After 2 days of phone tag I found out that the Neurologist is booked until APRIL! I couldn't believe it. Crew is still having seizures. We scheduled an appt. with our Dr's PA. We go December 5th. Hopefully we will be able to switch meds or gets some more tests done. Crew slept until 5 am the last two mornings. This is good! A nice change from waking at 12:30 or 1:00 am for the last little while.
H is playing some basketball this season. He was in a really good mood today after practice. I saw him make several baskets which is a huge accomplishment for such a shorty.
S went to a B-day party. He had a good time. The twerpy kid who stole his lunch was there. S said that this boy refused to play any games and holed up in the B-day boys room where he played Game Cube for the duration of the party. S came home and said "J messes with me". I talked to him about how to handle it. I've concluded that this J kid is probably jealous of S or just likes to get a rise out of him.
My computer is way SLOW... and I'm having major problems. I am still reading most blogs but not commenting.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Novembers half over!
Wow! I can't believe this month is nearly half over. I have been so busy. I started that new job and it keeps me running. However, I am enjoying it more and more. I found a great in-home child care provider meaning she comes to MY house. So far she seems to be great.
Crew is crawling more. He is getting faster and is making messes here and there. I love it! Preschool is good for him. His meds are still not working 100% and side effects are that he is irritable and not sleeping. Aargh! Maybe tomorrow I can actually find time to call the neurologist. His seizures have decreased but are not eliminated. He has been waking around 1:30 or 2:00 am and staying mostly awake the rest of the day.
S has been having issues on the bus. The buses are overcrowded. I drive the boys to school but they have to ride it home because I'm either working in the afternoon or Crew is napping. They have "assigned" seats but 3 or 4 kids in a seat is a bit much. One of the boys has been punching and shoving. S came home with marks on his neck. I talked to the principal and the boys parents. The boy denied everything. The principal threatened to give him a white slip. Also, on the same day, a classmate stole part of S's lunch. This was very upsetting to S and he came home in tears. I think the two incidents happening on the same day was a bit much and S is very tenderhearted anyway.
H is having a hard time in school. I've asked his teacher to have him tested for dyslexia and ADD. The district has a policy where they have to track his work and progress for 12 weeks before they can even test him. 12 WEEKS! The school year will be half over by then. It is very frustrating.
Last night our trampoline blew away. Life doesn't get any better than this :)
Crew is crawling more. He is getting faster and is making messes here and there. I love it! Preschool is good for him. His meds are still not working 100% and side effects are that he is irritable and not sleeping. Aargh! Maybe tomorrow I can actually find time to call the neurologist. His seizures have decreased but are not eliminated. He has been waking around 1:30 or 2:00 am and staying mostly awake the rest of the day.
S has been having issues on the bus. The buses are overcrowded. I drive the boys to school but they have to ride it home because I'm either working in the afternoon or Crew is napping. They have "assigned" seats but 3 or 4 kids in a seat is a bit much. One of the boys has been punching and shoving. S came home with marks on his neck. I talked to the principal and the boys parents. The boy denied everything. The principal threatened to give him a white slip. Also, on the same day, a classmate stole part of S's lunch. This was very upsetting to S and he came home in tears. I think the two incidents happening on the same day was a bit much and S is very tenderhearted anyway.
H is having a hard time in school. I've asked his teacher to have him tested for dyslexia and ADD. The district has a policy where they have to track his work and progress for 12 weeks before they can even test him. 12 WEEKS! The school year will be half over by then. It is very frustrating.
Last night our trampoline blew away. Life doesn't get any better than this :)
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Name Game
I've been tagged! Chel from Happiness is Everything blogged about where her kids names come from and why she chose those names. I got thinking that it really is a neat thing to record, or blog about. So even if your not interested, here goes:
My DH was named after his grandfather Carl Alexander (first and middle name... same grandpa) and an uncle. He wished that he had his "own" original name. So, when we were expecting our first we decided that when naming our children we would give them a first name (with no ties to family) and a middle name linking them to a family member.
