The Not So Very Brady Bunch

Finally!

2010-06-09T05:48:00.004-04:00

The boys are finally finished up with school for this year. All 3 have gotten their summer haircuts. Ben has already started up with cross country conditioning every morning-nice and early! The little boys have really been loving spending extra time with their big brother.

I actually had several days and afternoons off this week, so the little boys and I have already visited the zoo and have a few more activites plannedwith their Grandma and cousin Dean visiting from Columbus this week.

We haven't yet made it to the pool, but I'm sure an easier work day or day off and warmer weather will cooincide here pretty soon!

Summer is on its Way!

2010-05-25T06:18:00.002-04:00

Nothing has really changed much since my last post, although I am working a lot more outside the house than sitting at my computer at home anymore. It's a welcome difference.

The boys are finishing up their last few weeks of school before summer break. Ben traveled to Europe with his school for spring break. Joshua has been getting oriented to kindergarten and a new school for next year. Noah is imagining, creating, and talking more than ever. We've had a few warm weather teasers to get us ready for the whirlwind of outdoor summer activities that seem to overtake us every year: swimming, camps, cookouts...

It has been difficult for me to let a lot of things go that I once had time to do when I was home all day, namely cleaning the house. I am trying to remind myself that it's more important to spend my free time with my kids, not to mention the work I should be doing with Joshua, than scrubbing handprints off the door frames or vacuuming dirt and dust out of every last nook and cranny. Too much time in the house starts me obsessing again, so it's also compelling me to get out with the boys more too.

And so, here we go, on into summer...

Working

2010-02-27T06:48:00.003-05:00

Although I haven't given up on the current gig, I got another job. And, as unbelievable as it is to me, I am actually doing okay with the little boys hanging out with their grandparents, then their older brother, for a few hours after school while I am at work. The boys LOVE all the attention they are getting. Hmmm...a stressed out mama who's on the computer all the time or grandparents and a brother who read to and play with you?

Where's the guilt?

Once again, my preconceived notions of how I think there's only one way for me to do things have been proven wrong-I should be used to it by now, I would think. I am loving getting out of the house and interacting with PEOPLE (instead of sitting at my computer at home, getting depressed). I won't make too much money, but some money is better than no money, and, at this point, the sanity I feel I am regaining is totally worth it. Funny how it usually takes something drastic for me to get a clue, and not just a degree in chemistry!

Carnival!

2010-02-07T05:22:00.005-05:00

BG & Ben were scheduled to work at a game booth with the boy scout troop at the middle school carnival Saturday. The wild weather threatened, but the carnival proceeded as planned. After a few hours stuck in the house with two energetic little boys, I decided to pack them up and take them to the carnival, too. While it was pretty crazy with all the older kids (who had also probably been suffering some cabin fever), and Joshua running far ahead and Noah, with his little legs, lagging far behind, I believe we succeeded in having a little fun on this blustery day. The fact that I sucked it up and let the kids eat lollipops, hot dogs, brownies, and other little carnival delights didn't hurt, either.

The best fun, however, was the little boys getting to climb and slide through the giant inflatables a few times where their dad and big brother were helping out (wishing I got a picture of the two of them in their scout shirts to post), and then running around in the snow on the way back to the car.

Even when it's complete chaos, it really is good to get out sometimes, and even a little fun!

This Calls For a Little Bit of Sun

2010-01-28T06:43:00.005-05:00

While I've been loving spending time with my kids, my current work situation has gone from bad to worse, as current and potential clients continue to cut back on spending. We're in the same boat, so I can't really blame them, but despite more work and innovation on our part, we're still not getting sustainable results. So frustrating! I am now (although I guess this was the inevitable that I was in denial over) stuck in the dilemma of how to continue to bring in money for my family, but provide care for my children that doesn't negate the whole purpose of my working in the first place-the reason I took advantage of the opportunity to work from home. I keep going around in circles from finding a job that I actually believe I am qualified for (a whole other issue), but then not seeing how the scheduling and pay would work for childcare, especially with a special needs child. Hmmm....I think that this situation would be much better served with a little sun and warm weather :)

Who Needs Beds?

2010-01-22T05:26:00.003-05:00

The weather has been wet and cold. The kind of cold that seeps in through all your warm layers and chills you to the bone, no matter how many you've got on. And no sun for days...

Thus, we've been stuck inside a lot here lately. While Ben, BG, and I all take turns trying to wear the little guys out at night, they always turn wild at bedtime (only after I come back downstairs) with all kinds of imaginative play and shenanigans. While at times I am so tired that the ruckus gets a little too much for me to handle, the thing I started to notice about it is that Josh and Noah actually play together without fighting. Plus, Noah even seems to be able to get Joshua to play pretend, like where they "drive" to restaurants (which we hardly ever go to, so that could be why it's "fantasy" play for him) and order all their favorite foods, which Noah then "serves" with random toys.

Their other favorite bedtime activity is to pile all of their pillows and blankets together on the floor to make a cave. At the end of it all, they've played so hard they fall asleep in the middle of it all.Then, I go upstairs and move their sleeping little bodies back into their beds, tuck them in with all their blankets and animals, kiss them goodnight, and, especially when life is trying to get as dreary as the weather, thank God for the joy they bring me.

January Blahs

2010-01-08T11:49:00.005-05:00

I have been so blessed to have so much time playing, exploring, and making things together with my little boys this winter (Ben was only home for a few days and then off to spend time with his dad and family in Colorado): Christmas break and only two days of school yet so far this year (thanks to all the snow we've been getting!). And yet, with all issues plaguing our family right now, I continually find myself distracted and upset, despite being surrounded by such playfulness and joy. The anxiety inducing thoughts in the middle of the night are zapping my energy for the day ahead, and I often feel overwhelmed by "EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE," from the routine meal preparation, laundry, and cleaning, to bigger work, money, and health issues. Gratefully, the insistance of a hug, a taste of Lego cake, racing around the house, the singing, and even just a "thank you" (in between the whining and boughts of naughtiness), and a much more understanding husband, are here to remind me of what is REALLY important in this life, and help me to calm down and refocus. Now if I could just apply that philosophy to all that OTHER stuff...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T06:09:00.003-05:00

After the holidays is always sort of hectic, but time is like my 3-year-old, and never stands still. Maybe someday soon here I'll have the chance to think about our Christmas...

