I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since my last entry! Actually, it's not hard to believe considering what the past 2 weeks have been like for us. It's been CRAZY around here!
I left off with Kaeli getting the stomach bug. She missed Tue and Wed from school. Went back to school on Thursday, but came home complaining that her tummy was cramping again. No school on Friday because of an in-service day so she got to stay home and try to recuperate.
Thursday night Ryan woke up vomiting. He got hit HARD!! The poor kid had no idea what was going on. He continued to throw up all night long. I did lots of laundry through the night and slept on the floor next to his bed (when I got a few minutes to actually sleep).
Of course then Friday morning AJ wakes up vomiting!
Saturday was pretty tough to get through since everyone was VERY sick and Steve had to work. But, we survived! By Saturday night things were looking up. I actually thought we had made it through the worst part.
UNTIL.....Kaeli came to my room at around 4AM limping and said her leg was hurting really bad. She pointed to her upper thigh and I assumed it was probably just a muscle cramp. I gave her some Tylenol and put her back in bed. I was slightly worried as I drifted back to sleep because she did start pointing to her groin area when I asked her again where exactly it hurt. But, I thought "what's the worst it could be?". Maybe some soreness in her lymph nodes or just cramping from dehydration. Around 7AM Paige came to our room to tell us Kaeli couldn't even get out of bed. She was in some serious pain. She said she couldn't even move her leg because it hurt so bad. I reluctantly put a call in to the on-call ped. I felt a little silly for calling about a hurt leg, but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't just let her lay in bed and suffer without me trying to do something. The on-call Dr told me to take her to the ER at the Children's Hospital. Based on my description of her symptoms he was concerned she could have a joint infection. This is when I realized her hurt leg could be a serious condition.
We finally made it to the ER around 10:30 or 11:00 and our day just went downhill from there. The wait was sooooo long and Kaeli was getting pretty irritable. Her aunt Kristen was in town and everyone else was at Mom-mom's house having a party for Kristen. Kaeli had been looking forward to this day all week and she was EXTREMELY disappointed! Also, by now Kaeli has missed lunch. A bored, crabby, disappointed, hungry, and thirsty 7 yr old is NOT very good company! She was not allowed to eat, though, because they weren't sure what was wrong with her.
After answering a gazillion questions a gazillion different times the tests started. First thing they did was an x-ray. The attending Dr said that unfortunately they didn't see anything on xray. So, from there they had to do a blood culture and various other blood tests. The concern was that she could either have a joint infection or a blood infection. Her tests came back showing a high WBC count and two different tests for inflammation came back high. Kaeli was passed off from the attending ER Dr to an Orthopedic surgeon (yeah, that made me a little nervous). Two different ortho Dr's looked at her and her lab results. After consulting with each other, they determined she needed to be admitted for overnight observation. Because the WBC count was high they couldn't completely rule out an infection. Overnight they gave her anti-inflammatory IV meds. By morning she was a different kid!! She had some pain left in the leg, but she could at least move it and could put a little bit of weight on the leg. I was so incredibly relieved by her improvement. If she hadn't improved so much they were going to put her under anesthesia and use a needle to aspirate some of the fluid. WHEW!!
We were finally released from the hospital Monday afternoon. Kaeli and I were thrilled! Kaeli said she always thought it would be cool to stay at a hospital. But, after this experience she has changed her mind. She said they kept waking her up all night long. LOL Also, she said she was mad at the Dr's. They were supposed to be making her feel better, but instead they kept moving her leg all around and it made her leg hurt even more! Although I have to say she was real trooper when it came to the Dr's moving her leg. She was trying not to complain and would keep smiling as they tried to move her leg. They could feel the resistance in her movement and would finally say "is this hurting?". Through a clenched smile she'd say "yes" in a really cheerful voice!! I was laughing because when I even touched her she'd scream out in agony!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Another sick kid!
Paige ended up missing 3 days last week as a result of her stomach virus. Wouldn't you know Kaeli just developed symptoms this morning? She went to school all day because she only complained that her stomach hurt this AM. She ate her breakfast and she didn't complain very long. So, I didn't think much of it. She came home from school this afternoon and was just an emotional wreck. She was crying over everything. She finally asked me to take her temp because she wasn't feeling well. Sure enough, she had a fever of 101.2. She has only puked once so far. I'm expecting tomorrow to be the worst day since day 2 was the worst for Paige.
