A Post About Me

I usually reserve this blog to write about my kids, but today I'm going to write about me.  Just because!

I am someone who has always loved to be creative.  I gave it up when I became a teenager.  I was already not one of the popular kids in school and back in the 80's knitting and sewing were not the popular thing to do, not like it is now.  I guess it's probably not a totally popular thing to do, but the whole hand crafted arena is so much more popular with teens than it was back then.  After college I decided that I was going to start being creative again, and since then, I have not stopped enjoying anything hand crafted.  I love craft fairs.  I love craft shows.  And, I love actually hand crafting things myself.  At this time in my life I am interested in so many different crafts; everything from knitting, scrapbooking, jewelry making, and sewing to even wood working.  My biggest challenge right now is time!

One thing that would help, would be to have a designated area to work and keep out everything that I needed to work on a project instead of always having to put everything away even if I'm in the middle of completing a project.  I do have an area that I could do this, but we have a house guest that has been here much longer than I had planned (yes this is also a post for me to piss and moan about having my brother in law stay with us).  We are a family of 5 and live in a small 5 room ranch.  It works for us, but having another adult for 8 months in our basement is totally cramping my style.  I have all of my craft supplies in the basement and could actually organize it so that if I were working on a project, I could keep things set up so that if I found a small chunk of time, I could go and utilize it to my best way possible.  Unfortunately, the basement is where our guest is sleeping.  He will supposedly be moving out the end of this month, but I am not holding my breath.  I would love to have a space to work.  I would love to try to organize what little space I have so that I have a workable area that I can leave up that project that isn't quite finished so that I don't have to take up time setting up and cleaning up!

Last of the bitch session and on to more positive ideas.  My friend over at http://www.goddessinprogressblog.com/quilts seems to post a bunch of fun tutorials (Thanks Liz).  I have printed out a few that I want to work on.  My 3 kids all have birthdays coming up.  The twins turn 3 January 23rd and then Michael turns 4 March 8th.  There are a bunch of things that I want to work on for their birthdays.  I also have project that I want to work on for my husband.  Since we didn't exchange gifts this year and I didn't get a chance to finish something else and since he has a new tea cup, I am planning on making him a travel mug cozy with lectures of the kids on it.  I am hoping that I can make it work out the way I want it to.  I love blogs and I love crafts so craft blogs with tutorials are my favorite.  I can't wait to start working on some of these projects and hopefully, next month I can start working on organizing a craft space of my own!

And now for some simple New Year's Goals

1. Eat more healthy-cook more from scratch
2. Exercise more-get off my but and move damn it!
3. Organize my house-get rid of clutter, make sure that everything has a place to return to.
4. Be more involved with the kids-Now that the kids are more preschooler, I need to start doing more organized play with them.  For now we have been just going with the flow (may be an excuse but finally having 3 kids so close in age is fun and not as difficult, even though it is still OMG so difficult) 
5. Create more-Make time to create.  Try to find a way to keep projects out until they are finished or choose projects that are easy to complete and don't take too much time instead of having to set up and take down everything each time for the same project!
6. Spend time learning more about the things I love- I need to learn more about gardening, herbs, art therapy (which will hopefully help me in my career someday), and many other things that I am interested in instead of just having limited knowledge of it.

Those are my simple goals.  There is much more work that needs to go into them, but for now that is all I need to post.

Here are a couple of picture of the kids!

Juice Break at Drumlin Farm 11/30/2011

Stone Zoo 12/1/2011

Santa at the Enchanted Village 12/4/2011

Amy

Pre-School Parent/Teacher Conference

We had Michael's first parent/teacher conference about 2 weeks ago and for the most part it was all good.  Behavior wise, Michael is doing excellent.  Given his fairly severe speech delay, his frustration level is at a pretty good level, but speaking of his speech, he is definitely delayed and I don't know why.  I think the only thing that bothered me about the conference is that when we asked the teacher about about fears of autism, the only thing she could say was that she didn't feel that he was on the spectrum given his ability to be comfortable sitting in her lap and being affectionate.  That was a good sign, but the fact that teachers are not allowed to give their opinion about testing because it may cause issues with parents really frustrates me.  I mean, these are professionals, who in our case, spend 5 hours a day 5 days a week with my son.  I am not frustrated with the teacher, but the system.  Michael's teacher is wonderful.  She is sweet and kind and motherly and I feel very comfortable with her as his teacher.  I just wish I could get a sense if we need to do more.

I have a feeling that going gluten and dairy free is a really good step.  I hate that we have to do this and we were really bad over the holiday, but we are now back on track and no gluten or dairy for Michael (so to be me too).  I really do think that it makes a difference!  It sucks, but I do think it helps!  The other issue that got brought up at the conference (by his teacher), is wether or not to get Michael tested for diabetes.  I am hoping that this isn't an issue.  Michael seems to drink a ton and then pees a ton to the point of having multiple accidents.  It kinds of makes sense that if he drinks a lot then he will pee a lot, but it is the drinking of fluids that makes me wonder, though I have to say, sometimes limit setting helps and his accidents are getting better.  He has even slept with underwear on for the last 2 nights and the first night woke twice to pee, and then last night didn't soak himself.  Maybe going gluten free and dairy free will really help with just more than digestive issues!

