i came across this article on another blogger's post.....this is so sad!
i copied this straight from the ParentalRights.org site...
Sign the petition and become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment. By doing this we tell Congress that we want to preserve the time tested parental rights doctrine of the U.S. Constitution and we reject the “best interest of the child” scam that really just undermines children.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
DATE NIGHT!
~grinning ear to ear~
my baby & i are having a date night tonight! :0) we've kind of gotten away from making this a regular thing (you know, with our 2 jobs each, 5 kids & all), but are trying to get back into the habit.....tonight is comedy night at The Pub and the comics are coming down from DC (Curtis' hometown) so we're psyched! plus JMU is gone on spring break - that's definitely a plus!
i'm soooo excited!!! i love spending time with my kids, but of course some alone time with daddy is a special treat ;0)
my baby & i are having a date night tonight! :0) we've kind of gotten away from making this a regular thing (you know, with our 2 jobs each, 5 kids & all), but are trying to get back into the habit.....tonight is comedy night at The Pub and the comics are coming down from DC (Curtis' hometown) so we're psyched! plus JMU is gone on spring break - that's definitely a plus!
i'm soooo excited!!! i love spending time with my kids, but of course some alone time with daddy is a special treat ;0)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
frustrated...
this darn transmission is getting the best of me! i can't help but steam when i think about how much money we're dropping into the van right now! on top of replacing the transmission, there's a filter kit that had to be put in first & the labor for that, plus they found a "pin-hole leak" in our water hose, so that had to be replaced (plus more labor)....then they found out that the inners and outers need to be replaced (whatever the heck those are!).....of course everything took an hour or so longer than they had originally thought (labor, labor, labor).....how come every time we get a vehicle fixed, they find something else that no one knew was wrong.....and who are we to question them?.....i don't know jack about cars! but for real, these guys are legit - the guy that owns the place is good friends with my brother and no other repair places around here can beat their prices....but still!
soooooo, we're out about $1600 and i'm pissed! i know, i know, it has to be done....and it'll save us from larger/more expensive repairs in the future....but i think i'm allowed to be pissed for a lil while! i'll be cool in a minute....just needed to vent - thx for listening!
soooooo, we're out about $1600 and i'm pissed! i know, i know, it has to be done....and it'll save us from larger/more expensive repairs in the future....but i think i'm allowed to be pissed for a lil while! i'll be cool in a minute....just needed to vent - thx for listening!
An oldie, but goodie...
I just got this email again today. It's been around for a while, I remember seeing this a year or so ago. I'm not sure who the author of this is, but it's so true.
"The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question.
'Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?'
I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flowerbeds and cocklebur's out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place."
Lately, I've been thinking about today's children/teenagers.
Our neighbor has 2 teens (the girl is about 13 and the boy about 15) - he's a single father and I give him props for doing it on his own, but I wonder what the world is coming to when I see these 2 rarely going to school, hanging out with their friends on the porch smoking cigarettes and talking on their cell phones, cursing at their father when he does try to discipline them, vandalizing the cars in the lot across the street, skateboarding on neighboring private property, etc.
I'm just using this family as an example. I see too many kids with cell phones these days, too many kids allowed to roam & do as they please, too many parents overlooking this behavior with a "kids will be kids" attitude. I hear reports about drugs being found in the lockers at a local middle school, and juveniles being arrested for unimaginable crimes. I see reports on TV about fights happening inside the schools - and the other kids video taping the heinous act with their cell phones, instead of stepping in to help.
I'm scared to death to see what the world will be like in 7 or 8 years when Jaden starts high school. I'm so thankful that my parents brought us up in the right way - we were taught to keep God first in our lives, to respect others, to work hard to EARN what we wanted/needed, that life didn't always go the way you wanted, to go out of our way to help others, that we are responsible for our own actions and that actions always have consequences (good or bad). Curtis was brought up with the same values/beliefs and we try hard to instill these in our children. I pray that we are succeeding and that our children will grow up to be the hard working, respectful adults that our parents raised.
"The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question.
'Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?'
