randoms

I find it very odd that my kid keeps watching what I call the "cancer episode" on Arthur. Seriously. Over and over. It goes into detail about what cancer is, how it's not contagious, the teacher loses her hair... a lot of it. I often wonder how much he actually understands. Maybe he'll end up being a boy genius and find the cure for cancer.

***

The boy is obsessed with Thomas again. Like everything is "Tos! Tos!" I was going to throw him a "Mud/dirt party" for his birthday, but now I'm rethinking it. He had a Thomas party last year, so it seems redundant. But when your "non-verbal" child walks around singing, "da da da fweeeends" (Thomas theme song), it kind of makes me feel bad if I don't throw him another Thomas party.

***

You know how you see people on Pinterest, and they pin like everything? And you think to yourself, "You are NEVER going to use that picture of grumpy cat again..." Except? I do. When I'm having a rough day, I go through my "When You Need a Laugh" board. Never fails to brighten my day. I also use my boards to plan meals, get inspired before a photoshoot, find a new hairstyle... So yeah, it's useful. For me at least.

***

My 16 yr old sister is addicted to watching Full House right now. Pretty sure uncle Jesse has something to do with it. :) I don't think she was even alive when that show was on. I feel old now.

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Just a heads up that my blog may be a little extra quiet next week. My man is turning the big 3-0. One of his best friends (and okay, I'll claim him as one of mine as well) is coming into town to stay with us for the week, and we'll be doing lots of fun birthday type stuff. Plus it's 4th of July week. And if you followed us last year? Our family loves us some fireworks. I may be kind of quiet here, but I'll be on instagram, I'm sure. I'll do my best not to completely blow up your feed. I make no promises though.

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Have a fantastic weekend! Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Operation Hot Mama

Brad and I are on a serious health kick right now. Actually, he's kicking my tail at it. When we were younger, he used to be a huge fitness buff. A total gym rat. He had almost zero body fat, and his biceps were like the size of Noah's head. Then he started having serious health issues... strokes, heart surgery, etc. After his surgery, he wasn't even allowed to pick up a gallon of milk. Mentally, it messed him up, to the point where he was afraid to work out (I can't blame him).

This last stay at the hospital snapped him back into reality. He went on the opposite end, where he's refusing all sugar, giving up energy drinks, downing protein powder, and working out every night. If he wants something sweet, he has a tablespoon of honey. It's kind of embarrassing when your husband has better willpower than you do.

So he's back to training me. I've come to realize that while cardio is good for my heart, it really doesn't do a darn thing when it comes to shedding pounds (for me). I have to do strength training. I even looked it up for my specific body type. It may do a tiny bit, but when I was doing heavy cardio with P90x after I had Noah? The scale didn't budge. For the last week or so, we've been working out together almost every night. And I can already see a difference. It's subtle, but it's there. Last week, I was helping a friend of mine on a bridal session, and we had to move a couch for one of the shots. I ended up shocking myself. I picked it up and carried it around like it was no big thing. I told y'all... I've got the strength, just no tone. So yeah. Hoping to get there soon. I've gotten my diet in check, and we're working on getting back to being that hot couple we were once upon a time.

 

 

On a related note... I've been going through this phase lately where I get waves of feeling sick. Like headaches, nausea, etc. Except that I'm not actually sick. As far as I know, I'm not pregnant, and even if I were, I'd only be a few days. So none of that stuff should've even kicked in yet.

 

Honestly, I think it's diet related. I've heard that people who cut out the processed crap and eat better tend to go through this phase where they feel sick. It's called the "paleo flu" for those who do paleo. I'm guessing that's it. Or it could be all in my head. Either way, I'm not going to consult Dr. Google. He's scary as H-E-doublehockeystick.



when hard work starts to pay off

Noah's special ed teacher texted me last week, asking if I'd be willing to answer some interview questions about special needs parenting for a college course she's taking over the summer. Most of them dealt with how we found out about Noah's issues, the challenges/accomplishments we've faced, etc. As I was filling them out, I was picturing Noah over a year ago. He's always been a sweet, happy little kid. For a kid with ASD, he's always been surprisingly social. He loves attention. But the toddler we had over a year ago was almost a different kid compared to the one we have now. It's amazing to think about how far he's come in such a short amount of time.

