The Spina Bifida Clinic

Alex had his big day at the Spina Bifida clinic this past Thursday. It was very informative to say the least. Everyone was so nice and organized--- and made Alex feel very comfortable. He is 38 inches tall and still around 32 pounds. We saw many different medical professionals but I am going to focus on just three--- the Medical Director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Urologist, and the Neuro-Surgeon.

First we saw the MD of Physical Medicine. She was very friendly and encouraging. She diagnosed his SB as Lumbar 4-5 level myelomeningocele. This describes the level the lesion is at on his spine. Alex's happens to be near his tailbone. Anyway, she is pretty confident he is going to walk---- unassisted remains to be seen. She has prescribed AFOs (ankle foot orthosis) which are braces that will support his legs so that he can walk better. Alex is also going to be wearing a knee immobilizer at bedtime on his left knee to try and straighten the leg out. Alex is going to be getting Physical Therapy (PT) as soon as it is lined up and will be evaluated for Occupational Therapy (OT) . She explained how Alex would start out with a walker and AFOs and hopefully move on from there to fore-arm crutches and finally no crutches! Of course there are no guarantees, but her optimism was very inspiring! Only downside to our meeting was when I learned that she didn't see any reason to refer Alex to an Orthopaedist for his dislocated hip. I wasn't satisfied with that so I have emailed her for clarification.

The Urologist had me on information overload but gave me lots of handouts to read at home. Basically she said keeping an eye on Alex's kidneys was the most important thing to do in regards to his SB. His Ultra-sound and x-rays show that Alex's left kidney is smaller than his right. He has a neurogenic bladder which makes emptying his bladder difficult which can lead to kidney problems. I will be learning to catheterize Alex very soon which will hopefully make him continent. In many situations cathing alone does not solve the problem but without a case history the Urologist does not want to jump into doing any surgeries prematurely. I agree. She has also put him on a low dose antibiotic for his grade one in severity reflux. Hopefully the cathing will take the pressure of his full bladder and take care of the little bit of reflux he has. I asked her about the ACE procedure for bowel continence, but she wants to hold off until she can reevaluate Alex in six months. By then we should have more answers. So until then we are going to do antibiotics and catheterization. The main thing we need to keep in mind here is whether we just do the bare minimum to keep him healthy or if we go down the path of doing whatever is necessary to make him urinary and fecal continent. Surgery will most likely be required to make one or both happen-- something that should not be taken lightly. Above all, I think that Alex would like to be able to achieve these two milestones to help with self confidence and social independence. I think in Alex's case, the benefits associated with these kinds of surgeries far outweigh the risks.

Lastly, we saw the neuro surgeon who said that Alex does not have hydrocephalus. Yes, his ventricles are enlarged but he in no way shape or form as water on the brain. Praise the Lord. However, he does have a tethered spine which is not clear when it happened. Alex shows no regression from this tethered spine. In fact he is thriving and well on his way to being ambulatory. Yet, the neurosurgeon would like to operate. I asked her some tough questions.

"What are the benefits?" It may improve his mobility.
"Anything else?" No, not really.
"What are the risks?" He can get hydrocephalus resulting in needing a shunt that very likely will need one or two revisions in his childhood. He can also become non-ambulatory after the surgery.
"If this was your son, would you you fix it?" She said yes.

As of right now, we are leaning toward not fixing the tethered cord unless it begins to cause problems. It doesn't appear to be, so why fix something that isn't broke?

A Night of Carving

Three kids left to Grandma and Grandpa's house so it felt a little lonely. Yet, it does change the dynamics a bit which is refreshing from time to time. I'm just sorry they missed pumpkin carving. I was just an observer this year but promised to roast the pumpkin seeds.

John got everyone started on their pumpkin. They all seemed to enjoy themselves but I think Anna took the cake because she passionately carved away at it and was so proud that she had done it all be herself.

Anna's baby pumpkin turned out so cute.

Alex and Dennis' faces lit up when Daddy lit the pumpkins!

Now four pumpkins have invaded our front porch. Rosie our cat who has decided she likes it here after all, is not too happy.

It Only Takes Five Months......

for this much dust and junk to accumulate under a piece of furniture.

I got Caleb to move it out and sweep it up for a candy bar. I love having teenagers!

Today Alex had his big appointment up at the Spina Bifida clinic. Lots and lots of info--- tough decisions to make. I will definitely be picking your brains to get different perspectives.