Family Christmas Celebration #1

2009-12-21T09:36:00.009-05:00

My sister and her family will be having Christmas with her husband's family this year, so we met up at Mom & Dad's to celebrate a weekend early.

Mom & Dad's Christmas tree

A kiss for Gigi

Open this, Grandpa

Testing out Dean's new RC car track

More racing

Bob & Suzy's dog, Sadie

Holiday Preparations

2009-12-17T06:09:00.013-05:00

Still trying to get things together here for the holidays while still taking time to enjoy it all!

Stomping in the mud at the tree farm

Here's the Christmas tree!

Nuts: Who knew they could entertain 2 little boys for almost an hour?

Still trying to get caught up on school work from when he was sick :(

My little holiday helper

Getting just enough icing on before eating

Enjoying a rare 50 degree December day at the park (signing "happy")

Here Come the Holidays

2009-12-03T10:07:00.010-05:00

Our winter holiday season always begins with Joshua's birthday, quickly followed by Thanksgiving, then Ben's and my dad's birthdays, moving on to Christmas and then the New Year. Although I admittedly get a little overwhelmed with all the planning and preparation that this time of year entails, I can't help but get excited about it all at the same time.

Things seem a little different this year, not for better or worse, but maybe because everyone is just a little bit older and (hopefully) wiser, if not just more experienced in the whole life thing. Maybe part of it is that I am really trying to get less caught up in the whirlwind of the world and shift my focus to what is REALLY important both for me and our family, and the journey to discovering what that is.

In light of spending more time just ENJOYING this holiday season (not to mention the little boys' excitement over any outing) the whole family visited all the train displays at the Cincinnati Museum Center this past weekend, and later in the week, Joshua , Noah, and I went down to Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Joshua watching the trains

Noah hanging out with Santa & Mrs. Claus

The lights almost look like fireflies

2nd or 3rd time on the carousel that evening

Racing toward the tunnel of lights

Change of Plans

2009-11-27T06:42:00.004-05:00

So the plan was to pick up the rental van Tuesday night (we don't own a large enough vehicle to travel comfortably with 5 people for more than 20 minutes), prep all the travel food, pack all the clothes and stuff. Then drive down to Arkansas (10-13 hours, depending on so many different things) to meet up with my parents and my sister's family and to have Thanksgiving with my grandpa and hopefully my grandma (who's in a nursing home), and possibly a cousin and aunt & uncle. Then, on Friday, we would all pack ourselves up from the hotel room (where I didn't get any sleep because I am such a light sleeper and the other 4 are SO noisy when they sleep) and drive the 10-13 hours home to unpack, do laundry, and freak out because I was so tired and had to be in a car for so long, not to mention the little boys needing to run around (Oh, dear, do I sound that much like I didn't want to go?)

But, alas, it was not to be...

BG called me from work on Monday saying he was not feeling well, came home and went to bed, and I didn't see him much until the next evening. With him still feeling pretty bad, we decided that driving so long in a car and staying in a hotel with a sick person could only lead to more sick people, and we cancelled our travel plans. My parents and my sister's family ended up just getting together at her house, and my dad said we'll try again another time.

What's amusing to me about this is that the original plan was to take an easy drive down in August, stay a few days, and actually have ourselves somewhat of a summer "vacation" (as we don't usually do those). We had gone down in August before and figured we could come up with easy solutions to the things that didn't work so well before. But, as the only people who really seemed to like this idea were me and my dad, so the Thanksgiving option was decided upon. I kept joking to BG that, by putting it off until the fall, someone was going to be ill by then, forcing us to cancel our trip. Does it sound like I jinxed it?

So, in "change of plans mode" I put together a simple holiday menu (including these easy and delicious batter rolls), went shopping for all the stuff, and did what I could for the prep. BG was feeling a little better on Thursday, so he was able to roast the chickens (nobody here really likes turkey, so it seemed silly to make it) and make a few other things, and actually hang out with us for most of the day-hooray!

Dinner was SO yummy, cleanup went smoothly, kids were no crazier than usual, considering the weather was too yucky to get outside, and the day was fairly stress free (almost unbelievable for me). We were having such a good time that I didn't even stop to remember to take any pcitures! Maybe I feel a little guilty for not wanting to travel or to be with my larger family for Thanksgiving (There's always Christmas!). But I have to admit that when all was said and done, this was one of my most favorite Thanksgivings ever. Simple almost always leaves me feeling satified.

I Lost My Tooth!

2009-11-14T06:48:00.003-05:00

Joshua's 2 bottom front teeth have been loose for a very long time. Then, while we were taking a walk the other day, he just pulled one out and stared at it. Once he got over the shock, it was actually very exciting for both little boys and Noah could hardly stop talking about it (he even shared about it at preschool).

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do any "Tooth Fairy" thing, because I have always struggled with the whole encouraging of fantasy characters with my kids. However, in my never-ending journey away from parental idealism, I realize that every child is different and has different needs. Although I doubt I can get into the whole "tooth fairy" concept, fantasy play is something that is hard to come by for Josh and we need to help him develop, so I'm considering ways to compromise. Big milestone for both of us, I guess.

Yard Work Weekend

2009-11-09T02:18:00.005-05:00

Ahhh....still so much left to do before winter, but we made some good progress this weekend. And the weather was BEAUTIFUL!

