tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13550361595196174572024-03-13T20:57:01.310-07:00This Crazy LifeMom to 3 who for a month and a half every year are all the same age!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.comBlogger276125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-27684943925210463582013-04-23T09:48:00.000-07:002013-04-23T09:48:19.068-07:00BostonYesterday, it was a week since the bombings at the Marathon. My husband and I have gone to the Boston Marathon for years, and then we had kids and haven't gone since. Our favorite spot to stand and watch and cheer on the runners was just as the runners come out of the bridge on Comm Ave. After the elite runners come by, we would wander over to the finish line on Boylston St. This year the kids are 4 and 5 and as we were watching the marathon on TV we talked about when we could go back in to Boston and watch. I actually had mentioned going in to Boston later in the afternoon and just hang around with the kids. We ended up watching it on TV and hanging out at home. Later that afternoon, I got an alert on my phone about an explosion in Boston. I didn't think anything of it thinking it was something little, not realizing that the explosion was actually 2 homemade bombs that had exploded near the finish line.<br />
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Once I realized that it was actually a bombing and not an accidental explosion, my husband and I were glued to the TV. As the week went on and we got more info, it became more and more emotional for me. Anytime I heard something or saw something on the TV, I would cry. I would think about how we always went to the marathon and how we were always in that area at the times the bombs went off. I would think about how I wanted to head into Boston later the day the bombs exploded and how horrible it could have been. I would think about the people who died because of the crazy people who put bombs at this wonderful international event. I would think about the injured and those that either ran the race or were spectators at the race and how this would affect them for the rest of their life.<br />
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Then Friday, when Boston and the surrounding towns were under lockdown as officials we after the two suspected bombers, I was an emotional wreck again. When they spoke about how young the bombers were, I couldn't help wondering what made these kids do something so horrible. How does the 19 year old, who had others say nothing but positive things about him, change to the point that he was able to carryout these horrific acts of terror? I am always intrigued by what makes people do the things they do. This does not mean that I even remotely think that there is an excuse for the horrific act these 2 people carried out. I believe that the 19 year old (the 26 year old died during the chase) should be punished to the fullest extent possible. There is no excuse for what they did no matter what the reason. It is completely crazy and sick that people can do something like that to others.<br />
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Yesterday, 1 week after the bombing, I found out I knew the person that was holding the 8 year old boy that died. I felt horrible that this person I knew had to lie with this experience. She is a nurse that was helping out at the medical tent for the runners and she ends up trying to save this little boys life, only to have him die in her arms. This is something that would be hard for even the strongest person to handle emotionally, but she is not. I can't imagine how horrible this must be for her. I am crazy emotional even now, and I wasn't even there!<br />
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I hope that our country never has to go through another horrific thing like this. If there was one positive, it is how our community came together came together and helped out, either by helping the wounded, giving blood, donating money, doing fundraisers, and just banding together for support. We are Boston strong!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-71250088931981312672013-03-18T06:46:00.000-07:002013-03-18T06:46:54.406-07:00Response To Recent CommentsI am always appreciative of any comments, but when people take time to comment like Anonymous did on the last post about Michael, I really, really appreciate it. I will try to answer some of the questions posed in the comments.<br />
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First, Michael has been on an IEP since he was 3 for his significant speech delay. He was only in EI for 6 month because we had hoped that he was just a little slow in talking, like my husband was. He started in an integrated classroom, but after a couple of months, it was felt like he needed more support. We got together and revamped his IEP to include an extended year program as well as a much higher teacher to student ratio. I believe that this has been a great help. <br />
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We finally decided to have him evaluated for Autism and ultimately, he was diagnosed May of 2012. We had another IEP meeting and asked that he be evaluated for OT since he was also given a sensory integration diagnosis along with his PDD NOS. OT felt that he did not have any OT needs that impacted his school day. Speech on the other hand continues to be involved. He is being seen for speech, both individually and in a small group setting, as well as in the integrated classroom.<br />
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I love the idea of seeing him in the classroom, but I think I may be more of a distraction. I have been in to see him, but very informally. He tends to stay with me and not do classroom things. He also doesn't transition well after I leave (though it is only for a short time). <br />
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I think he is probably doing better than I am thinking, but I am still a little apprehensive. He isn't fully potty trained and still wears pull ups at school. <br />
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We have a transition meeting set up for April 2nd. His current teacher, his speech teacher, the integrated kindergarten teacher (who has observed him in both his classroom and the integrated classroom), and my husband and myself will be there. I think that this meeting will help. I think having the kindergarten teacher there will help. I guess I don't do well with transitions like Michael.<br />
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I need to look at the kindergarten standards. I think that he is doing well, but is probably a little behind. <br />
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As for sleep, I think this is where his sensory stuff really comes into play. He just can't seem to settle on his own. With out Melatonin, he will stay awake and have a ton of energy, just like the energizer bunny!<br />
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I am also noticing that he is getting more fearful of sounds than he used to be. He was literally in tears when the fire alarm went off at the mall. That meant I was literally in tears too. He is starting to comment about the dryers in the bathroom making sure that I am not going to put them on when we go in. He is also fearful of those squishy balls with hair, almost koosh like, but different. He's not a fan of Koosh balls either.<br />
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As for music, it was where he shined with his verbal skills. Even when he couldn't talk, he would attempt to sing and dance just like in music videos. He loves acting out his TV shows now, sometimes in a repetitive way and sometimes in a way that just amazes me how much he remembers of the shows that he loves. Sometimes, it's things like this that make me think he should be in music/theater groups instead of soccer. If he were to go into a sport, I think swimming would be where he would shine. Again, probably his sensory issues and inability to slow down are more relaxed in the water. <br />
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As I look this over, I think it make be a little disjointed, like most of my writing. I am not a writer and I am not great at grammar, but writing my blogs are something I love to do. Please, if anyone has thoughts on Autism, feel free to share. I will start sharing some things from my other 2 kids days too. This blog is supposed to be about my crazy but amazing life as a married mom of 3 trying to work and enjoy life and all it's craziness!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-9369747705779774322013-03-12T10:03:00.000-07:002013-03-12T10:03:31.398-07:00MichaelThis is Michael's last year in pre-school. In September, he will move on to a new teacher, a new school, and a new "regular class (I believe). Now this transition is hard for most parents of<br />
"neuro-typical" children, but Michael has autism. He doesn't always deal well with change (tough that is improving a little), he doesn't socialize with others very much (or at least he doesn't without someone guiding and modeling what to do), he has repetitive behaviors and can sometimes go into his own world when it comes to imaginary play. His speech has come so far, yet his volleying back and forth with communication still needs a lot of work. He doesn't answer questions reliably or at all sometimes. He will ask for things, which he was delayed doing. He is also not potty trained with poop. I am not sure what his IEP will look like. I don't know if he will have someone in the class giving him extra attention so that his socialization skills continue to improve. We are having a transition meeting in the next couple of weeks, so I'm sure that this will help with some of my anxiety, but I won't feel better until I actually see how he does in school. Right now, he is in a class of 7 or 8 students and has 3 teachers in the room. He does go to a regular pre-school class 3 times a week for lunch and circle time. This has been going well, but it is a more structured time, so I don't know how he would do in a less structured situation.<br />
