Usually, when school first gets out, I wonder how in the world I'm going to entertain all 3 children daily. After about a week, though, we all adjust and it all becomes natural. About 3 weeks prior to school starting, we are all ready for school to begin again. This summer, however, felt very short. I'm not sure if it was because I was working some and therefore had fewer days with the kids, but this summer felt short. Also, I will admit that I was dreading Noah beginning Pre-K. He's my baby--I've had a child at home all day every day for the past 9 years. It's scary territory knowing that I would not have a child around for part of my day.
Katie is now in fourth grade. That's so hard to believe and very tough to admit that I have a child who will be in middle school in two years. Two years is not a long time...though I used to believe that it was! So far, she seems to be enjoying school, as she has several of her friends in her class this year. She is quite smart, but in third grade, she did not apply herself as much as she should have. She's also a Mountain View Bears cheerleader! I've never seen her so excited as she is cheering!
Aidan is now in first grade. It's hard to believe that two years ago, he was just starting Pre-K, and now he's in first grade! His teacher seems very nice, and I'm hopeful that his year in first grade will be just as wonderful as his kindergarten year. He learned so much, and he loves school. He's also in PeeWee baseball now--no more tees for him!
It was really tough for me to take Noah to Pre-K. With Noah's speech delay, I wasn't sure how it would all work out for him. He is very friendly (and social), but it was difficult for me to let him go. Noah may not have the same amount of speech as a typical 4-year-old, but he's so endearing. Not only that, but he does know his letters, his numbers, and his name. What he lacks in speech he makes up for in knowledge. I am excited to see how he progresses this year. Also, he's in t-ball for the first time (he was in pre-t last season), and he's making some progress in his game.
It's really tough watching your children grow up--a lot more difficult than I ever could've imaged prior to having children!
Showing posts with label Noah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Noah. Show all posts
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Apraxia?
It's been awhile since I've written anything on this blog!!! We've stayed busy, and the kids are doing well. Today Aidan and Noah had their well child visits with their doctor. Aidan is in the 25% percentile for both height and weight. He's doing well--the doctor told him that if he can't learn to control his behavior, then he can speak with someone. Aidan is a model student in school and baseball--he NEVER, EVER gets into trouble, and his teachers wish all of their students were like him. At home, though, he's been melting down. He will wrestle with his brother, talk back, and generally being a pain to be around. We've tried punishments and rewards, but nothing has been working. The doctor said a lot of it is his age, and told him that if he feels himself melting down, then he needs to recognize it and calmly go do something quiet until he calms down. She doesn't think he has any behavioral problems--I don't, either, but it's get old very quickly having him get into trouble nightly at home! He really is a sweet, caring boy, but he's got to stop melting down at home!
Noah is in the 75% percentile for height and weight--what a big boy he has always been! He was very good for his appointment, as he did exactly what he was asked. However, he wouldn't tell the dr. when he heard a beep for his hearing test. The dr. and I discussed Noah's speech, and she did a few speech tests on him. It's obvious he knows his shapes and colors, so she tested him. She agrees that he is very social, and most certainly not on the austism spectrum, which is wonderful news. However, she did suggest that he may have apraxia. I actually think someone has finally hit the nail on the head! Chris and I have always said that Noah knows exactly what you are saying, but he can't seem to communicate back. Noah is getting a referral to an audiologist to retest his hearing, as he has to pass for his school forms. Also, we absolutely have to get Noah back into speech therapy. I've done a bit of research on apraxia, and some things sound right on target. It's as if Noah wants to answer, but he can't find the word he's searching for. I hope and pray we can get some real answers soon--I can't wait until the day that Noah can carry on a true conversation with me!
Noah is in the 75% percentile for height and weight--what a big boy he has always been! He was very good for his appointment, as he did exactly what he was asked. However, he wouldn't tell the dr. when he heard a beep for his hearing test. The dr. and I discussed Noah's speech, and she did a few speech tests on him. It's obvious he knows his shapes and colors, so she tested him. She agrees that he is very social, and most certainly not on the austism spectrum, which is wonderful news. However, she did suggest that he may have apraxia. I actually think someone has finally hit the nail on the head! Chris and I have always said that Noah knows exactly what you are saying, but he can't seem to communicate back. Noah is getting a referral to an audiologist to retest his hearing, as he has to pass for his school forms. Also, we absolutely have to get Noah back into speech therapy. I've done a bit of research on apraxia, and some things sound right on target. It's as if Noah wants to answer, but he can't find the word he's searching for. I hope and pray we can get some real answers soon--I can't wait until the day that Noah can carry on a true conversation with me!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sweet Summertime
It's been awhile since I've written. After such a busy spring, summer and the laziness that has ensued has hindered my writing. Actually, I think I've had a bit of postpartum depression. Yes, it is entirely possible to have postpartum depression after a pregnancy loss, just as it's possible after having a live baby. Spring kept me busy and allowed me to focus on many things, but when it all ended, I crashed emotionally. I have not been to a doctor or anything. However, I am finally allowing myself to think about what all happened, and I'm still trying to find peace with it. Though I am thrilled for any others who are pregnant or just had a baby, I mourn for my own loss each time a new pregnancy or birth is announced.