Helping Daddy with the leaves and the tarp

Nothing like a good old pile of leaves

Ben actually getting to mow the lawn

Halloween and Such

2009-11-05T15:54:00.008-05:00

Whenever someone is making something in the kitchen, Noah has to pull his little stool up to the counter to see what's going on and if he can help or taste.

Helping Daddy with garlic in the kitchen

Despite the sickness that has been working it's way through our household, we were able to participate in a few Halloween activities. Unfortunately (?), we still ended up with way too much candy and upset tummies. At least there are only a few candy events a year (in my opinion, but I'm sure other family members have differing opinions)...

Off to "Halloween Walk in the Woods" with Daddy

Reds' player, bat, and mermaid neighbor

I'm REALLY trying to be better about doing at least one specialized/therapy activity with Joshua each day. I love that Joshua is now willing to participate in some things, and he really is starting to make progress (as relative as it can be), albeit 2-3 years later. Noah, on the other hand, has no problem digging in to have fun.

Joshua ACTUALLY squishing, squeezing, and rolling play-doh.

SO Noah, what else can I say?

Beautiful Fall Day-Hooray!

2009-10-30T04:58:00.008-04:00

I've been having too much fun with the camera, lately, and can't seem to stop myself from taking pictures!

We all got a little wound up on sugar from the preschool Halloween parade & party. Plus, we're possibly looking at a wet weekend, so I wanted to make sure I got the little boys out to the park while it was still nice-almost 70 today, at the end of October!

Can't get there fast enough-or maybe it's just about running fast?!

Okay, if you MUST take my picture

Collecting leaves wherever we go

Our favorite park spot, year-round

We (all) always do so much better when we go play at the park. I don't know why I so often struggle to get out the door, especially now that my youngest can almost walk the whole way there by himself. Trying not to get bogged down by all the things that need to get done yesterday, it's days like this that help me remember that taking time out to have some fun is definitely worth it!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-25T07:22:00.011-04:00

Starting with BG missing a turn and us driving 45 minutes out of our way, it was a struggle to get the fun started on our trip to Shaw Farms this year.

"The sun is in my eeeeyyyyyeeeessss!!!"

Things got a little better once the little boys got to run around and explore...

A good show of curiosity for Joshua

Plowing the field

Oh, and the MUD! We've had SO much rain lately-the word "mud" just doesn't seem to give a full picture of it. I was relieved I had thought to make the little boys wear their rain boots (I learned my lesson at one of Joshua's farm field trips a few years back).

Having fun with Daddy on the bumpy & muddy hay ride

Joshua was still not having one of his better days, but he loves music and dancing, so the bluegrass band (including a friend of BG's who had played in the band at our wedding party) playing in the barn was just the ticket to improving his spirits.

Jumping, dancing, spinning around...WooHoo!

Good Morning, Hot Wheels

2009-10-23T08:52:00.007-04:00

Noah's various car set ups from before breakfast this morning:

Parked and waiting patiently outside the bathroom for Noah

Doesn't everybody park their VW bus in the barn?

"Taxi!!"

Plowing the corn field

Stuck in the "mud"

Getting Ready for Fall

2009-10-15T16:04:00.015-04:00

The weather has gotten so much colder the last few days, and I finally gave in last night and turned the heat on. I am trying to get motivated to get myself and the boys outside to play, but I have not been too encouraged with the cold and rain of late. Luckily, our field trip weather was very cooperative.

Joshua, Noah, and I went on a field trip with their classes to Sunrock Farm Monday. Lots of different animals to interact with and activities to do made for a really fun time. I know Noah enjoyed it, and think Joshua did too (especially the bus rides to and from the farm). They both got to gather eggs and milk a goat!

A few weeks ago, my mom dropped off some cookie dough and decorations for the little boys to make their own pumpkin cookies-this was a Wonderful afternoon project, with a delicious reward!

Noah is into drumming lately, and has been putting together some drum sets to play on.

Ben's cross country season is coming to a close, with only 2 meets left. He's been improving his times with each race, and the rest of us love getting to watch him run. Noah and Joshua have been having races at the house, telling me to cheer when they ran by, and I realized that they have been playing "cross country meet."

Back to School & Back to Basics (Well, Sort-of)

2009-09-30T09:48:00.005-04:00

The first day of school for my baby has come and gone. I thought that maybe I'd be sad. However, according to Noah's teacher, he is adjusting very well to classroom routines and is making friends. He is so happy to get on the bus every morning, and so excited to talk about and show me what he's done that day when he gets home. He had learned so much already. And I am actually getting some things done without my little "helpers" here all day. Amazingly, it's a situation in the Brady household where everybody wins!

On the flip side, in line with the struggling economy, business is down, at least clients' ability to pay. This makes for dwindling bank accounts and available cash, and increasing stress and anxiety on my part when it comes to providing for my family. And yet, insane as it may be, I also find times like these invigorating because of the challenge of having to be more creative and self-reliant to meet our needs: Good Bye DVR & digital cable, Hello library (my, Josh, & Noah's favorite evening hangout anyway) with free DVD rentals and Hulu.com. Good Bye eating out & unlimited grocery shopping, Hello weekly menus, shopping within the budget, and real home cooked meals (even by ME!).

With the differing philosophies and priorities that exist in our house, there is really no easy way to make changes or do something different around here, but one little thing at a time is so much better than nothing at all. And, despite their messes, antics, and unnerving selective hearing ability, I am encouraged every day by watching and spending time with my boys, and go to bed each night believing that being a mom really does make it all worth it.

Birthdays, Pumpkins, and Such

2009-08-31T21:53:00.008-04:00

Noah is now 3 and starting preschool next week. He's working so hard on trying to be a big boy, and even the whining temper tantrums are (a little) less now that he's "learning" to use words. He's always busy drawing, building, or driving something, and his imagination is growing by leaps and bounds.