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The one good area that I have been really happy with is his sleep. We have been doing Melatonin for the last 2 1/2 months and have had to up the dose from 1 MG to 2 MG. It still takes a good 45 minutes to kick in, but it does kick in. He has been sleeping through the night and has been getting up a a reasonable time. No more waking his up for school. No more sleeping til 10:00 if we let him. He is now asleep by 8:30 and is usually awake by 7:30 at the latest. This morning he was actually up at 6:00. I am hopeful that his improved sleep pattern, like all of us, is helping his overall. He used to fall asleep closer to 10 or even 11 and then not want to wake up the next morning til 9 or 10. We tried to do a sensory diet which helped somewhat, but it really didn't make a huge difference. I am hoping that once spring is here and we are outside more, things will be even better. <br />
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Michael finally has something that he loves. He had been really focused on Caillou to the point of reciting lines and acting out episodes sometimes at inappropriate times and often repetitive ways such as bedtime routine. He now loves Wall-e and Mickey Mouse. He doesn't seem to act out these shows as much, though he can recite the lines to them as he watches them. In wall-e, the is a part from Hello Dolly and we watched it a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't interested in it until that scene came on and he ran into the room and sang with the song.We probably watch too much TV in this house and I am working on changing that. He does love music and the Polar Express sound track right now is his favorite!<br />
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One thing that is bothering me right now is a family member who is trying to pressure us into signing him up for kindergarten soccer. he has shown little interest in soccer or anything like that. He tends to enjoy digging in the dirt, running around, riding his bike, climbing, and swimming. Personally, I would rather see him in swimming lessons where he would thrive not in an organized team sport where he doesn't like to play with other kids. The problem I have is that this person keeps pushing and pushing and pushing. I just want to say "STOP TELLING ME WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR MY CHILD". Yes that was meant to be yelling. She always tells people what they need to do, not suggest an option that is available. She then goes on to push her agenda. With regards to soccer, she was a soccer coach for her kids and they still play soccer in high school and college. I totally feel like this is her agenda and not mine. Yesterday, we took Michael to spend $20 of his birthday money at the book store. I posted it on Facebook (and maybe that's my problem, I open myself up for criticism by putting it out there), and she responded that I should be putting his money away for college. He will have some go in his bank account, but I think it is important to let him spend some money on a gift. Again, it is my child, and my decision. No one else's, except my husband. Again, I just want to yell, "stop telling me what to do!"<br />
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Thanks for listening to my rant! I am so happy that I have some where to get out things both good and bad instead of only unloading on my husband!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-15279338579520553592013-01-14T07:49:00.000-08:002013-01-14T07:49:27.173-08:00Pictures 2012A little something from 2012.<br />
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1/2012 talking a walk at Pleasure Island</div>
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2/2012 Waiting for Michael's bus</div>
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3/2012 Franklin Park Zoo</div>
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4/2012 North Station first train ride</div>
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5/2012 washing the fire truck at Michael's school</div>
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6/2012 sunglasses from the Festival by the Lake</div>
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7/2012 looking at the pond at the Peabody bike trail</div>
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8/2012 Newburyport</div>
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9/2012 North Conway Railroad Station</div>
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10/2012 Halloween</div>
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11/2012 Thanksgiving</div>
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12/2012 Christmas</div>
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There were so many other pictures to post with the different things that we did this year. I just wanted to post 1 from each month. Happy 2013!</div>
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Amy</div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-73796034293691913382013-01-07T06:05:00.000-08:002013-01-07T06:05:19.400-08:00SleepWithout going into all the details, getting Michael to sleep has not been one of my best moments as a mom. I was clueless about schedules until he started daycare at 6 months. Even then, we weren't and still aren't crazy about schedules. Once we had the twins, a bunch of my friends and other twin moms mentioned how important it was to have a schedule, and it really helped. Having 3 kids in under a year made having a schedule huge. Having a schedule helped me keep my sanity, mostly. <br />
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Michael has always had a problem with sleep. Once we changed his diet, at least he started to sleep through the night. Getting Michael to sleep was probably one of the toughest ongoing issues as a parent. The twins, especially Thomas, pretty much always had no problem getting and staying asleep.<br />
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Once Michael was diagnosed with PDD NOS, we talked about sleep issues and the difficulty he had getting to sleep, slowing down at night. We tried a routine, but that worked a little and got to a point where it just got crazy. We tried a sensory diet, but that only worked a little. Michael wasn't falling asleep some nights until eleven pm. It was crazy. I wanted to fall asleep before he fell asleep. I wanted time to myself, or with my husband to clean the house, do laundry, or some of my hobbies. Never mind that Michael absolutely needed his sleep.<br />
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We talked to his doctor that diagnosed his PDD NOS and she recommended 1 MG of Melatonin. We started the weekend before Christmas, and it was amazing. He fell asleep about 2-30 minutes after he had the melatonin. He wakes up so much easier now. It is not a fight to get him out of bed for school. He is getting the rest he needs. I am able to have some time before I go to bed. I can go to bed earlier if I want to. Best of all, bedtime is not a hassle anymore. He has a small drink with the melatonin in it about 20 minutes before I want him to go to bed and then he cuddles with me and falls asleep. I get cuddles from him like when he was a baby. <br />
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I am not really a medication fan, but I think giving Michael melatonin has benefitted everyone in the house. Thankfully it is something without negative side effects and it works. It seems like kids who are on the autism spectrum have trouble getting to sleep. Michael has more energy than most kids I know. He hasn't napped since he was 2, goes to a 5 hour preschool program and still loves to be outside running around. I am not a fan of winter, because it is not as easy for him to be outside getting out his energy. But, even if he gets his energy out, he still has a tough time at night. Melatonin, may not be the answer for everyone, but for us, it was a godsend, literally.<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-52915113933125008052012-12-17T06:31:00.000-08:002012-12-17T06:31:38.218-08:00Fun Holidays TimesThis year, for Christmas, Michael is 4 years 10 months and the twins are 3 years 11 months. Unlike most of my friends, whose kids have "gotten" the idea of Christmas and Santa, my kids are just getting the whole idea this year. It's pretty exciting to see them connect things more and more (not just Christmas but a lot of different things). This year, we are talking about Santa, and I am trying to introduce the Nativity idea. I grew up a pretty strict Catholic but once I went to college, even though my roommate went to church every weekend and holy day, I pretty much stopped and became that Catholic that went to church on Easter and Christmas. I want to share Santa with my kids, but I really want to start talking about the other reason we celebrate Christmas.<br />
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This year, like the past 3 years, we went to our towns Holiday Stroll. The kids saw ice sculptures and had fun watching a juggling act. This year we went later than usual so we missed out on a good amount of things (I think).<br />
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Ice Sculpture at The Holiday Stroll Wakefield 2012</div>
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We made our Santa Plate for cookies for Santa and ornaments for the Christmas tree.</div>
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We drove around and saw Christmas lights.</div>
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And I'm trying to have a some what handmade Christmas. I'm, as usual, definitely behind. I still have lot to sew, and I'm not really sure how I'm going to get it all finished, but it will get done. If I have to stay up really late, it will get done.</div>