With our first child we found out we were expecting a boy. We wanted a name that was manly. A name that couldn't be used for a girl. We actually found the name in a baby name book. I was kind of joking around when I first read it aloud. Over the next few months as we bounced names around we finally came back to the name Stockton. It's very boyish and besides the Utah Jazz was playing well that year. So, our little 5 lb 15 oz. boy, born during the 1997 NBA playoffs was named STOCKTON CARL! Okay, Carl comes from his dad's name but I think a lot of people really thought that it was Karl Malone. That is stupid because we don't really even like Karl Malone. To set the record straight.... We didn't really name him after the Jazz player, John Stockton, it was a coincidence that they were playing well that year. In fact, I told myself that by the time our little boy was old enought to know anything, John Stockton would be retired anyway. When people ask if he was named after John Stockton we look at them dumb and say "No, then we would have named him John!"
I've wondered how much a name shapes a person. Or, as someone mentioned earlier, maybe names really are inspired. Our Stockton is quite tall, outgoing, and he loves sports. Who knew that my smallest baby would be my biggest kid?
Our second little boy came along two years later. We had talked about names and narrowed it down to two, Logan & Hunter. However, right there at the end, I thought we had decided on Logan. Logan is where Carl & I met. Logan is easy to spell. Logan is manly. A week or two before baby was born I went scrapbooking with a friend. We were both expecting babies and she suggested that I make some scrapbook pages with his name, announcing the birth and stuff and then I could just insert his picture later. So I made several scrapbook pages announcing the arrival of "Logan". Wrong. While I was in the hospital, a couple hours after the birth, DH filled out the Social Security name sheet and turned it in. HE chose HUNTER! What I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to fight about it so I just let it go. Then when I got home from the hospital it really started to bother me. So we decided to compromise and change his name to something else (I'm not going to even get into it). We called him this other name for two weeks but I didn't love it and neither did DH. Finally, when baby was two weeks old the Social Security card came in the mail and it said HUNTER MARTIN! I threw my hands up in the air and decided at least one of us should love the name so we went back to calling him Hunter. Besides it is manly and easy to spell. Martin is the name of my youngest brother, he is full of life and lots of fun. Interestingly enough, so is my Hunter.
Baby #3 was a long time coming. During that time, I was working in the Playroom at Gold's Gym. I helped "supervise" children while their parents were working out. It was a good job for me because I could take my boys with me. There weren't very many kids that I became attached to but one little baby boy, Crew, was so sweet and happy. I loved it when Crew came. I loved the name from the get go. I decided then and there that if I ever had another boy I would name him Crew. Finally, a year or two later I was expecting. We decided not to find out the gender. However, after the last baby naming fiasco, I was determined to have the name set in stone before arriving at the hospital. DH didn't try to sway me this time. I got to choose! If it was a girl we would name here CARA and if it was a boy.... CREW!
The gender of our baby was announced as an afterthought, as the medical "crew" had other things on their minds. .... like resusitating my child. About 5 minutes after the emergency c-section, one of the surgeons said, "Did anyone tell you that its a boy?" "You have a beautiful baby boy... he is very sick" he said. It was not the way I expected. It was hard but that is a story for another post.
So, CREW XANDER joined our family. Xander comes from his dad's middle name ALEXANDER! We call him CrewXander a lot of the time... and we call him "Crewser" and the "Crewman" and sometimes we just call him Xander. But CREW it is! Crew is the sweetest little one ... he is cuddly... he is happy... he is perfect!
My DH was named after his grandfather Carl Alexander (first and middle name... same grandpa) and an uncle. He wished that he had his "own" original name. So, when we were expecting our first we decided that when naming our children we would give them a first name (with no ties to family) and a middle name linking them to a family member.
