My Crazy Life!

Now what???

2009-10-08T19:42:00.004-05:00

So we had an appointment with Dr. Kenawy today for Julia. We went to see if there was fluid in her ears. We saw the A.R.N.P Beverly and she checked Julia's ears and guess what! No Fluid! Surprise, we knew that. So she referred us to Dr. Tran (the best E.N.T in the tri-state area so I hear) and he will do a Tympanometry, a test used to detect disorders of the middle ear. This will allow them to see if there is fluid in the middle ear. Doubt it, she has never had an ear infection, fluid in the middle ear would most likely cause one or two.
Tuesday we have an appointment with the school boards Dr. to have her evaluated. She will have a hearing test again with her and we should know more then.
So now these are the possibilities in a nutshell. 1. There is nothing wrong and just needs lots more intensive speech therapy. 2. She has fluid in her ear and will need tubes to serve two purposes, 1 let the fluid out and 2 to allow sound in and 3. She is deaf and will need to find out why and get hearing aids. I am hoping for the first option. I will let you know more Tuesday.

She's deaf!

2009-10-01T20:30:00.002-05:00

OK, so I am a little upset because I toll Julia to the audiologist in February 2009 and when we left the office they said "she is fine no need to follow up." So I arranged for her to be evaluated by the public school service called Child Find to get her in to full time K-3 with the public school and receive speech therapy. She has been in speech therapy for a year and she reached a plateau. So her therapist referred her to Child Find. Jennifer who runs Child find asked for the audiologist report that I said was fine. When I picked up the report to day and it said that she was completely deaf in the right ear and partially deaf in the left ear I was SHOCKED! No wonder she can't talk! She can't hear! So Now I am not sure what to do because I don't trust the Doctor and I can't take her back to the same audiologist. I suppose the next step is to go to an E.N.T. I have always suspected that she couldn't hear because of the way her speech was but then I was told that was not the problem. I am confused and need to know where to go from here!

First Day Frustration!

2009-08-26T21:25:00.003-05:00

Hello all! I know it has been a long time since I have written, actually it hasn't been that long I was blogging for a while from my phone but they all got lost in cyber space. So much for that, oh well.
You haven't missed much.

So allow me to set this up a bit. Last school year Jacob was in an E.S.E K-4 class at Cedar Grove and we all thought that he did not belong there. But he got stuck in the system and labeled and E.S.E. I called his new school (Cherry Street) when the teachers all stated and pleaded with them to get him in to a main stream class. When I went to enroll him that is where they put him, in main stream. So I thought that was where he would stay. I thought wrong. I got a call yesterday from the guidance counselor saying that by law he has to be placed into an E.S.E class until we can have an I.E.P meeting. So we took him to his E.S.E class this morning. Guess what I found out about it. Jacob is one of 3 students in the class, the other 2 are 4 year old mentally handicap children. So I went home and vented to everyone who would listen. When my mom came home two hours later we decided to go get him from school. We asked them how soon we could get an I.E.P meeting and she said that she was trying to get it done as soon as possible. She said that she has already seen Jacob in his new class and she and his new teacher both agreed that he is definitely not suited for that class. He is much to advanced to be in that class. All I have to say is why didn't they listen to me in the first place? It would have spared me a lot of trouble. So we pulled him out of school and filed papers for him to be home schooled until we can get an I.E.P meeting because by law he has to stay in that class until one is scheduled.

So that is pretty much what is going on in my life. I will try to get back soon and let you know what is going on.

What is going on in his head?

2009-04-21T20:45:00.002-05:00

So I really Don't want the first time back in a long time to be full of my depressing thoughts, but tonight I feel like I need to vent and get feedback. So Jacob has had very good days at school up until the last week. His teacher says that he has been very angry and hitting other kids a lot. 3 in one day. I have been very concerned with the recent behavior and tonight I saw a whole other side of him. He was like a beast tonight! Allow me to paint a picture for you.

Both kids were upstairs at my mom's house watching a movie and having popcorn. (Just so you know the two of them asked to be up there) Meme has to get to early in the morning so the kids couldn't spend the night. I went up to bring them home and Julia ran down stairs before Jacob. Apparently this infuriated him because he ran to my mom's room and started slamming doors and throwing everything he could get his hands on. My mom and I both went in after him and tried to calm him down. I told him to go home and we would deal with it there. He ran passed me down stairs and jumped on top of Julia and seemed to have rage that he has never had before. He was really beating her up I had the pull him off of her and it wasn't easy. He was really trying to hurt her. Thank God he didn't, he scared her to tears but there were no bruises after the redness went away(so far) and only a few small scratches. He has never be violent like that toward her. Sure he had yelled and pushed her away but never in a really mean way not anything like this. I have never seen this in him before. I was scared.

I plan on calling a counselor in the morning to see if we can figure out what is going on with him and help him get through it. Any advise is welcome along with much needed prayer!

I guess it's that time again.

2009-03-15T01:29:00.003-05:00

I know you haven't heard from me in a few weeks and that's because I started working full time 5 weeks ago. I am liking my job so far, so much drama at Sprint coming from the people that call in I could write a book.

Life here at our house has been pretty normal, even calm. Jacob is doing so well in school, I am so happy for him. He comes home and tells me all about his friends. The other day he came home very upset because on of his classmates had eaten something off the floor. I asked him if the classmate had dropped a piece of food on the floor, he quickly corrected me and said "NO MOM HE WAS EATING TRASH!" HE was very disturbed. Later that week he came home and told me that the classmate was sick and he thought it was because he ate trash. Who knows?

Riding the bus is his favorite part of school. He can't wait to see the bus pull up to our house. HE has been doing really well on the bus too. There are two kids in his class that ride his bus so he sits with them. I have found that being like the other kids is very important to him. He wasn't eating much lunch at school so I made him a lunch to take with him and he said he didn't want me to do that any more because the other kids eat school lunch. Another thing is the uniform. He seems to be very impressed that they all have the same clothes. He very much likes for thing to be the same. So far his social skills are really coming along.

He has also been taking less medication than usual. He takes 2.5mg in the morning and another 2.5mg in the afternoon around lunch time. He is doing great on this dosage. He isn't a zombie in the morning when he takes it. It is just enough.

Julia is growing so much and she had decided that she is a Mermaid. Every morning she asks me if she looks like a mermaid, and if I can see her tail growing. She is determined that she WILL be a mermaid if she wishes hard enough.