We are also carving pumpkins this evening! We decided as a family that four pumpkins were more than enough. The thought of doing twelve was just too overwhelming.

Crazy Hair Day!!!!!!!

Dennis is the most talented little boy I know. He naturally wakes up already set to go on days like this.

As for my other children-- well they need a little help.

How is this for Mr. President? I plastered his hair with Freeze On.

Annalyn opted for a wig, while Rachel went for curly ponytails.

I had no idea I was raising a rockstar!

Teach Me to Reject

Andrew couldn't resist the candy sitting on the microwave. "Sure you can have it. But be sure to quickly eat it so no one else sees you. It is almost dinner time. He he." He chomped down once. "This is kind of hard." "Yup. He he." He bit down again when he realized he wasn't eating chocolate. He was a great sport and a few of us, including Andrew got a good chuckle.

Tonight after dinner, I was sitting on the couch goofing around with the kids when Jonny came over to me to show off his toothless grin. He had just pulled out another tooth and wanted to make sure I knew about it. Out of nowhere he changed subjects on me. He patted my tummy and said that it felt like a baby should be in there. Gee thanks, I thought.

"No, there is no baby in there sweetheart."

"Why not Mom? I want there to be a baby in there. Hey..... how does a baby get in there?" asked Jonny.

He wouldn't let me change the subject so I explained things at a six year old level.

"You see, a baby gets in a Mommy's tummy when a Mommy and Daddy love each so much and hug so long that God sees their love and decides it is the right time to put a baby inside."

"Really? Oh Wow! Please, please please do that with Daddy! I want you to have a baby! Just make sure it is a boy, kay?"

"Jonny, Mommy can't have any more babies from her tummy."

After I put the younger kids to bed, I sat down with the older ones to read another chapter from "Purpose Driven Life." Adam and Caleb especially were in a very playful mood and when I was done reading Caleb suggested we have a contest to see who can do "the Jerk" and "the Reject." I had trouble doing both so I showed them how to do "the Mashed Potato" instead. Envision Adam, Rachel, Caleb, and I dancing all over the living room! Oh what memories! And now, I want to go to my kids' next dance!

Trying New Things

Adam and I made white chocolate dipped pretzels. Easy and delicious.

I saw this idea on another blog and decided to do it with the kids.

We sorted out the broken crayons by color and removed the paper.

Next, I melted them in the oven.

Now these crayons are nice and big to color with. The brown one is sitting on our counter in a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup wrapping disguise. I wonder who the lucky kid will be who gets a mouthful of wax?

That Wasn't So Bad

Good news. The doctor doesn't think it is H1N1. Just the regular flu. Don't know what the difference is, but we'll go with it. John actually has Bronchitis-- and he is going to stay home at least one more day. This is huge for my husband who has probably missed a total of ten days of work due to being ill in the last ten years. I am so glad that he realized that spreading his germs and not taking care of himself was not going to do anyone any good.

Julia is finally doing better--- she has been up and about most of the afternoon. She feels good enough to go back to school tomorrow. Hopefully Caleb will feel better too by tomorrow-- yet he is staying home at least one more day.

I took Alex up to Children's Hospital of Central California (CHCC) for another test. He had a VCUG to determine his bladder and urinary tract function. I watched him be catheterized for the test. I thought it would be uncomfortable for him, but it wasn't. He said he didn't feel a thing. I guess that is good, yet it kind of confirms that he will not have any sort of bladder control-- but we will find out for sure when I take Alex to the Spina Bifida clinic. He does has some reflux-- whatever that means.

I am still learning so much. I have no idea what the future holds for him-- but I can't wait to find out.

Meanwhile, we keep plugging along.

Another One Down

More casualties.

Caleb has now joined Julia and John. I'm trying to get them all into the doctor today.

I am most concerned with Caleb and John who both have asthma on top of it all.

Not a good mix.

Thank goodness we have a nebulizer.

I wonder if it is H1N1.

I wonder who is next.

I wonder if doctored up Chicken and Rice soup is as beneficial as Chicken Noodle.

I wonder how long it will last.

Having a house full of sickies is no fun.

