I don't think I have mentioned it

I know I mentioned way back in April or May when Robby's speech was first evaluated that Apraxia would be kept in mind.  Well, it was briefly mentioned again.  In a vague kind of way.  "And that may actually be a bit of Apraxia showing up."  It seems that when Robby is playing and relaxed, he can say one sound.  "B."  It comes out "Ba(ll)" and "Boo(k)", and "Bub(ble)".  When you ask him to say it, he just looks at you.  His mouth forms like he wants to say it, but nothing comes out.  I am just going to keep on working with him constantly.  Taking the work with him and see approach instead of the wait and see approach.

Mother Earth

I hear about all of the floods and rain in other parts of the country and then I look out my window.  Dead grass.  My evergreen bushes are turning brown.  Leaves are falling from my trees.  I just saw on the news that we are 3 inches of rain below normal for June, and 7 inches below normal for the entire year so far.  Ouch.  I do worry about things on a Global Level.  The world is going crazy and it's because of us.

I have chosen to make a difference through my children.  We walk when we can.  While we are walking, if the kids see litter, they pick it up and carry it with us until we get to a trash can.  I admit, I freaked out at first about them picking up the yucky garbage.  Now I just carry hand sanitizer with me.   I need to just start carrying grocery bags to put the trash in, and even pick the litter up with the edge of the bag.   Anyhow,  my kids are learning that litter is bad for our Earth.  We don't drink bottled water often because the bottles fill up landfills and pollute our world.  There are so many things that we have tweaked here and there to try to make a difference.  My main goal it to just make my children aware.  After all, they need the Earth more than I do at this point. 

              Children are the Earth's future, and the Earth is the children's future. 

Thank goodness!

I have a confession.  When I am in the express line of WalMart, I get irritated when I have to stand there forever.  I don't know why I insist on going to the express lines when they usually end of taking three times as long!  I never have good luck at Walmart with lines.  So today, we were next in line, and I swear....we stood there for 15 minutes.  Other people kept hopping over to the next really, really long line, but I already had my stuff up there so I just stayed put.  I am so happy with myself, I didn't even feel irritated once.  The lady who was in line finally looked up at me and apologized.  I smiled and told her it wasn't her fault, it was no problem.  (Computer/system problems).  In the past in this same situation, I have just scowled at the person.  I just have to face it, I'm not a very nice person.  I'm rather grumpy and cynical.  So...I was really proud of myself for actually being cheerful.  I really am trying to change.  Being grumpy all of the time isn't very fun.

Well...kind of to go along with this...I have been doing well with keeping my middle finger in line.  It had been maybe two months since I had exercised it.  Last night, though, I broke my streak.  I was coming back from the Family Fun night thing and this darn kid on a motorcycle was playing Monkey in the middle just waiting for me to squish him like a bug.  He was all the way up so close to my bumper, if I had used my brakes even a little bit he would have hit me and flipped over the top of my vehicle or something.  He was paying so much attention to the people in the truck next to me, I was afraid to do anything.  So, before I had to turn, I signaled way ahead of time so he wouldn't run right into me when I started braking.  You know what he did?  He drives up next to me in my lane.  I was so ticked.  The kid had on no helmet, shorts, and short sleeves and flip flops.  For goodness sakes.  It wasn't like we were on a neighborhood road...we were going high speed.  And he was in my lane next to me and the truck next to me was riding the center line.  I was so livid.  I  just can't stand when kids put themselves in danger just to be macho for their friends or whatever the people in the truck were.  I didn't look at them because I was so busy trying not to hit the very un-bright kid in my lane.  I just couldn't help myself.  That middle finger popped up.  I should have taken his license number instead.  I had Jacob shouting "Cool, Cool!" while I was trying to tell him that driving like that was certainly NOT cool!  

                                               I can't help it, I'm a mom.

The librarian thinks I am nuts

I noticed that on my account it said I had a video checked out that I had turned in two weeks ago.  It was due today, so the kids and I went to the library.  Well, while I was turning in the videos we had and talking to the librarian, the kids went to start looking for their new books and videos.  She went over to look for the video on the shelf and couldn't find it.  Well, Aidan told me "I picked Dora and the one we had before!"  So I just knew which one he had in his hand.  lol  Sure enough...that was the one.  She took it over to see what came up when she checked it in.  It was still checked out to me and Aidan had just taken it off the shelf.  I'm glad no one else wanted it in the past two weeks.  The lady looked at me weird, though.  I think she maybe thought Aidan was holding it the entire time.  I'm not sure what I could gain by doing that, LOL.  It wasn't overdue or anything. 

