Snow

We haven't seen much snow yet, so every little bit is exciting! The boys and Mist, our Siberian muttsky, enjoyed playing in it for awhile today.

It's Ours!!!

After several bumps in the road, the land is finally ours! We closed on the deal this morning and then went to visit. Here are a bunch of pictures!


Beach area in front of where house will be built.


Woods and water through trees in front of where house will be built.


View to the north from beach in front of house.


View east (straight out).


View to the south.


Thane trying to negotiate the rock beach.


Braeden exploring the rocks.


Check out the gloves!


Path too the other beach (around the tall rocks from north of front beach).


Views down the driveway, from the area where the house will be situated, and up the driveway.


This is the other stone beach.


A pocket of sand beach.


View of the neighbor's camp to the north.

Awwww, Isn't He Cute?

I've had a couple of "Awwwwww" moments recently. My favorite is that Thane likes to come into my office and say "Hello, Mommy!" and he will repeat himself if I don't reply fast enough. He does the same thing with good-byes. A few days ago he said "Bye-bye Sweetheart Mommy!" Talk about melting a Mommy's heart!

Thane has also been giving kisses lately. He gave Braeden a kiss. Braeden asked him if he would kiss me and he did. Then he kissed Braeden again. I just had a similar event with Dave earlier this evening and even announced "Mama's turn!"

Christmas

We had a fun Christmas . . . it took until the 28th for Thane to finish opening presents, but between his birthday, Hanukkah and Christmas he is so used to the idea that he has been going around the house looking for more. Tonight he unwrapped a book that is a gift for one of Braeden's friends, so I guess I get to re-wrap that!

I enjoyed shopping this year. I do consider shopping a sport, which helps on that front! But I bought a lot of stuff for other families this year, and then I just had some luck with my own. I wasn't really thinking about buying a PS3 or a Wii, but I couldn't help but feel that Dave and Braeden would enjoy at least the PS3. I was able to locate one of the premium systems a week before Christmas and get it delivered the Wednesday before. I was kind of proud of myself for not enduring the hassles I have heard about (of course, now that the holiday is over the stock is much better). I could have gotten it through Amazon too -- I found out that people do actually get selected in their lotteries!

Then I decided the Wii looked interesting and one of the few games I like on these systems are the Legend of Zelda series. Braeden had been using a dance mat a lot lately, so I thought maybe the physical part of it would be good for him (but probably not for the good old dog!). I walked into Wal*Mart the Tuesday before Christmas looking for a game for the PS3 and overheard a woman saying they just got the Wii systems in and she was waiting for the stock person to bring them out. I asked her if I overheard correctly and if she knew if they had more than one. She said she thought they did, so I stayed and waited. The stock person came out with two -- she got one and I got the other!

Braeden has been so excited about the Wii. He has been playing a lot of tennis on it and it really is fun for others to watch as well. Here is a picture of him opening the present Christmas morning.


My highlight with Thane was him getting a new wooden garage and having him instantly run out to his wooden kitchen and get some wooden food. He started driving bread and fruit around in it, and parking the bread at the top, after spinning the station sign. Even after we steered him toward new wooden cars for the garage, he preferred his fruit and bread!


Thane also received a gift from his Grammie that has really made him happy. Mommy got him a Kipper the Dog and a Wibbly Pig for his birthday, based on the Mick Inkpen books and cartoon, and Grammie made him Sock Thing! Kipper and Pig went to bed with him for several nights and now Sock Thing is beside him. Last night he put on Sock Thing, changed his voice, and said "Hello Bwaeden." Oh, that's another change. It isn't usually "Daeden" anymore -- we've progressed to "Bwaeden" with a very occasional "Braeden" too. Sock Thing also woke Mommy up at 3 a.m. today, but at least he and his owner are very cute!

Lighting the Menorah

I've been meaning to add a photo from Hanukkah, but this week has been nutty and I am just getting around to it!

This is Braeden trying to light the menorah with Thane laughing between puffs of drying to blow it out.

Celebrations & Mommy Over There

Thane is slowly getting the concept of celebrations, but it is interesting how things go with him. It's kind of like the social worker's suggestion that we bathe him first thing in the morning so that he is cooperative about diaper changes, but now he wants a bath with almost every diaper change!