Living In or Near Colorado

I am reaching out to all potential families who would be willing to open up their home for respite. Specifically I am looking for a family in Colorado who would be willing to provide respite for a girl 8-10 years old. She is not physically aggressive or sexually acting out. The respite would start immediately if it were for just the weekend, but if you are willing to do it for longer-- say a week, or a month, or even longer, the family would prefer for their daughter to finish out the semester at her current school before having her moved. That means you would have time to prepare for this child who would come to stay sometime in December. For the time being-- this family is not looking to disrupt-- they simply need a break as does the daughter. Please email if you are interested or know someone who is. Thank you.

Sickie Sunday

Julia and John are sick. Julia is on the mend, but John is really down for the count. I'm pretty certain it is the flu---- I'm insisting he stay down today. I hate that the thought of losing him crossed my mind. I'm praying that the Lord heals him quickly.

He still enjoys having fun with the kids and finds the coolest ways to entertain them. One evening he made their names into mazes. The kids thought it was so cool! What was cooler was driving your finger through the complex maze---- I was impressed!

I was approached in the parking while loading groceries into my car. "Would you like to buy some tamales?" "I sure would!" Yum! I admire these women who are obviously trying to find ways to earn extra money. Since I can't make a tamale to save my life, it was nice to buy some from her. Definitely a win-win situation.

Mr. President loves to dress up crazy. He is so outgoing-- and not shy at all!
Go Caleb! Go Caleb!
******************
A few of the kids were talking about rules that students break in their class that ends up getting them detention. It was interesting to hear how goody-goody my kids are. Annalyn admitted to sneaking a few of her Cheetos during a test------ quite the rebel she is!
******************
When the little boys go down for their naps today, I am taking the kids over to Michaels. We are going to focus on the cake decorating aisle. This is something I think all of the kids can get into, and it would be a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with the kids with an awesome and creative dessert to enjoy at the end. Plus, we will have 40% off coupons! Plus, John can get some quiet rest while we are out!

The Shanty

Walking distance from our home is an old run down place better known as "the Shanty" which is what Anna calls it. She learned that word from one of her vocabulary lists. Anyway, we pass by it every day-- many times a day actually, and my kids have been wanting to explore it.

Well today I surprised them when I told them, "Let's go explore that shanty!"

We walked over to it with Alex and Dennis in the double stroller-- and I watched my kids have a field day exploring, pretending, and imagining what life must have been like for the people who used to call this place home.

Anna found this doll and both her and Rachel were instantly in love. They thought it was beautiful and figured that it must have belonged to some little girl.


After exploring this old home site, I expected my kids to tell me how much they appreciated our home. Instead they all wished they could live there and fix up the place. Rachel said that this place reminded her of Ukraine.

If given the go ahead, my kids would have stayed there for hours. They found all kinds of little treasures. They begged to bring home old make-up compacts, shampoo bottles, and burnt up notebooks. I of course feared needles, rusty nails, and broken glass.

Rachel announced that she was going to buy a place like this when she grows up so that she can fix it up. You should have heard her plans.

All of my kids saw so much potential in this shanty---- and shared with me how they would fix it up. After it was all done they would call me over to come and sit with them and eat. But I would have to bring the food.

Wouldn't that be nice?

First of Many to Come

Yesterday, I took Alex up to Valley Children's Hospital for a battery of diagnostic tests. He couldn't eat or drink anything until evening, so it was a wonderful blessing for him to sleep in longer than he ever has before. That made not eating all the easier.

First, Alex had numerous x-rays to see how his hips are positioned and to make sure that he has no metal in his body. His arm looked strange on the first x-ray so they took another one to be sure. No metal. One of his hips, I think the right one, is completely out of the socket. The x-ray was downright scary and I am surprised that he is not living in constant pain. It explains a lot about his inability to walk and move his legs freely.

The Anesthesiologist was just wonderful----- tops in my book. He read up on Alex's chart and came in displaying a Russian tv show on his phone. Alex instantly took to him and made saying goodbye to me as the doctor carried him off, very easy. Alex was all smiles...... the model patient. I think that this procedure facilitated bonding between the both of us---- my motherly instincts came out as did his need to be reassured by me that he would be safe and secure.

Alex was put to sleep so that they could do an MRI of his head and spine. He took forever to wake up--- completely passing his next appointment, so I asked if they could just start the renal ultrasound while he was asleep. They did, and that actually got him to start waking up---- and he was an angel then too. No crying, thrashing around, and vomiting like I am used to--but complete calmness and patience. Bless his heart.

