Saturday, December 3, 2011

More Of The Little Things...

A couple of years ago my boy was give a therapeutic bike to ride from Ambucs. I couldn't believe at the time that someone would just give us a bike that hopefully would help strengthen my boy and allow him the freedom to ride a bike.  It was red and super sturdy and it came with a basket with his name on it. I just knew he was going to love it, what kid wouldn't love a nice bike with his name on it?  My boy that is who. The problem with the bike was that it was work for him because he wasn't quite strong enough to get the bike going without putting major amounts of effort into it.  He did not have any desire to ride the new bike and for two years of trying I decided to give the bike back so that some other child could benefit from it. 
My boys therapist left the bike right in the middle of the room where he had therapy and he never even gave it a second glance during his therapy.  My boy had moved on a long time ago and he was to busy showing off for Ms. Rachel.  He was awesome by the way, jumping like crazy and running on the treadmill. He is getting stronger and this allows him to do so much stuff, like sliding down a slide sitting up or stepping off a curb without holding my hand. He works hard so that he can do this stuff and we are so proud of him. There are a lot of things my boy is doing now that he didn't do in the past and you grow to appreciate all the little things.  So this bike didn't work for my boy but we will try other things.  While we are trying other things we take pleasure in all the little things he is currently doing.  When you have a child with special needs the little things suddenly become the big things, such as holding a spoon or cup on their own.  Sitting when going down the slide because they have the strength to hold themselves up now.  It is the little things that create the moments that will last forever in our minds.  So stop and smell the roses and take a deep breath, there is a little moment waiting for you.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Let's Be Real

This would be the face of a challenging child...I love this face as much as her happy face.
So last night was one of those nights when you just have to wonder why. I am going about my business like I always do and everyone else is just off the wall crazy. I know what some of you are thinking and no I am not the crazy one, at least that is what I keep telling myself and I think it is working. But seriously it was one of those evenings that started out good and just went spiraling out of control and it happened so fast that once it started there is no going back. Both the kids were a little on the challenging side and when this happens at the same time I have to wonder if they are working together to see if mom will get that crazy look on her face. My girl confuses me sometimes, I don't always understand why her phrase for the day is "I don't like that" when it just comes down to maybe she just doesn't want it. I also love it when my cooking always stinks...always. I have a tough skin so I keep on cooking. My boy well he was just a little to hyper last night, couldn't sit still and he was very loud. Moments like these, well they do make me a little crazy so what does someone like me do? I take a phone call and block it all out. I walk away from my girl and find a not so quiet spot in the living room and drift off in conversation. Now this works for me but is not always the best thing to do because when you have kids that are demanding attention that I just can't give them; things have the potential to go bad and that is what happened. We ended up with water sprinkled on pillows, the couch and floor. Now I have to back up a bit because yes the kids were challenging me and well I was challenging Denis. This happens a lot because I do take a laid back approach to things and he takes on more of a direct approach to things and that is how I think we balance each other out. I don't have the energy to get upset about all the little things that don't go my way, if I did you would have one very high strung person needing some kind of help from one of those doctors that sit in a chair while I lay on the couch. So last night we are going to file that one away under "Things not to do again". So yes I love my kids but let's be for real I can be that mom that posts about the awesome character of my kids but they are not perfect they are kids that are constantly pushing and challenging to see if we are all still on the same page and hoping that the rules no longer apply. This is what kids do and this is what you want your kids to do, it is healthy but we have to as parents find a way to maintain our sanity when it happens. I am off to awaken my girl...today is a new day. Thank goodness for that!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Benevolence

Loving her bro
be-nev-o-lence (buh-nev-uh-luhns):  Desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness
My girl came home today saying this word with excitement.  I have to admit that I had to go look up its exact meaning so that I could truly understand everything that was being said to me.  My girl was nominated for "Students of Character" for this year's yearbook and her character is benevolence.  I wasn't surprised because she has a kind heart and it shows in the way she loves her brother, she is careful with her words and she doesn't judge others. 