With our first child we found out we were expecting a boy. We wanted a name that was manly. A name that couldn't be used for a girl. We actually found the name in a baby name book. I was kind of joking around when I first read it aloud. Over the next few months as we bounced names around we finally came back to the name Stockton. It's very boyish and besides the Utah Jazz was playing well that year. So, our little 5 lb 15 oz. boy, born during the 1997 NBA playoffs was named STOCKTON CARL! Okay, Carl comes from his dad's name but I think a lot of people really thought that it was Karl Malone. That is stupid because we don't really even like Karl Malone. To set the record straight.... We didn't really name him after the Jazz player, John Stockton, it was a coincidence that they were playing well that year. In fact, I told myself that by the time our little boy was old enought to know anything, John Stockton would be retired anyway. When people ask if he was named after John Stockton we look at them dumb and say "No, then we would have named him John!"
I've wondered how much a name shapes a person. Or, as someone mentioned earlier, maybe names really are inspired. Our Stockton is quite tall, outgoing, and he loves sports. Who knew that my smallest baby would be my biggest kid?
Our second little boy came along two years later. We had talked about names and narrowed it down to two, Logan & Hunter. However, right there at the end, I thought we had decided on Logan. Logan is where Carl & I met. Logan is easy to spell. Logan is manly. A week or two before baby was born I went scrapbooking with a friend. We were both expecting babies and she suggested that I make some scrapbook pages with his name, announcing the birth and stuff and then I could just insert his picture later. So I made several scrapbook pages announcing the arrival of "Logan". Wrong. While I was in the hospital, a couple hours after the birth, DH filled out the Social Security name sheet and turned it in. HE chose HUNTER! What I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to fight about it so I just let it go. Then when I got home from the hospital it really started to bother me. So we decided to compromise and change his name to something else (I'm not going to even get into it). We called him this other name for two weeks but I didn't love it and neither did DH. Finally, when baby was two weeks old the Social Security card came in the mail and it said HUNTER MARTIN! I threw my hands up in the air and decided at least one of us should love the name so we went back to calling him Hunter. Besides it is manly and easy to spell. Martin is the name of my youngest brother, he is full of life and lots of fun. Interestingly enough, so is my Hunter.
Baby #3 was a long time coming. During that time, I was working in the Playroom at Gold's Gym. I helped "supervise" children while their parents were working out. It was a good job for me because I could take my boys with me. There weren't very many kids that I became attached to but one little baby boy, Crew, was so sweet and happy. I loved it when Crew came. I loved the name from the get go. I decided then and there that if I ever had another boy I would name him Crew. Finally, a year or two later I was expecting. We decided not to find out the gender. However, after the last baby naming fiasco, I was determined to have the name set in stone before arriving at the hospital. DH didn't try to sway me this time. I got to choose! If it was a girl we would name here CARA and if it was a boy.... CREW!
The gender of our baby was announced as an afterthought, as the medical "crew" had other things on their minds. .... like resusitating my child. About 5 minutes after the emergency c-section, one of the surgeons said, "Did anyone tell you that its a boy?" "You have a beautiful baby boy... he is very sick" he said. It was not the way I expected. It was hard but that is a story for another post.
So, CREW XANDER joined our family. Xander comes from his dad's middle name ALEXANDER! We call him CrewXander a lot of the time... and we call him "Crewser" and the "Crewman" and sometimes we just call him Xander. But CREW it is! Crew is the sweetest little one ... he is cuddly... he is happy... he is perfect!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Funny Faces
I haven't posted any pictures in awhile so I thought I would share some of our latest goofing around.My little Crew man! Extremely Affectionate. Hard worker:)
Big S, my running partner and walking or running encyclopedia! Highly motivated. Where did it come from?
Middle stud, H. Family comedian. Big hearted. Fun, fun, fun and oh so independent.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Run before dinner
My favorite time to run is in the morning, but since DH leaves in the wee morning hours that isn't working for me. I was explaining my dilemma to my sil... how I need to get back at it but I don't know when because DH goes to bed before the children and he's gone in the morning and she said that her favorite time to run is about 5 pm just before dinner. Hmfph! I'd never thought about running right before dinner before.
Tonight, S man and I went running. We left at dusk and we had a nice run. I'm totally out of shape though but I wasn't about to quit. S is only 9 and he keeps a good pace. I have to keep up with him or he'll remind me how old I'm getting. It was a fairly short run but a good start. As we were running, S kept saying "I wish we did this more, it feels good"! I have to admit that it does feel good.... after the fact anyway.
