Wow! I think today was one of the busiest days ever! I finally went to sleep around 2 or so this morning. Bubba was upstairs at about 3:30 or so, and Honey left for work at 4. The kids were up around 6 but I stayed upstairs til around 8 when Sis called to make sure I was still gonna go to her house today and do more wedding stuff. Ugh!
Made it over there around 9:30, all 5 kids in tow. Baby Sis showed up around 10, and Mom was already there when I got there. So, there were 9 kids, 4 adults, and 2 crazy dogs there, in that small small space. Not great, but do-able. Sis had movies for the kids, and coffee for the adults. Yay! No wonder she is my favorite sis! (We drank 3 pots of coffee today!)
We got all the goody bags done, got the dress taken care of, now that's an interesting story! Baby Sis bought this white dress at Hot Topic, she was gonna wear it for her wedding, but it didn't fit by then cause she was 4 mos preggo. So she wore this other dress that was a friend of ours mom's wedding dress. She looked beautiful! And she had me walk her down the isle, Caitlin was the flower girl, and JR was in the wedding too. Well, the dress she was going to wear originally is the dress that Mom is going to wear for her wedding. Kinda sorta almost Goth looking if it wasn't white...there's a picture for you to wrap your head around!
It was a psycho sort of day with all 3 of us girls getting on each others nerves and messing with each other. The kids did fairly well, no major meltdowns, just some little minor things here and there. They watched the Bee Movie, and Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium (or something like that, lol!) and watched Night at the Museum.
Busy Busy Busy! We finally got home around 4, and I threw dinner in the oven. Pork Loin Roast with Red Potatoes. Yum! Gotta love those oven bags where you just throw the stuff in and walk away. Got the rest of the dumpster filled, and 3 more loads of laundry done.
Then Adrian's mom called and asked when I want him next, I said whenever, so she came and dropped him off. I'll have him until Sunday or Monday, and Austyn goes back home Sunday afternoon. Boy my life is never dull. The next 4 days at least I will have 6 kids! Ages 10, 8, 8, 7, 6, and 10 mos. Wow!
So the plan for tomorrow was to meet Sis and go look at dresses for her and I to wear for the wedding. Yeah, that's a smart idea, as we'll have 9 kids between the 2 of us. Hmmm, lets think about that, NOT! And I also have to run to Janesville, to drop off a bag of diapers that Adrian doesn't fit anymore, and a can of formula, for a lady on our freecycle list. That should be an adventure in itself.
Adrian ate 2 jars of baby food, a handful of cheerios, 2 bites of me roast, and 1/2 a baked potato! He also had a 6 oz bottle. Little chub! Got him down to sleep around 8, the other kids down at 9, and Mr. Bubba is sitting here watching me type, cause "i not titer mommy." I love how he says tired. We are watching MythBusters, a repeat that we've watched several times, but I'm hoping that it will knock him out. Hoping being the operative word.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Busy Day Today!
Wow today flew by so fast! I had a long night, and Bubba decided it was a "no sleep" kind of night. So we passed the time on the couch, watching pretty much anything but infomercials. He finally passed out around 11-ish. And of course, wouldn't you know it, by then I was too tired to sleep! So I stuck him in bed, knowing that by the time I did fall asleep, he'd be there to wake me. Yup. I must have dozed sometime after 2, because I remember changing the channel just before then to watch something else. The next thing I know, it's 5 am, and Bubba is laying on me on the couch!
So I wake up, and the kids are still sleeping. Make coffee, check email. Kids were up by 7, and Bubba got up with me at 5-ish. Busy day! We (I) folded 5 loads of laundry, sorted into piles and put away, plus 2 more loads (which are now staring me in the face, begging to be folded). We cleaned bedrooms, swept the living room and the hall and kitchen. Mopped floors(while the kids were outside and not messing them up). Cleaned up the back patio, and filled the dumpster almost to the top.
Of course, with so little sleep for Mr. Bubba, I had to stop every 15 minutes or so, to pull him off someone, or pry his fingers off someone else's things. And we had about a 1/2 hr or so today of just plain screaming. Hitting and kicking because he wanted something and/or didn't get his way. I have claw marks on my right wrist, because he wanted loose to go after one of the other kids who had a toy of his. He was so sorry when he was done though, and he cried and kissed my scratches. I know he doesn't mean it, but it gets harder as he get older to deal with his outbursts and meltdowns. And it's especially hard in public, because it's not a visible disability, so people think he's just a bad child. In reality he really not, he just can't cope.