She also has an imaginary friend. Jacob had one for a day or two so this is kinda fun to play tea party with her and her friend. She also plays beauty shop almost every day, her nails are never the same color two days in a row. Another thing she has started doing is trying to be just like me. She wants us to match every day. I think it is fun.

Julia has recently started drawing. She draws "people" an just about anything we will let her. I will have to scan one to show you. It is so cute, it's just a big circle for a head and body with two line for arms sticking out of each side and two legs out of the bottom with eyes and a mouth drawn in the circle. It is one of her new hobbies and she names each one of them.

Jacob and Julia both have really been getting along very well lately. I guess with Jacob having something to do outside of the house it gives him an outlet. They have been going for scooter rides together every day. There has also been a lot less arguing between the two of them. this makes for a much happier house all around.

As for them adjusting to me being at work, they are fine with it. When they aren't in school (Jacob longer than Julia) they are with family having a blast. When I get home we have been going for a walk around the block. Julia picks flowers and Jacob collects rocks. When we get home we all sit down and have dinner and then a bit of down time with whoever is not in the tub. Then I sit with each of them in their beds and talk about their day before they go to sleep. I miss being here at home but it makes me feel better that I know they are having a good time with the people they love so much.

God has been good to us so far and helped us all adjust to the many changes that have gone on the last few months. I look at it all as a blessing and a lesson in patience and peace.

I am back!

2009-02-13T20:06:00.003-06:00

Whew, what a week! First off Jacob started school on Monday. He loves his teacher at Cedar Grove, her name is Mrs. Gibbons and Jacob loves her. He even had a best friend! How about that? There are only 8 kids total in his class. So it is small and that is good for Jacob. He has had great days all week this week, but the teacher keeps going to the 1st grade class to get stuff for him to do. He gets bored and the temptation to get in trouble is lurking. He does well when she gets more work for him to do. Today they did a Valentine exchange and he had a good time with that, he was very excited to pass out his stuff to his new friends.

Now to what I have been up to this last week. As some of you know I started working at Sprint. Last week and the next 5 weeks are training classes. So far I think I will like it. They pay is GREAT! And free phone unlimited phone service Gotta love that! I work now from 8-5 Monday-Friday, but when I get done with that I will most likely be working nights, which I love! I am a night owl. So that is pretty much it for now, I am enjoying an empty house for a while. Julia wanted to spend the night with my mom (Meme) and Jacob went with Daddy to Pier Park for their weekly movie night. So now I am going to get cozy on the couch and watch a movie I have been dying to watch for ever. Good night everyone!

Happy days are here again!

2009-02-06T17:59:00.004-06:00

Whoo Hoo! I went to Jacob's IEP meeting at Cedar Grove to talk to them about what we are going to do with him. They have a great plan. He will start Monday and he could not be happier! He will ride the bus starting Monday, wow! This will allow him to feel independent. It is a special bus with an aid who rides with him and a few other Pre-k kids from his class. He will get to school early so he will eat there. They think this is important because it provides him an extra opportunity to have a learning experience of manners and socialization. I was concerned at first when they said "will he ride a bus, we recommend it" but after they explained it I felt alright with it. No we have to find some shirts for him to wear. They have a uniform and that stuff is hard to find this time of year, but we will get what we can. Please pray for him and the rest of us.

My 25 random things.

2009-02-03T18:11:00.002-06:00

1. I married my high school sweetheart and best friend.
2. I have two tattoos ans wish I had none
3. I had a few body piercings pre-motherhood. When I found out about Jacob I took them out.
4. I have huge feet, size 10 1/2 or 11. But I know I am not the only one.
5. I love 80's movies
6. I am a night owl, but I still get up with my early birds and begin the day with a cup of coffee.
7. It bothers me not to buy two of everything.
8. I hide chocolate in my dresser and eat it in bed
9. I despise talking on the phone, I prefer e-mail or text.
10. I love to watch scary movies.
11. When no one is home I turn the music up loud and dance around the living room.
12. I talk out loud to myself all the time.
13. I love to sew, but I am still working on my skills.
14. Jason and I dream of the kids being grown and buying a RV and driving around the country.
15. In my attempts to be organized I make bigger messes.
16. My favorite thing to do is sit by the pool with a cold drink and watch my kids play.
17. I have an irrational fear of clowns.
18. I love to play beauty shop with Julia
19. I love to take electronics apart with Jacob
20. My house seems like the enemy! It is never clean no matter what I do.
21. I like to fold clothes because I can do it sitting down.
22. I can't wait to take my kids to Disney so I can see their faces light up.
23. I am a master Ski Ball player
24. I once made $200 of of a man who thought he could beat me in darts. He was Wrong! I am also a master at darts.
25. Before I die I want to see Dave Matthews Band.

Yeah! We have a while!

2009-02-03T17:46:00.002-06:00

So we went to the orthodontist and he took some x-rays of Jacob's teeth. It showed that he has a few years before his teeth start to loosen and fall out. Jason did not loose his first one until he was 8. I on the other hand had a full set of gigantic adult teeth by that age. Another thing that the orthodontist said is that Jacob has my giant teeth and Jason's small mouth. So the fact that he has sucked his thumb for the last 5 1 /2 years has been good. Making room for the huge teeth that are coming in to his tiny mouth. God had a plan. He has significant spacing between the teeth but his bite is fairly good. So our game plan is when he is 7 1/2 we will return and see where his teeth are as far as coming down and if he still sucks at night he will put in a devise that will help him stop. So it looks like the chances of him even having braces are slim because he has created plenty of room for the teeth to come in straight. I must say that I am very relieved because I did not want to put a cage in his mouth this young, it looks horrible. The orthodontist said he will most likely stop when he starts school and has more to occupy his brain.

So that brings us to my next subject. I have an I.E.P (Individual Education Plan) meeting at Cedar Grove Friday. They are going to talk to us about what type of class we are going to start Jacob in probably next week. They are going to try him in a class they think will be good for him and add some tutoring type stuff for enrichment so he won't be bored. Then next year I think he may go to Cherry Street, and keep the tutoring. I am not sure about next year, I am concentrating on this year. So that's all I have for today. I think I may post a thing I did earlier this week. Other than that this is all I have for today.

Tuesday's gone

2009-01-31T09:47:00.002-06:00

Just yesterday I wrote about Tuesday and I find out this morning that she has gone. Please continue to pray for this family. during their time of need.