The technician expected to not see his bladder since he had very little to drink, but to her surprise and mine, it was very full. Telltale sign that he is unable to empty his bladder completely. As soon as he was free to go, a nurse walked me out. She too was a sweetheart.

As I drove home, I asked Alex about dinner. He was so hungry that he told me that he wanted to eat alot--- and he did.

Fast forward to this morning-- Alex is back to normal and has came up to me three of four times asking to sit on my lap. Cuddling at its best. This is what I have been waiting for.........

Would You Eat It?

My husband knew he wanted to marry me because I wasn't afraid to cook. Even when I was young, the passion was there. Food was and is my clay, my play dough, one of my expressions of love. To be able to cook or bake something that people will enjoy eating brings me great joy. Eating what I make also brings me great joy--- in all honesty.

My problem is that I rarely have all the ingredients to make a particular recipe-- and so I improvise-- and it is so exciting to see a whole new creation be born!

These lemony, buttery, sweet, cream filled cookies were fun to make. They are so rich--- one is satisfying-- which is a rare characteristic for a cookie.

These cookies on the other hand are very addicting. No matter how big they are, you can't have just one. Interestingly enough, they are very healthy and their amazing crunch begs you to crumble them up on top of a scoop of ice-cream. Yum!

This salad is wonderful when you want to eat healthy. It is time consuming to prepare but it also stays crisp for a number of days outlasting any traditional leafy salad.

This pasta salad can stand alone. Add a hot bread stick and you have a wonderful meal for any girlie event such as a baby shower, scrapbook night, or church social.

It is one of my faves!

So, do you like to cook?

Digest 15

Here I am finally doing another digest. Trust me, I read all of your comments but I just don't always get around to answering them all. I am sorry. In order to play catch up, I went back to the last digest and picked questions here and there from the last five months.

Mom2agr8kid said...
I love your blog; it's getting to be my morning addiction!I was wondering if Dennis' eye lid functions. Is he able to close his eye? Is there any therapy to help strengthen his eye muscle to improve the "tracking" of the prosthetic? Maybe when he's older?

Thank you, I am glad to see you get some enjoyment from my blog. You should check out Jen's blog or Debbie's blog--- I am get so much from each of them. As far as Dennis' eye lid function-- he doesn't have any. Period. Because he has very little extra skin and flesh around the eye there is no give-- even though you can see the muscle occasionally try to blink. He should have better movement with the prosthetic eye as soon as a more permanent one is made. That time has not yet been determined much to my disappointment. We were told it would be next month, but having everyone coordinate their schedule has proven to be quite the challenge. I keep telling all of them, "All we need is a moment's notice, and we'll be there."

Rachel said...
Could you post your chili mac recipe? It looks good!

Sure. I am embarrassed at how simple it is. Three ingredients. One, two, or three boxes of any brand mac and cheese, one or two cans of any brand chili, and one can of drained corn. Enjoy.

Anonymous said...
I apologise if this is too personal, but at what age were Rachel and Annalyn adopted by their previous families?

Annalyn was originally adopted from Russia when she was six. She became a part of our family when she was eight. Rachel was adopted by her first family when she was ten years old. She joined our family when she was eleven.

melissamoss79 said...
I do not know if you will see this or be able to personally answer this but I decided to ask anyway. My son was diagnosed with sensory integration disorder when he was 2 years old.He is now 3 years old. I believe it is your son William who has this same disorder. Since moving overseas to Germany with my family my son has not been able to receive OT services and so his issues have gotten worse. We just came back from vacation and while on vacation I definately saw the difference between him and other children his age. We went to the Netherlands and while the rest of our family enjoyed the flowers and scenery my 3 year old became totally overstimulated and tantrumed the whole time until he fell asleep exhausted. He was more interested in the little placards that told the names of the flowers than the flowers themselves. He was obsessed with finding and touching every single placard in the park. He is so overwhelmed with his sensory issues that he is very behind for his age verbally. He can't even answer a simple question like "What did you do at the park?". Yet he can recite the whole alphabet and recognize all the letters, sing numerous songs in which I understand every word he's saying and act out full dialog from his favorite movies. It is so strange that he has some skills that are age appropriate but lacking in others. The reason for all the background is to ask you a couple of questions. 1) When was William diagnosed with sensory issues, how have they manifested through the years and how have you dealt with them?2)Is he behind for his age in any areas(academically or socially)?3)Does he have issues with being overstimulated at home or while you are out with the family and if so how do you deal with it?Right now I am so overwhelmed with dealing with my son's sensory issues(which at times makes the whole family miserable) and with homeschooling my other 3 children that I feel at my wits end. Any help or advice you can give me as a mom with an older child with sensory issues would be greatly appreciated. If you can't answer this in a blog and would prefer to e-mail me my e-mail address is melissamoss79@live.com. Thank you for being so honest in your blog about everything you deal with on a daily basis with your family. It really does help those of us out here reading your blog who are also struggling day to day with parenting.

