Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Today, I fight for preemies.

November is prematurity awareness month and today is the March of Dimes National Fight for Preemies Day.




Please visit the March of Dimes at: http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/index.asp
to find out how you can help.

You know, when I saw this:



I almost passed out. I had waited so long to be pregnant. I never could have imagined there were two in there. Never.

This was not what I imagined at all for my delivery. I never imagined my children would be born prematurely, my pregnancy would be counted in breaths that kept the babies "cooking longer" and that it would all end like this.



I looked to post more pictures of the boys in their incubators and couldn't find any more of them on the computer. Prematurity isn't always a pretty sight. Prematurity doesn't always happen to people with poor medical care, or lack of prenatal services. I am so glad the boys are doing so well, but I want everyone to know that today I fight for preemies. Mine, and those with preemies everywhere.


New background and header

I am tweaking a new blog header and background. Do you like it?

Sunday, November 15, 2009

He actually did it!!!

Tonight, while making attempt #891 to use the potty at home, Summy actually peed in the potty! I have to write this so I do not forget that it happened today!!! So exciting!!!

This weekend was so fabulous. We had so much fun, and for the first time, it really felt like we were doing lots of family things together. Jack said "I had fun" when I asked him how his day was. The boys really are starting to have fun playing together, and really enjoy it when we go do things the four of us.

We started back into listening therapy this week, and so far, so good. The boys had their last music/art therapy class on Saturday and I know they are going to be super sad it is over. Summy kept saying today "it was the last one, Pat." (Pat is their teacher) If they are accepted into the districts special needs preschool (our fingers are crossed!) then she'll be their music teacher!

We're getting ready to do the first evaluation of the boys since their "burst" ended. It's been 3 months, and we're going to go in in a week or two to assess where they are at, and if we need to do a small intensive burst to "bring them back up to speed."


Thursday, November 12, 2009

How to make a homemade Oswald costume, step by step.

For Halloween I decided to make an Oswald costume for Jack since you can't buy one. (Or any sort of good octopus costume, for that matter.)



To start, I bought a hooded navy blue sweatshirt in a size up, and a pair of plain navy sweatpants. I took the sweatshirt to Target and found a package of socks that matched in the same color navy. There were 2 pair in the package.

Supplies:

-navy hooded sweatshirt
-navy sweatpants
-navy socks (Adult, 2 pair)
-wrapped, heavy duty floral wire
-batting/stuffing
-navy thread
-navy felt
-white felt
-black felt
-Styrofoam bowl (I got mine from the school cafe)
-Velcro (optional)

Step 1: to make the "body" a little rounder, I hand sewed with a quick running stitched panels of navy fabric. I cut 3: one for the back, and one for each side of the front. I stuffed them with batting and sewed them up to give him the "plump" look.

Step 2: I took each sock and put one wire of the wrapped floral wire (I got heavy duty, thicker gauge at Jo.anns) and stuffed each sock, leaving the wire in the middle. I tucked the sock edges inside and sewed them onto the sweatshirt with a running stitch. Octopuses have 8 legs, so I counted the pant legs and 2 arms of the sweatshirt for 4 of the arms, and the socks made up the other 4 arms. I sewed 2 to the back, and 2 to the front just behind the arms.






Step 3: I cut out circles of felt bigger white and smaller black for the suction cups. I sewed these on, 3 per arm, and 3 on each leg.





Step 4: I sewed 2 eyes, bigger oval white and smaller circle black on the hood.

Step 5: To make the hat, I used a black sharpie and colored a Styrofoam bowl black from our school cafeteria. I sewed a small black felt pillow and glued it inside. I pinned it to the hood via the pillow. I originally tried to make the bowlers hat out of felt, but it ended up looking silly, so I used the bowl instead.



Voila! Instant Oswald!



Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Only a parent knows how exciting poop in a potty can be.

Yesterday when I picked the boys up from daycare, Summy came running across the playground shouting "I went poop in the potty!"

