Thursday, July 28, 2011

A Flurry Of Activity

The house has been busy around here lately. We have our brushing every 2 hours. Which is WOW time consuming to do and remember. Therapies 2 times a week with Occupational and Behavioral. I did discover that she NEEDS these weekly to be happy to. We've been going consistently enough that when there was a change in the routine it creates a nasty week. The therapies alone are 3.5 hours for the on location (1 hour each plus travel and waiting time) then brushing is 6-7 times a day and takes about 5 minutes a time so about 4 hours a week total there. So. Not to mention management of any therapy items that arise that have to be tackled immediately which happen almost daily, lets give that a good 30 minutes a day (so 3-1/2 hours a week)  for that. SOOOO A week we (T1, T2, and I) spend  10.5 HOURS a week JUST on T1's behavioral therapies. That's not including medication visits, trips to the pharmacy or anything. Just standard weekly therapies. And we NEED to add her listening therapy back in for her self regulation which is another 45-60 minutes A DAY. OY.

So on top of just the daily therapies, you add our standard other appointments for just - other - stuff. I go to the chiropractor 1 or 2 times a month and that takes about an hour. I get nerve ablation every 10 weeks (1 on each side so 2 visits) and that takes an hour and a half or so, BUT that day and the 2 or 3 days after have to be pretty much super low key days after.  Dentist appointment for getting things pulled, cleaned, filled, sealed etc are about every 2 months so far and take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.  ENT appointments are at least every 2 months and take an 1 -1/2 hours. Pediatrician appointments for sinus infections or other random ailments are usually 1 or 2 times a month and take an 1-1/2 hours or so. Appointments to the orthopedist for knee steroid injections are every 6-8 week, but usually are fairly swift at a mere 45 minutes. I , thankfully, no longer have to see the foot doctor which was bimonthly and took almost 2 hours. If Mattie has to have sinus surgery it take the entire day (and since he's had 10 of them, it's not like it's a "rare" occasion and he REALLY does need another one..).  Immunology appointments take an hour or so but are once every 3-6 months. Allergy shots are bimonthly now (they had been weekly and just got moved to every other week) but that takes an hour. Then of course if *I* get sick, hives, injured or anything else and have to go to just MY regular doctor  that takes another 1 -1/2 hours.

I'm sure there's more. It's a maddening amount of appointments to keep track of and GET to on time. Oddly, we've never missed any or been really, really late to any of them. And 1 & 2 have gotten to the point where they are very well behaved at appointments. They know if we have what I call "Appointment Day" (2 or 3 or 4 appointments in one day) they will get rewarded for good behavior. They will also get clobbered like monkeys if they are naughty. I keep them fed with snacks like pretzels and gold fish crackers and pliable with drinks and that helps, but who really wants to sit at 6 hours of appointments in 1 day? or 7 in 1 week? Exactly. And they have to - Frequently.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Twin Mind Speak

Even though T1 and T2 aren't actual twins, the have some kind of bizarre mind-to-mind twin speak going on. It's freakish. It's really rather unfair sometimes too. They can look at each other and somehow construct an entire game with established "rules", "language", "characters", and all and then tell people they should PLAY with them and follow the guidelines. They assume other people know these items. We don't. 

They also think that what one has, the other suddenly thinks is a great plan. T1 decided after I painted her room Friday, that she wants to take her door off and put up a pretty curtain over the doorway. Ok.. Sure. We are planning on ordering a hardmount curtain rod to do just that instead of a closet door, so.. *shrug* why not. I had painted the T2's room the weeks before and he hadn't mentioned anything about that at all. Hasn't said a WORD. I show him the curtains I'm getting for his closet "door" (for some reason our house has no closet doors in the bedrooms.. go figure..) and he starts saying that he wants THAT curtain for his doorway too.  Well. I am, in theory, ok with this plan. Except I've ordered his off Ebay (it's a full sized 2 panel Star Wars curtain - rather difficult to find if you are cheap.). Soo, that's a little more complicated.



