So the early bird wake-ups continue. In a lot of other areas, Sam has been great, though he has violently shaken his head NO every time I have asked him if he wants to do work today. I know, you don't ask a kid whether they want to do work. But I do, and he usually says yes. It makes the whole experience more pleasant. Our home visit yesterday went okay...we had a good talk with Sam's one-on-one teacher, and she gave me some good pointers for doing work with Sam at home. Apparently he can spell from memory, so if I show him a card with a three letter word written on it, and then take it away, he should be able to type it. Sam was completely uninterested in doing work, either with me or his teacher. He squealed, screamed and cried (but did it anyway). I usually wait a while after school before asking him to do work to give him a break, so I suspect he was just DONE with school and work.
The thing is, he's been a little, um, out of sorts? Lots of crying, screaming and protesting (not the most we've ever seen, but more than our new normal). And it comes out of nowhere, and I don't know why. I think that's it. As frustrated as I am with hearing the noise, I am more frustrated from racking my brain to understand the cause. That's the worst thing about a non-verbal six year old. Sam can make his basic wants and needs known (food, drink, bathroom, TV, car ride, movie, car ride for food), but not so much his feelings. That is, I clearly understand that he feels agitated, but he can't tell me why. It's been like this since we've been back from VT. I know that he's doing more in school, that he's tired from early wake-ups, and that his teeth hurt (both front teeth are loose), but since he can't talk with me (notice I didn't say communicate) it is hard to connect or soothe on that level. Which is normal in a baby or toddler, but not a smart, complicated 6 year old. And that makes me feel sad. Because I can't fix it. And it reminds me of my limits as his parent. I can read him pretty well, but I can't read his mind. I can only guess where he's coming from.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Neglect
Dear Friends, I am so sorry to have neglected you this past week. I would promise that it won't happen again, but I'm sure it will. Life gets in the way. At least it is sunny today! I may have to break my two week streak of not exercising (does hiking the sleds up the hill for the kids count?). I did go skate skiing a couple of times last week, but nothing consistent, since The One Who Kicks My Ass At The Gym is on vacation.
Plus, there were the hamentashen my Mom sent (Triangle shortbread cookies with a filling oin the middle for the Jewish holiday of Purim. THREE BOXES of I don't know, six or eight. Because one box wouldn't have been enough. You have to have different kinds-choices. Raspberry, apricot, chocolate dipped. My favorite are the gluten-free hamentashen. A box of four, individually wrapped. Now we have done a gluten-free diet with Sam in the past, and have considered doing it again at some point. But my Mom is the most thoughtful person on the planet. If there is the possibility that Sam is doing a gluten-free diet, she wants to make sure he still gets to eat some hamentashen. Not that the kids even have a clue that we have been demolishing the cookies on our own after they go to bed. Actually, I had three for breakfast. If you eat things first thing, before you start the day, it doesn't count. Scientific fact. Also, I have no willpower, so I either have to give them away/throw them away, or EAT THEM UNTIL THEY ARE GONE. Since these are too good to give away or throw in the garbage, I am forced to eat them ALL. With M's help on the chocolate ones. Fortunately, they are small. And I am not eating the Gluten-Free ones. I have standards, folks.
Kids are doing well. Actually, The Little Person has been extremely WHINY. I volunteered in his preschool class yesterday, and as he clung to me and whined they said,
"You know he's not normally like this, right?"
AND
"Please send the other [The Little Person] tomorrow."
Oy. That one is killing me. He doesn't do that when M volunteers, as I pointed out to him. We had a great conversation the other day about what makes us "frustrated." I shared that being tired and hungry makes me frustrated, and maybe we could try to get him a snack or a rest when he feels frustrated. Frustrated, low blood-sugar, hypoglycemic, whatever. He also shared that he is scared of jumping off the platform at swimming, which we knew, but it was still good to hear him voice his concern. And when I told him after school yesterday that it makes me happy to see him play with his friends at school, since I get to play with him all the time, and that it worries me when he gets so upset, he told me,
"I worry about you too Mom."
Double Oy. Sam has been great, other than getting up with the birds. He and I have been doing computer work, and it's fun to see his progress already, even after a few weeks. He occasionally squeals when I push him to hard or change the routine (overachiever mom, if he's doing well, why not do MORE?), but he seems to tolerate my indiscretions. VERY loving and cuddly. Seems to need the love actually. He tried to turn everything off and go to bed before seven the other night, but we were firm. It does crack me up when he just decides it's time to call it a night and starts the bedtime routine on his own. But, FORTY-FIVE MINUTES EARLY...I don't think so. So we employ tactics such as making it The Little Person's job to keep him awake (which he loves), forcing him to watch television with us, and encouraging him to swing (there's a swing in the doorway to his room).