On his birthday last Sunday, we had a "3" candle on a cupcake for him (we made gluten free cupcakes thinking that a cake wouldn't stay together enough, but I think this would have so we will try that tomorrow for my birthday -- and Braeden and his friends actually liked them too!). We encouraged him to blow out the candle. He was laughing so hard. It was cute.

We celebrate both Hannukah and Christmas because of our backgrounds. When it was time to light the menorah every day since then, Thane has started giggling, squealing "Birdie Party" (for birthday party), and trying to blow out the candles. So with my sense of humor last night I decided that in our house the miracle was that Braeden got all eight candles lit before Thane could blow them out! I have a cute picture of the two of them laughing away as Braeden is lighting it.

Later last evening, Thane decided to undecorate the Christmas tree in the living room. He very carefully removed all the round ornaments he could reach. He then sorted them by color/texture and lined them up very neatly at the base of the tree, hooks laid out at the top. This tree was done all in gold unbreakable ornaments since he spends a lot of time in the living room, so he was sorting shiny gold, antiqued gold, stuff like that. Some of the differences are very subtle, but I guess not to him.

When I went in and saw what he is was doing, I smiled and he looked up with absolute glee on his face and started jumping up and down "I did it! Again and again and again and again!"

I have been trying to explain to the little guy that if he ever wants to gain any weight, it would really help if he wore clothing to keep a bit warmer and curtailed the jumping up and down all the time as it uses way too many calories, LOL! (Think of a kid on a ogo stick, only without the stick.)

One last one . . . I was standing in the foyer talking to his speech therapist when the children left their classroom to get their coats on to go home. Thane saw me, and shouted "Oh look! It's a Mommy over there! Hello Mommy!" so the other three kids had to peek and see what mommy was over there!

Electronic Banking

I swear the electronic banking world is out to get me today.

I realized that I didn't get an electric bill and I know it is due this week. So I went to check my account online and it won't accept my password. Not only will it not accept the password, but if you click "forget your password?" it does NOTHING. So that's pretty useless.

OK, so I decide I will balance my checkbook. I realize that even though I don't write many checks anymore, I need to order more as I only have about five left. So I go to the credit union's web site, click through to reorder checks . . . that bounces me to some service and I plug in my routing and account numbers. It rejects me over and over again saying the info is wrong . . . or I have never gotten checks there before, which I have. So I call customer service -- which I hate doing, hence doing it all online -- and the woman tells me it is like a new order because I haven't ordered in 2+ years and they need this, that and the other confirmation. OK, I do that. I find out a lousy 150 checks will cost me $21.42 for the most basic of basic checks. Ridiculous. It is definitely cheaper to do electronic payments (and I know I am getting old because the cost of some stuff like this really drives me nuts, I don't ever remember paying over $11).

I then try to add a credit card to automatic ebilling on BillPay, it won't do it. It just acts like it is thinking and runs the same images over and over again.

While there, I discover that I decided to pay the car loan on Nov. 24th and then scheduled another payment for the 29th which is already in progress and can't be cancelled. It's not really a big deal, it just didn't have to be paid twice in one month, LOL.

I go to check credit card statements and one bank has a new security system so I have to navigate through that to see my balance.

Then I decide to check my rewards balance on another account to see if I can cash out for the fun of it. I do the "seamless" log in to the reward site, but it doesn't go immediately. I look up my log in name and password on my desk, but when I try to hit log in to enter the info myself it doesn't work but tells me rather to click continue. When I do, it logs into my account and starts blaring music and playing an ad for the program for which I am obviously already a member.

All of this stuff should have taken less than a half hour and been done, but with all the snafus along the way, it still isn't finished because I don't know how much I need to pay on that electric bill yet.

Cute Kids

I picked up Thane from school and he actually told me what he did today -- he said and signed "Book. Read." One of the teachers was outside so I asked if he read today and sure enough he did. I'm so proud of the little guy for all the progress he is making, especially since he is just recovering from a recent "glutamination."

I got a cute picture of my boys today . . . perhaps as cute as the picture is the fact that Braeden was sitting on the floor in my office talking to me about his day when Thane came in, looked at his big brother, and said, "Oh, a chair!" and sat right down in Braeden's lap. I reached into my drawer, pulled out a camera and snapped this smiley picture.