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1 Christmas stocking complete (I have to finish 2 more and hope that I can do 2 more after that)</div>
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Eva Rose's hand sewn Christmas ornament (I still need to make the boys and maybe one for Tom)</div>
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1 of 2 completed pillow cases. I still have 1 more to sew, but it is fully cut out and pinned. It just needs to be sewn.</div>
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I still have PJ pants to make, but that should be simple. The other 2 stockings just need to have the cuff embroidered and then sew the cuff on. I have to finish the boys felt ornament. Then there are all the crazy started projects to finish. I had wanted to knit some washcloths, but I have a feeling that there is not enough time!!!! I always think that I have plenty of time, but there is just too much to do and not enough time. I do want to make sure that we have some fun traditions, and that includes being totally excited for the holidays, Santa, Jesus, gifts, Christmas lights, town events, and handmade gifts. One day I'll figure out how to get it all done.</div>
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year</div>
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Amy</div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-32260792125109994822012-10-22T09:17:00.001-07:002012-10-22T09:17:03.981-07:00Time For Me<br />
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I love being with my kids, but I also love trying to make sure that I do things that I love for me! One thing that I love to do is craft. I love to just absorb myself in being creative, no matter what kind of crafting it is. I do have favorites, but pretty much any creative outlet is fun for me. I try to tell my husband that we both need to find time to be creative (his is mainly woodworking and mine is anything from sewing to knitting/crocheting to paper crafting). I am trying to do more than pin things on interest and watch youtube videos!</div>
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One of my twin mom friends has me a little obsessed with English Paper Piecing. I saw a post she did on hexagon quilting and from there on, I have been obsessed. I started learning all I could with hexagon quilting. I put together a hexagon quilting kit. I bought and made templates. Now I have moved on from hexagon paper piecing to different shapes.</div>
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I am still obsessed with leaning different things about English Paper Piecing. I really want to learn the history behind it, especially now that I have been actually doing it. I have also started to become obsessed/addicted to youtube craft videos, including English Paper Piecing!</div>
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One of the things that I love about paper piecing is that you can take it with you. There is also the newness factor of trying and learning a new craft, but the biggest thing is the portability of it. I love that i can take it with me where ever I go. I can do it while the kids are playing outside. I can do it while I watch TV. I could take it in the car while my husband drives. I love that you can buy the templates already made, you can buy acrylic templates, or you can create your own. So far I have either created my own of I have bought acrylic templates.</div>
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I haven't started yet, but I am little obsessed with the whole dresden plate template. I have bought one and plan to use it soon, but just haven't found the time yet. I guess in general, I am starting to get a little obsessed with the whole template things. I am totally loving listening to youtube craft videos while I drive, while I lay in bed, or even while I half listen to TV.</div>
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I guess I am just a little obsessed with crafting again, and I am loving it! I just wish I had more time!</div>
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English Paper Pieced multi shaped hexagon</div>
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English Paper Pieced multi shaped hexagon</div>
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English Paper Pieced multi shaped hexagon</div>
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Card I made from a youtube tutorial</div>
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Spiderman card I made from a youtube tutorial</div>
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My first paper pieced hexagons</div>
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Amy</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-55979716721314152672012-10-01T10:20:00.000-07:002012-10-01T10:20:48.994-07:00Feeling Like I Should be Doing BetterI just read one of my twin mom's blog posts and was commenting on a post when I realized that a lot of my comment should just be a blog post of my own.<br />
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I don't have any where near the schedule that she has, but it reminded me of some of the feelings that I have been having. Right now, the two pressing things on my mind are Michael's Autism diagnosis and my breast cancer gene mutation. I don't perseverate on them, but I often think about what I am doing and am I doing the best for both of us. I also have been a little down on myself with making new friends, but that is something that I am going to work on and let go of for now. I have a couple of different options to help increase the likelihood of meeting people that have similar interests so I will work on that and stop driving myself crazy.<br />
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I often think about Michael and his Autism diagnosis. Sometimes I look at him and how he acts and think, "maybe he doesn't have it", and then often soon after that, he does something that conforms that he has the right diagnosis. A lot of this denial is probably due to other people (family and friends) questioning his diagnosis. I think a lot also has to do with his diet and wether or not we have been good at following the right diet for him. <br />
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My friend's post made me think about school as Michael gets older. Right now he is in a very small pre-school class through the public schools to help with social skills. I am really happy with the progress that he has made. This summer, we also had him evaluated for sensory processing issues. What we found out is that as part of his PDD, he has a difficult time regulating stimulation so we have to ensure that he has active periods throughout the day (his classroom is great with this). I am a little nervous as technically he should be going to kindergarten next year (I know that i is a long way away), but I am afraid that he won't be ready and that he won't be able to handle a school setting where he has to sit still and not have as much opportunity to get out his energy. From talking to his preschool teacher, they have a lot of physical activity within the classroom as part of their regular day, and I'm not sure that this is what kindergarten will be like. I also know that the schools have decreased the recess time, even in elementary school. For my son, this is not a good thing (personally, I think it's not a good thing for any child) as he needs time throughout the day to get rid of his energy or he gets overstimulated and acts out inappropriately to decrease his stimulation.<br />
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I know that I have not been good with our diet since the beginning of summer. Personally, I stopped running as I hate exercising in the heat. One would think that our diet would be better with the better weather, but we all ate junk food and myself and Michael have paid for it. I am working on getting better at planning healthy meals and getting exercise back into my life (I started running again and hurt my back). I do well with packing healthy lunches and breakfasts for my husband, but I don't follow through for me. I do pretty well with making sure that Michael has what he needs (not always) and also the twins, jut not good with myself (I give into cravings way too often). Given my breast/ovarian cancer gene mutation and the fact that I am not having prophylactic surgery, I need to really get my eating, exercise, and stress levels under control. The BRCA2 gene comes with other increased cancer risks too (ones that you can't fix with surgery), so it's really important to get and stay healthy and lose weight as well. As of right now, I am going to start doing the right thing. I am going to start eating right, exercising, doing yoga, making time to create, and making sure that I am doing the right thing for my family, especially Michael where he has a few different needs than the other two kiddos (we all need to eat healthy, but Michael restrictions that need to be followed). By needing to cook and eat healthy for me and Michael, the rest of the family will be healthy also!<br />
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So, after writing this I have conformed to myself that yes I could/should be doing better. But, I am aware that I could and should be doing better. I am making the decision to make sure that I start doing the right thing and keeping us all healthy.<br />
