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Crazy Time

Our OT , Joann has recommended that we do some things to help reset Sebastian's vestibular system. I have called this crazy time in our house. The kids get to jump on the bed and run around and be "crazy". The physical activity stimulates Sebastian's large muscle groups and it also helps all the kids to let off some steam. As you can see from the pics, they are having a good time.

The Sickness has got to go

Ok so last week it was colds and sinus infections. I thought, ok great we'll be good to go for vacation. Then, I get this in bed all day stomach flu yesterday. For the first time ever in our marriage, I called Paul at work and asked him to please come home. I was either on the couch or in the bathroom. Paul got home around 12:30 PM and I was in bed the rest of the day until 7:30 PM. It was horrible. I'm thankful that today I am feeling better but still not well. I've been praying the kids don't get it especially since we fly to florida on Saturday. Paul is still fighting his infection and is hoping to get more medicine tomorrow. The kids seem to be all over everything so I'll keep praying that they stay well. Paul and I leave Tampa on a royal caribbean cruise for 5 nights. I am so excited. I just realized last night that I've never been to Mexico and our cruise will make two stops in Mexico. Oh and keep checking back next week, I hope to be posting pics and sound from our cruise!

Sebastian Update

We had Sebastian's IEP on Friday. I was on my own, other than the prayers of faithful friends and family. Joann couldn't make it. I met with the school psychologist and the teacher for the ECDD class. Joann had given me a list of questions specifically about the OT and the training the teachers had. Sebastian's sensory issues have flared up quite a bit in the last week. He's telling me more and more that things are too loud like music and TV. Joann wants us to start what they call "Theraputic Listening". It's where we put headphones on with his favorite song or my voice and set it at a level where it's comfortable for him. Then we do that for a few days and then take it up a level and see how he responds. We are also going to be starting the "brushing technique" to help with the touch sensitivity. Joann wanted to make sure that if we put him in the classroom, they would continue to help me with those things. Joann will train me as well so that I can do those things at home. The teacher assured me that if that's what he needs, they will be trained and will do what the OT in the classroom suggests. They will also allow activities every day he's there that will help stimulate his vestibular system. We are also asking the dr. to refer us to a audiologist to determine whether or not there is anything physically wrong wit his inner ear since he does have balance problems. I decided to sign the agreement to put him in the afternoon classroom starting March 25th. He'll be going 3 1/2 days which is better than the 4 I thought. On a good note, his gross motor skills are improving and his speech is so much better. He continues to amaze me with the things he says. He's also learning more and more about sharing and caring. He accidentally kicked me in the face the other day on the swing. I said to him that he hurt me. He said, oh mama, I'm so sorry! I'm very thankful for the help we are receiving and I hope that by the fall he'll be ready for a mainstream 2 day preschool.

The process

Although I'm in Gr right now helping out with WaYfm's sharathon, I'm also still processing what happened yesterday when we visited the ECDD classroom. Sebastian didn't really engage with the kids when the music was playing and they were dancing around. Now that I look back, he had his fingers in his ears. He usually dances around when we play music at home. I talked to Joann today and she said it seems his auditory issues are really progressing. He started to tell me when I rip the sides of his pull up to change him, that its too loud. I think as we continue to progress with him, other issues are rearing their heads. Joann will advocate for him on Friday that maybe the classroom isn't the best thing for him that maybe one on one therapy. I think the socialization and the extra work would be really good for him but I don't want him to be overwhelmed with all the noise. Oh, I have so much on my mind but I am having a great time on the radio. I'm on between 3 and 5 PM. And then 6 to 8 PM. Listen live now at Way.fm

I'm a believer

As I go through the struggles with Sebastian I have felt God share with me about what my struggles are and how I dishonor God and My Husband as I struggle with Food and Money issues. Tonight I shared some of that with Paul and for the first time we had a civil conversation about it. I truly believe that it went so well because I was honest, upfront and owned up to my stuff. I tell you it is so shameful to have to face your stuff with the person you Love the most. Paul finally understood that my actions are not acts of defiance. I spend and eat too much because I'm trying to fill a need with those things that I should be getting filled by God. I told him I couldn't be out here all alone anymore. I need guidance and accountability. He for the first time that I was more important to him than Money or Debt. I needed to hear those words. I needed to hear that I was more important to him than fixing these things in our life. I'm considering seeking some counseling for these issues. My call to you is, if you are hiding something from someone you love, don't let it rule your life. Sit down with them, share the honest truth that you are struggling and that you need their help. You can't go it alone anymore. It's hard, but to be unburdened Is so much better.

