Work In Progress

Let's go for a WALK!

This year's WALK NOW FOR AUTISM is this weekend. Here in Atlanta it's on Sunday, May 3rd at 10 am at Atlantic  Station. And for all our Utah friends it's at UVSC, oh wait, UVU on SATURDAY. Last year we couldn't make it because heaven forbid it rained, and heaven forbid Ethan threw a mega fit, and heaven forbid he heard thunder, and heaven forbid his clothes get wet.... let's just say it wasn't the ideal day. This year though... the weather is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL, Ethan is excited to wear his new shoes from Grandma and we are going!! We're going to support those hundreds of volunteers that and donors that raise so much money and awareness for our community. I think it's so important to teach the kids to be involved in their community, to contribute. It will also be good for Ethan to realize that there are a lot of HAPPY kids that have Autism, he is not alone. It's a fun way for our entire family to support Ethan. So, if you're free Sunday morning, come join us. Let's go for a walk!

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

NOTICE TO ALL READERS;

It's has been almost a year. A year since I touched, smelled and PLAYED in my scrapbooking room. Yes, I've put together a assignments, make and takes, announcements and invitations but that is not TRUW scrapbooking. It's not starting a fresh project, it's not FINISHING anything. It's not touching anything of my own.... well that time is over. My scrapbook room is clean, it's fresh and my ideas never stopped (so there is certainly a lot of catching up to do). I'm posting notice simply because I might be sharing my creations and ideas again and it just might start being more creative around here (although I make no promises). This weekend I've been working on Dallin's album and then I'll be whipping up a mini book for Owen's first year... I can't wait. To heck with work, class and the rest of my house, it's springtime and there an't nothing better than opening the windows and watching the kids play Cops and Robbers while sitting at my desk SCRAPBOOKING!!!

Silent Saturday

BAD days

I guess you have to have BAD days to appreciate the good ones?

Aquarium Fun

I'm loving Spring Break with my kids, they are just so darn cute!!!

Big Box of Bills

Today while I was working on Passports and searching for Birth Certificates, I got swallowed by papers. I think the time has finally come to actually do something about it all! If you need me, I'll be tending to my paper cuts and trying to find my desk.

Neighbors

My Sister and Sister in Law live in this great neighborhood where you can't even drive 5 miles a hour because the streets are so packed with kids playing with eachother outside. Everytime we visit I notice it and everytime I'm on the phone with them I hear her calling the kids in from outside. I've always been jealous. I even found myself wondering if my kids would ever experience those moments. A lot of kids in our neighborhood are teenagers and we've never really seen little ones.
A few weeks ago we were all outside doing yardwark and suddenly four new kids appeared in our backyard, out of no where! Seriously, I had never seen them and I had no idea who they belonged to. Three hours later we were kicking kids out of the yard and pulling our kids kicking and screaming into the house. It was great! This week is Spring Break and for the first time Ethan went and knocked on a neighbors door to ask if Collin could come play. It was a big moment for both of us. Everyday for a week the kids play outside together, running, digging, biking, hiding and catching bugs together. It's been wonderful, I love seeing their confidence grow just having that time to run wild. I love the giggles and squeals I hear from the hammock or porch and nothing beats the warm weather! Happy Spring everyone!

Silent Saturday

Owen

Since I seem to have given up scrapbooking (at least until school is done) I figure I need to document on my blog more personally about the kids. Today it's Owen's turn mainly because I think he has been outgrowing cute baby stages on a daily basis and I hate that I haven't been as focused on it.

Owen at 14 months...

You FINALLY weigh 20 pounds, you have the tiniest feet (size 6 months). you have four teeth and you just got your first hair cut.

You love your sister and even have started saying her name "La-Lie!". Whenever we drop her off at pre-school you cry and when we pick her up you clap and giggle.

Your favorite song right now is "Itsy Bitsy Spider". You can be crying and if anyone in the room starts to sing it, you stop the tears and join in with your own cute actions and "la-la-la" singing. In the car you'll do it for very long stretches of time, over an over and over- and you usually get Lorali to join in.

You can take 6 steps without holding on to anything and you love your push walker and swinging in the therapy swing. Your favorite toys are the wooden push toys from Grandma, your pull Cowboy and Little People.

You're a great sleeper as long as you have your Bear Night Night. You sleep through the night and take one nap a day and two naps on Tuesday/Thursday (while Lorali's at pre-school).

You have just started realizing that Ethan has some fun toys and this week you've been giggling your brains out when he shoots his 'Alien Space Blasters' (Nerf balls) towards you (he never hits you because he's a terrible shot, but you love it!). Whenever he builds his cities out of blocks to dart to hit them down- only laughing more when he gets upset. You've also discovered that you can crawl into his room while he's at school. You get into his treasure box under his bed and ALWAYS find his candy. I often find you quiet, sticky and happy up there.

As soon as Daddy gets home you call to him and clap but, you are definitely a Momma's Boy! You prefer to be held by me over EVERYONE, you always want to be in my lap.... and I love it!

Developing at his own pace.

    This has been a very hard decision on me, in fact, I've started writing this post about three times and haven't been able to finish it because it's just been such an emotional roller coaster. When Ethan was first diagnosed 3 years ago, we already had him in Special Needs Pre-School, we already had him in Speech Therapy and we really felt like we were on the right track. We've seen huge progress in him over the past three years and it's been magical to watch him grow not only physically, but developmentally as well. Every few years we do a full psychology evaluation on Ethan to make sure he's reaching certain milestones and to make sure that he still qualifies for services through the school and also Katie Beckett/Deeming Waiver. Part of us really wishes that he didn't qualify for services but in the end we know we are going to have to hear where Ethan is at.... compared to other kids.
    In February his OT did an Eval and so did the School. Both with the same results. Overall, Ethan is developmentally 3 years and 10 months of age... Oh boy were those hard numbers to hear. He's a 6 years and 1 month old. Yes, some areas he is ahead (and others are as low as 2 years 2 months) but overall, he is a 3-4 year old. (No wonder I feel like I have twins most of the time!) So today Doug and I met with the school, AGAIN. We decided to hold Ethan back and keep him in Kindergarten next year. Same school, same teacher, same curriculum. It is so hard to know what is best for your child. Ethan is not typical, he's not picking everything up like other kids in his class and his is not quite enjoying it like he could be. Doug and I feel like developmentally he isn't quite ready for 1st grade and we are hoping that this decision will work out positively. I'm praying his confidence will grow this next year, I'm praying his reading skills will emerge and I'm hoping that he will be more socially on par with the kids coming into his classroom next year. This will put him just one grade above Lorali, which hopefully will push him more academically. So I guess the upside is that I get to enjoy the  Kindergartner stage a little bit longer. I'm certainly glad that he doesn't have to grow up too fast and I just need to remind myself that he is happy, progressing and  developing at his own pace.