This morning Ryan was in Maggie's bedroom opening and closing her draws one by one and having a whale of a time. Maggie and I were sitting on her bed discussing which clip(s) she would be wearing in her hair.
Ryan started to pull out all the pants from her draw at which point Maggie got distracted turned in a huff to Ryan and said, "Ryan I don't have that many legs!"
I couldn't keep in my chuckle -- the comical timing was perfect.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
El Dorado Nature Center
I Love This Place . I took my kids here yesterday afternoon when plans for a mummy hook up fell through at my end. I was disappointed that I couldn't meet up with the other mummies so had to come up with a game plan of how I was going to survive an empty window in the afternoon.
I spent a good solid two hours at the center and my kids did not want to leave. Their website gives you plenty of info about the history of the center and the programs available but it does little to let you in on the true treasure it really is for local mummies and daddies who need to find something cheap, fun and educational to do with their little ones.
The center has a classroom with kid size tables of touch and feel things from gigantic pine cones to antlers and animal bones right down to fossilized bugs. It has draws at toddler level your little tot can open 'till their heart content and pull out more touch and feel nature artifacts -- snake skins, bird nests, turtle shells, more fossils and animal fur for the less squeamish folk. They even have this little x-ray light and x-rays of several real animals that you can put up and guess which animals they belong to from the picture key. They have books available to read to your little ones, super cool tee-shirts (more about that later) to buy for souvenirs which profits go directly back into the park.
The kids and I spent at least an hour in the classroom before we took on one of their nature trails. They have three nature trails I know of. The one we took was a 1/4 mile trail paved for strollers and those who need a set of wheels to get around or find it difficult to walk on soft ground. Both my kids made it round the whole trail without pleading to be picked up. I thoroughly, truly and intensely enjoyed this time with my kids.
We poked around in the dirt for rolly-pollies, we spied several newts and dragon flies and some beautiful butterflies as well as some lovely cob-webs. We marvelled at all the different leaves, their shapes, colour and size and stopped to watch the sun filter through them too. It was fun to see my kids interact with each other and enjoy different parts of the trail in different ways and it was a very tranquil and peaceful place to be with them too. Ahhh, I have to go back with the kids and hubby. I have to go back with the kids and the grandparents. I have to coax some friends and family to come join us.
During the time there I signed Maggie up for a one week summer class where she will learn, amongst other things, about bees and how they make honey -- I figured this would be a good warm up for upcoming kindergarten days. The "summer camp" name is so cute too, "The Hundred Acres Wood" from Winnie the Pooh. I can hardly wait till Maggie starts.
I mentioned their collection of cool tee-shirts earlier in my post -- Maggie spied a beautiful ten dollar tee-shirt which was white with black ink drawings of butterflies. It looked lovely just like that but when we checked out to pay, the clerk suggested we take it outside for a closer look before we parted with our cash. So I did, and to my astonished surprise the butterfly wings started to develop some bright and beautiful pastel colours. The clerk explained that when the tee-shirt is out in the sun an ink reacts to the rays and which brings out the colour. When its not in the sun anymore the ink colour fades. It was really cool. I'm not sure who is more in love with the tee-shirt, Maggie or me.
Poop Talk
Alright, there was bound to come a time when I had a blog post about poop. Today, there were a couple of memorable moments, one from each child that make for a good poop story.
I was running around the house this morning in my usual routine, cleaning and picking up, throwing laundry in the dryer etc. My hands had already been soaped up and dried off half a dozen times and I'd put on at least two pumps of my hand lotion in a sorry attempt to restore the cracked dried skin to the soft silky feminine smooth as a babies bum hands I'm apparently supposed to have.
I hear my daughter call from the bathroom. I'm in the kitchen drying of said dry hands for the ten billionth time. Her call sounds dramatic but not the sort that sounds urgent. More the kind that is, Mummy I want to show you something and you have to come now. Feeling like I had neglected my little girl in the morning for the chores I was wanting to check of my list I came arunning with pumped up drama and excitement appropriate for my four, almost five year old.
I found her de-clothed and on the throne where she proudly, ever so proudly, announced she had "Soup Poop" and a little accident. In my freshly painted, beautifully and somewhat recently cleaned bathroom my daughter had a little accident with "soup poop" that couldn't wait to come out. It was a priceless moment. I cleaned up the "soup poop" and washed my hands, slapped on the hand lotion and thought to myself -- I must blog about "soup poop" later today.
Later came my son's, a twenty-one month old, announcement of his own bowel movements. For those who are not up to speed my son has been evaluated with having delayed speech and has been recommend for some group speech therapy. He isn't uttering one single word of anything remotely intelligible. But he is my boy and I love him and in my heart of mummy hearts, I know he'll prove everyone wrong one day and show us just what a smartie pants he really is.
Today, he pooped in his diaper. A nice big juicy solid bowel movement filled up his huggies and gosh darn it he just had to let me know about it -- in a public library. Here's how it all went down (no punn intended). I was sitting with both my kids in the library reading books with them and having them crawl over me. I felt like I looked like the perfect mother to outsiders -- I had the attention of my clean, groomed four (almost five year old) and my twenty one month old. Both were quiet, enjoying the books I was reading with them and cooperating with my mother chants of stay close to me, put that back, don't pull on this etc etc.
In the midst of reading a book my son stepped off my lap and marched over to the bathroom door, pointed his little index finger at it and said, "duer...duer..." He then looked at me and then at the librarian who I usually ask to push a button that opens the bathroom "duer". Lamely, and excitedly I projected my voice across the library (my four year old was clasped around my neck in a love hug) and asked him, "Ryan did you go poo-poo?" His face lite up like a lantern. My son and I were communicating with verbal utterances and understanding each other. It was a triumphant moment. Without shame and in true motheresque style I projected my voice again, "Ryan do you need a new di-di?" He responded with "Da, da" and walked towards me with confirmation that yes indeed he did want a new diaper. Of course I left the diaper bag in the car. We marched back together to the car for a diaper change and decided there just wasn't enough room to change him with the risk of loosing some of that juicy poop. What did I do? Well, I marched back to the library with the diaper gear layed him down on the floor in his full glory and changed his diaper in full smelling view of the poor unsuspecting patrons. Aren't I just a terrific mum?
I can't end this poop talk post without giving a small mention to one little book I bought for my daughter a couple years back. Check out the book below and look for it in your local library and bookstores. It is quite hilarious and perfect for little ones learning to let go.
I was running around the house this morning in my usual routine, cleaning and picking up, throwing laundry in the dryer etc. My hands had already been soaped up and dried off half a dozen times and I'd put on at least two pumps of my hand lotion in a sorry attempt to restore the cracked dried skin to the soft silky feminine smooth as a babies bum hands I'm apparently supposed to have.