They also feel some all consuming need to be "equal" and "fair". Yeah. Life is NOT equal OR fair.

 1) "It's not far she's ahead of me!!"  T1 is a girl who is 1 1/2 years older. Granted, she has gross delays in several areas which have allowed T2 to be on the same level as or better than in several areas, especially motor areas, math, science, history etc - and that makes it hard for him to remember that she IS older and SHOULD be more advanced in certain areas.

  2) T1 has accrued more money so far. Again, it's "just been around longer" thing. She's had more visits from the tooth fairy, from the random holiday grandparent, etc. She's got about double what he's got. He's gonna catch up, but he wants it Right Now. 

Friday, July 22, 2011

Complainers..

On social networking sites people are posting about they need ideas to keep their kids occupied. Great! I can see that. It's been 105 EVERY day for a while now. The kids are stir crazy, moms' are looking for new ideas, a friend may have an idea someone else may not have thought of. And enter the random "Give your kid Benadryl"  person. Really?!? I KNOW they are kidding. I get it. I get SO annoyed, tires, irritated, bored, and all the other possible other descriptors with my kids too. BUT... YOU are complaining because YOUR kids are home for the "summer" break of school. You only have to a few months to spend with them. To actually get to KNOW who they've turned in to for the older kids. And you are complaining because they've made your life more complicated. I'm not talking about the people *I* am friends with. They are mostly responses to friends of friends. But it still annoys me. I am with my little monkeys of trouble ALL day EVERY single day all year through choice and need. COULD I send them both off to school? Yep, could have last year.  Could this year. It would make summer, Christmas, weekends, evening and every single moment they have OUT of school that much more special I suppose, BUT I actually LIKE my kids as well as love the little bugger wall wipers.

Don't get me wrong, I do get to the point when I desperately NEED a break from them and feel like wringing their little necks. But I don't wish them away sooner. I wish them more healthily independent than they currently are. All we can do is work on it, which oddly we CAN do because they aren't in "big" school.  I like seeing a post on FB when someone misses their kids (not because they miss them - that part sucks..) because I can identify with that.  Soon people will start their "Count Downs" to school and be so excited that they can be rid of their kids again. *sigh*  School never stopped here and I'm not getting rid of mine and I'm not really all that sad about it. If I could let someone BORROW them for a few hours, great, but.. I think I'll keep them just like they are, hell monkeys or not.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Great Cat Exchange

We have now have this lovely monster of a cat:

Why? Mostly because we can. But practically because he was having some allergy issues around his eyes and face that needed more continuous daily care. We traded this feral beast for him:

This feral beast needed a calmer house to be happier where small kids weren't screaming and chasing her all the time. Jasmine went to my moms house. Molly (yes, a boy named Molly. To go along with Vinny the girl.)  on the other hand needs to be where someone can chase him around and help keep a closer eye on his scratches and allergies.  The Great Cat Exchange is under way.

Monday, July 18, 2011

LONNGG Day..

It's one of those days when you really just have to wonder where it all went wrong. Where absolutely nothing (or no one as the case may be) jives properly. And what's even better is there's not a damned person who seems to care. When you call 3 people and not a single person answers it just makes the day that much longer really. It's easy to justify it as "they're all just busy with summer plans" or "they've got a lot to do too". But really, maybe it just comes down to I need new people to call. I mean. Its not an epiphany of any kind that after a while a hint can be taken.  Because a big part of the reason I HAVE been trying to get a hold of them is to see how THEY are. *shrug* Whatever. I guess, whenever they become inspired, I shall be duly appointed important enough to be contacted.  But really. I like to pretend that I am a good friend to those I AM friends with - which maybe in reality I'm deluding myself - and I'm not.

I guess I'm on the hunt for new friends. Along with all the other shit, I need some new people to try to get along with both of my little hellion monkeys that can also understand that I am a flawed person.

Food.