I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flowerbeds and cocklebur's out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place."
Lately, I've been thinking about today's children/teenagers.
Our neighbor has 2 teens (the girl is about 13 and the boy about 15) - he's a single father and I give him props for doing it on his own, but I wonder what the world is coming to when I see these 2 rarely going to school, hanging out with their friends on the porch smoking cigarettes and talking on their cell phones, cursing at their father when he does try to discipline them, vandalizing the cars in the lot across the street, skateboarding on neighboring private property, etc.
I'm just using this family as an example. I see too many kids with cell phones these days, too many kids allowed to roam & do as they please, too many parents overlooking this behavior with a "kids will be kids" attitude. I hear reports about drugs being found in the lockers at a local middle school, and juveniles being arrested for unimaginable crimes. I see reports on TV about fights happening inside the schools - and the other kids video taping the heinous act with their cell phones, instead of stepping in to help.
I'm scared to death to see what the world will be like in 7 or 8 years when Jaden starts high school. I'm so thankful that my parents brought us up in the right way - we were taught to keep God first in our lives, to respect others, to work hard to EARN what we wanted/needed, that life didn't always go the way you wanted, to go out of our way to help others, that we are responsible for our own actions and that actions always have consequences (good or bad). Curtis was brought up with the same values/beliefs and we try hard to instill these in our children. I pray that we are succeeding and that our children will grow up to be the hard working, respectful adults that our parents raised.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
kids say the darndest things!
i've been getting a few interesting questions/statements from my kids lately and i wanted to get them down before they are forgotten.....sometimes the 20 questions game gets kinda old, but i know i'll miss these days when they're older and think they have the whole world figured out
corinn: "mama, when i get big....i think i want a boy baby. is there a boy baby machine too?"
(i guess she means in addition to the girl baby machine that she knows already exists?)
me: "no hun, God creates the babies and puts them in the mommy's belly, remember?"
corinn: "oh yeah, well can i pray to him that i want a boy baby?"
gabrielle: "mommy, did God make himself?"
(what a question!)
jaden: "ma, everyone else has a pet but us."
(jaden has been asking for a dog for YEARS - but until we own a home, instead of rent, and he's old enough to take care of it himself - no dogs)
me: "jaden, we have a pet turtle - remember socks?"
jaden: "no ma, not him - i mean a real pet!"
(i guess this is just the beginning of all the "but all my friends are doing it" arguments i'll get to have)
corinn: "banember (this is how she says remember) when i was a baby and you changed my diaper? it stunk pretty bad, huh?"
(~lmao~ it sure did sometimes honey!)
the other word that i hope corinn NEVER figures out how to say correctly is M&M's....she calls them M-A-Lim's.....LOVE it!
corinn: "mama, when i get big....i think i want a boy baby. is there a boy baby machine too?"
(i guess she means in addition to the girl baby machine that she knows already exists?)
me: "no hun, God creates the babies and puts them in the mommy's belly, remember?"
corinn: "oh yeah, well can i pray to him that i want a boy baby?"
gabrielle: "mommy, did God make himself?"
(what a question!)
jaden: "ma, everyone else has a pet but us."
(jaden has been asking for a dog for YEARS - but until we own a home, instead of rent, and he's old enough to take care of it himself - no dogs)
me: "jaden, we have a pet turtle - remember socks?"
jaden: "no ma, not him - i mean a real pet!"
(i guess this is just the beginning of all the "but all my friends are doing it" arguments i'll get to have)
corinn: "banember (this is how she says remember) when i was a baby and you changed my diaper? it stunk pretty bad, huh?"