Riding the train so her brother can
Last year she presented her school with a program to educate her peers about not using the R word.  We have taken the word retarded out of our vocabulary and she would like to see her friends do the same.  The school loved the idea except it was to late in the school year to get it going properly.  Whenever the school is asking for donations she is asking me to step up and help her out.  She doesn't know it but she is her brother's advocate when it comes to making sure he is getting a fair deal in this household.  Oh sure I am her mom and yes I totally can see why  they picked  this character for her, but she also surrounds herself with others that have the same characteristics as her.  One of her best friends in school was also picked for this character.  I am calling  them the Benevolence Sisters.  So we are super proud of her today and it isn't because she cleaned her room or because she finally learned how to laugh at herself but because she cares and she cares with her whole heart. 
Helping a friend with homework before the Taylor Swift Concert

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thankful

Thankful for my family
This month I have been reading posts of what all my friends are thankful for on Facebook and I have yet to even acknowledge that it is a month of giving thanks.  I haven't done this on purpose or maybe unconsciously I have.  I have always been that person that if everyone else is doing it then I just might have to pass.  I know what you are thinking and no this isn't one of those things that I should pass on because it is good to take a moment and think about all that we are thankful for.  Everyone always says family, kids, spouse...and it goes the same for me. 



Thankful for my girl



I often wonder about the little things because the little things are what make the big things matter.  For instance I am thankful for the 5 min. phone call from Jessica just to check in and say hi or when you are pleasantly surprised when your daughter picks up the house when she wasn't asked to.  I always love it when my husband picks up a cappuccino or a tea for me just because he was thinking about me.  Who doesn't love a full body, arms around the neck squeeze from both your kids.  Thankful yes I am thankful and will continue to count my blessing everyday for all the little things that goes on in my life.  I just hope that in my lack of showing thanks this month that those that matter most know that I am thankful.  So don't forget about all the little things because it all starts with a small gesture and then turns into something big. 


Thankful for friends



Thankful for my boy



and my family


Monday, November 21, 2011

Taking A Step Back

This weekend took me back to a time when the only responsibility I had was to keep my room clean and MTV was something that didn't exist yet.  I spent Saturday cleaning with the windows open and our radio/intercom system playing throughout the house.  I was cleaning and the kids were content each doing there own thing.  My girl helped out for a little bit and that always makes me happy, but I was on a mission and my girl had to move on to her own things at some point.  My boy was playing on the back porch in his sand table while I cleaned the living room.  I love being able to have the door open to the back porch it makes the house feel so open.  The day was peaceful because I wasn't listening to Phineas and Ferb on the TV and when I say Phineas and Ferb I mean that I am not listening to my boy play only the songs over and over again.  He loves the songs and I have to admit they are pretty catchy but today we turned the TV off and the day was perfect.  I am not sure why this day made me think of my childhood but I am sure it was more about the feeling I had experienced with my kids being content and happy with just being home.  My thoughts go to when I was a child and would lay in front of the TV on the floor watching some special that was on TV.  Seems like they did that a lot back then,  holiday specials or some musical special, it was all special. 

Since I am sort of stuck in the past right now I was going threw some of our pictures from when the kids were little and I can't believe that they are growing up so fast.  Time moves way to fast and I have always been about quality over quantity and I truly hope that the time I am spending with my family is full of the stuff that will make them look back one day with thoughts of happiness.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Shake Rattle and Roll