Running with my son is so much fun. It's our thing that we do together and I am thankful that we have something in common. Oh, and running before dinner not only feels great but helps suppress the appetite. At least it does with me!
Tonight, S man and I went running. We left at dusk and we had a nice run. I'm totally out of shape though but I wasn't about to quit. S is only 9 and he keeps a good pace. I have to keep up with him or he'll remind me how old I'm getting. It was a fairly short run but a good start. As we were running, S kept saying "I wish we did this more, it feels good"! I have to admit that it does feel good.... after the fact anyway.
Running with my son is so much fun. It's our thing that we do together and I am thankful that we have something in common. Oh, and running before dinner not only feels great but helps suppress the appetite. At least it does with me!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
SAHM fog
Tis the season to break out of the "fog". Even though I truly treasure staying home with my kids, I feel like my brain is falling out. LOL. "Your brain will fall out" is what I tell my boys when they are playing gamecube. Well... I think it happens to moms too. Too many stinky diapers, too many late nights, and not enough expanding myself. Not enough keeping up with the ever changing techno world, not enough formal learning opportunities, and not enough thinking outside the box will turn your brain to mush.
I've started helping my brother with some bankruptcy cases at work. I'm also working as the bookkeeper at the golf course. I've started thinking again and it feels great. I'm trying to get my computer set up to work from home and I realized that I don't know anything about computers. Aaargh! I'm figuring things out a little at a time though and it is kind of exciting.
I've ordered high speed internet which should be going by tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I have my doubts about it. The company (Qwest) told me that DSL is available at my home but the neighbors don't think so. I even called Qwest back a second time and they confirmed that "yes" we really do have it here. I'm so hoping that they are right. The dial-up here only gets me a 28K speed and it is driving me nutso.
I'm not excited about the cold weather here. This is the time of year when me feet are cold from morning to night. I get lazy because I'm cold. My walking partner is expecting twins and unfortunately the doc recommended that she stop walking among other things. We haven't walked in two months. I'm starting to feel like a slug. I've got to start running again. My oldest, S, is a great running partner and we plan to run the "Snowman Shuffle" in December. Last year when we ran it was 17 degrees and I had the flu. The run was up hill and I wasn't prepared for that. This year I know what I am getting in to. I need to register. That will be the motivating factor, so the sooner I register the better. Toodles!
I've started helping my brother with some bankruptcy cases at work. I'm also working as the bookkeeper at the golf course. I've started thinking again and it feels great. I'm trying to get my computer set up to work from home and I realized that I don't know anything about computers. Aaargh! I'm figuring things out a little at a time though and it is kind of exciting.
I've ordered high speed internet which should be going by tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I have my doubts about it. The company (Qwest) told me that DSL is available at my home but the neighbors don't think so. I even called Qwest back a second time and they confirmed that "yes" we really do have it here. I'm so hoping that they are right. The dial-up here only gets me a 28K speed and it is driving me nutso.
I'm not excited about the cold weather here. This is the time of year when me feet are cold from morning to night. I get lazy because I'm cold. My walking partner is expecting twins and unfortunately the doc recommended that she stop walking among other things. We haven't walked in two months. I'm starting to feel like a slug. I've got to start running again. My oldest, S, is a great running partner and we plan to run the "Snowman Shuffle" in December. Last year when we ran it was 17 degrees and I had the flu. The run was up hill and I wasn't prepared for that. This year I know what I am getting in to. I need to register. That will be the motivating factor, so the sooner I register the better. Toodles!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Changing the clocks
I had a bad nights sleep. I awoke about midnight feeling very sick to my stomach. I tossed and turned feeling nauseaus (no, I'm not pregnant) got up and walked around, layed down, got back up again.... Finally, after awhile I fell asleep only to be awakened by Crew at the normal 4 am. He was awake for awhile then I finally went back to sleep for a few more hours.