Praying for Tuesday

2009-01-30T08:46:00.005-06:00

One of the blogs I follow had this posted asking for prayer for this family. I have no Idea who they are but I feel compelled to pray for them. Their little girl Tuesday has cancer and it looks like there is nothing more they can do for it . Here is a bit from her blog. Please join me and pray for this family!

My deepest fears were confirmed. Tomorrow we take our precious daughter home. Her cancer doubled in size in less than a week proving once and for all that it is horribly aggressive and no longer chemo sensitive. We have no idea how to do this but we have no doubt we will be cared for every step of the way. This is all I have in me. Please pray for peace for our children, our parents and our siblings. Tuesday, full of grace, you are our so very loved.

Enough Complaining

2009-01-29T13:20:00.003-06:00

I feel like I have done nothing but complain lately. The truth is I adore my children and without them I would be incomplete. Though the path our lives had lead us down has been a long and treacherous one, we have learned a lot. We take one day at a time and trust that God will be there every step of the way. Today Jacob got to go tho Queenie's house because he is feeling a little under the weather and wanted to have some quiet time. That is hard to find with Miss. Priss running around wanting him to have a tea party with him. So Julia and I are going to the reptile feeding at the Jr. Museum after we go to Chick-fil-a for a late lunch. I have missed out on spending one-on-one time with either of them because of busy schedule and one or the other having to be away. So I am really enjoying spending time with her. I hope that Jacob will be feeling better this weekend so I can go out with him. He usually goes out to a movie with daddy on the weekend but I really miss him. I would love to go to a movie and then to our favorite place the Pottery Bar. He and Julia made daddy some mugs for his birthday and now he wants to make George some food and water bowls. He loves to go there even he is not one to like arts and crafts but for some reason he likes it there.
He will be starting school soon so the time I have with him will go scarce. He is growing up but he still needs that time alone with both parents.
I am looking forward to growing closer to the both of them. I feel I have let the appointments occupy all of our time. So here's to a great time with the kids!

One step forward two steps back.

2009-01-26T11:12:00.002-06:00

Well to day has been a busy day already and its only 11:00am. I took Julia to speech therapy this morning at 8:00am this morning and her therapist said that she is doing so well that she only needs to come twice a week from now on. This makes me very happy! That means that I will have $15 a week less to pay in our piling up medical bills. So that is one step forward. Next we took her to school and then Jacob had an appointment with the speech pathologist so that they could place him better. The already knew that he is a very articulate boy and his speech and language is above average for his age, but it had to be done according to Florida State Law. So we should find out next week where they are going to put him in school. He is very excited to go to real school and not a Queenie's House.

Six months ago when Jacob went to the dentist the told me that he needed to stop sucking his thumb before his teeth start falling out. If he does then the possibility of him not having braces is increased. Well we have tried everything! Really everything! NOTHING WORKS! So I called the orthodontist and asked about how much it would cost to come in and have a thumb appliance made and installed in his mouth. She said an office visit is $65 then the x-rays and the appliance and each visit after that would be a charge. So she recommended that I ask his dentist if they could make him one and it be covered under dental insurance. So I first called my insurance company and asked what kind of orthodontic coverage we had. Get this We have a MAXIMUM of $1000 for a lifetime per person! What? That will barely cover the office visits. So I called the dentist and they can't make him one. He is to young and they would recommend him going to the orthodontist. Figures right? So now we have an appointment at the orthodontist. That is two steps back! Just when things start to look up. The dentist said that they will probably have to start working on his mouth as soon as his adult teeth coming in, but the first step is getting him to stop sucking his thumb. Oh well, I will do whatever it takes for my kids. I will do a lot of praying to get me through this next step in our lives. I know it is small compared to what some go through. For that I thank God everyday.

What's Gonna Work? Teamwork!

2009-01-23T14:56:00.005-06:00

So I have mentioned before that my kids don't exactly get along to say the least. For the most part my day is full of arguing and tears, but what can you do? I can't make them like each other. Even when they aren't fighting the play fight. One or the other will tell the other one "You say Yes and I will say No. Ready? Go! Yes, No, Yes, No!" Ugh! It drives me nuts. All that to say this, we had a breakthrough the other night when Jacob discovered closed circuit electricity. Julia received a Care Bear for her birthday not to long ago. This particular bear is Singing Funshine Bear. When they hold the metal buttons on each of the Bear's hands it sings a song. Jacob thought this was great and asked Julia to help him see how long of a chain he could make, i.e you hold one hand and touch the doorknob and I will hold one hand and touch the doorknob. The both thought this was the greatest trick ever and I was amazed that Jacob knew what was happening and why. He even knew what materials would work and which ones would not. Eventually he got the whole family involved, even George. They were touching everything that was metal and making it start and stop. He came and explained to me what was going on. He went through the whole process of short circuit and closed circuit! Wow! is all I could say. He never ceases to amaze me. He is so smart and loves to learn about electricity. His favorite science experiment before this was static electricity. He would jump on the trampoline and try to see how far away he could get from you and still be able to shock. He found that it worked best on colder days. The thing about it all that gets me is that he can tell you how it works! HE IS 5! I can't even wrap my head around it.
Since the two of them discovered that they could work together to make things happen they have been getting along. I am not sure if this is a good thing or not because Julia usually knows where I keep my stash of candy(she is cute but OH so sneaky!) so she has started teaming up with Jacob to help her get to it. After all he is taller than her. Even though she would have to share the booty with him I guess she figures that is was better than nothing. They are a team now and I hear them whispering about stuff and what trouble they are going to get into next. The terrible twosome I will have to call them now. I don't have much to complain about now at least they can be in the same room for more than two minutes without tears or bloodshed. They have discovered Teamwork! Lord help me!
That's all for now. I hope you have a blessed day and please keep us in your prayers. Who knows what will happen when great minds work together!

I will love him and squeeze him and rub his fur the wrong way and I will call him George.