(~lmao~ it sure did sometimes honey!)
the other word that i hope corinn NEVER figures out how to say correctly is M&M's....she calls them M-A-Lim's.....LOVE it!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Corinn's 4th Birthday Party
Yesterday was Corinn's 4th birthday party and we had a great time! We had a baking themed party - everyone painted their own apron, and colored a chef's hat, then we decorated cupcakes to take home. We had a Dora pinata and lots of yummy snacks - and of course cake & ice cream! Corinn wanted more of the Dora cupcakes that I had made for her daycare on her actual birthday. She also asked, "Can you make some Diego heads too?". So that's what I did - we had lots of Dora & Diego cupcakes (enough that everyone got to take one of these home too), and I made a "cupcake" smash cake for Corinn - you know to go along with the whole baking theme. ;0) The poor thing didn't even stop long enough to eat cake at her party. She was so busy with presents and playing, that it wasn't until we got home and had eaten dinner last evening, that she said, "Can I eat my big cupcake now?". ~lol~ I had just assumed she had eaten one of the Dora/Diego heads at the party instead.
Now, I'm trying to get this 4 year old to understand why she can't immediately start school. Up until now, she's been told that she'll go to pre-k when she's 4. Well, she's 4 now - why isn't she in school yet?! ~lol~
Now, I'm trying to get this 4 year old to understand why she can't immediately start school. Up until now, she's been told that she'll go to pre-k when she's 4. Well, she's 4 now - why isn't she in school yet?! ~lol~
Being a Father - by Jaden Skates
This was classwork for Jaden - he's in 1st grade. You may need to click on the pic to enlarge it and read the questions.
This cracks me up. You wouldn't know he's a math whiz looking at his answer to the 2nd question. And I love his teacher's remark at the bottom (to his last answer). I wonder why that was the 1st rule he thought of. ~lol~ And by the way, Jaden's bed time is 8:30pm - now I know what he wishes it was. ;0)
This cracks me up. You wouldn't know he's a math whiz looking at his answer to the 2nd question. And I love his teacher's remark at the bottom (to his last answer). I wonder why that was the 1st rule he thought of. ~lol~ And by the way, Jaden's bed time is 8:30pm - now I know what he wishes it was. ;0)
"i need to wiggle it more"
this is what gabrielle has been saying over and over to us lately....we found out at last week's dentist appointment that my baby girl's 2 bottom/front teeth are loose....one significantly more than the other....well, ever since then, all we hear from this girl is "i need to wiggle it more"....saturday night, she finally let me take a yank at it - i swear to you, it's totally ready....u can practically lay it down, it's so loose....well, i thought for sure that i could get it out with one good yank....but i kinda chickened out - i know how sensitive gabrielle is (like her mother) and how easy it is to really upset her....i didn't want to traumatize the child, so i just gave it a strong little tug.....it started bleeding and loosened it up some more....but needless to say, she wasn't anxious to let me try again....since then, she's just going to wiggle it more :0)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know
Here's a link to a very interesting article about Autism's "language". Autism spectrum disorders range from someone with severe disability and cognitive impairment like the woman in this article, to the socially awkward & eccentric with Asperger's Syndrome, like Jaden.
Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know
Monday, February 25, 2008
Willow's 1st Birthday!
Saturday, our family headed to Yadkin Valley, North Carolina to help celebrate my best friend's daughter's 1st birthday. I've mentioned Willow & Misty here before. Misty is not just my best friend, she's my sister! And to be able to travel down to their home and be a part of this wonderful milestone in their lives, means to world to us! Curtis & Shane are also really good friends and it's nice for them to be able to hang out some too. Of course, the kids absolutely LOVE it there! The Matthews family live in a beautiful, loving & warm home - they have a dog & a horse and live next door to a very sweet lady who owns goats, sheep, ducks & chickens - what more could a kids ask for?!
Saturday, we just visited and got settled in. Misty & I took all 4 kids next door to check out the farm and to take a walk through their big field (we do that every visit), while the men got in some target practice with Shane's guns. The kids couldn't wait to play with Willow - we brought a trash bag full of toys for her - all our Little People & Weeble Wobble towns that of course my kids have outgrown. The last time we saw our friends, Willow wasn't even crawling yet. Now, she's almost walking! (She could walk if she'd just let go and try - she's still in that 'oh no, you let go of my hands so I'm just going to sit down' phase.) The men grilled burgers and dogs for dinner and we had a great time just hanging out.
