Senator Duckworth!

Please visit this link to see her talk to some asshole that wants more from the government!

I have the upmost respect for this lady! She handed his ass to him on a PLATINUM PLATTER and told him how it was!

http://www.upworthy.com/whats-the-worst-thing-you-could-say-to-a-congresswoman-who-lost-her-legs-in-battle-found-it

Oh the life...

Life has been crazy busy all summer long and now with school starting back next Friday I may has some sanity back. 

We kicked off the summer with a tube surgery for Connor oh let me tell you what fun! Having two little kids up and out the door by 6am is a treat!

Hayley started violin lessons and Connor started gymnastics! Connors OT thought it would be good for him to do something mid week to help with his SPD. 

So Mondays we now have Kiley's DT come in the morning, Tuesday is gymnastic and violin lessons, Wednesdays is OT 8am bright and early,Thursday is Kiley's speech and our marathon therapy day for Hayley and Connor. We leave the house around 3pm and don't get home until 7pm. And every other Friday the behaviorist comes in.

I have decided to go back to school and get a masters in psychology with an emphasis in ABA (applied behavior analysis). Fun for me and add some more to our already busy schedule. 

We were recently approved for the caregivers program for the VA since Pat can't manage his own appointments anymore. Between the nightmares, not sleeping and the mood swings I have no idea what to do anymore. Dealing with the PTSD is taking me down. I will continue to stay strong and keep my head held high but sometimes it's nearly impossible. 

We have done a lot this summer some of may not seem like a big deal to a typical family but WE did it!

Here are a few pictures!

This was the sideshow in Bolingbrook in June.

I took the kids strawberry picking with a few friends of ours! Do you know how heavy three kids are while pulling them in a wagon for about a mile!

Took the kids to the free zoo in aurora, yes by myself!

And the mall indoor playground

Got a pool on the 4th of July.

       

Went to the Frankfort bluegrass festival. Hayley and kiley both rode on a huge turtle.

Hayley got to ride the big kid rides at Romeofest this year!

And this is what wraps up my night! EVERY NIGHT

April = Autism Awareness Month - Asperger's Syndrome

                         

There are many different disabilities to support but this month is National Autism Awareness Month.  I found this video on YouTube and thought I would link you all.  

I believe Hayley has Asperger's Syndrome.  Asperger's syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. It can lead to difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and clumsiness.  The Mayo Clinic has some awesome information on Asperger's Syndrome:  Mayo Clinic - Asperger's Syndrome.  Hayley has always been socially awkward in the school setting and with other people.   Some of the most common symptoms of Asperger's are:

Asperger's syndrome symptoms include:

• Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject
• Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures
• Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes
• Appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to others' feelings
• Having a hard time "reading" other people or understanding humor
• Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast
• Moving clumsily, with poor coordination

(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aspergers-syndrome/DS00551/DSECTION=symptoms)

Hayley is also obsessive about patterns, clothing items, puzzles and many other things.  Most things have to be just perfect for her to accept the way she has done something.  Another classic sign or symptom of Asperger's is that these individuals do not have any sort of cognitive delays, they are typically of above average intelligence.  I am not going to sit here and gloat on my child like she is the best, but she is genuinely bored in school.  She went into Kindergarten knowing how to count in English and Spanish, knew all her colors in English and Spanish, shapes, her alphabet and how to do simple addition.  Halfway through the school year now she can count well above 500, doing triple digit addition and subtraction, knows her alphabet BACKWARDS (starting at Z), is doing GREAT with her reading and is ready to conquer the world at almost 6 years old.  

A little background about Hayley, she was diagnosed in February 2011 with Sensory Processing Disorder by Easter Seals.  We are constantly fighting with our school district about getting her an IEP, they keep saying it does not affect her educationally.  She was “segregated” from the rest of her classmates due to her being “fidgety” and says her legs are bored during the day.  Meaning that she needs sensory breaks during to day to be less fidgety and to not kick other kids under their group table.  Her teacher’s response to this was that she was kicking other kids intentionally under the table during the day and that she didn’t understand what was going on.  This is coming from a self proclaimed “Special Education Support Staff” member in her prior school district. I have asked the teacher numerous times for more challenging work for Hayley to do at home and every time I was given the answer of get her some workbooks. That is exactly what I have been doing lately. I touched base with her teacher again and told her that she was doing 1st and 2nd grade workbooks and she advised me that it was not a good idea because she would be bored again next year. So WTF (excuse my french) but what am I supposed to do now? Seriously, give me some suggestions lady! Suggestions that are actually going to be beneficial to my child. I will touch on this more in a later post and update as things come in from her teacher.

Hayley made this at Math Night at school on March 24, 2013

Car Seats

Some of you know that Kiley is 18 months old now and still rear facing in her car seat.  We have decided to keep her rear facing even though she is now at the minimum weight and age limit.  The recommended age used to be 1 year old and 20 pounds.  This recommendation has now change to at least 2 years old and the maximum rear facing weight limit of the seat.  