A huge chunk of this success is due to his fabulous OT, "Ms Kim". One of the questions asked me what I think professionals can do for families like ours and kids like Noah. My response? Believe in them. Connect with them. Don't sell them short. These are incredibly intelligent kids, all with different gifts and talents that often end up being so useful that they go on to better the world we live in (ie. Einstein, Temple Grandin, etc). I can always tell which therapists truly love my kid and which ones see him as a number. It's not that difficult... the ones who love him? They get the most progress out of him.

And that's Ms Kim for us. She's a mom, a grandmother, and an occupational therapist. She's also expensive. haha. But worth every. single. stinking. penny. She connects with him and often comments on how cute he is and hugs him because she wants to, not just for the deep pressure squeezes. :)

Seriously, the woman is amazing.

 

 

Part of me feels a little sad for her that she can't see just how much her work is paying off when we're out and about.

 

When we would go to events like birthday parties, Noah would do okay, but he never really participated well. He didn't play with the other kids. He would fuss when he couldn't have the cake before they blew out the candles. He had a great time, but it was usually because he found a spot where he could run back and forth alone.

 

Fast forward to this past weekend.

 

My friend's little boy turned 3, and Noah was invited to his birthday party (fyi, for a special needs parent, just your kid getting an invite means the world). They did a back yard mini-waterpark, complete with a car wash they made (very cool).

 

We usually let Noah take the lead when it comes to these types of scenarios. When we pulled up to the house and got him out of the car, he be-bopped his little self right across their yard, up to the front door, and waited for someone to open it. All by himself, with Brad and I standing there at the car watching him. Cracked us up.

Once open, he walked on in like he owned the place, found himself a Thomas engine and began playing.

 

We gave him some time to get used to where he was, and by the time the other kids started playing in the water, Noah was ready to play too. Like I said... before? He would've just found a spot and ran back and forth, avoiding most of the social interaction. Saturday? He was right in the middle of the fun.

 

I know I talk a lot about how "big" Noah is... how he's so tall and weighs so much more than an average 3 yr old. But it's hard to tell in pictures without some way to compare. The little boy to the left of him was the one who turned 3. Noah will be 4 in August, so he's almost a year older. When we were at the school, I noticed he was the same size as several of the kindergarteners there. haha

(Also, this next one cracks me up. Like three little old men checking out the car wash...)

 

So yeah. It's so cool to see how far he's come and gives me hope for where we'll be a year from now.

 

Happy Monday!!

Father's Day

Sorry for the silence. I've had so much crap to get done lately (still do), so my little sister came to stay with us for a couple of days. Noah really isn't that tough of a kid to take care of. The issue is that I have to have my eyes on him almost constantly, especially if we're outside. So to have her extra set of eyes to watch him while I can do something as simple as pull weeds without worrying that he'll run out into the road? Helps SO much. And she'll be back just about every week until she goes back to school. Thank you, summer break.

***

We kept Father's Day pretty simple. Brad had to work (of course), but we worked around it. Saturday evening, we headed to the park to hang out as a family.





One of the local resorts was hosting a Father's Day golf special (BOGO), so I surprised Brad with a tee time. He and my stepdad got to spend the day playing on one of the nicest golf courses around. That evening, we headed to my dad's for dinner.

My dad was so excited to show us his latest project for Noah he built... his own sandbox, complete with a little stone path and fancy sand (picture white sand you find in Cancun). Noah loved it! And yes, he's back to taking his blankets everywhere he goes. It's adorable. You should see the smiles people give him when we're walking into Target, and he's holding his blankies tight. :)

It was a big hit. And I love that my dad puts so much effort into making Noah happy. It's so sweet.