Everything is fixed now.  I just thought it was kind of funny that Aidan had already plucked it up so he could check it out again.  lol  It was all just kind of weird. 

                         Or maybe I really, really need to get out more? lol

I'm smiling today!

I checked my e-mail before we dashed off to church today and there it was - the news that my dear Hubby gets to come to the Family Reunion.  Yay!  I am so happy.  I won't get there until later in the evening after he arrives, but that is OK.  He can rest and relax before the kids and I descend down upon him.  It's going to be for a long weekend.  3 full days and one evening and one morning.  LoL.  Not long enough by far, but we will take what we can get.  :-) 

I have so much to do before we can go!  I'm counting down the days.

 

I really, really need a break.

Around an hour ago., the kids said they were getting hungry so I turned the oven on and got the chicken all set to cook.  I covered it with foil and popped it in.  Well, the timer went off and I opened the oven to check on the chicken.  No chicken.  No anything.  Where did my chicken go?  Did the black hole of the ovens open up and suck up our dinner?  No, no, nothing dramatic like that.  When I popped the chicken in,  I evidently popped it into the refrigerator instead of the oven.  A real head slapping moment.  I was so busy trying to get the kids to clean up their mess in the kitchen that I wasn't paying attention to where I was putting the chicken.  So here we are at 6 P.M. with a bunch of hungry children and dinner is still an hour away.  ::sighs::

 

I need a break

Enough said. 

Family Fun Night

I tried to make it a fun day.

We did some things today to have fun, and now my oldest wants to move in with his Grandma.  I thought this wasn't supposed to happen until they were in their teens?  I seriously am frightened out of my wits at the prospect of his teen years.  He is acting like a teenager now.  So either it will be a challenge to get him through his teen years in one piece, or he is getting it out of his system now.  Let's hope for the latter!

He is going to get to spend some time with Grandma this summer.  So maybe that is what brought it on.  I don't know.

What is wrong with me?

Can we say PMSing to an extreme?  I am so ashamed of myself.  Today the kids and I went into a gas station for something.  Well, it happened to be back by the restrooms and this woman was standing there.  Alexia comes running up and the woman moved so that her body blocked Alexia.  And there goes Alexia....she bounced right off the woman because the woman moved directly into her path.  And the woman snarls "Stay back, I'm in line."  I hugged Alexia and marched right in front of the woman to get the item I went back there for and announced "We aren't here to use the restroom, no need to be so rude."  Which was bad enough, but then I just wouldn't let up.  The kids crowded around her because she was standing in front of what we went to get.  I asked the kids to come stand by me because I didn't want "to impeded on this woman's space."  That's all I said, but I should have left it well enough alone. 

           I guess the Mama Lion in me came out, and she came out roaring!

                         I am sorry for being so rude, though.

Out and about

Today we took part of a play date through a local MOPS group.  The invite didn't say to bring swim suits or towels, so we didn't.  And of course the kids saw the pool that was set up and wanted to get in.  The owner said no one cared if the kids got in clothes or in their boxers.  My boys are very body conscious, so they opted to get in fully clothed.  It was so funny.  A pool full of kids and there are my boys in shirts and shorts.  LOL  Alexia loved getting in and splashing around!  I am so happy she was able to work her elbow a little in the pool.  The pool was great for her under-used muscles in her injured arm.   I had them play in the sun after they got out so they could dry before we went home.  It was a very nice time for all of us.  The kids had a great time and I didn't feel too terribly awkward.  Which is amazing in and of itself.  I think we will go next week, also. 

I also received a real-true-blue letter from the hubby today.  Through snail mail.  It was a wonderful surprise.  The only thing is that I want to give him a great big hug and build his ego up a little even more than I did before. 

I suppose I better be getting busy with cleaning this house up and getting dinner ready.  I also need to look up and see if tonight is the puppet show at the park of if it is tomorrow.  I know it's one of the nights!