2009-01-21T09:30:00.003-06:00

So George, the dog grew on us. We decided to keep him, or Jason decided to keep him. He is really sweet and calm. The kids love him! Jacob has even taken part in his care. He takes him outside to do his business. I of course pick it up for now. I took him to the vet on Friday to have him treated for worms. The aren't really sure what he is but they think he will be a medium sized. Right now he is 5lbs at 7 weeks old. He will be around 30lbs when he is full grown. We think it is good news we wanted a smaller dog if we ever choose to get one. I have another appointment this Friday to have his full spectrum exam including heart worm prevention, flea treatment and and he will be fixed. Right now we have managed to keep the house flea free even with the cat, so now he is good and we plan to keep it that way.
He seems to be a pretty smart dog and catching on quickly. He has had very few accidents in the house and he even has started to go to the door when he needs to go out. The biggest problem we have is the chewing. Not unexpected but aggravating. We have had to puppy proof the house and make available lots of things he can have.
I am defiantly the dominate dog as well as being his rescuer. He seems to listen when I get on to him or call him. Jason has a harder time getting him to come when he calls him. We will work on us being more equal. We haven't put him on a leash so far and he hasn't needed it. He won't leave the yard so I am taking advantage of this and starting to train him on commands like heel, sit and stay. I am so surprised at how well he is doing! I don't expect perfection by no means but he is getting it for sure.
Our neighbors have a smaller dog, he is about 15lbs and we have been getting them together a lot. They both play well together. So socializing is going well also. He is a great dog in the making. I know I can do this with a little time and patience.

I found A dog!

2009-01-15T12:41:00.004-06:00

I am not really sure what to do with him yet! He is as cute as a button. I was looking into getting one for Jacob, but This one looks like he may be bigger than we were looking at. I brought him home with me and fed him and gave him some water. He was in much need of some TLC, so I gave him a bath and he has been in my lap ever since. We may end up keeping him, I don't know yet. Here is a picture of him. It didn't turn out well because of the lighting in my bathroom and he is all black. But It will give you a glimpse of what he looks like. Any suggestions or offers to take him home let me know!.

Today's evaluation

2009-01-12T11:06:00.003-06:00

Jacob had his final evaluation today at the Nelson building to see if he qualified for ESE (Exceptional Student Education). We were going to try to get him into the Asperger's/Autism class at Lucile Moore. After I gave them the report from Dr. Decker and observing him for them selves they decided that he probably wouldn't fit in that class although there has to be a meeting among the teachers and other ESE staff to determine that, it was their first recommendation to me. Again he is in between, to highly functioning to be in a special class, and to advanced and has other difficulties to be in a main stream class. So what they think they will do for us now is get him into a special class a step above the autism class and see how that goes for the remander of the year. And maybe a mainstream room for kindergarten. They have the same fear that I do that he is far to intelligent to be mainstream and it will be beneath him. Then we will be back where we started, Jacob being frustrated and, bored and not know how to deal. I had high hopes for today's visit and they really are going to try to help him and find a place that will be good for him. I may have to continue to home school him so he can be on the learning level he needs, but I know he will be devastated, he yearns to be with other kids. I guess we will see how the rest of this year goes at Cedar Grove if they choose to let him in. I now know that private school is out of the question because of his disability, but I did request him to be put into the lottery at Bay Haven next year. We will just have to trust in God that he will guide us in the right direction and open the doors that need to be opened. He has already opened so many for us.
Now for Julia, she went to her second speech therapy appointment this morning and I got the report from the therapist. She diagnosed Julia with Severe Phonological Processing Disorder/Articulation Impairment. She will need to see an ENT to see about why she has the speech problems that she has. So for now she will go to therapy 3 days a week for 30 minutes and we will be working with her a lot at home as well.
That's all for now, until tomorrow. Good day and God bless.

2009-01-10T22:27:00.007-06:00

Today we went to Queenie's house to have lunch with my family for Julia's birthday. They are all so generous. She enjoyed opening the last of the presents and hearing the "Happy Birthday" song for one last time.
Jacob had a good time playing with the neighbor Ryan. The two boys played baseball outside with Uncle T while the rest of us just sat around and enjoyed each others company.
I love this picture of Jacob, The look on his face is priceless!

Jason took Jacob camping tonight in his grandpa's back yard while Julia gets to spend the night with Aunt Linda and Granny Jay inside. Jacob is pretty excited about a bon fire and sleeping outside in a tent. Julia is excited to play tea party and dress up with her new stuff with the ladies. So that's all for today. I will let you all know how things went tomorrow.
Good night and God bless.

I am no baker!

2009-01-10T01:40:00.007-06:00

For the last two years we have been letting the kids bake cakes for each others birthdays. I am no baker but If I must say so my self when I do bake it is pretty tasty! Every bite is full of love!
So today Queenie picked up Julia from school and I had Jacob all to myself today. Since we are getting together with family tomorrow for her big birthday celebration he asked if we could bake a cake today. We went to the store and I let him pick it all out himself. He wanted a pink cake, cream cheese icing, lots of colored sprinkles, flowers and tiny hearts.
We get home and started the process.
After we baked it it was time to decorate. The best part! He always has an idea of what the cake should look like for his sister. He may not get along with her but when it comes to doing something nice for her, he is all about. He wants to go all out.
He put a lot of thought into the placement of each little heart and told me where to put the flowers.

Then he kinda went crazy with the sprinkles!
But he was happy with the results.
And he said "Julia is going to just love her cake, I made it just for her!"
I know she will love it too. He is so sweet and has so much love in his heart, even though it doesn't always come out. I love my sweet little man. God has blessed us with two wonderful children.

It's been a while

2009-01-08T09:59:00.007-06:00

I know I haven't posted in a few days but there hasn't been anything going on.
Julia's 3rd birthday was Monday and we made some cupcakes for her and had them for dessert. She loved it! She doesn't mind being the center of attention. She is so different from Jacob.
One of her presents was a FurReal Pet. An orange kitten. I really thought she would like it, not so much. Jacob saw it and went nuts! He loves it so much. When Julia noticed that Jacob liked it she saw her opportunity to torment him. She asked him "Do you want to play with my kitty Jacob?".
When he said yes she tossed it across the room and told him to go get it. When he got it she snatched it from him and said "That's my kitty! Give it back to me!" He was crushed but he did it every time! So after I saw that happen five or six times I went on a hunt to find another kitten. I started my serch at Target thinking surley they will have lots! WRONG! They had none. Then next door to Toys R Us. No kittens! Then to 23rd street Wal-Mart, not a single one. Finally to Super Wal-Mart ONE LEFT! So I grabbed it and went home only to find Jacob in bed heart broken because He did not have a kitten and Julia didn't even like hers. I really wanted to cry with him. SO I went into his room with him and gave him the kitten that I found for him. He was so happy I really thought that he was going to cry! He held back the tears as he cuddled his kitten. About an hour after that I found him in bed sleeping cuddled up to the kitten.

I am not usually one to cater to my kids every whim but in this instance I couldn't help it. He is so seldom so happy about things. I am glad I did it. He has had that kitten with him everywhere he goes for four days! He hasn't let it out of his sight.