My Granddaddy had some pretty serious heart surgery recently, and I've yet to be able to visit him (he's been in ICU... and y'all saw how Noah handled visiting Brad in the hospital. No way I'm bringing him...). Hopefully that'll be fixed today while Brad's home. The good news is that the surgeon was impressed with how strong his heart and lungs are, so he's expected to make a full recovery. But if y'all don't mind keeping him in your prayers, that'd be awesome. Thanks!

summer fun

We have to be pretty strategic when it comes to summer fun with Noah. There are a lot of variables to consider when taking him out. While he's doing amaaaazingly well with his sensory issues, sometimes too much is just too much. I've taken him out before to places I thought he'd love, only for him to ask to leave. So when it comes to splash pads, playgrounds, the beach... we usually try to go when it's not going to be as crowded (or as hot). Brad has Wednesdays off from work, so I decided it'd be a good time to take Noah to our favorite fountain to play in. It's fenced in, so no worrying about him darting off (which kids with autism are prone to do). I was hoping most of the crowds would be at Wednesday night church or VBS. Turns out, we did good. There were only a few other kids, most younger than Noah (so no worrying about him getting trampled). He had a blast.

While we were sitting there, Brad called my dad and stepmom to see if they wanted to meet us up there, since they live about 5 minutes away. They watched Noah play a little, then my dad mentioned "ice cream". If you've followed us for any length of time, you know my kid is crazy about ice cream (it's in his genes, he can't help it). He immediately grabbed my dad's hand and walked out with him. They replaced the local Coldstone Creamery with a Ben & Jerry's (best. move. ever.) and Little Man was a fan. My dad ordered him a large (of course, because that's what grandparents do). Noah didn't finish it obviously, but he certainly was a happy camper.

(this one cracks me up every time)

 



I'm really not a fan of the heat or the crowds or getting sticky & sweaty... but summer is so good in so many other ways that it makes up for it.

Here's to the start of making lots of memories in the next couple months!

sharing time... a recipe and some apps

Last night, Noah asked for a banana, but he proceeded to only eat a bite of it. I decided, rather than eating yet another leftover banana, I'd use it in a smoothie. I remembered seeing a paleo chocolate banana smoothie recipe on pinterest, so I googled it. I saw several different versions, so I decided to pick them apart and come up with my own. It was soooooo good! I froze them into popsicles, and Noah definitely approves.

Paleo Chocolate-Banana Smoothie:
- 1 large ripe banana
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 avocado (for added creaminess and fiber)
- about 1 cup coconut milk
- handful of ice cubes (less if you thought ahead and have frozen bananas)

Cover the ingredients with vanilla almond milk and blend. Pour leftovers into popsicle molds if you like. :)

***

Noah has several apps that are really awesome, both for kids on the spectrum and typical kids. He's learned his letters (maybe not in alphabetical order, but beggars can't be choosers...), numbers, words, etc through this apps. So in case you're looking for some new ones to add to your phone/ipad, here are some of our favorites...

Favorite apps:

 



1. Injini - by far, one of the best apps we've found. Noah loves it. It specializes in teaching fine motor skills, cause and effect understanding, spatial awareness, memory, differentiation, response inhibition, visual processing, etc (all great for kids with ASD). It also deals with pre-math skills, letters (including combining letters to make sounds such as "ch"), and responsibility (feeding the farm animals and flowers, for example, so they grow).

They have a light version that you can download for free, but after over a month of him playing it, we went ahead and got him the full version which is like $30, I think. Obviously, it's not cheap, but it was totally worth the investment. His therapists have seen it and are shocked when they watch how far he's come just through using this one app. Available for iPad only.

 

2. Spelling Puzzles by TouchAutism.com - This one is pretty obvious and doesn't need much elaboration, but it really is awesome. They have a free version, then each new set of puzzles is $1.99, so not bad at all. They introduce new ones every so often, the latest one being "Feelings and Emotions" (which again, GREAT for kids on the spectrum). This app is the one mainly responsible for teaching Noah his letters. Before? They didn't make any sense to him. Numbers make sense to him, because you're actually counting something. Letters were abstract to him... until this app. They now serve a purpose... making words! If he can't decide which letter to pick, I'll tell him and he immediately goes for that letter.