After putting all the lil ones to bed, Misty & I started on Willow's birthday cake for her party the next day. Willow loves babies - she squeals every time she sees a baby in her books. For her cake, we made a 2-tiered funfetti cake with a baby sculpture on top (that we were not planning on eating the baby - kinda morbid for a 1yr old's party, eh?) . Misty has done some cake decorating of her own, so she knows the basics and has an interest in it already. She decorated the 2 tiers and the smash cake entirely on her own. She also molded the baby's legs and one arm out of rice krispies. She made the paci and helped with the construction of the baby. It was fun doing this together - we opened up some wine and stayed up until 1:30am. I really miss spending time together! We went from working together every day and spending our entire commute to/from work on the phone together....to living 4 hrs apart and both being so busy with kids/jobs/lives that we don't get to talk every day like we'd like. I love her to death and hope that one day we get to slow down and enjoy each other more, maybe even live closer.
Misty did a spectacular job on Willow's party! She made spaghetti & meatballs for everyone and had the place decorated so cute! Willow was a lil princess and was totally spoiled with gifts! Misty's mother-in-law had all the kids put their hand prints on a poster for Willow & she had made a tiny pinata for the party. It was all so fun!
We got home late last night and are already excited for our next visit. Actually, the Matthews' will probably be coming up our way next time - wait until Willow sees all the fun stuff we have for her to get into at our house! ;0)
Saturday, we just visited and got settled in. Misty & I took all 4 kids next door to check out the farm and to take a walk through their big field (we do that every visit), while the men got in some target practice with Shane's guns. The kids couldn't wait to play with Willow - we brought a trash bag full of toys for her - all our Little People & Weeble Wobble towns that of course my kids have outgrown. The last time we saw our friends, Willow wasn't even crawling yet. Now, she's almost walking! (She could walk if she'd just let go and try - she's still in that 'oh no, you let go of my hands so I'm just going to sit down' phase.) The men grilled burgers and dogs for dinner and we had a great time just hanging out.
After putting all the lil ones to bed, Misty & I started on Willow's birthday cake for her party the next day. Willow loves babies - she squeals every time she sees a baby in her books. For her cake, we made a 2-tiered funfetti cake with a baby sculpture on top (that we were not planning on eating the baby - kinda morbid for a 1yr old's party, eh?) . Misty has done some cake decorating of her own, so she knows the basics and has an interest in it already. She decorated the 2 tiers and the smash cake entirely on her own. She also molded the baby's legs and one arm out of rice krispies. She made the paci and helped with the construction of the baby. It was fun doing this together - we opened up some wine and stayed up until 1:30am. I really miss spending time together! We went from working together every day and spending our entire commute to/from work on the phone together....to living 4 hrs apart and both being so busy with kids/jobs/lives that we don't get to talk every day like we'd like. I love her to death and hope that one day we get to slow down and enjoy each other more, maybe even live closer.
Misty did a spectacular job on Willow's party! She made spaghetti & meatballs for everyone and had the place decorated so cute! Willow was a lil princess and was totally spoiled with gifts! Misty's mother-in-law had all the kids put their hand prints on a poster for Willow & she had made a tiny pinata for the party. It was all so fun!
We got home late last night and are already excited for our next visit. Actually, the Matthews' will probably be coming up our way next time - wait until Willow sees all the fun stuff we have for her to get into at our house! ;0)
Friday, February 22, 2008
She's 4 today!
our baby, our little girl, our youngest babe, is four today!
this is so hard for me - even harder than i expected....each of my children's birthdays bring up a mix of emotions....joy for the celebration of their big day, and joy for the constant growing/learning/becoming.....but also sadness that my babies are really no longer babies.....each birthday, i continue to be amazed at how quickly the last year flew by.....i try more and more to commit these fun & quickly fleeting years to memory.....wondering if it will ever get easy to watch my children grow & become less dependent on me.....i hope not
but it's especially hard this year with Corinn.....she's my last.....but the most independent of them all! being the youngest, she's done everything way earlier than the rest.....she was walking at 11 months.....going potty & never looking back 2 months after her 2nd birthday.....and now writing letters & recognizing letter sounds.....attempting to form words! insanity!
