Last Game

Today was the last game of the season. We played against the toughest team on base,and we TIED 1-1!! The first time we played this team we lost 4-0, so for us to tie them was just awesome! After the game, the team headed to Burger King for a well deserved lunch out, and we handed out certificates and medals. It was fun for everyone, except Nicholas. He did not care for all the noise and comotion,but it was Michael's day to celebrate. It was HIS shining moment, and Nick eventually got used to it. We just let him peel stickers or twirl...that is how he copes with things most of the time. I will update the photo page with all the new photos I took today.

I Love Fridays!!!

Fridays are my favorite day at work!! We really do not do much on these days, so it is very relaxed. My supervisor came to me today to tell me he is putting me in for Maintainer of the Week. He told me it was MY turn to recieve an award...since I am usually the person who puts everyone else in for them. Sorry I had to cut our phone conversation short today Mom!! Mike thought he would be funny and hide the jar of Ragu on me! They are trying to make me lose my mind I tell you!!

There is a two day class called S.T.O.M.P.(I have no idea what it stands for) that I put my name in for. This is a class that is going to talk about all the programs that Nick is enrolled in. They also have info on special wills that we need to have drawn up, and also information regarding PCS(moving bases) and networking with other parents of special needs kids. It is kind of hard thinking that Nick qualifies as "Special Needs". Whenever I hear those words I always think about kids with much more severe handicaps;but then again; autism can be a severe mental handicap and requires special treatment. I have asked my supervisor if I could attend at least ONE day of the class, and they have agreed. I dont normally ask for time off, and this is information that will benefit us, so they have been pretty flexible. Somedays this is all just so overwhelming and I think "Is this really happening??" We have started to get the insurance statements from all of Nicks therapies--his recent OT session was $120, his last speech session was also $120. We have not had to pay any of this thanks to the military! It is such a relief to not have to worry about where the money will come from for all of this. Michael's shots alone can cost upwards of $10,000 a year. Not counting all the visits to the Endocrinologist we make. Then, factor in all of Nicks therapies, and a family could easily go bankrupt. But, enough on the depressing stuff.

We are thinking of taking the boys to pick out a pumpkin this weekend. I put Nick in his Micky costume to see if it would fit. It was adorable!! He LOVED it!! He kept looking at his hands as they were covered with the little white gloves...he kept it on for about an hour! He went cross-eyed trying to look at the mouse ears that were on his head. Michael has his last game tomorrow. I am baking some cookies to take as snacks after the game, and we got the trophies all ready to go. I will also take the camara and see if I can get some good pics. Well, I am going to bed now. Talk to you all soon!

Growing Boys!!

Tonight I measured Michael again, and surprise....he is now 44" and 45lbs!! I just happened to have a growth chart(been kind of obsessed about that since he started dropping OFF the chart at 18mos. He is now in the 50% for weight, and his average bone age has caught up to a 6yr olds!! He is "average" height for someone who is 6! I can deal with him being only a year behind, not THREE years behind like he was before!! He is at least starting to blend in with the crowds and is not soooo obvious.

Nicholas is around the 50-75% in height, and 50% in weight. He has always been my little giant. He is nearly 3ft tall at just over 2 and a half! He just happened to step on the scale the other night and he is 29lbs. He is eating again(Thank the Lord), although it is still limited to mushy stuff.

Not a lot has happened this week. I have figured out how to get Nicholas to talk a little more. I take his hand, and make him point to things like his cup, or cookie, or whatever else I have in my hand that he wants. I say: "I WANT...." and make him point to the object and he says "CUH!" or "CEWKIE" or "GO-GO" (translation: Cup,cookie, yogurt). This seems to be working for the moment,so we are going to stick with it. He has not said these words on his own yet, he only says them when we do the little routine, but if anything, he is learning to vocalize. He has not had many meltdowns at therapy this week, which is always good.

This Saturday is Michael's last soccer game of the season. They are playing a pretty tough team, so wish them well! I will try to take some new pictures this weekend and post them up. Not much going on here. Just will enjoy a little down-time after soccer!

Real Life vs. Rockwell Life

I am almost certain that Norman Rockwell DID NOT have children; or if he did, he most certainly did not take them out anywhere. Otherwise, his idyllic paintings would have been DRASTICALLY different than the peaceful,serene portraits he painted of them. We have all seen his paintings of children who seem to get along with each other, never make any messes, and whom have adults smiling at them. Ok, so we do often get the latter part of that,but thats where it ends! I have all these wonderful things I am going to do with my boys in my head all week at work, and then reality sets in. It is a major undertaking just getting everyone to the car. And once in the car, Nick takes off his shoes and socks immediately;not a problem when it is sunny and nice out;but is more than annoying when it is rainy and cold! We get to our destination and schlep everyone out of the car. That is when it starts. "Michael come here!" "Where's YOUR jacket??!" "WHO stinks???!!" Then we get in to the restaurant. All the silverware gets pushed to the opposite end of Nicholas,Mike and I are getting kicked in the legs by a two yr old flinging his feet, Michael announces he has to go potty, and Nick has managed to get his shoes off again...and we have not even ordered our food yet! By the time everyone orders, it seems like we have half the menu ON our table,which causes another problem...no space! Suddenly, what Nick is eating becomes PART of the table,himself, and the floor. The more we wipe him, the more we get on ourselves. By the time the meal is over, Mike and I have not had a real conversation, we are covered in pink yogurt, and Mike announces "I need a cigarette!". Shopping is another entity all together! Then there is shopping for a Halloween costume. I took the boys out to do this yesterday. I figured that it is still early enough to get a good costume, and that we would find one the first store we went to. I got everyone ready and we headed to TOYS R US to have "FUN" picking out a costume for Michael. I seem to remember that this large toy store having everything you need for kiddy fun! Not so. They only had ONE aisle of costumes, (and they were rather picked through already), and why must they put displays in the MIDDLE of the aisles so that it is next to impossible to get your cart down them???!! Michael found a pirate costume, but when I looked at the price I became disgusted! $40!!! $40 for a cheap costume in a plastic bag!! UGH!! I was so disgusted we left the store immediately. We ended up finding a Ninja costume at Target around $20. Not exactly cheap, but better than 40! I am also fed up with the lack of quality of these costumes. Part of it ripped as Michael took it out of the bag. UGH!! He can still wear it,but has been told that he must put it away to prevent it from ripping more. He was quite upset, and so was I. I had spent $20 on something that ripped within 5 minutes of getting it home.