We are having a busy week. With the kids both being in school, we are having Christmas parties and programs to go to. I am looking forward to all of it. Tonight we go to Bounceville, tomorrow is Halle's party, and her Christmas program is Friday. I don't know how she will do... Landon's is Friday as well. 

But this week has been hard as well. A time that should be happy is not for everyone. Erika's niece died Thursday. We went to her visitation last night. That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  I have never seen a child in a coffin before. I have never had to tell parents that I was sorry for their child dying at age 9. I saw grown men, who I have never ever hardly see show any emotion, look at her and break down. Kids, her friends, saying goodbye to her as they are sobbing. It just doesn't seem right. It was beautiful though. Everything was pink, her coffin lining, the flowers, her clothes. I am not a spiritual person, a good bit of the time I don't believe in God. Things like this is a reason why. But, as well, it is times like these, I hope with everything that I have that I am wrong. I hope that she is in heaven, that she is happy. That her soul is at peace and isn't just over, just like that. I can't imagine anything worse then burying your child. And having to stand there beside her and talk to people as they tell you how sorry they are, when all you want to do is climb in with her and go wherever it was she went. That is what I would want to do. 

Even with how hard we have things with Landon, I consider us so very lucky. I always have, because losing one of my kids has always been my biggest fear, and I knew I could deal with anything as long as they were still here, living and breathing. So he may have autism and I may be afraid of how his life will be, but at least he is here for me to watch grow up. Katlyn will never get to experience so much, and that makes me so sad. I don't know anything anyone could say or do to make the family feel better. All that helps is time; and even then, as a parent I don't think you ever really forget. You have to keep going for the remaining kids that you left. I hope that their pain does go away. eventually.

Pink is the color of this post, for Katlyn, who has gave me a hard reminder that life is precious, and to cherish my kids as much as humanly possible. She will be missed so very much.

   I am writing with a heavy heart today... This post is sort of about my kids; but mostly about my friend, Erika and her niece, Katlyn. Katlyn is 9 now I think. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was 4. She beat it and went on to have a normal life for a few years. A couple of months ago she went out of remission. She went back to St. Jude's. A few days ago she got an infection. It is a fungal infection that is destroying her body. They gave her antibiotics and it didn't work. They were forced to  put her on a ventilator and a feeding tube. They did surgery on her today, removed muscle and bone, anything to get the infection out. It is so aggressive that they just don't know what else to do for her. She is being given some white blood cells tomorrow to see if that will help, but I don't think they are hopeful. They want her mom to make a decision after that about taking her off the ventilator. Her left lung is not working because of the surgery. They are not ready for this, to let her go. I am worried about her and Erika of course. She has loved her and her sisters since she began dating Nick. I know this will destroy her and that family. I am really hoping that things will turn around. I don't believe in God, in a higher power. But at times like these, I hope I am wrong. I hope that with everyone praying for her, someone will listen. And if it is her time to go, that it will be as peaceful as possible. 

I feel horrible because all this time I am so glad that it is not my kid going through that. What we deal with is hard to do on a daily basis but I can't even imagine it compares to what she is going through. I am thankful that my kids are healthy. I am just thankful for them, period. 

It makes me feel trite complaining about Landon getting a cold again. In our defense though, we are so tired! He has never got over the last cold when this one has hit him. He is soooo tired from not sleeping enough, I think it made his body get this much easier. It wouldn't be a big deal if he didn't take it so severely! He starts out with a sore throat, which leads to an upset stomach, and vomiting all night long. He starts to teeter on the edge if becoming dehydrated because for days he won't eat or drink. He can't sleep, which is great since he is already exhausted. Then Halle gets it and is starts all over. It just takes a lot out of all of us, and I don't look forward to it. And it lasts forever! This last cold lasted for over a month. He had just now started to lose the cough he had. Ugh. And now with this he misses school. I just hopes he gets over it quickly. I want him to be able to enjoy all the Christmas stuff. 