However, enough about me. The kids are out of school, of course. Katie and Aidan had a blast at VBS this summer, in which the theme was Galactic Blast. I'll post about our vacation to Myrtle Beach soon. This week, Aidan is at baseball camp with Jack City Sports Center. He's loving it so far! It's hard to believe the beginning of the school year is just a few short weeks away! Katie's ballet will begin the week school begins, and baseball begins in late August.
Noah's speech is getting better, but we are still debating putting him back into ST. My uncle is actually a professional when it comes to speech, and my dad discussed Noah's speech with him. I'm thrilled to say that my uncle, who is very familiar with austism, agrees that Noah does not appear to be on the austism spectrum at all. My uncle suggested a specific, rare form of speech therapy that he believes would be beneficial for Noah, and we are looking into it. I'm not sure if insurance will cover it or not. However, I feel confident that Noah will soon get the ST he needs and will hopefully become a chatterbox!
However, enough about me. The kids are out of school, of course. Katie and Aidan had a blast at VBS this summer, in which the theme was Galactic Blast. I'll post about our vacation to Myrtle Beach soon. This week, Aidan is at baseball camp with Jack City Sports Center. He's loving it so far! It's hard to believe the beginning of the school year is just a few short weeks away! Katie's ballet will begin the week school begins, and baseball begins in late August.
Noah's speech is getting better, but we are still debating putting him back into ST. My uncle is actually a professional when it comes to speech, and my dad discussed Noah's speech with him. I'm thrilled to say that my uncle, who is very familiar with austism, agrees that Noah does not appear to be on the austism spectrum at all. My uncle suggested a specific, rare form of speech therapy that he believes would be beneficial for Noah, and we are looking into it. I'm not sure if insurance will cover it or not. However, I feel confident that Noah will soon get the ST he needs and will hopefully become a chatterbox!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Busy Spring...
Things have been more than a little bit crazy around our house lately. Our days are full, as well as our evenings, and though the sun is staying out later, my days seem shorter than ever.
Noah is absolutely communicating far better. He answers questions now, and it is obvious he completely understands what he is being told. His vocabulary continues to increase as well. He is finally beginning to start his sentences with "I" when he wants something. However, the most interesting new activity for Noah is t-ball! He's been enthusiatically watching Aidan's baseball games, and after practice, Noah loves run the bases. We are thinking of enrolling him in spring t-ball, as we hear they are far less competitive during the fall. Also, he is still using the potty very well, but I've gotten a bit lazy and need to finish training him.
Katie is about to have her ballet recital! She's done extremely well with ballet this year--well enough to get moved up to the next level next year. She still hasn't decided if she's going to take ballet again, but I really hope she will. It's difficult to process that she's almost done with second grade! I am not ready for her to begin third grade next year!! Katie really enjoyed her swimming lessons last year, so we are going to let her take some more lessons this year from Swim Atlanta.
Aidan's schedule has been the craziest of all! He has really enjoyed playing baseball with the Dacula Braves this spring, and his team was undefeated for the first 8 games!! Aidan's enjoying baseball so much that we are going to enroll him in a baseball camp this summer at a local sports center called Jack City. They have both an indoor and outdoor field, so he won't have to endure 100* temps for his camp. Also, so many of the boys on his team have taken private lessons at Jack City, so I think we might sign him up for a couple of those as well. I also just registered him for kindergarten next year--I'm not ready for this! His PreK graduation is next week, and it will be bittersweet for sure.
Chris and I have both been working some crazy hours at Van Adams lately. Mother's Day was insanely busy there, which is great, but wore us out! I'm working another full week this week, so the extra money is great, but I have had to let some things go around the house. I've also begun making cakes for some extra money. One of my friends is going to create a website for me, and I hope I can eventually get to the point that I make at least one cake per week.