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I'm very happy that I read my friend's post and put some of my feelings down. It almost feels like it is a little more real and I am a little more realistic about what I need to do. Sometimes, when I ruminate things in my head, I don't see the big picture I just focus on the problem not what to do about it. I have seen a huge change in Michael when He eats right and I need to make sure that I continue to do the right things for all of us!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-83911953551925890102012-09-27T07:02:00.002-07:002012-09-27T07:02:32.772-07:00Life After Having KidsHaving three kids in 10 1/2 months has been a crazy but awesome ride. Before you have kids, you think you know it all. Then you have kids and, at least for me, everything I thought I knew was totally turned on it's head. So many of my goals with having kids have not been met, natural childbirth, breast feeding, etc. I now realize that as natural as somethings are, there are things that get in the way. It doesn't make me a failure, it just is a learning experience and just a different way of doing things.<br />
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One thing that I truly believed would happen, is that I would all of a sudden have all these new mom friends, especially having twins. Even though I have met a lot of great people (since having kids), I haven't formed the friendships that I had hoped to form after having kids. Maybe it's just too soon. Maybe once the kids are in school. Michael is in school, but the kids in his class, like him, have developmental delays and I don't know if that makes a difference, but he has not made the friends that I had hoped. I did miss a birthday party this summer for one of the little girls in his class. I was horrified that I didn't see the invite until school started in September. I would have loved for him to have gone to the party. <br />
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Life is crazy with 3 little kids. It's definitely getting easier with them getting older. I have more free time that I can do other things instead of having to do everything thing for them. They can play by themselves more often when we are at the park and, at least for my twins, they find friends to play with. Michael is a little different story. He tends to play by himself not really interacting with other kids, even when my husband and I intervene and try to initiate interaction. <br />
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I have talked a little here about how I am disappointed with the amount of comments that I get on different social media sites. I just want to make sure that I am really appreciative of anyone that takes time to read wether they post a comment or not. It just frustrates me that I comment n other peoples posts on different social media sites, but it doesn't seem to be reciprocal. I wouldn't mind so much, but certain people comment on other peoples posts. I think, at this point, I have resigned myself to the fact that they are just not going to comment and I need to let it go. I am going to keep posting on different social media sites and if I get comments, awesome! If I don't get comments, no big deal! Maybe one day something will resonate with someone and they will comment or maybe what I write will resonate and they won't comment, but it will make a difference for someone. <br />
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I am going to keep trying to meet new people, broaden my social circles as best I can and I'm sure in time, I'll meet more people and have friends who I have things in common with. I would love to have more friends who create, so maybe I need to join a guild or something similar. I tend to be more introverted and shy. I like small groups, not large groups. I like to have a few really close friends not a lot of acquaintances (which is what I feel like I have now). I need to be better at talking to people and socializing. It's not easy (given that I'm a social worker, you would think that talking to people would be easy), but it's something I need to do!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-56544407244037584012012-09-02T19:29:00.001-07:002012-09-02T19:29:52.565-07:00Summer's Coming To An End!It's Labor Day weekend and that means, my husband goes back to school, my son goes back to school, and we get back to a routine. I love Fall! I love the crisp clean air, the cool nights, the fun fall things that we do, but I love having my husband home during the summer!<br />
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This summer we have had a pretty quiet, but fun summer. Overall, the weather was really nice. We had some days that were uncomfortable hot, but for the most part, the days were enjoyable!<br />
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Enjoy some pictures from our summer fun!<br />
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We celebrated 5 years of marriage</div>
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waiting for fireworks</div>
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waiting for fireworks</div>
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waiting for fireworks</div>
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me and my hubby</div>
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playing at the beach 4th of July</div>
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learning to swim</div>
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Ran our first 5K</div>
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playing at the park</div>
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playing in the sandbox</div>
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amaranth from our garden grown from seed</div>
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blueberry picking</div>
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Hanging in Newburyport</div>
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Museum of Science</div>
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The Basin Franconia Notch New Hampshire</div>
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Making soap</div>
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North Conway Railway</div>
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Family Portrait at The Basin</div>
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Flying airplanes</div>
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York Beach</div>
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The Park</div>
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Michael's granny square afghan</div>
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Poppy cat for Michael</div>
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Poppy cat for Michael</div>
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doll bed, quilt, mattress, pillow, and quilt, as well as a rag rug for Eva Rose's Doll</div>
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Rag quilt for Thomas and Eva Rose</div>
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We didn't do crazy things this summer, but we had a blast. I loved being able to share time with our children and not feeling like what we did had to be some crazy commercialized summer. I love being able to look back at our pictures and remembering the fun times that we had. We may not have a ton of money to do crazy expense things, but we are able to spend good quality time and create loving lasting memories for our children. I am so thankful that my husband is able to spend time with us. I love being able to spend time creating things for my children and creating memories for our family! As happy as I am to be getting back to a routine, I will miss our summer fun and lazy family days. Here'd to next summer!</div>
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Amy</div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-14157314615592957562012-08-08T19:03:00.003-07:002012-08-08T19:03:40.093-07:00Michael's UpdateWe had a follow up appointment for Michael today for his PDD NOS. Overall, he is doing great! We don't have to go back until December. She wasn't quite ready to go to 6 months, but almost. We talked about how to help Michael with his social skills and the doctor said that we should prep him with stories of what you do at the park, i.e. play with other kids, introduce himself, etc. She also said to go up to kids with him and help him introduce himself. We went to the park after his OT appointment and it wasn't really planned so we didn't start this today, but watching Thomas play with other kids was amazing. He just went up and started playing with them. The funniest part of this is that Thomas was the one I was concerned about with making friends. My concern was that since he is so quiet, he would be lost in the crowd and not make friends easily. I was concerned about Michael since he tended to play by himself, but this was something that we were aware of even before his diagnosis and one of the reasons that we had a feeling that there was something going on. <br />
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After the doctor said that me and my husband should help Michael with his social skills by introducing him to other kids, I almost immediately got this feeling of anxiety. I am not the most social person, with lots of fears of talking to people and being assertive about going up and initiating conversation. The funny thing is that I am a social worker by profession. My job requires me to talk to people. The thing is, I much prefer talking one on one with people, not in groups. A lot of me fear surround me being afraid that people will reject me if I attempt to communicate with them. A lot of this fear goes back to being a kid and not being one of the popular kids, actually being one of the kids that used to get made fun of.<br />