I hear my daughter call from the bathroom. I'm in the kitchen drying of said dry hands for the ten billionth time. Her call sounds dramatic but not the sort that sounds urgent. More the kind that is, Mummy I want to show you something and you have to come now. Feeling like I had neglected my little girl in the morning for the chores I was wanting to check of my list I came arunning with pumped up drama and excitement appropriate for my four, almost five year old.
I found her de-clothed and on the throne where she proudly, ever so proudly, announced she had "Soup Poop" and a little accident. In my freshly painted, beautifully and somewhat recently cleaned bathroom my daughter had a little accident with "soup poop" that couldn't wait to come out. It was a priceless moment. I cleaned up the "soup poop" and washed my hands, slapped on the hand lotion and thought to myself -- I must blog about "soup poop" later today.
Later came my son's, a twenty-one month old, announcement of his own bowel movements. For those who are not up to speed my son has been evaluated with having delayed speech and has been recommend for some group speech therapy. He isn't uttering one single word of anything remotely intelligible. But he is my boy and I love him and in my heart of mummy hearts, I know he'll prove everyone wrong one day and show us just what a smartie pants he really is.
Today, he pooped in his diaper. A nice big juicy solid bowel movement filled up his huggies and gosh darn it he just had to let me know about it -- in a public library. Here's how it all went down (no punn intended). I was sitting with both my kids in the library reading books with them and having them crawl over me. I felt like I looked like the perfect mother to outsiders -- I had the attention of my clean, groomed four (almost five year old) and my twenty one month old. Both were quiet, enjoying the books I was reading with them and cooperating with my mother chants of stay close to me, put that back, don't pull on this etc etc.
In the midst of reading a book my son stepped off my lap and marched over to the bathroom door, pointed his little index finger at it and said, "duer...duer..." He then looked at me and then at the librarian who I usually ask to push a button that opens the bathroom "duer". Lamely, and excitedly I projected my voice across the library (my four year old was clasped around my neck in a love hug) and asked him, "Ryan did you go poo-poo?" His face lite up like a lantern. My son and I were communicating with verbal utterances and understanding each other. It was a triumphant moment. Without shame and in true motheresque style I projected my voice again, "Ryan do you need a new di-di?" He responded with "Da, da" and walked towards me with confirmation that yes indeed he did want a new diaper. Of course I left the diaper bag in the car. We marched back together to the car for a diaper change and decided there just wasn't enough room to change him with the risk of loosing some of that juicy poop. What did I do? Well, I marched back to the library with the diaper gear layed him down on the floor in his full glory and changed his diaper in full smelling view of the poor unsuspecting patrons. Aren't I just a terrific mum?
I can't end this poop talk post without giving a small mention to one little book I bought for my daughter a couple years back. Check out the book below and look for it in your local library and bookstores. It is quite hilarious and perfect for little ones learning to let go.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
These are my kids and why I love what I do
Maggie -- she has many interesting and funny things say, like all children her age, and I do my best to make a note of them and write them down. Her most recent couple of comments which made me laugh to myself went something like this -: "Mummy I want to bring the shari desert with me." This was a red box she usually keeps her collection of dinosaur and various other animals in. In it was a soft bear toy of Ryan's we affectionately named Yogi because of his size and colour. Another memorable Maggie comment came as we were having some girl time together. We were looking though a children's clothing catalogue, I was showing her a dress I thought she would like to have and she was showing me some items she wanted to have and some items she thought Ryan would enjoy too. In the midst of turning pages she held up her hand and said, "Wait, wait. No mummy. Wait a minute! I want to go down this aisle."
Ryan. Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. My sweet Ryan. He by far has to receive the sweetest boy award (for this month anyway). He loves to blow kisses, pout his lips and lean in for a kiss, give me big bear hugs with his little arms wrapped around my neck. He also loves, loves, loves his collection of truck books. I don't know what it is about them but he simple loves them and doesn't like to be parted with them either. For a few nights in a row he has insisted on taking them to bed with him. He loves the real thing just as much. I could be putting him down for a nap but if he hears a loud roar of a truck outside his bedroom window he'll come right out of his sleepy like trance, look up at me and say, "aah-doo". I had to chase him in the park a few weeks back as he made a run for the dustman (aka trash man truck) and park ranger truck. He was really fascinated by them. Like most boys, he also loves balls. Anywhere he see's a ball he'll want to move towards it. It doesn't matter what colour it is. It doesn't matter what texture or what it is made of. If it is small, big or middle size. If it is round and rolls and he can pick it up (and even when its way to big for him to pick up) he will love it and play with it for many a "toddler-hour". Tonight he went to bed with a big soft ball that was more than half his size. I layed him down in his crib and he just starred up at me with his big blue eyes and hugged the big soft ball as if it was his new best friend. My Ryan, gosh I love him so.
Never a day goes by when I don't appreciate the good fortune of my family. Sure I worry about them and have blogged about my concerns regarding them but when I put them to bed at night I feel truly blessed and thankful for another day I got to be their mummy. In the same vain, I rarely get bogged down by the endless pile laundry. I realize that I have a pile of laundry because I have two beautiful children and wonderful husband. The clutter of toys may make me want to toss them out the window from time to time but they remind me of my children's imaginations and their innocence. Similarly, cooking and preparing three meals a day might feel overwhelming at times but always feels me with joy when all the family get to share a meal time together. They store some of the most precious moments.
Tonight, I am feel tired and ragged but I will be happy to get up in the morning and start this all over again. I love you Maggie. I love you Ryan. And Eric, I love you too -- always.
Ryan. Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. My sweet Ryan. He by far has to receive the sweetest boy award (for this month anyway). He loves to blow kisses, pout his lips and lean in for a kiss, give me big bear hugs with his little arms wrapped around my neck. He also loves, loves, loves his collection of truck books. I don't know what it is about them but he simple loves them and doesn't like to be parted with them either. For a few nights in a row he has insisted on taking them to bed with him. He loves the real thing just as much. I could be putting him down for a nap but if he hears a loud roar of a truck outside his bedroom window he'll come right out of his sleepy like trance, look up at me and say, "aah-doo". I had to chase him in the park a few weeks back as he made a run for the dustman (aka trash man truck) and park ranger truck. He was really fascinated by them. Like most boys, he also loves balls. Anywhere he see's a ball he'll want to move towards it. It doesn't matter what colour it is. It doesn't matter what texture or what it is made of. If it is small, big or middle size. If it is round and rolls and he can pick it up (and even when its way to big for him to pick up) he will love it and play with it for many a "toddler-hour". Tonight he went to bed with a big soft ball that was more than half his size. I layed him down in his crib and he just starred up at me with his big blue eyes and hugged the big soft ball as if it was his new best friend. My Ryan, gosh I love him so.