While it was designed for kids with ASD, it's obviously really useful for any early learners working on their letters and spelling. It's also great for fine motor skills. They also offer a free app per month to educators. Only available on the iPad.



3. Match It Up by myfirstapp.com - This one is a simple matching game that Noah mastered pretty quickly. There's a free version or you can download the full version for $2.99 (again, not bad). They have a LOT more apps to choose from that I need to look through. But Noah really struggles with complex matching games, so this one was perfect for him. They also have a "Teacher's Pack" with 15 of them, designed for teachers and therapists (including a progress chart). Available for both iPad and iPhones.

 



4. Bright Start - I love this app. When Noah first starting using it several months ago (before Christmas), he would get frustrated trying to trace the letters. Now? He zips through them, no problem at all. It really has helped his fine motor skills, and it helps him learn his letters and numbers (in proper order, haha). There is a free version or you can download the full version for $1.99. Available on both iPad and iPhones.

 

5. Lazoo - Okay, this one is just fun. :) But it does promote creativity, imagination, and fine motor skills. There are a few different apps to choose from, but they're all adorable and a lot of fun. Available for iPad only for $1.99.

Confession: I heart the Duggars

I don't have an iphone. So all of my instagrammed pictures are usually crappy quality. But I still use it, because it's so much faster than carrying around my big fancy camera.

Anyway.

In case you didn't hear (because the majority of people didn't, it turns out), the Duggars visited our area over the weekend. I know, I know. There are a lot of people who aren't fans of this family. They think they're "weird", "irresponsible", blahblahblah. But I love them. The inner sociologist in me is fascinated by other people, lifestyles, and cultures in general. But add in the fact that this family is so incredibly sweet, and you've got me as a fan. Their kids are educated, creative, well-behaved, love Jesus, and productive members of society. Obviously, something they're doing is working, wouldn't you agree? Plus it's nice to have a show I can watch where I never have to worry if Noah may hear or see something he shouldn't. So yeah. I'm a fan.

So my mom, little sister, and I met up at the Billy Graham Library to meet the family at their book signing. The line wasn't too bad, but we got there an hour early, just in case. Other than the ridiculous heat, the wait was kind of fun. My mom brings a party with her wherever she goes, so we ended up meeting everyone in line around us. Thankfully, Brad always leaves sunscreen in the car (for when he plays golf), so we were prepared.

Almost all of the Duggars were there, however by the time we got to the family, the littlest ones had gone back to their bus for a nap. Jana and Jill also weren't there, so I'm assuming they were either with the little ones or they'd gone to help Anna with their new baby (in case you don't watch, Jana and Jill are studying midwifery, and Josh and Anna just had their baby last week). 

It really was cool to see them all right there in front of us. I asked Jackson (one of the littlest boys... and one of my personal favorites) if he was bored yet. He replied very matter-of-factly, "No..." then proceeded to fall over and pretend sleep. :)

 

The best part was meeting Michelle and Jim Bob. They were so so sweet. And if you watch the show, you'll know he's been trying to get healthy again. Without sounding creepy, he really did look great! You can tell he's lost a lot of weight, and he's taller in real life than I thought. Michelle in person is exactly how she is on tv. I think they purposely put her on the end of the table, because she wanted to talk to every person that came through (see above photo). While we were there, my mom ran into an older deaf couple (she's a sign language interpreter) she knew. They had gotten there too late to get their book signed, so they were just watching on the sidelines. My mom smuggled their book in with her to get it signed for them (they'd already purchased it), and she explained to Michelle who it was for. Michelle immediately asked where they were. She motioned for them to come over, and they got to meet her and Jim Bob. You should've seen how happy that made them. They were the cutest little couple ever, and I know it made their day.