For the past week he's been making us read The Magic Dreidels. Every night. The thing is, he picks it and then rushes impatiently through the pages, not even letting us finish reading. Not that that is always a bad thing. Sometimes it makes it go faster...
Today Sam has a home visit. It will be our last one for the next six weeks while he does a series of speech therapy sessions at Children's Hospital (his teacher will be participating, as will his parents). Hopefully this will help us all to use the technology we have available to help him communicate and do his best work.
We are re-motivated to finish up some house projects, like the basement and pantry, which entails a trip to the unfinished wood store in town. Till tomorrow (or soon after?)...
Plus, there were the hamentashen my Mom sent (Triangle shortbread cookies with a filling oin the middle for the Jewish holiday of Purim. THREE BOXES of I don't know, six or eight. Because one box wouldn't have been enough. You have to have different kinds-choices. Raspberry, apricot, chocolate dipped. My favorite are the gluten-free hamentashen. A box of four, individually wrapped. Now we have done a gluten-free diet with Sam in the past, and have considered doing it again at some point. But my Mom is the most thoughtful person on the planet. If there is the possibility that Sam is doing a gluten-free diet, she wants to make sure he still gets to eat some hamentashen. Not that the kids even have a clue that we have been demolishing the cookies on our own after they go to bed. Actually, I had three for breakfast. If you eat things first thing, before you start the day, it doesn't count. Scientific fact. Also, I have no willpower, so I either have to give them away/throw them away, or EAT THEM UNTIL THEY ARE GONE. Since these are too good to give away or throw in the garbage, I am forced to eat them ALL. With M's help on the chocolate ones. Fortunately, they are small. And I am not eating the Gluten-Free ones. I have standards, folks.
Kids are doing well. Actually, The Little Person has been extremely WHINY. I volunteered in his preschool class yesterday, and as he clung to me and whined they said,
"You know he's not normally like this, right?"
AND
"Please send the other [The Little Person] tomorrow."
Oy. That one is killing me. He doesn't do that when M volunteers, as I pointed out to him. We had a great conversation the other day about what makes us "frustrated." I shared that being tired and hungry makes me frustrated, and maybe we could try to get him a snack or a rest when he feels frustrated. Frustrated, low blood-sugar, hypoglycemic, whatever. He also shared that he is scared of jumping off the platform at swimming, which we knew, but it was still good to hear him voice his concern. And when I told him after school yesterday that it makes me happy to see him play with his friends at school, since I get to play with him all the time, and that it worries me when he gets so upset, he told me,
"I worry about you too Mom."
Double Oy. Sam has been great, other than getting up with the birds. He and I have been doing computer work, and it's fun to see his progress already, even after a few weeks. He occasionally squeals when I push him to hard or change the routine (overachiever mom, if he's doing well, why not do MORE?), but he seems to tolerate my indiscretions. VERY loving and cuddly. Seems to need the love actually. He tried to turn everything off and go to bed before seven the other night, but we were firm. It does crack me up when he just decides it's time to call it a night and starts the bedtime routine on his own. But, FORTY-FIVE MINUTES EARLY...I don't think so. So we employ tactics such as making it The Little Person's job to keep him awake (which he loves), forcing him to watch television with us, and encouraging him to swing (there's a swing in the doorway to his room).
For the past week he's been making us read The Magic Dreidels. Every night. The thing is, he picks it and then rushes impatiently through the pages, not even letting us finish reading. Not that that is always a bad thing. Sometimes it makes it go faster...
Today Sam has a home visit. It will be our last one for the next six weeks while he does a series of speech therapy sessions at Children's Hospital (his teacher will be participating, as will his parents). Hopefully this will help us all to use the technology we have available to help him communicate and do his best work.
We are re-motivated to finish up some house projects, like the basement and pantry, which entails a trip to the unfinished wood store in town. Till tomorrow (or soon after?)...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Four Kids and Counting
Tonight's guests have brought the total up to four kids and five adults. I can bet on who'll be up the eatliest.
Great day. Went out to lunch. Kids tolerated the Brewery very well. Babysitter Extraordinaire and M took the kids snowmobiling and sledding. I went for a ski and a poke into town. Lovely Neighbors arrived tonight, so we have a full house. Two more days of fun before we go home. Maxing and Relaxing.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go...
Sam did a fantastic amount of work today. Three sessions of typing twelve words. After the second one, he took a break to swing, and I was chatting in the kitchen with Grammy. Apparently, I had neglected to put away the snack box, because Grammy saw Sammy snacking from the box! He definitely made a dent in the supply, which I will have to re-stock for his teacher (she lent us her box over the vacation), but he was more than willing to do another set of work after a SLIGHT reprimand. Silly Mommy-smart kid!