Busy, busy, busy

It seems like this is just a busy time of year for us. Alexandra has had school three days a week, Sebastian still does his therapy once a week and Atticus is just all over the place all the time. I'm working on a spaghetti dinner and auction for the preschool. I've secured donations and meat for the dinner. That doesn't happen until March 27th. Sebastian's IEP meeting is this Friday and I needed to stop by the classroom this week. We did that today. Sebastian did well and I think I'll be good for him. I'm the one that is having a hard time with it. He told me after we left "mama, that sandbox was so nice!". I chuckled. The kids in the class had a lot of speech issues and a few had physical issues. Tomorrow I head to GR for Sharathon 2008 for WayFM. I'll be on tomorrow at 10 am and then throughout the day and Thursday as well starting at 7 AM. As I said I have Sebastian's IEP on Friday. Whew! I'm tired already and I haven't even gone through it all. The nice thing is that these kinds of things usually energize me so I should come off of the two days. I will try to give an update while I'm in GR but we'll have to see.

Oh, too funny

Alexandra heads down the stairs tonight and here's how the conversation went:

Me: What are you doing out of bed?

Alexandra: Something is wrong mom?

Me: What?

A: Well, Buddy got out of his bed, he didn't turn on the light but he's in my bed, he won't leave so I can't go to sleep.

Me: Ok, I'll see what's going on. (I head into the room to find Buddy in Alexandra's bed reading a book.)

Sebastian: Mama, I reading.

Me: You need to be in your own bed, reading.

Sebastian: Oh, you right mama.

I put him in his bed. I smelled something. I asked If he had poopy.

Sebastian: No, I not. Bubba poopy.

Atticus is in a whole different room. It's funny. He won't tell me when he is, but he'll lie to me when he isn't to get out of bed. I'm hoping his escape tonight starts to push him to wanting to be in his own bed.

Wordless Wednesday - Pure Joy in a bucket

It's amazing at 4, she gets it

Today at lunch, Alexandra picked up the national right to life newspaper. On the front was a picture of a girl holding a sign that said "Abortion Kills Babies". She asked me what the sign said and I told her. She first said, they want to kill Bubba? I told her no that it happens when the babies are in their mommies tummy. She said I don't understand why people would kill babies. I told her I didn't understand either. She said mom we need to make cards and hand them out to people. The cards needed to say, "Stop killing babies". She told me she wanted to hand them out to people at church. I told her I thought people at church probably agreed with her position to stop killing babies. Just so you know, we have never talked to her about this. It's so interesting to me that she gets that killing babies is wrong. My little activist, she makes me so proud!

My Trip to Old Navy

Since it's Thursday, I got to get out of the house this evening. I decided to head over to Old Navy to see what kind of sales they had. I found a few things and headed up to the register to pay. I went to a lane that had a woman and a man behind the register. The woman said hello and said that she was being trained. The guy, leaned over the counter and said, what you doing later tonight? I paused, said, well later tonight I'm watching Lost. He said, oh, you want a cuddle buddy? I replied, I already have one, note the diamonds on my hand. "Oh, that is just too bad." I said I also have 3 kids that he probably didn't want to have responsibility for. "Oh I love kids, I'm doing my student teaching right now". Ok so that means he must be about 10 years younger that me. What? Even though it was probably harmless flirting, It made this 34 year old feel pretty good. Especially since he is 10 years younger than me.

Wordless Wednesday - Precious Daddy Time

That's a new verison of that song

For the longest time Alexandra would sing the "Veggie Tales Theme song" like this, Broccoli, Celery, combery, Veggie Tales. Paul and I would giggle to ourselves and say I wonder what Combery tastes like. Yesterday in the car she started to sing the song but with a little different twist. "Broccoli, Celery, gotta pee, veggie tales.". Now I don't think she really did but I laughed so hard I almost did.