I just hope this bug stops with Kaeli. I can't imagine going through this with Ryan or AJ.
Paige is so amazingly empathetic. She was very upset about Kaeli throwing up. She didn't even want to sleep in the same room because she was afraid Kaeli would throw up in the middle of the night. She really cannot stand to watch anyone else suffer in any way, shape, or form. This intense ability to empathize with another person seems in such contrast to her ability to hold her own emotions inside. She hardly ever shows her own emotions or weaknesses. But, it's like her cryptonite is watching another person suffer. She actually seems to FEEL whatever the other person is experiencing. It's just amazing!
I just hope this bug stops with Kaeli. I can't imagine going through this with Ryan or AJ.
Paige is so amazingly empathetic. She was very upset about Kaeli throwing up. She didn't even want to sleep in the same room because she was afraid Kaeli would throw up in the middle of the night. She really cannot stand to watch anyone else suffer in any way, shape, or form. This intense ability to empathize with another person seems in such contrast to her ability to hold her own emotions inside. She hardly ever shows her own emotions or weaknesses. But, it's like her cryptonite is watching another person suffer. She actually seems to FEEL whatever the other person is experiencing. It's just amazing!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Quite an Afternoon!
I often get comments like "you certainly have your hands full" or "how do you do it with 4 young kids?". I'm sure many of you reading my blog have wondered that also. Well, the truth is some days are incredibly challenging and I wonder how I survive them. But, the good news is that I can look back at the challenging moments and laugh. So, this entry is all about one of those challenging moments.
Paige stayed home from school today because she wasn't feeling well. She slept most of the afternoon and didn't really eat anything because her tummy was hurting. I had to wake her up so we could go pick Kaeli up from school. Now, let me first say the arrival home from school is never a smooth transition. There's a lot of excitement and everybody wants something. And, as much as I've tried to teach my kids this fact, they still don't seem to understand that I'm only one person. So, we walk back in the door after school. Ryan and AJ are let loose on the floor. Kaeli and Paige are both vying for my attention. Paige asks for a drink of water because her tummy is starting to hurt REALLY bad. I get the water and, before handing it to her, ask her if she's ok. She just answers with "My tummy is just hurting so bad I think I need medicine". My heart truly goes out to her-but there's nothing I can do except offer a hug and kiss. I then hand her the water. She goes to take a drink and pukes right into the cup. I grab her and try to get her to the bathroom, attempting to leave as little of a trail as possible. Just as we get to the toilet Paige slips in the vomit and falls right into it. She's now covered in stinkiness. I have to leave Paige at the toilet to fend for herself because by now I realize AJ is trying to crawl into the bathroom. In case you're wondering, I don't think it's because of his concern for Paige. I think it's that he realizes the bathroom door is open and he now has access to his two favorite past-times--eating toilet paper and splashing in the toilet bowl. So, I quickly wash his hands (because I don't need him to catch this bug) and stick him in the high chair. He doesn't like being confined so he screams and cries during the remainder of this incident. I hear Kaeli screaming because Ryan is walking right through the vomit. I don't quite remember how I did this, but somehow I managed to simultaneously throw Paige in the bathtub and strip Ryan's pants and socks. I put Ryan on the other side of the gate so he can't get into the mess again. He also doesn't appreciate this confinement, so he proceeds to scream. Fortunately, Paige seems much better once she's in the tub. With much screaming in the background, Kaeli assists me by getting paper towels, cleaning supplies and garbage bags. Of course, she's keeping her distance because she informs me that she feels like she might throw up because of the smell. I get the floors cleaned and put all the dirty clothes in the laundry. Then I bathe Paige and wash her hair in record time! Now I can finally release Ryan and AJ and things begin to settle down. WHEW!!
AJ's first steps happened after the mayhem. So, that explains why Kaeli and Ryan don't have on pants, why AJ's overalls are unbuttoned, and why Paige is not involved in the fanfare.
Paige seemed much better after that one incident. Hopefully that was the end of it.