OK I tweaked a little to get the boxes out of the background a bit. Kimberly from OMOM tweaked it a bit more so you really can't tell that I had a pile of boxes on the piano bench behind them!

Of Course

When I picked up Thane from school on Halloween, I asked him if he knew what day it was (he is pretty oblivious to this kind of thing
still).

His reply: "Of course! Punkin!"

He went Trick-or-treating with Braeden and six of his friends, all 8-11 years old. He had to run to keep up with them, but he was determined. One of the boys was dressed as Darth Vader. He was having trouble seeing through the mask, so he was the last of the group at each door. Thane would see Darth and scream "Help! Help! It's a MONSTER" at every door, then run away with his candy.

When he got back to my friend's house with his pumpkin of treats, I secretly dumped it out and replaced what he got with Dum-Dums (because they are gluten free/casein free). He opened nine lollipops and carried around a lollipop bouquet. He only ate one of them, so he isn't badly sugared up, but he looked cute with it.

I didn't get any great full costume pics as he wouldn't wear it all. He was supposed to be a pirate in an Old Navy costume. He gave us no trouble on the pants, but the coat really made him mad. Oh well. I should get used to that with his sensory issues!

Mom! What'd you do that for?

Thane came into my office buck naked, pulled open his bureau and grabbed a diaper. He brought it over for me to help him get it on. He stepped into the Easy Up and he started trying to leave before I was ready. I yanked up fast and he started waddling away with the diaper half up his tush -- I gave the poor kid a wedgy!

He stopped in his tracks and called "Help! Help! I stuck!"

Then he yanked the diaper out of his tush and ran off.

The Hamster Again

This Kung Fu Hamster is getting a lot of giggles this week. It's the same one that Thane said, "Sorry Mouse" to . . .

Braeden was squeezing the hamster's paw and singing along, but he changed the words:

"Everyone the skunks were fighting!
Those cats were fast as lightning!
In fact it was a little bit frightening . . . "

Yes, I think kung fu fighting skunks would be pretty scary. Or really funny! I suppose on some level it makes sense that the hamster would be singing about skunks . . .

Big Leaps

I was thinking about Thane's development today. I guess I really expect him to be almost "normally developing" if he sticks to his diet, but have more clearly autistic behavior if he doesn't. He still has some autistic tendencies, but they aren't so overwhelming . . . and I think we all have some issues here and there. Now we're playing a bit of catch up delays from before the diet change -- no one learns well when going through life stoned. On one of the lists I am on, they talk about children recovering from autism. I am not really sure how that works, though, if they don't stay with the food restrictions.

Anyway, I noticed another big leap forward and I have to say each one of them is totally exciting to me. His speech may still be a year behind typical for his age, but the clear improvement also means he isn't falling further behind. I hope that made sense.

Back in August he was doing a lot of echolaliac talk -- copying what others would say. At first he was doing it as an affirmative:

Me: "Do you want a cookie?"
Thane: "Want a cookie."
If he didn't, he would say, "No."

Then it moved to, "Want a cookie. Yesh."

Then we moved on to scripting . . . he would take phrases that he heard others say and repeat them over and over. We joke about him placing his order. We went to a drive through and ordered french fries, milk, diet coke, and a plain sundae, no sauce. Whenever we are within a mile of that place, Thane places that order. And then he might repeat it for the rest of the drive.

He also was watching "Kipper" on Sprout. Arnold the pig got away and Kipper has to catch up. Kipper says "Wait for me, Arnold!" Thane started it yelling it at the TV, and then he would repeat it. Then we got in the car and he amended it to "Wait for me, car, wait for me!" This is still a kind of scripting, I think, because he is taking a phrase from elsewhere and not coming up with his own sentence.

This morning, I asked if he was hungry.
He replied, "Of course! Popcorn?"

That's totally independent speech!!! No echo, repeat, copy, script or whatever you want to call it -- he came up with it on his own!