FOOD.
I love it. I also hate it. I love so many different kinds of things that I just CANNOT have.


These for example:


I LOVE fresh, ripe, juicy, just picked peaches. I - as of 2 years ago - CANNOT eat them. Or any of their related friends, as I found out yesterday. Which is rather tragic. That 2 slivers of nectarine were SOOO good. My neighbor had gone to a produce stand and brought us back a few things and !WOW! they were perfect.

But now I have to add nectarines and plums to my ever increasing list of "Things I Cannot Eat". It's getting rather exhaustive. It includes most seasonal fruits and veggies. I DO enjoy living (and with an intestinal tract at that and my throat all normal sized), but think about it. No peaches, tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, melons of any variety, eggplants, nuts, kiwis, oranges, mangoes, plums, nectarines, mushrooms, barely, rye,  etc.. The list just goes and goes. *Sigh* And not only is it that, the list GROWS.  I just occasionally have to have a pity party.  Mostly when I discover something new for the list and am suffering the ill effects of said discovery. My belly is SO displeased with yesterday's discovery right now.  I should have just assumed that since I know I can't have peaches I can't have the others. But I didn't specifically KNOW and they looked SO good. 

Friday, July 15, 2011

Ear Tube Boy

Sooo Ear Tube Boy. Is now No Ear Tube Boy. And simply Ear Hole Boy. We went to the ENT and the nice Dr. Pulled that little sucker that was embedded into the side of his ear canal out. The Good News?? No more ear plugs in cleanish water (such as swimming pools, baths, sprinklers.) The bad news (because lets just admit it, there is ALWAYS bad news with us..): There is a still a wee tiny hole in his ear drum. He thinks it will, at some point, heal on it's own, but it may take some time. We're going to have them check it again when we go back at the end of Aug. for his sinus stuff.

Sooo now, I owe Ear Hole Boy a small toy from Target for letting them pull out the ear tube without making them have to sedate him. Let's just say bribery was done. But it got the job done. And, The Girl too since she didn't go ape shit crazy on my WHILE he was screaming bloody freaking murder when the chair moved. Yes, that's right.. The chair moved. Dun dun dummmmm. A chair that moved. We are SOOO screwed when it's dentist/ teeth pullin' time. That chair moves too.

Brush, Brush, Brush the kid.

We have finished 4 full days of brushing now. 6 or 7 times per day depending on when the girl gets up. Only 56 more days to go before we can start to trim that number down. I think, now, whenever ANY of us hear that stupid trill of the timer we ALL *sigh* and just get up and do it. That's a whole freaking lot of brushing. And joint compression. It's causing some negatives to her moods too. It's a routine change. It's  a LOT of touch and routine, and effort, and just... Brushing.. So I'm not worried about it. Her OT gal told me and warned me it would happen. But as I was dragging her through Sams as she was having an epic fit, I did have to ponder the brilliance of our plan. I do so hate having to be a grown up sometimes. I really just felt like having my own fit, but NOOOOO. I had to be the grown up and "work her through it". Whatever. Silly Stinkerpot.


I have to take the boy to get his ear looked at and see what's up with his ear tube that's gone haywire and see if there is still a hole. His Ped was a bit worried about it last week at his well child and didn't want us to wait until the end of August when his next ENT appt is. Unfortunately, his normal ENT is busy (or fortunately because he is a bit lazy) so we are seeing someone else in the same office. I'm *guessing* they will probably schedule it to be removed. Hopefully there isn't any hole to patch though. If they DO, I'm going to see if Sawyer wants to scope his sinuses and if they will do a cholesterol blood draw that the ped wanted. I'm SO not doing a freaking blood draw on a 5 year old after everything else that poor boy has to do when I don't have high cholesterol, C doesn't and the ONLY reason is he's "big". Yes. He is. But if he was 9 he would be average height and weight and wouldn't want to.. SOOOO just because he's proportionate for his height and weight just not age...? That one confuses me every time.