So lets look at Kiley’s seat; Kiley has an Evenflo Symphony 65.  I fell in love with this seat when we looked at it in the store.  You don't have to move the straps, they self adjust!  I love this damn seat to the moon and back, I can’t even begin to tell you how nice this one is.  

Features

• Quick Connector™ LATCH Quickly and safely attaches and detaches with one hand!
• All-In-One Car Seat - The only car seat you will ever need!
• Infinite Slide™ Harness easily slides for an accurate fit every time. No reworking the harness as child grows!
• Up-front multi-position recline for child’s comfort while asleep or awake
• 65 lb. harness weight rating accommodates growing children longer
• Removable head and body pillow for additional comfort and support
• One-hand adjustable headrest grows with your child
• Fold-down cup holder for easy access to drinks and folds out of the way when not in use
• Easy-off, machine-washable car seat pad requires no harness re threading
• Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety & comfort

This seat accommodates a child in the harness up to 65 pounds, rear faces up to 40 pounds and forward faces as a booster seat up to 110lbs.  This is a true all in one car seat.  I believe this car seat is one of the better ones on the market and in the mid range price range.  It isn't the Corvette of car seats but it isn’t a $30 special from Walmart either.  


information was taken from Evenflo's Website

A Week in Review

All three of my kids have been or are currently in Early Intervention.  I will tell you right now it is total HELL, but it is so good for the kids.  Trying to coordinate therapy sessions for my almost 3 year old now has been a nightmare.  He receives speech 2 times a week, developmental therapy, occupational therapy and vision therapy.  We are currently working on a PT evaluation before he ages out on May 3rd.  

This week we had evaluations for Connor for school at our school district and we got NOTHING accomplished so they are coming to my house next Tuesday to finish their evaluations.  He clung to my leg and cried for almost the entire time which was 2 hours.  I also have Connor scheduled for the ENT and Neurologist next week.  This should be fun running all the kids everywhere while dealing with Pat and his stuff.  Thank God my Mom is still here to help me.  

Pat was in the hospital last week due to diverticulitis and then contracted pneumonia while he was in the hospital also.  So the 4 days that he was there Monday through Thursday I was running my butt off going back and forth and dealing with the kids.  Trying to get Hayley to school and get back for Connor’s therapy everyday.  My Mom finally got here Wednesday afternoon and Pat then came home from the hospital early Thursday evening.  

Friday afternoon I had to go pick up Johna from Earthy Bliss since she was coming in on business for the weekend and we spent most of the weekend together.  Having mommy time and being out of the house for basically 4 days was wonderful but also extremely exhausting!  Friday I drove her up to

Elgin to meet with Alyssa from The Mommy Dialogues.  She stayed with Alyssa Friday night and then I met up with them Saturday afternoon in Chicago for the MommyCon playdate.  Saturday evening we went to dinner with Ruth from Zerberts a local babywearing retailer and Caryn a dear friend of ours.  We had so much fun at PF Changs.  A nice child free dinner with no screaming is just what the Dr. ordered.  LOL.  Johna and I didn’t get home from dinner until almost Midnight and we still had stuff to get ready for the Sunday event at MommyCon.  I finally went to bed around 3am and had to be up at 5:30am and leave the house by 6:30 to be downtown at MommyCon at 7:30am.  UGH what a long freaking weekend but damn did I have a blast.  Johna and I got home around 7pm Sunday evening from MommyCon and I swear we were so tired and strung out on caffeine that we didn't go to bed until after 10 that night.  

Johna, Alyssa and Ruth
(Three awesome people)

Monday morning came and I had to go wake Johna up to go visit Ruth and play with all her pretty little things.  Yes and what I mean by pretty little things I mean her room is like a babywearing playground!  I just wanted to get everything out and roll in it.  I love rolling in all the fluff all the time.  

Crazy Life, Crazy Week

We started off the week with Patrick in the hospital, Pat and the kids were supposed to leave Friday morning for Ohio to spend the weekend while I attended MommyCon Mini in Chicago.  Plans obviously got derailed this week.  He was in the hospital from Monday until Thursday evening.  So needless to say I needed some help with the kids so my Mom hopped on the train and come up for a while.

Between my Mom and Pat I think they can handle the kids for a day!  Hayley is with Great Grandma so they only have 2 kids.  I've got Johna from Earthy Bliss here that I am playing chauffeur and hostess to.  She is one of the most awesome people in the world.  Always trying to help everyone with everything!  Earthy Bliss is a company that was started by Johna and is run out of her home in Southern California.  I commend her for her work and dedication to the business and running a household with 4 "special" children.

MommyCon is a Natural Parenting Expo that features cloth diapering, babywearing and other natural parenting styles.  I'm so excited to attend and hope to attend the MommyCon in Kansas City in the fall.

Here is a few recent pictures of the family.