Lauren was trying to tell Paul that he should brush his hair because it is messy, really messy. He has the thickest head of hair I have ever seen on such a little kid and it gets messy all the time. He was having nothing to do with the idea that he should brush it and look handsome. His hair is so thick that if I get it cut really short so that he will not have to bother with it he looks like a porcupine with its quills sticking out all over the place.
"Girls brush their hair not boys. Boys comb hair". Paul, completely serious when he told her that.
I guess I had better only leave combs in his drawer from now on, maybe he will actually do something about that gorgeous crop of very dark brown hair that he has.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
I Am A Hamster
Angie has come to rescue me today from the thunder storm. She is keeping close tabs on Hanna. Allen is outside swinging and singing, and the other two are laying low for now. I had to shut myself in the office to get some things done.
I have been dealing with Medical Assistance stuff for several hours now and it feels like I am a hamster running on one of those wheels, I keep moving but am getting absolutely nowhere. Hey, state of MN do you really want to save yourself lots of money? If so just open your ears and actually listen to parents who are raising kids with multiple disabilities for a minute or two.
Instead of paying for four cheap, leaky, diapers a day why don`t you let us get one of the super absorbent ones a day. I have tried this and it keeps the kid`s bed dry 90% of the time verses 8% of the time.your way. It would cost you fewer $ and save me LOTS of laundry.
Instead of buying cheap, plastic eye glasses that the kid will not wear and breaks on a daily buy a pair of flexible frame glasses that fit well, are light weight, and believe it or not the kid will keep them on. State of MN, you paid more then $2,000.00 for glasses for this kid BEFORE you finally bought one pair of the good ones which cost about $250.00. He has had those glasses for five years now and this has saved lots of money. Guess what.the cheap ones are the plan again, what a waste of tax payer $$. Hey, we can do this, but really I can find better things to do with my time and your money. Allen will have lots of fun with this.
Instead of allowing surgeons to remove all four impacted wisdom teeth at one time BEFORE they cause damage to the kid`s teeth (which you are paying to straighten) you are willing to take them out ONLY after the damage is done AND only the one causing the problem at the time, really now state of MN you are going to put this kid through FOUR surgeries? You want to save yourself LOTS of money and my kid can be spared all of this trauma which she does not need let us do this at the same time she is having another procedure done.
These are only three of the many examples of what this hamster is dealing with today, and tomorrow and the next day, and on and on and on. This whole process keeps the makers of extra strength Tylenol in business, is going to give me an ulcer, and is causing my hair to gray very quickly, too.
I have been dealing with Medical Assistance stuff for several hours now and it feels like I am a hamster running on one of those wheels, I keep moving but am getting absolutely nowhere. Hey, state of MN do you really want to save yourself lots of money? If so just open your ears and actually listen to parents who are raising kids with multiple disabilities for a minute or two.
Instead of paying for four cheap, leaky, diapers a day why don`t you let us get one of the super absorbent ones a day. I have tried this and it keeps the kid`s bed dry 90% of the time verses 8% of the time.your way. It would cost you fewer $ and save me LOTS of laundry.
Instead of buying cheap, plastic eye glasses that the kid will not wear and breaks on a daily buy a pair of flexible frame glasses that fit well, are light weight, and believe it or not the kid will keep them on. State of MN, you paid more then $2,000.00 for glasses for this kid BEFORE you finally bought one pair of the good ones which cost about $250.00. He has had those glasses for five years now and this has saved lots of money. Guess what.the cheap ones are the plan again, what a waste of tax payer $$. Hey, we can do this, but really I can find better things to do with my time and your money. Allen will have lots of fun with this.
Instead of allowing surgeons to remove all four impacted wisdom teeth at one time BEFORE they cause damage to the kid`s teeth (which you are paying to straighten) you are willing to take them out ONLY after the damage is done AND only the one causing the problem at the time, really now state of MN you are going to put this kid through FOUR surgeries? You want to save yourself LOTS of money and my kid can be spared all of this trauma which she does not need let us do this at the same time she is having another procedure done.
These are only three of the many examples of what this hamster is dealing with today, and tomorrow and the next day, and on and on and on. This whole process keeps the makers of extra strength Tylenol in business, is going to give me an ulcer, and is causing my hair to gray very quickly, too.