Tuesday Julia had her 3 year check up and everything went well except Dr. Kenawy suggested we take her to speach therapy. So we did that yesterday morning. I was suprised at how quick you can get in with a referal from the doctor! Turns out that she has a pretty bad speach problem and needs to go a minimum of 3 days a week. She will have to have her hearing checked also and possibly have her adnoids out. The type of speach she has indicates that she has a hearing problem. On a better note, her vocabulary comprihention and usage is on a 5 year level. I have no idea where my kids got their intellagence from but both of them are pretty smart.
So that's all for now. I am about to get us ready to go to The Junior Musuem. I will let you know more whein I find out more.
God bless!

2009 is here and we have a chance for a new beginning.

2009-01-01T21:52:00.003-06:00

Wow 2009! It's a chance for us all to start off fresh. The past year was so full of trials and triumphs for our family. I am looking forward to what God has in store for us this year. He has made me a stronger person with every obstacle in my way and given me a chance to see through them all and see Him.
I am so very thankful for the friends I have made in 2008 and excited about the prospect of new ones in 2009. Without them I don't know if I would be able to see God's plan. They helped me to see that He was there and a reason for what I was going through.
As for Jacob I see hope for his future. He has an appointment January 12 for an evaluation to see if he can attend Lucile Moore's Asperger's class this year. And he will also start going to a support group with kids like him. He is such an amazing boy and I want the best for him and the ability for him to thrive! I have been praying for a school that was right for him and then God just gave me the answer. In just the past few months it seems like we have been on a roller coaster full of ups and downs. We got so much "bad news" then all good news. I just know that this year will be great!
With God on my side how can I go wrong? With that asked I have to remember to remain faithful. After all when I look back at the years past, it was when I was not faithful was when life was off track and as soon as I looked to Him for the answers he guided me home.

For those of you who don't know I attend a woman's bible study group on Wednesday mornings. We have studied many different subjects and I have always enjoyed each one. The next one will be on Philippians. I read it today and was in awe of the faithfulness that Paul had even in prison he praised God. I cane across one verse that struck me and I intend on keeping it near to me throughout all of my hard times. "for I know that through all your prayers and with all the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." Philippians 1:19. Truer words have never been spoken.
My goal for 2009 is to be more like Paul full of Christ.
Until tomorrow, God bless.

New updates

2008-12-30T19:00:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas and I hope you all did as well. We are all looking forward to a great new year and all the things that come with it. I am so thankful for all of my family and friends.
I took Jacob to the doctor today to get a new prescription. The 10mg of Focalin in the morning was too much. He became a lump and didn't want to do anything until about 12:00pm then it was as if he had never taken anything even though it was time release it didn't re-release in the afternoon. He is now taking 5mg of time release in the morning and 2.5mg in the afternoon if he needs it. I was happy when we first started it and the 5mg dose but it didn't last very long. I think this will be a happy medium.
As for seeing a neurologist it's going to be a few months for that. Who new there was such a long waiting list?
So for now that is pretty much it.
Untill tomorrow, God bless.

It's Almost Here!

2008-12-23T13:53:00.002-06:00

I love this time of year! I am so excited to see all of my family and share such memorable moments with them. Since my aunt is such a big part of our lives we will be going over to her house to spend the night Christmas Eve. She and her Husband don't have children so my kids are just as much theirs as they are mine.
The kids are there now while I do some last minute cleaning and making room for new stuff. I plan on going over to her house first thing in the morning and baking all day with the kids. Even though we don't really do the whole Santa thing we have never denied our kids the magic of believing. The have asked if we can bake cookies for Santa and leave them by the fireplace for him to eat. So of course we will make fun cookies. They have been told the story of where Santa comes from and why he did the things he did. We have told him that the spirit of Santa lives in your heart and we should give to others as he did out of the goodness of your heart. As always before bed we will read to them the Nativity Story just so that they never forget the true reason for the season.
Christmas afternoon we all will be going over to my cousin's house for a pot luck lunch and gift exchange. I can hardly wait to see the rest of the family! After that Jason the kids and I will be driving to Fountain to see his side of the family and have dinner and more gifts! Aunt Linda will be coming home tomorrow so the kids are very excited to see her again! She has been in Tennessee with her daughters and grandchildren foe almost two weeks! We are all missing having her around.
Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am back to being concerned; again.

2008-12-18T17:27:00.003-06:00

The last time we went to see doctor Kenawy we talked about Jacob sleepwalking and he wanted him to see a neurologist. I don't have and appointment yet because the doctor is out of town. But as soon as he gets back they will call us with an appointment. I think I may have to call Children's Medical Services and see if we can get into see one of them.
I am concerned not just because of the sleepwalking but also because Jacob has been complaining about being dizzy and says his head hurts. Add this to the list, it seems to be never ending. I know it is not because of the Focalin because this has been an issue before that. I have no clue what it may be.
We have been to a neurologist before when Jacob was one. He had a seizure and they are assuming it was caused by a fever he had the week before with an ear infection. They tried to make him have a seizure under sedation but were unsuccessful, so that lead them to believe that he did not have a seizure disorder. They also did a CAT scan and an EEG. Both came back with normal results and we went on with our lives.
Now Jacob is older and has been complaining of these headaches and dizziness. I feel so helpless and frustrated. I just don't know what to do or where to turn. I am at the end of my rope.
I know God is great and he will take care of our needs if we are faithful. So now I just pray and wait. I know He has a plan for us and it will be good. Things could be worse and I just have to stay in the moment, do not look ahead, but up to Him for where I should go from here.
Until I know more...

We have an answer!

2008-12-13T16:20:00.005-06:00

Ok ready for it? Jacob was officially diagnosed with asperger's syndrome. I included a link to a topic overview for those who are no familiar with asperger's. We got his I.Q test results back today and it showed an average of al the different test was a score of 109. The average I.Q is around 95-109. Dr. Decker didn't like that number because he scored so high on several of the sections of the test he felt like Jacob's frustration held him back. He wants to do it again in a year. On most of the test he scored in the 7+ age range. The sections that he scored average on were the ones he became very frustrated.
So now what do we do? The doc has a support group for people with asperger's every third Saturday for kids in one room together and the parents in another. He says that it is really amazing how the kids interact with each other. The parents all sit and share information like what's working and not. I am pretty excited. The first one will be next week.
So we were kind of undecided about where to sent Jacob to school. When I talked to the doc today he told me that Lucille Moore has an asperger's program. Jacob can go to that school and be with like minded people and learn the way he needs to learn. I will be calling them on Monday! I can't even tell you how happy this makes me! Finally we have an answer, a way to help him and a solution to our school problem.
What an amazing day! God is great!
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-topic-overview

Tomorrow is a full day!

