by Sarah | Mar 21, 2012 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly, Anger Issues, Autism, Special Needs, Therapy
[flickr id=”6270891807″ thumbnail=”small_320″ overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]We have known for a long time that our sweet little Angel girl had a temper problem.
Dichotomy that she is – she was the sweetest and smilingest baby ever…then on a dime she would launch into a screaming fit the likes of which I can’t begin to describe. She has the capability to burst ear drums with her high pitched scream. Worse than that, and the part that frightened us, was her tendency to self injure. Slamming her head into the corner of doorways, the floor, our faces. You know, whatever is handy.
We hoped she’d outgrow it. She hasn’t. Fortunately the self-injury part of it is softened down to the occasional digging at her nose until it bleeds. While she still throws major tantrums and fits – they have become the slamming her bedroom door and kicking it and the walls while screaming that life is unfair for a six year old little girl.
Then she started school. We didn’t know what would happen there. Feared the worst.
At her parent teacher conference we learned the truth of it.
When a teacher of Kindergarten children says there’s a temper issue – you know there’s a problem.
Since then we’ve heard little (or rather nothing) else that her temper was a continuing or growing issue. Until last week. Angel brought home from school a permission slip. The Guidance Counselor offers “small group counseling” for the students. Angel had been pegged and needed permission to participate in one.
“Friendship and Social Skills (Communication, appropriate expression of feelings and wants, problem solving skills)”
Hmmmm….Temper much?
So now every week my little Angel goes to a counseling session to try to learn to control her temper.
Tell me why this wasn’t offered earlier? Like when I asked the school about how to help her – or expressly said that she had a temper issue and we needed to know how to take care of it if it was noticed at the school.
Why is assistance only after a LONG period of them witnessing it? Why aren’t we listened to when we expressly say there are issues with our children? Are we not a squeaky enough wheel?
*~*~*~*
(P.S. Riley has also come home this week w/ the same note and will start her sessions on monday. Considering she has autism and spends EVERY recess all by herself – this also should have been offered sooner for her)
by Sarah | Mar 18, 2012 | Photography, Scavenger Hunt Sunday, Simple Things, Weekly Winners
I’m hoping that the upturn of weather means I’ll be more photographically active again. As it is, I had to sort of reinvent one of the prompts to make them all fit ;).
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XS or my HTC Thunderbolt.
1. Vintage
“Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings.” — Heinrich Heine.
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2. Word or Quote
Time wasted is existence, used is life. ~Edward Young.
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Health is not valued until sickness comes. ~Thomas Fuller.
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3. Nature’s Own
“Just living is not enough…One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” ~Hans Christian Anderson
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Nature reclaims what humans destroy
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4. People
People Destroy
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And then rebuild
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5. Photographer’s Choice
“By plucking her petals you do not gather the beauty of the flower.” ~Rabindranath Tagore.
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A Simple Thing:
Something that I’ve come to enjoy finding is a wonderful vintage book. I love that the local half-price books carry them and once in a while I find one that is in excellent condition from the 19th century…If I can snatch it up right away. Like this one I got several months ago.
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You can find more pictures over at my flickr account.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday is run by the beautiful Ashley. Head on over to see more Hunters.
by Sarah | Mar 14, 2012 | All About Denver, Crap, The Teenager
[flickr id=”6982397429″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]It was bad enough last year when he hit the all too frightening age of 13. A teenager.
Then I get this in the mail.
“Freshman Course Planning”.
Suddenly we are talking what sort of diploma he’ll be getting. Extra curricular activities, electives, college courses taken at high school level.
It’s all happening too fast.
Forever he’ll be my baby…
But he’s not a baby any longer.
by Sarah | Mar 7, 2012 | All About Kennedy, Crap, Cystic Fibrosis, Special Needs, SSI, WTF?
[flickr id=”5293689107″ thumbnail=”small_320″ overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I have spent the past 3 months jumping through hoops. Doing everything the government asked. Going to appointments that seemed ridiculous. After all, she is covered by SSI for Cystic Fibrosis. It’s a set diagnosis. It’s not going to change.
I thought it was just normal. Three years had passed, they did a re-evaluation and we’d go on our merry way as we had been.
I never imagined we’d get a letter declaring the cessation of benefits.
That somehow, according to the government, Cystic Fibrosis is a condition that stands the chance of improving.
That somehow, 2 hospital visits, the addition of a very costly monthly med, a decrease in vitamin levels, a continuing need for nutritional supplements all equal an “improvement” in her condition.
I’ve already met with the lawyer.
Filed the appeal.
I get to go to court (woo-frickin’-hoo).
Continue to jump through their hoops. This time w/ a good lawyer on our baby’s side.