And speaking of big leaps, Braeden was just cast as a skomorokhi in the Russian fairy tale "The Snow Maiden." Basically, he's a clown doing physical comedy throughout transitions in the play. He's a little worried that he won't get laughs, but in all honesty he gets them daily with his over the top physical reactions to things. It's the perfect part for him, in my opinion.

"I Sorry, Mouse"

I have a Hamster Dance hamster sitting on a CD holder near my desk -- something unearthed in the weekend's cleaning. I haven't dared let it go off since Thane would be terrified. He came in and knocked it over with the ball he had in his hands. He looked over and said "Sorry mouse! I sorry, mouse" and straightened out the hamster.

We have had a couple of G.I. Joe incidents. Thane found a brand new in a box G.I. Joe doll and he asked to have it. It was a gift that Braeden never opened. We agreed, opened it, and Thane started undressing him. Dave saw a button on G.I. Joe's belly and pressed it. The G.I. Joe spoke, mouth moving at all. Poor little Thane was totally creeped out and ran away screaming "No! No! NO! NO!" I feel bad that we opened it, because he will not touch it again!

But last night he found some already open Max Steels. He was carrying two around and having them talk to each other. He took them upstairs at bedtime. Braeden ran downstairs for something and Thane stuck G.I. Joe's head through the fence and in a different voice called "Daeden? Daeden" Where you going, Daeden? Daeden?"

Long Week

It has been a long week. I had complained to Thane’s case manager that the preschool program was shortening school days if not many children were there. It wouldn’t generally be a problem, but if I had an appointment or something it would be. I got a call on Monday saying the teachers and therapists decided to shorten school to two hours every day.

I was angry at first and wondering if I should just pull him out of school. It makes the day short enough that I can’t come home, go to the pool, or anything like that. But he seems to be responding better to it – he didn’t ask to skip like he had been doing.

We made an offer on that piece of land I posted pictures of back in September. We were pretty excited, but it looks like it will fall through. The seller is changing the amount of frontage for the lot we were looking at, and taking away the pocket beach we really liked. We expect to withdraw the offer next week. So we’re thinking about what we might do to make our home nicer and forget about the vacation home idea.

Overalls

I’ve developed a passion for custom overalls . . . I know it may be a bit silly, but they are so hard to resist. My most recent pair features Kipper the dog. Thane loves Kipper and will point to the Kipper on his pants saying “Oh look, Kipper!”

I have some pirate ones ordered, and I have been trying to get some penguin ones made that will include the graphic we used on his birth announcement. I hope I can work that out. I figure there is only so long that I will get to dress him the way I want . . . before he favors camouflage and plaid – together! – like his big brother.

Braeden's doing well!

What a huge change! Last school year my 8-year-old son was constantly getting into mischief at school. We had him a Montessori elementary program so he could learn at his own pace, but they really have a lot of structure as to when you have to finish this, what you have to do in order to move on to another kind of math, etc. And the math always looked wonderful when you went to see him working at school, but it didn’t translate into the real world at all.

We had several conferences about him floating around the class and not working, and I challenged the teachers to engage him – after all, that’s the job of a Montessori teacher! It never happened, so when he visited another school and asked to stay, we agreed.

Yesterday we met with three of his teachers at Riley to hear how he is doing. It was so nice to hear total emphasis on the positive! Mostly it was a report on what he was working on, his very positive attitude, and his strong motivation to work. A lot of these self-paced schools aren’t a good fit if a child isn’t self-motivated, but luckily we have a child who enjoys learning. He has some frustration with math, but mostly because he is a perfectionist and really likes to be correct. We discussed that some of this was the adjustment from one school’s methods to another, but already we see his math applying to the real world so much better.

Riley is rather like a little college campus for kids 4-14. They get to move between buildings, study science outdoors, each building has a big deck outside for having lunch or doing classes outdoors. It’s a very peaceful setting and the kids always look like they are having fun. We were welcomed to come by any time and visit, no planning necessary. I offered to drive for the Friday afternoon activities program, so hopefully I will get to know some more of the kids – other than my afternoon carload of boys!

Tiny Type

It's amazing how hectic life can be . . . and Dave has been home for over two months so you think it would actually be easier. He goes back to work on Tuesday and I will be fully responsible for all the driving again.