2008-12-12T22:04:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow is the day we have been waiting for! We go to see Dr. Decker tomorrow at 2 pm to get the results of his I.Q test. Also get his opinion about Asperger's and the Sensory Integration Disorder. Let me tell you I can hardly wait.
Meanwhile Julia will be going with my mom to a friend of the family's child's 1st birthday party. Wow that was a mouthful. Needles to say she is super excited. She loves a good party. There are almost always balloons at parties and that is her favorite part.
Jacob will hopefully be going to Pump It Up for Christmas Craft Day, an event my church holds every year for the kids to make stuff to bring home for mom and dad. We tried it last year but we were unsuccessful. Jacob panicked! Is was a large crowd and at that time I didn't take him to church much because it just made him anxious. So it was better not to bring him at that time. Now that he has been going more frequently he knows a few more people and I hope that he will feel like staying. I plan on hanging out with him just to be sure he is comfortable. If all goes as planned he will be there from 10am until 2pm.
I think his medication is not working as well as it was so we may have to change it. We will just have to see how it goes tomorrow. As of right now he wants to go.
I will let you all know what happens tomorrow night. Until then, Good night and God bless.

WOW! I can't belive it!

2008-12-11T14:41:00.004-06:00

I Just found this and it is Jacob to a T! I can't wait to show it to Dr. Decker. He does every single thing on this list! Unbelievable!

What is sensory integration dysfunction?

Children with sensory integration dysfunction have difficulty processing information from the senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing) and responding appropriately to that information. These children typically have one or more senses that either over- or underreact to stimulation. Sensory integration dysfunction can cause problems with a child's development and behavior.

Who has sensory integration dysfunction?

Children with autism and other developmental disabilities often have sensory integration dysfunction. But sensory integration dysfunction can also be associated with premature birth, brain injury, learning disorders, and other conditions.

What causes sensory integration dysfunction?

The exact cause of sensory integration dysfunction is not known. It is commonly seen in people with autism, Asperger's disorder, and other developmental disabilities. Most research suggests that people with autism have irregular brain function. More study is needed to determine the cause of these irregularities, but current research indicates they may be inherited.

What are the symptoms?

Children with sensory integration dysfunction cannot properly process sensory stimulation from the outside world. Your child may:

Either be in constant motion or fatigue easily or go back and forth between the two.
Withdraw when touched.
Refuse to eat certain foods because of how the foods feel when chewed.
Be oversensitive to odors.
Be hypersensitive to certain fabrics and only wear clothes that are soft or that they find pleasing.
Dislike getting his or her hands dirty.
Be uncomfortable with some movements, such as swinging, sliding, or going down ramps or other inclines. Your young child may have trouble learning to climb, go down stairs, or ride an escalator.
Have difficulty calming himself or herself after exercise or after becoming upset.
Jump, swing, and spin excessively.
Appear clumsy, trip easily, or have poor balance.
Have odd posture.
Have difficulty handling small objects such as buttons or snaps.
Be overly sensitive to sound. Vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, hair dryers, leaf blowers, or sirens may be upsetting.
Lack creativity and variety in play. For instance, your child may play with the same toys in the same manner over and over or prefer only to watch TV or videos.

How is sensory integration dysfunction diagnosed?

A health professional, often an occupational or physical therapist, will evaluate your child by observing his or her responses to sensory stimulation, posture, balance, coordination, and eye movements. While many children have a few of the symptoms described above, your health professional will look for a pattern of behavior when diagnosing sensory integration dysfunction.

How is it treated?

Sensory integration therapy, usually conducted by an occupational or physical therapist, is often recommended for children with sensory integration dysfunction. It focuses on activities that challenge the child with sensory input. The therapist then helps the child respond appropriately to this sensory stimulus.

Therapy might include applying deep touch pressure to a child's skin with the goal of allowing him or her to become more used to and process being touched. Also, play such as tug-of-war or with heavy objects, such as a medicine ball, can help increase a child's awareness of her or his own body in space and how it relates to other people.

Although it has not been widely studied, many therapists have found that sensory integration therapy improves problem behaviors.

The last few days

2008-12-09T19:18:00.003-06:00

So the last few days have been pretty fantastic! Jacob went to the church yard sale with me on Saturday and he had a good time. He play with some of my friends little girls, granted they are older 8 and 9 I think, so he was happy. He always likes to be with older kids. He went to my aunt's house after the yard sale and spent the night, so we ended up skipping the Christmas parade. We will go to the one on the beach and make up for it. On Sunday we went to Pump It Up for one of my friends kid's party and there were a few older kids so he had a great time. I think he would have had a good time regardless but having a few kids there he could play with put the icing on the cake. Julia had a great time too, she ran around and went from one bounce house to another the whole time.
Yesterday Jacob went to Queenie's (my aunt) for school. Jason forgot to take his`medicine with him so Jacob had to make it through the whole day without it. He did very well surprisingly. He made a battery out of a lemon and tested out how much static electricity he could generate on the trampoline all-in-all it was a good day.
Julia also went to school and started making her t-shirt for the Christmas show at her school and couldn't wait to show me what she had done. It is going to be really cute when it is done. So far it is only a footprint. She always has a good time at school.
Today was a pretty good day for Jacob he didn't want to go to the playground with Julia and I. He didn't want to go to Queenie's either. He just wanted to stay home and build and relax on the couch. Oh we all have those days.
Tomorrow Jacob will go to Queenie's and Julia to school then Queenie will pick her up and they will both spend the night over there. I will be taking the day off and seeing some friends and doing nothing tomorrow night. The house is clean thanks in part to a new gadget and Aunt Linda!
The new gadget I got is the Hoover Floormate and it is AMAZING! I hava all hard wood floors and I hate cleaning them because I feel like I am moping with dirty water. It takes me days to get them al clean and I have a small house! If you have wood or tile floors GET ONE!
Until tommorrow. Good night and God bless.

The results are in!

2008-12-06T14:15:00.002-06:00

Friday Dr. Kenawy's office called with the results of the glyco amino glucose test is back. Although you have to have a genetic test done to see if you have Fabry's other test can be done to see if other levels are raised that may be an indication of having Fabry's. Jacobs test came back and did not show sign's of fabry's but the Levels came back elevated so for now we have to go back every few months and have blood drawn and a UA every month just to make sure his kidneys are working ok. So that is all of the info I have for now. We are getting ready to go to the Christmas Parade. Until tomorrow.