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The funny this about all this is that I have been trying to write about not having people make comments on things that I post on the web. I get very few comments on my 2 blogs, varying amounts of comments on Facebook, little to nothing on instagram or twitter, and the same on anything else that I may have forgotten. I can't figure out if people aren't commenting because they are too busy, because they don't like what I write, they don't like me, or that they just don't comment. Unfortunately, my mind tells me that it's because people could care less about what I have to say, and that would be because they don't like me. More than likely it's because people just don't have time. At least I hope that it's just because they don't have time. There are a few people who I have thought that I was friends with, but it just doesn't seem like I am really am. I know that part of it is probably my fault since I tend not to do things outside of my family. I just wish I had a better feeling about how people feel about me. At this point in my life, it would certainly help me with my confidence in helping Michael. It would help my confidence if life in general, which will in turn help me with all my kids.<br />
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Sorry for the poor me thoughts on this post, but I just needed to get it down. I am hoping that I can get over this little to no comments thing and move on and realize that it is nothing more than people just not having time, not that they don't like me. It will certainly help me to move on and get over it!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-65848106795010771242012-08-04T21:08:00.000-07:002012-08-04T21:08:24.548-07:00My Newest Crafting ExperimentI finally started to attempt to make soap. I was a little fearful, partially from others telling me how dangerous it could be and partly because of my own crazy mind, though I think others remarks had helped to make my mind worry more than it would otherwise. I also have this crazy fear of failure in anything and everything I do. I like to be perfect in everything I do, and I have a hard time remembering that most of the time, it takes a lot of practice to get things perfect, even close to perfect.<br />
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I finally made the decision to go ahead and try it. How hard could it be? I definitely made sure that I researched and read up on making soap in a crock pot. I watched many a youtube video on crockpot soap making and finally decided that I was comfortable attempting it.<br />
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I made sure that I had my iPad right next to me with a youtube video going. I made sure that the kids were all in bed and fast asleep. I made sure that I had gloves and vinegar in case I spilled the lye. I didn't spill the lye. Things went well and I had soap the next day. I learned that there are better lye calculators than others, or at least there are many lye calculators and people have different feelings about the different ones that are out there. Personally, I like http://soapcalc.net for all the info that I get and as a new soap maker, I really appreciate what it gives me.<br />
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I learned that there are many different oils that can be used and different outcomes. My first soap was pretty soft and then once I found different oils, I found that you can make a harder soap right from the start. My most recent soap consists of olive oil, coconut oil, and crisco, yes crisco. I'm not really sure how I feel about crisco, but it seems to work well. I now plan to try Walmart shortening and see how soap with that vs crisco is. <br />
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I love making soap and plan to continue making it, experimenting with different oils and scents. I may, at some point, attempt cold process, but that takes a little longer before the soap is ready. I can't wait to learn more.<br />
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I have been pretty productive this summer. I could always be more productive, but I am happy with what I've done. I still plan to try to make some things for my twins group and hope that I can finish a few things to donate for them to sell at our national convention. I also hope to start creating more for charity and maybe become part of a specific charity, Enchanted Makeovers. <br />
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A few picture of my soap and other projects from this summer!<br />
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First soap ever in the mold</div>
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first soap out of the mold cut and drying</div>
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rag quilts for the twins</div>
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doll bed, with quilt and rag rug</div>
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soap for Michael's teachers in the mold</div>
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soap for Michael's teachers cut waiting to be wrapped</div>
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my new pincushion</div>
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mixing my latest soap</div>
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latest soap at trace</div>
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soap cooking in the crockpot</div>
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soap almost finished cooking</div>
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soap molded and cooling. Can't wait to cut it tomorrow!</div>
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This is jut a few of the projects that I have completed and have been working on. I have a few other things in process and can't wait to find time to finish them. I can't what to get things organized so that I can have more time to craft rather than finding where to craft, a place to craft and then remembering to clean up! Loving being creative!</div>
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Amy</div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-26857498417797071972012-08-03T07:48:00.000-07:002012-08-03T07:48:32.621-07:00July Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Swimming</div>
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Castle Island</div>
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Castle Island</div>
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Waiting for the fireworks</div>
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Eva Rose petting the baby chick at Tendercrop Farm</div>
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Michael petting the baby chick at Tendercrop Farm</div>
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Thomas petting the baby chick at Tendercrop Farm</div>
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Homemade crockpot soap</div>
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Our first 5K finish</div>
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Crafty projects; doll bed, mattress, pillow, quilt, and rag rug</div>
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Spending Saturdays at the farmer's market in town</div>
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cucumbers from our garden</div>
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Our garden!</div>
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Just a couple of pictures from our days during July!</div>
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Amy</div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-13894954317221168292012-08-01T19:01:00.002-07:002012-08-01T19:01:15.837-07:00Way Back Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Date: March 2009</div>
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Michael age 1</div>
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Twins: 6 weeks</div>
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My grandfather, who had been sick and on hospice for years, died on Michael's 1st birthday. The twins had just gotten out of the NICU the week before, after Thomas was in for 3 weeks and Eva Rose was in for 2 weeks with RSV. Eva Rose had been intubated for 6 days and thomas was intubated for 24 hours. 2 of my sisters and I decided to drive to North Carolina with the 3 kids to visit my grandmother who was just admitted to a nursing home after my grandfather died. My husband and I drove down almost a year earlier when Michael was just 6 weeks old, so I am glad that my grandmother was able to meet the twins when they were the same age as Michael was. When I think back to driving 24 hours with 2 newborns who had just been released from the hospital and a 1 year old and being 6 weeks post c-section, I think I was crazy. If I had to do it all again, I don't know that I would have made a different decision. I am so happy that I have this picture and just wish that my grandfather could have met the twins!</div>
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-20829432480929563492012-07-18T16:14:00.001-07:002012-07-18T16:14:43.586-07:00Newest Doll ProjectI have had this old clementine crate for the longest time (probably not that long, it just feels that way) and I finally decided to do something with it. I had heard that you can make a small doll bed from the crates so that they are recycled and have a new use. I looked online to get some ideas, but I finally decided to jut use some wide popsicle sticks to make a headboard and a footboard and then paint the whole thing. I then attempted to make a mattress, but measured wrong and pretty much totally screwed up, but I added a pillow and I think it looks ok. I love the tufting of the mattress. I am really liking how creative I am being. For my own mental health, I think it is important for me to find some sort of creative outlet, plus, it's so much fun making things for the kids! I now need to make a doll quilt for the bed!<br />
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I think it may be time to work on some boy projects once I am finished with the doll quilt!! The poor boys seem to get lost in the shuffle of making cute things. There are so many cute girly things, I now need to find some cute boyish things!<br />
