“School”

So I know you’re all sitting on pins and needles wondering how our first day of our son-rise program went.  🙂  Well……….we’ve decided to postpone it for another week.  Gavin came down with a cold sometime last week which has him all out of sorts (always does when he gets sick), and our playroom is not quite ready.   Plus, we have a very busy weekend starting Thursday.  The lovely Saldanhas are taking the boys overnight, we’re “camping” with some friends on Friday night, and THOMAS is on Saturday!! (A lot of crazy fun for an easily overstimulated boy).  With everything going on, we decided that next Monday is best. 

BUT, we did have great training sessions last week with our volunteers.  I have to say we have such and AMAZING group of people willing to help us.  Gav’s going to be “typical” in no time! 🙂 We are all very excited to begin!

And yesterday, I got a call from ChildServe that Gav is finally off the OT waiting list!!  He starts on October 6th (the day after his birthday) and it will be the 45 minute time slot immediately following his speech therapy.  I was very glad that we won’t have another trip to make since we’ll already be there those days.  (PT is still yet to be determined). 

So, we’re taking this week to tie up some loose ends, set up the playroom, finish shopping for new toys/materials for school, get schedules organized, and most importantly, get healthy again!

An Apology

Dear Neighbors (and random Passers-by)

I would like to apologize for all the noise, screaming, drumming, crying, pounding, etc that comes out of our home between the hours of 6:30am and 8 o’clock pm.    I am grateful (as should you) that we live on three lots, otherwise, it would be that much louder for you.  

I would especially like to apologize for the “incident” that occured this morning before you (without children) were awake.   I had left my children in the extremely capable hands of their father so I could take a shower (uninterrupted) before church.  About 2 minutes into my shower, I heard all 3 children crying, and their father’s stern “discipline” voice.  It appears that my oldest pushed the middle onto the babe lying peacefully and happily on the floor.   The eldest has space issues and uses pushing instead of words to tell others to get out of his way.  The middle couldn’t help but fall on the youngest because he is ALWAYS right where the youngest is (he likes to “help” with all things baby related).

So, when you hear all these horrible sounds eminating from our home on a daily basis, please do not call DHS or the police.  The children are in no way being tortured, hurt, beaten, or anything else that those sounds may convey.   One of my children (or maybe both) does not know what acceptable indoor volume means, one is VERY dramatic about everything, one HAS to cry to communicate, and the father has been “using loud tools“.

I would be more than happy to buy you some earplugs, I’ve thought of wearing them myself.  And if your home goes up for sale, I will in no way be offended.  Please just warn the new occupants. 

My sincerest apologies,                                                                                                                                                                                                           Emily

Carly Fleischmann Is My Hero

My friend Bethany turned me on to this blog where this AMAZING video was posted.  I had heard about Carly Fleischmann last year but had never seen her or heard her whole story.  She is an incredible young girl with severe autism who was non-verbal until she started typing on her family’s computer.   Give yourself 10 minutes to watch this video.   Her words brought tears to my eyes.  She is beautiful inside and out. 

This gives me such GREAT hope for little Gavin.  He does not have nearly the limitations Carly has, but like Carly, he struggles with ways to communicate.  He so desperately wants us to understand and I know that through his Son-Rise program he will begin to be able to communicate his wants, needs, desires, and dreams.  I can’t wait to hear what he has to say!

One Week and Counting

We have officially one week before we start Gavin’s Son-Rise program!!  So…..this week is FULL of planning and prep work.  We are hosting a training for all our volunteers on Saturday, and throwing in a couple of other training sessions this week for those that can’t make in on the 19th.   I honestly feel like I could use a refresher course, so I’m getting nervous about trying to teach other people the methods.  (I guess that’s what I have Josh for-he’s the one who LOVES public speaking!) 

He and I spent the better part of last night evaluating Gavin so we can set very specific program goals for him.  That was so hard!   He is SO different in our home and with close friends and family than he is in the outside world.   At the end of the eval, we determined he is very much a stage 3 Son-Riser, meaning he’s mastered about half of the stages and still has two stages to go. 

My goal this week is to get his playroom/focus room all set up.  It requires me to go through all his toys and organize them into categories (yay!) and gather materials for activities (crafty things, bubbles, etc).  One of Gav’s biggest “play” issues is that he doesn’t pretend play very well.  He’s been doing a lot more of it lately, but still not much.  I am looking to gather costumes/play clothes for him to use in imaginitive play.  I’ve been checking out craigslist, but if anyone has any boy costumes/clothes we can borrow or have, please let me know! 

On top of everything else, Gavin also had a physical therapy evaluation today at ChildServe.  We are STILL on the waiting list for occupational therapy and his speech therapist suggested that we try PT while we wait for OT.  (Gav lacks muscle tone and avoids situations where he’s required to exert a lot of upper body strength, ie: monkey bars).   So it’s going to be a CRAZY life when he’s going for speech, PT, AND OT.  I’m just glad he loves it there so much.  Again, I can’t say enough about how wonderful everyone at ChildServe has been.  They are all such genuine and caring people.  We have had nothing but positive experiences there.

AND I just purchased tickets to see the ACTUAL Thomas the Train at the Boone Railroad at the end of this month.  Gav’s birthday is October 5th and I thought this would be a fun thing for our family to do since the boys are obsessed with Thomas right now.   We get to take a 25 minute train ride and meet a lot of the characters.  I’m really excited, I just hope Gav thinks it’s fun (and not too loud-he has a thing about loud noises lately).   I think (hope) this will be a nice end to his first official week of Son-Rise.  (And, we are most likely going to call it school because it’s just easier and more familiar to him.  So, if I mention school, that’s what I’m referring to).

I’m off for more prep work!

Brothers!

Gavin and Tate were chillin on my bed the other day while Liam was napping.  I caught some cute pics.  Are they brothers or what!!!  (And yes, my bed is not made).

 Liam LOVES to hold Tate, especially like this……just waiting for the day when he brings him to me.

Pretty sure Liam’s trying to figure out a way off the couch in this picture.