Mother's Day was enjoyable. We ate lunch with my parents and my sister Ruth, and we went to Red Lobster. The kids did surprisingly well there, and ate just about everything between the 3 of them! Katie made me a sweet card with tea attached to it, and Aidan painted me a wooden jewelry box and made a beaded bracelet to go inside of it. I also got a rose from Aidan's baseball team, flowers, Godiva chocolates, and some shopping money! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit wistful on Mother's Day--I was truly missing my twins, as I am quickly approaching what would've been my due date, May 28. Just as I think I'm getting better, something reminds me of the babies and I often get lonely for them.
Summer will be here before we know it!
Noah is absolutely communicating far better. He answers questions now, and it is obvious he completely understands what he is being told. His vocabulary continues to increase as well. He is finally beginning to start his sentences with "I" when he wants something. However, the most interesting new activity for Noah is t-ball! He's been enthusiatically watching Aidan's baseball games, and after practice, Noah loves run the bases. We are thinking of enrolling him in spring t-ball, as we hear they are far less competitive during the fall. Also, he is still using the potty very well, but I've gotten a bit lazy and need to finish training him.
Katie is about to have her ballet recital! She's done extremely well with ballet this year--well enough to get moved up to the next level next year. She still hasn't decided if she's going to take ballet again, but I really hope she will. It's difficult to process that she's almost done with second grade! I am not ready for her to begin third grade next year!! Katie really enjoyed her swimming lessons last year, so we are going to let her take some more lessons this year from Swim Atlanta.
Aidan's schedule has been the craziest of all! He has really enjoyed playing baseball with the Dacula Braves this spring, and his team was undefeated for the first 8 games!! Aidan's enjoying baseball so much that we are going to enroll him in a baseball camp this summer at a local sports center called Jack City. They have both an indoor and outdoor field, so he won't have to endure 100* temps for his camp. Also, so many of the boys on his team have taken private lessons at Jack City, so I think we might sign him up for a couple of those as well. I also just registered him for kindergarten next year--I'm not ready for this! His PreK graduation is next week, and it will be bittersweet for sure.
Chris and I have both been working some crazy hours at Van Adams lately. Mother's Day was insanely busy there, which is great, but wore us out! I'm working another full week this week, so the extra money is great, but I have had to let some things go around the house. I've also begun making cakes for some extra money. One of my friends is going to create a website for me, and I hope I can eventually get to the point that I make at least one cake per week.
Mother's Day was enjoyable. We ate lunch with my parents and my sister Ruth, and we went to Red Lobster. The kids did surprisingly well there, and ate just about everything between the 3 of them! Katie made me a sweet card with tea attached to it, and Aidan painted me a wooden jewelry box and made a beaded bracelet to go inside of it. I also got a rose from Aidan's baseball team, flowers, Godiva chocolates, and some shopping money! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit wistful on Mother's Day--I was truly missing my twins, as I am quickly approaching what would've been my due date, May 28. Just as I think I'm getting better, something reminds me of the babies and I often get lonely for them.
Summer will be here before we know it!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Success
I hate potty-training. No, seriously, I hate it. I've had nothing but negative experiences with it. Between Katie's runs at a birthday party to Aidan's ER visit on his fourth birthday for an impacted stool, I have decided that I won't potty-train anymore. Nope, Noah can just stay in diapers until he decides it's time, and if I have any more children, they can teach themselves. Oh, wait, what was that? Noah is ready? How can I be sure? How can I know that I won't face another miserable potty-training experience? Hmmm...I guess Noah has decided to train himself! I wasn't really planning on having the kids have baths tonight, but between Aidan's hair gel and Noah's love of nature, I really had no choice. Bathtime has become a bit of a battlefield lately, because Noah never wants to get dressed. His communication is getting so much better that he no longer just "goes with the flow". Nope, now he says a firm "no" if he doesn't want to do something, the silly boy. He was running around in Aidan's Thomas the Tank Engine towel, "peep-peep"-ing, and all of a sudden, he squatted down on my bathroom floor and let out just a couple drops of pee. I know he knew what he was doing, because he stopped. I quickly picked him up and put him on our toilet, and encouraged him to have some success. Low and behold, less than a minute later, success! I kept cheering him on, and he emptied his bladder right then and there. Even funnier, he got up, flushed the toilet, and washed his hands, grinning proudly! He was so proud that, 5 minutes later, he wanted to sit on the toilet again, but of course, he had already emptied his bladder, so that time was unsuccessful. So, it appears that my son has taken matters into his own hands and has decided it's time to use the potty! With any luck, he might be daytime trained within a week!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Spring is here!