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I also think that I really like sewing! I'm not a huge fan of sewing clothing (though I would like to learn how to better)! I love sewing craft things. I really need to figure out what I like and spend some time perfecting my craft. Oh, and a Facebook friend from high school mentioned that this bed would be great for small dogs and I should think about selling them for that reason. It's a great idea!<br />
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Happy creating!<br />
AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-54682394217474898942012-07-12T11:32:00.000-07:002012-07-12T11:32:06.751-07:00Little MommaA while ago, I decided to make myself a baby carrier and even though I haven't used it a ton, I love it and I love that I made it. <br />
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My daughter in the carrier I made for the kids!</div>
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Recently, my daughter started to ask for one for her dolls. I looked to the internet to find a tutorial (I figured I didn't need a great one since this was just for a doll not a person. I got a good idea of what I needed to do and I threw together this little piece. It was fin to make and allowed me to use my sewing machine for a good reason.<br />
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Front of carrier</div>
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Back of carrier</div>
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I was able to use fabric I had but it is certainly a miss mosh of fabrics (not necessarily chosen with much thought other than the chance that I would not be using this fabric for anything else). She loved it and wore it all morning!</div>
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Love getting the chance to sew and be creative!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-61752926046828934262012-07-03T06:32:00.000-07:002012-07-03T06:32:07.749-07:00Dealing With AutismIt's been about a month and a half since we got confirmation that Michael was indeed on the Autism Spectrum. It's amazing, that even though we were pretty sure he was on the spectrum, how difficult it is to process the diagnosis of PDD NOS. There are times that I have these doubts that he actually has PDD, but then something happens and I realize that it is just my denial that he actually has PDD. I'm not in total denial that he has it, I guess at times, I hope that he does't have it, but in reality I know he does.<br />
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One of the things that makes it so difficult to fully accept (or at least I think that this is one thing) is that people (family and friends) want to deny that he has it and when we tell them that he has this diagnosis, they say that they don't believe he has it. I know that they mean well, but it just fosters that doubt in my own mind.<br />
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He was just evaluated for sensory issues, and the occupational therapist that saw him felt that some of the sensory seeking behaviors that he has are ways that he has developed to help him when he is over stimulated. This is another area where people say things like: all 4 year olds do that or that's normal behavior. I think on some level what Michael does is normal behavior, except that how often he does it and when and why he does it, is not normal developmental behavior. On the other hand, if his behaviors are his coping mechanism for overstimulation, I am pretty impressed with his ability to figure out what he needs to decompress. I think at this point, we need to find ways to help him so that he doesn't need to seek out these regulating behaviors. <br />
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We are going to see OT for 3-5 sessions to help figure out a "sensory diet" to see if that will help him not need to seek out things to decrease him stimulation, or at least help him not to get over stimulated on a regular basis. I'm sure that there are going to be times where he will still get overstimulated, but if we can help to decrease these times, maybe he will feel better. <br />
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It was amazing to watch him after his evaluation. It kind of brought home, once again, that there really is an issue. At the end of the evaluation, when my husband and I were getting the results, Michael started doing his water play. He started at the sink, then he started leaving the OT room and repeatedly going back and forth between the OT room and the water fountain in the waiting room. The other 2 kids, who had been there as long waiting for Michael's evaluation to be finished, were playing in a more "normal" or "appropriate" way, such as playing with the different toys in the room. When Michael gets like this, it can be difficult to distract him and get him to focus on something else.<br />
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Michael is still my sweet lovable boy and all of his evaluations start with a similar description. All I want for him is to be happy. I want him to have a happy, fun, good life. I think with the appropriate interventions, he will do fine. I think he may always have some "quirkiness" to him, but I think he will be fine.<br />
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I'm not sure that this is totally clear. I guess, I am still processing everything that we have just learned and I know that there are still things that we need to learn. If anyone has any thoughts that they want to share or stories that they want to share, please do. I know that I am going to more than likely start looking for a support group to talk to others who either are in the situation that we are, or who have already been there!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-13737365406188615792012-06-08T09:47:00.001-07:002012-06-08T09:47:34.323-07:00End Of SchoolThere is one more week to the school year. One more week for Michael and one more week for my husband. I am hoping that we can enjoy the summer and then I can find a job for September. Ultimately, I would love to find a job doing something I love, but the likely hood of that is probably slim to none. I still keep my hopes up though.<br />
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Michael will have a couple of weeks off and then head back for summer school for the month of July. He will go four days a week for four hours each day. He did this last summer and I think it really helped him to maintain what he learned through the school year. My daughter, on the other hand, finishes speech therapy for the school year in 1 week. She will not be having summer sessions and I am a little concerned about her backsliding, but her speech therapist said that she would give me some things to work on with my daughter over the summer.<br />
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Before Michael heads back to school, he will have an OT eval for sensory issues. Not that I want him to have issues or another diagnosis, if he gets a diagnosis or at least if OT sees issues, maybe we can get some suggestions on how to handle certain things, like going to sleep, poop training, almost obsessive water and sand/dirt play and maybe others. <br />
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I know that there are other things to put in place, but for right now, this is what we have. We are following a more gluten and dairy free diet, which I think makes a huge difference. Thankfully once Michael is asleep now, he is pretty much asleep except for maybe a short waking for a pee time or request for water and he goes right back to sleep (instead f the multiple waking times that went on for over an hour at a time!<br />
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I am hoping to spend a lot of family time this summer. I hope we can do a lot of day trips as well as just enjoying time near home and at home. We have an open invitation to swim in a neighbors pool. I am hopeful that Michael will really enjoy being in the water and learning how to swim. We will hopefully plant our garden this weekend and we will need to spend some time taking care of the garden.<br />
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Thank you to everyone who reads what I write. It does help to write things down, especially when I know that people are reading. Thank you for commenting too. It means so much to me when people take the time to make a comment on things that I write. I plan to continue to write when I can and let go of worrying if people are reading or not. <br />
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Amy<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-85099689352369882882012-05-23T05:15:00.003-07:002012-05-23T05:15:40.348-07:00Michael's Diagnosis (long post)Yesterday, we went to get the results of Michael's testing. He was tested by a pediatric nuerologist at the Lurie Center. My husband and I have always had an inkling that there was some issue, but we were never quite sure if there really was an issue or if we were just over reacting (or at leas that was how I felt). We had an abnormal AFP test when I was pregnant with Michael, but the ultrasound looked fine so we never went further. I came down with pre-eclampsia when I was 32 weeks pregnant and ended up in the hospital for a week and on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy until I was induced at 38 weeks. I went into labor and Michael got stuck and I ended up with a c-section and on magnesium sulfate. When I tried to breast feed, he always had a hard time latching. While I was still in the hospital, the lactation consultant noted that he had a little difficult time sucking and we had to stimulate the roof of his mouth to get him to suck. While I attempted to exclusively breast feed, Michael wasn't gaining the weight that he needed to and we needed to supplement with formula, as well as attempting to get him to latch on and pumping. When Michael, 3 months, I became pregnant with my twins and stopped breast feeding all together.<br />
