SPD and Couch- how are they related?

Well...first things first, right?

I have wanted a new couch for a long time...I mean A LONG TIME! Something about having had our couch for 12 years now! Yep...12 years! I bought this couch with my hiring bonus money when I got my first job after I graduated from WSU and UW pharmacy school. It has truly been through the ringer! But, after the main couch support broke into two...yep, I've wanted a new couch!

On Saturday, we had our semi-annual "George Girls Shopping Trip"...and boy was I ready for that! We all met at about 10:30am and shopped for a bit before we had lunch at PF Changs (yum!). We then went to Bellevue square to shop at a couple more key spots (gotta go to The Container Store!) before our hour foot massages scheduled at 5pm. I was having such a wonderful time chit chatting that I actually had a hard time just sitting there while someone was rubbing my feet! (I know...pretty sad, huh?) So, I decided to take out my Blackberry and do some shopping. You see, Laurie (my sister-in-law) has recently bought and sold a boat load of stuff on craigslist. I thought I'd check out what was available in the 'couch' arena. So, get this...Marla and Missy are sitting in their chairs with their eyes closed...really enjoying the serene moments of someone rubbing their feet...and here I am with my Blackberry...letting my fingers do the walking...looking for a couch! I swear, the asian gal rubbing my feet must have thought I was nuts! Oh well! I found several couches that would work for us and I sent them all e-mails (yep, from my blackberry) to see if they were still available. I have no idea when I would have time to check them out...or if Kelly would even "go" for me purchasing a new couch! But, hey...gotta at least enjoy the shopping for it, right? So, the couch that really caught my eye was this 3 piece sectional (complete with a chaise) for $700. I figured, hey maybe I could dicker a bit here! So, I asked if she would take $500 and she said that she had to have $575 minimum. So, cool...we've already decided on a price...now I just have to get Kelly to give me the a-OK!

After our wonderful shopping day, I come back home and casually mention it to Kelly. He quickly poo-poos my idea (by the way he responded to me) and I decide to just leave it alone. He just spent the whole day with the boys (by himself, I might add) and I'm sure he's exhausted. Plus...when is it ever a good time to spend an extra $575??? Plus...aren't I in the process of trying to QUIT my job? OK...let it rest, Kari. I was so proud of myself! I politely e-mailed the gal selling the couch and said it wasn't a good time for us to buy.

So, Sunday at dinner time Kelly said, "Are you going to buy that couch?" I was completely caught off guard. Hmmm...so we talked a bit more about it, showed him pictures etc., and by the end of the conversation, we were buying the couch...if she hadn't already sold it! So, I called the gal and sure enough it was still available! I had NO IDEA how we were going to get it home and as I was explaining this to her, she said, "Oh, we can bring it to you!"

"Really?"

"Can we bring it tonight?"

"Sure!" So by 9pm Sunday night, we had a new couch in our family room!

Isn't it beautiful!! This is the advertisement photo in Craigslist! It is microfiber material, so it cleans nicely with soap and water. The color is a bit lighter than I would have chosen myself, but hey...you can't be too picky for $575! We all just love it! You'll have to stop by to check it out! It's even comfy to sleep on! (gotta try it, huh?)

So, later that evening I get another e-mail from the gal who sold us the couch. She just noticed my information at the bottom of my e-mail. It says,

"Kari George
http://karigeorge.blogspot.com/
Check out my favorite website: www.sensoryplanet.com...become part of the SPD community to put this puzzle together!

One in 20 children has Sensory Processing Disorder (“SPD”) according to the latest research at The SPD Foundation. In real terms, that means 3.5 million children in the United States alone are affected; that's about one child in every classroom. Support research for Sensory Processing Disorder today at www.spdevent.com."

Come to find out, her 2 year old boy also has SPD! What a small world we live in, huh? It's so nice to know another mom in the same boat as you! SPD is not for the faint at heart...so us SPD affected moms have got to stick together!

I have this whole week off from work...not my idea but because of scheduling errors on the part of my boss!...another story, another time! I was notified on Friday that Carson's daycare classroom would not have an extra person in there on Monday. So, I contemplated whether I should keep him home (didn't really have any plans for Monday), so I opted to instead be the extra person in Carson's classroom. Plus, I really wanted to see with my own eyes what they have been describing to me for sometime. So, I called daycare on Monday morning to see if that would be OK. Of course, they said that would be great!

Boy, let me tell you...it was rough. They were so right...Carson spent more time out of the classroom than he actually did inside the classroom! Even I had a tough time getting him to do things. On one occasion, he ran out of the classroom and in through the side door of the same classroom! ARGH! I tried my hardest to do things that I thought would help him, but he just has a tough time. For one...everything just takes SOOOO LONG! Circle time seemed like a very long time...even to me! Then when you transition from circle to snack, you first have to wash your hands. Everyone has to line up and take turns washing your hands....then you eat snack. Same thing with going outside...first they had to apply sunscreen (which took 30 minutes!!!) before they could even line up to go outside. There is just so much opportunity and time for him to get himself into trouble...it's amazing! That's just how it is in a classroom with 20 kids.

I asked his teacher if this was typical behavior or if he was making things worse 'cause I was there. And she said this was actually a 'good day' for Carson! WOW...it really was eye opening! It was all I could do just to keep him there...I just wanted to take him home with me! We planned on just staying through lunch (which is another rough transition) and then go home to take a nap and that's what we did. OMG...I was so glad to get out of there! Those poor teachers!!! They really are putting up with a lot with Carson!

I knew this was an issue and we have been striving toward making it better...but it's always good to see it with your own eyes!

We are going to get a big refrigerator box and decorate it with 'relaxing looking' pictures inside...then put comfy pillows inside, etc. We'll put this somewhere at daycare so Carson can have a quiet and safe place to go when his body is feeling 'out of control'!

One more story! After we returned home from daycare, Carson was having a very difficult time listening. At one point in particular, right before nap, he completely LOST IT! I nicely took him to his room and shut his door. I came out to the family room to do some stuff until he got himself together, when all of a sudden, I heard the outside water faucet turn on! ARGH!! That meant that he climbed out his window...and what is he doing with the hose? I walked in the room and indeed he was outside of the window! I also noticed that he had pulled the hose all the way over to the window. Hmmm...did I just catch him from putting the hose inside his window??? Double ARGH!!! Carson obviously lost 'window privileges' with that stunt! We'll see how long the window stays secure!

Carson is going to be my helper today! Since we are trying to sell our rental house, I need to go down there today and paint the front porch and railings. Since it is not an exact art, I figured Carson would get a kick out of helping me with this project! So, I'll let you know how it goes when it gets all done! I am meeting our agent down at the house on Thursday to stage the house and it should be going on the market shortly thereafter! Yipee! One step at a time, right!!