Paige stayed home from school today because she wasn't feeling well. She slept most of the afternoon and didn't really eat anything because her tummy was hurting. I had to wake her up so we could go pick Kaeli up from school. Now, let me first say the arrival home from school is never a smooth transition. There's a lot of excitement and everybody wants something. And, as much as I've tried to teach my kids this fact, they still don't seem to understand that I'm only one person. So, we walk back in the door after school. Ryan and AJ are let loose on the floor. Kaeli and Paige are both vying for my attention. Paige asks for a drink of water because her tummy is starting to hurt REALLY bad. I get the water and, before handing it to her, ask her if she's ok. She just answers with "My tummy is just hurting so bad I think I need medicine". My heart truly goes out to her-but there's nothing I can do except offer a hug and kiss. I then hand her the water. She goes to take a drink and pukes right into the cup. I grab her and try to get her to the bathroom, attempting to leave as little of a trail as possible. Just as we get to the toilet Paige slips in the vomit and falls right into it. She's now covered in stinkiness. I have to leave Paige at the toilet to fend for herself because by now I realize AJ is trying to crawl into the bathroom. In case you're wondering, I don't think it's because of his concern for Paige. I think it's that he realizes the bathroom door is open and he now has access to his two favorite past-times--eating toilet paper and splashing in the toilet bowl. So, I quickly wash his hands (because I don't need him to catch this bug) and stick him in the high chair. He doesn't like being confined so he screams and cries during the remainder of this incident. I hear Kaeli screaming because Ryan is walking right through the vomit. I don't quite remember how I did this, but somehow I managed to simultaneously throw Paige in the bathtub and strip Ryan's pants and socks. I put Ryan on the other side of the gate so he can't get into the mess again. He also doesn't appreciate this confinement, so he proceeds to scream. Fortunately, Paige seems much better once she's in the tub. With much screaming in the background, Kaeli assists me by getting paper towels, cleaning supplies and garbage bags. Of course, she's keeping her distance because she informs me that she feels like she might throw up because of the smell. I get the floors cleaned and put all the dirty clothes in the laundry. Then I bathe Paige and wash her hair in record time! Now I can finally release Ryan and AJ and things begin to settle down. WHEW!!
AJ's first steps happened after the mayhem. So, that explains why Kaeli and Ryan don't have on pants, why AJ's overalls are unbuttoned, and why Paige is not involved in the fanfare.
Paige seemed much better after that one incident. Hopefully that was the end of it.
Look Who's Walking!!!
Ok, so he's not officially walking, but AJ did take his first independent steps today. It was completely unexpected! I've heard stories of babies who just get up and walk one day. That may not be exactly how it happened, but I have a feeling that's how I'll relay the story one day--many years from now when my memory has started to blur. Oh, who am I fooling? I suppose it would be just as accurate to say one or two years from now.
Here's the story of the first steps!! AJ was trying to get into a drawer at the bottom of the entertainment center. I closed the drawer and just left him standing there. He stood there, just staring at the closed drawer, for maybe 30 seconds. Then, to my amazement, I watched him take 2 very steady little steps toward the drawer before lowering himself to the ground. Of course, I immediately called Steve to tell him the story. I guess it doesn't sound nearly as exciting in writing. But, I just never experienced that with any of the other kids. With each of the other 3, the first steps only came after a great deal of cajoling.
Of course, I immediately pulled out the video camera. Obviously, you will not witness his first steps, but it's pretty close. Don't ask me why my kids seem to all be missing their pants--I don't have an answer. Oh wait!! Yes, I do!! I just remembered that we had a rather eventful afternoon. You'll have to read about that in my next entry.
So, without further ado.........
Here's the story of the first steps!! AJ was trying to get into a drawer at the bottom of the entertainment center. I closed the drawer and just left him standing there. He stood there, just staring at the closed drawer, for maybe 30 seconds. Then, to my amazement, I watched him take 2 very steady little steps toward the drawer before lowering himself to the ground. Of course, I immediately called Steve to tell him the story. I guess it doesn't sound nearly as exciting in writing. But, I just never experienced that with any of the other kids. With each of the other 3, the first steps only came after a great deal of cajoling.
Of course, I immediately pulled out the video camera. Obviously, you will not witness his first steps, but it's pretty close. Don't ask me why my kids seem to all be missing their pants--I don't have an answer. Oh wait!! Yes, I do!! I just remembered that we had a rather eventful afternoon. You'll have to read about that in my next entry.
