Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Party Preparations - Jake's 5th Birthday

Jake's big day is coming up in less than two months and I have been so excited with the planning process.  This will officially be his first birthday party.  Hopeful attendees include all 14 of his classmates.  Birthday theme is baseball, and oh, do I have some great ideas.  This will {hopefully} be an outdoor party, so first order of business is to do a little construction and add stairs onto the deck going down to the side yard {much needed improvement, photos coming soon}.


Design theme I plan on going with is, of course, the Milwaukee Brewers. Jake has requested games of freeze tag, bag toss, baseball, silly string fights, and bubbles. What he wants, he will get. Photos of the big day are coming soon!

As you can tell by my advanced planning, I am very excited for this party!!

Logo of choice



Monday, March 28, 2011

Back at school & Baclofen

After a week of Jacob being home with a fever, he is back at school. I dropped him off this morning and he was greeted with open arms {literally} and excited "hellos". Such a loving teacher and sweet children he goes to school with. I know he felt special this morning and I enjoyed that smile on his face.

Vinny, on the other had, is back in his crabby, I'm-in-pain mood. I know he probably is, but I don't know what to do about it. We've upped his Baclofen, and I have a feeling it is causing him these issues. I've heard that he could be in pain from the muscles being stretched, but I think it is causing him constipation pain. I plan on calling his physical medicine doctor this morning in hopes that he will have some answers for me.

It is so frustrating having to watch Vinny like this and not being able to help him or ease his problems. Really hoping this gets better soon.

Other Baclofen users: have you ever had this problem while increasing this med?

- Posted using BlogPress from my IPad

Friday, March 25, 2011

Speech-Picture Cards

Just a few of the cards
Vinny worked with today.
This morning Vinny's speech therapist Misty came over to work with Vinny.  We tried a new technique today, and started using simple picture cards for Vinny to make choices.  HE DID AWESOME!!!! As you can see, the pictures are very simple and Vinny understood them beautifully.  He made clear choices by choosing exactly what he wanted and was able to tell us if he was all done or wanted more.  We even switched the cards around when it was time to chose and he still chose the one he wanted.

I couldn't be more proud of him.  We most certainly will be working more with the picture cards to communicate better with Vinny.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Hard Work and Determination

From day 1, Vinny's therapists have always been amazed at how willing and determined Vinny is during his therapy appointments. I too, am amazed at what a fighter my little guy is, and I couldn't be more proud of him.

Here is a video of Vinny working so hard to try and crawl. He doesn't ever give up and very rarely now complains while on the floor.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wandering mind

A recent HOPElights facebook post prompted me to write this entry about what happens to me when my mind wonders sometimes.  Here is what the post said:

I am a parent of a child with special needs. I worry about what will happen to my child, after I am gone. It is hard to explain this to others who are not in the same predicament, which leaves me feeling lonely and sometimes scared. But just as the moon rises and sets above me, I will have faith, hope and confidence that the right answers, at the right time, will unfold before me and my child will be protected with love. HOPELights♥


Just yesterday, while lying down during Vinny's nap, my mind started to wander.  It's hard to explain, but it goes so fast.  A single thought about anything can trigger a new thought related to Vinny and what he has, and what his future and our future will be like.  Yesterdays wandering mind, brought me to think about who will take care of my son when I am gone? {tear}  Who will make sure that he is well cared for? Who will keep him from going to some facility, alone, with no one to talk to or care for him like I would?  This breaks my heart and tares me up inside, and even as I write this I can't hold back the tears. 

Vinny will always have his brother, I know that.  But I just worry about everything else.  It is a terrible feeling, the unknown.  During that brief few moments when my mind wanders, that too, is a terrible, scary, and isolating feeling, and then like that, I snap out of from my wandering mind, pray for some peace and guidance from God, and move on. 

A quote can change the way you think about challenges you face. -Catherine Pulsifer

Monday, March 14, 2011

Recent Ipad Videos

Here are a few videos I took of the boys last night playing with the Ipad.



Jake  (4 years old) doing addition!


Vinny tracking the baby!


"Those live on Pirates"

Vinny playing


A Little Humor - part 2

An email surfacing around: Enjoy!

First Grade Drawing - PRICELESS!


A first grade girl handed in the drawing below for her homework assignment.


The teacher graded it and the child brought it home.
She returned to school the next day with the following note:

Dear Ms. Davis,
I want to be perfectly clear on my child's homework illustration.
It is NOT of me on a dance pole on a stage in a strip joint surrounded by male customers with money.
I work at Home Depot and had commented to my daughter how much money we made in the recent

snowstorm.
This drawing is of me selling a shovel.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Harrington

iPad Baby!!!

Yesterday we went out and bought an Ipad!!  I can't wait to see what can be done with this thing. The boys are loving it, and I will post some videos soon. 

I am opened to any and all the app suggestions you have.  Please leave a comment on this post with your recommendations.  ~Thanks!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A little humor

The following is an email going around showcasing church bulletin BLOOPERS!  I received this today from my sister-in-law.  So funny, that I thought I would post it here. I've highlighted my favorites.

Enjoy!

Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

1. The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals
2. The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
3. Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
4. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
5. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
6. Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
7. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
8. Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
9. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
10. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
11. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
12. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
13. Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
14. Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
15. The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
16. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
17. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
18. This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
19. Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
20. The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
21. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
22. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
23. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church...Please use large double door at the side entrance.
24. The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Vinny's week in photos

Here are some recent photos of Vinny from the past few days!

Sitting in a restuarant highchair for the FIRST time....
not without a lot of side cushioning to keep
him from falling over, though.

Focusing on his work!

Getting his hair cut by mamma, while
shoving a fist full of hair...{yes, hair} in his
mouth.  By the time we were done, it
looked as though he had grown a beard :)