Update

It has been a busy couple of months in our home. We saw the Pediatrician this week and he is thrilled to see such amazing progress with Ginja in the last six months! Dr told her that her smile lights up his office everytime she comes in. School will be complete in a month, where has time gone? We are starting to plan our gifts for our teachers and EAs. Coco has definitely hit the terrible twos, and we are working with lots of redirection. The positive is that she is talking more than ever and shows no symptoms of Autism. Lil man has been practicing football and hopes to join a team next year. We are looking forward to  a warm and fun filled summer. 

This year so far

I know it's been a bit since our last update. So much has been happening. 

I first want to touch base on a topic near and dear to my heart, child elopement. Recently in the news there has been a lot of coverage here in Ontario due to a 3 year old boy escaping his grandparents apartment and freezing to death. A lot of people criticize these parents and I want to start by saying I am so sorry for your loss. As a parent of a child who elopes, death or injury is one of our biggest fears.  Some people have voiced opinions about  this topic and I won't justify any of their opinions. As a parent of a child who elopes we take all actions to ensure Ginjas safety. Extra locks, all windows locked, we even received permission to put a lock on the exterior of her bedroom door. That lock lasted one night because she ripped the lock right out of the door during a meltdown. I have personally slept in her room with the mattress against the door because I need sleep. I rarely have a full nights sleep because melatonin is no longer working for her and we don't see the Pediatrician until  May and then I can ask for something else to help us. A parent of a child who elopes always lives in fear because they have left the safety of their homes before and it's terrifying. We play all the what ifs what if she crossed the road into traffic what if she went this way instead of that towards water. I could write everyone of our concerns but I think most parents can understand the fear. Our Ginja eloped one week ago, it was scary and she was not harmed thankfully. So before you judge these parents, just think before you speak this is already hard enough to deal with, at the end of the day they have lost their precious child.  

 

Pre-Christmas Update; Love and Loss

I sit here staring at this laptop and wonder where to start.
Christmas is a hard time for me, it was my mom's favorite holiday, and it depresses me. If she were alive, she would make the biggest deal of Christmas, the house would be decorated. Did I mention I haven't even put up my Christmas lights and it is the 8th of December. I usually put them up with the kids so they still get the experiences. We haven't put up any decorations or tree, and no gifts have been purchased. Last year the house was decorated by now, and all the gifts were wrapped. This year was different. My new husband and I were happier than ever, our first Christmas as a married couple. We were surprised to find out we were expecting. Let me give you a little history, We have the three kids Lil Man-10, Ginja-3, Coco-2 and my tubes were tied with Coco's C-section. So much to our surprise we were having another baby! We were planning to wrap our first ultrasound picture up to surprise the Grandparents and a surprise it would be. I was in the spirit, this baby was meant to be. We were meant to have another baby, against all odds. And then in a blink of an eye it was over, we had levels tested and they were on their way down and then by the end of that week, my body had confirmed what we hoped was an error. We were reminded that life happens so fast and life changes in the blink of an eye. So this Christmas means that much more, we decided to let family know about our excitement and our loss, and we want to celebrate this year. We will celebrate Life and Love.

MARRIED

What a weekend, I married the man of my dreams and the father of my children. We had a little rain in the morning, supposed to be good luck so we will have to see. We had a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends, amazing food and drinks with some enthusiastic but awkward dancing. 

 Ginja is at school from entrance time until 11 and we will follow this for two weeks. She has a new EA and we were not able to say goodbye to her old EA and are definitely missing her. I am not keen on the new EA but let's give her some time she doesn't know Ginja and her tendencies. Ginja did escape from the EA while I was talking to her teacher, so I  hoping this keeps her on her toes! Keep ya posted

Ginja and school

I can't say I have seen a child love school as much as Ginja does. Currently we are integrating her, so Mon-Fri she attends from 9:40-10:40 am. She loves her EA which I was terrified if they didn't click. Already they have sent home paintings and she talks of playing with play doh. Her EA was impressed on how well she has been behaving and her skills in cutting play doh. School hasn't seen a full on meltdwown yet, I hope they are prepared for what is to come when she is there full days and is completely comfortable. The new school was supposed to open in September, then October and now the update is for January 2015, so I am just going to come to terms that it won't be until the following school year and move on from the excitement of the brand new sensory room and security measures that school would have held and now just working with the school to ensure the best security of Ginja. This is why she starts 20 mins after the other children and doesn't go out for recess yet. Even when she is sick she has asked to go to school! So we are hoping to keep her excitement up through the year and the next exciting bit will come with the new school. She is having a hard time understanding why she is going to Lil Mans school but he isn't, as they separated by grades instead of individual schools as they thought the kids would be in by thanksgiving. Lil man catches his  bus at 7:40 and is back at 3:30sh give or take dependant on the base traffic. Ginja is excited to watch for him to come and every bus she sees belongs to him. Lil Man joined the track and field team this year so early morning practices have me running all over. 