Hope you have a good one! We will....

Conversation with Babysitter's Mom

So, I decided that I had to talk to our baby sitter's mom. Since I wasn't able to say a kind word to the girls face and I was still fuming about yesterday...I called her mom instead! I almost let it go, but then I realized that it was my job to keep this girl from caring for other kids. If something were to happen to another family and I didn't do my part to stop it...what kind of a mom am I?

So, after explaining my observations, thoughts, feelings and many frustrations about the crappy babysitting that occurred yesterday, she spoke to her daughter. Later in the evening I got a call back from her mom.

"My daughter states a completely different story from yours. She said that she was constantly with the boys."

"Really? And did she change Logan's diaper prior to nap time?"

"Yes, she said she changed it at least 3 times. I have to believe a 15 year old over a 4 year old! So, looks like this is not a good fit for my daughter!"

"Yep...that would be correct! I understand that you need to take your daughter's side in this issue. Maybe we have different views on what appropriate childcare is? This is not what I call quality childcare. I will be using different childcare in the future. Take care!"

Well...that wasn't how I thought the conversation was going to go! I honestly thought her mom was going to make her come pick up my house AND give me my money back! Oh well...I did my part! I hope she isn't taking care of other young children! ARGH!!! What can you do? Hubby wants to call the police!...Hmmmm. Does this worrying about your kids ever end?

I'm off to bed! Is this week almost over?

I have one last day of work and then it's the "George Girls Shopping Day" on Saturday! I'm looking forward to some adult conversation, lunch and dinner OUT and a nice relaxing foot massage (maybe...not sure how that's going to feel on my leg!). Wish me luck!

Sleep well...I know I will!

Why????

OK...before I start this next post, I wanted to clarify a few things from my "rug burn" post last week. I first want to say that I love our daycare!!! They have bent over backwards (and done somersaults as well) to accommodate our family and our many, many needs! That is what individualized care is all about at our daycare...and they truly stand behind that! Oh yeah, I still need to blog about our meeting last week. I will do it...I promise! The rug burn incident was an unfortunate event in my very long and hellish week with my husband gone! I have spoken to daycare and we have both shared our thoughts and feelings about the incident...and I am OK with things! Just don't want folks to think we have a terrible daycare! I don't know what I would do without them right now!

OK...so thoughts for today aren't very inspirational. As a matter of fact, I really really need some encouragement and lots of hugs at the moment!

Why is it that life serves you up a bowl of mush when what you really really wanted was a bowl of cherries (or ice cream for that matter!)??? I am feeling like a "cup half empty" kinda gal this morning. I feel bad because I really think of myself as an optimistic person, but when life keeps throwing mush at me...my attitude changes and I just can't do it!

So, Monday of this week Carson had a super rough day at daycare. He was apparently running around the classroom and climbing on top of the tables! The teachers were honestly fearful of what he was going to do to the other kids. I was told that he spent more time out of the classroom than in the classroom! And...to top it off, our plan of having an extra staff person in his classroom (to help with Carson) fell through because of a teacher having a family emergency. I got a call from daycare telling me what he was doing and I just felt my heart sinking further into my abdomen. I don't know what to tell them to do to help Carson anymore! I'm flat out of ideas and am running low on optimism as well!

When you take a deep breath and step back to look at the BIG picture...I saw a couple of things.
1) One of his regular teachers was missing that day.
2) There was not an extra person to assist Carson with his needs.
3) He was up late the night before (cause he was crying about his foot hurting and needed a band-aid)
4) His last day of his developmental preschool was last week so staying at daycare all day is a change for him.
5) There were new kids being transitioned into his classroom (many he knows, but one particular kido really ramps Carson up very easily)
6) Daddy just got back home from being out of town for two weeks.
7) It was MONDAY! Doesn't everyone have bad days on Monday???
8) He started with the sniffles that morning. Hmm...maybe getting sick?

Hmmm....lots of stuff going on in Carson's world, huh? For a kido who doesn't deal with changes or transitions too well, it's amazing that he handled the day like he did...things COULD get a lot worse, I suppose!

It's days like this that make me wonder if we are doing the 'right thing'. Should I quit my job now (as opposed to waiting for our rental house to sell first)? Should I pull him out of daycare and get a nanny at home for the days that I have to work? I feel so sorry for the teachers in Carson's classroom. I know that they have tough days that they go home in tears...I am sure! Carson is a very challenging kido and he drains all the being out of you to try to work with him. I know this...cause I live this!

In the back of my mind I have this little voice telling me to just keep going. Keep putting one foot in front of the other...and keep doing 'the plan' that I had already decided on. I keep telling myself that we need this 'documentation period' (of Carson requiring a one-on-one teacher in daycare)...'cause who knows when I will have to pull that card out of hat in the future? Who knows what public schools are going to throw our way...school is going to be challenging for Carson and I want to have our ducks in a row...able to pull those cards out when and if I need them! So, for right now...we are just doing our plan!

Tuesday and Wednesday I kept both boys home from daycare. By Tuesday evening, I knew the boys were not feeling well. They both had the sniffles and were getting grouchier by the minute. So instead of taking the boys to daycare on Wednesday, I arranged to have a babysitter come to the house so I could go to work. It's difficult juggling this life we live. I don't want to burn my bridges at daycare by bringing them a child who I know doesn't feel well. How do you think Carson will act in that situation? BINGO!...yep, he's staying home! I just love double paying for childcare!

So, babysitter comes on Wednesday and I am off to work. Cool...this will work out great! Hmmm...maybe it's too good to be true? Well, after I dropped off the babysitter last night, I discovered that it was way too good to be true! Logan could hardly walk or sit down 'cause his bottom was in bad shape! I pulled his diaper off and discovered that he had a bad red rash all over his little bottom...and there was some dried poo still on his bottom. Hmmm...that's kinda weird! We had already been dealing with a bit of diaper rash already, but how did it get this bad in just 10 hours? Hmmm...I take him to the bath tub to soak his poor little bum...in hopes of getting the poo off without hurting him more than he already hurt. He had to lay on his belly in the bathtub 'cause it hurt too bad to sit on his bottom. I slowly let the warm water just soak it off. I took him to the bedroom and discovered a pair of very wet jeans on the floor (the jeans I had put him in that morning). Oh my, I thought! My heart starts racing and I am about ready to scream with anger!

She said that the boys took a 4 hour nap (thank god...they both really needed that), but what I am thinking now is that Logan most likely had poo in his diaper when he went to bed?? He obviously hadn't been changed prior to nap time or he would not have peed out of diaper that easily. ARGH!!! You mean to tell me that my son's but is scalded from his own poo...'cause my babysitter didn't change his diaper??? I'm fuming...can you tell?