Alexia has graduated to a new cast.  This one is shorter, lighter, and waterproof!  She was so thrilled to run water over her poor elbow and upper arm.  Today we will play in the sprinkler, as long as she doesn't run.  She is very excited!  Three weeks of this cast, and they she gets a brace.  

Today has been a decent day

I finally signed the kids up for the Kid's Club at the local Mall.  I have been saying I was going to do it for two years, and I just now did it.  I think the kids had fun.  The younger kids had more fun that my oldest.  He reported that "I didn't have that much fun."  Haha.  Alexia tried to go up and ask the ladies leading the "meeting" which month of birthday's were being celebrated, and they didn't understand her.  She thought she was saying her Birthday was in June.  So she was trying to stop them and they put a Birthday hat on her and gave her a goody bag. LOL  I went up and explained it to them.  They let her keep the hat and bag and told her to just not come up next month when it was really her Birthday.  Oops, hehe. 

After that, we walked home and had lunch.  Yes, I actually walked.  Trying to save on the gasoline and burn a few calories.  We then went grocery shopping.  That took like three hours.  Ouch.  It was a decent day.  The kids had fun and the kids have been generally well behaved.  I am emotionally drained from keeping them focused. 

My mood is much improved, however, after receiving a couple of messages from my Dear Hubby.  He sounds depressed, and that saddens me, but it still delighted me to hear from him.  The kids were quite pleased, too.  I read the parts to them that pertained to them. 

So all in all, it's been a decent day.  I'm ready for some quiet time to myself.  I would really love to snuggle up with the Hubby, but what can a girl do.  We can make up for it sometime.

Fun in the sun

We went to a free Festival here yesterday.  Here are some of the pictures I took.  I didn't get too many.  We spent a lot of time waiting in line.  Robby cracks me up.  He doesn't like buns, so he was eating the hotdog like a corn on the cob and leaving the bun behind. 

 

 

 

The gap picture

I wish mine were as perky as his!

If mine were as perky as his, I might like them being big!  He's such a nut. 

The new addition of Embarassing moments for a Mom

Today in Church I was standing to sing the opening Hymn.  My seat was in between my four year old and my seven year old.  Well, while I was standing, my four year old slid into my seat and starting hitting my behind.  Jacob joined in.  All of a sudden, the song ended and the entire Church was quiet.  Quiet except for the distinct sound of a sound slap on the behind.  Just as the song ended, my four year old had given my behind a good slap.  Everybody in my immediate area turned around and gaped at me because it was obvious that the sound was a slap.  The old man next to me winked. 

            .....Um...Calgon take me a way?

Happy Second Birthday, Robby!

 

 

Education Drama

My children's school is wonderful.  The staff and teacher's are gifts to the children and families.  Truly, they are angels.  I love them all for what they do for the children and families at the school. 

The County's Student Services is an entirely different story.  I would have an easier time performing surgery on myself than I do getting them to work with me.  Yes, it's that bad.  Do you know how I found out my son was starting Preschool last year?  The bus driver called me.  Yes, the bus driver.  I had just called Student Services *that day and asked them with my son would be starting.  They said "He will be getting a letter at least a week prior."  I kept calling and basically it was always, "Don't call us, we'll send you mail."  Well, that Friday, they told me again "We'll send you a letter."  And that night, the bus driver called and told me she would be picking up my son on Monday.  I was not a happy camper.  I received the letter that he would be staring two full weeks after he started school. 

I'm having that kind of progress trying to get my daughter speech therapy over the summer.  Yes, I know they aren't required to make sure my daughter has speech therapy over the summer.  But this is the second year she has been recommended for it by her Pathologist.  Last year she never did get speech therapy over the summer.  This year, I am not going to let that happen.  My daughter tends to regress into her old habits when she isn't regularly seeing a Pathologist.  And then during the next school year, she has to spend the first half of the year catching up again.  You can see how that would be redundant.  I am not going to go through the entire story of what I have been dealing with this year...but let's say I finally have an answer.  I hope.  I finally talked to Robby's Pathologist and she told me to definitely call where she works out of.  I did, and a very nice woman just called me and explained to me how it all worked. They just hired a new Pathologist and Alexia should be starting speech in two weeks.  I think that is great!  The other places I called all had three MONTH waiting lists.  Yeah, that will do me a lot of good for summer speech therapy!  I really wish Student Services would work faster so I could have had it prearranged a couple months before school ended, but instead, I was still fighting to get her speech therapy on the last day of school.  The school's Assistant Principal was even involved, and he shouldn't have anything to do with it.  That worked out well for me, though.  ::big grin:: Because now Alexia's name is flagged in Student Services system and every time I call to bug them, they know exactly who I am and now they are bending over backwards to help.  ::delighted chuckle::  So hopefully this all turns out in a positive way, because they don't want to see me *really grumpy.