So, without further ado.........
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Update on Ryan
I don't think I have really mentioned much about Ryan's progress lately. A month or so ago I wrote about his first two word sentence. Unfortunately, he didn't really keep up the momentum from that first phrase. I found myself becoming a little discouraged. BUT! I'm so happy to now be able to write that he is getting better and better with 2 word phrases. He's working harder at repeating two word phrases; but, the best part is that he's actually coming up with several of his very own phrases. He's now at least attempting almost every word we ask him to. His speech therapist is also very proud of his progress. I decided to get a little bit of video of him talking so that I could share it on here. This video was taken Friday night. You can also see him using some of the sign language he's learned. Because his articulation needs alot of work, we still rely pretty heavily on sign language. Oh, and keep in mind you are supposed to be looking at Ryan---NOT ME! :) I was pretty much ready for bed, so keep that in mind.
On Sept 21 I started Ryan on dietary supplements. I won't go into the details on here, but I am very hopeful that maybe I'll see improvements soon. So, the video was also a way for me to record his "starting point" and allow me to track his progress--rather than rely on memory alone.
On Sept 21 I started Ryan on dietary supplements. I won't go into the details on here, but I am very hopeful that maybe I'll see improvements soon. So, the video was also a way for me to record his "starting point" and allow me to track his progress--rather than rely on memory alone.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Amazing conversation with Paige
I am so excited to be writing about this! Tonight I was reading a book to Paige. Somehow something in the book made her think about how at school she has to keep stretching her fingers during the day because of all the writing she has to do. So, I seized the opportunity of Paige actually sharing information with me. Of course, I kept all of my questions very low key and non-threatening. But, we actually sat and talked for probably 15-20 minutes!! It was just one of the most amazing things ever to have a real, back-and-forth conversation with her that consisted of more than "I forget" on her part. I learned so many things today that I never knew. I now know that she loves to play on the monkey bars at recess. Up until tonight she said she just sits on the benches the whole time. I know that she's actually excited and looking forward to being star of the day again soon. The teacher only has a few more students to go through before she starts over. I learned that every Friday a new line leader is chosen. And, Paige is actually looking forward to being line leader one day. It was also so great to talk to her about emotions she experiences when she feels nervous or when she has a peepee accident at school (she's had 3 so far). She was able to tell me exactly what she was thinking prior to each accident. One amazing thing that started out the whole "emotion" conversation was when we were talking about why her friend Emily doesn't always sit next to her at lunch. I was telling her Emily probably just quickly finds a seat without looking around because she might feel too embarrassed standing there looking for a seat. Paige, completely unprompted, says "when I'm looking for a seat I think about it first--I think do I want to sit on this side or that side?; Is there an empty spot on this side?; Where are my friends?". I felt like pinching myself!!! That is the first time I have EVER gotten a glimpse into the thought processes in her head!
The funny thing was that I had to keep acting like none of this was that big of a deal. I would just go back to reading the book every now and then before casually asking another question. But, inside I was brimming with pride and excitement!
When I put her to bed tonight I told her that I think she grew up alot today. She said she didn't think she was any heavier and that she's still not a grown-up. :) I told her that I think she grew up alot in her mind. Then I gave her an extra big hug and kiss and told her how special tonight was for me. I told her that I look forward to talking to her like this again tomorrow night. Then my sweet little girl blew me a goodnight kiss and said "mommy, I can't wait to talk to you again tomorrow".
Moments like this are why I'm so glad I created this blog! This is not a day I want to forget!
The funny thing was that I had to keep acting like none of this was that big of a deal. I would just go back to reading the book every now and then before casually asking another question. But, inside I was brimming with pride and excitement!
When I put her to bed tonight I told her that I think she grew up alot today. She said she didn't think she was any heavier and that she's still not a grown-up. :) I told her that I think she grew up alot in her mind. Then I gave her an extra big hug and kiss and told her how special tonight was for me. I told her that I look forward to talking to her like this again tomorrow night. Then my sweet little girl blew me a goodnight kiss and said "mommy, I can't wait to talk to you again tomorrow".
Moments like this are why I'm so glad I created this blog! This is not a day I want to forget!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
AJ's First Birthday Party
We survived another birthday party! WHEW! Parties are fun, but they are certainly a lot of work and EXHAUSTING! Thanks to everyone that attended! We appreciated the effort it took for those of you that made it. And, I hope the race traffic didn't ensnare anyone. Our party album is linked in this blog.