The twins are being evaluated for further needs in the school system.  They are going to be 3 in just under 2 months.  I can't believe that I have an almost 4 year old and almost 3 year old twins.  Eva Rose has been in early intervention since the beginning of the fall for a speech delay and has improved immensely (which is another reason I am increasingly concerned with Michael's delay).  She went from barely putting 2 words together and dropping the endings of words  to the point of not understanding what she is saying, to still dropping the endings of words but putting more than 2 words together.  There are still often times that I don't understand her and at 3 I probably should understand almost everything that is said. Thomas just amazes me with his vocabulary! That being said, when I look at friends kids I can't help but compare and still think my kids are behind, but maybe not. Then there are those people in your life who try to tell you that your kids are very behind and that they should be doing certain things, but in reality maybe those people are over estimating kids development.

It will be interesting to see how the kids further develop. Will Michael all of a sudden come out and just start talking? Is there more to his delay? Do Thomas and Eva Rose need more help with their expressive and receptive communication? Only time will tell and will see how things go!

Amy

Delays!

Michael has some pretty significant speech delays!  He is doing much better now that he has an IEP and is in school for 5 hours Monday thru Friday, but he is still behind.  A while ago, Like more than a year ago, my husband mentioned Autism.  We have gone through the back and forth of wether or not this is an issue.  I have asked his EI person, I have asked his teachers at school, and our family practitioner has never mentioned anything.  No one seems to be concerned about autism.  Everyone seems to think that this is just a speech delay and that in time it will resolve itself.

I have this sinking feeling that there is more than just a speech delay.  I am hoping I am wrong, but something just makes me think that there is more to it.  The problem, is that I don't trust myself and my gut. There is a good chance that I am just over reacting and thinking that there is something wrong, when he is just behind the developmental curve and will catch up.  I tend to compare my kids to my friends' kids who may actually be ahead of the developmental curve so that puts a spin on things too!

I don't think that it is autism.  I have taken my DSM IV, and looked at the autism spectrum disorders and while Michael may fit some criteria, he wouldn't, at least in my opinion, even fit PDD.  We are going to Michael's first school conference tomorrow and I will be asking and probably pushing the teacher to tell me if there is more than just a speech delay and if we should look at getting any sort of testing.

The other piece to the puzzle is that we have had a blood test for Michael and it showed that he has a significant sensitivity to gluten and dairy (as did my test).  The problem is, that this blood test has a lot of people that don't believe it's a valid or accurate test.  We have been trying to remove these foods from Michael's diet, but it is so hard!  Michael is my son when it comes to food.  When we removed dairy back in January, we saw a dramatic difference.  I didn't see that difference with the gluten so I wasn't as strict.  I was talking to my husband's cousin who mentioned that it could take a while before we see a difference with the gluten, and I remembered reading something about that.  After that conversation, I decided that I really needed to be more strict and I have removed anything that he could see that he would want and I would be tempted to give him.  I am trying to make sure that we have options in the house for him so that he can have bread and cookies and milk.  I need to get better at baking gluten free.  I also want to watch how much sugar he has.  It's amazing how I can do this for him, but I can't seem to do this for myself.  Michael is on his 3rd day of being gluten free.  Yesterday, he came home and hadn't had an accident at school.  This was the first time in a long time that he had been accident free.  I think the other thing that made going gluten free hard was seeing him regress with potty training about the same time as we stopped the gluten.  It probably had nothing to do with the gluten, but it was making me wonder if gluten was an issue or not.  Maybe the potty training regression had nothing to do with gluten, maybe I just needed to be more consistent and stop feeling bad about not giving him gluten.  I am totally on board with keeping him gluten free and hoping that this will help with a lot of his issues.  The dietician we met with mentioned that getting rid of gluten would make a major change with his neurological symptoms (we had mentioned the autism fear that we had).

As I write this, I feel that I should make a strong point to say that Michael has made significant gains over the past year.  This time last year, he had about 10 words in his vocabulary and that may be stretching it.  He now will say 3-4 word sentences, but he will be 4 in just 3 1/2 months and still can't even have a simple conversation.  I think I will feel better after our conference tomorrow and then we can hopefully move forward and either get some testing, or I can feel better knowing that it is more likely just a time thing!

Amy

Fall 2011

Just a few pictures of our Fall 2011!

At our favorite restaurant

Pumpkin picking

family photo

 Eva Rose picking pumpkins

Thomas picking pumpkins

Michael taking a break from picking pumpkins

Thomas at Michael's first school Halloween party

Eva Rose at Michael's first school Halloween party

Michael was enthralled with the lights at his first school Halloween party

Tree limb on our roof after our Nor' Easter October 29, 2011

The crane lifting the limb off our roof just days later

Michael climbed his first tree

The twins actually do share

These are just some of our memories from Fall 2011.  I can't believe it is already November 12th.  Before we know it Christmas will be on us and I for one can't wait.  I don't want to rush the time, but I can't wait to start making our family's traditions.  I know that we may be a little late to the party to start making traditions, but I think that the kids are old enough to understand them now.  My next project is to make an advent calendar.  We always had one growing up and I want to continue the tradition with my own children.  I have a pattern that I plan to use for ideas.  I found it at http://www.acaseofthemundays.com/2010/12/felt-friday-felt-advent-calendars.html.  I have so many projects to work on for Christmas.  I can't wait to start working on them.

