The boys have an appointment with a pediatric allergist later this month. Their pedi set it up at my request to do food allergy testing.
I don't know what kind of testing they're going to do. I'm putting together a list of questions to call and ask about what to expect. They are sending me a packet to fill out. I don't know if there will be some info in there that answers my questions but I'm hoping!
If anyone knows of a question I should ask, please leave it in the comments!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Sad Goodbye...
Today we said goodbye to Ethan's occupational therapist :( She lost her job due to budget cuts and today was her last day. We knew it was coming but we didn't find out till Tuesday when it would be.
I knew Ethan was going to be really upset about her leaving. The last couple weeks I've been hinting around about it. He asked me Tuesday night and I told him. He took it better than I expected. When I broke the news to him, I suggested he could make her a book and we could bring it to her and tell her bye.
So yesterday I gave him 10 sheets of typing paper and his bucket of crayons. I didn't give him any directions other than "make the book for Ms. J." He drew. He wrote. He was done in 10 minutes LOL Last night he chose sheets of construction paper for the front and back cover. I punched holes and tied it all together with string. We went page by page and I added captions to his pages as he told me what they were.
This morning I wrote her a letter thanking her for all she had done for Ethan. I had been trying since Tuesday but I couldn't put the words together. I composed it on my phone and then wrote it out with purple ink and sealed it in an envelope.
I had emailed to find out what time she was free today. She was in her office when we got there. Ethan knocked. She opened the door and was so excited to see him! Ethan gave her the book he had made. She looked at every page and commented enthusiastically. I gave her the envelope, telling her to read it later. There were hugs and heartfelt goodbyes.
I didn't know how Ethan would handle telling her bye. He was fine.
I was the one holding back tears as we walked to the car...
I knew Ethan was going to be really upset about her leaving. The last couple weeks I've been hinting around about it. He asked me Tuesday night and I told him. He took it better than I expected. When I broke the news to him, I suggested he could make her a book and we could bring it to her and tell her bye.
So yesterday I gave him 10 sheets of typing paper and his bucket of crayons. I didn't give him any directions other than "make the book for Ms. J." He drew. He wrote. He was done in 10 minutes LOL Last night he chose sheets of construction paper for the front and back cover. I punched holes and tied it all together with string. We went page by page and I added captions to his pages as he told me what they were.
This morning I wrote her a letter thanking her for all she had done for Ethan. I had been trying since Tuesday but I couldn't put the words together. I composed it on my phone and then wrote it out with purple ink and sealed it in an envelope.
I had emailed to find out what time she was free today. She was in her office when we got there. Ethan knocked. She opened the door and was so excited to see him! Ethan gave her the book he had made. She looked at every page and commented enthusiastically. I gave her the envelope, telling her to read it later. There were hugs and heartfelt goodbyes.
I didn't know how Ethan would handle telling her bye. He was fine.
I was the one holding back tears as we walked to the car...
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Really Neat Memory
I just had a memory pop up out of nowhere...
I was very close to my paternal grandparents growing up. My grandmother went Home less than a year before I met Jesse. My grandfather joined her the fall of Katrina. But he got to meet and spend some time with Jesse. I'm so thankful for that :) I miss them both terribly still. Just writing this is bringing tears to my eyes... I dream about them sometimes, that I'm at their house, feel their love surrounding me, just like it did during some rough times in my life...
Anyway. My grandparents watched my brother and I after school/Mother's Day Out for a couple years. One afternoon I was working on social studies homework. I was probably in 6th grade. It was a map that had to be colored in with colored pencils. I don't remember the details, but there was a set color for each section. I really wanted to finish it but my colored pencils had very little points left. They were worn down to the wood. I asked my grandparents if they had a pencil sharpener. Grand-daddy said they didn't but that he had something in his tools he could use. So he took my whole pack of colored pencils out to the garage.
Time passed. He was still out there. I went to see what was taking so long.
He was standing out there with his pocket knife, shaving the wood from each pencil by hand, until it had a good point on it. I got upset and told him it could wait till I got home and I could use my pencil sharpener. But he insisted. He stayed out there and worked on them until almost the whole pack was nice and sharp. He wasn't young. His hands must have been tired. They were probably hurting, if not cramping. But for some reason it was important to him that he did that for me :')
I wish that I could give him a big hug again and tell him thank you. It was in the little things he and my grandmother did that I felt their love, and God's love. They are a huge part of why I'm a Christian today.