I'm tired

I am tired today... so it will be short.  I was up a lot last night. Worrying. Another big change in our household; Halle started school today. So I was up a lot thinking of what exactly this means. 

It means that for 3 hours, 2 days a week, I will have some honest to goodness free time. I haven't had that in so long that I don't know what to do with myself. With it being the morning, I am afraid all I am going to want to do is sleep. But I am going to try not to (at least all the time :)). But the biggest meaning I can see right now is that my babies are growing up... It is not like they are going off to college or anything, but this is where is starts. They are joining the world, doing and experiencing things without me. Depending and loving someone who is not me. It is a big change. It makes me feel bittersweet. I want this for them and for me and I know it has to happen, but it makes me feel empty too. Like I don't have a purpose and soon when they are both in school, I am afraid I am going to be lost. So that is what I am feeling today.

Halle, of course, did not like me when it was time for me to go... she actually yelled at me and screamed in my face, she was so mad. I finally just had to leave and I could hear her all the way down the hall. I came home and cried for a while. I felt terrible; I didn't want her to hate me. I didn't want to come back and see a look of distrust from her, like she could no longer count on me because I would leave her. I know it is silly, but who knows what they think at 3? I want her to be happy and well adjusted and normal. I know it will take time, I have been hearing it enough. But no one has to go through this but me. And right now, it sucks. 

Landon, on the other hand, had a great day today. My mom took him to school this morning so I could spend some time with Halle. He did okay with that. I was surprised to come into the room with his lead teacher and speech therapist rushing up to me and eager to tell me that he actually played with 3 boys today. Count them: not 1, not 2, but 3! Landon! He let them play with him and even spoke to them first... I was amazed and overjoyed. I have waited a long time to hear that: that he is on the way to having little slivers of normalcy. And what was even more fantastic was that the teachers were just as happy and proud as I was. It makes me feel even better about leaving him there. I know, it could have been an isolated incident and there is no telling when he will do it again. But the main thing is it happened at all. I am proud of him. And hopefully, it is just one time of many that he will be social. I am looking forward to finding out.

Hard day

So, it has been a bad day. Just an all around crappy one. Let's review:

I have to wake up early today. Landon had therapy at 11 and to make sure it got a decent amount of time in at school before I had to pick him up, he had to get up and get there earlier then usual. He was not happy. He gave me attitude about getting him up. He wouldn't drink his yogurt drink because he was coughing and wanted water. Never mind the fact that he needed that drink because it had his medicine in it to help him go to the bathroom, his stomach has been so bloated his pants won't button. (Just another lovely side effect of autism.) So I dump it out and get him water. He won't eat his breakfast because his nose is stuffy. So he is crying which makes it worse. So I dump it all in a bag and tell him he can just eat it at school.

He doesn't want to get dressed; he wants to look at the cats outside. So I am trying to get him dressed, brush his teeth and get all his stuff together. On the way to school, he starts complaining his stomach is hurting. We get to school and he flips out. I was completely caught off guard. He was okay last week. He wasn't thrilled, but he never cried. Well he did today. He cried and threw himself at me and clung to me. He refused to let me walk out the door. I didn't know what to do! I tried reasoning with him and telling him he wouldn't be there long today. He didn't care. He kept saying his stomach was still hurting so I asked him if he wanted me to go home and get some medicine. He said yes. So I drove all the way back home and got it and came back. He was eating breakfast. As soon as he saw me he got upset. I gave him some medicine and tried to soothe him. He kept complaining it was still hurting. I told him to give it a chance to work. He didn't want to and started becoming really agitated. The teacher finally came over and distracted him by asking him to play with her. I slipped out, feeling like a failure. 

I got back and got Halle up, fed her breakfast. By the time I got back home my whole plan of having him stay and get some school time in was shot to hell; he only had a little over an hour before I had to go back and get him. I took a shower, got dressed, got Halle ready and their things together. I picked Landon up, who informed me he was feeling better. We hauled ass to make it to therapy, while getting behind every slow person in the world. He enjoyed therapy at least. Although in the car, and the rest of the day, he and Halle have been at each others throats and have been obnoxious to me as well! Lunch went well, until Landon started complaining about his stomach hurting again. Halle wouldn't nap, but at least Landon did. It is all cold and rainy today. I want to crawl in the bed and shut out the world. No one is listening today, well more then usual. The only consolation I have is that it is a short week. Then I get to go through all of this again after him being out of school for so long, and Halle starting school... fun times.