AJ got around to opening his gifts this evening after his afternoon nap. Actually, I should probably say Kaeli, Paige and Ryan got around to opening AJ's gifts. But, we did attempt to have AJ open at least one of them. We even have it in pictures. I think the highlight for AJ was the curly ribbon bow. He got lots of cute fall/winter clothes and some really cool toys! Our toy room is now looking more like we have boys living in the house. One toy that I'm sure will be a hit is the bouncing zebra from Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop. We just didn't have the energy to put it together yet. But, I can see Ryan and AJ playing on that often. Anything to help them burn off some of that energy.
We had a beautiful day and AJ handled all the commotion in stride. He even seemed to enjoy playing in his birthday cake. Kaeli was eager to see what his reaction would be. Not too long ago we watched old video of each of the kids at their first birthday. Kaeli was embarrassed to see that she was afraid of her cake at her first birthday. I think she was secretly hoping AJ would act afraid, too. :) He mostly enjoyed squishing his fingers in it. But, he did finally realize that it even tastes good. :)
Here's the video.....
Now let's all keep our fingers crossed that we tired him out so much that he actually sleeps through the whole night!!
Now I think the realization is actually sinking in that he's 1 and heading into toddlerhood. I can't believe he'll be walking soon. Although, I will admit I'm actually wondering when he'll walk. He can stand great, but he has never attempted to take a single independent step. He's still pretty wobbly when I try to get him to walk holding onto one hand. Oh well, I wasn't really expecting him to walk by a year. Paige was the only one of our kids that did. I'm thinking he'll start walking close to 15 mos. That's just my guess. It'll be interesting to see how close I am.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Friday, Sept 21
Yes, AJ did turn 1 two days ago. I don't know why it slipped my mind to update here. We didn't do much, honestly. He got a couple of gifts from us and we sang happy birthday. We're having a big party for him on Sunday, though.
Today AJ got one of his gifts from Mimmi (my mom). It's a pop-up tent that has a ball-pit in the bottom. He also got a crawling tunnel from all of us. The tunnel attaches to the ball-pit. The whole set-up seems to be a big hit--not only with AJ, but all 4 of the kids! I knew AJ would love it. Each week I take the boys to a playgroup and AJ's favorite activity is to crawl back and forth in the tunnel. His other favorite thing to do is sit in the ball pit when Ryan goes to group therapy. Interestingly enough, Paige is currently sitting in the tent looking at books and playing with Little People sets.
Ryan had his weekly appt at the behavioral clinic. It makes for a VERY tough day, but I feel like it is so worth it. The clinic is at the Children's Hospital that is an hour from us. But, I get alot from the sessions. I also feel more confident in whatever they tell me because it's not just one therapist. Ryan and I sit in a room with one therapist, but there is a team of Dr's and psychologists watching through a window/mirror. They watch and listen during the whole session. The therapist always leaves in the middle of the session to talk to the team before coming back and giving me tips/advice. Today, I learned that I need to help Ryan move toward self-soothing. He almost always needs me to hold him for a good 10-20 min to help him "recover" after a major tantrum. It's going to be hard, but I have to let him get through it on his own. We had our first opportunity to try it out today. It was not fun at all! I think the entire tantrum lasted about 30 minutes. But, I was very happy that he did eventually recover all by himself! Hopefully this will get easier each day!
Kaeli did not get chosen as student of the week. Fortunately, she didn't seem sad at all. She was, however, very angry that they didn't get recess today. I can't say I blame her, though. Recess was preempted by an assembly? Now who came up with that idea? I'm thinking they were lucky there wasn't an all-out revolt led by an angry mob of 2nd graders!
Today AJ got one of his gifts from Mimmi (my mom). It's a pop-up tent that has a ball-pit in the bottom. He also got a crawling tunnel from all of us. The tunnel attaches to the ball-pit. The whole set-up seems to be a big hit--not only with AJ, but all 4 of the kids! I knew AJ would love it. Each week I take the boys to a playgroup and AJ's favorite activity is to crawl back and forth in the tunnel. His other favorite thing to do is sit in the ball pit when Ryan goes to group therapy. Interestingly enough, Paige is currently sitting in the tent looking at books and playing with Little People sets.