It's been a LONG time since I've posted anything on my blog. I've stayed pretty busy these past few weeks, and I finally have a little bit of time. To begin with, the weather has mellowed out quite a bit--it's in the 80s today! The kids are enjoying spending time outside, and I'm enjoying lower energy bills until the heat of summer really kicks in in a month or so.
I've spent a lot of time with Noah lately, assessing his speech and behavior. I have come to the conclusion that, if he is on the austism spectrum, which I highly doubt, he is extremely high-functioning. However, I truly believe that he is fine. I have focused on his speech a lot lately, and he is making great strides. He is finally beginning to really communicate his wants and needs to me. He loves looking at books right now, and he especially loves animals. I hope to take him back to the zoo soon because he's really loving elephants and zebras right now. He is also starting to follow directions. Does he ALWAYS follow directions? Of course not! But, his communication is much better. He's also playing with more kids. Does he still enjoy independent play? Of course! But, he's just as happy playing with other children. He shares pretty well, and especially loves cars and trains. He has begun to watch baseball and is starting to understand how to hit the ball. I'm also working with him on riding his new bike with training wheels. Potty-training is about to begin. He actually told me to change his dirty diaper the other day, so I know he's ready. I'm really proud of Noah! He's come a long way lately.
Aidan is deep into the spring season of baseball! This year, his team is the Dacula Braves, and they are a great team. The boys work well together, and they are undefeated as of this point. We spend about 3-4 days/nights per week practicing and playing games. Baseball is serious stuff her in Dacula! The coaches really work with the boys to get them to improve. Aidan's stance is much better, as is is swing. He still has a long way to go, but he's improved so much! It's a lot of fun watching them play, and Aidan is happy. I'm thrilled he's found a sport that he loves so that he can build some confidence and get some exercise.
Katie is performing in Cinderella tomorrow with the Northeast Atlanta Ballet. She seems to enjoy ballet, but at the same time, she says she doesn't want to take ballet next year. We'll see. She has tried a few activities, but she doesn't seem to love any of them enough to really get involved. She's still doing well in school. We also are coming off of our Girl Scout cookie sale. Girl Scouts is keeping us so busy, and I feel badly that I can't be more active with the troop. But with Chris' job and me having the boys with me, there's only so much I can do with the troop.
Chris is still searching for a new job, but no luck yet. I've been working a few days per week up until this week, and it's worn me out. We are also staying busy with our online video game business.
Ok, that's my quick update. Time to spend more time with the kids!
I've spent a lot of time with Noah lately, assessing his speech and behavior. I have come to the conclusion that, if he is on the austism spectrum, which I highly doubt, he is extremely high-functioning. However, I truly believe that he is fine. I have focused on his speech a lot lately, and he is making great strides. He is finally beginning to really communicate his wants and needs to me. He loves looking at books right now, and he especially loves animals. I hope to take him back to the zoo soon because he's really loving elephants and zebras right now. He is also starting to follow directions. Does he ALWAYS follow directions? Of course not! But, his communication is much better. He's also playing with more kids. Does he still enjoy independent play? Of course! But, he's just as happy playing with other children. He shares pretty well, and especially loves cars and trains. He has begun to watch baseball and is starting to understand how to hit the ball. I'm also working with him on riding his new bike with training wheels. Potty-training is about to begin. He actually told me to change his dirty diaper the other day, so I know he's ready. I'm really proud of Noah! He's come a long way lately.
Aidan is deep into the spring season of baseball! This year, his team is the Dacula Braves, and they are a great team. The boys work well together, and they are undefeated as of this point. We spend about 3-4 days/nights per week practicing and playing games. Baseball is serious stuff her in Dacula! The coaches really work with the boys to get them to improve. Aidan's stance is much better, as is is swing. He still has a long way to go, but he's improved so much! It's a lot of fun watching them play, and Aidan is happy. I'm thrilled he's found a sport that he loves so that he can build some confidence and get some exercise.
