Mark Spitz - watch out!

He's moved from level 2 to level 3!! You should have seen the boy swim with a life jacket! He can really do it! He's so funny. Just getting more and more independent - till it comes to getting dressed, putting on shoes, picking up toys - you know the stuff you WANT him to do!!!

I helped in k-garten again yesterday - gave tests about shapes and letters. I was SHOCKED at how many don't know they're shapes - square, circle, rectangle, triangle!!! I just figured that was a gimme. And it's not the "low income" (of which our school is 35%) it's kids with very NICE clothes and expensive toys and such. Makes me sad. But Mrs C was excited to see that so many of them had improved on their letter sounds.

The *gifted* boy was complemented as to knowing everything - the very thing that drives me crazy. Mrs C said she's very glad to have him because he helps the others so much. (I tried to impress upon her that I would volunteer even if she thought my kid to be a monster) :-) He is a totally different kid in class. And he's so wanting to read tries to "read" by pictures all the time.

S has been having a tough time as of 2:30 ev afternoon. At group yesterday (I have group too - with the Mom's) I asked about medication that the kids were on. They all seemed to think that some meds would help her outbursts. They've all had amazing luck with their kids' ticks and meds. We had a new lady there with her little boy and she took it upon herself to give her opinion of medication - and without anyone even asking. Thought people were medicating their children too much. N gave her an earful - not sure she'll want to come back. :-) Of course her child "isn't bad enough" for spec needs class. I took that as a personal insult and I think it ruffled some other feathers.

Group is funny - we're the "Old Girls" <- What Sharon - the owner calls us. And even though I'm kind of the newbie (they were all together last winter) we still all kind of click. I'm also the only one from the "south" - they're all from up north more. What I find kind of interesting is that none of us get up to look in the therapy room at all. The smaller kids' Mom's are constanly coming back and checking the window - to the point that they're annoying. They even seem to have this air about them that they're the only ones going through this. In our group it seems SO much more laid back - so much more - "welcome, pull up a chair, we've all been there" :-) Even the kids have no problem expressing to each other what bugs them about the other. :-) But yet they care about each other and HAVE to know where the others are if they're absent. It was the kids that told us that D wouldn't be returning. Anyway - Thursdays are really shaping up to be a huge support and educational group to me. Not to mention getting to play with C who is almost 1 year old. I miss that, sometimes.

Back to k-garten. I have the very best of both worlds - I really do - I get to help out with the kids AND work in the real world. I couldn't have picked it better. I really love working with the kids. They are so funny. They're a lot like a box full of puppies. They all need to be told several times what they're supposed to do and honestly, it wouldn't hurt to have an aide in the classroom all the time, to keep those "drifters" on task.

I wonder about that - why some kids seem to be "drifters" (always looking around the room - never really on task) and some kids are always at full attention and watching the teacher like a hawk. J, it seems, is a hawk. He can tell me exactly what happened in class and how to do everything that they talk about. And even when I'm in the room - he's still got his eyes glued to Mrs C. I have to remember when school gets to be real work for him and we start to have problems to look back at this entry and laugh at what a sap I was. :-)

Can this REALLY be true?? SCARY and Maddening!!!

Leukemia Affects 1 in 25,000 Funding: $310 million ; Muscular Dystrophy Affects 1 in 20,000 Funding: $175 million ; Pediatric AIDS Affects 1 in 8,000 Funding: $394 million; Juvenile Diabetes Affects 1 in 500 Funding: $130 million ; Autism Affects 1 in 166 Funding: $15 million

This is OUTRAGEOUS!!!! Something has to be done!!! Everyday I meet more and more kids and more and more parents affected. And a lot of times they refuse to identify them. Autism is NOT a punishment - nor is it a blessing - it is a disorder that in some cases CAN be cured and in ALL cases CAN be helped. The problem is that even though so many are affected - SO many do NOTHING about it. Congress is so busy doing whatever (don't get me started) that there is NO legislation being passed - no Federal money being alloted.

