Ugh, mornings.

We have an arrangement, and it works. Ray sleeps in Saturday, and I sleep in Sunday. It really does work. But I find myself on Saturday mornings grumbling about how it doesn't work. I wish I was a morning person.

What would you do early on a Saturday morning, after your son had eaten breakfast, is already wearing his favorite Toy Story shirt, and is now enjoying the benefits on Saturday morning cartoons? My school books are staring at my dauntingly, but my tired brain is avoiding their glare. My classes this semester include the last of my general eds- Communications and History, and two specialties- Microcomputers and HTML, XHTML, & CSS. For someone who likes to talk, I'm sure it's surprising to some that communications is my least favorite. We talk about our feelings too much in that class. I find myself thinking, 'What the heck do I have a husband for then?!' After this semester (Well, I lied, I have one more general to finish...) I have a summer full of 2 math classes, yuck. But after that it's straight specialties. I'm so excited. Hopefully I can do most of them online so I continue just being home with Wesley, and watching Paul (toddler who I've been watching for 3 weeks. Wesley has already asked for him 3 times this morning. He misses his friend. I think he'd be happier if his sister was at least home, but she is with her dad. Both of my kids are little social butterflies.)
In any case, school is moving along, and I'm excited to be done. Once I finish my Web Design degree, I can hopefully do somethings from home as I work towards my marketing BA. So many likes, so many hobbies, and just too many to choose from. I think I talk to Ray about my career choices once a week or perhaps even more.

I guess I'll do some homework. Although, looking up potential dates and places to stay for our *hopefully* fall Disney World trip sounds like more fun. And I can't quite reach my book. I wish I was a morning person.

2011.

2011 brought us-

A move 2000 miles from home.
A layoff
A full time job
2 part time jobs
2 Disney World trips
2 car accidents
Some physical therapy
2 mommy visits
3 flat tires
and the list goes on and on.

But above all, 2011 leaves us with 2 healthy, beautiful kids, healthy family, a roof over our heads, warm clothes on all our backs, and food in all our bellies.

If 2012 has half the love that 2011 did... bring it on!

Steps in the right direction.

We took the kids to the rehab center to see Aunt Judy last night. Carly did amazingly well with it all, especially since anything resumbling a hospital frightens her (She was even nervous about coming to see me when Wesley was born.) She gave Aunt Judy a hug, and then just kept her distance after that.
Back story- For those of you that don't know, Ray's Aunt Judy was in a car accident just down the street from our home after babysitting Wesley for me. For that I will be forever grateful and forever guilty. This was the Monday before Thanksgiving. She was transferred to a hospital in Kentucky where we had a rough few days, but she is on the mend now and back in Bowling Green doing therapy so she can go home! 
Wesley thinks going to the rehab center is so much fun, since there are so many 'toys' for him to play with and touch. Although it seems we always take him over there when he is tired, because he loses patience fast. Judy is doing remarkably well though, and hopefully will be home soon.

I've been spending as much time as possible trying to get Christmas presents done for everyone. We are doing mostly home-made and personalized gifts this year. We really go overboard during Christmas time, and we are trying to take it easy this year- for even the kids. We move next weekend, so hopefully we can get moved quick, and I can finish all our Christmas presents for everyone. Mom and Jordan will be here soon as well, so it's all just so exciting! Hopefully we will be all moved in by the time they get here. That would be ideal! 
I suppose I should start packing...

Disney and Autism- How to make them mesh?

Not even just Disney, but any place with crowds- the grocery store, the pumpkin patch, the family dinners?
Parenting alone is a challenge. I don't know anyone who would deny that it isn't all rainbows and butterflies 100% of the time. Everyone has their ups and downs, and keeping up with the ins and outs can be frustrating.

But try parenting a child with Autism. Seriously.

I wouldn't trade my daughter for the world, not even close. She is the most beautiful, sweet, smart, and hilarious little girl I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.
However, she can be so tiring.
We just spent a week at Walt Disney World, a trip that was supposed to also double as a birthday trip for her. The crowds overwhelmed Carly, though, and she can't handle herself when she is overwhelmed. We had several times a day where she would just meltdown and cry/scream over something seemingly ridiculous to all parties involved. Yes, children scream and throw fits, it's a normal part of life. But a child who is able to comprehend reasoning and control their impulses does not cry and scream over telling her that it won't be 9:00 am for 5 more minutes, that she cannot re-ride something for the 3rd time because the park is closed, that she cannot push strangers in line because she's in a hurry, that she has to watch a 2 minute movie before boarding a ride, that she cannot yell to people to move out of her way in line, that she cannot pinch you because you told her she could have a snack in 15 minutes, that is told no to eating lunch at 9:30 am. She just does not understand how to handle herself when she is disappointed with something.
Children such as Carly thrive in environments where they have schedules that are basically followed. Even just a, wake up at 6:30 am, bus comes at 7:45 am, get home at 3:45 pm, have a snack at 4:00 pm, eat dinner at 6:00 pm, bathe at 7:00 pm, bed at 8:00 pm. The schedule doesn't have to be stuck to as strictly as it sounds, but she needs some foundation. Being in Disney World there was none of that, and she can't handle it. Her first impulse is to hit or cry, and she doesn't know how to stop herself.