Joshua is demonstrating new skills, especially dressing independently! He seems to have a 9 month delay from where we work really hard on something and I get so frustrated that he doesn't seem the least bit interested in doing it himself and decide to take a break, and then all of a sudden he starts doing it like he's know how to all along! He has especially enjoyed swim lessons with Miss Mary Jo, getting to go down the giant water slides with Daddy, and spending hours at the playground.

A surprise to me, both little boys and I have actually been able to play a couple of short games-TOGETHER-without Noah whining or pouting, or Josh losing attention. Despite the fact that I feel like my brain is constantly in therapy mode, the 3 of us have really been having a lot of fun this summer.

Ben being home more of the summer has been really nice, too. His cross country conditioning every weekday morning helped keep me on schedule, and the little boys loved getting to spend so much time playing around with their big brother. And now he's a sophomore in high school!

The whole family attended Ben's 1st cross country meet of the season and picnic last weekend and had a blast. Bg mastered the grill, Ben ran his race, and the little boys played on the palyground and watched all the runners. Joshua loves watching all the runners and reading all their race numbers. He wanted to know when his race would be...future cc runner, maybe?

I'm very much looking forward to everyone starting school and actually getting some time to work BY MYSELF. I'm definitely hoping for some improvement in my productivity over my summer work help. Could this possibly lead to a little less stress in my life?

But the coolest thing? We left our pumpkins to "go to seed" after Halloween last year, and they did, literally. Our front bed is now full of pumpkin and squash plants, with a multitude of mini-pumpkins and some other unknown squashes growing fast. No maintenance, and a lot of fun for the boys and their friends to watch them grow!

Car Wash

2009-07-21T09:50:00.002-04:00

Noah was afraid of the car wash when he was younger. Before the car even got sprayed, he would start crying and screaming. Thus, it's been quite a while since I've taken my car through the car wash.

The state of my car this morning, however, necessitated the trip. Yesterday, Joshua and Noah decided to decorate my car with wet sand from the sand box that had accidentally been left open during the afternoon rain. They had done quite a thorough job, seeing as I was trying to finish up with some work for the day and was not really aware of what they were up to. The thought of cleaning it up myself, with "help" from them, of course, and then cleaning them up, and so on, was a little too discouraging for any already chaotic morning.

To my surprise, Noah was actually excited when I told him where we were going. He said he wasn't scared of the car wash anymore. One more sign that my baby is not a baby anymore.

More Baseball and More Baseball

2009-06-25T15:24:00.008-04:00

I got free Reds tickets a few weeks ago for Joshua and I to go to a game together through Miracle League. What a fun time we had-especially since Joshua was in full view of the scoreboard, so he was able to read and comment on all the players and stats.

The next week, my sister and her family came down to Cincinnati for the Reds/Indians game. Noah and I met up with them and some of her friends for another fun day at Great American Ball Park.

Ben also got free tickets for a game later in July because of excellent grades, so I get to take all three of my boys to baseball games this summer! What a treat to get to do something that I love with each of them!

Miracle League Baseball

2009-05-15T15:00:00.009-04:00

I have tried multiple group activities for Joshua outside of school, but without much success. Either he's only interested in running away, or gets too excited that I worry about the safety and enjoyment of the other kids.

Luckily, my sister recommended signing him up for Miracle League baseball, as her son had really had a great time with it up in Columbus.

The whole point of the league is that children of all stages and abilities should get the opportunity to play baseball. Having fun with baseball is the key. And everybody understands and nobody judges!?!?!

Yes, it is sometimes physically and mentally exhausting for me to do this with him, as he gets so overstimulated by all the people and runs all over the place and gets into everything (he kind of reminds me of a puppy with all the energy and lack of focus that he exudes).

I wish I could say that I didn't allow myself to get as overwhelmed as I do with his behaviors and what I always feel like I should be doing with or for him. However, it is just nice to have a group activity for Joshua to participate in that he actually seems to be enjoying. He has even "played" baseball outside at home with me for more than a few minutes.

Joshua wearing his new Tigers shirt and official ball cap.

Noah's thinking he's going to get to play too.

I'm so excited, I'm jumping and dancing!

Big hug with Gapper, Cincinnati Reds mascot, at the new field dedication ceremony.

It's Only March?

2009-03-28T22:10:00.012-04:00

It's actually still March, so I don't feel too far behind in posting...

The writing job that I took on required a lot more of my time and energy than I realized it would. So, in order to catch up with the rest of my commitments and responsibilities, after next weekend, I'll be maintaining my present search engine marketing projects, with ad copy and email being the only writing requirements anymore. Oh well, I am grateful for the experience.

Now for the family stuff:

We attended Ben's Life Scout rank advancement ceremony a few weeks ago, which was pretty neat.

Ben's done an excellent job of balancing school, sports, scouts, but makes sure to have plenty of time for fun and just hanging out. He definitely does not take after me!

Joshua loves preschool and continues to show little spurts of progress in many areas. He still needs help through a lot of things, so as to be better prepared for a good kindergarden experience, so he'll be in preschool one more year. The teachers and therapists at his school are so wonderful at working with him, I am hopeful that he will continue to thrive in their care.

I know that there are disagreements between professionals in the educational and medical realms when it comes to dealing with children with autism. I also know that I have to find what works best for MY child. We've gone through both systems, and the school is what works for us right now. It's more of a partnership, where we are all working together, as compared to our personal experience with the other therapists. As Joshua gets older, I'm sure his needs will change, and we will adapt. For now, however, it's nice to feel like for once I am not alone in working through this.

Not one to be left behind, Noah will also get to go to preschool next year. He is very excited about getting to ride the bus with Josh. Our only stipulation in sending him was that the two boys not be in the same class. The way the two of them go at it, being together all the time at school would be too distracting, for them and everyone else.