Got outbid on Ebay for the dress we were thinking of for Moms wedding, so I'll be looking far and wide tomorrow for something similar. Sis finished cutting out the tulle circles for the treat/favor bags, so tomorrow we are going to her house. That should be an adventure! Bubba does fairly well with Sis' younger boy, but him and the older boy just don't get along. And Baby Sis and her 4 yo and 18mo old are gonna be there too, along with Mom. Something tells me it's going to be a LONG day!
He's laying on the couch sleeping as I'm writing this, he finally fell asleep about 10:30, but he woke up again when I tried to move him to his bed. I have Austyn this week, since it's spring break. He and Bubba have been getting along fairly well, which is new because Bubba is usually insanely jealous when Austyn is here. Caleb on the other hand, he doesn't care a bit if Austyn or Adrian are over, just as long as they leave his stuff alone. The funny part is, Austyn is 8 mos younger than Bubba, but emotionally, mentally and in almost every way possible is ahead of Bubba. Ironic? Maybe, but I just like to blame it on the fact that Austyn is the oldest of his moms kids and the fact that he grew up around mine.
Caleb has been having a hard time falling asleep too, but he had the same issues as Bubba when he was younger. Not sleeping, or sleeping only a few hours. Waking in the night all the time. His Dr. says that we can still do Melatonin with him, but it's hard enough getting him to take his regular meds, much less trying to get him to take anything extra.
Caleb, like Bubba, has this amazing ability to memorize movies, and songs. He loves Big and Rich(a country group), Rascall Flatts, Diamond Rio, Mark Wills, and almost any other country group. And Bon Jovi(don't ask, long story, lol).
So I wake up, and the kids are still sleeping. Make coffee, check email. Kids were up by 7, and Bubba got up with me at 5-ish. Busy day! We (I) folded 5 loads of laundry, sorted into piles and put away, plus 2 more loads (which are now staring me in the face, begging to be folded). We cleaned bedrooms, swept the living room and the hall and kitchen. Mopped floors(while the kids were outside and not messing them up). Cleaned up the back patio, and filled the dumpster almost to the top.
Of course, with so little sleep for Mr. Bubba, I had to stop every 15 minutes or so, to pull him off someone, or pry his fingers off someone else's things. And we had about a 1/2 hr or so today of just plain screaming. Hitting and kicking because he wanted something and/or didn't get his way. I have claw marks on my right wrist, because he wanted loose to go after one of the other kids who had a toy of his. He was so sorry when he was done though, and he cried and kissed my scratches. I know he doesn't mean it, but it gets harder as he get older to deal with his outbursts and meltdowns. And it's especially hard in public, because it's not a visible disability, so people think he's just a bad child. In reality he really not, he just can't cope.
Got outbid on Ebay for the dress we were thinking of for Moms wedding, so I'll be looking far and wide tomorrow for something similar. Sis finished cutting out the tulle circles for the treat/favor bags, so tomorrow we are going to her house. That should be an adventure! Bubba does fairly well with Sis' younger boy, but him and the older boy just don't get along. And Baby Sis and her 4 yo and 18mo old are gonna be there too, along with Mom. Something tells me it's going to be a LONG day!
He's laying on the couch sleeping as I'm writing this, he finally fell asleep about 10:30, but he woke up again when I tried to move him to his bed. I have Austyn this week, since it's spring break. He and Bubba have been getting along fairly well, which is new because Bubba is usually insanely jealous when Austyn is here. Caleb on the other hand, he doesn't care a bit if Austyn or Adrian are over, just as long as they leave his stuff alone. The funny part is, Austyn is 8 mos younger than Bubba, but emotionally, mentally and in almost every way possible is ahead of Bubba. Ironic? Maybe, but I just like to blame it on the fact that Austyn is the oldest of his moms kids and the fact that he grew up around mine.
Caleb has been having a hard time falling asleep too, but he had the same issues as Bubba when he was younger. Not sleeping, or sleeping only a few hours. Waking in the night all the time. His Dr. says that we can still do Melatonin with him, but it's hard enough getting him to take his regular meds, much less trying to get him to take anything extra.
Caleb, like Bubba, has this amazing ability to memorize movies, and songs. He loves Big and Rich(a country group), Rascall Flatts, Diamond Rio, Mark Wills, and almost any other country group. And Bon Jovi(don't ask, long story, lol).
