One preschooler rounded up!
Well it's official....we have a preschooler! We had an appointment to have Daniel "evaluated" for local preschool program. To be honest it was nerve wracking to see my 3 year old go through an evaluation. Don't get me wrong the teachers were as nice as can be, and they didn't give the impression "boy your kid sucks!" in fact they just giggled along with him. But it's just hard to not jump in and translate for your baby:-)
The bad news.....Daniel seems to have a slight speech delay. The speech pathologist said he score was actually quite high, but he just needs a little help in some areas. He says lots of words, but his sentences are harder to understand to someone unfamiliar with him.
The good news....he qualifies for a special program that meets for 2.5 hours per day M-F, where he will get to do normal preschool things. In addition to that he will meet with the speech pathologist 20-40 minutes at a time 4-8 times a month. So he will get both normal class time, and one and one time.
The great news.....it's all F-R-E-E...... We went in bracing ourselves for a tuition based program, but walked out with an opportunity for free preschool.
The AWESOME news.....Daniel gets to take a BUS to school. It will even pick up and drop off at the house! We are refraining from saying the "B" word around Daniel because Bus just ranks just after train and boat for things he wants to go on. Although he has been on a bus, he just doesn't remember....but If we mention it now, he won't let up until he gets on one.
Well.....I honestly think the awesome news is the free part, but I am sure the whole Bus thing is going to be Daniel's number 1. I am not to sure how easy it will be to let him get on by himself and watch him go......I have some months to get used to it.
The school itself is cool. It is housed in an old high school, so old looking on the outside you just don't know what to expect. However it has a very nostalgic feel to it....good "bones" as they say. They are still renovating another floor for administration. It will be neat to see when everything is done. They redid/added on to the building for the preschool wing and it has a very modern bright feel. It really seems to encourage a learning environment.
I admit I am still hung up on the whole speech "delay" thing. I get it, and I agree with it. I am happy to have such a nice program that will help him....and did I mention the FREEness of it all? I tell Chad I know I am crazy for wondering "why" he is delayed. It's just who I am, I obsess:-)
Now for some more fun........I moved the washable paints to a bookshelf in the living room....where Daniel was able to reach them.....and where he pulled them down....and where I must have not realized that one was left within reach of a certain one year old.......
It took me a while to realize that Manu had gotten a hold of one....and why...WHY did it have to be the blue one? It's washable, and the carpet already looks better...his faced washed up nice.....but still. I guess every 1 year old needs a picture like this right?
Happy Birthday Chad
So yesterday I did the most horrible awful thing EVER! I forgot to wish my wonderful husband a happy birthday on this blog! I know.....throw me into jail.....where there will be no work, and meals cooked for me...wait that doesn't sound so bad
lol! So yesterday was his birthday.....here is what I should have written:
As many (well
ok 3 who read this blog) know Chad is a super husband he helps out around the house. He will do dishes, laundry, and vacuum plus any number of normal "wifely" things I slack off on. Not only is he handy, he is always excited to take on new house projects like making me a raised square foot garden:-)
As a daddy he is super attentive and patient. I wouldn't have survived Daniel's terrible 2's
without him. He is never afraid to show the boys affection or just sit and talk with them about anything (lately it trucks;-). His "girl" Belle can still expect him to play with her.....but most of all he has taken charge of making sure she is fed.
He strives to do the best possible job at work. He makes these awesome videos. Recently one was about Autism, and before that there was a
homeless student video. When he works on them he really gets into the subject. Not only am I more educated from watching them, he just brings home a wealth of
information. How awesome is it to be so passionate about your work.
I really couldn't have asked for a better husband. I don't know what I would do without his support. I could not ask for a better man for my boys to look up to!
The long goodbye
Before our move last summer, in the midst of packing, we noticed something was wrong with our cat Tess. Well it wasn't that we noticed all of a sudden. It just seemed that all of a sudden she got really bad. Although she was always kid of small, she really seemed to have lost about half of her weight. I pretty much prepared myself for her not making the move with us.
After starting her on thyroid meds she got a little bit better.
Since the move it has been one month of "getting better" and one month of getting worse. In the fall our new vet noticed she had a lump in her bladder. It was kind of pointless to figure out what it was. Even if we did want to pay for an x-ray, there was no way she could have an operation at her advanced age.
So we just kept up what we were doing. Medication mixed into wet food (which we swore we would NEVER give her on a daily basis) twice a day.
She continued to be her normal self. Just a little more bossy when it came to food. She still cuddled. She was still good with the kids. She never really went upstairs in the new house. Which was fine with us, because she picked up this habit of peeing on things....something she never had done before.
The peeing got worse and worse. We had been giving her antibiotics and it would help some. However this last month or so, it no longer really worked. It fin
ally got to the point where she could no longer groom herself either.
Yesterday, after a reassuring talk with our vet, Chad had taken her in to put her down. In some ways I am happy to have at least had a goodbye. It's odd despite having children, and buying a house...we feel like this is a first "grown up" decision.
We were straight with Daniel. We told him kitty was going to the vet and she won't come home with daddy. That it was time to say bye bye to the kitty. He cried.....because he wanted to go to.....I don't think it has really sunk in, he is 3 afterall:-) He does say "I want kitty back"...and after I tell him that she isn't coming back. He says "daddy get new one".....again he is 3 lol!
