When Does School Start Again?

I love my children... I really do. And I'm lucky, in a way, because I do get a break from them off and on during the week for therapy. But I am about to go crazy... seriously. Neither of them are napping now... it makes for VERY long days!
When does school start again?

That Little Blue Bag...

It's no coincidence that robin's egg blue is my favorite color. You can see it in almost every room of our house. I love me some Tiffany's...
So, what did I spy on the Christmas tree last night? A little blue bag just for me! The geek sure does know what I like!
Thanks honey! It was a great anniversary!



Edited to Add: Here's a pic of what I got... there were some requests wanting to know. Sorry for the bad pic- it's hard to take a picture of yourself! Also, I was trying not to get all of my chins in it! :)

Jumpin' Around...

We Don't Like Santa...

We attended our playgroup's annual holiday party over the weekend. It was a lot of fun... minus the trip to Santa's lap. Neither of the kids seemed to like him... maybe next year!
It was a "Polar Express" party... so the kid's wore their jammies- just like in the book/movie!

Happy 6th Anniversary Monkey-Man!

Six years and two kids later... you still make me laugh and smile!
Thanks for putting up with me... I know it's not always easy! I love you!

Thank You Rug Doctor!

What do you do when DD manages to pick up, drop and spill a gallon of paint on the off-white carpet in her bedroom?
Well, after you curse out loud, yell at your spouse for a while (blaming each other for who should have been watching her), you head to the grocery store and rent a Rug Doctor!
The geek managed to get all the paint cleaned up and proceeded to steam clean all the other rooms upstairs. Not exactly how we planned to spend our Friday night and Saturday!

Another Book Review...

Just finished another book today- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It only took me about two days to read it- off and on. Highly recommend it! Bad news though- I didn't know it was book 1 of 3, so now I have to wait until September 2009 for the second book. Hopefully by then I will remember to buy it!
However, it did stop me from picking up a Twilight book for a day or so... that's quite an accomplishment!

"Twilight" Revisited...

Went to "Twilight" again last night... it was just as good as the first time! Loved it! I'm still hoping to drag the geek to it next week!
Highly recommend it to anyone- especially if you've read the book. You might be a little confused if you haven't!

There's Got To Be A Morning After...

Call me crazy, but I feel somewhat melancholy this morning. Depressed even. The event I'd been anticipating for weeks is now over. The spring in my step is gone... I feel a little lost. What will I look forward to now?
"Twilight" was great... certainly not as good as the book (but what movies are?). The theater was sold out... composed primarily of teenage girls, half a dozen teenage boys, and a couple of mothers and grandmothers sprinkled in as well (me included). There were lots of annoyingly high-pitched screams from all the girls... like a Jonas Brother or Miley Cyrus must have been there! I felt somewhat ridiculous being there... like I was a chaperone or something. But it was a great movie- I will definitely drag the geek to see it soon. I swooned each time Edward came on the screen... lots of romance and eye-candy for the ladies! And though there's no nudity and no sex, there is a bit of action to keep the men interested!
And the ending... definitely leads a person to believe that they're planning to make a sequel! Well, I guess there IS something for me to look forward to!
Now... back to real life! Got to get DS up for school!

AHHH! Less Than a Week!

Do I need to get a life or what? :)

Autism and Insurance, Part 2

Here is the second part of the WHO-TV story regarding autism and insurance coverage.

http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9331587

Autism and Insurance

One of our local news stations is doing a special three-part story (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night) on insurance coverage of autism therapies. Two families from here in the Des Moines metro are featured. Take a look! I will post the other parts as they air.

http://www.whotv.com/global/story.asp?s=9326627

Obama and Autism

I have been especially curious as to how the new President-elect will change things in this country for those individuals with Autism. Today I received an email with some of his objectives... let's hope they come to be!
Also, I took this directly from the email- so it's a bit wordy!

