Loving life.

This is my favorite time of year. Spring. It just makes me so happy and excited for what is to come. Windows are open, breezes flow, the kids play and I breathe in their happiness.

Someone else in our house is particularly fond of spring ... and the outdoor time that comes with it. Hi Zoe. If you don't stop running after everyone who walks past the house, your outdoor time will be limited. Mmmkay?



We bit the bullet at Christmas and bought Mason a pocket rocket ... he loves that thing. He has been itching to get it outside and today was the day. The kids and I went for a walk and he zoomed all around us. I'm pretty sure I sounded like a broken record -- Mason! Be careful! Don't go so fast!

He only kissed the pavement one time ... and I watched it happen in slow motion from behind. It looked painful, but in true 6-year-old fashion ... he jumped up and went back to business. Had some neighborhood kids not been looking, his reaction may have been worse.

And the broken record screeched -- I told you to slow down!



I feel like we are in the middle of an infinite speech therapy marathon. Monday - 1 hour private PROMPT therapy, 30 minute public school PROMPT therapy; Tuesday - 30 minute private speech therapy; Wednesday - day off; Thursday - 30 minute private speech therapy, 30 minute public school PROMPT therapy; and Friday - day off.

Speaking of ... I finally heard back from Payton's teacher regarding her wanting to transfer Payton off her caseload, regardless of Payton's apraxia diagnosis and regardless of the therapist's PROMPT training. Hmph. I ended up having to call the head of speech therapy within the special education department ... and of course after that I got what I wanted. 

Sort of sounds like a neener-neener-boo-boo chant, but whatever -- I should have never had to deal with this to begin with.



Have I mentioned this chick is full of attitude and sass? Hello dirty look!



Nika is Nika ... just hanging, chilling, loving life. This chick attracts people everywhere we go. She is notorious for blowing kisses when we leave places ... although I'm not sure she realizes she is really signing thank you -- and smacking her lips -- when she does so.



Her adjustment continues to be amazing ... she is like a little sponge soaking up her new world. Today Mason and I were practicing her colors with her on an iPhone app that I have ... she did great knowing the colors -- if only her fine motor skills allowed her to accurately touch each color.

After attending a meeting this evening, I went to eat because I was starving ... Baja Fresh. It was funny because I had to convince myself that it was okay for me to go take a few minutes to eat. By myself. Alone. With no children and no distractions.

Clearly I was in my own little world.

I got there at 9:02 p.m. and walked in, sort of surprised to see they were still open. I ordered my food and decided to eat it there, rather than take it to go. I deserved this time, yes? 

After about 27 minutes, I realized I was enjoying my time a little too much. I looked up to see I was the only customer there. Garbages had been emptied. Cash registers closed. The kitchen almost clean. 

They had closed two minutes before I even got there and I didn't know it. What is even more remarkable is they never said anything, they allowed me to eat my meal in peace and they went about their business. While I drooled over my chicken nachos.

Thank you Baja Fresh ... I needed that. Even if I did look like a complete dork without realizing it. I guess that probably happens way more than I realize, huh?

My girls. And my boy.

My girl.



A little over a week ago, I sat in an operating room holding my youngest daughter as she was sedated for surgery. Her tonsils and adenoids had to come out. No matter how many times I've witnessed my children be put under anesthesia ... it never gets easier.

Surgery was a success.

Nika was a champ.

The crazy kid bounced back faster than a cheetah can cross a field. She and I spent the night in the hospital with the world's most dreaded roommate. For her first post-op meal, she had macaroni and cheese, peas, applesauce, ice cream and a popsicle. Perhaps I am forgetting something. I think I will enter her in a hot dog eating contest, because there is no way she wouldn't win.

Nika + food = bliss.

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My other girl.



My super sassy, adorably scrumptious, full of attitude oldest daughter.

This chick is giving me a run for my money. She thinks she rules the roost and the hammer is about to come down. Problem is ... she is so damn cute that I can't help but just kiss her when she looks at me out of the corner of her eye and raises her finger as if to tell me, "No!"