Now let me back track. I've watched friends with children close in age to mine potty train their kids with ease. Many many people. My children on the other hand have shown little no interest in potties, going potty, or even saying the word potty. They happily soil their diapers and languish in them. If you ask them if their diaper is dirty, the say "no!" and run laughing away from you.

I had read over and over on my SPD lists the woeful tales of parents trying to potty train their children with Sensory Processing Disorder. I prepared myself for the worst: grown adult men in diapers, who never potty trained, and the "worst mother ever" award hanging above my front door.

Last week Summy asked to sit on the potty a few times. We played it up, he sat for a minute or two and made a sound of pee hitting the bowl with his mouth. (Hilarious to hear by the way) Then he stood and fake-flushed. My hopes were dashed.

Yesterday at daycare the teacher said she didn't know if he 100% went. She hadn't been standing there next to him, but when she checked again, there was something there to flush. My doubts were in full force, (are you sure it was even Summy in the bathroom? Are you sure that wasn't a brown crayon?) but we made another potty-sitting attempt last night (nothing happened) and let him wear underwear over his diaper to sleep in.

Today when I picked him up, he had peed in the potty. I don't know what to say. We have yet to see him go, but I am so hopeful this might be the beginning of actual potty training. I had resigned myself to adult diapers, but it looks as if one of mine might be potty trained prior to college. (Jack is a totally different story, folks!)

So I ask you, dear readers. What is your potty training story? What are your experiences? Did it start like this for you? How long was the process?

I am cautiously excited!

Sunday, November 08, 2009

I'm joining the creme de la creme, are you?

If you're in the ALI blogosphere, please join me on the creme de la creme list:


Creme


The Best of the Adoption/Loss/Infertility Blogs of 2009



But wait, there's more! If you aren't in the ALI blogosphere, please join in the Golden Haiku:

The Golden Haiku

Hope to see you there!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

OCD; anxiety; going gluten free; and other things I worry about, in random order.

I am worried that Summy has anxiety at the least, and OCD at the most. He's developed a new thing: constantly wanting to wash his hands. It seems to be triggered most by him becoming anxious. Shaving cream, paint, and messy food exacerbate it. Today at therapy, he painted with Cake. (our OT) He seemed to be doing great, but by the time we got to the car, the meltdown began. Some nights at dinner he'll ask to wash his hands repeatedly. In this time of h1n1, I'm not sad he likes to wash his hands, but I am petrified when as soon as he dries them off, he asks to wash again. He is insistent. I am afraid.

Perhaps it is anxiety. I can tell you I have a lot of anxiety about it. Anyone out there in SPD-land, or general parenting-land have any insight or stories/thoughts to share?

I talked a little to our OT today about going gluten/casein free, probiotics, yeast kill-off, and other dietary things I have been tossing around in the last few weeks. I'm not going to lie, I am overwhelmed. We're getting ready to start the boys back on their listening therapy routine. I read a lot on my lists about people who swear by it. I discussed seeing a DAN doctor with my OT. I am honestly not sure I can actually do it. I feel pulled to the limits right now, I cannot imagine more. But I am scared I am not doing enough.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

My twin halloween costume idea? I present Oswald and Henry!



Summy and Jack went as Oswald and Henry for Halloween! I wore a green shirt and a flower headband and was "Daisy," and David wore a hot dog hat and was "Weenie." My one regret: not getting a whole family picture.

Of course you can't buy an Oswald costume, so I made Jack's costume myself. (Look for a post this week on step-by-step instructions.) I found the "Henry" penguin costume at the twins sale: it's circa 2008 from Gymboree.

The boys went to boo at the zoo, trick or treated at Mimi and Papa's house, and then again on Saturday at our house. They had SO much fun, but honestly, they enjoyed handing candy out more than trick or treating. We went through 700 pieces of candy at my house, and it was SO fun seeing all my students visit our house. (All of the kids who live in our neighborhood are my students.) We even saw the Thornhills!

For those die-hard Oswald fans, Summy insisted our garden cat was "tinsel" the robot cat from Oswald.