Stupid government.
by Sarah | Mar 6, 2012 | Crap, Random
[flickr id=”6914202521″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]How has life come to go by so fast these days? Before I know it my day is over. Life is hectic, and chaotic and about to get more so. While I’m trying to wrap my head around some real posts, for now it’s a random spouting of the days of our lives…
- In 2 weeks Brandon starts Track & Field. Another season of (very) lengthy meets is ahead of us. I hope it’s warmer & drier than last years season.
- In 2 weeks something else is happening. We go to Freshman Orientation for Brandon. He’s…he’s an incoming Freshman! This sets off a whole new level of “I feel so old” syndrome.
- I got purple highlights. Loving them. I’ll probably do them one more time before I go back to all over color. Unfortunately they require bleaching before coloring – and my hair doesn’t care for strong chemical treatments.
- After taking several weeks off I got back onto an exercise regimen…but….
- The next day I proceeded to sprain my ankle. Again. Every 9 years I sprain my ankle. In the EXACT. SAME. WAY. I’m such a stellar klutz.
- Angel was denied her Social Security review. Now we go to court (more on that in another post).
- Report cards are in. My kids are smart but the girls have behavior issues (really?) and Brandon has homework issues (*ahem*)
- Next month hubby and I are going away for a long weekend. No kids. Just us. In a different city. I’m calling it a vacation. It’s a first for us. Now we just need to plan what we’re going to do in St. Louis.
- While we’re in St. Louis I’ll be going to Bloggy Boot Camp. It’s a 1 day conference, but it’s a conference. I’m excited.
- I had some computer drama. Got a new one – but it’s already been returned for a full refund. I now share w/ the hubby and plan on getting a tablet w/ a keyboard dock. We also have to replace my old computers hard drive for the kids to use.
- At the same time as my computer drama I dropped my brand new phone. It’s been replaced with a refurbished phone. ~sigh~ The point of getting insurance was so I’d never have to use it. I think I could live without any further technology curses.
- Been (re)writing like mad. It takes up much of my time (sorry hubby).
Now back to housework…while limping. What a crazy life…
by Sarah | Jan 24, 2012 | All About Denver, The Teenager
Time sometimes flies like a bird, sometimes crawls like a snail; but man is happiest when he does not even notice whether it passes swiftly or slowly.
~Ivan Turgeney
Thirteen years ago this minute, as I was in labor, I still thought he was a girl. The ultrasound said girl. Everyone said girl.
My dreams had said boy.
My morning walk to induce labor I had stopped not at the girls clothes rack, but at the tiny little suits, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the teensy little ties.
After three false labors I was forced to sit in the hotel room my Mom had reserved utnil I “Finally” stopped screwing around and gave birth already. (For the record, Brandon was only 1.5 hours “early” for his due date.) When my contractions were finally 3 minutes apart, my mom called my OB, who then demanded to know why we waited. She, in her dry and sarcastic glory informed him that she wasn’t about to take me in if I wasn’t going to actually have the baby.
And so Brandon made me a parent. With his perfectly round head and surprise appendage that made him decidedly NOT a girl, & made me wonder how in hell I was going to raise a boy.
But he was perfect.
The gorgeous blue of his eyes made me fall in love in an instant.
Everything on time. Every milestone reached at JUST the right moment. Every clothing size changing right at it’s declared time (0-3 months? Gone at three months. 3-6? Gone at six…it was eerie).
He was happy. Smart. Playful. Loving.
He was my world.
He was my mom and dad’s world.
The first born grandchild. The first born great-grandchild.
The star.
Our family grew. It changed.
Not always in the best, most fair ways for him. In truth, sometimes he was forgotten, because he was so ‘perfect’. So easy in comparison. (I hate myself for it, but it is true).
It never made him less loved.
In many ways, being the parent of a teen is infinitely harder than raising the young ones. He isn’t satisfied with easy answers. He sees the world around him in such a different light. He sees things that a younger child wouldn’t. He understands and absorbs everything. Things that I sometimes haven’t the slightest idea how to explain to him, to clarify.
Right now he is struggling, battling against an internal battle I can’t resolve for him. Fighting against the common, and always unique and personal pain of being a teenager.
But in his heart – he is a good kid. He is smart. He is still loving.
He is annoyed with his parents. Embarrassed that his mother has a tattoo and plans more. He hates failure. He strives to do his best and no one is harder on him when he fails than himself. Interested in photography. Science. Math. Writing. Cross Country.
He dreams big dreams. Of being a doctor at Riley so he can help other kids like him.
He achieves big things. Advancements in Boy Scouts, Junior Honor Society.
He struggles to fit in.
He is 14.
In so many ways.
He is my baby.
In so many ways – he always will be.
Happy birthday to my oldest, my first born.
14 is a big number. But you’re just getting started.
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