This week

It has been a crazy past few days... we finally had Landon's IEP meeting Friday and they told us he would start school Monday (yesterday). I was nervous all weekend, for me and for him. Monday I took him and stayed with him for about 30 minutes. He seemed apprehensive about me leaving, but didn't cry. I did though, as soon as I got to the car. I pulled it together, other then just feeling gloomy all day. He didn't go all day because he had therapy at noon, so I think it was a nice way to ease him in. They said he did well. I figured he would, I was only gone around 3 hours. I was more worried about today when he would be there all day. And today was rough. Not as bad as yesterday, frankly I didn't have time to be upset. I had to do the usual and get up and dressed and get them both up, so we were running out the door 5 minutes before we were supposed to be there; good thing we live so close! He was still a little scared I think, he wanted to know exactly where I was going and when I was going to be back... but he walked off and started to play.

Halle and I had a good time at our play date. It was nice to be able to concentrate on her and not have to worry about Landon getting upset or overstimulated by the other kids. We made Mickey Mouse ears. :) And of course, ate lots of food! I think she misses Landon; she is always happy to see him. I am still waiting on the director of her possible preschool to call. She called when I was at our play date and I didn't get any reception. I called back but she was gone. She said on the message that they only had 2 day spots open. I was kind of disappointed about that but it is better then nothing. I can always get her into a 3 or 5 day spot for next year. 

I picked Landon up today and they said nap time was a bit of a problem. I knew it would be, he is used to sleeping alone in his room. She said he was upset about it and he told me about it too. The assistant stayed with him until he fell asleep. I am sure it will just take some getting used to. The only thing that bugged me was when I got in the car and realized they got his food all over his clothes. He even still had ground up food on the seat of his pants where he had sat and squished it in and no one had bothered to wipe it off. It was all over the place. I don't think they used the bib we sent, that is what catches all the food. So I am going to say something tomorrow. Don't want to sound like super bitch, but that was spaghetti sauce, I don't want all of his clothes ruined. I got them home and put some spray and wash on them so I think they are ok. But still...

Well enough for today!

Big changes ahead

We went for our testing last week. I am happy to say Landon did great! He rarely had to be around the lady who upset him so bad and when he was he did okay. But he was very cooperative and passed his vision and hearing tests. The speech therapist said that he will need some therapy, with answering questions the right way instead of repeating the phrase and also with pragmatic language, she thinks he has the language of a 3 year old. But is confident by kindergarten he will be caught up. They won't be able to accept him there because he is more advanced then the kids that go there, so they are going to put him in another place that has half "normal" kids and half mild to moderate special needs kids. It is much closer to our house, which is good. 

We went and took a tour today. It seemed nice; and everyone there was pleasant, the kids looked happy. The only thing I am apprehensive about is that it is so long, from 7:30 to 2:30, 5 days a week. That is a big change for us. I know he needs it, but I am still worried. :( And I will miss him sooooo much. She offered to see if there was a spot for Halle, but that is a lot of money a week. I would love to get a job to pay for it, but I just don't know of a place that will let me have that kind of hours and I have no one to watch them on their breaks or when they are sick. So I don't know what to do. I guess I will have to keep her at home for now until I can figure something else out. I am so bummed, I would love to let her go to preschool, I think she would love it, once she got over me leaving her!

I went to an autism workshop yesterday; it was very informative. It was mainly centered around getting autistic children to play with others, starting with their parents. Also showing them the "correct" way to play with things since their brains can't figure it out, they show sequences and breaking things down to where they can understand them, things that come easily for other kids. I also met a lot of other great people attending for their students, children, grandchildren. It felt great being around people I could identify with and knew what I was going through. 