1) William was diagnosed with sensory issues when he was five years old. 2) He is not behind socially or academically per se, yet it is obvious that he lacks the social skills most of his peers have. 3) He is better at not getting overstimulated, but that came with time. He didn't enjoy Disneyland when he was younger because the noise and lights were just too much. He asked to come home after just one hour of being there. Now he thrives on roller coasters and anything that spins and thrills him! He is particular with certain clothing, he has trouble recognizing what he is holding in his hands unless he is able to see it because the feeling in his hands does not compute with his brain. Because of this, he bites his fingers and rubs his hands often so that he can have some feeling in them. I can't explain it, but this makes writing difficult because he grasps his pencil way too hard and over exerts himself-- same with tying his shoes. One thing that I have found works well for William is to give him tight hugs and scratch his back while I am hugging him. It calms him.

Thomas said...
My wife and I adopted a little boy who is 7 years old and has FAS. I loved reading your post on Sveta but do you think she will always have to live with you or do you think she will be able to live and work independently? My wife and I love reading your blog learning from all your experiences.

Sveta continues to surprise me everyday. What she was like last year, is not how she is today. Well, sure she still gets grumpy very easily but as far as academics, she is learning new things that I never thought possible. For example, she is learning to count money and tell time. Two years ago, I was convinced this would never happen. Yet look at her now! Does that mean that she can count change as fast as my six year old--- no, or does it mean that she will not prefer to look at a digital clock because it takes her two minutes to figure out the time on a regular clock-- no. What it does mean is that Sveta is capable of far more than I once thought her to be. I am not sure that she will be 100% independent because she still lacks common sense, is easily persuaded, and can't communicate what is on her mind, but only the future will tell. I can go on and on about how unique Sveta is------ I have learned from her that you cannot put FAS in a box. I think FAS affects each child differently.

The Dulls said...
Do you have a "schedule" for your days or weeks? Is there a certain day you go to the store, clean, etc? What types of things do you do with Dennis during the day? Is it scheduled at all? Needing some fresh ideas and activities for my kids and for me to do with them during the day. :) Thanks!

My schedule is as follows.
6:30am- wake up
drink coffee
7:15 - 7:45 - kids leave for school
Start a load of clothes
shower, get dressed
9:00 am take Dennis to preschool on Monday and Wednesday
11:30 am - pick up Dennis
Have lunch
12:30pm - take Alex to preschool
Dennis naps, I pay bills, make phone calls, have computer time
3:00 pm - pick up Alex and Adam from school
3:15pm - kids start coming home from school-- homework immediately follows
4:30pm - drop off Rachel for Soccer practice
Start dinner-- chores
6:00pm- drop off Julia and Adam for music practice
baths, free time
Monday nights- family devotional
Tuesday mornings- bible study
Wednesday nights- church
In addition, we usually have appointments thrown into the week here and there just to mix things up a bit.

Sometimes I watch videos of our family with Alex and Dennis during the day. I also set up things like a train track for them to play with. When I am doing my bible study, I let them tear paper or color, or I will do things like get a box that they can roll a ball into as they sit at the table and munch on pretzels. Sometimes, I let them play in the bath while I sort through drawers (in an attempt to declutter) that I bring into the bathroom with me. The junk from the drawers becomes their treasure.

Anonymous said...
Christine,While i have always trusted speech and occupational therapists, you should make an appointment for william to see a pediatric neurologist.While the therapists are great, they should not be the ones to make a diagnosis beyond their own specality.A pediatric neurologist will sit with you, go over all of williams issues, and will be better at coming up with a diagnosis.Nurologists are trained to take all the aspects of what worries you about william--and more--and make an informed and intelligent diagnosis.