Never a day goes by when I don't appreciate the good fortune of my family. Sure I worry about them and have blogged about my concerns regarding them but when I put them to bed at night I feel truly blessed and thankful for another day I got to be their mummy. In the same vain, I rarely get bogged down by the endless pile laundry. I realize that I have a pile of laundry because I have two beautiful children and wonderful husband. The clutter of toys may make me want to toss them out the window from time to time but they remind me of my children's imaginations and their innocence. Similarly, cooking and preparing three meals a day might feel overwhelming at times but always feels me with joy when all the family get to share a meal time together. They store some of the most precious moments.
Tonight, I am feel tired and ragged but I will be happy to get up in the morning and start this all over again. I love you Maggie. I love you Ryan. And Eric, I love you too -- always.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Evaluation: A Re-Run
Today Ryan was evaluated at a speech and language center. It was officially determined, again, that he is behind in his expressive language and is being recommended for group speech therapy three times a week for two hours each time. The news, though expected, has hit hard. Once paperwork has been completed, he will probably start a program in about three to four weeks.
It is challenging to find the right words to express the mix of emotions. I can tell that I don't need others giving me advise on how to get him to talk. I can tell that I'm very sensitive about the choice of words people use to discuss his speech with me. My mum, articulately choose "backwards" and it took all my will to calmly tell her that I thought "backwards probably wasn't the best choice". I can tell that it gets under my skin when people try to prompt or "trick" him into talking. I know they mean well but come on people if he's not talking, he's not talking. He's not going to start producing words because you've asked him to do so.
Ugh. Such a ugly place to be. The necessity to sit and be polite to well meaning comments and deflect the negativism -- all while you're trying to prevent your own little brewing pot of anxiety and fear from boiling over.
The program he will be invited to enroll in will basically take the form of a pre-school. The ratio will be one to three and a speech pathologist being the assigned "teacher". My impression is that group therapy will create a competitive, but hopefully still nurturing, environment where Ryan will be motivated to vocalize his wants, needs and desires. I'll have to wait and see to get a better idea of how this whole thing is going to pan out -- first there is yet more paperwork and a hearing test to be done.
I think I'm going to find this whole transition of group speech therapy very difficult both emotionally and physically. I am spent tonight. I'm tired and just plain old worn out with all the talk and the evaluations of my sweet, sweet little boy. I feel a little robbed of this precious time in his life. It's harder to enjoy the milestones as much for the worry that he's not on target or he should be doing this, saying that etc. I feel the pang of mummy guilt as much as I feel protective and defensive.
If I was to roll my 8-ball tonight I am sure it would tell me that I'll be playing "sleeping lions" when Ryan is in kindergarten. Until then, I have to ride this road I'm on. I hope it takes me to an open field of tall grass and buttercups and daffodils where we can run around and catch the butterflies.
I love you Rye-guy. More than words and tears can say.
It is challenging to find the right words to express the mix of emotions. I can tell that I don't need others giving me advise on how to get him to talk. I can tell that I'm very sensitive about the choice of words people use to discuss his speech with me. My mum, articulately choose "backwards" and it took all my will to calmly tell her that I thought "backwards probably wasn't the best choice". I can tell that it gets under my skin when people try to prompt or "trick" him into talking. I know they mean well but come on people if he's not talking, he's not talking. He's not going to start producing words because you've asked him to do so.
Ugh. Such a ugly place to be. The necessity to sit and be polite to well meaning comments and deflect the negativism -- all while you're trying to prevent your own little brewing pot of anxiety and fear from boiling over.
The program he will be invited to enroll in will basically take the form of a pre-school. The ratio will be one to three and a speech pathologist being the assigned "teacher". My impression is that group therapy will create a competitive, but hopefully still nurturing, environment where Ryan will be motivated to vocalize his wants, needs and desires. I'll have to wait and see to get a better idea of how this whole thing is going to pan out -- first there is yet more paperwork and a hearing test to be done.
I think I'm going to find this whole transition of group speech therapy very difficult both emotionally and physically. I am spent tonight. I'm tired and just plain old worn out with all the talk and the evaluations of my sweet, sweet little boy. I feel a little robbed of this precious time in his life. It's harder to enjoy the milestones as much for the worry that he's not on target or he should be doing this, saying that etc. I feel the pang of mummy guilt as much as I feel protective and defensive.
If I was to roll my 8-ball tonight I am sure it would tell me that I'll be playing "sleeping lions" when Ryan is in kindergarten. Until then, I have to ride this road I'm on. I hope it takes me to an open field of tall grass and buttercups and daffodils where we can run around and catch the butterflies.
I love you Rye-guy. More than words and tears can say.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A Phone Call and a Playdate
Just had to type up a quick entry about a phone call I received today. My sister-in-law, Lisa, rang in the later afternoon proclaiming boredom and a touch of cabin fever. We exchanged similar stories and before I knew it we had agreed that she would drive over to my place and we'd trek off to our local park.
I am so glad she picked up the phone to call me. I really enjoyed her visit and had a wonderful time picking up her children and giving them a cuddle when they obliged. I adore her children as I do my own and get so much from seeing them tot themselves around.
It was lovely too to see Maggie entertain them and see my sister-in-law interact with her. I think that Lisa must have set quite an impression with Maggie too as she detailed a rather fancy story at dinner time about a time when she and Lisa went blackberry picking in the forest and took all the strawberries away from the big bear.
Can't wait to do it again and Lisa, I finally got my laundry put away tonight. Well, most of it. Another load is spinning around in the dryer as I type.
I am so glad she picked up the phone to call me. I really enjoyed her visit and had a wonderful time picking up her children and giving them a cuddle when they obliged. I adore her children as I do my own and get so much from seeing them tot themselves around.
It was lovely too to see Maggie entertain them and see my sister-in-law interact with her. I think that Lisa must have set quite an impression with Maggie too as she detailed a rather fancy story at dinner time about a time when she and Lisa went blackberry picking in the forest and took all the strawberries away from the big bear.
Can't wait to do it again and Lisa, I finally got my laundry put away tonight. Well, most of it. Another load is spinning around in the dryer as I type.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
So Much To Be Happy About...
I've been busy. Busy with happy things and busy with things which need to be taken care of. Let me begin with my datenight last week. It was Wednesday night, the night off he planned for me for Mother's Day. It was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful evening. Grandma J came over to look after the children around four in the afternoon which gave me time to get into a fresh pair of jeans (my uniform of choice) and a cute new top I purchased for the event. Hubby and I left at five, relaxed and happy to be out of the house together while the sun was still up. I can't remember the last time we were out alone without the kids when it was still light so this alone felt pretty darn special. We made it to our old familiar stomping ground in L.A. with enough time to enjoy dinner at a favorite Indian restaurant we used to frequent.