The family got up and scrambled around to get to church by 9:30. In our church building there is another ward that meets at nine. We arrive 9:15.... very few cars in the parking lot. "This is strange", we said. "Maybe, the powers out!" Our family piles out of the car, files into the church and as we are walking in my DH declares "We forgot to change our clocks!"
Duh! It hadn't even crossed my mind. So back home we went with an hour to kill.
Here is some interesting info about the spelling and grammar associated with "the" time change.
The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight SavingS Time.
Saving is used here as a verbal adjective (a participle). It modifies time and tells us more about its nature; namely, that it is characterized by the activity of saving daylight. It is a saving daylight kind of time. Similar examples would be a mind expanding book or a man eating tiger. Saving is used in the same way as saving a ball game, rather than as a savings account.
Nevertheless, many people feel the word savings (with an 's') flows more mellifluously off the tongue. Daylight Savings Time is also in common usage, and can be found in dictionaries.
Adding to the confusion is that the phrase Daylight Saving Time is inaccurate, since no daylight is actually saved. Daylight Shifting Time would be better, but it is not as politically desirable.
So there you have it! I've been saying it wrong for yonks!
All I can say, is I wish I had remembered that we were to turn back the time an hour... I could've used the sleep!
The family got up and scrambled around to get to church by 9:30. In our church building there is another ward that meets at nine. We arrive 9:15.... very few cars in the parking lot. "This is strange", we said. "Maybe, the powers out!" Our family piles out of the car, files into the church and as we are walking in my DH declares "We forgot to change our clocks!"
Duh! It hadn't even crossed my mind. So back home we went with an hour to kill.
Here is some interesting info about the spelling and grammar associated with "the" time change.
The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight SavingS Time.
Saving is used here as a verbal adjective (a participle). It modifies time and tells us more about its nature; namely, that it is characterized by the activity of saving daylight. It is a saving daylight kind of time. Similar examples would be a mind expanding book or a man eating tiger. Saving is used in the same way as saving a ball game, rather than as a savings account.
Nevertheless, many people feel the word savings (with an 's') flows more mellifluously off the tongue. Daylight Savings Time is also in common usage, and can be found in dictionaries.
Adding to the confusion is that the phrase Daylight Saving Time is inaccurate, since no daylight is actually saved. Daylight Shifting Time would be better, but it is not as politically desirable.
So there you have it! I've been saying it wrong for yonks!
All I can say, is I wish I had remembered that we were to turn back the time an hour... I could've used the sleep!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Transition Preschool
Crew started his first week of transition preschool. This preschool is basically a little class for the kids that are getting ready to transition out of the Early Intervention program into the school district. The purpose is to help the kids get ready for the special ed. preschool... to get use to being away from mommy, and to learn to listen (ha ha), and for structure.
On tuesday we went for the first time. The class is 2 hours long and Crew seemed to do fine. He fussed for about 30 seconds when I walked out the door and then he calmed down. Luckily, there are only two other boys in the class and they are adorable. The small class size is perfect! I love it! Crew came home with an adorable pumpkin craft that he made "all by himself". He painted and sprinkled nutmeg on top. Mmmm. Unfortunately, I don't have my scanner hooked up but you can see what his friend E's looked like here.
Today at school we took his walker. They said he had a good day and he even got to take his walker down a long long hall to the drinking fountain. Yeah Crew! When I picked him up he was "making music" with shakers. Preschool life is good!
On tuesday we went for the first time. The class is 2 hours long and Crew seemed to do fine. He fussed for about 30 seconds when I walked out the door and then he calmed down. Luckily, there are only two other boys in the class and they are adorable. The small class size is perfect! I love it! Crew came home with an adorable pumpkin craft that he made "all by himself". He painted and sprinkled nutmeg on top. Mmmm. Unfortunately, I don't have my scanner hooked up but you can see what his friend E's looked like here.