but i celebrate this day! i am thankful for our family and the love that we share.....it's so fun waking the kids up on their special day, singing happy birthday as a family as loud as we possibly can.....and to watch the excitement when they're making each other birthday cards......birthdays are special in our house! :0) here's Corinn's wake up this morning
here's a pic of the cupcakes i made for Corinn to take to daycare today.....it's going to be especially fun, because school is closed today in preparation for the nasty weather (that was supposed to start at 7pm last evening and still hasn't really amounted to anything).....so Gabrielle will be at the daycare all day too! i can't take credit for the design of these.....the basic idea came from the nick jr. website.....i just made them 'my way' ;0)
Corinn's birthday party is scheduled for next weekend (and u know i'll post pics), because we're traveling to NC this weekend.....she's so excited about her Dora cake! mama's not as excited since she's already made about a thousand Dora cakes, but hey.....it's my baby girl's birthday - if she wants a Dora cake, she's getting a Dora cake! :0)
this is so hard for me - even harder than i expected....each of my children's birthdays bring up a mix of emotions....joy for the celebration of their big day, and joy for the constant growing/learning/becoming.....but also sadness that my babies are really no longer babies.....each birthday, i continue to be amazed at how quickly the last year flew by.....i try more and more to commit these fun & quickly fleeting years to memory.....wondering if it will ever get easy to watch my children grow & become less dependent on me.....i hope notbut it's especially hard this year with Corinn.....she's my last.....but the most independent of them all! being the youngest, she's done everything way earlier than the rest.....she was walking at 11 months.....going potty & never looking back 2 months after her 2nd birthday.....and now writing letters & recognizing letter sounds.....attempting to form words! insanity!
but i celebrate this day! i am thankful for our family and the love that we share.....it's so fun waking the kids up on their special day, singing happy birthday as a family as loud as we possibly can.....and to watch the excitement when they're making each other birthday cards......birthdays are special in our house! :0) here's Corinn's wake up this morning
here's a pic of the cupcakes i made for Corinn to take to daycare today.....it's going to be especially fun, because school is closed today in preparation for the nasty weather (that was supposed to start at 7pm last evening and still hasn't really amounted to anything).....so Gabrielle will be at the daycare all day too! i can't take credit for the design of these.....the basic idea came from the nick jr. website.....i just made them 'my way' ;0)
Corinn's birthday party is scheduled for next weekend (and u know i'll post pics), because we're traveling to NC this weekend.....she's so excited about her Dora cake! mama's not as excited since she's already made about a thousand Dora cakes, but hey.....it's my baby girl's birthday - if she wants a Dora cake, she's getting a Dora cake! :0)
Autism Bites T-shirts
these are too cool....designed by a family with 6, yes I said SIX autistic kids....bless their hearts! here's a link to their blog
i think i'll probably get these 2 for jaden...
.....and here's a link to where u can get the shirts....a portion of the profits goes to the AutismBites Foundation to help parents of autism......i already use & love cafepress.com.....it's where i got my too cool T-shirts & messenger bag...
i think i'll probably get these 2 for jaden...
.....and here's a link to where u can get the shirts....a portion of the profits goes to the AutismBites Foundation to help parents of autism......i already use & love cafepress.com.....it's where i got my too cool T-shirts & messenger bag...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
transmission failed...