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At that point, he was doing fine with bottles and maintaining his growth curve. He was developing on time with most of his milestones, except for speech. We finally got an EI evaluation for all 3 kids when Michael was 2 1/2 and the twins were just over 1 1/2. Michael was in EI for 6 months and then transitioned to the public school system with and IEP. <br />
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Michael was in a 1/2 day program for 2 1/2 hours, and after 2 months or so, we had another meeting and it was recommended that he go into a full day preschool program. He has been in the full program for about a year now. He has a wonderful teacher and wonderful para-professionals that care so much about him as well as his speech therapists. He has done so well with this program, but I still had concerns. <br />
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My husband and I decided to move forward with an evaluation, hoping to get our questions about developmental delays vs normal development just a little behind schedule. Michael was evaluated a week ago and there was some question about whether or not he fit the criteria for an autism spectrum diagnosis. Yesterday we returned to go over the results and the doctor decided that he really did fit the criteria, more specifically PDD NOS. I guess he would be considered more of a child with Asperger's , but he had an early onset speech delay. He is high functioning, but has impairment in his social skills. There is more to it than that, but at this point, his sensory needs and his social functioning seem to be the biggest areas of concern. The doctor mentioned that he most likely would have been a child that may have fallen through the cracks if he hadn't been diagnosed early. He is a wonderfully charming child with a great personality. Most likely, as he got older, he would have been considered a "quirky" kid. <br />
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As much as I hate having him have a diagnosis, I am happy that we know that there is an issue and that we are able to do something about it. With a diagnosis, there is a lot more open to us for resources. The doctor is hopeful that with supports and diet, he may grow out of it and lose the diagnosis as he gets older. At this point, I plan to be much more vigilant with his diet, as it seems to help him. I'm not going to be super Nazi about it at parties, but I am going to be more vigilant at home!<br />
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As much as I know people don't really comment, I do know that people do read this blog. I hope that if you read this, you will keep us all in your thoughts and prayers and maybe post a comment if you can. For me, comments mean a lot and are really helpful, even just knowing someone has taken the time to read what I wrote and not just hoping that someone is reading.<br />
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Thanks,<br />
AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-60129691013237504932012-05-03T06:20:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:20:20.220-07:00Michael UpdateMichael had his cyst removed. For a while, he had this little lump that we were told could be this big long word. It was removed about a week ago and we are on our way to his chin healing. After the surgery was complete, the doctor said that it wasn't what he thought it was, but that it was either a cyst or a lymph node (i didn't know that you had lymph nodes in your chin). We go for a follow up in about a week and a half and will find out the biopsy of the cyst.<br />
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In a week and a half we are also taking Michael for his developmental evaluation. I have been really concerned about his lack of meeting certain milestones or his lack of communicating. According to his preschool teachers, he is progressing, but not as fast as they would like to see. He has been in a a 5 hour preschool program for a year now and is still not really able to talk to us about his day. Luckily his teacher sends home a little check off on the things that happen during the day so that I can ask him about it. With lots of prodding he is able to maybe at least acknowledge that he has down certain things at school. Unlike his younger brother (by 10 1/2 months), Michael can not really communicate about his day even with simple cuing. I have noticed though, that he is improving over that last couple of weeks. Before, when you asked him who his teacher was, he would say teacher, now he can say her name and then just this morning, I asked him who was in his class and he actually named the kids without a lot of prodding. He still likes to play alone and doesn't really even play along side other kids. His imaginary play is starting, but is still pretty limited. <br />
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The one area that he actually excels in is music. He loves music and can sing many songs. He was able to sing songs before he could really say a whole lot. I love listening and watching him sing. His whole face lights up and you really now that he loves music.<br />
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One thing that I do think has helped is his diet. He has shown to be sensitive to gluten and dairy. ever since we have removed these or at least lessened them greatly in his diet, he has been improving. He is more aware and more vocal. He sleeps better and doesn't seem to have the skin issue that he was having, especially when he was eating and drinking dairy.<br />
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I am looking forward to his developmental evaluation. Part of me says that he doesn't need it, but another part of me says don't be stupid. He is four years old and he should be communicating more than he is and he should be playing more with others or at least along side others rather than always wanting to play by himself. He does well with his brother and sister, but really needs to start playing with other kids.<br />
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One other major area that he has greatly improved in is in his behavior. His impulsivity is much improved. Before, if you reprimanded him, he would throw something. Usually this was regarding asking him to put soothing down. Instead of putting it down, he would throw it and sometimes it was something very fragile. I do think that you need to talk to him in a certain way, but he is so much better.<br />
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I can't wait to either find out that there is no real issue and we don't need to worry, or find out that there is an issue and then we work on helping him with whatever issue he has. I really just need to know where to go with him and know if I am worrying needlessly or if my instincts were right and I need to do more!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-645928598956397132012-04-23T07:40:00.001-07:002012-04-23T07:40:43.640-07:00April VacationIt's back to normal. Last week Tom was on vacation. Having 3 little ones makes it hard to actually go on vacation. One of the nice things about where we live, is that we get to go places and have it feel like we are on vacation even though we are still at home. Last week, we did lots of day trips (it did help that the weather cooperated).<br />
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We started with going to the Franklin Park Zoo on Saturday.<br />
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Then Sunday I took a Photography class and the kids went to the park</div>
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Monday we went to Newburyport and had a picnic and walked along the harbor</div>
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Tuesday we went to Rockport and played at the beach after walking and having lunch on Bearskin Neck</div>
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Wednesday we went to Barefoots Books in Concord and got a pirate book that can be sung and Michael loves it!</div>
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Thursday the kids went on their first train ride. We took them on the commuter rail from Wakefield to North Station then switched to the Green line to Park Street and then the Red Line to Harvard Square where we went to the newly re-opened Curious George Bookstore.</div>
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Waiting for the train home</div>
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Friday we took the kids for their first real bike ride. This is the first year that they are able to actually ride their bikes. We got new helmets since they have grown so much since their last helmets were bought.</div>
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That was pretty much our week. The pictures are not as good as I had hoped, but I really enjoyed our week together. Tomorrow Michael goes in to have a simple surgery to remove a cyst on his chin. It should be easy, but as with all surgeries, it is a little nerve wracking as a parent! I am sure that things will go fine and all will be well!</div>
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Happy Spring Everyone!</div>