I love her sass and I can't imagine where she gets her attitude. She'll go far in life ... I just know it.

After about five months of school, I finally was able to speak to Payton's speech therapist today ... I'm talking her school speech therapist. I have never heard from this woman and was beginning to get rather irritated.

Our conversation was interesting, to say the least. She acknowledged that she had received the information concerning Payton's apraxia diagnosis. Yet she didn't really seem to care to address it.

So I did.

In the interim, she told me that she will no longer see Payton ... that, due to budget cuts ... her assistant will see her and all the other kids that get one-on-one. She -- the speech therapist -- will only be working with the kids who can handle group therapy.

Does that seem backwards to anyone but me?

So then I asked the magic question, "Are there any speech therapists that are PROMPT trained?" 

She chuckled and said, "Yes. Me. And I have been using PROMPT on Payton."

Interesting. To say the least. 

So let me get this straight. Said child has an apraxia diagnosis and has been receiving speech therapy by a PROMPT trained therapist -- which we want and need -- and said speech therapist is going to pass her off to her assistant, so she can see higher functioning kids who can deal with group therapy. 

Did I get that right? Because it sure as heck does not make sense to me.

And I told her that. I'm pretty sure she completely understood what I was saying and if she didn't, I would really question her as a therapist. After I made it clear that I would fight to have her kept as Payton's therapist, she told me she would talk to her supervisor and see what could be done in a situation like this.

The thing that makes me so angry ... is that had I not brought it up, they would have just swept it all under the rug.

So I wait. She has until Friday to call me and if not, "Hello, Mrs. Supervisor? I have a problem that I need addressed."

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My boy.



My baby boy ... who isn't so much a baby anymore. 

Little dude is six and in kindergarten, but he is the size of an eight year old kid in second grade. He has struggled with his reading, letter sounds and sight words, but he is getting better as we drill them into his little head as the days go by.

He is so obviously my kid. I'm told he is a math whiz ... that's me. I took college algebra for fun ... for easy credit. My husband ... not so much.

Yep, that's right ... my kid. Oh, and the tall genes ... those are mine too. Sorry babe. 

I have quickly come to realize just how grown up my boy is getting. He is currently in that awkward phase of life without any front teeth. How long does it take for those things to grow in, anyway?

The past few weeks, Mason and I have had daily battles over Super Mario Brothers on the Wii. We seriously bicker the whole time ... loving bicker, of course.

You made me die! You took my mushroom! Get out of your bubble! Etc etc etc.

But I love it. He loves it.

And these are the times that we'll remember forever.

Chatter.

I'm trying to recover after finding out we are losing our speech therapy services. We cannot follow our current ST ... as she is going to a facility that currently only serves adults. Our current facility does not have a replacement ST as of right now ... they claim they are working on it.

So after this Thursday, we no longer have private speech therapy. Grr. And ... there really are no other places in our area that accept insurance, so that is not an option either.

Praying I find an option soon.

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Today is the last day to have a chance at winning the iPod Touch or quilt ... and more importantly, to help Zhora try to find a family. We have raised $710 so far ... trying to make it $1,000!



Don't forget that if you have donated and also have increased your odds by blogging, facebooking, tweeting or emailing ... make sure you let me know so I can make sure you get your extra entries into the drawing!

Thank you to everyone who has supported Zhora thus far!

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All that for nothing.

It's been a stressful day ... for many reasons.

To top it all off, I just opened a letter we got in the mail today from our speech therapist. She is leaving the practice ... effective December 17.

And I am seriously about to lose it ... emotionally.

After everything we have worked for this past year or so ... gone. I understand Payton's speech won't be gone, but everything it took to get her there ... gone.

It took her MONTHS to warm up to this therapist. MONTHS to get to a point where she trusted her and would work with her. Those MONTHS were very stressful for me ... because who wants to bring a kid into therapy and have her say "No!" for the entire session?

Not me.