I wish they could see me and my life now... I hope they would be proud of me... <3
I was very close to my paternal grandparents growing up. My grandmother went Home less than a year before I met Jesse. My grandfather joined her the fall of Katrina. But he got to meet and spend some time with Jesse. I'm so thankful for that :) I miss them both terribly still. Just writing this is bringing tears to my eyes... I dream about them sometimes, that I'm at their house, feel their love surrounding me, just like it did during some rough times in my life...
Anyway. My grandparents watched my brother and I after school/Mother's Day Out for a couple years. One afternoon I was working on social studies homework. I was probably in 6th grade. It was a map that had to be colored in with colored pencils. I don't remember the details, but there was a set color for each section. I really wanted to finish it but my colored pencils had very little points left. They were worn down to the wood. I asked my grandparents if they had a pencil sharpener. Grand-daddy said they didn't but that he had something in his tools he could use. So he took my whole pack of colored pencils out to the garage.
Time passed. He was still out there. I went to see what was taking so long.
He was standing out there with his pocket knife, shaving the wood from each pencil by hand, until it had a good point on it. I got upset and told him it could wait till I got home and I could use my pencil sharpener. But he insisted. He stayed out there and worked on them until almost the whole pack was nice and sharp. He wasn't young. His hands must have been tired. They were probably hurting, if not cramping. But for some reason it was important to him that he did that for me :')
I wish that I could give him a big hug again and tell him thank you. It was in the little things he and my grandmother did that I felt their love, and God's love. They are a huge part of why I'm a Christian today.
I wish they could see me and my life now... I hope they would be proud of me... <3
Friday, February 24, 2012
Big Dietary Changes
For those of you who don't follow my health blog...
A few weeks ago we did a 9-day fast from obvious wheat. When I reintroduced it, both boys and I had reactions :( So we are now wheat-free. I'm not being real particular about avoiding gluten in any form right now. The boys will be getting bloodwork done to test for celiac disease. I'm waiting to hear back from their pedi's office about when they'll do it (their pedi is out of town right now). After we get the results back, we will hopefully have enough info to make some big decisions. Until then... We pray.
A few weeks ago we did a 9-day fast from obvious wheat. When I reintroduced it, both boys and I had reactions :( So we are now wheat-free. I'm not being real particular about avoiding gluten in any form right now. The boys will be getting bloodwork done to test for celiac disease. I'm waiting to hear back from their pedi's office about when they'll do it (their pedi is out of town right now). After we get the results back, we will hopefully have enough info to make some big decisions. Until then... We pray.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Special Moment!
Sometimes the joys of parenting are about the little things... The things you don't expect to make you feel warm and fuzzy.
We live in south Louisiana. It's Mardi Gras season and we live very close to where the parades pass. Today we were in very slow stop and go traffic along the parade route. Gabriel pointed and said Truck! I looked over and we were next to a parking lot full of RV's. People come from out of town in RV's in the time leading up to Mardi Gras and park in small "communities" in parking lots.
I found unexpected joy in explaining to the boys what RV's were, their similarities and differences to hotel rooms, etc. Instead of being frustrated that it was taking a long time to get where we were going, I took advantage of a teachable moment.
My reward was Ethan's fascination, and the knowledge that little moments like these deepen our connection to each other...
We live in south Louisiana. It's Mardi Gras season and we live very close to where the parades pass. Today we were in very slow stop and go traffic along the parade route. Gabriel pointed and said Truck! I looked over and we were next to a parking lot full of RV's. People come from out of town in RV's in the time leading up to Mardi Gras and park in small "communities" in parking lots.
I found unexpected joy in explaining to the boys what RV's were, their similarities and differences to hotel rooms, etc. Instead of being frustrated that it was taking a long time to get where we were going, I took advantage of a teachable moment.
My reward was Ethan's fascination, and the knowledge that little moments like these deepen our connection to each other...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!
Monday night Ethan was brushing his teeth before bed. He told me he needed to go potty. He asks to go very occasionally but I didn't think much of it. We put the ring on the toilet. He pulled down his jeans and took off his Pull-Up. I helped him sit and position himself. He sat for a bit while I did my neti pot. He said something about feeling it getting ready to come down.
And then it happened...
He peed on the potty!!! For the first time! At 4 1/2 ;)
Especially with his sensory issues, I know it may be a long time before it happens again. This doesn't mean he's ready. I'm not going to push him. When he's ready, he'll go again.
But in the meantime, I'm happy that he FINALLY had one success with potty learning :D
And then it happened...