So things have been a little on the weird side of things lately.  Oklahoma has been experiencing earthquakes that are big enough to be felt by all.  I was just going to refer to the one we had on Saturday and realized I didn't have a way to refer to it other than 5.6.  I am going to name the one on Saturday Frankie Dee, why not.  If we continue to have them as often as we are we will need some kind of reference.  So Frankie shook Denis from his sleep sometime after 11:00 not sure on the exact time because I was also asleep.  Denis woke me up only for me to hear what sounded like a train outside our window.  Frankie was shaking the house like you would not believe,  the doors were shaking and that is all I can tell you because I just laid in bed waiting for it to pass.  It was all kind of surreal.  Even after it was over I was still wondering what exactly happened. Frankie was trying hard to wake up the kids but he did not succeed.  Frankie was felt in several states that I know of so he definitely made his presence known.  I know that Frankie can not come close to what others have experienced in the past because Frankie did not cause the damage that others before him have.  But Frankie was a big deal to a lot of people here in Oklahoma because most of us have never experience an earthquake before making this scary for most of the first timers here in Oklahoma.  Frankie was my first and I will always remember him.  He for sure left an impression on me.  Sure he came and went like it was no big deal and I am thankful for that.  I have heard several people say that Oklahomans would rather experience a tornado than experience an earthquake.  I have to say they both are something I prefer not to have happen.  They both can not be controlled.  You can not change the course of a tornado and you can not change how hard an earthquake is going to hit.  They both are unpredictable and I don't want to have anything to do with either.  My girl experienced her first earthquake last night and she come barging into our room with this huge smile on her face.  She was full of excitement that she finally felt an earthquake.  It was cool for her.  She did not meet Frankie but she got to meet Big Joe Turner and Joe didn't hit as hard as Frankie but he was still felt by a lot of people.   Who knows if we are going to have more anytime soon, but I am not going to be so surprised by it now.  With three earthquakes under my belt I am feeling like an old pro now.  No not really.  Oklahomans are totally trained and know exactly what to do in the face of a tornado.  But if one of those big earthquakes come our way the only training I have is what I have seen in the movies and that is hold on to the door frame and we know how the movies are, they always leave out the boring stuff so i am sure there is more to know.  So if a big one comes this is what I know.  We should be good here if another comes our way.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Spring Forward and Fall Back

It is that time of year again, time for daylight savings to end by setting our clocks back an hour.  It is just an hour and it shouldn't be that big of a deal, but it is.  We have to adjust our internal clocks to not want to eat at 4:30 or go to bed at a time that will have us getting up way to early.  I get up early anyway with my boy.  He generally gets up anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30 but when you throw in daylight savings we are getting up at 4:30 in the morning.  Today was the longest day ever.  We were all tired and ready for dinner at 3:00 and yes we started to make dinner and we all showered getting ready for the wind down, you know when you are just done for the day.  We ate, watched TV, played cards, downloaded a new game for the iPad and spent the next hour or so playing with that only to realize it was just 6:30.  My kids both went to bed at 8:00 and I didn't even make my girl go then she just was ready because like I said it was the longest day ever. 

So why do we spring forward and fall back?  We have been doing it since 1883 and it was instituted in the U.S. and Canada by the railroads. In 1918 it became law.  I am not real sure why we still participate in daylight savings.  Hawaii and most of Arizona does not participate.  I see no benefit none what so ever. Oh sure we all think we are going to get an extra hour of sleep, but is that true?  Not for me.  Let's do away with daylight saving time.  I think it is no longer needed.  What are your thoughts on this?  All I know is it messes with me in a bad way. 

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Family

I was raised in a huge family, going to reunions every year, camping out, roasting marshmallows and jumping off an old bus tire into the lake.  I love and cherish all these memories and wish my kids could experience the same.  Times have changed and we stay connected with family through Facebook and other social medias.  It works but there is no late night game of cards or swimming till your fingers are unrecognizable and I always loved the game of baseball where we played families against each other.  Yes these are my childhood memories and now we all have families of our own creating indiviual family memories.  Don't get me wrong we do still get together but not always at the same time.  It is funny how the day to day gets in the way of connecting with loved ones.  Sometimes I think family takes each other for granted, knowing that if we miss that certain get-together there will always be another one.  Sure we get together at holidays, but what happens when you miss one and then it turns into three.  We will for sure talk about you but be so happy that you joined us again in the circle of people that always forgive and forget.  Family is my safe ground.  I can always show my frustration, anger and insecurities to them and nothing changes.  The love that was there before is still there.  We are not perfect and we need this safe place to go when we need to let it all out. 

My kids are lucky because they have a handful of grandparents that love and celebrate them everyday.  I love that they are in my kids life surrounding them with all that they have learned that I have not quite grasped yet.  I have selected a few pictures of family that we have celebrated reunions with or see on all of our special occasions.  Not everyone is pictured that is near and dear to me.  I could post pictures all day long and I am sad that I don't have pictures of me at the lake jumping off that bus tire.  Here are some of my favorite pictures of my kids and family.

















My family that supports me and my family through all of our ups and downs.  I am celebrating them for all that they give everyday.