Then I started finding other signs of "babysitter laziness (or neglect?)"
1) The sheets that I asked her to change in Logan's room are still on the kitchen counter where I left them that morning.
2) There is a dining room chair in Logan's room...with Logan's couch turned over.
3) Some of the things that were previously in Logan's room...on the top high shelf in Logan's closet...are now on the floor in Logan's room! Hmm...sounds like Carson figured out how to get them with the dining room chair?
4) My house is a total train wreck...toys all over the place!
5) The back porch is a disaster! Picnic bench turned upside down. Picnic benches also out of place.
6) Blankets, etc., strewn out on the back lawn!
7) A box of fruit Popsicles is GONE! And most of a 1/2 gallon ice cream container is GONE! LOVELY...my kids ate ice cream all day???

I am so angry...I'm not exactly sure what to do! I specifically asked her to pick up the house PRIOR to me coming home! Hmmm...apparently she doesn't listen...just like my kids???

I asked Carson if she played with them and he laughed.

He said "no mommy!"

"What did she do while you guys were playing?"

"She laid on the couch mommy!"

"Did she come check on you when you were playing in Logan's room?"

"Sometimes..."

ARGH!!! I'm going to blow a gasket here! I am so angry, I can't even talk to her right now. Obviously she will no longer be welcome in our home...or be babysitting for us in the future! But, what should I do? Part of me says to walk away. But another part of me says that I should call and talk to her mom to explain my disappointment in her. I am fearful of what could happen with other kids in the future and I would be beside myself if I discovered a child was hurt on her 'watchful duty' and I didn't do anything about it. Should I ask for my money back? Any suggestions would be appreciated. For now, I am just trying to calm down so I can think rationally.

Thankfully, Logan's bottom looked a ton better this morning, but it still is pretty bad! I am so disappointed!

So, then to top off my wonderful day yesterday, I went to take the trash out. We have a large trash can in the garage and every week I take the big bag out of the trash can, put it in the car and truck it down to the end of the street to be picked up by the garbage truck. So, as I pull this bag out, the bag scraps against my leg and I quickly remember that there is broken glass in this bag...as it cuts a HUGE gash in my leg (right above my ankle). OH MY...that hurt! I scream in pain and look down...blood is gushing from my wound! LOVELY!!! Another ER trip? And...Kelly wasn't home...AGAIN! He was at a work dinner thing he had to do last night. I quickly take off my shoe (so it doesn't fill up with blood) and hop into the house to get a towel. It is a pretty deep wound...ARGH!!! I could just kick myself! I knew there was glass in there! Now, why did we put the glass in there?? Note to self...not a good idea in the future!

So, I decide to call Kelly anyway (in hopes that he is close to coming home). SCORE! Is is just blocks from home! At least he can look at it to help me decide if I need to go to the ER. Or better yet...maybe he could stitch it up for me (he was previously a paramedic)??? I really don't want to sit in another ER for the night? I am already feeling a sore throat and nasal stuffiness coming on...I just want to go to bed in hopes of having a better day tomorrow! So, he tells me that I could go to the ER, but they would probably only put 1-2 stitches in. He says, if you don't mind a scar, we could just clean it, wrap it up and wait for a nice scab to form? I could honestly care less about a scar on my leg! I have bigger issues in life than a scar! So, I opted for the bandage! I was very very thankful that he was able to help me with my owie and with the boys!

I go to sit down in the rocker while he gathers up all the stuff needed for my wound. He proceeds to clean it and I am in tears! It hurts!!! ARGH! I have Carson on one side and Logan on the other...and they are watching their mommy cry! Carson immediately grabs my hand and holds it tightly. He gets a little closer to me and tries giving me a hug! What a sweetheart! I ask Logan to grab me a Kleenex for my tears and he cheerfully does as I ask! He also offers me hugs as well. Daddy applies antibiotic ointment and wraps it up nicely! ARGH!!! It still hurts...bad!

We finally get the kids off to bed! I put Logan to bed and have to lay him on his side ('cause his bum hurts too bad to lay on his back!)! Poor guy! Poor mom! Once the boys are settled, I grab some ibuprofen and some Vicodin (thank God for previously prescribed narcotics)!

On another note...I recently discovered that one of my very great college friends has a child on the autistic spectrum! My goodness...this special needs world is getting smaller and smaller! I felt bad that I didn't know about her needs and she felt the same for me. Although Carson and Logan are not on the autistic spectrum, they all share similar sensory needs. In the end, we were so glad that we knew each other and could now help to support each other...through this very rocky road called LIFE!

Oh...one more thing! The house right next door to ours has been vacant for years. There has been intermittent owners, but they sell (or go into bankruptcy) and move out. The house is in horrific shape and really needs someone to buy it, level it to the ground and start over. Well, this past week we have noticed a lot of activity over there. Someone has bought the house and has been working on it. They have also been mowing the huge field beside it (which has grass up to my waist...a huge fire hazard)! Cool...maybe someone is going to do good things with this house? WRONG! Some guy bought it and has promptly rented it out....get this, as "section 8 housing" (low income housing)! Another ARGH!!! This past weekend, they were all there with their music blaring and all their friends over...half blocking the road to our home! It has gotten a few of our neighbors up in arms about the possible problems with having section 8 housing. Luckily, our neighbor on the other side of us is a police officer! Maybe we all have the wrong attitude? Are these guys felons, sexual offenders? Our neighbor is running plates to find out WHO these folks are! Maybe we all have the wrong attitude? I guess I should take the 'cup half full' approach and bake them some cookies and nicely walk over to greet our new neighbors? Well...stay tuned on that one! I'm sure I'll have more to post later!

Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers! Off I go to bed to try to help myself through this nasty cold I now have!

Rug Burn

Could this day get any worse? Today was NOT a good day for anyone...Carson, Logan and myself. I stayed up way too late last night posting to my blog and doing other things. I have been enjoying the quiet house so much after I put the boys to bed, I get a bit carried away with productivity. So, needless to say, I was a bit grumpy myself today since I didn't get enough sleep last night.

We had Logan's speech therapy appointment and Carson's occupational therapy appointment this morning. No matter what we did, all I had was a couple of whining and bickering/fighting little boys. They were driving me nuts! Needless to say, I couldn't get them out the door fast enough to get them to daycare. Logan fell asleep on the way to daycare, which worked perfect since his classroom was already napping when we arrived. I just laid him down on his mat and out he was.

Carson was a different story. We walked into his classroom and one of his classmates walks up to say hi to Carson and Carson immediately punches him in the belly. LOVELY! Sorry, Ms. Helen and Ms. Julie, but I gotta go to my 1 pm appointment. We had a tough morning and I suspected they had a tough afternoon. What do you do? I can't just keep him home...I had to make it to my appointment...and honestly, I needed a break (and a nap!) before I tackled the evening shift with both boys (without my hubby home)!