Well, Landon's IEP meeting set up for next week, so we will know more after that; when he will get to start preschool and how kindergarten will go. Will update more then; off to autistic family therapy!

Hump Day

It's Wednesday; that means the week is almost over. Therapy was good today; he had Ms. Anna, who I think he may be just a little bit in love with. :) She is an OT student. He does very well with her though, made something else, and got sticky with some glue and glitter, which is hard for him to touch. He wanted it off when we got home, but that was a whole 30 minutes of still having it on, she considered it progress... he also walked on the balance beam all by himself eventually. The pattern we find is he is really hesitant to do things, but give him some time and he eventually does it. He just works at his own pace. 

We go for his testing Friday; I HOPE it goes well, after what happened with that woman when we went last week, I am afraid. But he is having a good week, so hopefully everything will work out! Halle is still feeling better, I am thinking it was her teeth, so hopefully he will not get sick, and we won't have to cancel, I was worried about that!

I am so excited, Monday I am going to an autism workshop, and it is actually free from the autism society of NC. My mom and grandma are going to switch off on watching the kids, and while I think Halle will have a hard time, I am hoping she will manage to get through the day. 

Been a while

Sorry it's been a while. We have had a lot going on! Therapy has been going well, the only thing that bugs me is he has someone new almost every time and it throws him. He eventually adjusts and it is all people that he has had in the past and I know they can't help it, but still... He is a bit agitated more because he is in there at the same time another severely autistic child is getting listening therapy and he hates putting on his ear phones, so he screams bloody murder. I know he can't help it, but it is loud, I can hear him all the way up front, I can't imagine how Landon feels being closer to him. I am sure it makes it hard for him to concentrate. Hopefully his loop will be over soon and he can get a break from all the screaming. I have no doubt when it is his turn for that, he will be doing the same thing!

I met with the director of the exceptional children's preschool too. She was very nice and we got to see the classroom he could be in. His testing his scheduled for Friday. After that they will develop an IEP for him, which will show how he learns best and he might be able to start class soon. She thinks his would probably be in the afternoon for a couple of hours. They have one main teacher and 2 assistants. I don't know what happened, I am sure that it wasn't meant to be taken wrong, but it is me, so I did take it wrong: when we were in her office Landon plugged in a fan and she jumped on him about it  before I could say anything to him. I thought it was inappropriate that she do that when his parent was right there and she was too harsh for such a little thing. Not that I think he needs to get away with murder, because he doesn't at home, but like I said, I should have handled it. She only knew him for about 10 minutes before that, she didn't know how to approach him or to treat him, he doesn't need that much sternness, she hurt his feelings with her tone and he was in tears. I tried to explain it to him and reassure him, but he didn't care, he wanted to leave. I am worried, because of the fact that he forgets nothing, that when we have to go back for testing, he will become upset because that is all he is going to remember, and that he won't test well and it will affect everything because she will be there and all he remembers is she yelled at him. I don't want to start off on the wrong foot with these people; and have Landon suffer for it because they are under the assumption that I am just a bitch and stop listening to me, but I was really bothered by that. I don't think she is a mean person and it wasn't meant to by hateful, but he is not a regular child, he can't be treated like one. 

We also met with a family therapist who is supposed to help us deal with all of this, the kids included. I think it will be good for us, although she is a little dry to be a therapist who deals with kids... I think I just wasn't liking anyone this week! Maybe next week will be better... I don't want to be known as impossible, but this is so important, these first steps we are taking affect him and us more then I can say. I don't want to be responsible for ruining his life or delay him because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. He is my first priority, always.

We went back to our play groups this week. It is the first time scheduling has allowed us to go; that and with people being sick. Landon still had a hard time; he doesn't do well with younger kids crying. I don't know what to do in those situations, I feel guilty, like I am putting everyone at unease. I don't want people to dread when we come and I have honestly thought about just quitting. But Halle needs it so much. She is not in preschool and needs to be around other kids. She loves to go. I wish there were 2 of me! 