Although by the time we left, I was seriously dehydrated, malnourished, and in serious need of a shower (really, we were in 90+ heat outside for almost 2 hours)... it was so worth it. If nothing else, it was a fun bonding time for us girls.



judgemental honesty

My bud Jess did a post yesterday, admitting to things she judges others for... including posting nakey toddler heineys on instagram, of which I've been guilty of recently (at least I don't post on FB... who knows what kind of creeps would see them then, haha). And she has a point. Even though in an ideal world, judgmental thoughts wouldn't exist... we're human and can't help it sometimes. Anyway, it actually looked kind of fun. So here are mine:

1. Toddler pageantry. I think it's creepy and weird. No 3 year old should be made to look (and act) like she's 18. I'm sure there are decent pageants out there that aren't all Toddlers and Tiaras'-ish, but I just feel like there are so many other extracurricular activities that would be much better than teaching your daughter that her main value is in her looks and how well she can walk in heels. Don't girls have enough to deal with as it is? Why add to the list of reasons she'll need therapy later in life?

2. Moms who feed their babies soda. Do I really need to elaborate?

3. Certain types of girls who change their FB profile pic 23502349508 times a day, all slightly seductive selfies and all looking exactly the same. Dude. Vain much? You probably think this post is about you, don't you, don't you? (<-- 3 brownie points for anyone who gets that).

4. Know-it-all's. I judge them for having the incessant need to correct everyone and make sure they look smart/superior. Actually, this one leaves me torn. Part of me feels sorry for them for having such obvious insecurity issues, but it also makes me wish that they sleep in a bed of Legos.

5. Parents who take their kids to the park or some other family based activity type place and spend 99% of the time on their phone... either playing on it or talking on it... especially when their kid asks them to push them on the swing or play with them. I get that some parents just need a break and hope this will entertain them for 5 minutes. But going on and on and on to your girlfriend about your ex that's a big liar and just got out of jail? Yeah, let's save that for another time...

6. I judge the Olsen twins for starting the duck face trend. They're super cute, but man, that one was a real disservice to the online community and the general population.

Anything you care to admit to judging others for? ;)

summer beginnings



 

Now that school is almost out and the weather is already getting too warm, we've been heading to one of Noah's favorite playgrounds. It's located at one of the local schools, and it really is one of the best playgrounds ever. There's also a big field, so Brad brings his golf clubs and practices while we play. We also ran around the track some, until Noah wimped out on us. It's a huge track (especially for a little guy), and we knew he was getting worn out when he started cutting corners. haha.

 (this picture ended in a big hug for me)

 

One of the challenges for Noah is that he has low muscle tone. And while he's really active, he still has some trouble balancing and especially using those core muscles. So when he ran over to the playground and immediately went for one of the hardest ladders there? I was shocked. He's getting so much stronger and a little bit too brave. While a tiny part of me is fa-reaking out (because omg, what if his foot slips?!), most of me is so excited that he's come so far in such a short amount of time.

 

You can tell how hard he was playing by how pink his skin is in that 2nd shot. :) Poor kid. His parents are so white, he didn't stand a chance.

While I'm not a big fan of the heat, I have to admit I love summer. Everything is so pretty, grills are being fired up, outdoor concerts begin... and people are just happy. Happy and sweaty. :)

the ER trip

I wrote just a blip a couple weeks ago about Brad and his hospital stay. Like you probably missed it, the blip was so small.

So, here's a quick recap of what actually went down.

My husband already has a congenital heart defect. He had open heart surgery as a baby, and in college, he had some serious health stuff going on (including TIA's... aka, mini strokes). Since then, he's done really well. However, he's hyper aware of anything that feels different. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that his heartbeat felt "off". We decided to just monitor it and if it didn't change or got worse, then he'd go get checked out. He was already up for his yearly cardiologist appointment anyway.
A couple days later, he called me early in the morning and said he was going to the ER. He felt lightheaded, and his heartbeat was definitely doing something weird. Unfortunately, he got stuck in traffic, so he took the safe route and called for an ambulance to meet him.

Thankfully, we have the best neighbors. She and her daughter came over at the last minute to stay with Noah while I ran off to the ER downtown. I know I was a total mess... trying to remember everything they'd need to know for Noah, while wondering what was going on with my husband. I've made a mental note to write out instructions for Noah to hang on the fridge.

At the hospital, they did all their routine tests for him and decided to keep him for the night, just to be safe. Noah and I came back with his parents later on. Noah promptly kicked Brad out of his bed so he could play on it. Such a stinker. Noah could see Brad in the mirror, and spontaneously announced, "You see Daddy". Clear as day. Silver lining, people. Always a silver lining.