The poor boy also has an appt Aug 1 to go get his front bottom teeth pulled. He HAS a loose one, but it isn't coming out. The adult tooth shot up behind it AND the other tooth beside it. Soooo it looks like he's going the way of his sister and will be getting a SUPER Tooth Fairy Prize from that visit. It's currently looking like they will have to pull 3 of them. *rolls eyes* It's gonna be ugly.

Yup, one big ol joyful bag of news here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Statistics

I like statistics. I think they are fun. I think they are fun to manipulate and show whatever you want to show. You can change 1 factor and get whatever you want to show to appear. For example - Hunger. I'm not mocking world hunger. There ARE places and people who are truly starving. Then, there are places where they aren't as much - it depends on who ya ask. If you define it as "the fear of not having enough food", WE are low food secure and will starve according to my 6 1/2 year old.  Have we ever been actually out of food? No. WILL we ever be out of food, even if we are dead broke crawling down the street, living in a box? Nope. There WILL be food at every meal. I will make sure of it. I gots ways. I'm brilliant like that. BUT to an OCD, anxiety person a half empty cupboard is DAMN too low and we are starving.  We aren't. I obviously went over this with said person.

But back to statistics. That's why I like them. You can alter them SO easily to prove whatever point you want. Statistically speaking, you won't get hit by lighting. Buuuuut you could.  Statistically,  a big dog will be a good deterrent to keep you house from getting robbed.  Buuuut not if they just shoot your dog.  Ahhh statistics.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Reading, Writing, Arithmatic..

While most kids are sitting on their rumps watching tv, mine are well trained to answer to a timer to flip their school books and do their school. Ok. I lie. There is nothing "well trained" about them. They scream, have fits, stomp and other wise protest when it's time to start. BUT once they plop their underwear clad behinds down they usually focus fairly well. ADHD  they are not.

T2's BIGGEST task of recent has been to learn to read. He has known his letters since he was tiny. He knew what sounds they made. He just didn't really want to bother with putting the sounds together and READING with them. Just in this last week - after MONTHS of frustrations for both him and me - HE GOT IT. He is easily sounding out new words. The peasants rejoice. Not only just that, but he's holding his pencil and writing some too. While *some of us* may have thought would never happen, it has.

T1 has helped me customize her schedule to meet her goals to fill in the gaps of her writing gaps, which is her hardest subject. Which I can't really say much about, it's complicated with may very unclear rules. With math it's very clear. 4 +4 = 8 ALWAYS.  So I'm trying to find ways to simplify it for her with some workbooks with "rules" in it. 

We started brushing yesterday. It's looking like we will be doing it at 7,9,11, 1, 3, 5, 7   (ish) on times. With joint compression after each set.  It's making super wonky, but so far hasn't put up TOO much resistance. BUT we've been doing it for less that 24 hours so that's truly can't be an accurate statement.  She even said a  when I did the 9 am one that she "kinda liked it a little". Which sure beat the "if you touch me with that again I'll scream" which we got the first time we tried about a year ago. Now.. just 2 months to go.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

T-Ball!

You know what wins more than a sinus infection in July? A sinus infection, ear infection, sunburn, swollen foot, and being 4 days away from getting you spine nerves microwaved. THAT so totally wins. That and I think I may have eaten something I'm allergic to because I am feeling that ever fun swelling feeling in my esophagus that is darn unpleasant.

Anyhow, 1 & 2 started beginners T-ball today. They did so good. T1 had a very difficult time understanding what she was supposed to be doing, but it was full parent involvement so I stayed with her and helped "interpret".  To make it even more confusing for her, the coach has a VERY thick accent (he's from Iran) and there is another girl that is actually the same size as her (so there can't be "big" and "little") with the same name. He would explain what he wanted them (and us) to do and then blow his whistle loudly and expect them to DO what he had just explained. The sound was bothersome to her and he touched her on the arm and back several times, which she really didn't like. BUT.. She did go through the ENTIRE 50 minutes without a single whine of "I'm DOOOOONNNNEEEE" or "I don't wannnnnaaa" or any of her typical things she does. It was good. I'm soooo proud that she was able to push herself past those discomforts because I think she liked big chunks of it, even if a few parts weren't her favorite.