So, I get my break and nap and have a nice phone conversation with my friend Angela and I am ready to pick up the boys at daycare. I go to Logan's classroom and get him, sign him out, etc., I turn around and there is Carson in the hallway...not really sure what is happening. Did he run out of his classroom? Is he with a teacher? He quickly runs up to me and 'informs' me that he is going to the front desk to get crackers. I explain that we still need to go to his classroom, sign him out and gather his stuff...then we go to the front desk to get crackers. Well, apparently Carson decided that I was wrong...and he takes off running to the front desk. I realize that he has bolted and take off quickly running after him (trying to catch him or his shirt..doesn't matter to me!). I'm not sure what happened next! I either tripped over Carson or myself??? But next I know I am flying through the air and land with my right hand sprawled out in front of me...and my hand runs along the nice bur bur carpeting...and gives me a lovely rug burn on my hand! OMG...that hurt...BAD! I stand up and I am almost in tears because my hand hurts so bad! Did I catch him? Oh no, he has now bolted back down the hallway into the rainbow room, then the green room. There were multiple teachers in his path and he was never stopped! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I took one look at one of the teachers and said, "If Carson runs through here, you are to STOP him!" I go the opposite way...still trying to catch him! SERIOUSLY??? I am chasing my 4 year old through daycare and no one is helping me? I finally capture him, grab him by the arm and tell him that under no uncertain terms, he is to go sit on the circle mat and he is NOT TO MOVE UNTIL I SAY MOVE! My hand is killing me. I take a quick look at my hand and it has now blistered! Yep, I may as well have spilt burning bacon grease on my hand because that's what it felt like! Needless to say, I was PISSED and everyone around me knew it! We eventually walked to the front desk and someone asks me if I am OK. "Nope," I said and walked out! So much for getting myself calm before I came to pick up the boys...that calmness was quickly GONE in a matter of seconds!

I put the boys in the car and told them very point blank "if you decide to not have your listening ears working tonight that I'm not going to mess around. They were going to receive NO WARNINGS! If they do no listen, they will immediately go to bed!" I think they heard me very loud and clear.

I proceeded to put the keys in the car and drive off...now I am in tears! Sometimes life feels a bit too out of control! And...OMG...my hand hurts!

Daddy...come home soon!

It's been a busy week for us!

Well, as many of you know, my hubby is out of town...AGAIN! Argh!! Despite the hardship of playing the single parent role, I am getting pretty good at doing it on my own! Good thing...don't have much choice!

When I really miss daddy not being here is nights like Monday night when I had to take Carson to the ER. Carson was in his room having a 'cooling off' period when he decided to take the floor heating vent cover off, among other things. He then promptly managed to 'fall' into the duct hole and sliced his foot open on the metal ducting inside! Sounds like fun, huh? Well...you should have heard his screaming (of agony, of course)! Looking back at the incident, I DO see some amusement in it NOW!

You see, Carson had recently figured out how to 'get out of his room' when he was supposed to be cooling off. What Carson didn't realize was that that very day, I decided I had enough of it...and I found a new way to contain him. As I have previously written, Carson has become an escape artist!...out through his bedroom window AND through his bedroom door. Let's just say that those options were no longer an option for him...and he was PISSED at mom! At one point, I went down the hall to listen if Carson had cooled his jets and discovered that that little rascal BEAT ME! He figured out how to open his NEW door lock! (Oh well Hartley...despite my best intentions, it was busted within 10 minutes...impressive, really!) He is one smart cookie, I will hand him that! So, I opened his door and poked my head in and said, "I came to see if you have decided to listen to mommy!" He gave me this growly look in response along with "I'm angry, mom! Very, very angry! I figured out that doorlock, mom and why did you put a lock on the window? I'm angry! I need you to leave me ALONE!" I immediately turned around, exited the room and shut his door behind me! I had to do it quickly actually...cause I was going to laugh my head off! You should have seen him! Poor guy, he really was mad at me, but he's got to be able to get himself together in a safe manner! Unfortunately, this has been the only option that we have found works for him.

I digress...so, eventually I made it back into his room (with his approval) to talk to him about why I did what I did. I noticed that the heating vent cover had been removed (which both of my boys have commonly done in the past). I didn't think much about it. The vent is directly underneath his window. I went over to the window to show Carson that he could open the window a little bit (to get some air), but not enough to be able to allow my escape artist out! He walked over to the window and THUMP...there he went...down the hole! Darn it...I guess it's all my fault!

So, why do these things always happen when daddy is out of town??? Have you ever had to take a wounded 4 year old (that needs to be carried 'cause he's got a gaping foot wound) AND a non-wounded 2 year old (who will want you to hold him 'cause brother's getting all of mom's attention) to an ER??? Not something that I wanted to do! So, bless my beloved friend Dawn...once I finally got a hold of her, I pretty much invited Logan over to sleep at her house...announcing that we'd be there in a few moments! Thank goodness she loves me, 'cause I didn't give her an opportunity to say "NO!" So, off we go to the ER (around 7:30pm)! Do you have any guesses as to when we finally returned home? 1 AM! LOVELY! Like poor Carson doesn't already have enough behavior issues to begin with...now I add to it all by keeping him up half the night!

Thank God for Mary Bridge Children's Hospital...they made my job EASY! Yes, we did have to wait (for forever, it seemed), but they had video games in the waiting room (which Carson just ate up!) and DVD players in the patient rooms (can we say "LION KING?") Hip hip HOORAY! Carson is perfectly content, eating snacks, staying up way past his bedtime, etc.,....UNTIL the ER physician walks in! I told you, Carson's a smart, smart boy! But, I have to hand it to the ER doc...even I was laughing hysterically! He made light of the situation by having his entourage following behind him (yep...two others to help hold Carson down! Hmmmm...I wonder where they got the idea that Carson was going to be a difficult patient???? Why do you think I brought him there? Do you think that Carson was going to let ME clean his wound? I think you are beginning to see the picture here!)

Believe it or not, Carson required NO stitches, wound adhesive or anything! He just needed a good cleaning. Despite everything...I'm still glad I took him to the ER. I can't imagine what it would be like if he got his foot infected! ARGH!!!

So, needless to say, I kept Carson at home the next day. He was in a foul mood and no one needed to deal with it but good 'ole mom! Daycare was highly appreciative of that! Bless them...they don't need additional stressors...my well rested Carson already provides enough of that for them! LOL :)

Sorry this is such a long posting. I just have so much to share! I just have a couple more things to share and then I'll sign off for the night! (it's WAY past my bedtime...that's for sure!)

On Saturday, I took the boys to their FIRST movie at a movie theater. I went with my good 'ole friend Dawn (and her two boys Ben and Owen...ages same as Carson and Logan). While we were there, I ran into several people I knew which always makes an adventure even more adventuresome!