Summer Storm
We have been watching it off in the the distance for a couple of days now, the Hanna storm that has been brewing out on the prairie. The humidity was rising quickly when Allen put the forks on the dinner table, supposedly in the wrong place and he did not want her to move them (like it really matters where they are) and neither one of them was willing to budge on the matter. Everyone knows that you just do not argue with Allen unless it is a life or death situation, which it was not. Dad settled the fork issue and got Allen back on task. Hanna was another matter altogether, she did not like anything we were eating hamburgers, fruit, and vegetables (there are no choices, you eat what is served or go without, no one has starved yet), she did not like who she was sitting by, and she did not like the fact that she was going to have to help me clean up the kitchen afterward.
Clean the kitchen turned out to be when the thunder and lightning came crashing down with all its might. Hanna was washing dishes and threw a cup full of water at the window, I told her to calm down and finish up, instead she filled a sandwich box with water and threw it at me while I was loading the dishwasher.That got her out of cleaning the kitchen as I figured she was making a bigger mess for me so I might as well do it myself.
She was then told to take her meds and get ready for bed. She refused to take her meds so Dad hauled her to her room where she continued her behavior. She made another hole in the wall (sigh)and destroyed some clothes. I need to try and get a look in her mouth to see what kind of damage she did to her braces.
It has been a really nice summer for the most part, but we have had birthdays, a camping trip, and special school activities so we knew that sooner or later the stormy weather would be back. She just can not stand to much fun, family, or love. I hope this storm blows out of here soon so we can finish off the summer with a lot less noise and drama. I would be perfectly happy living out in the desert where thunderstorms are rare.
Clean the kitchen turned out to be when the thunder and lightning came crashing down with all its might. Hanna was washing dishes and threw a cup full of water at the window, I told her to calm down and finish up, instead she filled a sandwich box with water and threw it at me while I was loading the dishwasher.That got her out of cleaning the kitchen as I figured she was making a bigger mess for me so I might as well do it myself.
She was then told to take her meds and get ready for bed. She refused to take her meds so Dad hauled her to her room where she continued her behavior. She made another hole in the wall (sigh)and destroyed some clothes. I need to try and get a look in her mouth to see what kind of damage she did to her braces.
It has been a really nice summer for the most part, but we have had birthdays, a camping trip, and special school activities so we knew that sooner or later the stormy weather would be back. She just can not stand to much fun, family, or love. I hope this storm blows out of here soon so we can finish off the summer with a lot less noise and drama. I would be perfectly happy living out in the desert where thunderstorms are rare.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
They Are All Gone
This morning the house is empty and silent, I can even here the annoying cricket outside the open window. Dad is at work, Lauren, Allen , and Hanna are on a picnic/swimming adventure with there special education class and Karre being the helpful sort went along to help out, and Paul is swimming for the last time with the preschool kids. He will be a big kid is about three weeks when he starts kindergarten. This is the last quiet morning until school really starts in September.
Rene` is done with her medical anatomy, five hours in the lab and two hours lecture, five days a week for ten weeks class today. Good luck on the finals!!! She is picking Trevor up at the airport as he is coming back from Washington DC and they are spending the weekend at the lake with friends before Trevor heads back to North Dakota to train RA`s (residence assistants) and Rene` comes home to work until the end of August.
I have gotten so much done already this morning that I think I will have time to build a garage for Paul`s cars after lunch. /The other kids will not be back until later this afternoon and when Paul is the only kid here he does nothing but hang on me so I might as well play with him since I will not get anything else done anyway.
Rene` is done with her medical anatomy, five hours in the lab and two hours lecture, five days a week for ten weeks class today. Good luck on the finals!!! She is picking Trevor up at the airport as he is coming back from Washington DC and they are spending the weekend at the lake with friends before Trevor heads back to North Dakota to train RA`s (residence assistants) and Rene` comes home to work until the end of August.
I have gotten so much done already this morning that I think I will have time to build a garage for Paul`s cars after lunch. /The other kids will not be back until later this afternoon and when Paul is the only kid here he does nothing but hang on me so I might as well play with him since I will not get anything else done anyway.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Just A Little Bit Impulsive
Well we have a bit of impulsive behavior going on around here today. That is all to common in the days when there are kids who have FASD in the house. Some days are worse then others, but in general these kids are far to impulsive for their own good. It sure gets them into a lot of trouble.