In an effort to get answers, I have taken William to more places than I can remember. He has been to the pediatric neurologist more than once, a neuro-psychologist, the Regional Center, the California Diagnostic Center, and has been evaluated by numerous people on his IEP team including an Autism specialist. I actually found the neurologist to be the least helpful. The thing with William is that he does really well with adults-- and is very helpful and respectful. It is when he is around other kids his age when his lack of social skills becomes evident. Unless a professional is around him all the time with some of the time being in a social setting with his peers, it is impossible to see William's issues for what they truly are. What I am beginning to feel is that it is not William who is going to change--- it has to be me..... it has to be us. Sometimes I think I am making too big a deal of his issues. Some days are better than others. All I know, is that I will never give up on him-- and we will keep taking it day by day.

Anonymous said...
Let me tell you a story.....I'm a woman in my late twenties who had an abortion 5 years ago. I do have a son so I know what it is to love and cherish a child. I also know what it is to feel so hopelessly lost and frightened in the grip of such severe depression and isolation that I know another child would have been wrong. I also know I would not have had the strength to give my baby away and would have ended my life if I had had to do this. There are SO SO many different versions to the story of life you CANNOT blanket any opinion. I know in my heart that Jesus has forgiven me for what I did, because he forgives. Life is not black and white. We do terrible things in our lives for so so many reasons and God knows them all. I have read your blog for a very long time and this is the only thing that keeps coming up that makes me so sad I want to stop reading. I have forgiven myself for what I did a long time ago because I feel it was the only think I could have done. Not everyone has a suportive family, or people there for them. Please stop making people feel bad. That video you posted a while ago was just propaganda, THINK for a minute the type of person who would film some of the scenes in it. You are intelegent, think about each bit and question it. Who would 'kill' a baby then get out a video camera and film a babys head in their hands. Propaganda is a dangerous tool!

You are so right--- I too have no doubt that God has forgiven you. Your comment about strength-- I also agree that most of us on our own, lack it, but that is why we should cling to the truth that it is He that gives us strength. Moving on, I cannot apologize if seeing a video of aborted babies makes you feel bad. It should. I know it makes me very sad to the point of crying. That is the point. We all want to close our eyes and not imagine the truth.

I know that for many of us, thinking about something horrible is not enough--- we have to have it stare us in the face in order for it to sink in. Many kids nowadays cannot fully grasp what drinking and driving can result in-- so watching a video of the aftermath of a horrible car accident is what they need to understand what can happen when you drink and drive. I think abortion is the same way. I wish someone would have shown me a video like this back when I was younger.

jennell said...
Posts like this only cause Pro-lifers to High five each other and Pro-choicers to roll their eyes and move on. I don't think any doctor would change the mind of any patient with a story like that unless that person had a severe mental disability and shouldn't have kids anyways. Either way Christine, you need to remember that vanity is a sin too, I think this blog may not be too good for your ego with tons of people telling you everyday how awesome you are.

Jennell, you are so right. Thank you for pointing out my vain ego. I am working on it-- really I am. And many others have recently felt the need to help me out with this problem--- they most certainly let me know how un-awesome I am. I appreciate you taking the time to show me the error of my ways.

Taylor said...
oh my word, there has never been a more adorable little boy :)

Thanks Taylor----- one day Dennis will read this and smile!


Ohiomom2121 said...
Dear Christine,That is one of the hardest parts about having a larger family and younger children. When it is just parents, they can be vigilant and keep toddlers safer, but school age children leave stuff out constantly and it is a huge battle keeping the little ones out of trouble. We had one really sneaky 3 yo, now in middle school, who drew on walls and furniture with a green permanent marker (it never fully came off) and stabbed a steak knife into a couch cushion after items were left out for the briefest of times. His brother kept trying to eat cigarette butts found on soccer fields; made watching the games impossible! I am so glad they made it through that stage alive. So, toothpaste is nuthin! Thanks for triggering some memories that are funny now after 10 years, and good luck with your Sneaky-Petey! Sherry

Sherry, your comment made me feel so much better about our crazy day to day life. Now maybe I will start blogging the whole truth! Yesterday, I drained a poopy bath tube, saved one of my children from brushing their teeth with acne medicine, disciplined my child for going into someone else's garage without permission, and fed the crew top ramen for dinner! How is that for memories?

Milena said...
Maybe Alex wasn't quite ready for school yet?