I also met a new friend (Flo) there...someone that I met on The Sensory Planet (see the advertisement on the right hand side of this blog). Come to find out, Carson and Bobby (her son) already knew each other! How cute is that? My 4 year old already knew Flo's son! They go to the same developmental preschool together! It was very cute to see them so excited to see each other!

I also saw a pharmacist colleague of mine there! We went to pharmacy together at WSU and I had no idea he lived in Kent. WOW...it's a small world, huh?

The boys did so amazingly well at the theater! They loved watching the movie...and of course eating their popcorn (Carson pretty much polished off a huge bag all by himself). BTW...that was a $13 bag of popcorn, since I have recently discovered that the theater had charged me DOUBLE for popcorn! LOVELY! Oh well...it's just money, right?

The movie event was specifically designed to be 'Sensory Friendly', meaning that the lights did not go completely out, the 'silence is golden rule' is OUT and kids can feel free to run around the theater if they needed to (which they did do!). I had an AHA moment when I was there and became thankful for the fact that 'other families' have more difficult children than mine. Don't get me wrong...we have our issues...it just put things in better perspective for me!

Here are some photos I took of the boys while at the movie theater.


Mommy and Logan



My friend Dawn with Ben (4 years old) and Owen (2 years old)



Carson with his friend, Bobby!



Look at that focus! Man, is there anything that a big bag of popcorn won't help with?



Post movie photo opportunity! We are getting ready to head to the park to work off some pent up energy!

Daddy...please come home! We miss you!!

Keep yourself posted! In upcoming blog editions will be:
1) My highlights of our daycare meeting to discuss our summer plans for helping Carson be successful at daycare!
2) The ending of a very rooten day of work...my boys put a smile on my face with a puppet show! (complete with VIDEO footage!)

Take care...I know I will!

The Power of an Open Heart

Here is an excerpt from a website that I receive frequent inspirational e-mails from:

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove

:: The Power of an Open Heart ::

Think of something that always opens your heart.
It can be anything: an uplifting story or movie, an
inspiring song or poem, a glorious sunset, a majestic
forest, a beloved friend's embrace, a purring
kitten... You get the idea.

Now contemplate it vividly until you actually *feel*
your heart opening. Pay close attention to that
expansive feeling in your chest, and try to "memorize"
it. (For some, the feeling may be quite subtle at
first.)

Repeat this process until you can easily recall the
feeling of your heart being wide open.

Next, set the intention that -- for one full day --
you'll deliberately reach for that open-heart feeling
*before* you do or say anything to your child...
every time.

This is not about being "nice." You can say "no" with
your heart wide open -- and it'll feel like a yes!

Let go of all pre-conceived ideas of what an open
heart is. Remember it's the *feeling* you're reaching
for.

We always need little "pick me ups" when we are dealing with our children on a daily basis. I hope you find inspiration like I did. Have a super day!

Mission Accomplished!

I have been wanting to get both boys a weighted blanket for some time now. I have looked at websites that sell them and they can be pretty spendy. I have difficulty spending so much money on a product that I know I could make myself...if I just set aside some time in my busy week to get it done. About a month ago, I had purchased all the materials necessary to make the blankets. Finally, this past Sunday, I decided I would be brave (or stupid as some might see it) and get out my sewing machine and sew the blankets...while also taking care of the boys (since daddy was out of town this week)!

Normally, I keep my sewing machine in the sewing/craft/computer room. However, with two small boys on my tail, I find it difficult to actually be by myself to complete a project in solitude. I also get tired of only doing projects like this when the boys are not around. At some point, they will need to learn that mommy needs to do "other things" besides "things that they want to do!" Can that truly be possible? Well, I finally set my mind to the fact that I wanted to spend my free time (time without the boys on my tail) doing stuff for me and that if I was going to finish this project, I just needed to get 'er done!

I started with Logan's blanket (primary colored dinosaur flannel and bright red flannel on the other side) and had it done by lunch. While the boys were napping, I started Carson's blanket (zoo animal flannel with bright blue flannel on the other side) and had his completed by dinner! Not bad for a hard day's work! My house was trashed and my kids watched a lot of movies...but the blankets are DONE!

For those of you who might be interested in how I constructed the blanket, they both went together quite nicely. I started by making a pillow case construction (with muslim fabric sandwiched in between the flannel), then sewed a 3 inch border around 3of the edges. Then I sewed vertical lines down the entire blanket. I planned on splitting 9 pounds of 'poly pellets' between the two blankets. (The poly pellets are what provided the weight for the blanket...better than beans, cause I am now able to wash this blanket when it needs it.) So, I had to do a bit of math to calculate how much pellets needed to go into each pocket. I poured "x ounces" into each vertical column, then sewed horizontal rows to seal in the pellets. I then proceeded with another row and onwards until the last row was done. Each quilt weighs about 6 1/2 pounds a piece! (Normal weight is calculated as 10% of child's body weight + 1 pound. That would be about 5 pounds for my boys, but I wasn't going to make another one in a year when they outgrew it!) WOW...that's pretty heavy! So, here's what they look like!





Carson and Logan both instantly fell in love with them. They both love the heavy weight on top of their bodies and it helps them to feel "more in sync!"

When I put Carson's blanket on top of him, he said "Mom, that's a very heavy blanket!" "Yep," I said, "does it make your body feel good?" "Yay mom!" "Cool!"

You might be wondering why I would make a weighted blanket. So, I thought I'd share an explanation with you from "www.thehugshack.com":

The Calming Power Of The Magic Blanket (a weighted blanket)

Recent studies have shown that deep pressure touch, the type of
proprioceptive input generated from a weighted blanket, releases
serotonin in the brain. This is a neurotransmitter that creates a feeling of
calm within our nervous system.

Depression, Anxiety, Aggression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD),
and Bipolar Disorder all have a common link: low serotonin levels.

The deep pressure -- proprioceptive input -- generated from the Magic
Blanket signals the brain to release serotonin, which in turn naturally
calms and relaxes the body, promoting sleep and stress relief. This effect
has already had tremendous success helping to calm children and adults
with sensory integration disorder, autism, Rett Syndrome, Asperger's
Syndrome, ADHD, and Restless Leg Syndrome.

To find out more about how proprioceptive input and a weighted blanket
can calm and comfort, please talk to an occupational therapist.

Thank You Card

So, I just had to share this! I have been playing around with a program called StoryBook Creator Plus (a digital scrapbooking software made by Creative Memories). Since Carson's last day at his developmental preschool is next Wednesday, I spent a little time today making Thank You cards for the many many staff members at school who have been part of Carson's life this past year. It really is amazing how many folks have touched our lives...just at preschool. It takes a flock to make a program like that be successful!