Ryan had his weekly appt at the behavioral clinic. It makes for a VERY tough day, but I feel like it is so worth it. The clinic is at the Children's Hospital that is an hour from us. But, I get alot from the sessions. I also feel more confident in whatever they tell me because it's not just one therapist. Ryan and I sit in a room with one therapist, but there is a team of Dr's and psychologists watching through a window/mirror. They watch and listen during the whole session. The therapist always leaves in the middle of the session to talk to the team before coming back and giving me tips/advice. Today, I learned that I need to help Ryan move toward self-soothing. He almost always needs me to hold him for a good 10-20 min to help him "recover" after a major tantrum. It's going to be hard, but I have to let him get through it on his own. We had our first opportunity to try it out today. It was not fun at all! I think the entire tantrum lasted about 30 minutes. But, I was very happy that he did eventually recover all by himself! Hopefully this will get easier each day!
Kaeli did not get chosen as student of the week. Fortunately, she didn't seem sad at all. She was, however, very angry that they didn't get recess today. I can't say I blame her, though. Recess was preempted by an assembly? Now who came up with that idea? I'm thinking they were lucky there wasn't an all-out revolt led by an angry mob of 2nd graders!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday, Sept 17
WOW! Typing the date just reminded me that my baby will be 1 yr old in just 2 days!! I remember by this time last year I was crying because I was seriously beginning to doubt the child would ever decide to be born! I still think there should be a law that a 4th baby cannot be a week overdue! But, he did come out and an entire year has almost gone by.
Every Monday Kaeli brings home all her tests from Friday. Today I was looking through her folder and she started "warning" before I got to her reading comprehension test. She's telling me how she's embarrassed about it and that she didn't do as well as she thought. She was disappointed because she tried her very best and only got a 99! I know I shouldn't have, but I really couldn't help but laugh. After we talked about it, she seemed to feel much better about her 99. Oh, and was very excited to tell me she was "reader of the day" during library today. The librarian chooses one student each week based on good behavior. Kaeli's very excited now because she explained to me that being chosen as "reader of the day" increases your chances of being chosen as "student of the week" on Friday. Maybe I need to implement "kid of the week" in our house! I can't even imagine how sugary sweet Kaeli is being at school this week. I hope she gets chosen this time. It really means alot to her.
All last week we had a significant amount of trouble getting Paige to go to school. The guidance counselor had to literally drag her into school kicking and screaming. But, I'm so very happy to report that she went into school today without shedding a single tear. She just asked me for a hug and walked off. I was very proud! But, I talked to her teacher this afternoon and heard that Paige clung very hard to Kaeli when she got to the classroom. We're just going stay the course and hope this plays itself out. At least today was a big step in the right direction. Her teacher gives out tickets for good behavior. Then the kids can trade the tickets in for various prizes. Paige has been saving her tickets since school started. She didn't know what she was saving them for, but she didn't want to use them. Today I found out she finally used them. Her teacher was laughing because she said she had to pull out the really good prize box to entice Paige into finally trading in some of her tickets. She had a ton of tickets saved up by now because the ohter kids trade theirs in on a regular basis. What did it take to entice Paige into finally trading in her tickets? 2 beautiful, sparkling gumball rings. :)
Ryan started group therapy today. This is going to be a really good transition for him to preschool. There are only 4 kids and 4 therapists, so each child gets lots of one on one attention. The therapists also work to keep each child involved in the activities. I was so proud of Ryan today because he did not cling to me AT ALL! His speech therapist (Heather) was there, so he walked off with her and didn't seem to mind at all. That was a big step for him! I was so proud of him today! He's looking like such a big boy now! He also had his first dentist appt today. He's been pointing inside his mouth and saying "ow" for a while now. I was happy to hear he does not have a cavity.