unfortunately, i'm not referring to a fax or email or that type of transmission.....i'm talking about the transmission on my mini-van.....grrrrr
saturday morning, after delivering 1 of 2 cake orders for the day, i stopped by starbucks for my morning coffee (that's so not a usual thing for me - i just hadn't had my morning coffee yet and had some time to kill).....in attempting to pull out of their parking lot, i found out that my van wouldn't go into reverse......thankfully, my parents were nearby and with jaden's help, my dad pushed me out of the parking spot.....i was still able to drive it home, and even deliver the 2nd cake order (i was only 10 minutes late getting it there).....but then pulled it into our driveway to sit until we can get it to the shop
we hope to get the transmission replaced by the end of next week, but as i'm sure you know, this is a pretty costly repair! we've had plans to travel to NC this weekend for my BFF's daughter's 1st birthday (of course, i'm helping out with the cake) for quite some time, and this unexpected expense couldn't have come at a more inconvenient time! i thank God for my aunt Tracy and her extra car that we are borrowing in the meantime - it'll be a cramped trip with the 5 of us in her light blue Buick, but at least we're still able to go.....this too shall pass! :0)
saturday morning, after delivering 1 of 2 cake orders for the day, i stopped by starbucks for my morning coffee (that's so not a usual thing for me - i just hadn't had my morning coffee yet and had some time to kill).....in attempting to pull out of their parking lot, i found out that my van wouldn't go into reverse......thankfully, my parents were nearby and with jaden's help, my dad pushed me out of the parking spot.....i was still able to drive it home, and even deliver the 2nd cake order (i was only 10 minutes late getting it there).....but then pulled it into our driveway to sit until we can get it to the shop
we hope to get the transmission replaced by the end of next week, but as i'm sure you know, this is a pretty costly repair! we've had plans to travel to NC this weekend for my BFF's daughter's 1st birthday (of course, i'm helping out with the cake) for quite some time, and this unexpected expense couldn't have come at a more inconvenient time! i thank God for my aunt Tracy and her extra car that we are borrowing in the meantime - it'll be a cramped trip with the 5 of us in her light blue Buick, but at least we're still able to go.....this too shall pass! :0)
gorgeous February weather!
I took off work last Friday & our company was closed on Monday for President's Day, so I had a long weekend. My girls' daycare was closed those days as well, so I had some company. Jaden & Gabby were of course in school, but Corinn & I had a great time hanging out. This Friday, Corinn will be 4 and mama is having a hard time coming to terms with her youngest growing up. So that made our one-on-one time even sweeter!
We cooked (Corinn's absolute favorite thing to do!), played games, enjoyed the warm weather by playing & having a picnic lunch outside, dug for worms for our aquatic turtle, and picked up Jaden & Gabby from school (Corinn also LOVES going inside the school).
Here's Corinn dancing in the wind - enjoying the gorgeous February weather we had over the long weekend (and as I type this, it's currently snowing up a storm outside - make up your mind already!). She loves her ballet class and cannot wait to take other dance classes in addition to ballet next season - she's a natural! ;0)
We cooked (Corinn's absolute favorite thing to do!), played games, enjoyed the warm weather by playing & having a picnic lunch outside, dug for worms for our aquatic turtle, and picked up Jaden & Gabby from school (Corinn also LOVES going inside the school).
Here's Corinn dancing in the wind - enjoying the gorgeous February weather we had over the long weekend (and as I type this, it's currently snowing up a storm outside - make up your mind already!). She loves her ballet class and cannot wait to take other dance classes in addition to ballet next season - she's a natural! ;0)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Autism Show on Larry King Live
I read on a friend's blog that there is going to be a show about autism on Larry King Live this Thursday evening. This is what Larry King's website is saying about the upcoming 'Autism Show':
"The heartbreak ...and hope of autism. Jason "J-Mac" McElwain inspired the worldwith his incredible shot-making at a high school basketball game. Larry talks tothe teen and others about the disorder. Holly Robinson Peete, Doug Flutie andToni Braxton join the discussion to bust myths and present breakthroughs. It'san uplifting hour with those who know!"
Unfortunately, I don't have cable. I'm hoping my mother or sister can tape this for me (hint, hint). If you go to the website for Larry King's show there is a link to send an e-mail for Thursday's show if you have any questions for the guests.
Do you think there's any chance of them putting some other points of view on the show besides the typical celebrity "autism is a tragedy" or "this is how we're coping" type shows we have seen in the past? I sure hope so!
"The heartbreak ...and hope of autism. Jason "J-Mac" McElwain inspired the worldwith his incredible shot-making at a high school basketball game. Larry talks tothe teen and others about the disorder. Holly Robinson Peete, Doug Flutie andToni Braxton join the discussion to bust myths and present breakthroughs. It'san uplifting hour with those who know!"