So, no what? I love taking my kids to Disney, but I can't do it this way again. I suppose I could have made her a Disney schedule to stick to, but I couldn't be sure how it would all work. How do you take an OCD/Autistic child to Disney, and avoid having "That child" that everyone stares and shakes their heads at? (I don't really care about that, because I'm the first person to tell you to mind your own business and keep walking. But she does.)

I think I'm going to meet with Carly's doctor and see about seeing a nutrionist and discuss the benefits to putting an Autistic child on a Gluten and Casein free diet. From what I've read about it, it does help with the impulse control and cognitive thinking for some. I just want Carly to enjoy herself and her life.

Wesley had a blast, but is happy to be home and not in a hotel room. He was also over his stroller by the end of the week, and I can't say I blame him. I love taking these two there, it's so magical. Having one cuddled in your lap and the other cuddled next to you while you watch a parade is an amazing feeling. I want to continue to take my children annually, but I need to figure out a way to help Carly first.

Wish me luck!

2011 reflected- a little.

It's amazing how alike the two kids look. Even with different fathers, they still look like little replicas of each other. Some people would tell me when I was pregnant that the age difference was going to be hard, but it's not at all. They love each other so much, it's amazing to see. 

It's been a long year. A bumpy year. A stressful year. I'm ready for some smooth sailing, and hopefully we get a little reprieve right around the corner. Ray might very well be back to full time in the next few days, which will mean we are back to regular health insurance, and reliable pay. It doesn't, however, look like he'll be teaching any classes any time soon. That's a bummer because it brings in some extra money to get things paid off. But, him going back to full time will be nice. Having health insurance again will be nice (Jacie types as she squints at the computer screen, wishing she could order new glasses.) Working at WKU has been nice, just because I still get time to be home with the kids, but also still bring in a little extra money. Although, Wesley is starting daycare tomorrow, and I have some serious butterflies about that!

I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner. And in between now and then I turn 26 (On the road to 30!) and my baby girl turns 8. This year we are taking her to Disney World for her birthday, and I am really excited to surprise her with it. When Wesley gets old enough to surprise with Birthday trips, we will always end up being at Disney for the Star Wars festivities. I hope he enjoys SW as much as all of us! I love being able to spoil the kids!

I really want to get back out to Reno soon to visit. Southwest just fooled me, claiming rates were only $59 one way. Trickery. $214 is nothing like $59!!! But, I will visit home hopefully after the first of the year. It's going to be a busy 6 months: Visit home, 4 weeks of working 50 hour weeks, Ray's birthday, Mike and Nicole's wedding, hopefully Star Wars Weekends for Ray and I, and then Wesley's 2nd birthday. And that's only through May! 

Whew. Bring it on.

My favorite isn't your favorite. So what?

I try so hard not to play favorites with kids, and I don't think there is really a way to play favorites with a huge age gap like theirs. What one needs is usually not what the other needs. It will different as they both get older, and transition into teens/young adults etc. Looking back on my childhood,  you can see how hard it was to keep it obvious that my mom didn't favor any one of us. Even now, I think she tries. Of course, Jordan will always be the baby- that will never change. And Carly and mom will always share a special bond that will never change.  But mom tried to keep things as fair as she could as we grew up, and I respect her so much for that. A three of us are so different in so many ways, and my mom makes sure to make us feel like no one of us is better than the other. Favoritism is so old, and so overplayed, and I am so sick of seeing it in the most ridiculous places.


Anyways, I want to go swimming. Both kids have some energy to blow off, and I think we will go do something! Days like today really make me miss living within driving distance to the ocean. In fact, I've bee pretty homesick all week. I hope this passes soon... It can make one pretty miserable!

Work is a cure for homesickness... Sometimes.

I really should update this more often...
I can't believe summer is over. Carly is in second grade, and it really feels like just yesterday she was my little baby. Today, she is such a grown up little girl, and it makes me just want to bawl.
Mom came for a visit and was able to go with us to take Carly to her open house AND her first day of school. It's so amazing how close mom and Carly are. Carly slept with my mom every night (And that made it hard last night, getting her to sleep alone, sans TV.) and they did everything together. I feel bad it's been 7 moms since we had seen mom, and I am so grateful she came up. We really need to make sure we are getting out there more often and vice versa. I told mom that we would try to come up before Christmas, since both Ray and I are off work for 2 weeks around Christmas. (Nice!) Wesley remembered mom, and she didn't think he would. But he wanted her to hold him right away, and spent the rest of the week following her like a lost little puppy. Having mom here made me so homesick. So, so homesick.

I really love this job. I loved, LOVED my DMV co-workers, and this setting is a bit different. A lot of the workers on the floor are student workers, and then you have the back office support staff, and we are all not, haha. (Well, I am, just not here! Next semester, I'll take a class here for freeeee.) But this environment is so much more laid back. Their motto is as long as the job gets done, that's all that matters. Right now, I ahve absolutely nothing to do until 2:00, and my boss told me that I could check email, go browse the store, anything to pass the time. Of course, we have had our busy times, and the busiest is yet to come- Rush Week. I've been working full time hours for this month, and next month be back to part-time, and that is perfect. That puts me mostly stay-at-home-mom with a little working mom rolled in. It also gives me the chance to work on my classes this semester. (4, bleh.)

It's been a busy, but great week. We loved having you here mom, and we are going to make it so we see each other more often. Thank you for all you did for the four of us, and have a safe flight home. We love you!

I promise, I'll post more often...