Ryan had his appt with the developmental pediatrician on Friday. She really didn't have any answers for me right now. Alot of the disorders can't be accurately diagnosed until age 3. She also knew that I had some concerns about AJ, so she went ahead and interacted a little with him. Most likely, AJ will have similar issues as Ryan. She asked me to bring both of them back in 6 mos. Ryan will be 3 and AJ will be about 18 mos. She also referred us to a geneticist. It's her opinion that it would at least be interesting to see if the geneticist comes up with something since both boys seem to have similar developmental paths. Ryan also had an appt at a behavioral clinic at the same hospital an hour after his appt with the dev ped. She came over to that appt to give the team of psychologists some opinions on what she though was going on. She ended up being a GREAT help! The most valuable piece of information I took from the two appts is that I need to slow my speech down for Ryan. I also need to stop using so many words when I talk to him. Since Friday I've been trying to use shorter sentences (preferrably 2-3 words) and it really does seem to make a big difference in how he reacts. She explained that he's probably having a hard time processing too many words at a time. So, he'll respond better when he doesn't have to work so hard to process what I'm saying. I feel a little silly in public when I talk to my 2.5 yr old like a young toddler, but if it works that's just how it will have to be.
Every Monday Kaeli brings home all her tests from Friday. Today I was looking through her folder and she started "warning" before I got to her reading comprehension test. She's telling me how she's embarrassed about it and that she didn't do as well as she thought. She was disappointed because she tried her very best and only got a 99! I know I shouldn't have, but I really couldn't help but laugh. After we talked about it, she seemed to feel much better about her 99. Oh, and was very excited to tell me she was "reader of the day" during library today. The librarian chooses one student each week based on good behavior. Kaeli's very excited now because she explained to me that being chosen as "reader of the day" increases your chances of being chosen as "student of the week" on Friday. Maybe I need to implement "kid of the week" in our house! I can't even imagine how sugary sweet Kaeli is being at school this week. I hope she gets chosen this time. It really means alot to her.
All last week we had a significant amount of trouble getting Paige to go to school. The guidance counselor had to literally drag her into school kicking and screaming. But, I'm so very happy to report that she went into school today without shedding a single tear. She just asked me for a hug and walked off. I was very proud! But, I talked to her teacher this afternoon and heard that Paige clung very hard to Kaeli when she got to the classroom. We're just going stay the course and hope this plays itself out. At least today was a big step in the right direction. Her teacher gives out tickets for good behavior. Then the kids can trade the tickets in for various prizes. Paige has been saving her tickets since school started. She didn't know what she was saving them for, but she didn't want to use them. Today I found out she finally used them. Her teacher was laughing because she said she had to pull out the really good prize box to entice Paige into finally trading in some of her tickets. She had a ton of tickets saved up by now because the ohter kids trade theirs in on a regular basis. What did it take to entice Paige into finally trading in her tickets? 2 beautiful, sparkling gumball rings. :)
Ryan started group therapy today. This is going to be a really good transition for him to preschool. There are only 4 kids and 4 therapists, so each child gets lots of one on one attention. The therapists also work to keep each child involved in the activities. I was so proud of Ryan today because he did not cling to me AT ALL! His speech therapist (Heather) was there, so he walked off with her and didn't seem to mind at all. That was a big step for him! I was so proud of him today! He's looking like such a big boy now! He also had his first dentist appt today. He's been pointing inside his mouth and saying "ow" for a while now. I was happy to hear he does not have a cavity.
Ryan had his appt with the developmental pediatrician on Friday. She really didn't have any answers for me right now. Alot of the disorders can't be accurately diagnosed until age 3. She also knew that I had some concerns about AJ, so she went ahead and interacted a little with him. Most likely, AJ will have similar issues as Ryan. She asked me to bring both of them back in 6 mos. Ryan will be 3 and AJ will be about 18 mos. She also referred us to a geneticist. It's her opinion that it would at least be interesting to see if the geneticist comes up with something since both boys seem to have similar developmental paths. Ryan also had an appt at a behavioral clinic at the same hospital an hour after his appt with the dev ped. She came over to that appt to give the team of psychologists some opinions on what she though was going on. She ended up being a GREAT help! The most valuable piece of information I took from the two appts is that I need to slow my speech down for Ryan. I also need to stop using so many words when I talk to him. Since Friday I've been trying to use shorter sentences (preferrably 2-3 words) and it really does seem to make a big difference in how he reacts. She explained that he's probably having a hard time processing too many words at a time. So, he'll respond better when he doesn't have to work so hard to process what I'm saying. I feel a little silly in public when I talk to my 2.5 yr old like a young toddler, but if it works that's just how it will have to be.
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