Yesterday was a fantastic eating day. Lunch at Simon Pearce (Butternut Squash Bisque with mixed greens and a Sparkling Pomegranate cocktail, and The Woodstock Inn for dinner with M (thanks Grammy for the date night!). Plus, I kicked ASS in Rummy Kube. I think I won four games in a row. I found a great basket for firewood at Simon Pearce made of reclaimed wood and my MIL found an extra large wooden bowl (think long rather than circle-round) for us here at the farmhouse. It's going to look great on our kitchen table. Sam has been tucking Puppy in under the covers on me and asking me to hold Puppy while he swings. It's really very sweet, even if the little bugger is a little stinky. Waiting for Babysitter Extraordinaire to arrive. Kids seem like they need to go outside or maybe leave the property today. M and I will probably switch off our various types of skiing, and there will likely be more sledding and/or snowmobiling.
The only negative is that Sam continues to wake at ungodly hours despite our best efforts to avoid naps and early bedtimes (ie: Sam passing out on the couch before 7PM). It makes the one who gets up with him grumpy or non-functional without a nap or LOTS of coffee. He GOES to sleep easily, and mostly stays asleep, so it's mainly the early hour that is killing us. Sammy Noodles is requesting the computer, so I guess it's time to start the day...
Yesterday was a fantastic eating day. Lunch at Simon Pearce (Butternut Squash Bisque with mixed greens and a Sparkling Pomegranate cocktail, and The Woodstock Inn for dinner with M (thanks Grammy for the date night!). Plus, I kicked ASS in Rummy Kube. I think I won four games in a row. I found a great basket for firewood at Simon Pearce made of reclaimed wood and my MIL found an extra large wooden bowl (think long rather than circle-round) for us here at the farmhouse. It's going to look great on our kitchen table. Sam has been tucking Puppy in under the covers on me and asking me to hold Puppy while he swings. It's really very sweet, even if the little bugger is a little stinky. Waiting for Babysitter Extraordinaire to arrive. Kids seem like they need to go outside or maybe leave the property today. M and I will probably switch off our various types of skiing, and there will likely be more sledding and/or snowmobiling.
The only negative is that Sam continues to wake at ungodly hours despite our best efforts to avoid naps and early bedtimes (ie: Sam passing out on the couch before 7PM). It makes the one who gets up with him grumpy or non-functional without a nap or LOTS of coffee. He GOES to sleep easily, and mostly stays asleep, so it's mainly the early hour that is killing us. Sammy Noodles is requesting the computer, so I guess it's time to start the day...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunny Day With New Snow
So yesterday it snowed about 5 inches and it looks MUCH prettier. Today is sunny, and we are expecting MORE SNOW! Since the track for skating (skate skiing) isn't groomed yet, my MIL and I are taking a field trip to the mecca of Simon Pearce, home of really nice glass (blown on site) and pottery. Also, one of my very favorite restaurants. I had originally planned to take Babysitter Extraordinaire there to scout out a wedding gift (by seeing what things she liked), but since she's not coming for long enough we'll go back together another time.
On another note, The Little Person makes up stories A LOT. They often start out," When I was a little baby..." or " My Grandpa used to..." or "When I was a little baby my Grandpa used to dress me up in a troll costume (true story from today)." Sometimes they are cute and we indulge the fantastic imagination, and sometimes I get concerned about whether he knows truth from fiction. Sometimes he talks about our dogs from Alaska, Loosy and Kramer, coming to visit on a specific day. Even though Kramer is in a canister in the pantry and Loosy got adopted *what I choose to believe* by a nice family in Juneau. Also, he calls my Dad, "Poppa," or "Pop," so one would assume he meant M's Dad when he refers to Grandpa. Except M's Dad passed away a year and a half ago. One time he talked about "his baby" coming to sleep in his room (this is after he asked for a baby sister on our Thanksgiving trip to CA), and when I asked if he wanted a baby doll for Christmukkah, he said,
"No, but that would be a nice toy for my baby."
Who was going to sleep in a crib, in his room. Anyway, I think he knows he's making things up, but I'm not sure where to draw the line and check in with him about the truth of the stories. When we discuss notaliveanymore Grandpa (or his Great-Grandfather, my Grandpa, who has also [passed), then he goes around telling everyone about his Grandpa.
"He died," he says.
As Ms. C at his school says,
"After the seventh time, I'm like, we get it, he's dead!"
