With the addition of FB to my life

I have experienced the loss of my blog. I apologize to my THREE followers. I hope you'll stick with me and come back to regular reading.

Much as happened in the past *gasp* three months. Not even sure where to begin:

• Henry got his tubes in July, noticed a big babbling explosion about 3-4 weeks later.
• Started Henry with Early Intervention. We have speech therapy for one hour every other week and therapy play group every week for one hour. An average of 90 minutes a week, I can handle that for now.
• Sam started kindergarten. We've gone from our zoned school for AM, to school of choice PM, to school of choice AM. VERY happy with our kdg teacher. Sam really enjoys her class, comes home talking about her every single day.
• Since school has started, I'm back to subbing.
• I've started a new hobby/job making "tec me blankets". I'll post that story tomorrow or Tuesday. In the middle of three right now.

It's tubes for Henry!

Yes, he's getting tubes. After being unresponsive to some low tones, but passing the tympanogram this morning, we met with the ENT. We discussed the recent EI and reactions to the antibiotics. He agreed with the pediatrician that tubes are the best route right now. So, Henry will get his tubes on the 24th of this month. I did ask the ENT to check Sam's tubes while we were there since he'd just had an EI as well. They're good. (makes me think the EI was connected to the croup he had last month)

So, hopefully, we can keep him EI free for the next two weeks.

Memories: the good, the bad, and the painful

When you move away, you get a fresh start. You can really be the person you want to be, the person you think you should become, without familial interference.

Moving back brings back memories.......so many memories. The good.....like getting to see old friends and reconnecting. The bad.....like I hate the bad roads and salt on my car. The painful....like remembering people in your life that you had tried to put out of your mind.

It's been a crazy couple weeks

I'll post some pictures later, but basically, Henry had reactions to three antibiotics this month. Amoxicillin, Omnicef and Zitrhmax. nice huh?

My poor baby had hives coming and going all because of a double EI. So, we're seeing the ENT on Monday to discuss tubes.

Sam is doing INCREDIBLE. Last week he walked intot he bathroom at Penney's, closed the stall door in my face, locking it, saying "I do it myself, mama". I damn near cried. He did it all by himself, well, except for getting his pants up all the way, but he tried. The next day he did the same thing at a restaurant & that time he did it start to finish by himself.

So much for my "delayed" chid. Not even 5 years old yet and thinks he's "man enough" to go potty publicly on his own. Yep, that's right, he thought he was even going to go into the boys' bathroom w/o me! Think again little man!

My favorite phrase lately is "use your big boy voice and your big boy words." Amazingly, it STOPS the whining and screaming. I know I know, I have talk calmly if I want him to! J/K

But seriously, it really does work. I also have been using a lot of Harvey Karp's techniques outlined in Happiest Toddler on the Block. Have I ever mentioned that man is a genius? I really believe it! The best part is that HTotB can be used at any age (even with husbands).

There's more to come tomorrow, with some details. Right now I think I have a graham cracker mess to clean up.

CHD (Congenital Heart Defects)

I'm dedicating this week to bringing information about CHD to the forefront of your mind. Why?

Because my friend, Amy, lost her little boy Jack to CHD on October 31, 2008. Amy and I met online through a popular public message board, then migrated over to a private board for those with children in the toddler age-range. Jack was just two weeks shy of his third birthday when he passed away. He'd be just a few months younger than Sam.

You can read more about Jack here at Golf 4 Jack or here Jack's Facebook page

Here's a link to what CHD is according to UM/CS Mott's Children's Hospital: click HERE

An update

Sam
40 pounds even (croup and an ear infection took a couple pounds off last month)

41" tall

Size 4 pants, 5T shirts and I'm fairly certain he'll need a size 11 shoe, if not 11.5

Just cut his hair for teh early part of summer. Probably the best haircut I've given him. He even sat still and did well while I used the mini clippers around his ears and on his neck.

His big thing right now is coming home on the bus saying "I had a great day at school mama." That's 8 words in one sentence. Not too shabby for a kid who two years ago could barely say 10 double-syllable words.

Famous last words? "I wanna be good mama" Yes, we all know you WANT to be good Sammy, but WILL you be good?

Still on the fence about what to do about the fall. Kindergarten or continuing the special ed pre-K program. I'm not interested in sending him to kdg just to send him to 1st grade next year. We know it would mean a repeat of kdg next year.

I'm probably just fairly disappointed we left Kissimmee last year and wish he had a similar program this year.

Henry
26 pounds (he's a chunky one)

31.5" tall

Purely in 18 mo clothing. Which kind of sucks because Sam went from 12mo to 24 mo in one season, so we're buying some things I was hoping to avoid. But at least that means the 24 mo fall/winter items I have will fit him later on. He'll likely be needing size 6 shoes soon.

You already know he's walking, better and better everyday. It's only when Sam starts running around him egging him on to chase him that Henry gets all excited, tries to run and well, is unsuccessful as he lands on his rear end.

We're contemplating a call to early intervention. Henry doesn't have any words yet, but he is communicating his wants, desires, and distaste. He'll give a kiss on command (to Papa or the baby in the mirror), he lets you know when he's finished eating/drinking by feeding the floor, and if he's in the play yard and you walk by, you had better acknowledge him or you'll have the screech of your life.

Us
Well, there's really not much to tell. Eric's restarted the process to join TSA here. He's working part-time for a big security firm, but again, it's just part-time and in reality it's "per diem". I view per diem work as feast or famine. You get work for a few weeks, then nothing for the longest time.

I've been applying for teaching positions as well as jobs with teh state of Michigan. It's not like it used to be though. Used to be able to take the Civil Service exam and then get on the roster based on your score. NOW? Now you apply and sit back and hope to God someone likes your application materials enough to send you to take the exam. All I really need is that chance to take the exam. I've tried three different temp agencies. Yeah, rather unsuccessful there. I have a part-time job, but it's just part-time and no opportunity for full-time or advancement.

My boys and I need me to find a full-time job. For so many reasons.

Henry's 12-step program