Pre-K is serious

Life with a preschooler has begun. Chayce is doing so well in school. I couldn't be more proud. He was upset the very first day when Chris, Harlow and I dropped him off but his teacher says it was only for about a minute. He hasn't cried since! The bus he began on day 4 and that was a little more challenging. He loved everything about it until it parked in front of our house. It was loud, smelled weird and he was NOT loving it. The aid on the bus had to hold Harlow so I could physically put Chayce on the bus. He was crying and so sad. I talked to him for a while and explained. The bus driver and aid were very patient with me and didn't rush me. He sucked it up and did it. I know it was a lot of change all at once but he's done amazing. When he got home we talked and he still didn't like it. He expressed his that he wanted me to drive him in my Jeep! The next day was easier. He still tells me he doesn't like it because it makes his "face jiggle" and "it's jiggly" but he rides it and enjoys it now. I think it made him more confident and independent. My sweet brave boy :).

The school initially dropped the ball with his evals etc...however I've been really happy with his teacher and his progress falling into a different routine. He loves predictabilty. 9 kids and 4 teachers/aids put an ease to my apprehension. Since all the evaluations weren't done through the summer I have started the ball rolling on his occupational testing. I'm hoping all the testings will be finished by the end of October. He is right on level and above average so I won't be pushing too hard unless I have to. This school seems to be superb! He brings home the cutest work from class. I have got to get a huge storage bin. I see me on Hoarders in the near future. I know I can't save everything but I haven't found not one thing that I can throw away!

They Grow Up So Fast

I have my oldest child entering her senior year in high school and I've got my son entering his first year of pre-k. Both are joyous and sad to me. While my oldest hates the very air I breathe right now, the boy calls me his best friend. I know my sweet girl will grow, learn and regret being a heathen devil child to me! It happens to us all. Lord knows I broke my father's heart and came crawling back to apologize when I realized I didn't know shit about life. My 17 year old and 4 year old have the same mentality. They both know everything and you can't tell them anything. Chayce's self centered attitude comes more from his Asperger's...or I'd like to think so. Alyssa's comes from her useless father.

On the bright side, Chayce will be starting PPCD (public preschool for children with disabilities) very soon. He does need more evaluations done but he already qualifies for it. I'm terrified to put his life in a stranger's hands even if it is "qualified educators". He's never been to daycare or anything like that. I don't trust anyone with my children (a lesson I learned from my ex-husband). I know I will get used to it. Chayce is soooo excited so that makes things a lot more fun! We went shopping for his school supplies and then it hit me. I held back my tears! sniff...

Poor Harlow

Today started like any other day. I was up at 4 with Harlow then 5:30 with Chayce. But our actual day started about 8 and all was well. Chayce had a good day. He was being sweet with Harlow for the most part. This brings my defenses down in a sense. I'm usually in the room with them at all times. Chayce hurts Harlow and doesn't know to care because of the Asperger's.

Let's back up a few weeks. A week before Harlow's first birthday Chayce chipped her front top tooth by putting a blanket over her head and bulldozed her with his head. She fell face first into her hard plastic play tent door. I came running in, took the blanket off and she was gushing blood from her mouth. Chayce wasn't concerned at all. With Asperger's they have no empathy or the knowledge that others have feelings at all. I know he was "playing" but he didn't notice her crying and not enjoying it and he kept on. So I've been very careful about leaving them alone even for a couple of minutes.