We sat and waited for our food to come and it was still light outside. I smile now as I write this and can see hubby's face with his goofy smile, along with slouched shoulders and seriously old but much loved tee-shirt. The food was up to its usual scrumalicious standard and it was a great treat not to be asking for the cheque to go before and entrees hit the table. Spending quality time with hubby and enjoy each others company as we did when we first met, if not more so, was the a biggest reward of the entire evening. It is a very comforting feeling to enjoy your partner of ten plus years without the chaos of life for distraction.
The show, "Wicked", was far from a disappointment too. Hubby went all out and got some super tickets. We were thirteen rows from the front and pretty much in the center of the front stage. There were a three little girls around Maggie's age sitting in front of us looking too cute for words, donned with their best dresses and hair pinned up -- sitting next to their equally cute L.A. style mothers. Eric and I looked at each other and I'm sure we were thinking the same thing -- We have to take Maggie to the theatre this summer. But the show, the show, the show. More about the show. It was a musical so had lots of singing and dancing and jumping about the stage with a little bit of flying and special effects thrown in. Overall it was a great show to see and it was interesting to see the how the plot unfolded if not a little predictable for my analytical mind. The singing was exemplary and some of the songs were particularly touching -- I can foresee many a high school putting on their own production. I think though, I may have outgrown my love for musicals and might just prefer to see a play instead but hey, I'm not complaining. We had a great time. It was a lot of fun and a great date night. One I shall not forget.
Moving on to this past weekend -- it was a lot of fun too. Hubby has been out of town and no, that is not as the reason why it was so much fun. One of the other trillion reasons I have a lot to be happy about is the graciousness of my in-laws. I really couldn't ask for a better pair. This weekend my father in-law fulfilled a promise he made to me on my birthday back in January. He came down to paint my bathroom. Let me say that again. My father-in-law came down to paint my bathroom, a bathroom that has been on out list to do for about three years now. We supplied the paint and all the tools and he did all the hard work of sanding, prep and painting. Wow! What a guy.
Though I couldn't do much to help out with the actual painting and prepping part of the bathroom it has been great to have his company. My children just adore him and its been truly splendid having him around. He bought out a different side to Maggie that I don't get to see that often and caused my son to spin around on his stomach with excitement just by knocking at the door in the mornings. And for me? For me, he has given and shown me so much more than a painted bathroom, so much more. I don't mean to sound so pathetically sappy here but my father-in-law has shown so much integrity and class it has been inspiring and quite frankly, a life learning experience. I am and always will be grateful for the love and respect he has shown me. I am truly honored.
Last week Maggie also had her own art show at her pre-school. This is her last week so it was quite a poignant moment to attend her school's annual art show. Maggie had four pieces on show complete with a little photo of herself next to each piece. Sparkling apple cider and lots of great finger food was provided by the parents of the pre-schoolers and overall it was a great evening with a chance to thank the people who had made Maggie's year of pre-school a memorable and positive one. I was also more than happy to part with my dollars to pay for Maggie's art work. Believe it or not, and with biased aside, her pieces are frame worthy. I'll be sure to look out for some good deals on frames and if I knew how to scan and upload photos I would be posting them on here too. Her collection consisted of a blue collage on canvas, a Pollock inspired canvas piece, a sand paint on black canvas piece, and a Picasso inspired portrait piece. It really was amazing to see what creativity the teachers were able to pull out of my little Maggie and the high level of art work many of the other kids showed. It was lovely. If I didn't think I was robbing another parent of their kids work I'd be buying some of the other kid's work too. This week is Maggie's last and final week of pre-school. I am sure it will whip round to Friday before I know it. I can tell already that I'm going to burst some water banks. My big girl is just growing up too fast.
We sat and waited for our food to come and it was still light outside. I smile now as I write this and can see hubby's face with his goofy smile, along with slouched shoulders and seriously old but much loved tee-shirt. The food was up to its usual scrumalicious standard and it was a great treat not to be asking for the cheque to go before and entrees hit the table. Spending quality time with hubby and enjoy each others company as we did when we first met, if not more so, was the a biggest reward of the entire evening. It is a very comforting feeling to enjoy your partner of ten plus years without the chaos of life for distraction.
The show, "Wicked", was far from a disappointment too. Hubby went all out and got some super tickets. We were thirteen rows from the front and pretty much in the center of the front stage. There were a three little girls around Maggie's age sitting in front of us looking too cute for words, donned with their best dresses and hair pinned up -- sitting next to their equally cute L.A. style mothers. Eric and I looked at each other and I'm sure we were thinking the same thing -- We have to take Maggie to the theatre this summer. But the show, the show, the show. More about the show. It was a musical so had lots of singing and dancing and jumping about the stage with a little bit of flying and special effects thrown in. Overall it was a great show to see and it was interesting to see the how the plot unfolded if not a little predictable for my analytical mind. The singing was exemplary and some of the songs were particularly touching -- I can foresee many a high school putting on their own production. I think though, I may have outgrown my love for musicals and might just prefer to see a play instead but hey, I'm not complaining. We had a great time. It was a lot of fun and a great date night. One I shall not forget.
Moving on to this past weekend -- it was a lot of fun too. Hubby has been out of town and no, that is not as the reason why it was so much fun. One of the other trillion reasons I have a lot to be happy about is the graciousness of my in-laws. I really couldn't ask for a better pair. This weekend my father in-law fulfilled a promise he made to me on my birthday back in January. He came down to paint my bathroom. Let me say that again. My father-in-law came down to paint my bathroom, a bathroom that has been on out list to do for about three years now. We supplied the paint and all the tools and he did all the hard work of sanding, prep and painting. Wow! What a guy.
Though I couldn't do much to help out with the actual painting and prepping part of the bathroom it has been great to have his company. My children just adore him and its been truly splendid having him around. He bought out a different side to Maggie that I don't get to see that often and caused my son to spin around on his stomach with excitement just by knocking at the door in the mornings. And for me? For me, he has given and shown me so much more than a painted bathroom, so much more. I don't mean to sound so pathetically sappy here but my father-in-law has shown so much integrity and class it has been inspiring and quite frankly, a life learning experience. I am and always will be grateful for the love and respect he has shown me. I am truly honored.