Katie is performing in Cinderella tomorrow with the Northeast Atlanta Ballet. She seems to enjoy ballet, but at the same time, she says she doesn't want to take ballet next year. We'll see. She has tried a few activities, but she doesn't seem to love any of them enough to really get involved. She's still doing well in school. We also are coming off of our Girl Scout cookie sale. Girl Scouts is keeping us so busy, and I feel badly that I can't be more active with the troop. But with Chris' job and me having the boys with me, there's only so much I can do with the troop.
Chris is still searching for a new job, but no luck yet. I've been working a few days per week up until this week, and it's worn me out. We are also staying busy with our online video game business.
Ok, that's my quick update. Time to spend more time with the kids!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Well Check-Ups
Today, Aidan and Noah went to the dr. for well child visits. I had delayed taking Noah so that I could get two done at once. Our new insurance has kicked in, so my copay was less, which was nice. Aidan was worried he'd have to get a shot today, but I wasn't sure if would have to. Noah, on the other hand, would definately have to get a couple of shots.
It began calmly. Chris was off today, so we all headed to the pediatrician's office. The nurse got the weight and height of the boys--Aidan is 42 inches tall and 37 lbs, while Noah is 39.5 inches tall and 35 lbs. No wonder people think they boys are twins! Aidan had to have a hearing and vision screening for school, but he still didn't want to cooperate. Poor Noah had to get his thumb pricked so they could do some blood work on him, and he screamed bloody murder! While the nurse went to get the dr., Aidan decided to cooperate on the vision screening, so we all watched as he passed with flying colors. Once Dr. M came in, though, things got a bit hairy. Aidan did ok for his exam, but he was still afraid he'd get a shot. Noah watched with wonder as Aidan had his exam. Then it was Noah's turn, but Noah did not like that idea at all. Dr. M was patient with him, and he finally calmed down for his exam. Next, we had a nice chat about eating habits and Noah's speech. As we discussed Noah's speech, we briefly touched on what could be causing his speech delay. Dr. M hestitantly said there is a slight possiblity he has autism. She didn't want to even say it, because she doesn't really think this is the case, but she wanted us to watch for signs over the next six months and then we'll re-evaluate. She suggested that we get him more involved with other kids and see how he develops. We all truly believe that it is nothing more than a simple speech delay, but we will follow him closely the next few months. I'd be lying if I said that simply mentioning autism doesn't have me worried and concerned, but I'm trying to stay focused. His speech has come a long way, and I can only hope and pray that he will continue to make great strides.
It began calmly. Chris was off today, so we all headed to the pediatrician's office. The nurse got the weight and height of the boys--Aidan is 42 inches tall and 37 lbs, while Noah is 39.5 inches tall and 35 lbs. No wonder people think they boys are twins! Aidan had to have a hearing and vision screening for school, but he still didn't want to cooperate. Poor Noah had to get his thumb pricked so they could do some blood work on him, and he screamed bloody murder! While the nurse went to get the dr., Aidan decided to cooperate on the vision screening, so we all watched as he passed with flying colors. Once Dr. M came in, though, things got a bit hairy. Aidan did ok for his exam, but he was still afraid he'd get a shot. Noah watched with wonder as Aidan had his exam. Then it was Noah's turn, but Noah did not like that idea at all. Dr. M was patient with him, and he finally calmed down for his exam. Next, we had a nice chat about eating habits and Noah's speech. As we discussed Noah's speech, we briefly touched on what could be causing his speech delay. Dr. M hestitantly said there is a slight possiblity he has autism. She didn't want to even say it, because she doesn't really think this is the case, but she wanted us to watch for signs over the next six months and then we'll re-evaluate. She suggested that we get him more involved with other kids and see how he develops. We all truly believe that it is nothing more than a simple speech delay, but we will follow him closely the next few months. I'd be lying if I said that simply mentioning autism doesn't have me worried and concerned, but I'm trying to stay focused. His speech has come a long way, and I can only hope and pray that he will continue to make great strides.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Picky Eaters
It's funny. When Katie was a toddler, I could take her to any restaurant, and she would be the neatest eater at the table. And wow, she would eat almost anything. My boys are different. About a year ago, Noah stopped eating much of anything. For about 3 months, he would only eat a couple of things. I spoke with his speech therapist and his pediatrician, but they assured me that he would eat when he was ready. To suppliment, I began giving him Carnation Instant Breakfast daily. That way, he would get the nutrition he was lacking in his diet. To this day, he is incredibly picky, refusing to eat any fruit or vegetables, aside from what is in his chili and spaghetti.
