by Sarah | Apr 24, 2009 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly, SID
With SID you have two camps – the sensory AVOIDERS…and the sensory SEEKERS.
I have two SID girls – one Avoider (Riley) and one Seeker (Angel).
Up until a year ago I was certain that having the Avoider was the “Worst” of the two. Social situations, eating, playtime were all such challenges. Planes flying overhead were a nightmare for weeks, trucks driving by.Â
Coping mechanisms were learned and slowly with time it became less of an issue.
Then we had our Seeker. I thought it was tough to handle when part of her seeking techniques were ramming her head into everything. Screaming at the top of her lungs. Throwing everything. Breaking everything.
But as much as we’ve been able to curb (some) of these events – in the past year we’ve had the occasion to experience the worst of the SID habits.
Smearing poop.
Poop on the walls, the beds, the clothes…IN HER MOUTH. It makes me wonder for her intelligence (sometimes when I’m most stressed) – and my sanity. It is one thing that I can seriously get truly and horrifically upset and disgusted for….
And it’s one thing that I haven’t the foggiest idea how to stop. The taste obviously doesn’t put her off. The smell. The feel. None of it.Â
I’ve found out through research and searching that this isn’t uncommon – but is ALWAYS stressful for the parents. I also see posts of some children doing it even after potty training, and beyond.Â
So for now I sit and research coping mechanisms again…although this time, I search for coping mechanisms for myself and my husband. I don’t think either of us look good bald.
by Sarah | Apr 19, 2009 | All About Molly
My big girl is FOUR years old today!!!
This sweet little girl that came into our lives with such a personality…that we watched fade like a flower…is now blooming brighter than ever!  She talks so much more than she did before, she’s smart, funny, and now giggles with the best of them!
Her anticipation of her party through her into several of her fits today (and by fits I mean shutting down and curling into a corner)…but once it began she was smiles and chatter and miss personality!! She RAN that party, telling me when to do food and presents and cake!Â
Tomorrow will be more on the party…tonight I’m worn out from hosting it…but for now join me in wishing Miss Riley a HAPPY fourth birthday!Â
Two days until the OFFICIAL birthday of Miss Angel! (the party was hers too 😉 )
by Sarah | Jan 26, 2009 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly
Just in case you haven’t already, please
help me choose what pictures to enter in a local contest!
***********
It seems like ages ago…but just six months ago I was all gung-ho excited to be shipping off two girls for school. I’d have FOUR hours a week all to myself! Oh, what joy…what bliss…
So why am I now making plans to take both girls out of preschool?
Yes. You heard that right. After years of fighting for Riley’s therapy’s to continue despite her progress…and years of fighting for answers with Angel…I’m pulling them out of the programs that give them thoses therapies.
Why would I do something so drastic? Am I really calling an end to this?
My reasons are numerous, and Riley holds many of those reasons – because she’s the one in public school, and Angel is the one still in the prviate (i.e. costly) school.
The first reason, and a big concern to us, is that in the past six months Riley has gone from a sweet, occasionally stubborn and rude, little girl…into a holy terror. Not to us (okay, sometimes) – but to Angel. Angel looks like she’s been in a UFC fight. Riley corners her and kicks her mercilessly, she stands on her, she just beats the tar out of Angel. It’s gotten to the point that we’re deeply concerned. She did not pick up these ideas around here.
The second reason hit me on Friday, and it was one heck of a shocker.
Riley has LOST learning. Before she started school I worked with her myself and we had the alphabet down pat. Numbers, not a problem. Could she sing her abc’s? No…but she could recognize any letters you showed her. The regular testing of this came at the pediatricians office where there is a big alphabet rug in the waiting room. Our regular waiting room game is to find the letters.
She couldn’t find the P. It was the first letter we tried. She couldn’t find it. I told her what color square it was one and she found the color…but couldn’t find the letter.
It was a shock to the system. And after a weekend of talking we’ve decided to bring them home and try to have me work with them again. I will look into another state funded preschool that’s available…but for now they will stay home.
In the next couple of weeks I’ll make contact with the school and see what I need to do to withdraw Riley. From there…we’ll take it one day at a time.
Guess I really need to get working on keeping up with my personal changes, because my days are aobut to get a lot more full.
by Sarah | Jan 10, 2009 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly, Crap
Because I missed yesterday’s post because of my FANTABULOUS* webhost – you get a twofer today!Â
**
First an update on Hell (or potty training).
Yesterday I leared that the secret of potty training is in the underwear. When I went grocery shopping on Thursday night I swung by Wally’s baby dept to pick up some diapers and big girl underwear. At home I knew we had Dora and generics…but I was prepared to get the same – until I saw them. “My Little Pony” underwear. The girls have recently gotten into their ponies so I snatched up a set of them.