There were quite a few weeks (months?) that went by with me trying to work haircuts for the little boys into the schedule, but I was finally successful.

Although they don't always get the best haircuts (this time was awesome, thankfully!), the fact that they enjoy going because they can "go down the slide, watch Dora, and sit in the fire engine," makes it SO worth it.

I'm trying to think of what else, if anything, is going on here at the homestead...BG and Ben are backpacking this weekend, which probably explains why I am actually doing this, as I have a tendency to get distracted around people who can carry on adult conversations.

The taxes are done, just waiting for me to write the checks and mail them. Spring weather, rain and warmth, is making it's way into the forecasts. This means playing outside in mud and many more baths to come. But, along with that, swimming and lessons continue to be a lot of fun for both the little boys and me.

I've also been teaching my mother how to use a computer and email so far. Although I am not a very patient person, through Joshua especially, I have grown to understand how to break things down very simply. I think this makes it a lot easier for me to help her learn this than someone else. Plus, she buys me lunch in return-well worth it, considering I never go out to eat.

Now, on with spring...

Post-Holiday Catch-all

2009-01-25T17:22:00.015-05:00

It's already the end of January, and I have yet to post about Christmas. In fact, because things go as they do every fall (crazy!), I forgot to say anything about Joshua's birthday either.

Because of conflicting family schedules, we actually ended up having 2 birthday celebrations for Joshua. My sister, her husband, my nephew, and my parents for one, my in-laws the next weekend. Although he still gets overwhelmed by a lot of the celebratory excitement over birthdays, both Joshua and Noah are more into birthday parties now, so it was much better than years past.

Joshua, Dean, and Noah patiently waiting for birthday cupcakes...

And then there was the birthday candle that took multiple tries and help from cousin Dean to blow out...

The sign of a good birthday celebration...

Our whole family, all 3 boys and both parents, took a trip to Berninger Farms in Lebanon to cut our Christmas tree. What a blast! I cannot imagine getting a Christmas tree any other way from now on.

Noah hard at work pulling the tree...

Big brother Ben and little brother Noah at the tree farm...

Christmas was actually pretty nice this year, not total chaos as in years past. We conceded to having everyone over to our house again, but taking all that we've learned from previous family holidays, we were able to pull it together without so much stress.

Ben and I wrapping presents on Christmas eve on...

Christmas Eve with our Christmas tree and our ritual A Christmas Story marathon on tv...

Joshua, Noah, Ben, and Dean on Christmas Day...

January is January. Cold, gray, and a lot of inside time. Every year, I seem to expect the cold weather to go away with Christmas. We've started up with swim lessons again for the little boys-their ultimate favorite activity! Between work, cleaning, and playing, we're keeping it together. Lots of stuff in the works for the New Year: Noah and preschool, Joshua's school and therapy, home repairs, new work projects for both me and BG, and our soon to be Life Scout...Here's to 2009!!!

Can You Believe It's Almost Christmas?

2008-12-21T19:11:00.024-05:00

It's almost Christmas, though I certainly can't tell you where the time has gone...

We ALL (Ben included!) went down to the family farm in Kentucky with my in-law's for Thanksgiving. The weather was just cold enough to be fall, but warm enough for running around outside. Sleeping arrangements were not the most comfortable, with the screaming Noah and snoring BG, but my earplugs served their purpose well enough. Dinner was nice and casual-my favorite kind of holiday. The best part was just getting away from the house and not having internet...I guess I could even consider it my vacation for the year. Not being able to work is always a vacation in my mind.

Ben had a little bout of the flu last week, but is feeling much better now that he's out of school, and is looking forward to his week-long trip to visit his dad and family in Denver after Christmas.

We've been having our ups and downs with Joshua. Everything has been so crazy around here with holidays, birthdays, and workloads (Not to mention my favorite thing, dealing with the insurance and billing for all his medical expenses) that we probably haven't been doing our best to focus on what's best for him. All I can say is that we've realized this, and are definitely making a better effort to work with him. Luckily, his therapists have been really good about working with him and keeping us informed of his progress. Despite all the struggles we continue to have with him and all the related issues of insurance, testing, and so on, he is so sweet and snuggly, that I wouldn't trade it for anything.

And then there's Noah, our typical 2-year old boy. Parents of boys know exactly what I mean, and for those not so well informed, I have visual support:

Who wouldn't want to eat snow?

Noah's daily mantra consists of any combination of the following: "No!" "I don't like that!" "Go away!" And, of course, our little monkey is now sick with the barfing thing. Unfortunately, apart from the puking, he continues to jump and climb on the couch and spin around "dancing" which, of course, only makes him throw up again. Yummy!!!

BG has had a cold for a while now, too, and it continues to linger on as the weeks go by...but the Boy Scout troop fundraising and work are keeping him busy.

I'm hoping that my lucky mom antibodies are working overtime this season, as I haven't yet succumbed to any illness...YET. I've taken on some additional work in, of all things, writing blogs and articles for websites. I'm enjoying the research and writing, and it has, surprisingly, made me like my work so much more. I really never imagined that I would be working in marketing, much less liking it. I guess even old ladies like me can be surprised once in while!

And, if you can believe it, while BG and Ben were camping in the snow in Eastern Ohio, Joshua, Noah, and I actually got out to enjoy two days of our first big snowfall here. They love being outside, even with all the extra snow gear.

The most fun things for the little boys seemed to be eating snow and cleaning snow off my car.

So, now that the family update is through for now, we'll hopefully all survive the Christmas season long enough to share some fun photos of the sure to be memorable experience.

What I AM Doing This Weekend.

2008-11-16T13:27:00.002-05:00

I've been sitting in front of my computer, researching, writing, rewriting, re-researching, re-rewriting, and so on. There were some other things that I will eventually take time to write about here, but for now, I'm just giving my brain a few minutes off before I get back to writing, rewriting, and re-rewriting.