Monday, March 24, 2008
So Far, So Long
Today's been a longish kind of day. Vacations always throw Bubba off, and this one's no exception. It's hard for him when I am stressed, but harder for me, knowing that being stressed is going to mess him up. Anyone with an autistic child knows what I'm talking about. They get in a routine, and get to the point where they know exactly what they are going to do from minute to minute, and it all flies out the window when they are sick or go on vacation.
So we've been on vacation since Friday, and plus on top of that, Dad has been home since Thursday on vacation from work. Which throws him off even more, because he KNOWS dad is supposed to be at work.
Dad doesn't seem to get it that Bubba doesn't function at the same level as other kids his age. His favorite phrase lately seems to be "Well, the other kids did (insert whatever here) by that age, so he should be too." Uh, hello? Did you miss all the evals and testing that we have had done? Do you not realize that when they say his IQ is around 50, that a typical child his age would be MUCH higher on the scale?? Yeah, I get frustrated too, looking at other kids his age, seeing them learn to read, feed themselves without making a mess, flushing the potty without crying and covering their ears. But you know what? I don't get time off to go out and do whatever, or go to work, because he needs me.
At the end of the day, who does he cry for when dad says bedtime? Me. I'm the one he comes too in the middle of the night when he wakes, because he knows dad will say, "the other kids slept through the night way before this age, just put him back in bed, he needs to sleep by himself sooner or later."
I wonder some days, if he will drive a car, go on a date, live on his own. Because let's face it, it looks kinda iffy right now. He is 7 years old, and not potty trained. He still doesn't sleep through the night. He can't ride a bike, walk around the block by himself, or put his own clothes on without help.
But he is a beautiful child, and he knows how to make me smile. He is gentle with Adrian, and with our dog. He likes walks, playing in the backyard. He loves Dora and Diego, Backyardigans, Scooby-Doo, and pretty much any small child/ baby type cartoons and various baby and small child toys (like his playskool vacuum cleaner that sings). He loves singing, even when he doesn't know the words. He finally has learned how to ride a big wheel bike. And most of all, he loves to cuddle, which can make my day when I'm down.
So we've been on vacation since Friday, and plus on top of that, Dad has been home since Thursday on vacation from work. Which throws him off even more, because he KNOWS dad is supposed to be at work.
Dad doesn't seem to get it that Bubba doesn't function at the same level as other kids his age. His favorite phrase lately seems to be "Well, the other kids did (insert whatever here) by that age, so he should be too." Uh, hello? Did you miss all the evals and testing that we have had done? Do you not realize that when they say his IQ is around 50, that a typical child his age would be MUCH higher on the scale?? Yeah, I get frustrated too, looking at other kids his age, seeing them learn to read, feed themselves without making a mess, flushing the potty without crying and covering their ears. But you know what? I don't get time off to go out and do whatever, or go to work, because he needs me.
At the end of the day, who does he cry for when dad says bedtime? Me. I'm the one he comes too in the middle of the night when he wakes, because he knows dad will say, "the other kids slept through the night way before this age, just put him back in bed, he needs to sleep by himself sooner or later."
I wonder some days, if he will drive a car, go on a date, live on his own. Because let's face it, it looks kinda iffy right now. He is 7 years old, and not potty trained. He still doesn't sleep through the night. He can't ride a bike, walk around the block by himself, or put his own clothes on without help.
But he is a beautiful child, and he knows how to make me smile. He is gentle with Adrian, and with our dog. He likes walks, playing in the backyard. He loves Dora and Diego, Backyardigans, Scooby-Doo, and pretty much any small child/ baby type cartoons and various baby and small child toys (like his playskool vacuum cleaner that sings). He loves singing, even when he doesn't know the words. He finally has learned how to ride a big wheel bike. And most of all, he loves to cuddle, which can make my day when I'm down.
Planning A Wedding!!!
Mom and her long-time guy friend have decided that they are finally going to tie the knot! They have been together on and off, for almost 17 years. Yes, I said YEARS!
So originally they came to me and my sis about planning the wedding. Gave us a date of June 14th. That's what, almost 3 months? Ok, it can be done, we just need to be organized. Then brilliant mom and her now future husband call me today, and say "Hey how do you feel about April 19th?" How do you think I feel??? It's less than a month away!!!!! So now we're trying to figure everything out, with less than a month to get it all together. STRESS!!!!!!!
So we already have the favors/table decorations picked out and all the fixin's for them. We've coordinated colors for the kids to wear(khaki's for the boys with white shirts, and yellow or white dresses for the girls--fyi the colors they picked are White and Yellow). I have a bid on a dress on Ebay -- my favorite place to shop! A vintage 1940's wedding dress, with beautiful cloth covered buttons.