I question this too. Maybe he isn't, but he sure enjoys it. And, he is receiving speech therapy and occupational therapy which I would be foolish to pull him out of. So for now, Alex will continue with school-- but as to the whether or not he will start kindergarten next year-- only time will tell.

mama bear said...
Yes, please educate. How is the best way to eat a pomegranate? Do you eat the seeds, spit them out?

We eat the dark purple fleshy seeds---- seeds and all! At first, it can be like chewing sunflower seeds, shells and all, but you quickly get used to it. And just think of all that roughage--- okay ewwwe gross-- moving onto the next question.

Kelly said...
You are braver than me. I have thought about camping several times but I have always chickened out. I love my bed and I hate bugs and would be scared someone would get my kids while I was asleep. I know I am ridiculous. Glad you had a great time. I wish I could muster up enough courage....maybe one day. :)

Funny you should say this. I really am not that brave. I tried to back out last minute-- but couldn't find it in my heart to let so many people down. I was sure I would spend the weekend grinning and bearing it, but I actually enjoyed myself. The worst part was the dirt-- I hate dirt! And tent camping is dirty. The packing up to go home and the mountain of laundry afterwards nearly made me cry, but I got through it. Seriously, I was trying to have a pity party-- how ridiculous is that? And I want to go live in some third world country as a missionary.

Now that the trip is past us along with the laundry-- I am already thinking of doing it again. Yea yea, I know I must be crazy because my attitude will be an exact repeat of before--- but there is some part of me that really enjoys watching my kids have fun--- and boy did they have fun!
So my advice---- just do it!

Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day

First off, I have the sniffles. I think it is a cold--- but since I am not used to being sick-- whatever it is that I have is driving me bonkers and making my nose raw.

Probably why I had a short fuse with William today. I had tons of driving around to do and William was in one of his moods. He all of a sudden couldn't stand to be bugged by anyone even though 99% of the time he is the instigator--- his way to solve the problem-- hit or bop over the head whoever happens to irritate him. Nothing I said could get him to stop so I threatened to hold him down and tickle him for two minutes when we got home if he hit someone else. He did. So I made good on my promise. Looking back-- it was not a wise thing to do but in the end he took a shower to cool off and ended up apologizing to three of his siblings.

I have decided to up Annalyn's medication to the next dosage amount. I think we will give it a full month to kick in before we move on to something else. The idea of giving her coffee intrigues me, so I would love to hear more on that. I wonder if coffee and Strattera mix.

John's car broke down today. I got a call at 5:00am from the gas station. Against my better judgement, John had the car towed to the Ford dealership. I just had a feeling they were going to try and rip us off. Sure enough they came back with an estimate of nearly $1200 to which I about choked. I called the place we normally go to and they said they could do the same exact thing for under $500. You better believe that I arranged for the car to be towed tomorrow morning-- and no I don't mind paying for a $50 tow and $90 diagnostic fee in addition to work order. I am still saving us over $500---- and that's no chump change.

Today Alex's preschool teacher told me that he didn't have a good day. In fact, he seems to be having more bad days than good. And yet he loves school-- and looks forward to it-- so I am at a loss as to what to think. As of right now-- he needs someone with him every second or else he is getting into things, touching things he shouldn't be, willfully doing things he knows he shouldn't be. And then as soon as he knows he is about to be disciplined for his actions-- he brings on the charm with that cute little look. Brings me back to those last few days in Ukraine. Looking ahead, his preschool teacher said that if things do not improve over the year he would most likely be looking at needing a one-on-one aide or a special day class-- neither of which I am too excited about because Alex is just so dang smart. Yes, he needs assistance, but no he doesn't need someone there to do everything for him and he most certainly needs to be challenged.

Lord-- bring me patience on this issue. Help me to stay firm with him..... yet I need to clean slate him throughout the day so that he actually wants to do better. Make sense?

Lots of appointments are coming up for both Alex and Dennis----- thank you Mom for offering to come and stay with the kids-- you are an answer to prayer!

On a good note-- Sveta counted money today-- and I mean really counted! I was so impressed and excited for her----- I think I caught her off guard by praising her even hours after her homework was done. How do I know-- she didn't get grumpy with me when I asked her to come into the house because it was dark and she didn't need me to tell her to go to bed! Mental note to self--- Sveta reacts positively to continual praise.

Guess what time it is?