This HAS to be fixed! This HAS to be seen to. This HAS to stop. There are enough of us out there - we HAVE to do something!!!!!

TEAM Meeting

Is it possible that this year will be as good or even better than last?? S is making some real progress again and really participating in class. They're using 1st grade things with her!!! Her teacher is out of this world and of course her aides are as always outstanding. They all laugh at her antics and get a big charge out of her. She's really pushing her independence lately. Hitting the big 9 seems to be doing a number on her behavior. Which, in a way is good - but frustrating also. Her speech therapist is fantastic this year. Thank God we got a new one. I think with all the team members AND her group this year we're really making some big strides.

J got to stay at Karen's while I was at the meeting. He has such a nice time there and when I picked him up I was told that S's teacher's kid was there. :-) We're all one big happy family!
:-) I got to school just in time to hear the daily announcements *and* do the Pledge. You can just feel the energy as you approach the school. The office is always interesting. There's always so much going on - and they always seem so happy there. They really are like a big family - a team that is determined to succeed. I just love school.

Fun, Fast Days

Boy, the time is flying. We're having such a good time. S and I went to swimming lessons last night. She can make it across the pool with her "noogle". She LOVES to play in the water. Miss B let her play last night because she had done such a good job.

I had book study last night. It's really quite good. We had over 15 people there. It's a lot of fun and they serve coffee and cookies!!!! *Love* it!

P. Jim is always talking to me about Luther and asking if I would lead a class about him. Mostly in jest. He does a GREAT job at teaching. I really like his style - even though he's from MO.

J is still doing fantastic in swimming. He's doing the crawl now and trying to keep his head out. If he'd put it in he'd glide across the water. I love to watch him.

Baby steps, baby steps

Fun weekend. Got my haircut. I have SUCH a good time every month doing that. L and I have the best time together. The kids and B got haircuts too. I'm not real thrilled with S's but it will grow and hopefully we can do something "girlish" by her school pictures later in the month.

Hard to believe that October is right around the corner. I'm still having a hard time convincing S that we need to put the sandal's away. I know how she feels. It's hard to say goodbye to summer.

We're STILL revising the 'schedule' and the way the house operates. I got a rubbermaid organizer for homework and such - it's just hard to make things accessible to them but not too accessible.

S has decided she wants to be an animal cop. This was due to the fact that when she said she wanted to be a policeman her Daddy informed her that they carry guns. And she didn't want to carry a gun. (for you MASH fans: I'll carry over, carry under - even harry carry if you show me how - but I will not carry a gun). J, on the other hand still wants to be a policeman and shoot Tommy. Go figure.

Splish Splash

I am more and more impressed with every swimming lesson. J has completed just 4 lessons and already he's back floating alone and dog paddling. He's really having a good time.

Another country heard from - S has been very unruly at daycare. But ---- I'm not sure I totally believe everything. And you know me, always thinking my kids are NOT angels . Anyway - we got CALLS from daycare yesterday - like what am I supposed to do??? We were told that she was "spitting" and saying "you suck". Ok, hitting and being obstinate - I agree - this is S. But as far as *I've* ever seen (and I asked her to do it this morning for teeth brushing) she CAN'T spit. And the "you suck" - she HAD to hear it said just like that. She is NOT good at re-phrasing things. ie: This kind of reading sucks. - she would NEVER get from this *how* to use the word sucks. She would just repeat "reading sucks".

Now, IF this really IS true - and I really don't believe so because the jump in improvement and independence would be unheard of - we REALLY HAVE to celebrate!!!! Because IF it IS true - that means Sally has turned a MAJOR corner as far as expressive language goes - AND in oral motor movement. But like I said - I *highly* doubt that all things happened as I was told.