So we went to Walmart -- my other favorite store -- for all the stuff for the favors. Organza ribbon, and tulle for bags. Candy for the bags, and hershey kisses that say congrats and thanks. We also bought her a wedding guest book, with a pretty heart charm on it. All together she spent almost $100, and I spent $50. Not bad for what all we got. We would have spent more if we had ordered everything from the catalogs. Sis is making the cake, and we are working together to make all the favor/table decoration bags.
Wow I can't believe that they are finally getting married! I can remember when they first got together, it doesn't seem like that long ago.
More on this later, I got bags to make!
So originally they came to me and my sis about planning the wedding. Gave us a date of June 14th. That's what, almost 3 months? Ok, it can be done, we just need to be organized. Then brilliant mom and her now future husband call me today, and say "Hey how do you feel about April 19th?" How do you think I feel??? It's less than a month away!!!!! So now we're trying to figure everything out, with less than a month to get it all together. STRESS!!!!!!!
So we already have the favors/table decorations picked out and all the fixin's for them. We've coordinated colors for the kids to wear(khaki's for the boys with white shirts, and yellow or white dresses for the girls--fyi the colors they picked are White and Yellow). I have a bid on a dress on Ebay -- my favorite place to shop! A vintage 1940's wedding dress, with beautiful cloth covered buttons.
So we went to Walmart -- my other favorite store -- for all the stuff for the favors. Organza ribbon, and tulle for bags. Candy for the bags, and hershey kisses that say congrats and thanks. We also bought her a wedding guest book, with a pretty heart charm on it. All together she spent almost $100, and I spent $50. Not bad for what all we got. We would have spent more if we had ordered everything from the catalogs. Sis is making the cake, and we are working together to make all the favor/table decoration bags.
Wow I can't believe that they are finally getting married! I can remember when they first got together, it doesn't seem like that long ago.
More on this later, I got bags to make!
A Bubba Kind Of Day
So heres how a normal day (school day) goes with Bubba.
6am: Wake from my dead sleep and hit the snooze, Bubba was up at 2, and is sleeping soundly beside me.
6:15 - I'm up, and getting the other kids moving. JR and Caitlin dress themselves. I dress Caleb, and send him to the living room to put his shoes on. Time to tackle the Bubba.
6:30 - I half carry, half drag Bubba down the stairs, and deposit him on the couch. Then comes the chore of dressing. First, off comes the pull-up. His teacher insists that he wear undies to school, which is fine, because for some odd reason, he accepts potty at school as part of the routine now (go figure with like 2 months of school left!). Then undies go on, then socks, and yes it has to be the same way everyday, and heaven forbid I forget and do socks first, or shirt! Next is shirt, then pants, then shoes. Give Caleb his meds, and Bubba a cereal bar. JR and Caitlin are finally dressed, so I motivate them to get breakfast.
7:15 - I send JR out to start the van so it will be warm when we go out.
7:30 - Time to leave for school(s). Drop JR, Caleb and Caitlin at their school, and then head out to Bubba's. Bubba goes to a different school because the one that the other kids go to doesn't have special ed classes.
7:45 - Finally get Bubba out of the van, after listening to him tantrum for the last 15 plus minutes and coaxing and practically begging for him to calm down, mommy's right here. We walk up to the school, and wait where he lines up.
8 am - The bell rings, and I hope to God that he will go in without me, but I know it's not gonna happen without a fight. And I'm right! So in we go, and I help him off with his coat and things, and hand him his stuff to hang up. As he goes in the coat room, I wave to the teacher and she nods and smiles as I hurry out the door. I hit the outer door, and hear "where mommy? where mommy go?"
8:10 - It usually takes about 10 minutes for me to escape, because he knows, or seems to know, what's going to happen next. But the funny part is, he always, ALWAYS, does the exact same thing, down to how slowly he walks. It's like he choreographs it exactly, down to the step. Amazing!
So I do all my running, my visiting and stuff. And before I know it, it's 2:30 and time to head to Bubba's school to pick him up first. (Gotta get there early to find a parking spot!!)
2:51 - School is out! Herd him to the van. Wrestle him into his carseat, and hurry to buckle him before he can escape.
Then we rush the 4+ blocks to pick up the other kids.
Home by 3:15, and we start homework.
Dinner around 6-ish.