Pomegranate season is here! Once again, we are eating them by the handfuls. Mmmmm, those tart yet sweet little jewels popping in your mouth with juice------ oh how I want some right now!

He Lost It!

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Curiosity killed the cat?"

Well, Dennis is curious about everything and loves to do whatever it is his little mind thinks up. It can be adorable to watch but at the same time we have to diligently keep an eye on him at all times or we will find him doing something like this. And all it takes is a few minutes-- that little turkey!


Jonny lost his first tooth last night! What a big boy! And he pulled it out all by himself! He had so many questions about the tooth fairy-- it was just precious. He wrote her a letter too. He wanted to know what her first name was so he can address the letter with Miss So and So. Needless to say, last night he was excited to go to sleep!


Caleb rescued this big fat toad from our swimming pool!

**********************

Last night I saw the preview for Toy Story 3! Finally! I can't wait till June 2010!

*********************

I am concerned about the medication Annalyn is on. I have not noticed much of a difference (and the doctor said it takes about 2 days to notice a change) except she seems more emotional than ever-- which means I am actually seeing more arguing and more crying over things that she didn't used to cry over. I am going to give it two more days and then I am going to call the doctor. We will either increase the dosage slightly higher or I am going to ask about other medications. I am concerned about her being on a stimulant and I would like to stay away from medications that are habit forming. Any suggestions, I can research?

What Did They Just Google?

Middle Village, New York arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials" by searching for At pre-K my child acts like he is in another world, repeats the questions back to the teacher and is aggresive at home he is happy answers me when I talk to him and very affectionate.

Cape Town, Western Cape arrived from google.co.za on "Smiles & Trials: Is There Such a Thing As a Happy Pill?" by searching for is there a pill for adoption?.

Leesburg, Indiana arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials: Adoption Disruption Overview" by searching for Children to adopt through an adoption disruption.

Bonita Springs, Florida arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials: My Trip To Costco" by searching for buy a half a cow at costco.

Redwood City, California arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials: My Trip To Costco" by searching for Costco Apple Strudel nutrition facts.

Brooklyn, New York arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials: The Importance of Touch" by searching for the importance of touch for infants and toddlers.

Worcester, Massachusetts arrived from google.com on "Smiles & Trials: Can you Spell N-a-c-h-o-s?" by searching for how to spell nachos.

Dettenhausen, Baden-Württemberg arrived from blogsearch.google.de on "Smiles & Trials: Indoor Activities" by searching for "his braces" site:blogspot.com.

How interesting!

A Camping We Will Go

On Friday, after pulling all of the kids out of school early, we packed up to head over to the coast. The kids were excited to go!

Once camp was set up, all that was left to do was have fun. The kids enjoyed the campfires a lot! Poor William burnt his hand accidentally when he grabbed the rim of the fire pit, but other than that no big accidents all weekend.

Adam helped put up tents along with Julia, Caleb, and John. In all, we had five tents.

The kids enjoyed digging in the dirt. Don't worry, we filled the whole back up before we left.

Saturday morning we walked over to the boat dock so that the kids could crab around the rocks.

Caleb also got this cool blue-belly lizard.

In our group there was a total of seventeen kids-- later there were nineteen kids.

Way up high above where our van was parked, a squirrel had a field day eating.

Saturday was the most perfect day at the coast! It was hot and sunny and just gorgeous! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day at the beach! The water wasn't even that cold.

At first, Alex was so scared of the ocean, but he soon realized that we only expected him to get his feet wet! That silly boy!

Caleb enjoyed skim boarding.

Other kids enjoyed splashing in the water!

Adam threw back a huge snake-- just kidding--- it was a piece of seaweed!

Dennis had a blast at the beach! He played and played and played.

Julia enjoyed exploring, as did all of the other kids.

The boys played hide and go seek!

John sculpted a dolphin in the sand. Alex and Dennis were his helpers.

Annalyn had fun boogy-boarding! So did lots of the other kids!

My favorite thing was digging for clams! Between all of us, we must have found at least fifty before letting them go and watching them dig themselves back into the sand.

Adam had fun skim boarding too!

So did John!

One night we made s'mores! They were delicious!

Andrew was brave to sleep in a tent with just William!

The weekend was over before we knew it and we were soon back home.

Heading of to bed early just because my nice cozy bed sounds dreamy.

And I won't even post the picture of the mountain of clothes I have been working on ever since we got home. Good night.