It's a wonder what a few days can do

Thanks to all who have called and emailed to check on me after my post about Sebastian. I needed to process and pray and have a great conversation with our OT Joann. She has been a gift from God for me. She's acquainted with the system and what options I have. She also told me that she thinks they are pushing him through to the ECDD class so that he does get more help not because he's really as bad as they say. As we've done more self help things over the last few days, I see that he struggles but he's working on it. He can get his pants up part way but can't get them all the way up. He can sometimes get his boots on and can always get them off. He can put his own socks on. He's getting there. I also have been thinking also about the end of the conversation I had with Joann. I mentioned to her that I feel too emotional to be Sebastian's mom. She said, "Oh Heather, you are so much stronger than you feel right now. There are no mistakes Heather you are meant to be his mom." I feel my emotions, after I get through them, spur me on to make things better for him. If I didn't care so much for him, I wouldn't be going through this. As I've talked to some people about what's been going on with Sebastian, I've heard of so many moms who are living in denial that there's anything going on with their child. I can't do that. I love him too much to let these things go. Although, it will be tough emotionally for me, we'll keep working at this for him. Our long term goal is that he starts kindergarten with no seen problems. I guess this isn't just Sebastian's journey, It's my journey too!

It's time to vote!

The voting for the Love is.... photo contest is now open. If you like the photo further down the page please go here. I would love to win the gift card. You only have two more days left to vote. Thanks for the support!

A new journey for Sebastian

We had Sebastian's evaluation with the PET program today. There was a psychologist, speech pathologist, social worker and an ot. Our OT didn't make it and neither did the OT from the early on program. I was disappointed with that. After almost 2 hours of questions for me and tests for Sebastian, they came back with news I wasn't expecting. After a conversation with our OT, Joann, I figured they weren't going to be able to offer much to us. They do want him to be in an ECDD (Early Childhood Delayed Development)classroom. He's a year and a half behind in his self help skills like putting on and taking off clothes. They also think his sensory issues warrant him being in the special class. The good news is his speech is right where it should be along with his cognitive problem skills. Now I need to go and visit the classroom where they want to place him and see if it's something we want. Then we have another meeting with the team at the pet program to set goals for him and decide what we want to do. I know that what we've done up to this point has been great for him. It just always hard when someone tells you there's something wrong with your child. So needless to say I'm struggling with this. When you are pregnant, you never ever think somethings going to be wrong with your baby. That happens to other people. Now here we are. When praying today I felt God saying you know we all have our stuff, even your kids. It's easy to see Alexandra's issues, they are just like mine. Sebastian's are different. I'm not trained to help him. I feel like I can only go so far and now we need someone professional to step in. I just want to make sure that he's in a good environment for learning and socialization. In a moment of tears, I cried out to God that I'm not equipped to be Sebastian's mom, I'm too emotional. Clearly I heard, you are exactly the person to be his mother. I'm not sure what that means but I'm trusting that God knows what He's doing.

Happy Valentines day

Alexandra is so excited about Valentines day. I baked this heart cookie for school tomorrow and she put the hearts on. She also picked valentines for all her classmates and wrote their names on them. She was so proud to write them herself. I was very proud of her too. She wrote her own name on about half of them and then got tired. I can't really blame her. All the rest she just put a big A on them.

This is what a twiddle bug looks like after going through the Vacuum

I had to fish this out of the vacuum cleaner tonight after he got sucked up. Alexandra was afraid we'd never see him again. The look on her face endured me to stick my hand in the dirty vacuum bag! He's going in the washer tomorrow.

Write from Karen Photo Contest

Karen is doing it again! Here's my photo for the contest. This is from 2006 when Atticus was not even a month old yet. Alexandra got down on the floor with him and gave him a kiss. I think it is the epitome of Love. That's what Karen's theme was for this contest. I'll let you know when you can vote for me!

He really is his father's son

Tonight Sebastian was straggling behind while Alexandra and Atticus were in the bath. I came out of the bathroom and asked Paul where Sebastian was. He said he was in the living room reading his latest copy of the Economist. This is a very heady magazine just in case you haven't heard of it. I asked Sebastian what he was doing. He replied "looking at pictures". I said, "is it very interesting?" His reply " nope". I laughed out loud and Paul rolled his eyes.