Hanna got in a big hurry and fell going up the steps when coming in from outside and scraped her arm. She will survive, even though she sure thinks this will be her last day on earth. She can not find her swimming bag, which she needs for school tomorrow. I know where it is, and she has opened the drawer at least twice already, but she has not taken the time to look before slamming it shut again. Eventually I will give her a hint as to its whereabouts, or should I say I will directly stick her face in front of it and then she will tell me that it was not there before.
Paul is stomping around here going crazy because since he dumped the entire crayon box out on the floor in the family room he has to pick all of them up. He will get to it after he is done screaming, flapping his entire body all over the place, and spitting (the spitting makes me the most crazy as it is disgusting).
There are times when it sure would be nice if they could some how get it into their brains to think before they act. These impulsive behaviors we can live with, but when I think about their future as adults with these behaviors it is down right frightening. They are going to need a lot of support in order to live successfully in society.
Hanna got in a big hurry and fell going up the steps when coming in from outside and scraped her arm. She will survive, even though she sure thinks this will be her last day on earth. She can not find her swimming bag, which she needs for school tomorrow. I know where it is, and she has opened the drawer at least twice already, but she has not taken the time to look before slamming it shut again. Eventually I will give her a hint as to its whereabouts, or should I say I will directly stick her face in front of it and then she will tell me that it was not there before.
Paul is stomping around here going crazy because since he dumped the entire crayon box out on the floor in the family room he has to pick all of them up. He will get to it after he is done screaming, flapping his entire body all over the place, and spitting (the spitting makes me the most crazy as it is disgusting).
There are times when it sure would be nice if they could some how get it into their brains to think before they act. These impulsive behaviors we can live with, but when I think about their future as adults with these behaviors it is down right frightening. They are going to need a lot of support in order to live successfully in society.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Duty Calls
It is your civic responsibility as a law abiding citizen to serve jury duty. That is all fine with me except that the set up stinks. From September 1 through December 31 I am "on call" to serve. Well lets see here how does that fit in the schedule of at least two kids having surgery, IEP meetings, Orthodontist and doctors appointments, medication changes, laundry, feeding everyone, massive amounts of paperwork, and a court date that we have scheduled, and by the way we ARE GOING on vacation in December.
I am able to get the time off for the vacation YA-HOO! Everything else I have to call the court house at least ten days in advance and request it off and there are no guarantees that I will get excused. I have already made arrangements for Angie to be available if needed and Dad, even though it stinks will have to take some time off from work too. I have dealt with all of this medical and school stuff for all of the kids and they really need me to be at all of these appointments all the time.
When I spoke with the lady at the court house she told me that I could get excused for now, but then I would have to schedule a time in the next nine months to serve, like all of my responsibilities will have gone away in the next nine months. I decided that I might as well deal with it now because it would be the same mess later.
Get ready Angie and Dad because if there is a crisis and I am busy being good American citizen you get to handle it. Really world this mom REALLY does not have time for this.
I am able to get the time off for the vacation YA-HOO! Everything else I have to call the court house at least ten days in advance and request it off and there are no guarantees that I will get excused. I have already made arrangements for Angie to be available if needed and Dad, even though it stinks will have to take some time off from work too. I have dealt with all of this medical and school stuff for all of the kids and they really need me to be at all of these appointments all the time.
When I spoke with the lady at the court house she told me that I could get excused for now, but then I would have to schedule a time in the next nine months to serve, like all of my responsibilities will have gone away in the next nine months. I decided that I might as well deal with it now because it would be the same mess later.
Get ready Angie and Dad because if there is a crisis and I am busy being good American citizen you get to handle it. Really world this mom REALLY does not have time for this.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Camping
We went camping with some wonderful folks. We had plenty of good food including this breakfast Jared made for us.
We relaxed and visited. That is my friend Mrs. Coffee or whatever she calls herself sitting next to Jared and Allen just doing his own thing as usual. Mrs. Coffee`s husband, Jared, and the other dads took the kids out for boat rides and tubing for the afternoon. Thanks a million guys! The break from FASD was ssssooooooo nice. Karre helped the kids tye-dye and screen print. The shirts, shorts, and bandannas turned out well.
This just seems a little bit crazy when you are out roughing it, but Jared and Paul had to watch The Mickey Mouse Club House on Jared`s phone. Allen is not quite ready for the day yet. Hey it kept the little guy occupied for about twenty minutes, whatever works.
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