Unfortunately, I don't have cable. I'm hoping my mother or sister can tape this for me (hint, hint). If you go to the website for Larry King's show there is a link to send an e-mail for Thursday's show if you have any questions for the guests.
Do you think there's any chance of them putting some other points of view on the show besides the typical celebrity "autism is a tragedy" or "this is how we're coping" type shows we have seen in the past? I sure hope so!
Monday, February 11, 2008
They can write out their own Valentine's!
this is the first year that all 3 of my children can write out their own Valentine's!
of course, Corinn is only copying the letters from her list, but she can recognize each name and knows who that Valentine is addressed to - and writing her own name is a skill she mastered months and months ago
of course, they only have like 3 million Valentine's to fill out, each! you know? with their regular class, daycare classes, Jaden's resource class, etc....so if we keep up the pace and write up about 5 or so a night (Jaden's getting about 10 busted out) before they tire and start complaining that they're 'messing up'.....we should be finished by the time Valentine's Day gets here! ~lol~
oh, and of course when filling out Valentine's....you either have to wear your PJ's or some dress up ballet/princess clothes! ;0)
of course, Corinn is only copying the letters from her list, but she can recognize each name and knows who that Valentine is addressed to - and writing her own name is a skill she mastered months and months ago
of course, they only have like 3 million Valentine's to fill out, each! you know? with their regular class, daycare classes, Jaden's resource class, etc....so if we keep up the pace and write up about 5 or so a night (Jaden's getting about 10 busted out) before they tire and start complaining that they're 'messing up'.....we should be finished by the time Valentine's Day gets here! ~lol~
oh, and of course when filling out Valentine's....you either have to wear your PJ's or some dress up ballet/princess clothes! ;0)
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Parent/Teacher Conferences
I had my parent/teacher conferences yesterday with Jaden & Gabrielle's teachers and everything went great!
Jaden has been struggling a little more lately, now that the curriculum is getting increasingly more difficult. But he's holding his own and is still making great progress. He's reading at the appropriate level and has always excelled in math! He's made the most progress with his social skills. Last year (and the year before), he would only really join in and play with the other kids on the playground or during free time if invited, or if the other kids went out of their way to include him (classic Asperger's). But this year, he's seeking out others and initiating play! Jaden has always been super friendly and will greet everyone....but when it comes to play time, he likes to go off on his own, into his own world. So the fact that he's wanting to have that interaction with the other kids is huge! He's having a hard time being flexible with his routine again. Routine is big with kids in general, but especially for kids with AS. They have a certain expectation of how things should go, and if there's a conflict or change of plan, that can really throw them off track. Sometimes for just a few minutes, sometimes for the entire morning/afternoon. Jaden had gotten really good about being flexible and being able to deal with change in routine. But this year, he's struggling again and getting upset if he's missed something or not finished when the rest of the class is ready to move on. It's not like the teacher can make everyone back up and wait for Jaden or make sure Jaden has heard/read what they have (like I can do at home sometimes). His teacher and I think this is probably due to the fact that 1st grade is so much more challenging and Jaden is really maturing as a student. He's finding his nitch in the classroom and is becoming more independent - and with that comes struggle. We've got some ideas on how to work on this. But overall, he's doing well and I thank God that he's able to stay in the regular classroom. I attribute most of his success in school to his wonderful teachers & their patience/love for Jaden, but also to the fact that he's in a regular classroom 90% of his day and is able to learn by watching/interacting with his peers.