President-Elect Barack Obama ~Campaign Commitment to Individuals with Autism

More than one million Americans have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), a complex condition that impacts communication, socialization, and behavior. And more cases of ASD are being recognized across the country at an alarming pace. Barack Obama believes that we must do more to help support Americans with ASD, their families, and their communities. Throughout his career, Barack Obama has worked with families affected by ASD to raise awareness and to provide support to parents and families living with ASD. As president, Obama will build on these many years of advocacy and ensure that his administration prioritizes ASD research, public awareness, and lifelong support services. Obama will seek to increase federal ASD funding for research, treatment, screenings, public awareness, and support services to $1 billion annually by the end of his first term in office. They will mandate insurance coverage of autism treatment and will also continue to work with parents, physicians, providers, researchers, and schools to create opportunities and effective solutions for people with ASD.
Record of Leadership on ASD Research and Care: As an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama sponsored legislation that became law to create an ASD diagnosis education program, an initiative designed to promote the implementation of evidence-based practices. The goal of the project is to offer educational opportunities at all levels of care, including physicians, early intervention (EI) specialists, psychologists, teachers, day care providers, parents, respite workers, and speech and language therapists. Obama has personally worked side-by-side with Illinois families affected by ASD to support efforts to build the Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research. This school and research center will bring together education, academic research, early intervention programs, and training to prepare its students for independent living.
In the U.S. Senate, Obama is a cosponsor of a measure that would expand federal funding for life-long services for people with ASD, authorizing approximately $350 million in new federal funding for key programs related to treatments, interventions and services for both children and adults with ASD.
Appoint Federal ASD Coordinator to Oversee All Federal ASD Efforts: Barack Obama will ensure all federal ASD activities occur in an efficient manner that prioritizes both research and supports for families affected by ASD. Obama will appoint a Federal ASD Coordinator to oversee federal ASD research and federal efforts to improve awareness of ASD and improve the training of medical professionals to identify and treat ASD. By establishing one top-level point person to coordinate ASD efforts in the White House, Obama will ensure that ASD receives the recognition and priority it deserves in the federal government. The Federal ASD Coordinator will also be tasked with eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that may be delaying implementation of important ASD measures and ensuring that all federal ASD dollars are being spent in a manner that prioritizes results. The Coordinator will work with state task forces on ASD to ensure effective communication and collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.
Fully Fund the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research Initiatives: Barack Obama supported the Combating Autism Act of 2006, which was signed into law in December 2006. The Combating Autism Act authorizes increased federal funding for ASD research and efforts to boost public awareness and early diagnosis of ASD. Since the bill has been enacted, however, federal funding for ASD has not increased to the levels authorized by the Combating Autism Act. As a U.S. Senator, Obama has worked to fully fund the Combating Autism Act and as president, he will ensure that his administration addresses the growing impact of ASD and other special needs on American families. President Obama will fully fund the Combating Autism Act, which provides nearly $1 billion in autism-related funding over 5 years, and work with Congress, parents and ASD experts to determine how to further improve federal and state programs.
Support Special Needs Education for Children with ASD: Barack Obama understands that children with special needs – students with visual, hearing, physical, sensory, and mental impairments – require meaningful resources to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Obama is a strong supporter of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and supports full federal funding of the law to truly ensure that no child is left behind. The current underfunding of IDEA causes school districts throughout the country to deny necessary services to students with ASD and other special needs. Obama will also work to change IDEA’s definition of “autism” to Autism Spectrum Disorders to ensure that all children diagnosed with ASD disorders receive the support they need.
Support Universal Screening: While roughly 90 percent of infants in the United States are currently screened for various potentially disabling or life-threatening conditions, fewer than half the states screen all infants for the full recommended panel of 29 disorders. Many of these conditions, if caught early, can be treated before they result in permanent impairments or even death. Barack Obama believes we should screen all infants, and also that we must set a national goal to provide re-screening for all two-year-olds, the age at which some conditions, including ASD, begin to appear. These screenings will be safe and secure, and available for every American that wants them. Part of Obama's early childhood intervention plan will be directed at coordinating fragmented community programs to help provide all children access to screening for disabilities as infants and again as two-year olds. Achieving universal screening is essential so that disabilities can be identified early enough for those children and families to get the special supports and resources they need.
Work Together: As part of his commitment to open the doors of our government to the American people, Barack Obama is committed to facilitating open dialogue among Americans with special needs and their families, federal and state agencies, regional centers, resource centers, research institutions, school districts, first responders, and community members.

I Am Officially a Loser...

I just pre-ordered my "Twilight" tickets for opening night... opening morning actually. I am going to the 12:01am Friday morning showing- so excited. Don't even care that I'm probably going alone (who is going to watch the kids at midnight on a Thursday/Friday?).
This will be the first movie I've gone to since 2004 when hubby and I went to "Meet the Fockers" on Christmas Day... I feel like such a loser! :)

WOW!

I'm not political at all really, but even I have to admit, last night was EXCITING! I stayed up past midnight watching all the coverage on CNN. It was so inspiring... I was especially moved when I saw Rev. Jesse Jackson crying in the crowd in Chicago. It's a new day here in the USA- change is coming!

VOTE!

Today is Election Day! Don't forget to go cast your vote!

Edited to Add: I voted!

So Far, So Good...

DS and I both survived his first day of school. Knock on wood... he's not home yet, but should be within the next 45 minutes. Here are some pics from putting him on the bus this morning!
Also, please ignore my outfit and lack of hair/makeup (it's my Halloween costume- I'm a haggard stay-at-home mom!)!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from all of us- including our little princess!

My Baby Is Leaving Me...

Tomorrow is DS's first day of preschool. I suppose I should be happy that I'm going to have a few hours to myself, but I'm really not. He and I are very rarely apart from each other. Even now, when he has therapy, I usually have to stay in the room with him. When I'm not standing right next to him, he will look around for me... just to make sure I am still there with him. I am just beside myself with worry... my stomach has been upset all day.
I know he will be fine, but will I?

24 Days and Counting...

24 days, 22 hours, 57 minutes...
Not that I'm counting...