Last week Maggie also had her own art show at her pre-school. This is her last week so it was quite a poignant moment to attend her school's annual art show. Maggie had four pieces on show complete with a little photo of herself next to each piece. Sparkling apple cider and lots of great finger food was provided by the parents of the pre-schoolers and overall it was a great evening with a chance to thank the people who had made Maggie's year of pre-school a memorable and positive one. I was also more than happy to part with my dollars to pay for Maggie's art work. Believe it or not, and with biased aside, her pieces are frame worthy. I'll be sure to look out for some good deals on frames and if I knew how to scan and upload photos I would be posting them on here too. Her collection consisted of a blue collage on canvas, a Pollock inspired canvas piece, a sand paint on black canvas piece, and a Picasso inspired portrait piece. It really was amazing to see what creativity the teachers were able to pull out of my little Maggie and the high level of art work many of the other kids showed. It was lovely. If I didn't think I was robbing another parent of their kids work I'd be buying some of the other kid's work too. This week is Maggie's last and final week of pre-school. I am sure it will whip round to Friday before I know it. I can tell already that I'm going to burst some water banks. My big girl is just growing up too fast.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Orange Juice Experiment
This is one of the many reasons why I am glad to stay at home with my children. My daughter took her time to get out of bed this morning (she is her mother's child) and I decided that as we were already running late for her pre-school we may as well just be late, slow down and enjoy the morning. After all, she will soon be out of pre-school and into kindergarten where leisurely mornings will be a thing of the past.
This is a small part of our morning -: The Orange Juice Experiment.
In getting breakfast together for my littlest one I cut up some orange pieces for him, made him some toast and gave him some yogurt with a glass of store bought O.J on the side. Breakfast is a big meal in our house -- well for the kids it is. I'm doing well if I have a bite of toast and a glass of something. As I was sitting with my sweet little boy, enjoying his smile, I was inspired.
I wondered -- had Maggie ever seen how to get juice from an orange? Lemons, yes, but orange juice? Does she even really understand the concept of orange juice from a bottle being squeezed out of an orange? Maybe, but probably not. So after Maggie finally got out of bed and dressed for the day (this is after playing in her room and reading two books with me and Ryan) we were in the kitchen and I told her I had something really cool to show her.
I opened the fridge door and pulled out an orange. I asked her, "What is this called?" She looked at me puzzled and said in a giggly voice, "It's an orange mummy." I then cut the orange in half and showed her the center, "Look at the inside Maggie, isn't it pretty? Do you see all the segments? These two halfs make one whole orange, look see -- two halfs make one orange."
"Oh yeah ..." she said, still a little perplexed about what was going to be so cool. "Now watch this." I pulled out my hand juicer put one half orange on top, pushed down and squeezed. The juice came pouring out like water from a tap. She giggled some more and let out an expletive "wow! Mummy! Look at all the juice! Be careful mummy. You're spilling some. Oh wow! So juicy."
She then helped me pour the juice we collected from the two half into a clean glass and we sampled it. It wasn't bad, a little tart. We then grabbed another glass and poured in the O.J. from the store. Maggie noticed they differed slightly in colour and declared that the store orange juice tasted much better and decided to extend the experiment further. "I know mummy. I've got a great idea. Lets mix the two up together." And so we did. The tartness of the fresh orange juice engulfed the flavor of the store bought juice and Maggie was no longer interested in sampling anything more other than the store's juice.
She was so cute and unbelievable excited about the whole experiment. She finished her breakfast, packed her "story bag" (a bag filled with toys to make up a story with) and we were off -- an hour later than what we were scheduled but it didn't matter. We made a super start to the day and had some fun of our own. Maggie learned where orange juice comes from and that two halfs make up one whole, that fresh squeezed has a slightly different colour to the bottled kind and most importantly -- the store bought kind with the added calcium just tasted better. Who'd have thought ...
This is a small part of our morning -: The Orange Juice Experiment.
In getting breakfast together for my littlest one I cut up some orange pieces for him, made him some toast and gave him some yogurt with a glass of store bought O.J on the side. Breakfast is a big meal in our house -- well for the kids it is. I'm doing well if I have a bite of toast and a glass of something. As I was sitting with my sweet little boy, enjoying his smile, I was inspired.
I wondered -- had Maggie ever seen how to get juice from an orange? Lemons, yes, but orange juice? Does she even really understand the concept of orange juice from a bottle being squeezed out of an orange? Maybe, but probably not. So after Maggie finally got out of bed and dressed for the day (this is after playing in her room and reading two books with me and Ryan) we were in the kitchen and I told her I had something really cool to show her.
I opened the fridge door and pulled out an orange. I asked her, "What is this called?" She looked at me puzzled and said in a giggly voice, "It's an orange mummy." I then cut the orange in half and showed her the center, "Look at the inside Maggie, isn't it pretty? Do you see all the segments? These two halfs make one whole orange, look see -- two halfs make one orange."
"Oh yeah ..." she said, still a little perplexed about what was going to be so cool. "Now watch this." I pulled out my hand juicer put one half orange on top, pushed down and squeezed. The juice came pouring out like water from a tap. She giggled some more and let out an expletive "wow! Mummy! Look at all the juice! Be careful mummy. You're spilling some. Oh wow! So juicy."
She then helped me pour the juice we collected from the two half into a clean glass and we sampled it. It wasn't bad, a little tart. We then grabbed another glass and poured in the O.J. from the store. Maggie noticed they differed slightly in colour and declared that the store orange juice tasted much better and decided to extend the experiment further. "I know mummy. I've got a great idea. Lets mix the two up together." And so we did. The tartness of the fresh orange juice engulfed the flavor of the store bought juice and Maggie was no longer interested in sampling anything more other than the store's juice.
She was so cute and unbelievable excited about the whole experiment. She finished her breakfast, packed her "story bag" (a bag filled with toys to make up a story with) and we were off -- an hour later than what we were scheduled but it didn't matter. We made a super start to the day and had some fun of our own. Maggie learned where orange juice comes from and that two halfs make up one whole, that fresh squeezed has a slightly different colour to the bottled kind and most importantly -- the store bought kind with the added calcium just tasted better. Who'd have thought ...
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother's Day Surprise
My husband, great man that he is, isn't all that great about gift giving. I'd say his skill in gift giving is right up there with his reluctance to do housework, cooking -- or gardening for that matter. For a little perspective, he choose to give me an electronic toothbrush for the first birthday as his wife; Walgreens was the only store open before 10am the morning of my birthday. As the years have passed I have sometimes gracefully and sometimes not so gracefully accepted this part of our relationship but ultimately always believed in the sanctity of it.
To give hubby credit, he has slowly improved over the years but he's never going to be a guy who showers me with gifts and lines up surprise parties no more than I'd want him to be that way that guy. However, since the arrival of our children I have felt the display of affection and note of appreciation is definitely one which should be displayed as an example for our children to model from; believing that through us they learn how to love and respect one another, themselves and us as parents.