Yesterday was Thane's IEP with his case manager, teacher/developmental therapist and speech therapist. His occupational therapist wasn't available and his doctor never attends. After filling out all sorts of paperwork and discussing Thane's diagnosis, I found myself thinking about labels . . . and that his label would require really tiny type to fit all the diagnoses. Yet it all seems a little strange because while he is a different learner, he doesn't seem so unusual to me.

We did get confirmation of his early reading skills. I've always heard about some children reading young, but I guess I didn't think it would be one of mine. He's only 2 years and 9 months!

My Little Lovey!

There has been this really wonderful progression over the last few weeks that just melt a mother’s heart. I know every mom feels this when their little one offers a kiss or says I love you . . . I’ve just waited longer with my second than I did with my first.

Thane finally started calling me Mom with real intent just a few weeks ago, and it has since changed to “Mommy” which sounds so cute – rather like mom-mee. He also started giving kisses when asked for a kiss. He still can’t fully pucker (he has an oral motor planning issue), but he does his best!

Last night he came over to me and said, “Mommy, kiss?” I got all teary and bent down to accept his offer.

He kissed me and said, “Thank you! Anudder kiss?” Who would refuse that?!?

He kissed me again and said “Thank you! I ub you, Mommy.” He had the biggest, proudest look on his face. It was so sweet. Of course I told him, “I love you too, Thaney!”

At bedtime, Daddy asked for a kiss and Thaney obliged. Then he said “Mommy kiss?” so I got another two kisses from him, unsolicited by me. It was so sweet. I was actually up for an hour just thinking how wonderful this is and what a fabulous little guy I have!

Dwarves and Leprechauns

I always think of things to write when I am not near the computer. It’s been a rather busy week! I’ve been trying to digest a really long evaluation of Thane from a pediatric developmental physician, psychologist, physical therapist, speech therapist, audiologist and social worker.

I found myself sitting at my desk typing up a note to our family doctor. A bunch of medical tests were suggested and I am on the fence about some of them. I started writing and found myself saying things that I probably shouldn’t send in case they get into the little guy’s medical file.

The more I think about it, the less inclined I am to pursue the tests suggested by Dr. X. The report says at some point that it is unlikely something medical will be found, but then there is a “why don’t we see if he’s a dwarf” checklist later on. I really doubt he is a dwarf – leprechaun maybe, dwarf no. (Maybe that should be L.E.P. Recon and he can get a job in one of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books.)

Now, I know the family doctor would get my humor because she has heard my wiseacre remarks for about 15 years now, but other medical folk may not appreciate it much. His hair may not be red enough to really look like a leprechaun, but he does have that magical quality about him!

I also got a quarterly report from Thane’s developmental therapy. There is a lot more progress in the past three months than in the previous six . . . but there are still a number of things he refuses to even try.

Oh, I have to note this as it is kind of funny . . . Thane recognizes McDonald’s – actually, he recognizes whenever we are within a short distance of one, before he sees the restaurant itself. Anyway, he has started saying, “McDonald’s! I like chicken with fries and a diet coke, ice cream, no sauce,” and he keeps going trying to place an order – it’s not like he can eat much from there and we don’t go often because of that. His memory amazes me, and it is funny listening to the “fries, Diet Coke” in the back of the car.

As we headed out today, Thane was the first to the door. He stood there trying to open it for a minute and then said “Oh c’mon door, open up!” He kept repeating that to the door louder and louder. He’s too funny.

Braeden starts piano lessons in a few days. Being the shop-a-holic I am, I purchased a new weighted keyboard for him to use for practicing at home. I hope he likes playing!

My Favorite Fruit Fly

Last night Braeden and I were talking. He said there were no Friday afternoon activities at school this week because they are working on a play. I asked Braeden what role he got.

"A fruit fly," he said with a big, goofy grin on his face.

"It's not the worst role you know," he added as I joined the giggling. "I could have been a credit card."

Of course, I am rather wondering why a fruit fly is better than a credit card, but I guess the fly gets more lines, moves more, and has a singing part. This should be very interesting!

This afternoon the American Express and my fruit fly sang one of the group songs to me. The fruit fly was laughing much too hard to be understood, while the credit card sang his little heart out.

I am looking forward to the show as it has already given me a lot of smiles and laughter!