Now ... Payton loves her speech therapist. LOVES HER. And our speech therapist is SO good with the girls ... and has gotten them so far. Remember this post?

I know this may seem ridiculous to some people, but I feel like we are back at square one. And I suppose getting this news after an already stressful day isn't helping.

Sigh.

Sometimes I just get sick of everything we have to go through. In the end, it is so worth it ... but every once in awhile I get burnt out.

Today is one of those days.

Back to school ...

Within the past 36 hours, I have attended three back to school orientations at three different elementary schools for three different kids who will be going to school and loading buses at three different times. Three.

I'm exhausted. And overwhelmed.

Mason will be starting full day kindergarten on Tuesday. We met his teacher and her assistant, both of whom I like very much. I am super anxious about him starting school for a number of reasons ... mainly because I hope he keeps his behavior in check. He had some problems with impulsiveness in preschool and I really hope he understands ... or should I say remembers ... that it is inappropriate. I have been reviewing the rules with him and he gets so annoyed with me, as if I have no reason to be reviewing rules.

*chuckles* Crazy kid.

I also am really concerned about his learning ability. He is not grasping some of his letters by sight and his numbers are a huge concern as well. I feel like I already need to have a conference with his teacher ... and school has not even started yet!

Payton also starts school on Tuesday ... and she is going to be riding the bus! There is a separate preschool bus that comes directly to our house to pick her up. I am really anxious about her riding the bus ... I mean, she is three. I refused bus transport last year for her, but this year there is no way I can drive her since I have three kids going to three schools and loading three buses at three different times ... remember? Of the three kids, Payton has to go the furthest. The reason for this is that we were able to get her in that 6/6 classroom, which is only available at certain schools.

Payton and I were able to go see her classroom and meet her teacher, as well as the two aides. I really like all three of them, especially the aides. Her teacher was very nice, however she seemed sort of harsh to me. Harshness aside, I think she will be a great teacher from a learning aspect.

After fighting for it the entire last school year, I finally was successful in getting one on one speech therapy for Payton at school. So ... she will be getting that, in addition to her private speech therapy that I take her to twice a week.

My biggest concern is that Payton will be in school five days a week, in the afternoon. She still naps, so I hope she doesn't get so tired that her learning and behavior are affected. I am praying that she keeps so busy that she doesn't even realize she is tired. Oh, my poor sweet girl.

Addison starts school on Wednesday ... yikes! Didn't she just come home from Russia ... err something?! She will be attending school two mornings a week and she will also be riding the bus. Talk about anxiety! I feel like I'm throwing my baby to a pack of wolves!

*sigh* But ... for the aforementioned reasons, I cannot drive her. And I know my sanity will be so much better if I just let all three kids take the bus, but seriously ... people normally don't have to do this for the first time with all of their kids at once!

Anyway.

We have already had our first home visit with Addison's teacher and I think we are going to have a great year. I really like her and it seems like she has a great communication system with families, which I want. I feel comfortable that she will adapt to Addison and help her in her adjustment. I plan to push for another day, as well as one on one therapies at school. I also have a private speech evaluation scheduled, since her county therapy services have now ended.

So let the games begin! I think I thought I would have more time on my hands once school starts, but I am no longer convinced that is the case!

Speech Therapy

{Ahem ... excuse the cell phone image quality}

Payton has had several sessions of private speech therapy now. She is warming up to the therapist and I actually am starting to like the "medical model" ... despite the inconvenience of it all.

The therapist has done a lot of bubbles with Payton, which she loves. Payton already says her version of "bubbles", which sounds like "bub-ba". And we are trying to get her to say "pop" ... as in pop the bubbles. Get it? Haha.

She has been working with her also a little bit on colors, prepositions (in, on, under, etc), animal sounds and counting 1, 2, 3. Because yes, she is three and she doesn't really know these things.

Which makes me so bummed.

So we are on a mission. Here are some color buckets I made for at home. She can easily match the colors, but the key here is to get her to say or sign the color too.


Umm ... I guess I need to learn the signs. So much to do, so little time.