If you are not able to read it, it says, "Thank You! Thanks for making my school year so special! You are the greatest! Love, Carson George" It is written in a cool kindergarten type font called "Dear Teacher."

For those of you who have helped Carson be successful this year, "Thank You!" Sorry, Miss Billie if you see this before you get one...it will be arriving soon! I just had to share it...I think it turned out super cool!

Enjoy!

Logan's Special Day at Daycare

In Logan's classroom at daycare this month, they are celebrating "all about me" so they have assigned each child in the classroom a "special day." On your child's special day, you need to bring in things that will teach the class about your child. So, Logan's Special Day was last Friday and boy was he excited. We solicited his help in determining what he would like to bring to show the classroom. The following items were gathered so Logan could share them with his friends:
1. daddy's electric drill
2. shaving cream
3. two of his favorite cars
4. his life of photos put together in a scrapbook
5. toy lawn mower (complete with a bubble blower inside it)

Logan showing his cool cars to his friends!

Oh my goodness...you are just a babe magnet with those sunglasses! Already attracting the little girls! He is just beaming from ear to ear!

Logan just LOVES his bubble blowing lawn mower! (Thank you Uncle Stan and Aunt Sheila!) Don't you just love his confident step?

And look at him point to all his cool pictures in his scrapbook! Aren't the other kidos just adorable watching so intently?

This is just one of my favorites! Logan absolutely loves playing with shaving cream! It's a great thing to play with for sensory awareness/alertness! He paints his whole body when he is in the shower or bath! It's also fun to run your play cars through. Lots of sensory possibilities here, for sure!

Ms. Felicia and Ms. Jamie are so great! They let the other kids play in the shaving cream too! How cool is that? Everyone is dressed down to their diapers and they are ready to just hose them off if necessary!

Hope you enjoyed being part of Logan's Special Day...he sure did!

Wishes do come true!

Sometimes it's the small things in life that really "make your day!" This morning, my wish came true! I am sitting here enjoying my 'second' cup of coffee while the boys are quietly (and creatively) playing together in Logan's room! OMG...that never happens! Carson has pushed over the small couch in Logan's room, has taken the mattress off of the bed and is in the process of "building a tent!" You know, the furniture/mattress moving doesn't bother me...at least they are creatively and quietly using their time effectively!

Oh, and one more thing! We tried something new last night at dinner! I really want to start eating dinner at the dining room table instead of eating at the kitchen counter. You know, my kids have gotta learn table manners somehow! I would eventually like to take them to a non-kid restaurant and have them sit an enjoy dinner with us! OK...go ahead and laugh! This will take a while!





Anyway...we sat at the dining room table for dinner last night and Carson gathered all the candles in the house! He wanted to pretend that the power was out. So, we all sat there with the candles glowing and the lights off...and we ate our dinner! It was nice to see them enjoy it! Carson said "Mom, can we do that again?" "You bet, Carson!"

OK...one more thing! I just ordered personal business cards for myself (250 free cards from vistaprint.com...you just pay shipping! Thanks Hartley for that info!) so I had an easy and fast way of giving others my personal contact information. It's amazing how many people I run into that want to know about our SPIO suits, etc., So, I figured I deserve a nice title to my official job as mom. Guess what I put? "Home CEO and Special Needs Coordinator!" Doesn't that just say it all?

Oh...gotta go, Logan's running down the hallway crying! Good things only last soooo long!

Have a good one!

My dear Logan!

I always feel bad when I spend very little time talking about Logan on my blog. Well...there are reasons for that! Carson is my huge behavior child and so I spend a lot of time trying to problem solve what to do with Carson. Please do not take this the wrong way, but Carson is the child who makes me cry (a lot) and Logan is the child who makes me laugh! Now, that is a HUGE generalization and sure, there are times when that scenarios flip itself.

Logan is a lot like myself! He is always checking on mom ("You happy mommy?") and asks if he can help me ("Need help mommy?"). He even helps me do the dishes and the laundry. For the most part, Logan truly just wants to be with you. He is also my snuggler...Lord knows I like good snuggles (when I can slow down long enough to enjoy them)! I totally get Logan!

Carson is a lot like his father! And...to this day I am still trying to figure out his father! Needless to say, there are many many times that 'I don't get' Carson! I struggle with his behavior and how to handle it. Many nights have gone by with me lying in bed awake trying to figure Carson out.

Despite these differences...I love both boys just the same! I love them both in different ways...but I love them both!

Then there was this morning...

When Logan is put to bed, his door is shut. This is partly done because he gets up so doggone early in the morning. Most mornings he is up by 5am and he quietly (for the most part) plays in his room. However, the last couple of mornings have been different. On Saturday morning, he awoke at 3am and this morning, he awoke at 4:45am! Not only did he wake up, but he figured out how to open his door! And then proceeded to go wake up Carson! LOVELY!

So, this morning I awoke to Carson and Logan playing together in Carson's room! They really were behaving themselves nicely. They were not being loud, they were just enjoying each other. It is 4:45am...you've got to be kidding me! I am lying in bed trying to wake myself up! I need to get up and take a shower...but don't really feel like it! However, since the boys were playing so nicely together, I really should hurry...things can change very quickly!

My typical morning rituals include getting up, showering, getting dressed and hopefully making it out to the kitchen for a cup of coffee...in solitude! If I am able to do that prior to the boys waking up...I have achieved success! Funny how our definition of 'success' changes through the years, huh? I enjoy my ritual for a couple of reasons:

1) I really enjoy the peace and quiet.

2) If I have myself together and have drank a cup of coffee, I am better able to take the day (and the boys) head on!

So, back we go to this morning...the boys are already up...and are expending a lot of energy already! I am still in bed trying to sleep! The last thing I want to do is to wake up! But I MUST! If I'm not awake, then my boys can walk all over me! You think I'm joking? Really, they can walk all over me!

Mondays are always a bit brutal in the morning as well. We just had a nice weekend together as a family (these are 'stay at home days' per the boys). As much as we try to continue the same types of routines as we normally do during the week, things are just different! When Monday morning rolls around, the boys are in shell-shock! They don't want to be going back to daycare/preschool...and they certainly don't want to be rushing out the door! So yeh, Mondays are hard for us! Then you add getting up at 4:45am on top of it being a Monday...and mom not getting her cup of coffee prior to dealing with the boys? You can pretty much count on it...it's not going to be a great morning!

So, we all ventured out to the family room. I gave the boys a 10 minute warning before we began our 'morning routine.' What could possibly go wrong in those 10 minutes? Well...a lot! Both boys are whining for milk. Carson is also whining for Curious George. Then Logan decides to pour himself some cereal for breakfast...Carson runs over to Logan screaming because "those are my lucky charms!" Logan then proceeds to spill the entire contents of the bowl on the floor...including the milk! And let me remind you...I still haven't had my cup of coffee yet.