Gabrielle's conference was absolutely delightful! According to her pre-K teacher, Gabby is actually past the level of where a kindergartener should be at this point in the year! That's my girl! The other kids in her class are starting to associate letters with the letter sounds right about now - Gabby is actually putting letters together to form words! Every Monday, they write in their journal about their weekend. They draw a picture and are asked to try and write a sentence at the bottom, describing the picture. Most of the kids in her class write the first letter of each word in their sentence, which is great. But Gabrielle would actually write words that I could decipher and tell you what the sentence is supposed to say. Some examples - she wrote BRBE for Barbie and BCH for beach. Also, they haven't even started working on number recognition yet, but of course Gabrielle can recognize all of her numbers and can count clear to 100! They only need to count to 20 by the end of the year! ~lol~ Another comment I keep hearing from her teacher is how helpful she is. Once she's finished with her assignment, she always offers to help out others. And Gabrielle is super creative - her teacher says that she's always looking outside the box. They were studying shadows & using the projector to make shadow puppets. All the kids got to come up and make a different shadow for the class to guess. Gabby gets up there and actually brings props - she got a tissue box & some other things off her teacher's desk - she was trying to set the scene (the ground, trees, etc.)! I wonder where she gets that from?
I can't believe how blessed I am!!!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Happy Birthday Baby!
Curtis & I had a great time on our date last night - celebrating his 37th birthday! He didn't care about missing the Super Bowl, he said he'd have more fun with me! But then again, the Redskins weren't playing...
Curtis doesn't like cake, so the kids made brownies (his fav!) for daddy when they were at Nana's (while mommy & daddy were on their date). They were sooooo excited to give them to him and to have him open his present!
I love how the kids really get into special events and holidays now that they're getting older. It makes everything that much more fun!
Happy Bday Baby!
Curtis doesn't like cake, so the kids made brownies (his fav!) for daddy when they were at Nana's (while mommy & daddy were on their date). They were sooooo excited to give them to him and to have him open his present!
I love how the kids really get into special events and holidays now that they're getting older. It makes everything that much more fun!
Happy Bday Baby!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Chromosome Abnormality Linked to Autism
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine links an abnormality in Chromosome 16 to Autism. While the study found this evidence in a very small number of subjects, researchers claim this finding is evidence that our genes are one of the causes of Autism and could lead to the discovery of other genetic links as well. The specific defect is a deletion or duplication of a section of Chromosome 16. And not necessarily directly inherited from either parent - instead developed spontaneously sometime after conception. Possibly due to interplay of various genetic factors inherited from the parents, although having family history of Autism puts fetuses at higher risk of developing the defect. Doctors believe that approximately 90% of all cases of Autism are inherited. Researches claim a pre-natal test for the deletion is years away.
Read the full article in Business Week online....the article contains a link to the actual study in the New England Journal of Medicine, if you want to check that out.
Even though we don't know of anyone with Austism in our family history, this study confirms my long-held belief that Jaden is a product of our family's DNA. Of course I admit, I've had that thought - "Could I have done something differently? Was there something I did/ate/didn't do when I was pregnant with Jaden that caused this?"....but I've always known in my heart that God created Jaden just the way he is. He's a true blessing, and I wouldn't change anything about him!!!
Do I think potentially autistic babies will be aborted? Probably not. If, as the study states, 90% of Autism is genetically linked, then those who face raising children with the abnormality are likely already dealing with it in themselves or other family members. Education is key - the earlier the diagnosis, the earlier the families can become educated about kids on the Autism spectrum & their needs - the better off our children's lives will be!
Autism is a quirk, not a death sentence. Let's keep it in perspective.
Read the full article in Business Week online....the article contains a link to the actual study in the New England Journal of Medicine, if you want to check that out.
Even though we don't know of anyone with Austism in our family history, this study confirms my long-held belief that Jaden is a product of our family's DNA. Of course I admit, I've had that thought - "Could I have done something differently? Was there something I did/ate/didn't do when I was pregnant with Jaden that caused this?"....but I've always known in my heart that God created Jaden just the way he is. He's a true blessing, and I wouldn't change anything about him!!!
Do I think potentially autistic babies will be aborted? Probably not. If, as the study states, 90% of Autism is genetically linked, then those who face raising children with the abnormality are likely already dealing with it in themselves or other family members. Education is key - the earlier the diagnosis, the earlier the families can become educated about kids on the Autism spectrum & their needs - the better off our children's lives will be!
Autism is a quirk, not a death sentence. Let's keep it in perspective.
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