Brad told me yesterday that when we had all left, he sat in his bed and thought about us. What would happen to Noah and I if something really was wrong with him? And he resolved to live better. Take better care of himself. Ever since, he's changed his diet, works out every day, and has even ordered us a fancy home gym. Seriously, it's like having my high school Brad back. We keep running out of cups, because of his protein shakes. ha.

I'm so incredibly proud of him.
And I can honestly say it makes such a huge difference when you have a partner to go through this whole getting healthy thing with. It's so much easier to say no to Chick-fil-a when your husband says, "Nope, we don't need it." A month ago? He would've gone to Chick-fil-a "as a surprise" and brought me back something fried and fattening. And then I would've HAD to eat it, otherwise I'd feel like an ungrateful wife, which in turn would make me feel like I gained 10 lbs in 10 minutes. So yeah, it definitely helps when everyone in the house is eating better.

As for his heart, the doctors didn't seem to be too worried. Brad thinks it was most likely due to extra stress going on at work. He still has his regular appointment in a month, so they'll be checking him again. But since he's changed his diet and started exercising, he claims it hasn't happened again. So yay for that!

starting fresh.

Here's the thing about blogging. Most of the time, it's awesome. I've been blogging in some form since college (and no, I won't share the link, because frankly, some of those posts are a little embarrassing and overdramatic...). Before that, I kept personal diaries, starting at the age of 8, along with shoeboxes full of memories like ticket stubs, cards, letters, dried flowers, etc (they take up the majority of our shelves in our closet). So I'm a big documenter with obvious hoarding tendencies. Always have been.

The blog world is awesome, because not only am I able to document, I can also connect with people that otherwise? I would've never "met". Real friendships are formed, and I find myself saying little prayers for these people when they're having a tough time (or just because). Blogging also keeps me in touch with friends that have moved away. I get to watch their kids grow up, even though I haven't actually hung out with them in years. So yeah, blogging is awesome in many ways.

However, it also can suck. A lot.

For the last several months, I've lightened up how much (and what) I post on my other blog. Certain family members (actually, it was really more of just one) were taking issue with what I blogged about, accusing me of jeopardizing my family's safety. Obviously, I don't really post any more than the next person. There are certain things I don't include in my posts... details of Brad's job, our financial situation, where we live, etc. Things that could actually affect our safety. Posting pictures of our beach trip? Yeah, that's not considered an issue for me. But apparently, it was for some. I knew I had silent readers... plenty of them. And usually, it didn't bother me much. However, every time I posted something this particular person didn't like, Brad and I would get phone calls, texts, etc. It happened again this week, and it's gotten to the point of borderline harassment. My integrity being questioned, false accusations, FB blocks (that I wasn't aware of)... basically, it has gotten way out of hand. And I'm so over it.

All I want to do is document the highlights of life with my little family. As for the safety issue, of course that's always on my mind when I post. I think it is for every mommy-blogger. However, Brad and I refuse to live in fear. I'm not a popular blogger, so that sort of helps. But again, walking through life as if somebody is always out to get you is no way to live. I tried to explain that, through my blog, I've been able to help others. And any blogger will tell you that that makes sharing the hard parts of life totally worth it.

Anyway. I'm tired of being uncomfortable... of being afraid of blogging. Feeling like I could no longer share simple life stuff, my own personal views, and have fun with linky parties? It sucked. It stopped being fun. Unfortunately, it's different if the trolling is from some anonymous commenter. While those still sting, I can just hit "delete" and be done with it. Not so with family.

I kept debating what to do... to ignore the feeling that I'm always being "watched" (and judged...) and keep blogging, to delete it altogether, or just start fresh.

Obviously, I chose the last option. I'm keeping it public, but I won't be linking this one to FB, my old blog, etc. If they find it, they find it. But unless someone is doing some serious cyber stalking, I don't think it'll be a problem.

So I'll be writing here from now on. It may be fun to start fresh anyway. ;)