Goldfish, yogurt*, cheese pizza*, chili with cheese*, mac and cheese*, peanut butter crackers*, grilled cheese*, spaghetti with meat sauce*, french fries, and chicken nuggets*.
I am not exaggerating--I have no clue how this child has not lost weight. He likes milk, too. Do you see a common theme in his foods--almost all of them have cheese in them. Oh, and ice cream is also acceptable to him. I've worried about his eating habits before, but I've mostly dismissed them as Noah simply being picky. However, after ST today, I am finally getting professionals to be concerned with Noah's eating habits. Tripp has asked me to make up a list of the foods Noah will eat, and he's going to talk to his boss about Noah possibly getting some feeding therapy with him as well. So what is feeding therapy? Essentially, Tripp will sit down with Noah and offer him an array of foods. Tripp will watch Noah's reaction, and coax Noah to try the food. At this point, we are not sure if Noah's problem is from the reflux or a more serious problem, such as texture sensitivity or problems with swallowing. Apparently, it's quite common for children who need ST to also need FT. Honestly, I hope Noah can get FT--I've worried for a long time if he's lacking vitamins from his poor diet.
For now, I will continue to work with Noah on eating. There are days when Noah basically eats nothing but Goldfish, if we're lucky. After 6 months of this behavior, it's no longer considered simply a phase, or Noah trying to take control of something in his life. I know some people might suggest simply offering Noah foods I want him to eat, and only those foods. Guess what? I've tried it, and the child will starve himself for days instead of eating. Smoothies? Noah might take a couple of sips of it, but then won't touch it again. I think it's gotten to the point that Noah is simply not hungry any more. You know the feeling--you're stomach is so empty that the thought of food makes you feel worse.
I never would've believed reflux from Noah's infant days would plague his eating habits during his toddler days, or that speech and eating are related, but my third child is teaching me that, although I may have 3 kids, I still have a lot to learn as a mom!
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