The world has been on fast forward these last couple weeks, seems like the minute I get some down time, something else needs to be done! I guess my new mission is to update this blog more often! I've never looked forward to spring break as much as I am right now, 7 more days of classes (1 project, one quiz, one paper and 5 exams in those seven days) and I now 'get it' as to why we need a spring break!
We've had some new news lately, 'The Little' got to go see the OT again last week, and she shared some things she noted during his evaluations. We're being referred to both a physical therapist and a developmental pediatrician, fun times. I'm trying to move past the anger and guilt of the whole thing and focus on what we need to do, but it's hard. The good news is that even though he is a bit older than most kids when all of these things are discovered, he can benefit from the therapies. He's such a great kid, I'm constantly amazed at him, and the improvements he's made just in this last not even two months are awesome. He sat in on a meeting I had with a dean today and the dean was just so impressed with him, saying he's the best behaved kid he's seen in a long time and I should be proud...darn tootin' I am!
In other big news, 'The Little' has finally started karate, we shopped around and found a program that he liked, and bonus, it's cheaper than anything else we've looked at. He's had two classes and of course I'm biased, but watching him and comparing him to the other new kids, he's definitely taking it more seriously than the others. I know it'll be good for him, and his OT said that kids like him benefit from things like that, so yay!
We spent this past Saturday in New York and minus one full on panic attack coming off the subway, he had a great day! The weather was horrendous-rainy cold and windy all day long-but we still had fun. As we walked up to the front of the AMNH, he looked at me and said "thanks for making one of my lifelong dreams come true!" He was so darn excited to go to that museum and he soaked it all in and wants to go back. We'll have to see, he's got a lot of 'dreams' in that head of his, touring DC, Philadelphia, even right here around Baltimore, the zoo, etc. Busy spring and summer ahead for us!
My mission to improve my health/weight is slow going, but it's about to get a boost. Thanks to my Nurtrition class, there are some foods I no longer want to eat or give to The Little. Y'know, stuff like conventional meat/chicken, that kind of stuff. I need to figure out how to swing the cost of the occasional organic/local/free range meats but for the most part, we're going to base meals around veggies with less meat/poultry. Even The Little gets it and as we discussed it this afternoon, he summed it all up "you can't put a price tag on your life". This was his response to me saying that the 'good' meats are more expensive. I love this smart kiddo I've got!
I'll be back to update again soon!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
New Adventures on the Homeschool Front!
I know, two posts in one day?!
We're having a great week, went to a homeschooling meeting Monday night, met a few people, and even got together with some of them today. 'The Little' made a friend and they really hit it off! A boy the same age who likes Harry Potter and has a similar fun energy, what's not to like?
At the same time, when I decided to homeschool, I talked with 'Little' about our options for approaches to what kind of formats to use, etc. He wholeheartedly wanted an online program so that's what we've been using since we started this journey. He announced to me that he wants to try other things now, so I'm back on the hunt for curriculum that works for us. For the last couple days we've been doing simple printables from the internet and he's loving them! I would have thought that worksheets would be the least appealing for him, being a sensory seeking, hands on kind of kid. But he likes them...for now!
Homeschooling is a definite challenge in the sense that it's ever changing and you need to be ready to drop and change things as needed/wanted. And the best part is, you can do just that!
We're having a great week, went to a homeschooling meeting Monday night, met a few people, and even got together with some of them today. 'The Little' made a friend and they really hit it off! A boy the same age who likes Harry Potter and has a similar fun energy, what's not to like?
At the same time, when I decided to homeschool, I talked with 'Little' about our options for approaches to what kind of formats to use, etc. He wholeheartedly wanted an online program so that's what we've been using since we started this journey. He announced to me that he wants to try other things now, so I'm back on the hunt for curriculum that works for us. For the last couple days we've been doing simple printables from the internet and he's loving them! I would have thought that worksheets would be the least appealing for him, being a sensory seeking, hands on kind of kid. But he likes them...for now!
Homeschooling is a definite challenge in the sense that it's ever changing and you need to be ready to drop and change things as needed/wanted. And the best part is, you can do just that!
Big day today!
We've had a bit of an up and down kind of day and it's one of those that we'll look back and remember for awhile.
We finally had our appointment to find out what exactly makes 'the Little' tick. I've briefly mentioned that he's a bit unique and now we know a bit more as to exactly why that is. There has been suspicion that he may have Sensory Processing Disorder and that was confirmed today. There's a huge whirlwind of emotions when you get answers, no matter what they are. I've dealt with the guilt of not being able to figure this out sooner, the regret for so much wasted time, the sadness at another 'label' that confirms that he's 'unique', but also the relief that we're on our way towards progress, and toss in a bit of a renewed confidence in my 'mommy gut' because a mom just knows! So moms out there, when you know something isn't quite right with your babes, follow that instinct and don't question yourself!
He got a taste of therapy today and will actually get to start pretty soon, usually there's a wait but they had an appointment slot that works with our schedules and had just been given permission to fill it with a new patient, so we took it. He really enjoyed the sensory gym and watching him playing brought tears to my eyes. I keep hearing what the psychologist who did his psych eval told me, that there's a marked decrease in the symptoms of anxiety disorder and ADHD when a child is treated for sensory issues. To know that we may have even brighter days ahead makes me want to dance and shout and back flip! He's made SO much improvement just in the last month or so since I took him out of school, and it might get even better?? There's hope that my beautiful boy can lead a relatively 'normal' life! So many things make so much more sense already, and there's more of that in our futures now!
We finally had our appointment to find out what exactly makes 'the Little' tick. I've briefly mentioned that he's a bit unique and now we know a bit more as to exactly why that is. There has been suspicion that he may have Sensory Processing Disorder and that was confirmed today. There's a huge whirlwind of emotions when you get answers, no matter what they are. I've dealt with the guilt of not being able to figure this out sooner, the regret for so much wasted time, the sadness at another 'label' that confirms that he's 'unique', but also the relief that we're on our way towards progress, and toss in a bit of a renewed confidence in my 'mommy gut' because a mom just knows! So moms out there, when you know something isn't quite right with your babes, follow that instinct and don't question yourself!
He got a taste of therapy today and will actually get to start pretty soon, usually there's a wait but they had an appointment slot that works with our schedules and had just been given permission to fill it with a new patient, so we took it. He really enjoyed the sensory gym and watching him playing brought tears to my eyes. I keep hearing what the psychologist who did his psych eval told me, that there's a marked decrease in the symptoms of anxiety disorder and ADHD when a child is treated for sensory issues. To know that we may have even brighter days ahead makes me want to dance and shout and back flip! He's made SO much improvement just in the last month or so since I took him out of school, and it might get even better?? There's hope that my beautiful boy can lead a relatively 'normal' life! So many things make so much more sense already, and there's more of that in our futures now!
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