Henceforth the email I sent to hubby on Friday about mid-day titled "Some Ideas for Mother's Day". In it I listed suggested a place to pick up a card with the kids, some light housework chores to do and some fun kid projects to do and some photos of the kids. Thankfully hubby was not offended and took it in his stride. Little did I know he had already made a start on honoring me for mother's day.
I got not one card on mother's day but three. One from each child and one from hubby. The three of them came huddling in my room after a lovely two hour solitary lay-in. The sight of all three happy and proud little faces at the end of my bed as they each handed me a card was picture perfect and bought me to tears. Maggie asked why I was crying and I got to tell her it was because I loved her, Ryan and Daddy so very much and was just really happy and so very proud. I'd say this was the moment of my mother's day which will stand the test of time the best. Their faces and warm bodies just melt my heart away and without anyone one of them I wouldn't be the mummy I am.
But, but, but... there is more. I also received two bouquets of flowers. A sneaky decoy from the market and another delivered my mail on Saturday with a hallmark worthy poem written by hubby and a wonderful box of choccies to share -- plus, plus, plus....a date night for next Wednesday to see the musical "Wicked". Oh what a lucky gal I am. I am. Oh what a lucky gal I am.
Tonight, I shall sleep well. Can't wait for tomorrow start. I feel so blessed and am so grateful for the love which surrounds me. I'll just work on the housework today and schedule that family portrait myself and count down the days to wednesday.
To give hubby credit, he has slowly improved over the years but he's never going to be a guy who showers me with gifts and lines up surprise parties no more than I'd want him to be that way that guy. However, since the arrival of our children I have felt the display of affection and note of appreciation is definitely one which should be displayed as an example for our children to model from; believing that through us they learn how to love and respect one another, themselves and us as parents.
Henceforth the email I sent to hubby on Friday about mid-day titled "Some Ideas for Mother's Day". In it I listed suggested a place to pick up a card with the kids, some light housework chores to do and some fun kid projects to do and some photos of the kids. Thankfully hubby was not offended and took it in his stride. Little did I know he had already made a start on honoring me for mother's day.
I got not one card on mother's day but three. One from each child and one from hubby. The three of them came huddling in my room after a lovely two hour solitary lay-in. The sight of all three happy and proud little faces at the end of my bed as they each handed me a card was picture perfect and bought me to tears. Maggie asked why I was crying and I got to tell her it was because I loved her, Ryan and Daddy so very much and was just really happy and so very proud. I'd say this was the moment of my mother's day which will stand the test of time the best. Their faces and warm bodies just melt my heart away and without anyone one of them I wouldn't be the mummy I am.
But, but, but... there is more. I also received two bouquets of flowers. A sneaky decoy from the market and another delivered my mail on Saturday with a hallmark worthy poem written by hubby and a wonderful box of choccies to share -- plus, plus, plus....a date night for next Wednesday to see the musical "Wicked". Oh what a lucky gal I am. I am. Oh what a lucky gal I am.
Tonight, I shall sleep well. Can't wait for tomorrow start. I feel so blessed and am so grateful for the love which surrounds me. I'll just work on the housework today and schedule that family portrait myself and count down the days to wednesday.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
A Sentiment to File Away
....I believe that you are really close to being the person you want to be....
This is what my husband said to me on Saturday as I was running over a few little minor blips in some of my past and current relationships with friends and family. It was so profound and just about the best compliment I have ever received at the most perfect time.
My husband knows me well enough to recognize that I can be my own worst critique in striving for ideals I can't always meet. Yet in his eyes -- as wife, mother and friend, I was getting pretty darn close. It was a wonderful, intimate and unforgettable moment on the 405 somewhere between Long Beach and El Segundo and I have filed the sentiment away in my mummy brain to bring out on an as need basis.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Five Things You Should Never Buy For Mother's Day
I caught this article on yahoo and it made me laugh.... To the mothers out there. I hope you don't get the "Man Cold" for a gift.
Cookbook Recommendation
I've blogged half a dozen times before on mom-a-licious cookbook and I still love it -- her swiss chard recipe came out great last night and was surprisingly good but here's another recipe book which has come to my rescue. America's Complete Source: Better Baby Food by Daina Kalins, RD CNSD and Joanne Sasb, RD. It really is a complete guide to feeding your little ones and getting them off to a good start, giving fact and advice on nutrition, introducing solids, table food and the toddler years as well as dealing with adverse reactions to food. I referred to it a lot with my firstborn and have dug it out again to refresh my memory and inspire me for meals that will pick the interest of my twenty month old who has limited himself to eating, bread and toast, apples, grapes, almond clusters, cherry tomatoes, turkey, chicken, a variety of crackers, pasta and the occasional bit of fish -- these however cannot be combined without a protest.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Yummy Earth Plug
One more post tonight about an exciting find. Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops. I found them at my local Linen' n Things store when I was shopping for new bakeware. It is the prefect little "good treat" for tots and parents and I just wanted to share.
$4.00 for 30 pops at my local store.
Maggie Learns How To Say Sorry.
I've been having a couple of momentous moments with Maggie this past week. She's been learning the art of saying "sorry". And I have been learning the art of keeping my cool while negotiating my way around the logic of a four, almost five year old. The following is a close example of one of the many conversations we've had over this past week. Enjoy.
Me: Maggie its time to turn off the movie and get ready for school. Please get your shoes on.
Maggie: No!
Me: Maggie.... (spoken with my warned inflection)
Maggie: No. I don't want to!
Me: Maggie what's the matter? You sound very upset.
Maggie: I don't want to turn the movie off! (...tears sulking and whining infuse...)
Me: Maggie, you knew what my expectations were. Now it's time to turn the movie off please.
Maggie: I'm upset. I'm the most upsetest today. I will be upset all day and will never ever be happy again. Never ever.
Me: Maggie I'm turning the movie off. We're going to school. Get you shoes on please.
Maggie: No..... mummy. No mummy! Don't do that!
[by this point Maggie retreats to her room and I give her some "time out" before I enter]
Me: Hello Maggie. What are you doing in here?
Maggie: I'm sad.
Me: Why are you sad Maggie?
Maggie: I was looking at the pictures of you and it made me feel sad.
Me: Why is that Maggie?... Use your voice please, not your tears...
Maggie: I'm sad for the way I spoke to you.
Me: Oh Maggie... Do you need a hug?
Maggie: Yes (whimpering). I'm sorry Mummy.
Me: Sorry for what Maggie?
Maggie: I'm sorry for screaming and crying.
Me: It's okay to be upset Maggie but you need to use your voice. It's important to tell me how you feel. Now what's the other part of saying sorry?