#2 did super great too! He was the BEST boy of them all there. He wasn't the oldest boy, but was - by far- the largest. He ran when asked, paid attention, followed directions. The other boys were flopping on the floor, whining, whomping their dad's in the butt, and just being stupid little boys.  I know, "boys will be boys" - But MY boy will not act like a stupid fool in public. He does plenty of that at home, he can keep that there.

  I am a firm believer of the Before We Go Out Chat. It is a comprehensive list of what is expected and what will happen if it is not achieved. T-Ball's list was a bit expansive because I had to cover a lot of unknown territory. Like don't throw the ball at people, or animals, or bums, or cars, or anyone not paying attention. Don't hit anything with the bat except the ball and only when you are told and ONLY if there is no one near you that might accidentally get hurt. IT WILL BE your fault if they get hurt. Remember the bloody birthday party. Balls and Bats make Bloody.  No whining, no whaling, no whimpering, no answering questions to hear yourself talk. No dancing. Clothes must remain on. Listen and follow directions. etc....

Let's just go on to say the list was complete and expansive. BUT. It got the job done. They were the only ones NOT whining about "But why did SHHHHEEE get to go."  "But I'm tttiiiireed of running."  And quite frankly every time those kids whined and mine didn't, I wanted to smooch their little heads and give them a dime because it was making a GREAT point for me. It made them look ugly and whiny and MY kids noticed that THOSE kids whined and it was yucky. And THEY don't want to be those "yucky whiny kids out in public". 

Friday, July 8, 2011

The Things People Do... While Driving.

People do the weirdest crap while driving. There is of course the standard eating, smoking, talking on the phone, texting, dancing, applying eye makeup, drinking.Then you get to the weird.

Applying your clown nose. When you are already in full clown makeup and costume.

Feeding a puppy a bottle. Yes, safer for the infant that it's NOT a baby - perhaps not the rest of us.

3 dogs in 1 persons lap while driving.

In a bra, changing shirts. Interesting show for a few of the other drivers, and yet.


And my favorite to date: A man driving through the parking lot of Walmart WHILE playing the trumpet.  Not doing well on the former and probably not the latter either.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Boy VS Girl

One MIGHT think that by 6 1/2 a kid would know why a boy is a boy and a girl is a girl. Especially a Smart Kid. Especially a smart girl kid who has a smart 5 year old brother. One would suppose they would get together and figure this out. ONE might be wrong. This does lead to a rather odd conversation one day when they are debating the gender of dogs based on how pretty and fluffy the dog is. After decreeing an entire batch of male dogs "girls" because they are "really pretty and super fluffy" I did have to ask why they decided that. And then crush their hopes and dreams and fluffy hair does alone does not make an animal a girl. As you might assume, the conversation just got weirder from there.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday Followup..

So we found out that Luke - the other great dane - is almost fully deaf. It DOES explain quite a few things about his recent behavior. The complete lack of response to commands he used to follow, his lack of even looking at you, his in lack of interest in normal dog like activities. Apparently, being deaf will do that. We've gone ahead and gotten Minnie a crate of her own to see if that helps with Luke's grouch level. That and if we have Minnie in with us and let them be separated. I don't know if that will help, but it's worth a shot.

The wee ones are getting into harder things with their school stuff. T2 for instance is actually reading AND forming letters people can mostly read now. He and I seem to have to butt heads about this every single day, but massive progress is being made. T1 is zipping through her math, reading, and has significantly improved her writing in just the short time we've been really focusing on it.  History and science are easy for them both still -and they both really like doing them as often as I'll let them.

T2 has another loose tooth. This makes the 4th loose tooth in the house in 2 weeks. The Tooth Fairy is a frequent flier over here lately.