I eventually tell them that I need to have 10 minutes to myself. The boys couldn't leave me alone...it was 'mommy' this and 'mommy' that! Finally...I had had enough...and it was only 5:30am! I finally decided to put them both back in their rooms so I could at least drink my cup of coffee! Remember? Haven't had my cup of coffee yet! I walked back down the hall listening to their screams...then shut the hallway door behind me.

Ah...silence is truly golden! I sat down to my computer and my nice cup of hot coffee! Ah...I'm enjoying this! 10-15 minutes go by and I decide to go get the boys out of there room!

I'm walking down the hall when I discover that Logan's not in his room! He's in Carson's room! WHAT??? Logan opened his door...AGAIN! And, he's opened Carson's door as well! Nothing like inviting yourself over, huh? I open Carson's door and proceed to get him dressed. I then go into Logan's room to get his clothes. Low and behold...what do I find? But Logan's dresser completely pulled over onto the floor! OMG! Are you kidding me??? Really? ARGH!!! LOGAN, you are killing me, here!

Believe it or not, we finally do make it out of the house and to daycare!

Tonight I had a long chat with the boys about staying in their rooms in the morning. I ended up bribing Logan before he went to bed! "If you stay in your room tomorrow morning until mommy comes to get you...mommy's gonna get a surprise for you!" Hmmm...you can see his brain at work. I told him "that mommy will give him 5 Marshmallows if he can stay in his room in the morning!" I see a sparkle in Logan's eyes! Hmmm...hope this bribery thing works! Wish me luck!


This is what happens when you wake up at 4:45am...you get tired! Gotta love him, huh?

Sleep well...I know I will!

WOW...what a day!

As many of our Thursdays go, we had a lot planned and only a day to do it in! We started off our morning with Logan wandering out to the family room this morning at 3:50am...YEP, you read that right, 3:50am! Mommy made the mistake of giving into Logan's request to shut his door "a wittle bit", which basically means "don't shut my door all the way, mom!" Being tired and wanting to go to bed myself last night, I did as requested! BIG MISTAKE was my response to myself as I heard Logan screaming and running down the hallway to his room. You see, daddy fell asleep on the couch last night and Logan was so happy to greet daddy this bright and early morning. Daddy wasn't so happy about that one! Logan went back to bed for another hour or so, then gets up and decides to go into Carson's room and greet him! Now it is 5am and I decide that "this is it...it's time to get up!" I call Carson and Logan into bed with me and we lay in bed and cuddle a bit longer before we get up to officially start our day!

Both boys have therapy appointments on Thursdays. Our first therapy appointment starts at 8am! Our wonderful speech therapist (ST), Christina, meets us at home to work with Logan on some of his needs. Mom decides that we should be creative this week...since it's such a beautiful day and already very sunny, we decide to take our therapy out to the back porch. Mom has got the paint and shaving cream all ready for a crafty kind of therapy appointment. Both boys are very content and happy with mom's choice. Christina however, isn't so sure of my choice since she is now wearing both paint AND shaving cream...and we are her first appointment of the day! Sorry Christina, guess I should have offered you a paint shirt as well!

Our next appointment is for Carson and it's at 9:30am. We are so very happy to see our favorite occupational therapist (OT), M'liss, since she's been out for a couple of weeks! We were privileged enough to have her come do a home visit to check out what life it like in the George Family! Carson and Logan were very excited to show her their new swings in the playroom! Such fun we have here at our house! We really have a nice morning with the boys, but they do their fair share of meltdowns and show their shining colors by being more than inflexible with sharing, etc., I was on top of it though! Had our clock out and showed Carson what our game plan was for the hour...complete with cleanup and saying our goodbyes. M'liss gave me big pats on the back for doing so many good things for the boys and said that my handling of the boys was "straight out of Nanny 911!" WOW...that felt good! I sure an trying my best to get things in order for the boys, but it's always nice to get compliments that really make me feel good! I am a good mom and I am doing a good job!

After our very busy morning, we go back inside to have a quick snack (Popsicles...yummy) and go potty and it's off to daycare for the boys! We get in the car and 5 minutes doesn't go by before Logan is out cold! Guess that's what happens when you wake up at 3:50am, huh? Both boys are off to their classrooms...Carson gets to play outside AGAIN! and Logan gets lunch and a nap! (what more could a little guy ask for?)

Now I get to meet with Carson's daycare teacher. We've been meeting monthly for the last 3-4 months trying to work through some stuff with Carson. I'm really anticipating a good report from Ms. Helen, since I've really seen some positive changes at home. I'm surprised to hear that "things are status quo." Not what I wanted to hear! Status quo? are you kidding me? So, I sit and listen, and listen, and listen. OK...I can handle this, I'm mom, right?

Last month I offered to have some pictures made for the classroom. We use pictures all the time at home and they have worked wonders for us. They would be placed on the wall to help Carson anticipate what sorts of transitions were coming. The theory behind this is if Caron is prepared ahead of time for what is to come ahead, then he can better handle these transitions when they do come. Unfortunately the pictures aren't working so well for them right now.

"OK" I say, "what about putting the pictures on the clock?" I explain to her how we handle it at home and explain how this has worked wonders for us.

Ms. Helen listens intently to my explanations, runs her hand through her hair, takes a deep breath and then says "I'm not sure I am able to do that here."

You see, there are 20 children in Carson's daycare classroom...and only two teachers. Not great ratios here!

"OK" I say and I listen some more.

"I think I know why the clock pictures work well at your home!"

"Why?"

"Well, at your home, there is only one other child. Here in our classroom, there are 19 other children. Carson is being bombarded by a ton of sensory input and he's not able to filter out 'what he needs to know' versus 'all the distractions!' There is a lot of noise and motion in our classroom and if I look at what it would take to have Carson go from point A to point B to 'look at the clock' and for me to remind Carson about the clock...I'm just adding to the commotion. He can't get from point A to point B without being pulled into something. He's either picking at other kids, other kids are picking at him...he's being bombarded and he can't find his way through the maze!"

WOW...I feel like I am being slapped across the face! "I hear you," I said. "OK...now I'm at a loss for words 'cause I now know that I cannot help you! I have no idea how I can help you with that!" BIG SIGH from me... "I will get you some help though! I have a couple of options and I think I'll have Carson's OT get involved!"

Ms. Helen sits back in her chair and starts to pour her poor little heart out to me. She says that she knows Carson cannot "help what he is doing...he's just trying to navigate his world. This just all feels wrong to me," she says. "I have my hands full with 19 other children and I can't focus JUST on Carson. I try to redirect Carson and have him sit and color (what I suggested to help Carson 'get himself together'), but it just feels wrong. I worry about Carson's experience here at daycare. I worry about whether Carson is learning here. I worry about what he thinks of me as his teacher. I worry...(as she starts to cry)...because I care for Carson and I want to help him succeed! I don't feel like I am doing that..." She says, "there are times that I try to help Carson and his body is...rigid! He's honestly stiff and I can see the distress in his eyes. This can't feel good to Carson..."