Either way - I'm a bit disturbed that calling a parent home from work is what a daycare teacher's first response is. My thing is that she needs to be put in time-out till I get home from work. She also needs to be separated from this child who has his mommy's ear (Drew) and who himself, is a problem (I've heard this from Mrs B) and also separated from J. I just don't buy that she has changed SO much in one year - heck, one month. I think it has to do with J and Drew doing things they aren't supposed to do and she's taking them to task. But alas - I will talks to my team about it and while I volunteer today - I'm going to bend Mrs B's ear about Drew. :-)

Yes, it can be fall now.

I have all the winter clothes out - just have to do laundry and put summer stuff away. Poor J has had to try on every pair of pants I had. It's so hard to tell what's going to fit him and what won't. He has his Aunt J's problem with legs (and no butt). :-) He's become enthralled with what I called the "maybe" pile. When I put pants on him I'd say - well, that's a maybe. So now he has sorted all his toys into "maybe" piles.

He was looking through a Fisher Price catalog today and telling me what all he wanted. I told him "well, since you can write now - you can make a list for Santa." Without missing a beat he says "yeah, a big LONG list".

How bout that - just got a call from MR - he broke his nose!!! OMG! And he might have to have surgery!!! He said he was playing 3rd base and the ball took a bad hop right into his nose. ER and everything! Dang - it makes my face hurt to think about it!

CS - My Brother

Well, I'm finding CS Lewis to be quite entertaining and thought provoking. I'm seeing maybe me being out of the "loop" in church is a very good thing - maybe it's time for me. My faith needs a boost, a fill up. I'm beginning to find church and church people very hypocritical and not the "family" I once thought it was. So maybe the problem is me more than them.

Swimming lessons last night for S and today for J. They're BOTH doing very well. J especially is starting to take to water like his Momma. :-) I think I may see Mother/Son lap swimming in the future. :-) S did well - just cannot get the hang of blowing bubbles.

We decided as parents to take one little people away for every poopy diaper. I haven't had a poop yet (since yesterday) - so I think we're going to have to give her some of Dr K's meds to make sure she doesn't constipate herself.

Very cool out today - but I managed to get S into pants and no sandals - *and* a sweat jacket! She actually wore the clothes that Aunt J gave her from the rodeo. She looked SO cute. She's starting to come around on the clothes thing - I can kind of push some issues. Just have to know when to back off. :-)

What a WILD weekend!

My, what a birthday she had!!! S was ECSTATIC about Chuckie Cheese! I've never seen her like that. She had the BEST time! Cried when it was time to leave! She got rodeo clothes from Aunt J - and she WORE them today! She LOVED Aunt L's people airplane! So it was the best kind of birthday. It was just right, imo. When we got home from the party - Mr C was having a party and S and J went over and played in the camper and with his niece and nephew. They were out till around 10 - B had rigged up a spot light on the swing set and Mr C had rigged up Christmas lights all around the camper. It was so cute and such a nice time.

So then we proceeded to make Aunt J sick. We are so generous in this house. She got what I had on Thurs night - she was up most of the night and then took a long nap in the morning and by noon she said she felt better. She got home ok - stopped at McClean to get gas and something to eat and then felt even better.

We did the garage sale thing on Sat morning. That's always fun with her. The kids love it too. S was excited to tell everyone at school about her weekend.

B's digging a hole this morning so I'm waiting to go to work till he gets back. I wasn't prepared to be at home this morning - I'm hoping there wasn't any loose ends at work that I needed to do before mail went out.

Switching over

I'm starting a new blog here and discontinuing my other one. I'd like to print the other one out - but I'm not sure how to do that. Since it talks mostly about the kids I thought they might like to have proof for their therpists.

The word today is not to eat the bag spinach. Alright! Looks like junk food tonight. You know, you never have a disease scare on junk food, hmmmm.

Finishing up the job early today - Aunt J comes in this evening. S is overjoyed.

Also on the news front - had to bite the bullet and invest in a new washer. :-( What a pain in the butt. I found out all too well that you cannot be without a washer when you have children. Uggh. So now, I'll play catch up all next week.