What I'm Not Doing This Weekend

2008-11-08T19:07:00.005-05:00

I'm not in Florida at a wedding with my husband and his parents. I'm not in Chicago, like my parents were last week, or in St. Louis, where they are this week. I'm not on my way to Hawaii, like my friends Louie and Carri. I'm not on my way out to see DSO, like my friend January. I'm not getting ready for an all-night gaming session with my friends like Ben. I'm here on the computer, taking a mom time-out while the little boys watch Jungle Book (on the good old VCR), and snack on apple juice and Cheerios (at least they'll eat that).

I feel like I spent my entire Friday in the car, between swim lessons, grocery shopping, teacher conferences, and carpooling, but not without humor. In my (somewhat futile) efforts to go a little greener, at the grocery store this time I chose glass bottles of apple juice over plastic. Then, when I was emptying my super-streamlined car-cart at the check-out, I dropped the glass bottle on the floor and it broke: giant shards of glass and very sticky apple juice everywhere in the check-out aisle. No one else seemed too concerned about it or in too big of a hurry to do anything about it, but many apologies later, I succeeded in getting the remaining groceries, myself, and the little boys to the car, mostly unscathed.

The conference went well, however. Joshua's teacher is so nice, and it was very helpful to get her take on how things are going at school for him. I was grateful for her insight, and really just for the chance to talk one-on-one with her. He seems to be much more consistent between school and home now, which makes it easier for everyone involved to work together and throw ideas back and forth as to what's working or not working with him. The nicest thing, however, was that one of the other preschool teachers actually offered to watch Joshua & Noah (who were with me, as everyone else is out of town!) in her classroom while Joshua's teacher and I talked. As crazy as everything has been lately (or always is, for that matter), her helping me out like that really made my day. So, thank you Miss Anna! I will be sad when Joshua moves on to a new school for kindergarden, but am hoping to get Noah in there for preschool this next year. My little Noah going to school? I'd better think about something else right now...

I am so excited for my friend Liz-she and her fiance, John, just got married. She and I have known each other since Ben and her son, Keefe, were little 2- year-olds, back in Eugene, Oregon. She is such a beautiful lady, and she deserves all the best. Congratulations, Liz & John!!!

And now, back to our regular mom programming for the remainder of the evening.

Day Out with Thomas

2008-11-02T14:21:00.015-05:00

Not because we didn't have a good time, but because time often gets away from me before I realize how long it's been...

Quite a few weeks ago (in September!), BG and I got to take the little boys to Day Out with Thomas at the LM&M Railroad in Lebanon, thanks to my mother's generosity. We did invite Ben to go, but he politely excused himself because of a lot of homework he had to get done. I was thinking it would be a tough day for Joshua with all the excitement, but he absolutely loved it, especially all the people and the Thomas characters he recognized. He's really turned a corner in terms of how much group interaction he can handle. There are still so many things, either environmental, verbal, or otherwise, that set him off, but he really seems to be in love with people now, which makes crowds fun for him (and me, as long as I can keep hold of him). Anyway, on with the pictures and videos:

The biggest hit of the event was the Lego Thomas the Tank Engine display, with a kid-sized Thomas to climb and sit on, and a smaller setup of Thomas and his friends Lego toys.

Then, of course, there was the train ride.

Ahhh, the best part of having a fun day out.

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-01T11:51:00.018-04:00

Here's what happened when I took the basket of Halloween candy we were planning to pass out away from Noah:

Then it was time to get costumes on.

Ben paused long enough for a photo before he headed out.

Are you wondering what he and his friend dressed up as?

So am I.

With a few adjustments, the little boys were about ready to go.

Can't forget the front porch picture with the jack-o-lanterns.

Walk or ride?

Trick-or-Treat!

Noah's making sure he got his fair share of candy.

We're ready for more candy!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

How I Know It's Fall

2008-10-22T11:44:00.003-04:00

Fall is finally here. Ben and Joshua have been back in school for a few weeks now and the days are getting shorter. The air conditioning is officially off and the leaves are changing colors. These are all signs that fall is here. But what's the biggest indicator for me? The fact that, in the past week, the amount of laundry I had to do tripled (yes, that's 3x)! Colder weather means more clothes, heavier clothes, pants and shirts with long sleeves, socks...and a lot more laundry for me.

Where's Ben?

2008-10-21T18:07:00.002-04:00

I realize that I rarely post about Ben, but I'm sure he pretty much likes it that way. It's probably just because he's so involved in a lot of activities outside of home, he's not as into the little kid stuff like Joshua and Noah (go figure?), and he's got lots of homework, being in high school and all. At this moment, he's actually right behind me, doing his homework on his laptop, listening to his iPod. I swear!

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-21T16:53:00.014-04:00

Sunday, BG and I took the little boys to the Fall Festival at Shaw Farm. The drive was a little longer than I would have liked, but in the end it was worth it. Hey, the little boys didn't scream or attack each other once, so it must not have been too long. Music, pumpkins, hayrides, and stuff to climb around on (we were able to avoid the petting zoo, for once) all made for a lot of kid fun.I can't say that it was Joshua's best day, as he was easily agitated with changes in his plans and even ended up (accidentally) punching me in the eye. However, he really seemed to enjoy running around and dancing to the music. During a set break, he got to test out a microphone with "Twinkle, Twinkle" and that made him pretty happy.

Noah is in love with pumpkins, so he was in heaven. He would have brought all the pumpkins home with us if we would have let him. We had thought he would make a great Yoda for Halloween, as he likes to walk around with blankets like Jedi capes. However, he will be a pumpkin once again this year, as he's been wanting to wear Ben's old pumpkin costume every day for the past few weeks.