Speaking of Halle, she has been going to the potty! All of a sudden last week she started pulling down her pants and saying she needed to go. She has been going every day for a week now. Not every time, but at least once or twice a day. I am so proud of her and she is proud of herself. :)

I spoke with a woman who has an autistic son and she is amazing. She has been so helpful, supportive and understanding with everything. It is good to talk to someone who knows how I am feeling and has been where I have been. I felt so much better after I talked to her and she gave me a lot of things to try with Landon that has helped her son. And I graduated with her other son, it is a small world. :) 

Mondays ugh.

   I am not a big Monday fan... and today was no exception. I woke up late of course, so I had to rush and rush to get the kids up. Landon is not a morning fan either, so it was difficult getting him up and moving. I probably would have been on time despite everything except for when I came into the living room this morning my cat had destroyed so much stuff, I couldn't believe it. It took everything I had not to beat the living daylights out of him, and I love animals... 

   

   He had tipped over my vase on the table and chewed and pushed my fall flowers into the floor. They were fake so they went everywhere. He had pushed our pumpkin decorations off into the floor and chewed on those. But the kicker was that because Steve had left his water glass on the counter (even though I tell him all the time not to), he knocked it over and water got everywhere. All over the counter, in the floor, soaking everything, including my phone. So it wasn't working. So I cleaned all this up and got the kids out the door. I got to Steve's work at 10:55, we had to be at therapy at 11.

   I left my phone with Steve and told him to fix it, which he did. I was able to compose myself at therapy, the quiet time helped, but I got half way home and realized I had left my book there, so I had to turn around and get that. Not to mention when I got home the kids decided to argue and fight over everything. I have a terrible headache today too! And of course, they are still sick, so I am still cleaning up snot and getting onto Landon about running around, he will cough himself into a vomit spell. Anyway, end of rant!

   Therapy went well today, I asked him to keep it low key because I didn't want Landon getting too hot so he wouldn't cough. So they made a craft and took it easy. I am going to get into with Teacch as his therapist suggested, it is 6 months to a year waiting list, so I have to get on now. I am glad we got to back today since he missed it last week, I just wish they would get over this stupid cold already! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Friday?

   It is Friday, although it feels like the middle of the week, and it has been a loooong never ending week. The kids are sick this week, have been all week, so I am walking around like a zombie. Halle starting throwing up at 3 in the morning on Sunday, of course in the middle of night, why can't it ever be in the day? So I was up all night with her. My mom took Landon to therapy that day while I stayed home with her. Her vomiting turned into a cold, drainage sometimes makes her sick. So she started getting a runny nose and fever. So I was taking care of her waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak, for Landon to get it. Which he did on Tuesday. He started throwing up that evening and continued all night long. He always gets things worse, so he was much more sick then she was, and instead of throwing up every once in a while, it was constant, so I was up all night with him. He finally stopped in the morning, just in time for me to have to get up with Halle and be dead tired. I got no rest on Monday night, even though she slept ok, because I ended up having to get up early to take Landon to hi pediatrician to discuss his autism. So it was 3 days with little sleep, and I was grumpy! This cold is still holding on, Steve and I both are getting up every night at least a few times with both of them because they are coughing terribly. You would think they would be improving at least some what, but it is not the case. I am hoping they start feeling better soon! At least Steve will be here this weekend to help me.

   Anyhow, we met with the pediatrician Tuesday to fill him in on what was going on. He put some calls in to some therapists in the area who specialize in autistic children and their families. I got a call yesterday from the doctor I guess they picked out, (or the one who takes Medicaid). We have a meeting with her in a couple of weeks, so I am looking forward to that, she seemed nice over the phone. She actually called me herself, and not her staff. I am not so sure how Steve is going to do though, guys aren't much for talking about their feelings, especially when it's admitting fears and such. But we will see how it goes. I am also meeting with the Exceptional Children director of the school district for Landon to see if he qualifies for that. If he does, which I am sure he would, he can possibly go for a little while to a classroom where they have kids like him at, and people would work with him while he was there as well. But I think it would get him used to a school setting. They have to do their own evaluation of him and will set up an IEP, which is for school, to determine how he learns best, like if he needs a smaller classroom, one on one type things, or whatever. So I think we are making all kinds of progress and that makes me happy. We had to miss therapy Wednesday because he was really sick, but I am hoping he is feeling better enough to go back Monday. 