7:30 - JR and the other kids get out their clothes for school, and I approve or deny what they want to wear (no you may not wear shorts in 10 degree weather!). I get out Bubba's clothes. And in between all this, try to potty him every 1/2 hr to an hour.
8:30 - Bedtime, easier said than done. Put JR, Caleb, and Caitlin to bed. Bubba hangs out with me on the couch, no TV, til he passes out, which is usually around 9:30-10:00. Then off to bed for me about 11 or so, and wake again at 2-ish when he comes upstairs.
At least he's regular!
6am: Wake from my dead sleep and hit the snooze, Bubba was up at 2, and is sleeping soundly beside me.
6:15 - I'm up, and getting the other kids moving. JR and Caitlin dress themselves. I dress Caleb, and send him to the living room to put his shoes on. Time to tackle the Bubba.
6:30 - I half carry, half drag Bubba down the stairs, and deposit him on the couch. Then comes the chore of dressing. First, off comes the pull-up. His teacher insists that he wear undies to school, which is fine, because for some odd reason, he accepts potty at school as part of the routine now (go figure with like 2 months of school left!). Then undies go on, then socks, and yes it has to be the same way everyday, and heaven forbid I forget and do socks first, or shirt! Next is shirt, then pants, then shoes. Give Caleb his meds, and Bubba a cereal bar. JR and Caitlin are finally dressed, so I motivate them to get breakfast.
7:15 - I send JR out to start the van so it will be warm when we go out.
7:30 - Time to leave for school(s). Drop JR, Caleb and Caitlin at their school, and then head out to Bubba's. Bubba goes to a different school because the one that the other kids go to doesn't have special ed classes.
7:45 - Finally get Bubba out of the van, after listening to him tantrum for the last 15 plus minutes and coaxing and practically begging for him to calm down, mommy's right here. We walk up to the school, and wait where he lines up.
8 am - The bell rings, and I hope to God that he will go in without me, but I know it's not gonna happen without a fight. And I'm right! So in we go, and I help him off with his coat and things, and hand him his stuff to hang up. As he goes in the coat room, I wave to the teacher and she nods and smiles as I hurry out the door. I hit the outer door, and hear "where mommy? where mommy go?"
8:10 - It usually takes about 10 minutes for me to escape, because he knows, or seems to know, what's going to happen next. But the funny part is, he always, ALWAYS, does the exact same thing, down to how slowly he walks. It's like he choreographs it exactly, down to the step. Amazing!
So I do all my running, my visiting and stuff. And before I know it, it's 2:30 and time to head to Bubba's school to pick him up first. (Gotta get there early to find a parking spot!!)
2:51 - School is out! Herd him to the van. Wrestle him into his carseat, and hurry to buckle him before he can escape.
Then we rush the 4+ blocks to pick up the other kids.
Home by 3:15, and we start homework.
Dinner around 6-ish.
7:30 - JR and the other kids get out their clothes for school, and I approve or deny what they want to wear (no you may not wear shorts in 10 degree weather!). I get out Bubba's clothes. And in between all this, try to potty him every 1/2 hr to an hour.
8:30 - Bedtime, easier said than done. Put JR, Caleb, and Caitlin to bed. Bubba hangs out with me on the couch, no TV, til he passes out, which is usually around 9:30-10:00. Then off to bed for me about 11 or so, and wake again at 2-ish when he comes upstairs.
At least he's regular!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
A Little About Me
I am a Stay-At-Home mom of 4 kids, plus I have a couple extras here and there on weekends and school vacations. Two of my kids are on the Autism Spectrum. JR will be 11, Caleb will be 9, Caitlin will be 9 (yes twins), and Bubba just turned 7. My extras are Austyn, who is 6, and Adrian, my godson, who is almost a year.
Honey and I have been married for 11 years. He works full time, 5 or 6 days a week.
Caleb and Bubba are my Spectrum kids. Caleb was diagnosed when he was almost 3. We had figured for a while that he had something going on. We had suspected Autism, but it was still hard when he was diagnosed. He has come a long way, from a boy who couldn't communicate at 3, to a boy who barely spoke at 4, to a boy who is almost never without something to say at almost 9. Caleb also has ADHD, which makes it so he's always on the go. He is able now to fit in well enough in school, even though he's behind other kids his age. He is mainstreamed, with some help, and gets speech services from the district.