Soccer & The Green Pepper

2008-10-16T15:55:00.009-04:00

I first signed Joshua up for soccer through the YMCA just trying to find a way for him to work on socializing with kids his age while getting exercise to build up his low muscle tone. After the first practice, it was clear that this would take more of an effort on my and BG's part than I had hoped, but probably expected, as pretty much everything I try to involve Joshua in (besides school) requires my full participation just to keep him close (he tends to just keep running: think Forrest Gump), cheerleader, and translator (both to other people, and to explain to him what's going on).

As the season wore on, I reevaluated things to having two goals for Joshua's first soccer team experience: for him to actually stay on the field while playing, and kick the ball at least once. To my surprise, by the last two games, I found it took a little less encouragement to keep him on the field. And, although it was more an accident of being in the right place at the right time and the ball ending up right at his feet, Joshua really did kick the soccer ball during a game

Not that he could tell me if he really enjoyed the experience or not, but I kind of think he did. Every Tuesday, he talked about going to soccer practice. Every Saturday, he accepted, without having a fit, that we would be going to a soccer game. I also owe a lot of credit to Signing Time, especially the My Favorite Sport episode, to getting him excited about playing soccer and being able to communicate about it to him in a familiar way. Although he wasn't sure about it at first, he also seems to like his trophy, if for no other reason than it belongs to him alone and not Noah.

One more example of this I can't forget to mention has to do with the sacred green pepper. Joshua had gotten to pick a green pepper out of Grandpa Bill & Sugar's garden when he was over there with BG the other day. They stopped by the other night to drop it off, as they had forgotten to bring it home with them, and Joshua couldn't get enough of holding it above Noah's head and chanting, "My green pepper." Of course, being 2 years old, Noah can't stand not to have something that someone else has, and so he really freaked out that he didn't have a green pepper, too. Luckily, I was able to calm him down with a lemon. No, I am not joking, my kids were actually fighting over a green pepper (although they are not such big fans of eating them)!

John McCain or Barack Obama?

2008-10-15T17:16:00.007-04:00

This video is actually from a few weeks ago, but hey,
it's still pretty relevant.

The Waiting Game

2008-09-22T15:12:00.015-04:00

Ahhh... It would appear that there is no direct way to getting coverage and treatments for Joshua and I often feel we are stuck in the never ending waiting game within the medical realm. At his last appointment, in July, 2008, with the developmental pediatrician, she recommended the EEG and a psychological evaluation. The EEG test results showed no signs of seizures-reassuring news, despite the sleep deprivation experience. Unfortunately, the original November 21st psych appointment was first changed to a week earlier, and then the appointment was canceled and I had to reschedule for the next first available appointment, at the end of March, 2009. I know I should be used to it, especially with our previous experience with the Cincinnati Children's Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP) appointments: 7 months for the 1st appointment, 8 months later for his 1st ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), and so on. We're also waiting to hear if the neurologist wants to another MRI soon to monitor the cavernomas found with the first MRI, or thinks it's okay to hold off.

Despite the frustrations of waiting...thinking we're getting somewhere...having to wait again...I have to admit that the whole experience has not all been bad. It was so overwhelming when I first realized that maybe something was not so okay with Joshua. And yet, through all the questions, evaluations, tests, phone calls, appointments, and countless hours online researching autism and everything related to it, the more time that goes by, I find myself a little less consumed by it all. It really sucks to want to help your kid and not have the knowledge or resources to do so. I still get annoyed with not being able to find any direct and financially available path to help through all the challenges he faces (and will face). But as time goes on, he is doing comparatively better, and I realize that none of these test or evaluation results will change how much I love him. If nothing else, it's a good exercise for me in patience and project management.

Back to High School

2008-09-06T21:04:00.002-04:00

Open house for Ben's school was Wednesday night, and, as the family scheduling goes, I was actually able to attend. Luckily, I left 15 minutes ahead of time and got one of the last available parking spaces. The middle and jr. high schools (and, if I remember that far back, the elementary school) were within walking distance, so I had forgotten the multitide of cars that show up at these things. Whoa! Although we've been to the high school for many academic and athletic events with Ben, I had never experienced such a large number of people all moving around the school and between classes. Attending my small, sheltered, all-girls Catholic high school was nothing like this. It's crazy to think that my baby is now a student at this huge school, every day. I visited his classes and met his teachers. Now every once in a while, I think that I would love a high school do-over. However, after seeing what Ben is learning and all that is expected of him this year, I admit I am cured. Seems silly that it took going to his open house to relieve myself of a "what-if?" But, I guess we all have our moments of enlightenment. Way to go Ben, for adapting so well to the high school shift, and for continuing to amaze me with how well you handle and excel and so many things!

End of Summer Whirlwind

2008-08-25T15:40:00.013-04:00

This time of year is always a whirlwind with the start up again of school, scouts, sports, Y classes, therapy, and all the paperwork, shopping, and meetings/appointments/practices that go along with these activities. Joshua goes back to preschool next week. Part of me will miss having him around all day, but I know I'll appreciate the ability to actually get work done. Ben is officially in high school, now, and has adjusted fairly well to the new 6:30 am bus. I wish I could say that I'm still sleeping at that time, but if anything is to get done around here, I have to start my day by 5:30. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen, and things go downhill from there.

Last week, Joshua was scheduled for a sleep-deprivation EEG (to test if he may be prone to seizures, as this can be common in children with autism). This required me to wake Joshua at 2 am, and keep him awake until his test, at 7 am. Surprisingly, he did quite well, given that we watched multiple episodes of Signing Time and Jon & Kate plus 8 (his two favorite shows, next to Reds Baseball). We sat on the front porch for the last hour (to keep me awake) and looked at the moon and the stars. It was exhausting, but I think we both had fun hanging out just the two of us, watching tv, snuggling, and talking. The cutest thing was that when we finally got out of the hospital at about 8 am, he looked up at the sky and said, "The sun came up." Although his language skills are slowly improving, the attention is not always there, so it's pretty awesome for me to see and hear him say something so normal. Then, it was home to sleep, though I certainly could've used more than I got! We'll get results sometime this week.