   So that has pretty much been my whole week. No play dates until everyone is better, so it has been hard on all of us being stuck at home all week, the kids are starting to fight with each other and whine all the time, and I am frankly tired of all the whining and just of being here!  

Diagnosis

   So we met with Landon's psychologist yesterday to get his diagnosis, and it was what we were thinking, that he has high functioning autism. It wasn't really a shock, but it was still difficult to hear. I guess no one wants to hear there is something wrong with their child, something they can't fix for them. I was hoping deep down they would tell me I was wrong, although I knew in my heart I wasn't. It is weird; I had fought for this so much, argued with people about it who thought I was wrong and crazy for even thinking it, which exasperated me because who knows my kid better then me? 

   But anyhow, I have been on such a long emotional roller coaster with this since the beginning. From being on my own and realizing there was something wrong with him and figuring it was up to me to find it and when I did finding a solution to get him to the doctor. So I dealt with the nosy Medicaid people and hoped we qualified which we did. Then having to sit and play dumb to our pediatrician who is a great doctor, but if I went in there and told him what I thought was wrong he wouldn't have heard anything but me trying to diagnose my kid and that wouldn't have been helpful to Landon, because he wouldn't have listened after that point. So I let him think he was telling me something I didn't already know to make him feel better, which normally would infuriate me but I played the game, because there is nothing I wouldn't do for this kid. Then weeks and weeks of waiting around for more appointments, testing, paperwork, mountains of it, not to mention trying to keep a normal, day to day life going for my kids and the rest of my family, even though some days when thinking about things all I wanted to do was stay in bed under my covers and cry all day. But I did it and now we are here. And I have to say, I am proud of myself. I am proud of what I have done for him, and that one day he can look back and say "wow, my mom loves me so much that she did all that." Because I don't provide anything for them. I don't work, so I am not putting food on the table, or buying them clothes, or keeping a roof over their head, their dad does all of that. And while I do the day to day stuff, it is all with stuff that I didn't provide. This is something I have done for him that no one else did. Because no one will ever love him as much as I do. But I know the fight isn't over; but a part of it is, and that makes me feel a little better.

   But I have to say, I hate this. I hate that he has this and that we are having to go through this. I don't want him to ever feel stupid or like an outsider in his own life. I want him to be happy and feel self confidence and self worth. Kids have it sooo hard already, being even more different will affect him and shape who he becomes for the rest of his life. I don't want someone chipping away at him bit by bit until he hates going to school or work. I am so afraid for him and feel so angry that this is happening to him and to us... he is so wonderful. I have never met a boy who is so sweet. And we are good people, we always do right by our kids. It is just not fair. But I of all people should know that life is not fair, I was just hoping my luck with life would not affect my kids. Oh well. 

   I will try to stay positive and just keep doing what I have been doing. We have lucked out at least with all the people involved with helping him, they really seem to care about what happens to him. I am grateful to all of them and to everyone who offers their support even though they don't know how to help or what to say. Well, that's it for now!

Almost here...

   I got a call from the doctor today... Landon's results are ready, so we are going to meet with her on Thursday. I am thrilled she was able to get us in so quick and I am tired of waiting, but I am scared too... this is going to change everything. I don't know what I want it to be; I know I can't change it, and I have pushed so hard for answers, but now I am afraid to hear them. We have to go alone, without him, I guess thy do that so if parents break down or freak out, the kids aren't there to see it. So it won't be long now. 