Today at school we took his walker. They said he had a good day and he even got to take his walker down a long long hall to the drinking fountain. Yeah Crew! When I picked him up he was "making music" with shakers. Preschool life is good!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
2-yr Molars
I think I figured out the reason for Crew's monstorish attitude. He's teething! Duh! I thought it was the medication. Yesterday at gymnastics the teacher was helping Crew swing with the rings and she noticed he was getting a new molar. She pointed it out to me and I was like... Duh! Okay, some moms are slower than others! Crew has always had a really hard time teething. He screams and attacks. I have scratch marks all over my face because he keeps attacking me. It looks like I've been in a fight with a cat. I'm hoping that the teething is the reason for his bad attitude because I've been worried that it was the medication causing such behavior. I guess the only way to know for sure is to wait and see.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
A Good Ending to a Hard Hard Day
I can't really go into the details but its been a really hard day. Crew had a PT appointment today with Shaun. When we first got there, I pointed out that Crew is acting different since we started him on the Topamax. He acts sedated! Big surprise. I hate it. It makes me feel bad and worry. Shaun noticed a big difference right away. Last time we went Crew was running around in his walker, chasing a soccer ball, laughing, smiling, squealing. Today, Crew was only with us part of the time. He would chase after the ball, then stop and slump down in his seat and stare off into space. After 10 seconds or so, he would kinda stand up and go after the ball again. Its hard to explain but he is definately showing signs of those horrible no good side effects.
Since Crew was feeling really calm we decided to work on raising up on his knees from a kneeling position. Shaun placed bowling pins up on a bench. Crew was required to push through his glutes and legs to raise himself up high to reach the pins and knock them down. After working on this for a while he was making amazing progress. Shaun feels like Crew could get this down within the next month as long as we work on it daily.
Also, Shaun measured Crews range of motion in his legs and noted that his left leg has more spasticity than his right. That is very puzzling considering that his right arm has more spasticity than his left. One would think that one side of his body or the other would be more involved, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Shaun said he has never seen anything like that before and "it doesn't make sense". Shaun also said that Crew isn't like any other patient he has had before. Trying to explain himself, he said that usually when he gets a new patient he can compare them to someone else he's worked with in the past. But Crew is different. His situation different... in a good way but unusual. Crew can "Cruise" in his walker but still has not learned how to roll over. (just an example). Shaun felt that Crew is a child that will continually make progress over the years of therapy and that often times he works with kids who make very little progress.
Tonight. ... a huge thing happened at our house. Did I mention HUGE!
CREW CRAWLED!
It was amazing! We were all so happy. He actually moved himself.... and with no help from me... ZERO, NATTA, NOTHING. He did it all by himself! Those of you who have a child with special needs can understand this huge accomplishment. And for those of you who don't.... well... Crew is 32 months old! We've been waiting for this for a long long time.
We're proud of you Crew!
Since Crew was feeling really calm we decided to work on raising up on his knees from a kneeling position. Shaun placed bowling pins up on a bench. Crew was required to push through his glutes and legs to raise himself up high to reach the pins and knock them down. After working on this for a while he was making amazing progress. Shaun feels like Crew could get this down within the next month as long as we work on it daily.
Also, Shaun measured Crews range of motion in his legs and noted that his left leg has more spasticity than his right. That is very puzzling considering that his right arm has more spasticity than his left. One would think that one side of his body or the other would be more involved, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Shaun said he has never seen anything like that before and "it doesn't make sense". Shaun also said that Crew isn't like any other patient he has had before. Trying to explain himself, he said that usually when he gets a new patient he can compare them to someone else he's worked with in the past. But Crew is different. His situation different... in a good way but unusual. Crew can "Cruise" in his walker but still has not learned how to roll over. (just an example). Shaun felt that Crew is a child that will continually make progress over the years of therapy and that often times he works with kids who make very little progress.
Tonight. ... a huge thing happened at our house. Did I mention HUGE!
CREW CRAWLED!
It was amazing! We were all so happy. He actually moved himself.... and with no help from me... ZERO, NATTA, NOTHING. He did it all by himself! Those of you who have a child with special needs can understand this huge accomplishment. And for those of you who don't.... well... Crew is 32 months old! We've been waiting for this for a long long time.
We're proud of you Crew!
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