I know it's common for kids this age to be fascinated by death and talk a lot about it, but I'm not sure he even knows what it means. He told me once that his Grandpa was dead but he was going top the hospital and the doctor would fix him. That lead to an interesting conversation.....,
Sam has been doing GREAT work on the new laptop. For the last two days we have gone through typing a series of twenty-four words. After each twelve, he gets a five minute break to swing. I have the words written on an index card, and he types them, presses the space bar and VOILA the computer says the word and (when it wants to) shows a picture of the word. We have taken pictures of most of the family members (still need to do Grammy while we are with her) and Puppy (beloved stuffed friend) and the software comes with a number of words with picture representations. I keep having to add new words to our list, and at first I say the letters and at the beginning was helping him find them on the keyboard, but now if it's a word he's seen before (and often when he hasn't), he can hold the card, point to each letter, find it, and push the letter , then space bar at the end. After each word he gets a token for his board (twelve total) and to pick a snack from the box (which has about twelve option, but everything is broken into tiny pieces so he's not eating a ton). He knows how it all works and can manage almost all of it by himself. My plan is to do a little bit everyday, increasing vocabulary, moving towards sentences, and the amount he can do by himself.
It's really satisfying for both of us, I think. Yesterday he chose not to take a break and keep doing work! I can't wait until the other software I ordered comes. We've also done a session with The Little Person, actually M did, because I found it too frustrating (pushing the same button really hard or multiple times-general not listening). I think it's good for both of them, and plan to look into educational software specifically for The Little Person.
The doorway swing we brought to VT ROCKS, and is really making a difference in Sam's behavior. He had a great time sledding and snowmobiling yesterday, and when he and I were alone outside he was totally manageable and even somewhat independent (carried his own sled). Plus, the sled holds up to 175 pounds, so every once in a while I swing by and SWING!
On another note, The Little Person makes up stories A LOT. They often start out," When I was a little baby..." or " My Grandpa used to..." or "When I was a little baby my Grandpa used to dress me up in a troll costume (true story from today)." Sometimes they are cute and we indulge the fantastic imagination, and sometimes I get concerned about whether he knows truth from fiction. Sometimes he talks about our dogs from Alaska, Loosy and Kramer, coming to visit on a specific day. Even though Kramer is in a canister in the pantry and Loosy got adopted *what I choose to believe* by a nice family in Juneau. Also, he calls my Dad, "Poppa," or "Pop," so one would assume he meant M's Dad when he refers to Grandpa. Except M's Dad passed away a year and a half ago. One time he talked about "his baby" coming to sleep in his room (this is after he asked for a baby sister on our Thanksgiving trip to CA), and when I asked if he wanted a baby doll for Christmukkah, he said,
"No, but that would be a nice toy for my baby."
Who was going to sleep in a crib, in his room. Anyway, I think he knows he's making things up, but I'm not sure where to draw the line and check in with him about the truth of the stories. When we discuss notaliveanymore Grandpa (or his Great-Grandfather, my Grandpa, who has also [passed), then he goes around telling everyone about his Grandpa.
"He died," he says.
As Ms. C at his school says,
"After the seventh time, I'm like, we get it, he's dead!"
I know it's common for kids this age to be fascinated by death and talk a lot about it, but I'm not sure he even knows what it means. He told me once that his Grandpa was dead but he was going top the hospital and the doctor would fix him. That lead to an interesting conversation.....,
Sam has been doing GREAT work on the new laptop. For the last two days we have gone through typing a series of twenty-four words. After each twelve, he gets a five minute break to swing. I have the words written on an index card, and he types them, presses the space bar and VOILA the computer says the word and (when it wants to) shows a picture of the word. We have taken pictures of most of the family members (still need to do Grammy while we are with her) and Puppy (beloved stuffed friend) and the software comes with a number of words with picture representations. I keep having to add new words to our list, and at first I say the letters and at the beginning was helping him find them on the keyboard, but now if it's a word he's seen before (and often when he hasn't), he can hold the card, point to each letter, find it, and push the letter , then space bar at the end. After each word he gets a token for his board (twelve total) and to pick a snack from the box (which has about twelve option, but everything is broken into tiny pieces so he's not eating a ton). He knows how it all works and can manage almost all of it by himself. My plan is to do a little bit everyday, increasing vocabulary, moving towards sentences, and the amount he can do by himself.
It's really satisfying for both of us, I think. Yesterday he chose not to take a break and keep doing work! I can't wait until the other software I ordered comes. We've also done a session with The Little Person, actually M did, because I found it too frustrating (pushing the same button really hard or multiple times-general not listening). I think it's good for both of them, and plan to look into educational software specifically for The Little Person.
The doorway swing we brought to VT ROCKS, and is really making a difference in Sam's behavior. He had a great time sledding and snowmobiling yesterday, and when he and I were alone outside he was totally manageable and even somewhat independent (carried his own sled). Plus, the sled holds up to 175 pounds, so every once in a while I swing by and SWING!
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