Maggie: [sniffling a little] I don't know. You tell me.
Me: You ask what you can do to make it better.
Maggie: What can I do to make it better mummy?
Me: You can get your shoes on for school.
And off she went to get her shoes on without any whinning, stalling or fussing. It felt like a grand, grand, proud mummy moment.
Me: Maggie its time to turn off the movie and get ready for school. Please get your shoes on.
Maggie: No!
Me: Maggie.... (spoken with my warned inflection)
Maggie: No. I don't want to!
Me: Maggie what's the matter? You sound very upset.
Maggie: I don't want to turn the movie off! (...tears sulking and whining infuse...)
Me: Maggie, you knew what my expectations were. Now it's time to turn the movie off please.
Maggie: I'm upset. I'm the most upsetest today. I will be upset all day and will never ever be happy again. Never ever.
Me: Maggie I'm turning the movie off. We're going to school. Get you shoes on please.
Maggie: No..... mummy. No mummy! Don't do that!
[by this point Maggie retreats to her room and I give her some "time out" before I enter]
Me: Hello Maggie. What are you doing in here?
Maggie: I'm sad.
Me: Why are you sad Maggie?
Maggie: I was looking at the pictures of you and it made me feel sad.
Me: Why is that Maggie?... Use your voice please, not your tears...
Maggie: I'm sad for the way I spoke to you.
Me: Oh Maggie... Do you need a hug?
Maggie: Yes (whimpering). I'm sorry Mummy.
Me: Sorry for what Maggie?
Maggie: I'm sorry for screaming and crying.
Me: It's okay to be upset Maggie but you need to use your voice. It's important to tell me how you feel. Now what's the other part of saying sorry?
Maggie: [sniffling a little] I don't know. You tell me.
Me: You ask what you can do to make it better.
Maggie: What can I do to make it better mummy?
Me: You can get your shoes on for school.
And off she went to get her shoes on without any whinning, stalling or fussing. It felt like a grand, grand, proud mummy moment.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
I've Got a Dino for a Pet
This is my daughter's all time favorite book. I only had to read it to her once before she had memorized the whole thing and now she likes to "read" it back to me with perfect inflection in the appropriate places. She's so adorable. We read it for bedtime tonight and took it in turns to read it together. She gave me, and my husband a dino to sleep with tonight and snuggled up to her very own rubbery, squeezable snuggly dino -- 'cos no dino likes to sleep alone.Knock Knock
I found this great, great super cool company and wanted to share it with others on my blog. KnockKnock.biz is a company that sells fun and modern stationary to help you organize your life and your home. I picked a pad for doing chores around the house but there are a dozen others I would love to have and a dozen more that remind me of other people. Many of their items would make great gifts and stocking fillers. Their website is knockknock.biz.
Hopefully, my purchase will help distribute chores around the house --note the small print at the bottom "to each his/her own responsibilities"
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Objectivity is a Virtue
Got a call back from the evaluator today. Emotions are amix. We discussed the possibility of autism. In her observations (without my input) she would borderline him as being at risk. At the end of the conversation I asked her not to currently recommend further evaluations but to reevaluate at twenty-four months -- a standard time when autism is checked for at well baby visits.
I've got the mother load of mothers guilt tonight. Maybe if I paid more attention to him during the day. Maybe if I sat down with him and did puzzles, and drawing. Maybe if I enrolled him in playgroups...
Then again, I say -- this is just who he is. Please don't label him. Put your pens down and just watch him. Talk to him, not at him. Hold him, hug him. Laugh with him, play with him. Wait; watch and listen. Look at him with your eyes, your heart and your soul. Forget the checklist. Toss it to one side and come back at playtime.
Objectivity is truly a virtue when it comes to providing your child with all that he needs and protecting him from the things he does not.
I've got the mother load of mothers guilt tonight. Maybe if I paid more attention to him during the day. Maybe if I sat down with him and did puzzles, and drawing. Maybe if I enrolled him in playgroups...
Then again, I say -- this is just who he is. Please don't label him. Put your pens down and just watch him. Talk to him, not at him. Hold him, hug him. Laugh with him, play with him. Wait; watch and listen. Look at him with your eyes, your heart and your soul. Forget the checklist. Toss it to one side and come back at playtime.
Objectivity is truly a virtue when it comes to providing your child with all that he needs and protecting him from the things he does not.
The Evaluation
An update from my post reference Ryan and his speech is that his initial home evaluation indicated he may be eligible to receive services for his speech but scored well in all other areas. This is what I expected to hear. In the meantime I'm waiting for an official report and listening to new sounds Ryan is producing practically everyday now.
I think the comment of the day goes to the physical therapist who was evaluating him when she said, "His cognitive skills are very good -- he 's a smart boy. That's good. Usually when there's a speech delay cognitive skills are behind too. He's showing good imagination too -- he's an independent boy."
Next thing to get checked out will be his hearing to eliminate a hearing loss, which is quite unlikely as his receptive language scored high, and then I'll have to decide if I want to participate in a program we're offered.
I'll post again on this when I have another update. Right now I'm going back to my son, to hold him, hug him and love him some more.
I think the comment of the day goes to the physical therapist who was evaluating him when she said, "His cognitive skills are very good -- he 's a smart boy. That's good. Usually when there's a speech delay cognitive skills are behind too. He's showing good imagination too -- he's an independent boy."
Next thing to get checked out will be his hearing to eliminate a hearing loss, which is quite unlikely as his receptive language scored high, and then I'll have to decide if I want to participate in a program we're offered.
I'll post again on this when I have another update. Right now I'm going back to my son, to hold him, hug him and love him some more.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Stuff In My Kitchen and Why I've Blogged About Successful Dinners
When I blog about a "great new recipe" or "great dinner" it is borne out of sheer excitement and gratitude that for one night, I was able to get dinner just right. I've come a long, long way since I was first started cooking for myself let alone my family. There was a time where frozen pizza and supermarket pasta were my signature dishes. Thankfully I've come a long way since then, though I am still known pull out the supermarket pasta or rely on my dialing fingers to order in meals.
Despite my previous entries of meals -- I try, try and try even harder to consistently provide healthy meals for my children but often fail miserable and am so glad my kids happily down their vitamins. Just tonight for example, my children had their cardboard mac and cheese for dinner and I consider it a good week if I only eat or offer my kids fast food for dinner just once. Sometimes, just deciding what to cook completely overwhelms me. Looking at my list of "Stuff in my Kitchen" however, reminds me of how far I've come and makes me feel that perhaps I'm not doing quite so bad afterall. Tomorrow, I'm plannning to cook up some tacos in honor of Cinco De Mayo.
