Vacation Planning

It's only a couple weeks until the Iveys invade the land of Mickey Mouse & Princesses. Accomodations, flights, rental car, meals are all taken care of. That's the easy part in my book, now I need to start my daily planning. With 4 kids and Steve to keep entertained for 6 days I need help so I load the Fodor's 2012 Disney With Kids Guide onto my Nook and start my research. Each page brings a new fact, even to me. Just when I think I know my way around Disney they throw in something else. While reading the section on Lost Kids, which i was going to skip, i discover you can get a tag at guest relations to attach to your child's clothing with your cell phone number on it. I will have to dig out our Autism tattoos we didn't use last time to put on Mitchell. Then reality kicks in when I read the next section "in real emergencies - where the child is very young or disabled - bulletins are put out among the employees" oh great, thats the category we fall into and my blood pressure just shot up & I'm starting to cry. Geesh. Steve told me we could only go to Disney if I didn't freak out about it. Maybe if I do all my freaking out before we board the plan it will all be ok. Can't wait to read "Tips to Save Your Sanity" and "Tips for People With Dissabilities". They probably both list "don't lose your child" as #1. Deep breath.

Another Snowy Day

Seems like we are having weekly snow storms in 2012.  Friday the snow fell thick but slowly.  It felt like it was never going to stop.  I had to shovel a path to retrieve Mitchell from the bus and then Jerod, our wonderful neighbor, shoveled the rest.  By the time Steve was to return from work I went outside to clear his side of the drive.  The snow just kept coming.  We woke Saturday to a winter wonderland.  Steve took some of the kids sledding and he said Mitchell covered his eyes all the way down the hill and giggled.  Apparently Mitchell did not have enough because when they got home he wanted to go in the backyard with Grace & Steven.  And again last night.  And first thing this morning.  So much for not liking the cold, last week he wouldn't leave the garage and ended up taking off his gloves, throwing them in bathroom then sitting in my car until I decided to take him to see Papa Steele.
Now, he can't get enough.  If only I could snap my fingers and he would be dressed, it's such a process.


                          

Last week trying to get Mitchell into snow

Yesterday in the backyard

Snow Angels

I LOVE the snow

Mommy I have a present for you

 

Happy Wednesday

So it's Wednesday and MOPS is starting up again after a month break. I can't wait o see my friends and have some great conversation & food. I look at the clock, it's 8:10am and figure I have enough time to shower before the kids head out the bus. Up I head, feeling good at how the morning is playing out. Shuffle of feet, knock on the door " mommy? The toilet downstairs overflowed.". "what? Oh my gosh, is there water all over the floor?". "no, just a little". " ok, shut the door and keep Mitchell out, I'll be right down". "ok but he's not in there...anymore". Cursing, that isn't good. "ahhh Mitchell peed on Steven's Legos". Of course he did, where else would he go when he's shooed out of the only bathroom without a child lock. I check on Mitchell, he's dressed so I head to clean up bathroom before cleaning Steven's room. Bathroom isn't as bad as I anticipated. When asked if she used too much toilet paper, Caroline said Mitchell put some in, then took it out. This would explain the soggy TP now stuck to my walls. 10 minutes before I need to send the older ones out to the bus, so I grab the pee items upstairs to soak in bleach. Walking back into the bedroom I smell that all too familiar smell. "where did you poop?" I ask. There it is, one more mess to clean before I can eave the house. I managed to get everyone on their buses on time and Grace & I out the door only minutes behind schedule. At MOPS I am reminded to keep "me" in my life and look for the good in things. Oddly enough there are a lot of good things everyday in my life, even this morning. For me, cleaning up reminds me that I do have 4 awesome kids and I see "me" in them. What would I do with my time if I didn't have them in my life? Here & now is right where I want to be, nowhere else.

M&Ms

It is really hard for me to refuse Mitchell at 8PM when he requests M&Ms with picture selection on his Dynavox, speaks the word "M&Ms" and types out the word "mms" on the keyboard page.  I can't seeing anyone telling him no at this point.

Let It Snow

We finally got our first snow of the 2011/2012 season on Thursday.  Something about waiting for January to play in the snow really has all the kids gearing to be in it.  I can't remember the last time Steven has been outside playing 3 days in a row.  He's a 70 degree guys as he will tell you.