Round 2 I.Q test

2008-12-02T14:48:00.003-06:00

So we had our appointment with Dr. Decker today to finish the I.Q test we started last week. The one we started last week was below Jacob and he combined two test on a higher grade level to keep Jacob interested. It worked and Jacob did very well.
We will go back one week from Saturday to get the results from the test and see what he thinks about the Asperger's Syndrome evaluation that we had done previously. At this point I don't care what he is labeled with I just need to know how to help Jacob. For the Most part he is just like any other 5 year old boy, He just has trouble in certain situations.
Other than that it has been a really good day. He has been playing with Julia and of course his video games (he only played for about 20 minutes so very little vegging out today). Now he is just relaxing on the couch looking at a schoolbook and trying to draw some pictures, which is also a little unusual for him. Julia is resting too so all in all it is a pretty restful relaxed day.
Now it is time to finish laundry and and a few other little things around the house.
Thanks for all the prayers!

Better days...

2008-11-30T16:01:00.004-06:00

Well Yesterday was a much better day. We got down the Christmas ornaments and put up the tree. Jacob was in such a good mood he even posed for this picture with Julia. He even smiled. For now things are good. Since it is a rainy weekend here in Sunny Florida the kids have been stuck in the house. The christmas stuff has helped keep them busy for now.
Tomorrow Jacob will go over to Queenie's house (my aunt house) to do his homeschooling. Julia will go to her school and I will have a few hours to pick up around the house. After being stuck indoors the last few days things are kinda messy.
Jason and I set up our second living room now that the kids have more or less grown out of the play room they had. It's nice to have a place for Jacob to play his video games or watch a movie and he can be alone. He likes to go down there away from everyone and relax.
For now that is all the news. More tomorrow.

So I am a little scared and sad

2008-11-29T00:13:00.003-06:00

Ok, just so you know, I have been sobbing for the past hour. I am trying to suck it up so bare with me, I have to get it all out.
I keep wondering what the future will hold for Jacob. I know that it is not for me to know, but I can't help but wonder. Some days he seems so "normal", others not even close. It also makes me sad that he doesn't like Julia very much. Sometimes they get along, but for the most part not so much. I almost feel bad that I brought her into this world. Some days I just wish he would love her. Looking at him and how frustrated he gets it makes me cry. I just want to know how to help him cope with everyday life.
I guess the past 5 years are catching up to me, I have always know there was something, but not what. It's almost like he is to smart to be a part of life with peers or those younger than him. Don't get me wrong, I am not one of "those" mom's but he has been tested and we know from that first preliminary test he did test in the high above average range. I just want him to do little boy things, he always wants to be ahead of the game and always has. That is just the way he is.
I just wish that more people knew him like I do. I want so much for everyone to know him and all the things about him. Most of the time I am afraid to bring him out with me because I know how he is with other kids. At the same time he is so sweet to me and all of us who he loves. He really has a big heart and that is what makes me hurt the most. It's like it is so big and he wants so badly to love and relate but he can't make himself do it. I know how much he wants friends and how much love he has but he has such a hard time.
Ok enough self pity, I am done and feel better now.

Ugh, more doctors!?

2008-11-26T11:13:00.002-06:00

We went to see Dr. Kenawy to see about the dosage of his medication and to see about the test results from almost 3 weeks ago. We decided to keep him on the same dosage it seems to be doing well for him. Only 3 of the 4 test were back and they were normal, but we expected that because they were not the most important ones. The last one was to check Kidney function and will not be back until 10-14 day from Yesterday. Let's pray it is normal also.
One other thing we talked about was the restless sleeping and sleepwalking. Jacob has ALWAYS done this. I don't know that he has ever really slept well. I talked to the doc about it and told him how bad it had gotten. Jacob gets up sometimes and tries to leave the house. He wants to have him checked out by a neurologist because a lot of times this is a symptom of a seizure disorder. REALLY MORE DOCTORS!? I am beginning to think this is some kind of crazy conspiracy between them all to make money from us! $25 each time we go to see Dr. Kenawy, $40 a week to Dr. Decker and now $40 when we go to the neurologist. Then Then there will be a CAT scan and an EEG. HELLO! CO-PAY! I know it is all very important and we need to do it, I am just so frustrated. I know God is there and he is leading us through this and for good reason. I just want to know the reason! I know things could be worse, believe me I know. I just need to pray and love my son and do whatever it takes to help him cope.
Until tomorrow!

Jacob's appointment today

2008-11-24T16:27:00.003-06:00

So today we began the I.Q test. It was supposed to be done in one session but Jacob had to take a break every 15 minutes. He got very frustrated and wanted to stop. Dr. Decker had to trick him into continuing. When it was evident that we would have to come back later Dr. Decker said that the type of test was below Jacob and next week when we come back he will start with a higher level. He is also going to review the evaluations I did and and decide whether or not to further evaluate him for an autism spectrum disorder. So I guess it went as well as I suspected.
I kind of feel better now because I am not crazy and I don't feel like such a "bad mom". He isn't a "normal boy" that I can't handle. There is something there, something wrong! I am relieved in a way, but also sad because at this point I don't know what to do or how to help him. That will be my next step and I know that things will be better.
I don't think anyone knew how I was feeling because no one is around him as much as I have been. They just see an active boy. I see all the little things. I have always know there was something, but never what it was. I am so happy to be getting him in the right direction.
Until tomorrow when we go to see Dr. Kenawy. He hopes to have the test results in to go over them. Other than that we will discuss the dosage of his medication and the possibility of prescribing a sleep medication that will help with the sleep walking.