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Amy</div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-2968228719644605282012-03-26T05:11:00.000-07:002012-03-26T05:11:33.929-07:00MichaelI finally bit the bullet and made an appointment to have Michael evaluated to see if there is more to his speech delay. I am hoping that I am just being overly worried and that they will say that he is just behind and will catch up. At this point, I do think there is more to his speech delay and since he is four, I want to have him evaluated so that he can receive more services if he needs them. The irony is that my husband was the one who was initially concerned, and now that his fears are alleviated somewhat, mine have increased. My husband is a teacher and has seen kids with autism, I don't really have experience with childhood development. If you were to ask me about dementia related issues, I could probably tease that out and see a lot of warning signs, but not childhood developmental issues. For example, I definitely picked up on the fact that my grandmother was showing signs of dementia long before I was told that she was actually diagnosed with it. My background is in nursing homes and geriatrics so I definitely fee comfortable with watching for those signs, not things like autism. Do I think that he has autism? Honestly, I don't think he does, but I am starting to realize that there are some really mild forms of autism or PDD NOS that some people wouldn't even diagnose as PDD NOS. I do think that there is more to his speech delay, but I don't know what. I guess that is why he is being evaluated. I know that he will be evaluated by a pediatric neurologist from MGH and that the evaluation will be play oriented, but that is all. I am looking forward to having this evaluation so that I am no longer worrying if there is an issue. I am concerned that there is an issue, but at least knowing that there is an issue will be better than wondering. Once I know if there is an issue I can hopefully learn what else I can do for Michael and what other services he is entitled to.<br />
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It's going to be a long couple of months til May 15th, but I am so happy that it is only a month and a half until the evaluation. I have heard that it can take up to 6 months to get an appointment so I am happy. I am also happy that we are meeting with the doctor 1 week later to discuss the results!<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-60472237879960406702012-03-15T08:22:00.000-07:002012-03-15T08:22:26.640-07:00On Being a Previvor<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you didn't know, I recently found out that I am a "previvor". A previvor is a term, I believe, that was founded by force.com to designate a term for people who are positive for the BRCA gene. I now am faced with the decision to have prophylactic surgeries to remove my ovaries and my breasts. This has been something that I have thought about for the last couple of months. I had started thinking about it before I got tested, but the reality of this is just finally hitting me. Last night was really the first time that I allowed myself to break down. I was out doing my walk/run and in the middle of it, I broke down and started crying. I started talking to my husband about what happened and he said I really need to do research and figure out what I need to do for me and that he will support me in what ever decision I make.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you couldn't tell by the name of this blog, I believe in living a more natural life, but I also believe that there is a balance that needs to happen when living a natural life. This decision is one area that I believe needs to be balanced. I don't think that it is an easy decision to make: to either have surgery to remove parts of my body, that for a lot of women including me, are part of who we are as women or to use more alternative means to prevent cancer, breast and ovarian. Right now I am leaning to not doing surgery with the potential of maybe having my ovaries out, but not having my breasts removed. I have felt that this was going to be the way that I would go from the beginning, but I am scared of making the wrong decision and getting cancer and leaving my husband and 3 young children before it is time all because I made the wrong decision.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The New Year's goals that I have written about are based a lot on my BRCA2 + status. I think that if I can work harder on these goals and actually meet them or at least continue working on them, I have a good chance of preventing cancer. There is a lot of writing out there about having a gene and getting cancer. There is also some information on how your genes are not your destiny. I am hoping that I can make changes to my life to help change my genetic destiny. I need to do a ton of research, and I need to find people who are on the same page as I am. I haven't really figured out how to find these people, but I am hoping that there may be a group that I can find, maybe a support group type forum that actually meets in person. I love that the internet allows for all sorts of info, but I really want to meet people and talk to professionals in person. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Wish me luck on my research endeavors!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Amy</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-39046958933313901932012-02-17T11:11:00.000-08:002012-02-17T11:11:41.839-08:00LIFE!!!!Lately, there have been lots of ups and downs in our family's life. Some of the ups include oh so much better sleep. Pretty much every night between 6:30-6:45 we start our bedtime routine. At one point, the routine was way too complicated. I've basically pared it down to either bath time or washing up/brushing teeth, diaper changes/toilet time, 2 books, and maybe a song. We are usually complete with lights out before 7:15. Usually, the kids are asleep before 7:30, at least the twins are. Michael, on the other hand, needs his own wind down time by himself one the twins are asleep. He is usually asleep by 8:00 sometimes a little later. This has made life so much easier. I love bedtime so much more now.<br />
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The twins have turned 3 and are no longer eligible for early intervention due to age, but Eva Rose is getting speech once a week for articulation issues. She amazes me though, and even the speech therapist mentioned it today. She can say alligator pretty clearly, but she can't pronounce the ending of simple one syllable words like cat or cup. Thomas is not receiving any services. He is going to be watched, but he really doesn't need anything. Michael continues to go to a preschool program for 5 hours. His behavior seems to be testing limit setting at home and at school. I think I am going to talk to his doctor about my concerns at his 4 year visit to see if there is anything that we should have him tested for, if not just to ease my own mind.<br />
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In the down department, we have had some big issues with a family member who has been living with us. Life has been really stressful and we finally told him it was time to leave. There are way to many things to write about why it was so stressful, but I am so looking forward to getting our house and life back in order! I am not looking forward to the potential backlash from the family, but we needed to do what was right for our family not what was right for this family member. I am hoping that my kids will be better off and I know that I will be better off!<br />
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It has been an extremely mild winter here north of Boston, but I still can't wait for spring. I can't what to take the kids out and play. I can't what to go hiking and walk the zoos and farms and ll those types of things. I can't wait to start our garden again. This year, I want to start planting our early spring plants on time and not wait til it is too late.<br />
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AmyAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355036159519617457.post-376042483832591402012-02-07T08:12:00.000-08:002012-02-07T08:12:15.118-08:00My Latest Projects (and a couple of pics of the twins)I am trying to spend some time being creative and also using up some of the huge crafting stash that I have accumulated. When I was looking at some of the things I thought about getting rid of, I realized that they were actually completed projects (if I was just a little creative in how I saw them), they just needed the finishing touches. I weaved in some ends, and Voila!!!!, a baby Belle granny square afghan and a granny square afghan for Eva Rose. Now on to using up some yarn stash to make the boys an afghan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhZPFRj60C-_vH8wz9e1jy-rSz7DS6WkkV7aC6uQbBDFA5GOlcquKqi0uR2le1kjnDxBvOiLI4OmjUwpR8i1Hn_sfFXfe_-l28VpRGdi2tQvLSmxhPKNPQ8LjFEMAtIBMMCYyzJMdFlE/s1600/IMG_0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhZPFRj60C-_vH8wz9e1jy-rSz7DS6WkkV7aC6uQbBDFA5GOlcquKqi0uR2le1kjnDxBvOiLI4OmjUwpR8i1Hn_sfFXfe_-l28VpRGdi2tQvLSmxhPKNPQ8LjFEMAtIBMMCYyzJMdFlE/s320/IMG_0690.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eva Rose with her new afghan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQFtVR2nTHismjEJf2BFmUZntcrui9TNLVT2LdLLATM8LiX3az1g0kaLX7yBav54CVuAiuaj2NPLqK5IIs5LktBXTvdoqeY1LWIi8NwaPkmQ48hS4Qnh0vRKWgdnXc6zc2jmf9tzHenI/s1600/IMG_0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQFtVR2nTHismjEJf2BFmUZntcrui9TNLVT2LdLLATM8LiX3az1g0kaLX7yBav54CVuAiuaj2NPLqK5IIs5LktBXTvdoqeY1LWIi8NwaPkmQ48hS4Qnh0vRKWgdnXc6zc2jmf9tzHenI/s320/IMG_0691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eva Rose's Baby Belle's afghan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybtZPMukEpkposREVfDlkd2LwGV0QcHmZr2ILOppm4S5qQ8CAeK6FWlVPIT0VV017a5-Avqv8crJDbG-Q_twamSEgQRUfYHx3Bvqax0nkFJGQhQwPaNGYS8iRHhGT4K1qUKxVDRloW2E/s1600/IMG_0692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybtZPMukEpkposREVfDlkd2LwGV0QcHmZr2ILOppm4S5qQ8CAeK6FWlVPIT0VV017a5-Avqv8crJDbG-Q_twamSEgQRUfYHx3Bvqax0nkFJGQhQwPaNGYS8iRHhGT4K1qUKxVDRloW2E/s320/IMG_0692.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The twins!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Amy</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563710174870313496noreply@blogger.com0