Also last week, my nephew, Dean, was staying in town with my mom, so we got the little boys together a few times. I am amazed to say that all three of them had an awesome time both at the Newport Aquarium, the Cincinnati History Museum at the Cincinnati Museum Center, and playing at the playground at Blue Ash Nature Park. Despite the various ages and different personalities, all three boys got along great too! I hate that my sister lives in Columbus, even though it's only 2 hours away, our lives are so busy it's hard to carve out the time...Makes me think (once again) that I need to adjust my priorities, but it's not so easy when there's just so much to take care of and make happen.

Joshua is "playing soccer" through the Y and Ben is running cross country right now. I hope to make it to at least a few CC meets this fall, although I wasn't able to go to the first one. Joshua's had 2 soccer games, and his enthusiasm this past Saturday had improved over the first week. He and I have also been singing and signing the Signing Time "My Favorite Sport" soccer song, which seems to help. If Rachel, Alex, and Leah from Signing Time (or any of the kids from Jon & Kate Plus 8) say it, do it, or talk about it, then it helps to get him excited about it. I guess it's our version of the "Video Modeling" that Jenny McCarthy uses with her autistic son. Our goal for the season is to have him kick the ball during a game-we'll see.

Did I mention the birthday party Noah and I went to, our (hopefully not) last Red's game of the season, the wedding shower, the family get-together, and the high-schooler carpooling? There's a part of me that thrives on all the activity, and the scheduling and organization (and cleaning!) required to keep things moving smoothly around here. Then there's the other part that wants things more simple. Is compromise possible? I'll have to think about it later, as I really should get some more work done, start dinner, play with the little boys...

Ben's Home!

2008-08-13T14:32:00.005-04:00

Ben is finally home from his summer travels. Scout camp, canoeing in Boundary Waters, and visiting family in upstate New York, not to mention cross-country conditioning in between, have made for a busy summer. I was so looking forward to seeing him last night that I left for the airport without making sure I had my wallet or cell phone.

Ben traveled to and from New York as an unaccompanied minor, which means I had to get a special pass at the ticket desk to go through security to drop him off and pick him up. When I first walked up to the desk and realized I didn't have my wallet, I figured I had just dropped it in the car. After walking back and completely going through my car with no luck, I started freaking out. It had already taken me almost an hour to get to the airport because of rush hour, and not only was I lacking the ID necessary to pick up Ben, but I had no money to get out of the parking garage (and BG was busy at soccer practic with Joshua)!

Through many tears and much sobbing (I have to admit), the desk agents were able to issue me a security pass using my ohio state auto registration and auto insurance card from my car (which I went back to my car again for). Because of the lack of photo ID or credit card, I had to go through every possible security screening. The security personnel were extremely thorough, but with no protest from me, and I admit feeling pretty secure about airline travel after the experience. Although it took us a little while to find each other (I had no cell phone, and had misread the gate), it was such a relief to finally see Ben. And, luckily, he had money to pay for parking.

And the drama never stops...

Happy 2nd Birthday, Noah!

2008-08-12T13:48:00.001-04:00

Baby Noah is no longer a baby. He is now an official 2-year-old, although he seems to think he's 5 or so. Typical boy that he is, cars were the main event at the family birthday party (like my house isn't full of cars already). Poor Joshua was confused that the toys weren't for him, as we usually get something for both of them (to avoid the fighting). Noah, in 2-year-old fashion, would grab any new toy that Josh would pick up, with a loud "Mine!" For as much weight as I put into being prepared, I certainly dropped the ball on this one. Luckily, attention from grandparents is a great tantrum diversion.

Now one of Noah's favorite activities is to ride his Little Tikes push car off the couch and over pillows and cushions, like he's mountain biking. I wish I had video of it, but as soon as he sees me with the camera, he just stops and laughs. He certainly wasn't distracted by the camera with his cool new birthday bike, however.

Don't worry, we've already bought and fitted his helmet. I know it'll come in handy, as I can just see his next trick to be riding the bike down the stairs.

Accident!

2008-08-08T14:26:00.001-04:00

The weather was finally nice enough for us to be outside Thursday evening, with plenty of bug spray, of course. Our neighbor, who's about my dad's age, and his grandson were working on and riding the 4-wheeler. It's a pretty loud machine, so I didn't realize that anything had happened until we heard his son yelling frantically and saw other family members running around.

Now, none of this makes any sense, because our neighbor has probably been riding motor vehicles since before I was born, and he's pretty feisty and quick, but he had crashed through the fence and into the back of our garage. He had been thrown from the bike and had a bad head injury, so was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, and then airlifted to University Hospital. We haven't gotten any updates on his condition yet, but I pray he'll be okay.

Seeing this was a reality check for me. I know bad things happen to people all the time, it's just usually other people. I'm sure to be a little more cautious now, until I roll back into the comfort of my immunity mindset.

Road Trip with Kids

2008-08-06T11:16:00.001-04:00

In my younger days, I always looked forward to a road trip, no matter what the destination. From when I was little, to having my own car and trusty atlas, I was ready for the open road. Fast forward to a husband and 3 kids later, traveling with my own children by car (or any other means of extended confinement) is a whole new experience. No words can describe our recent 11+ hour excursion (both ways) to visit my grandparents in Arkansas this past weekend...

Not exactly a "Hell in a Bucket" journey of past days...

We all (kids included) had a wonderful time with my grandparents, so it was well worth the ride. They haven't stopped talking about all Grandpa Jim's cars and tractor, dog Steffi, and cat Prissy, and keep asking to go back. I guess they don't remember the meltdowns like I do.

To note, on the return journey I actually crammed myself in the backseat between the two little guys just to keep the peace. My body was aching, but I had a better hold on my sanity.