It just hit me that I am getting married in two weeks! I have so much to accomplish!! I have to finish my seating plan, card vintage suitcase, centrepieces (will preassemble) some extra flowers, waiting for grooms ring to get here, reorganize the house for all of our guests and a huge grocery shop!! I am excited but a little stressed as to all that I have left!!! 

Labour Day Weekend

Wow, where has summer gone? Well weather wise it hasn't felt a lot like summer here so it doesn't really sink in except that all the kids are home. On Tuesday Lil Man is back to school!! He will have to catch the bus and go to a separate school than his sister. Hopefully by Thanksgiving weekend the new school will be ready to accept all students. Ginja will start on the 8th with a staggered start. We also agreed with the principals that slow integration will be best for Ginja. She will start with one period per day and eventually we hope by Christmas that she will be full time. Then Coco will be the only one home and it will really set in that my babies are growing up. I think that's every parents fear is to realize how fast it goes and that their wee ones are growing up. So some of the school supplies were ruined by Ginja so need to replace those items, and we just realized that it's 6 weeks until we are married! So much to finish and it's such a short time, starting to freak out a little that it might not all be done in time, so finish my weekend housework and then to creating. Have all the flowers to make and some new additions that I hadn't planned on having but some ribbon roses, saw an amazing video tutorial and made one trial this morning. Also the bouquets, table settings, welcome bags, favours, kids activity book and the kids special utensils and a final dress fitting, and the grooms ring, since we bought him one made him try on that it fit and he got a reaction from the metals :( so I hope I have time to post  the tutorials, some new games and sensory items we have purchased so stay tuned....

Busy summer

We have been super busy this summer, kids playing in the water, lots of park time, family visits and lots of appointments. We are also prepping Ginja for school, something I had planned to be easy. I can't say she has been too hard to accept the idea of school but changes again with the school board put a loop hole in the plan. The new big school isn't going to be ready for first day of school and we are looking towards thanksgiving before it's ready. What does that mean to us? Lil man and Ginja were supposed to attend the same school but now will be attending two different schools. A change in our social story and hoping the adjustment isn't too hard for her. She was looking forward to going to school with her brother. I was prepared to drop them both off at school, now Lil man is being bussed and I am dropping Ginja off at school. The school she will be going to is now uncharted areas for her, we don't know if they will have a sensory room to help her, how the day will be different from the way it was supposed to be at the new school and then we will have another transition to face when the new school is finally ready. When I leave for work which is part time hours, Ginja is having a really difficult time with me leaving telling me "no leave me" which breaks my heart but I have to help contribute to our home and I have to help her accept she will be leaving mommy come September. 

A little bit of mischief when she was supposed to be going potty, while I was getting dressed. Ginja has taken a huge step in potty training now telling us when she has to pee, most of the time and actually peeing on the big toilet with a child insert. We are asking regularly if she has to go and I got her to poop just one time because I caught her sneaking away to go in her diaper. We have tried using knickers but she will pee through and not care, unlike other children she doesn't care if she is wet. Often she will jump in the sprinkler or into a kiddie pool fully clothed and not be affected. Her feeling of cold and hot are completely different from us. I can fill the sink with hot water for dishes and she is fascinated with bubbles, I use rubber gloves it's that hot and she can just stick her hands in and not notice it's hot. 

Her newest fascination is fishing, a girl after her daddies heart. She has a life jacket because she has no fear of water and will go right to the edge. We bought her a fishing rod just for her and then put an angry birds fish keychain on it so no hooks and she tosses it just like her daddy. She is also our child that is mechanically interested wanting to help her daddy change brakes, tires whatever job he is working on. Coco isn't far behind watching, observing and occasionally getting her hands dirty. Coco's speech is slowly coming along and we will be performing an ASQ in September with infant and child development, to figure if her actions are mimic of her sister or if we need to follow her for Autism as well. 

Daddy has been having some rough times, traumatic brain injuries don't heal like a broken leg or a strained muscle. It's been quite the adventure with drs trying different medications to no medication at all that was a horrible week, detox and pain to receiving physio and a follow up at the end if this month. 

Lil man is learning to cook, exciting and scary for me!!! He just brought out his first batch of pancakes a little crispy on some but not overly bad, so I'm going to enjoy them and will catch up with you soon.