BIG SIGH again from me...I start to cry as well...does anyone ever WANT to hear this stuff about their child(ren)? "I'm sorry you have had to go through this," I said. I explained to her our family's future plans of trying to sell our rental home to allow me to quit my job and stay home with the boys. But, despite my best efforts, this doesn't help us right here and now.

It pains me to hear that my little boy is having a hard time! It pains me to not know what to do to help him at school. I can't even imagine what his body must feel like when he gets rigid and can't concentrate. That's got to drive anyone batty!

I told Ms. Helen that "there's never a day that Carson doesn't WANT to be here! Carson LOVES it here. He never says anything bad about his teachers. Oh my goodness, you guys have gone out of your way to accommodate Carson and his needs. I have no idea how to help you right this minute, but I will get you some help! I promise."

She explains that she has talked a lot to her boss and says that they are working on some potential plans to give Carson a one on one teacher in the classroom. I sit there completely stunned at what she is saying. How can they possibly do that? This has HUGE budget implications to provide my son a one on one at daycare. Is that going to be passed onto us? Are we going to be responsible to pay for that? My mind starts going a bit nuts just thinking about the potential ramifications of that comment. "We are committed to Carson," she says. "We want to see him succeed!" Again...mouth drops open...are we still on planet earth here? OMG, we are all trying to do the same thing...WOW! That just says volumes, huh?

I am still trying to process this all. She asked me if I would be OK doing some teaching with any potential teachers that would be Carson's one on one. "Of course", I said, "I'm all over that one!" She said that the intent on having a one on one wasn't to be right next to Carson, but to have Carson be their primary responsibility. When they see Carson 'having a hard time navigating his way through the classroom stimuli', then it would be their responsibility to help Carson.

I'm just completely stunned! I don't even know what to say. As I am typing this post, I am just trying to make sense of this all.

In the back on my mind, I always thought that Carson would be out of special education by the time he was in kindergarten. He does sooo well in his developmental preschool (where they have much less stimuli and a lot more one on one instruction and help). I know we can work through all this, I think I am just being hit with knowing that Carson may be in special education a lot longer than I foresaw. In the end, it really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if Carson needs special education. I just want him to get what he needs to be a successful young man! But, really...what kind of learning is he doing at daycare? I can't imagine he is learning in that environment. It is taking all (and more) of Carson's reserves to just cope with being at daycare...he can't possibly be learning, is he?

Oh, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate our way through getting Carson what he needs to be successful in the school environment! I don't even have the energy to go back through and read this post for edits...off to bed I go! Sleep well...I know I will!

Sensory Processing Disorder Advocate

One of my new-found SPD friends wrote this. When I read it, I just had to share it on my blog as well. All the credit goes to Hartley, that's for sure! Thanks for letting me share!

We all are SPD Advocates for our children and all kids with SPD. Spread the word.

S - Sensory Seeking
E - Early Intervention
N - Noise Canceling Earphones
S - Shaving Cream Play
O - Occupational Therapy
R - Rocking
Y - Yelling

P - Proprioception
R - Rough Housing
O - Over-Stimulated
C - Crashing
E - Egg Chairs
S - Seven Senses
S - Support Group
I - IEP Meetings
N - Non-Verbal Learning
G - Gum Chewing

D - DSM 2010!
I - Input
S - Spio Suits
O - Olfactory
R - Reading Every New Book
D -Diet Changes
E - Ear Covering
R - Removing Tags From Clothing

A - Anxiety Issues
D - Desensitization
V -Vigilance
O - Obsessive Compulsive
C - Chew Toys
A - Auditory Processing Problems
T - Touch
E - Exhausted

Copyrighted © 2009 by Hartley Steiner, all rights reserved.

Day at the Zoo!

So, yesterday was one of the first days that I was able to join in with Carson and a preschool activity...we went to the zoo! It was a planned event through Carson's developmental preschool...we were treated to a bus ride, zoo admission and lunch! I made a really big deal out of it with Carson...it was his special day with mommy! Logan went to daycare and daddy had to work...so it was just me and Carson! You should have seen the smile on that boy's face when he was gloating over his privilege with his brother...explaining that Logan had to go to daycare and he and mommy were going to the zoo! He says "another day, mommy and you will get to do something fun together...today is MY day!" How cute is that?

We started the day off by cutting off the arms and legs of Carson's SPIO suit! It was supposed to be 90 degrees today and that poor boy was going to roast! He needed the SPIO suit, so I wasn't willing to give it all up! We compromised and cut the arms and legs off...I figured, "why not, I can sew them back on in the fall!"

When Carson learned that mommy was going to be able to go to the zoo with him, he was just tickled pink! And even more excited when I told him that we were going to ride the school bus together! The day would not have been quite the same if we hadn't participated in ALL the fun!









By the time we got to the zoo, we only had about 2 hours to do everything (including lunch) before it was time to get back on the bus, so Carson was on a mission! We popped out our map and he lead the way! "Mom, I want to see the monkeys!"...so off we went. On the way to the monkeys, we stopped by the shark area...cool, there is a shark feeding that was supposed to start at 11am. Carson sounded like he would like to detour here, so off we went. What we found was a bit overwhelming! We were in a room FULL of other kids and adults...all of whom were very excited about the sharks on the other side of the glass! Carson showed some apprehension and said "Mom, I don't like this." I tried to feel him out...does he not like the sharks, or is the overstuffed crowded room bothering him? We stuck around a bit longer and I could just tell that Carson wasn't happy. I told Carson to put his hands on his ears if the loud noises were bothering him and I would get him out of there ASAP! I picked him up and we worked our way through the crowded room, up the stairs...all headed in the opposite direction of pedestrian traffic...finally outside! WHEW...that was a bit stressful! So much for enjoying the sharks! Mom got a cool picture of one of the sharks though!



We eventually made it to see the monkeys, the porcupines and the elephants! They were all very very cool! We made our way around another part of the zoo and then it was time for lunch! We had yummy PB&J sandwiches, chips, juice/water and cookies! Carson was so hungry he actually ate TWO sandwiches! My goodness child, doesn't your mommy feed you?







After lunch, we were off to the carousel and then for ice cream cones...then back to the carousel! Our time flew by and before we knew it, it was time to get back on the bus! Before long, Carson was asleep on my lap...drooling, of course! We finally arrived back at the school and then went home...watched an episode of Curious George and then off for naps...both mommy AND Carson! I can't think of a better way to spend my day!

Stay tuned for an episode of "In Logan's World!" I don't want Logan feeling like he's been left out of the George Family Blog!