Today Grace got to enjoy the weather as well and brought me in a snowball present she made for me.  Caroline was at a friends house and Mitchell didn't want any part of it.

What a day

I knew my Wednesday was going to be busier than normal but I had know idea how exciting & emotionally drained I'd be by the end of the day. My morning started earlier than normal as I needed to get kid related stuff done so my dad could get the kids on the bus as I headed for a meeting with the district superintendent at 8:30. Months ago, we Autism class moms started discussing iPads and how great they would in the classroom and decided we needed to make that happen. It started with a phone call to the wonderful Pat Ryan , special ed coordinator, then a letter to the superintendent. We came up with a way to personally raise enough funds for 5 iPads to donate to the school mainly because we assumed financial issues would keep this dream if ours from coming true. From that letter came a meeting and our expectations were exceeded. Not only does Superintendent Morrow support our idea, he has formed a committee to work out all the details and wants my friend Nicole and I to be a part of it. Yay. He also does not want our money for the iPads but might need our help in the near future on fundraising for covers, apps etc. double yay. After working all of that out, Nicole and I are overjoyed when the timeline is given to us. Committee/focus group is formed now, present to school board in May, plan to purchase iPads and train over summer, iPads ready for use in CSI (Comprehensive Skill Integration) classroom in Fall. Yay yay yay. This is the best New Years gift we could have gotten for our kids.


 After leaving the administration building, I head home to grab Grace and shoot to my MOPS leaders meeting I am already late for. I walk in just in time to eat some yummy food and catch some insight on hospitality.   Next, it's my turn to talk about my role in Craft leadership. All went very well last semester and look! we have been gifted money by a mentor mom who passed recently. My craft budget has just soared. God Bless Ina. Even in death she is supporting moms who need an outlet, who need MOPS. The timer buzzes that my time is up just as I announce I am not returning to MOPS in the fall. Thought I could hold it in but the waterworks turned on. You see, I started attending MOPS in Sep 2004. Since then I have made more friends than I can count.  They have seen me through 3 pregnancies, a miscarriage,  Mitchell's regression & diagnosis.  I have served on leaderships roles in hospitality, discussion group and craft and I have formed a family with woman I never would have met otherwise. All because my friend Becky saw that I could use some encouragement and God's presence in my journey as a new mom. Thank you Becky! I am going to volunteer as a sub for childcare but cannot commit right now to full time.  I need that 6 hrs a month back for myself.  Silly it seems when I say it aloud, 6 hrs a month, really?  There was a time I needed MOPS and now my house needs me. Mainly to clean organize but non the less, it needs me.  

We wrapped up our meeting a little after noon and Grace & I headed to the Dr office. I had a call on Monday that Dr Irizarry had indeed signed my application for Mitchell's permanent handicap placard. That's right folks. We Ivey's will be living it up with Rock Star parking from here on out. Autism has a few perks and handicap parking is one. Now if my Dr would have written a diagnosis where she should have I wouldn't have to go back on Friday but with the day I'm having, I'll let it slide.

Now back to Lockport to pick up Mitchell at 1:30 for 2:00 therapy. I stop at home to fill up Grace's juice and see Mitchell's teacher has called. Hmm, never a good feeling when I see the school on the caller ID. Turns out Mitchell decided to start using a fork Tuesday at school. He hasn't used silverware in over 3 yrs.  It took 45 min, alot less than anticipated, but he carried his plastic fork to lunch too. Thus day just gets better & better. Dropping him off at therapy I call my mom and leave a message asking if they want to eat over or take their dinner to go. I started paying my dad in food for watching my kids Wednesday afternoons. He is retired and all now, so we need to fill his days. Ha ha. I rush home to start making stuffed peppers when my mom calls back to say they made other plans. Drat. I could have stayed in Burr Ridge until 4, guess I'll attempt to clean the family room before I leave again at 3:30.

Finally back home again at 4:30 with Mitchell and ready to start dinner. Love it when I make something more than 2 people will eat. Steve rushes in at 6:15, we scarf down dinner and now it's time to head to Island Hop'n for a little Special Needs Inflatable fun night. Whoo hoo! Everyone had a blast. It was especially nice of the woman who had been sitting with her boob out the whole time nursing her child to tell me I might want to "keep a closer eye on him, he was trying to push my daughter down the slide". Um, yah. You know what I said on the inside. I also got to introduce Steve to Angela whom I my met a my new Autism Family Support Group at Easter Seals I started attending this past Monday and how I found out about jumping fun night. Back home my 8:20 and got everyone asleep by 9:30.