When Aidan began Pre-K, I had to pack him a lunch because he was refusing to eat what they served him. At dinner, he would pick at everything. He's not as picky as Noah, but there are only certain foods he will touch. As a child, my parents would force me to sit at the table until I cleaned my plate. As a result, I refuse to touch seafood, even now. I don't want my kids to miss out on certain foods, so our rule is that you have to take at least one bite of everything on their plate. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat more, but this way, they are exposed to new foods and have the opportunity to develop their palates.
I just wish dinnertime wasn't such a battle of wills! At least Katie still eats very well and will clean her plate at just about any meal!
When Aidan began Pre-K, I had to pack him a lunch because he was refusing to eat what they served him. At dinner, he would pick at everything. He's not as picky as Noah, but there are only certain foods he will touch. As a child, my parents would force me to sit at the table until I cleaned my plate. As a result, I refuse to touch seafood, even now. I don't want my kids to miss out on certain foods, so our rule is that you have to take at least one bite of everything on their plate. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat more, but this way, they are exposed to new foods and have the opportunity to develop their palates.
I just wish dinnertime wasn't such a battle of wills! At least Katie still eats very well and will clean her plate at just about any meal!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Speech Explosion
Noah's been out of speech therapy for 2 weeks now. When Aidan was turning 3, one day, his speech just suddenly began to get better. Now, granted, his speech was never as delayed as Noah's has been, but he didn't speak a lot until after his third birthday. I have been convinced that Noah knows more words than he uses. I also am convinced that he has selective hearing and only cooperates when it's convenient for him.
Over the last week, Noah's proved time and again that he understands me consistently. If I ask him to get me something, he usually will. If I tell him to do something that he doesn't want to do, he tells me no. When he fills up a diaper, I will tell him that we need to work on potty training, and he will agree with me. Today, his communication was better than I've ever seen it. He was looking for Aidan and said, clear as day, "Aidan, where are you?" We were getting ready to leave the house, and he said, "Mommy, come on." But the real surprise came while we were out. Chris and I had decided to take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese as a treat. As soon as well pulled up, Noah began shrieking and saying, "Yay, Chuck E. Cheese!" We were shocked! He told us he wanted pizza, and he actually ate two slices! However, what amazed me the most was his reaction to the games. He stared at them intently while we ate, and when we were done, I took him to the games. He ended up leading me around the game room, and he stopped at a ticket game. I showed him where to insert the coin, and not only did he insert the coin, he aimed the coin to get it to go into a slot to earn tickets! He was so excited that he kept playing, earning more tickets. I told him to try another game, and he kept hitting the bonus tickets! Noah earned well over 100 on his own, without my help! Katie and Aidan can't even do that! As we were leaving, CEC himself came out, and Noah's eyes sparkled. He gave CEC five and looked happier than ever. My little man, the one whom I've been silently begging to communicate with me, is finally coming out of his shell and opening up. He's speaking in sentences, and recognizing letters. At Publix, he said "P-U-B-L-I-X" as soon as well pulled up. Noah's growing up!
Over the last week, Noah's proved time and again that he understands me consistently. If I ask him to get me something, he usually will. If I tell him to do something that he doesn't want to do, he tells me no. When he fills up a diaper, I will tell him that we need to work on potty training, and he will agree with me. Today, his communication was better than I've ever seen it. He was looking for Aidan and said, clear as day, "Aidan, where are you?" We were getting ready to leave the house, and he said, "Mommy, come on." But the real surprise came while we were out. Chris and I had decided to take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese as a treat. As soon as well pulled up, Noah began shrieking and saying, "Yay, Chuck E. Cheese!" We were shocked! He told us he wanted pizza, and he actually ate two slices! However, what amazed me the most was his reaction to the games. He stared at them intently while we ate, and when we were done, I took him to the games. He ended up leading me around the game room, and he stopped at a ticket game. I showed him where to insert the coin, and not only did he insert the coin, he aimed the coin to get it to go into a slot to earn tickets! He was so excited that he kept playing, earning more tickets. I told him to try another game, and he kept hitting the bonus tickets! Noah earned well over 100 on his own, without my help! Katie and Aidan can't even do that! As we were leaving, CEC himself came out, and Noah's eyes sparkled. He gave CEC five and looked happier than ever. My little man, the one whom I've been silently begging to communicate with me, is finally coming out of his shell and opening up. He's speaking in sentences, and recognizing letters. At Publix, he said "P-U-B-L-I-X" as soon as well pulled up. Noah's growing up!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Graduate!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.....................
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)