   His therapist said he had a great session yesterday. I took my mom with me so she could see the place and what they do. He was thrilled I was getting my family involved, he said people don't do it enough and they always encourage it. He said he seems less hesitant each time he comes in, and relaxes and becomes more sure of himself. A lot of the things he is still wary about, but I think he is getting there. I am so grateful to these people, they don't understand what a difference they are making in our lives. They are always so great with these kids; they never act like it is a job to them or to the parents. He showed me some more things to do with him at home, we have starting a brushing technique on his whole body with a surgical scrub brush, it helps the senses, and it is also like getting a massage for him, especially for his back, which he loves to have rubbed and scratched anyhow. I am supposed to do this at least 3 times a day. 

   Halle went with us yesterday, she liked the place too. I think she would be ok there if I had to bring her, and I may from time to time. But I find it easier to leave her with someone, as much as she doesn't like it, because I think that time is important for me and Landon. I want to be able to talk with and watch demonstrations without having to chase her or let her do it too. I know she doesn't understand, and I don't blame her, but I think I am just going to keep it as it is, with her not going all the time. 

   That's it for now!

   

Friday is here.

   Friday was a loooong day! I enjoyed that we stayed busy, but I am so burned out; it has been a long week. We went to Megan's and then to get a hair cut. Then we came home and later worked on Landon's therapy exercises. I think it will take me a while to get the hang of it, today he was receptive to me, but I know I am not Mr. Rich. 

   Nico is still having loose stool; I called the vet and they said to bring him in, but guess what? No money for that! They won't bill you either, you have to pay as soon as you are finished... I hope there is nothing seriously wrong with him! I am upset and frustrated we can't do this; and hearing my dad talking about his dog dying last night makes me feel even more scared, because I don't want to go through the pain he is going through from losing her. It is just such a big mess. :(

   

Almost Friday, but not quite...

   It is Thursday! Not quite the weekend... I am so ready for the weekend though. I am tired, we have had something going on every day this week. We went to the park this morning with some new friends. The kids had a good time. They ran around everywhere and we fed the fish in the pond. 

  

   I called Landon's psychologist today to see when we could set up an appointment for his diagnosis... it has been over 5 weeks and she is supposed to be ready in 6, so I figured if I could call and set up a time, it would be right about the time to see her next week. Unfortunately, they told me that they didn't do it that way; when she is finished with her report, she will let them know and then the office staff calls and they figure it out... so I guess we are having to wait some more, I can only hope she is ready soon! It is driving me crazy.

   We are going to Megan's tomorrow to hang out. I am looking forward to it! She has become a real good friend. It will be a nice way to end the week. And yea, Grey's comes on tonight; hopefully this season will be better then the last couple! 

Baby steps

   So, today has been our third time to the therapist's office. It is going pretty well I think. Mr. Rich, as Landon calls him, is so great, we couldn't have asked for a better therapist. Landon took right to him, which if you know Landon, not an easy task to accomplish. But he likes him a lot. Today he wanted to speak with me when the session was over. He said that he was concerned about his speech, because when he talks to him, he has a hard time communicating. He will repeat what another person has said when asked a question, because he doesn't understand and can't respond correctly. It wasn't anything I didn't already know; I have seen him do that a lot. It was nice to have someone else notice though. He also can't tell him a specific part of something. Like for instance, he asked him what his favorite part of the session was today. Landon couldn't answer him because he doesn't understand what favorite means. Mr. Rich said playing in the basket was his favorite part and Landon said it was his too. So there is definitely something to work on there. 

   The good news is, they do speech therapy there. He doesn't do it, but they have two ladies who do that, and he said they are great. The bad news is it's a separate session, and he offered to try and schedule them back to back so we don't have to come to Arden 4 times a week, but that is 2 hours of being there. I am already having trouble with Halle being away from me that long; she is having some separation anxiety. I don't think that her daddy can keep her at work for 2 hours a day, twice a week. That means going back to having someone else keep her, which caused her to become mute and still the whole time I was gone before... so I am not looking forward to that. I always feel like I am sacrificing one for the other... We will see how it goes I guess. But everything is going well otherwise, they are confident Landon is going to adjust and have a bright future, that is always nice to hear. :)