Just beginning the process

2008-11-23T22:43:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is Jacob's second appointment with Dr. Decker. I am looking forward to it because he will begin the I.Q test and start the process of helping us. I finally finished all of the evaluation forms he gave us last week and I am anxious to see what he says.
I am also nervous about this next appointment. The last time we were here Dr. Decker brought out the beast in Jacob. He had a good reason to do it though. Allow me to explain. He asked Jacob to sit at his desk wile we talked about Jacob. He gave him a book with various drawings in them and a blank page next to each drawing. The difficulty of each drawing increased on each page ranging from a drawing that a 2-3 year old should be able to duplicate all the way up to what an adult should be able to duplicate. He never told Jacob when to stop, he simply instructed Jacob to draw what was on each page. Jacob got about half way through and I saw that he was beginning to get frustrated and told Dr. Decker he was almost at his breaking point. He told me to let him be and we continued talking. Jacob became very angry and started to throw the book and his pencil pushing the chair and hitting his head on the desk. Dr. Decker told him he may stop and there was no need to be angry. Then he gave him a prize for doing so well at what he had completed. I was confused because The way I looked at it was he was almost praising him for the fit, but as he talked Jacob down he brought it back to what a good job he had done before the fit. I was quite impressed with how well he handled the situation and calmed him down.
So now I am nervous about an I.Q test because of the last fit. But after seeing how well Dr. Decker handled him I really shouldn't be. He is a professional. We will need God to be in that room tomorrow and I know he will be there with us.

Now with that said we have another appointment Tuesday with Dr. Kenawy Jacob's pediatrician. We are going to talk about how the Focalin has been doing and I hope the test results are in yet. I also plan on asking about getting something for him for sleep. He has no trouble getting to sleep. He is just so restless and the nightmares are terrible! He rarely ever wakes up but he sleepwalks and sees to be in the middle of the nightmare as he is sitting in bed or walking around the house. I know that this is not a side effect of the Focalin because this is just one of many of Jacob's "quirks". He has had nightmares I suspect from about 6 months of age until present. Just another thing to add to the ever growing list.
On a good note he has been going to church with me for the past 4 weeks. He has been doing very well. This is a change from before. I used to leave him home because he became so anxious he dreaded going. Last night he asked if he could go with me today. One small step in the right direction.
Until Tomorrow friends.

Yes, I quit my job.

2008-11-21T16:32:00.002-06:00

So I have worked at BBW for over a year. I recently got a promotion and became a member of management. It was a fun place to work and the employee discount and pay was pretty good. Most of the people I worked with were fun to be with. with the exception of one. Nicholas, the co-manager has been a pain to work with from the beginning. No one wanted to work with him and he had complaints coming out of his ears from both customers and associates. Needless to say he and I never got along, but I tried to keep it between he and I behind closed doors. I found out yesterday that he just got his final write up.
I have never been written up or had even one verbal warning or complaint, except by Nicholas, apparently. I went into work yesterday just as Nicholas, my Manager and the District Manager were coming out of the back room. They had a meeting. Now it was my turn. They said that it was apparent that Nicholas and I did not get along and I was not happy there (I wasn't) and I had to resign effective the next day or they were going to fire me making me not rehire-able. Therefore a whole year of job experience down the drain. Not to mention all of the training I got when I was promoted.
I am angry and confused. I still can't figure it out. He has been walking on a thin line for a very long time. In fact When I was promoted I was instructed to keep him in order because he was close to loosing his job then. I am over it now and I really don't care but why was I the one forced to quit? Why not him? I have a`perfect record and wonderful reviews.
Whatever, I am done venting now. Thanks for listening.

Jacob's other health issues

2008-11-20T03:39:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago Jacob had what seemed to be a bladder infection. He called me from the bathroom crying saying that he was peeing blood. My first thought when I saw it was it must be the medication that was dying his urine, but then he told me it hurt a lot when he peed. So I looked it up and the medicine that he was on did not change the color of urine. So I called the doctor and they asked to see him right away.
A UA was done and he was put on antibiotics and the urine was sent to the lab because it tested positive for blood and protein. They wanted to know what bacteria was causing the infection so they could treat it more effectively.
They were concerned mostly because boys don't often get bladder infections.
He looked at his chart and there were some red flags. Jason's family has a rare genetic decease called Fabry's. hey wanted to know more about what was going on with him. They ordered blood work and another more advanced UA. We are still waiting to see what those test say. I will be sure to let you know how that goes. I hope it will come back soon.

All about Jacob

2008-11-20T03:07:00.004-06:00

Jacob has always been a quirky kid. I have always known this. I can list all of the things he does but that would take forever. So, let's just start with the most recent events. Last month me was asked to leave school. He was in K-4 at Covenant Christian. He was there last year also for K-3 and for the most part did very well. When they asked him to leave his teacher suggested we have him screened by the school board to see if there were ant developmental delays. Well there were none, but they did however, determine that he was "emotionally handicapped and needed further screening". This would have taken an eternity to get done through the school board so we took things into our own hands.
I started by calling hid doctor and telling him what had happened in school. I explained to him that Jacob had been asked to leave school because he was hitting himself and becoming very frustrated. This was no new new to the doctor. We have been going through this with him almost all of Jacob's life. We tried to change his diet and it just wasn't working. His doctor said it would be a good idea to start him on ADHD medication. He prescribed Focalin Xr and he has been on it for two months. So far it has worked wonders. Jacob is a whole new child!
His doctor asked that he be seen by a psychiatrist so he could be supervised by them while on the Focalin.
We made an appointment with Dr. Decker and we saw him for the first time yesterday. Jacob really liked him and so do I. He wants to rule out autism first because he seems to have a few traits of Asburger's Syndrome. He sent me home with a stack of evaluation forms for me and my aunt (she is homeschooling him) to fill out. We will see him again next week to have an I.Q test and further evaluation. We seem to be on the right track so we will see how things go.
That's where we are now with that. more to come as we discover more.

An introduction to us...

2008-11-20T02:33:00.004-06:00

Let me begin by telling you a little about me and my family. We are the Stevens' I am Heather, my Husband Jason and two children Jacob 5 and Julia soon to be 3. We live in Sunny Florida and have all our lives. Jason and I have been together since freshmen year of high school. That makes 13 years. We have been married 9 of those years.
I have a great extended family who all help us in the rearing of our children. My mother lives in our mother-in-law apartment at our house. We love that, it's like having a third parent. My aunt and uncle won't have kids do the have taken to ours very nicely. My grandma is also very involved in their lives. Having them all around is great.
Jason is a great dad, husband, friend, all around good guy. I enjoy him more with each day that passes. Seeing him interact with our kids makes me smile. For the most part he is just a big softie.
Jacob to say the least is a quirky little boy and always has been. For the most part this blog will be about him and what we are going through with him. He is sweet , funny, active, and most of all just plain quirky.
Julia is your typical little girl. She loves to be dressed in all pink and ruffles and bows. She loves babies and tea parties. She is so sweet and kind. She is shy but it doesn't take long for her to warm up.
Me, well I am wife, mother, daughter, friend and always on the go. My family comes first and I enjoy every day that I have with them.
Well that's my intro to us all!