So that's it guys, my not so average day. A little more emotionally taxing than most but just the right amount of chaos.

Back to Normal

Today was the last day of winter break. I am happy to have the kids back in school and I know they are happy to go back and see there friends but I am not looking forward to the early mornings, making lunches & homework. Yuck! The good thing about the school year is that it involves a routine everyone is used too, especially Mitchell. It's funny how little changes in our day can drastically change Mitchell's behavior. Changes in our daily routine don't exactly set Mitchell off but he definitely senses a change in the force as we like to call it. Over Christmas break we had one of his para pros from school over to keep him company and he also went to camp 4 days last week but today was his first day if therapy since Dec. 19 and he was a new kid afterwards. The last two weeks Mitchell has considerably more stimming, wandering the house without a purpose & other sensory seeking behavior. Today, after therapy, he went downstairs to play bowling & the marble run, whuch he hasn't done in over a week. And when Steve when Steve informed him it was bedtime, he repeated "night night" and ran upstairs. It amazes me how a day of doing something he is used to can turn him around so quickly. The rest of the week is only going to get better. Yay! Now if I can only kick this cold before it kicks me out of commission.

Christmas 2011

Grace slept in her party dress so she would be ready for the day

Very happy with Rock n Roll Mickey

The aftermath...not so bad - thank goodness for small gifts

Bowling anyone?  Sad I didn't get a shot of Mitchell rolling himself down the alley.

Competitive game of Hungry Hungry Hippos.

If I play by myself, I always win.

A little flarp for the baby bear

Just take the picture!

Caroline & Lucy

Sitting pretty

Mitchell played with this house all day....when he wasn't climbing on the railing.

It's all just kind of a blur.

Happy New Year

So 2011 has come and gone and I am not quite sure what I got out of it. I guess it's a good sign if nothing is really sticking in my head, it can't be all that bad. At least Dec left us and we managed to stay healthy for the holidays. Christmas was a success. Mitchell enjoyed his bowling alley, my keepon and Mickey Mouse for all of 10 minutes and then it was back to the ladder & Mario Kart. Grace loves her stuffed kissing Lion King animals and her Vet Center and has been wearing her Jasmine nightgown, or nothing at all, for 5 days. Caroline can't decide which DS game to play or should she fly her giant inflatable clown fish around for a few minutes. And Steven loves his upgrade to a 3DS, what can be better than playing your favorite games AND watch them jump off the screen at you. After it was ll said and done,the craziness of the day is well worth it. On Christmas day we head to my Aunt's for some awesome appetizers and wonderful family time. Mitchell managed to snag a few candy canes off their tree before I moved the rest to the back, then he discovered chocolate covered peppermint bark. Yum! Who can resist that? Caroline spent most of her time harassing my cousin's dog Lucy with Grace close by when she wasn't munching on yummy food. And of course Steven was hanging with his cousins. Surprising enough we stayed longer than 2other families who had places to go as well. Next, we drive to Steve's parents house for the Ivey festivities. Last year it only took Mitchell maybe 30 minutes to crack his head and we spent dinner time in th ER. This year we faired much better. Dinner was great as usual and other than Mitchell being told every 5 minutes to get off the railing it went smoothly. Oh and Mitchell did bust in on one of his aunts going potty and every snickered that she should have locked the door but if that was the worst then so be it. There wasn't any pants dropping or poopong incidents which was a huge relief and when Mitchell started getting restless it was time to open presents and that bought us a bit more time. We left while all the kids were still at 100% and ended the day nicely. Even for Steve and I it was great Christmas as far as gifts go. He surpised me with a Nook Tablet and I bought him a knife sharpener - I knew there was a conversation about dull knives in my future. Dad Ivey commented I should sleep with one eye open now, ha ha. And the kids gave daddy some techy gloves he can keep on while using his phone. I like it when we can think of useful gifts for each other that maybe we wouldn't have come up with on our own. Going into 2012 I can only hope our lives continue to get better. This past week I have created a list of priorities, and it's funny how they change so quickly, but the new year is a great time to start making changes.