Bubba, on the other hand, was just diagnosed in October of 2006, at the age of 5. I was in denial, that was part of the reason it took so long. Yes, we knew he had some delays, he wasn't social, had a hard time with transitions...and the list goes on. Bubba has been diagnosed with a couple of things. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mixed Speech Disorder, Velopharyngeal Insufficiency, and Mild-Moderate Mental Retardation. Some of these things, like the VI, will probably have you looking on Google to figure them out. Let me spare you that (unless you like that kind of stuff, lol, cause that's what I end up doing on other peoples blogs).
Mixed Speech Disorder, that you can find a lot about, depending on the search engine you use. As near as I can figure, since the Doc and Speech tell me about the same thing, it means he has a lot of issues that affect how and if he can say different words. VI means that the little flap at the back of his throat doesn't close like it's supposed to. So he has very nasal speech. And obviously the mental retardation speaks for itself.
Bubba is currently in a mixed class of Kinder-aged kids, some with "issues," some without. He is one of the lowest functioning kids in his class. He is 7 years old, and not potty trained. He still doesn't sleep through the night, and always comes to my room by 1 or 2 am. He has constantly chapped lips, because he is always licking them, and freaks if you try to put chapstick on him. We have an IEP meeting next month, to determine placement for next year. So far, one of the options that keeps being mentioned because of his present level of functioning is a self-contained class.
Caitlin has some issues as well, but nothing as serious as the boys. She is small for her age, and has some speech issues and motor delays. She was very delayed for quite some time, and was in physical therapy and occupational therapy. In fact, both of the twins were in Birth-to-Three, which is an Early Intervention program that helps developmentally delayed children. Caitlin was so delayed that she didn't sit unassisted(something that most babies can do by 4 or 5 mos) until she was a YEAR old. She also didn't walk until she was almost 2. She took her first steps at 22 1/2 months old. Two weeks before I had Bubba!
JR has issues, but they all relate to being: 1) the oldest child, 2) having sibs with special needs, 3) being a boy, and 4) being a pre-teen. You get the basic picture of our family!
Honey and I have been married for 11 years. He works full time, 5 or 6 days a week.
Caleb and Bubba are my Spectrum kids. Caleb was diagnosed when he was almost 3. We had figured for a while that he had something going on. We had suspected Autism, but it was still hard when he was diagnosed. He has come a long way, from a boy who couldn't communicate at 3, to a boy who barely spoke at 4, to a boy who is almost never without something to say at almost 9. Caleb also has ADHD, which makes it so he's always on the go. He is able now to fit in well enough in school, even though he's behind other kids his age. He is mainstreamed, with some help, and gets speech services from the district.
Bubba, on the other hand, was just diagnosed in October of 2006, at the age of 5. I was in denial, that was part of the reason it took so long. Yes, we knew he had some delays, he wasn't social, had a hard time with transitions...and the list goes on. Bubba has been diagnosed with a couple of things. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mixed Speech Disorder, Velopharyngeal Insufficiency, and Mild-Moderate Mental Retardation. Some of these things, like the VI, will probably have you looking on Google to figure them out. Let me spare you that (unless you like that kind of stuff, lol, cause that's what I end up doing on other peoples blogs).
Mixed Speech Disorder, that you can find a lot about, depending on the search engine you use. As near as I can figure, since the Doc and Speech tell me about the same thing, it means he has a lot of issues that affect how and if he can say different words. VI means that the little flap at the back of his throat doesn't close like it's supposed to. So he has very nasal speech. And obviously the mental retardation speaks for itself.
Bubba is currently in a mixed class of Kinder-aged kids, some with "issues," some without. He is one of the lowest functioning kids in his class. He is 7 years old, and not potty trained. He still doesn't sleep through the night, and always comes to my room by 1 or 2 am. He has constantly chapped lips, because he is always licking them, and freaks if you try to put chapstick on him. We have an IEP meeting next month, to determine placement for next year. So far, one of the options that keeps being mentioned because of his present level of functioning is a self-contained class.
Caitlin has some issues as well, but nothing as serious as the boys. She is small for her age, and has some speech issues and motor delays. She was very delayed for quite some time, and was in physical therapy and occupational therapy. In fact, both of the twins were in Birth-to-Three, which is an Early Intervention program that helps developmentally delayed children. Caitlin was so delayed that she didn't sit unassisted(something that most babies can do by 4 or 5 mos) until she was a YEAR old. She also didn't walk until she was almost 2. She took her first steps at 22 1/2 months old. Two weeks before I had Bubba!
JR has issues, but they all relate to being: 1) the oldest child, 2) having sibs with special needs, 3) being a boy, and 4) being a pre-teen. You get the basic picture of our family!
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