Can I just say...

...that I am so ready for my daughter to get her cast off!  It is yucky and dirty.  I would really love to give her a good soak in the tub.  And she wants to be able to move and play like she used to!  She still has a while for her arm, though.  We don't go back for a recheck until next week.  The doctor said that even then, she would probably just go into a short cast or a brace.  It was a pretty bad break, and he wants to protect it and allow it to heal for as long as he can.  I am so ready for her to be back together again!  I just look at her pink arm and want to cry.  The boys keep wanting to go the mall to play and I tell them we can't, because Alexia can't play.  I want to keep it fair, after all.  Alexia then pipes in with "No play area!  Bad play area!"  She's afraid to go back there.  And I am afraid to go back there.  I probably need to get past my fear and show Alexia how to, also, but not yet.  There is time.  When she is 100% better, I will think about it.  For a few seconds, anyway.

School's out

I think I forgot to mention that the kids school year ended last week.  Jacob did awesome this year.  His report card wowed me.  He has mostly marks of "AS," which means "area of strength."  It's the highest mark he can get.  All of his AC's (Area of concerns) have been moved up to SP (Satisfactory Progress), which is a good mark.  Some even to AS.  He has improved so much with his reading!  I am so proud of him.  Last summer he was in summer school because he was really struggling with reading.  He went into first grade feeling strong, and came out reading at 2.3 level.  Which means he is reading at a second grade level after 3 months of school.  Way to go, Jacob!

Alexia has also made great improvement!  She did have some AC's still, but a lot of her previous AC's have become PH (progressing with help).  I am very proud of her, too!  Her reading score has improved a lot.  She is reading simple books.  She is also writing numbers to 100, which is a huge, huge thing for her!  We struggled all year with writing to 100.  She can do it with no problem!  Way to go, Alexia!

I am also very proud of Aidan.  He is on his way to meeting his IEP goal and he is really flourishing in Preschool.  His progress report was excellent.  He's is making excellent progress.  Way to go, Aidan!

And Robby...you know I can't leave him out!  He will come up to me and do a three sign "sentence."  WOW.  And he says "Bubba" for bubble still.  And now he will say "Bbbbbbbb" for ball!  Yay!  That is excellent progress!  He used to just say "Uhhhhhh" for everything.  Way to go, Robby!

Both Robby and Alexia will be receiving speech therapy this summer.  As long as I can move heaven and earth for it to happen for Alexia.  I don't even want to go there, right now!  Much frustration trying to get everyone to think the same.  I will get her in speech therapy, though.  I won't give up.  I work with her at home during the summer, but from experience, we know she looses a lot of what she gained through out the school year over the summer.  So summer speech therapy is a wonderful option for her. 

 

The Gap

Yeah, not the Gap where you go shopping.  The gap in my child's mouth.  He discovered a barely loose tooth today.  He has no patience at all, so he yanked it out.  Ouch.  He's very thrilled to have lost his tooth.  He keeps talking about how he is going to spend his two dollars.  ::lifts eyebrow:: I could have sworn the tooth fairy gave him one dollar for his first tooth, so I'm not sure why his second tooth would be higher!  Lower, if anything.  ::nods knowingly::

I love that gappy smile, though!  I really, really do.

Very emotional

I am very emotional these days.  Realities set in when I pick up the phone to call certain people and then I realize that I am not able to call them for various reasons.   My husband deleted my Grandma's phone number from my phone when I last saw him.  I was so sad.  He was right, though, it was way past time.  My Grandma has been gone for over a year now, and she hasn't even lived in her house for over two.  I just couldn't bring myself to delete her phone number from my address book. 

    Sometimes you just don't want to let go...