Amy

Halloween and Way Back When-esday

Halloween 2009 (Dorothy and the 2 scarecrows)

We have a lot of Halloween celebrations this year.  One of the positives about getting laid off, is that I can now go to all these things at night with the kids.  We have a town Halloween night tomorrow, a Halloween party for Michael's school Friday, a Halloween party Sunday for my twins' group, and then of course it's Halloween Monday!  Last year was our first year being able to enjoy trick or treating with the kids.  Michael's first Halloween I had gotten put on bed rest 2 days earlier, and then the twin's first Halloween, we attended my sister's wedding.

I have at least attempted to make part of our costumes.  This is year no exception.  I have to admit that I am not taking as much time as I probably should.  Part of it is because they are costumes for not quite 3 year olds and a 2 1/2 year old, and part of it is because I procrastinated thinking that I had more time than I did, and now I think things will be worse if I stress about making the costumes perfect!  They will look good, but will definitely have short cuts.  As much I like crafting and creating, I don't know that I like sewing clothes.  I like sewing in general, but clothing is not my favorite.

I am almost done with the boys costume, and I need to complete (for the most part) Eva Rose's costume.  Hopefully by bedtime, I will have finished all the costumes and will only have to hem Eva Rose's costume tomorrow after she tries it on.  The boys' costumes are a little big, kind of on purpose to accommodate warm clothes.  Hopefully Eva Rose's costume will fit well enough.

Here's a sneak peak.

Amy

Diets

No not the kind to lose weight, though from what I hear a lot of people eat this way to lose weight.  Last summer I had a blood test for food allergies and this summer, my oldest has the same test.  Unfortunately, we both showed sensitivities to dairy and gluten.  I wasn't surprised about the dairy for either of us, and often wondered if gluten could be an issue.  Now it is time for both of us to go completely dairy and gluten free.

I think that this is going to be a really difficult thing for both of us.  Obviously, since I had the blood test over a year ago and haven't gone completely gluten or dairy free yet, I am going to have a really hard time. The good part for Michael is that I will be the one figuring out what I am going to be making for meals and snacks.  He won't have a choice like I do.  I have to make the right choice for me and him.

I have been reading some blogs that are gluten free focused and dairy free focused.  I am hoping that I will feel some relief from my foggy brain that I sometimes get.  When we talked to the dietician about Michael's  test results, we mentioned that at one point we were concerned about him being on the Autism spectrum.  My husband is no longer concerned, and even though I didn't pick up on things earlier, I am now the one that continues to have concerns that there may be more than just a speech delay.  The dietician mentioned that we may see some changes neurologically once Michael gets the gluten out of his system.  I am hoping that we see some changes since I have heard that diet can play a huge role in people's behaviors.

The other issue with diet is, my mom found out that she is a gene carrier for breast cancer.  I am more than likely going to get tested for the gene, but I also want to change my diet to help keep myself healthy even if I don't have the gene.

I am hoping to find some good bread recipes since that is going to be the hardest for me to give up as well as for Michael to give up.  What I have been finding lately is that I need to let go of what I expect things to taste like.  I can't expect that gluten free and dairy free foods, unless they are naturally gluten and dairy free, to taste the same as the regular foods will taste.

If anyone has any good recipes, cookbooks, blogs, or any info at all, please leave a comment.  If you have any suggestions on how best to tackle this, please leave a comment.  I will be researching and reading blogs often!

Wish me luck!
Amy

Sleep

I haven't written about sleep issues in a long time.  That is because we haven't had sleep issues in a long time!  The twins have always been good sleepers, and since we stopped dairy in January, Michael has also been sleeping through the night.  For the last 8-9 months, I have only had an occasional middle of the night wake up.  For the last couple of weeks, Miss Eva Rose has been sleeping horrible.

She fights naps, even though she still needs them.  When she doesn't nap, she falls asleep what could be considered either too late or too early, meaning she takes a nap too late which then interferes with her night time sleep or I put her to bed early thinking she will be out for the night and she wakes up too early.  Today I put her and Thomas in for a nap and Thomas fell asleep right away and she is still yelling and crying at the door almost an hour later, although I think she is finally going to sleep now!

 I am hoping that a normal nap will help her sleep better at night.  I hate having her cry it out for a nap, but she needs her nap.  I don't even know if this will make a difference.  I also got laid off and I don't know if that is impacting her sleep.  She seems like she needs to be held, rocked, and/or have her head rubbed, but even then she still fights sleep.  I wish knew why she all of a sudden needs more attention and seems to be having some sort of separation anxiety.   I also wish I knew why she won't go to sleep like she has for the last almost 2 years 9 months.

Any help?
Amy