So without further ado; the contents of my cupboards, fridge and freezer....
Despite my previous entries of meals -- I try, try and try even harder to consistently provide healthy meals for my children but often fail miserable and am so glad my kids happily down their vitamins. Just tonight for example, my children had their cardboard mac and cheese for dinner and I consider it a good week if I only eat or offer my kids fast food for dinner just once. Sometimes, just deciding what to cook completely overwhelms me. Looking at my list of "Stuff in my Kitchen" however, reminds me of how far I've come and makes me feel that perhaps I'm not doing quite so bad afterall. Tomorrow, I'm plannning to cook up some tacos in honor of Cinco De Mayo.
So without further ado; the contents of my cupboards, fridge and freezer....
A List of my must haves in the kitchen -:
Olive Oil
Garlic
Ground Cummin
Granulated Garlic
Dried red pepper & Chili Pepper
Fresh herbs, (I'm growing thyme and oregano)
Kosher rock salt
Ground pepper
Tamari Sauce
Hot Sauce
Malt Vinegar
Whole Grain or nine grain bread
Flax Seed
Potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Canned black Olives
Parmesan cheese
Rice crackers
Avocado
Artichokes
Fuji apples
Frozen fruit (for fruit smoothies)
Natural yogurt
Maple syrup
Honey
Some type of fish (tilapia, sole, salmon, trout)
Friday, May 2, 2008
Asparagus and Sole
Just had to post a quick entry about dinner last night. Asparagus and sole are a definite favorite in this house. On first bite Maggie said, "Mummy the fish came out great tonight". She had more than one serving size of sole and ate her way through fifteen asparagus spears and half their stem. Ryan also enjoy some spear heads and a few bites of fish. The best part, next to seeing my kids eat something that was healthy, was that it took all of fifteen minutes to put together and only created two cooking dishes to clean up afterwards :-) This dinner will become a staple for the week. It has always been a hit with the kids and Eric. The big plus factor with this dinner is that Maggie performs beautifully at the supermarket as she races along the aisle (literally) and says, "Let's get some sole mummy! Oh yummy fish! And asparagus too please!"
Sole -: Lightly cook in pan with olive oil and finish with a sprinkle of black pepper.
Asparagus -: lay on baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt; bake @ 400 for 8-10mins depending on thickness of asparagus and your preference for crunchy bite or soft bite (recipe from Dominica Catelli's kitchen)
Sole -: Lightly cook in pan with olive oil and finish with a sprinkle of black pepper.
Asparagus -: lay on baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt; bake @ 400 for 8-10mins depending on thickness of asparagus and your preference for crunchy bite or soft bite (recipe from Dominica Catelli's kitchen)
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A Purge and Look Who's (not) Talking
My son, my dear sweet, cherishable son is twenty months old and refusing to utter one coherent syllable. On a recent visit to the doctors office, I raised my concerns regarding his speech or lack there of and to cut the long story short he is being evaluated to see if he's eligible to receive services for an early interventions program. We've already had one home visit to go over paperwork and will be getting a couple more visits to track and assess his development.
It is a road I have been down before with my daughter who was born with a unilateral hearing loss and to be perfectly frank, it is not one I care to go down again. Fortunately, my daughter has adapted well to her hearing loss which has been registered by an audiologist as "mild to profound". To you and me it means she is relying on one ear to hear speech and the noises which occur in her environment. The program my daughter and I were enrolled consisted of regular home visits, paperwork and tedious homework. Personally, I think I was just filling someones quota. Though I think there is a place for early intervention for many families it wasn't right for Maggie and I, and I should have spoken up about it. Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
Now here I am again, going through the motions with Ryan. As a mother I want to provide my children with the best possible start in life and if that means they need a little extra help then so be it but no parent wants to hear their child is "developmentally delayed". What and whose benchmark do you use to decide if your child is delayed and how do you differentiate between personality and actuality of a so called delay that requires some sort of intervention? And when is it okay to speak out if you want to decline services without it becoming a black mark on your report card? These are the questions which have been rolling around in my head the past few weeks.
Of course, I am asking these question rhetorically, I don't really need an answer. I know the answer. I watch my son, and I love him unconditionally and protect him as I see fit. That is not to say that it is going to be easy to deflect uncensored judgement or criticism no more than it will be easy to accept some truths that may be very difficult to hear; after all nobody said being a parent would be easy. Sometimes it feels like a catch twenty-two.
Since our first home visit my anxieties about my son and his speech has watered down a lot. It seems as if Ryan is extended himself beyond his arms length to prove to me that he is more than capable of reaching milestones. If I could only describe the scene to you as he logically figured out how to get three soccer balls from the back gate back into the blow-up pool by picking each one up at time and then tossing them until they reached the poolside instead of fumbling to pick them all up and carry them to the poolside at the same time. My Ryan may not be talking yet, but his father and I adore him and can see the genius inside milling away.
It is a road I have been down before with my daughter who was born with a unilateral hearing loss and to be perfectly frank, it is not one I care to go down again. Fortunately, my daughter has adapted well to her hearing loss which has been registered by an audiologist as "mild to profound". To you and me it means she is relying on one ear to hear speech and the noises which occur in her environment. The program my daughter and I were enrolled consisted of regular home visits, paperwork and tedious homework. Personally, I think I was just filling someones quota. Though I think there is a place for early intervention for many families it wasn't right for Maggie and I, and I should have spoken up about it. Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
Now here I am again, going through the motions with Ryan. As a mother I want to provide my children with the best possible start in life and if that means they need a little extra help then so be it but no parent wants to hear their child is "developmentally delayed". What and whose benchmark do you use to decide if your child is delayed and how do you differentiate between personality and actuality of a so called delay that requires some sort of intervention? And when is it okay to speak out if you want to decline services without it becoming a black mark on your report card? These are the questions which have been rolling around in my head the past few weeks.
Of course, I am asking these question rhetorically, I don't really need an answer. I know the answer. I watch my son, and I love him unconditionally and protect him as I see fit. That is not to say that it is going to be easy to deflect uncensored judgement or criticism no more than it will be easy to accept some truths that may be very difficult to hear; after all nobody said being a parent would be easy. Sometimes it feels like a catch twenty-two.
Since our first home visit my anxieties about my son and his speech has watered down a lot. It seems as if Ryan is extended himself beyond his arms length to prove to me that he is more than capable of reaching milestones. If I could only describe the scene to you as he logically figured out how to get three soccer balls from the back gate back into the blow-up pool by picking each one up at time and then tossing them until they reached the poolside instead of fumbling to pick them all up and carry them to the poolside at the same time. My Ryan may not be talking yet, but his father and I adore him and can see the genius inside milling away.
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