He peed on the potty!!! For the first time! At 4 1/2 ;)
Especially with his sensory issues, I know it may be a long time before it happens again. This doesn't mean he's ready. I'm not going to push him. When he's ready, he'll go again.
But in the meantime, I'm happy that he FINALLY had one success with potty learning :D
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Quick Round of Updates
I have a few rare minutes on the computer! And since I can type a LOT faster on here than on my phone (where I usually post from), I'm taking advantage ;)
Ethan had his developmental optometrist appointment. We found out he has astigmatism. We picked up his glasses Monday. He's been really good about keeping them on! This is one time when his OCD tendencies are helpful LOL He gets up in the mornings, and as soon as he's fairly awake, he asks for them. They stay on till he gets ready for bed :) When he first put them on in the doctor's office, he looked around with an amazed expression. I'm so glad we found out he needed them at an early age! The vision therapist hasn't called me yet but the optometrist recommended vision therapy for some of his other eye issues. Which would be great for him! BUT it's almost two hours away and they're the closest vision therapy place that accepts Medicaid :( I want to look into maybe going once a month. We won't have to pay for the therapy itself, but gas + eating isn't cheap. Plus the 4-hour car trip with both boys. My car (our only vehicle) has been giving me problems so that's a consideration too...
And the sad news... The clinic where Ethan has OT and Speech is closing :( I'm so upset :'( Ethan LOVES his occupational therapist! She's so awesome with him. His speech therapist is good too, but he isn't as attached to her, and speech isn't something he needs a lot of help with. There's only one other place in town we can get therapy. His occupational therapist told me this week that OT there is very different. It's only 1/2 hour (he gets almost an hour now), and the OT itself isn't the same. It's a lot faster-paced. Ethan will be CRUSHED :( I'm worried about how well he'll function in a faster-paced session, plus losing his therapist he's so close to. And his occupational therapist doesn't know where she'll be able to get a job now :( I have to call the other clinic Monday and see if he can get on the waiting lists there. It's at least several months long and he might not be able to get on the list until his clinic closes because of Medicaid. Guess I'll find out Monday... Every time I think about it, I want to bust out crying. I know when I tell Ethan the tears will be flowing - for both of us :(
Otherwise, things are going good :) The boys are responding so well to our paradigm shift of using grace-based discipline (not to be confused with permissive parenting!). I've been hanging out a lot on Gentle Christian Mothers (http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com) with the wonderful ladies there!
Okay, all for now :)
<3
Ethan had his developmental optometrist appointment. We found out he has astigmatism. We picked up his glasses Monday. He's been really good about keeping them on! This is one time when his OCD tendencies are helpful LOL He gets up in the mornings, and as soon as he's fairly awake, he asks for them. They stay on till he gets ready for bed :) When he first put them on in the doctor's office, he looked around with an amazed expression. I'm so glad we found out he needed them at an early age! The vision therapist hasn't called me yet but the optometrist recommended vision therapy for some of his other eye issues. Which would be great for him! BUT it's almost two hours away and they're the closest vision therapy place that accepts Medicaid :( I want to look into maybe going once a month. We won't have to pay for the therapy itself, but gas + eating isn't cheap. Plus the 4-hour car trip with both boys. My car (our only vehicle) has been giving me problems so that's a consideration too...
And the sad news... The clinic where Ethan has OT and Speech is closing :( I'm so upset :'( Ethan LOVES his occupational therapist! She's so awesome with him. His speech therapist is good too, but he isn't as attached to her, and speech isn't something he needs a lot of help with. There's only one other place in town we can get therapy. His occupational therapist told me this week that OT there is very different. It's only 1/2 hour (he gets almost an hour now), and the OT itself isn't the same. It's a lot faster-paced. Ethan will be CRUSHED :( I'm worried about how well he'll function in a faster-paced session, plus losing his therapist he's so close to. And his occupational therapist doesn't know where she'll be able to get a job now :( I have to call the other clinic Monday and see if he can get on the waiting lists there. It's at least several months long and he might not be able to get on the list until his clinic closes because of Medicaid. Guess I'll find out Monday... Every time I think about it, I want to bust out crying. I know when I tell Ethan the tears will be flowing - for both of us :(
Otherwise, things are going good :) The boys are responding so well to our paradigm shift of using grace-based discipline (not to be confused with permissive parenting!). I've been hanging out a lot on Gentle Christian Mothers (http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com) with the wonderful ladies there!
Okay, all for now :)
<3
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