I could not have asked for a better cat, Tess was a best friend to me. Whenever I was sick she cuddled with me. She had an uncanny ability to understand what we said. She lived previously with Chad's parents. When we brought her home to our apartment. I told her
"You can't go under our bed until I see you use the litter box"
She looked at me turned around and used her litter box. Rarely did she do typical bratty cat behavior like scratching, or (until the last year) peeing. She never tried to bite, swat, or even hiss at me, Chad or even the boys! She did give Belle a few (well deserved) swats as a puppy. But she and Belle were friends in the end.
I will miss our Princess Tess....but it was nice to have such a good friend.
Updates
I can't believe how fast time has been flying lately. I keep meaning to update, and I have things I want to say but then bam, it's already Monday of a new week!
- Please keep Taye in your prayers. His parents have kept their blog pretty well updated. Actually amazingly updated despite the situation. Prayers for his continued progress, as well as strength for Joanna and Ben are needed. I know God is working miracles!
- I was talking to Chad last Thursday about Taye, and we both admitted to thinking of him every 5 to 10 minutes. Needless to say hugs to my boys have become a little tighter and a little longer. I don't know how Ben and Joanna can keep strength up, they are amazing.
- We had a rare occurrence this weekend....we spent Saturday and Sunday near home. Well Saturday we spent the morning cleaning up, and then went to an earth fair, out to lunch, and S@m's club......then home for the evening. Daniel and I even got to spend some quality time just the two of us. We shared an ice cream at S@m's, went for a walk, and sat on the porch in the twilight and talked.
- Daniel seems to have hit a patch of the troublesome 3's (and I don't feel I have made that up lol). Not as bad as the terrible 2's....less fits, but just more whiny. We don't give in when he whines for something or turns on tears. We try to do the opposite. But still....sometimes he just isn't any fun;-)
- Except for his whining jags, Daniel has become quite the conversationalist. With us he just jabbers on. In the car, he tells us all the trucks he sees. He tells us when we have crossed railroad tracks. He also likes to point out places where you can get nuggets. The other night he was telling me how he would drive a boat.
- Oh and I think it is safe to say potty training is over. He can do #1 and #2 (which he calls "nuggets" not to be confused with the nuggets above)....he can stay dry all night. The only thing he has yet to do it #2 somewhere other than home. But there are woman I know who don't do that....so all is good!
- Manu is on the move. I think we jinxed him back in November. That is when he was first pulling himself up to stand. We kept saying "wow he is going to be walking by Christmas"...nope....then it was "oh he is going to be walking by his birthday"....nope..."Daniel's birthday"....nope......well now....maybe Earth day. He is walking somewhat...He can take steps. But he still prefers crawling and being carried. When he does walk he gets so excited he falls.
- Despite a slow start in the tooth department Manu is well on his way of having a good set. the first few were so painful we kind of wished they sold baby pain medicine at by the quart...at least. But now is a small bit of fussiness when they come in.
- Belle and Manu have become the buddies I always expected from Daniel and Belle. Daniel never quite took a shine to her...although he loves to have her do tricks, and tell her what to do. Manu on the other hand just adores her, and she him. Although with Belle it has more to do with Manu's policy of "one piece for me, one for the Belle". Manu definitely loves to throw stuff of his high chair more than Daniel ever did.
- With the help of my mother in law (Thank's Joni!) Chad and I each got !-phone$.....and they are as fun as they look. We have yet to find anything there isn't an "app" for yet (ok except (a free) blogger ahm....hint hint wink wink). I am still trying to get work stuff setup on it. It will be nice in the summer to take a break but still be reachable.
- Before last week, I never used my cell phone for anything but making calls and pictures. I dislike texting (and so far still do)....but well this phone is a toy.....an expensive toy, but there is just so much to do on it......but we have still not mastered how to solve...we are in a strange location and need something to eat...quick find me something now! There are apps, but it's still tricky to do while driving.
- Chad has been working on 'designs' for my new garden. But between that, installing a privacy fence, and improving our front porch......I don't think there are enough weekends in the summer....heck not enough weekends in the year considering how we are never home for them. But we at least have some containers for my garden, so I can at least start soon. But I can't wait our projects to be finished....I love having a handy husband!
- OH I recently read Twilight...and OMG....OMG ....I HATED it! Could there be a more annoying main character in Bella? Really.....is this the kind of girl we want tween girls to look up to? Really?
Well that is all for now. Kind of scattered, but someday my blog project will get started!
Please Pray
I have put this up on Facebook, but just to spread the word here as well.
Please keep, the McKinney's and their son Taye in your prayers. Taye was injured yesterday and he is in the hospital. I haven't been able to stop thinking and praying for them all day.
For my Garden
I want
A Beautiful Ethiopian Adventure!
Hey, I have lots to catch up on, been super busy with work, life and whatnot. BUT I have to stop for a moment to tell everyone who reads this to stop over at
Ben and Joanna's blog and catch up on their exciting news if you haven't done so already.
I can't wait to meet their newest family member. They have some awesome stories to share now and a lot more to come. I honestly can't remember being so happy for another family, there is nothing but pure joy in their adoption stories!
Well it's official....we have a preschooler! We had an appointment to have Daniel "evaluated" for local preschool program. To be honest it was nerve wracking to see my 3 year old go through an evaluation. Don't get me wrong the teachers were as nice as can be, and they didn't give the impression "boy your kid sucks!" in fact they just giggled along with him. But it's just hard to not jump in and translate for your baby:-)