Today he had been sweet and not aggressive so I let my guard down. I left our bedroom for a couple of minutes to change laundry out. I came running back in when Harlow was screaming. She was standing next to the bed and kind of favoring her right arm. I asked Chayce and all he said was she fell on her head and it was an accident. Mind you he was on my bed. She cried and was very upset for about 20 minutes or so. She didn't want to be put down. This isn't like her. She gets a little hurt and 2 minutes later she's back for more. I look and look and can't find a mark but her arm is tender. She wouldn't use it. We load up and head out to Emergency Care Clinic because of course it's 5:30 and the pediatrician is closed. On the drive over Chayce admitted to trying to pull her onto our bed. He still didn't really care that she was hurt. He wasn't being malicious but he can't read her emotions to know when to stop. It's scary to have to protect one child from the other. I knew her arm was dislocated or broken by this point. The Dr. takes a quick look at her arm and says it's "Nurse Maid's Elbow". Ummm what the crap is that?! He proceeds to tell me it's when the ligament in the elbow is pulled apart. He now needs to twist her arm and pop it back into place. I thought for sure she was going to cow. I made Chris hold her and I cried before he even touched her. It took 3 seconds and you could hear it snap...barf. Within 60 seconds, literally, she was high fiving and playing with that arm again. She hadn't used it in 2 hours! I was so relieved. She's going to be a tough cookie!

Aspie kids and MRIs?

My latest concern with Chayce is the pending MRI coming up on the 20th. My neurologist can't seem to give me a direct answer as to why my 4 year old needs this. To me it seems like "research" but on my dime. You can't see autism from an MRI. I DO know that! I don't want to tramatize my son and have him sedated for an MRI if it won't give us any further indication as to what Asperger Syndrome really is. I've looked it up as well and I see nothing. I think I will cancel it until someone can convince me that this is necessary.

Monday....

What a day... Mondays always kind of suck but it really sucked today. Of course the kids were exhausted yesterday from all the playing with Aunt Dena (and up super late I'm sure) Saturday night. So they were terrors yesterday and I got nothing done! Today started at 7:10 with Chayce wanting to go to Home Depot to get batteries! I was like uhhhh I don't think so kid, go pee and back to bed! By the time that all happened Harlow was up so I made some sludge coffee and started my day. Between the "stop that, don't hit Harlow, stop taking things from her, she can play in HER ROOM, quit yelling at her, yes she can watch the same tv and it's not yours"....I could go on and on...I had to go to the supermarket, unpack and clean the house to be presentable enough for my future mother in law to drop by for dinner. I'm ready for a beer damn it!

Date Night!

We visited the Holocaust museum yesterday and it was very interesting. You think you know everything after watching The Pianist and Schindler's List but to have the artifacts and so much literature in front of you, it is unbelievable. It's just devastating to ever think that these atrocities were acceptable behavior. Chris does look like a Nazi skinhead so those looks were interesting.... We went to the Astros game as well. I however could not tell you who won as I was too busy pounding beers with Sheri, Chris' cousin. After that we proceeded to continue drinking ourselves stupid at several bars. We all had a wonderful time but Chris was to the point of no return so if we didn't get back to the hotel, I would be bailing him out of jail. We cabbed it back and got a couple of $30 hamburgers! Yes, that's right $30!!! Ridiculous but scrumptious! And today we eat Ramen noodles because we are broke.

Girl's Night!

The girls and I like to get together, have some cocktails and adult chat time. My very best friend in the world (besides Chris of course), Jennifer, and I have been committed to "girl's night" for many years. Some wonderful additions have been made to our little circle. Having my girlfriends keeps me from losing myself. I'm sure other stay @ home moms can relate. It's a nice time to regroup and bitch about our significant others as well as brag or bitch about our children...usually a little of both. Tonight we will be gathering at Kellie girls house! I may leave my house, children free, twice a month so you can understand the need for celebration! I'm very much looking forward to it.

In the meantime I'm planning our weekend. Chris turns 34 tomorrow and we have plans to see a baseball game, museum and a nice dinner at a restaraunt that doesn't have a playground. This will be my first night away from Harlow and we haven't been without Chayce overnight since we were in the hospital having Harlow. I'm looking forward it but I'm a little apprehensive as well. Chayce is a little bit of a handful. He tends to have meltdowns at about 3 or 4 in the morning. That happens approx 5 days a week. It's always over something different so it's hard to predict it and manage it. It could be because the light is on in the bathroom or he wants to go bowling! My wonderful sister, Dena, will be watching them and I'm sure she can handle it. Good luck ha!