A Little Delay...

FYI:
For those of you who received invites to DD's and DS's birthday party this weekend, we are delaying it a week due to all the sickness here at home! You will get a call from me soon if you haven't already!

Scary...

My mom sent me an email today with this attachment. It is two pictures of me when I was four years old in comparison to DD (who just turned 4). Now, everyone says that DD looks just like her daddy... but I beg to differ after seeing this!

Three Down, Two to Go

So far, I have strep. DS has strep. And Grandma P. (who was visiting over the weekend) is sick and heading to the doctor soon. That's three of the five of us who were together last weekend. When will DD and the geek get it? I'm sure it's inevitable now...

"...We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Blogging..."

Sorry for the lack of posting this past week. I have been very sick... as was (is) DS and I worry DD is coming down with it as well. It has gotten so bad that I'm going to call the doctor today for myself... which I never do because I have a serious case of "lab coat phobia". Anyway, I've had a pretty high fever since Sunday (peaking at 102.7 on Sunday evening) and now my throat is so sore I can't really eat or drink or sleep... or do much of anything. I worry it's strep throat, but we'll find out. DS seems to be on the mend from whatever was ailing him, but he still has a nagging fever as does DD. I think we'll all be seeing our docs today!

Well, it's strep. Now we have to bring the kids in tomorrow to have them checked. Neither of them have fevers right now, so hopefully they will be fine!

Good 'Ole Chick Flick...

Ahh, "The Notebook". Nothing like a little laughter through tears to get me through a lonely Saturday night. Kids are sleeping and the geek is out drowning his sorrows over the ISU game with his friends. Luckily, I managed to find this movie on the boob-tube!

DS Eating Lunch

Here's a pic of DS eating lunch with his therapist, Jessica. He's learning to use the fork and spoon- and doing so well!

Stripes!

The geek and I decided we wanted to do something unique with our entryway wall. Initially we were going to do a harlequin pattern like DD's room, but I decided to try stripes instead.
The geek did a great job measuring everything out and making sure the lines were level. I did the taping and painting. I was nervous about them at first, because they are so different from the neutral wall that was there before. But they have really grown on us!
The colors are Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (the color that all our main rooms are) and Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Gray (which is actually VERY blue).
You can also see the pics that we hung of the kiddos. And a few other frames and decorations I have out for Halloween. Sorry the pics aren't that great- it's hard to get a good one because of the stairway that is right there.

Happy Tuesday!

These pics don't symbolize anything... just thought DS looked so happy and giggly!

DD's Birthday Dinner!

She won't eat PB&J. She won't eat mac 'n cheese. She won't even eat cake or cupcakes half the time.
What will she eat? Crab rangoon. Lots of crab rangoon. She likes to break them apart, lick out all the cream cheese, and then eat the rest.
I think we made the right choice for her birthday dinner!






And do you see her birthday shirt? Grandma Sharon made it for her. She wore it to school for her party- the teachers loved it!

Happy 4th Birthday DD!

Today is DD's 4th birthday! It's so hard to believe- she's getting so big!

I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. She was so quiet when she came out... the nurses and doctors had to work a bit to get her to respond. Because of this, she spent a few extra days in the NICU (the worst days of my life up 'til this point). And really, this has been her personality from day one... mellow, cries very little, prefers to be alone, seems to be "in her own world" a lot of the time. We're just now getting some real "personality" out her... she giggles and cuddles more than she ever used to. The therapy has been helping with that.

She is such a joy- so easy to make happy, asks for very little, so content, unselfish... she is exactly what I always wanted but didn't know to ask for. I couldn't imagine her being any other way than the exact way she is!

Thank you DD for the best four years of our lives...

I Could Eat Him Up...

I had the opportunity to see my new little nephew again on Saturday for his baby shower. He's still a tiny peanut (less than 8 pounds I'm sure), but such a cutie.
These pics aren't from the shower, because of course, I forgot my camera. But here are a few of him from the past month.






The Happy Family

Another Autism Walk...

I haven't really done an autism post for a while, have I? That's probably good... means that it's not the focus of our lives right now. In fact, besides the constant therapy (and the kids still not talking), I don't think about it much. It's just our "new normal" (I think Oprah once said that).

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that there is another Autism Speaks walk next weekend in Minneapolis. My folks (who live in the Cities) are going to be on vacation, so we won't be heading up for it, but for any of you who might be interested, here's some info.

Minneapolis Walk Now for Autism

Ikea...

It was a long day today- eight hours driving for barely two hours of shopping.
But I was able to spend a little one-on-one time with my mom... and we went here...



It was worth it.

9/11

We will never forget...

Another Great Read...

It's not the "Twilight" series, but here's another great book that I just finished reading! Highly recommended! And I think it's being made into a movie starring Julia Roberts?!

A Kiss For Grandma...

DD is sending out a kiss and a "hi" to her Grandma P.! She misses her and loves her!

Edited to Add: Of course, DD is sending kisses and love to ALL her grandmas- this is just the pic I could find!