Yesterday morning I started. I showed them to Angel and got her on the potty. After a while she went and we got up. She started walking around pinching her knees together within about 10 minutes and went back on. It was on and off for a few hours….but she had no accidents at all yesterday. She went on the potty several times. She hasn’t learned to cue me, we’re still going on on my determination, but she’s on the right track.
To add to the mix, Riley decided she REALLY wanted in on those pony panties…and started sitting on the potty, too! We talked Daddy into going to Wally’s and picking up some for her…and he found TINKERBELL! Riley’s new PJ’s are Tinkerbell, so she’s all over that.Â
So Daddy came home with Tinkerbell panties and a new potty chair so we could do both girls at once. Riley had two accidents yesterday, but overall did well- and Angel had no accidents. We’re going to stick with it over the weekend and pray for the best!
****
All Related Posts
A brief update here on what’s going on with this.Â
1. For Body Image I managed to work out 3X (so far) this week. I’m heading down to the gym in a couple of hours. I learned that I can do yoga, pilates and the ball alternating here at home, but I crap out on cardio. Going to the gym gives me a way to do that AWAY from here (i.e. an excuse to get away) – without being annoyed by too peppy hosts. Give me an elliptical!
2. For Finances: First week of living on a budget was tough. We aren’t used to saying “No, can’t buy it I have $5 left.” The end result was happy, though. It looks like at the end of the month we’ll have a little cash in savings.
3. For Home & Family: We had sit down dinners I think 3 times this week (I didn’t keep track). I made dinner (taking pics of some of it) and cleaned as I went – the kitchen stayed mostly clean 3 out of 5 days. We had family game night just last night. For the cleaning portion, I found and adjusted for myself a chore list. I haven’t fully put it into effect, but I had Archie laminate it so I can reuse it. It will become a habit eventually, but it’s something I’m working toward.
That’s it for the week. Overall I’m very happy with the baby steps I’ve taken. Hopefully they will continue on.Â
*****
*And by FANTABULOUS I mean awful, horrible, no good, very bad…I’m very unhappy with them at the moment…and unless I’m granted a free year I’ll be taking the terrifying leap of trying a new host.Â
by Sarah | Jan 7, 2009 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly, Crap
Thus is where we are.
Riley -Â our beautiful, bright, intelligent, STUBBORN almost-4-year-old absolutely refuses to potty train.
Does she know what she’s doing and when she’s doing it? YOU BETCHA.
Does she do anything about it? HELL NO.
So…figuring that her stubborness combined with everything else would keep her refusing until she was darn good and ready we gave up (all except to ask if she’s going – to which she ALWAYS replies “no”)…which leaves me changing wet and poopy pull-ups 5-6 times a day – not to mention paying for them (Oy).
In turn, I look to my youngest. Angel – almost 3 now. We’ve had more on and off success with her than with Riley. We can catch her w/ a dry diaper and toss her on the potty and she’ll go.Â
So this week, amidst all of my other personal goals and challenges I decided that she would get trained – SOON. I’m sick of changing (and paying for) TWO kids in diapers. I’m so over them.
*Archie, honey, this is where you cover your eyes and ignore the rest of the post*
Today I decided to try the no diaper tactic. We’ve tried it before with an epic fail…so today I attempted again with just one kid – Angel.
In return we have ended up spending 90% of the day on the potty – I swear the kid pees every five minutes. We’ve had only two accidents – but I credit that her being on the toilet SO much.
By lunchtime she’d been on the potty most of the morning and gone about 15 times there (but no #2), twice on my floor (I was ready with the mop bucket and a towel).Â
They will retire to “nap time” (i.e. playing in their bedroom) so that I can have a “break” and get some cleaning done…and then I’ll return to it after nap until Archie returns from work.
Tomorrow Angel has school, and I’ll have them start her in school training as well. But I’ll probably be VERY sore and cranky tomorrow (dental work being done) so I doubt I’ll do this tomorrow – but I will return to it on Friday.Â
Oy.
P.S. Keep my BFF Jess in your thoughts today. She goes in for knee surgery at 2:45 and is VERY nervous and scared.
by Sarah | Nov 19, 2008 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly, Crap
Apparently my beautiful girl Riley, who likes to become non-verbal when distressed, became to distressed to tell me her ears hurt.
Apparently there was a severe double ear infection (again – this happened last year).
Apparently I waited too long to take her to the doctor.
Apparently waiting until eyes are draining green goop is far too long to wait.
Apparently waiting a long time on a bad ear infection can spread the infection to the eyes and cause pink eye.
Apparently that is EXACTLY what happened to Riley.
Apparently it is highly contagious (I sort of knew that already)
Apparently I wasn’t fast enough with the hand sanitizer.
Apparently Angel is now showing the signs of it.
Apparently I’ll be spending the next two weeks doling out doses of antibiotics to two toddlers.
