tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55016316274186795832024-03-13T19:30:00.269-07:00pink and chocolate milktraceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.comBlogger671125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-37952457392062909592015-10-15T11:59:00.000-07:002015-10-15T12:51:37.065-07:00these dayscaroline's school workload is pretty demanding for a fifth grader. i don't really even remember doing homework until middle school and even then it wasn't much. on average, she has 45 minutes a night. if it was up to me, she'd have none. i feel like she already has such a long, heavy day getting to school at 7:20am and not leaving until 4:30pm. that is a long day for anyone. some days she is able to get all of her homework done in after-school but some days she still comes home to do another 20-30 minutes worth. and this doesn't even include her supposed daily 20 minutes of reading and 15 minutes of viola. we skip that a lot (we, as in she skips it and i am ok with it). i'm not debating whether or not she can handle the load. i know she is more than capable of doing it, as i see she is. i'm debating whether or not i think the load is really necessary for a 5th grader. will this really change the outcome for her down the road of life? i have to hope so but i definitely can't say i think so for certain.<br />
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projects are something that she does once or twice a month. her last one was compiling a memory box from the battle of bull run. as far as research goes, she does not enjoy it. i think she is easily overwhelmed by the amount of information on the internet and is still learning to navigate the waters on legit vs fictional sites. when it comes to the visual aspect of any project, she is all about it. she loved decorating the memory box the most. she loves art and anything creative. and in true caroline spirit, she let her little sister help her out. in the end, she made a 100 on the project. she is a great student for sure. very dedicated.<br />
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the girls just this week discovered we have a backyard. <i>hey... where did that come from? </i>neither of them have ever been big on playing out there. mainly because bugs live out there. did you know that? these girls are screamers and runners when it comes to seeing bugs of any kind. i guess now that the cooler weather is here and the bugs are fewer and farther between, the girls feel like it is safe to play outside. two nights this week they have played outside on the playground for like 45 minutes at least. that is a record for them. and the husband and i were in the house (we can see them from the window of course). pretty sure mazie had a great time outside too. though she was a little sad that she couldn't make it into the clubhouse with them.<br />
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hadley was lucky last night because i forgot her leotard at home. this meant she was able to get a real, non-target brand leotard at the gymnastics center she takes at. and i looooove it on her. the picture isn't great because she refused to pose for me so i just snapped this up while she and caroline played. the ponytail was the icing on the cake. she is growing up too fast. can't believe she is 4 1/2 already. and happily wearing a leotard.<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-2292248015480582942015-10-06T12:33:00.000-07:002015-10-06T12:33:41.792-07:00our life ordinaryi know I used to document hads and her spd progress. then i stopped. now I'm going do it to again.<br />
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she's doing amazing. the thing I always mention is that big steps for her are normal for your average kid. I may share a pic of her in active pants and you'll be like, ok so what's the big deal? and I'll say, she's wearing pants, dude! that's it. that's the impressive part. or look she's wearing a hoodie! a tight, over the head, awkward-feeling hoodie. man, that kids impressive. buns! she's wearing buns in her hair. I tried for well over a year to get her to do this. can't tell you why she's ok with it now, but she is. that makes me smile. sneakers! she owns not one, but two pairs of nikes. she wears sneakers to school every single day. that, my friend, is positive progress.<br />
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fifth grade has been a tougher year for homework for caroline. i'd say on average she gets over an hours worth of work. that on top of an already long school day. i feel bad that she works so hard sometimes. as if she is missing out on more 10-year-old kid time than the average kid. the impressive thing is she does it all so well and without complaints. her study habits have really improved this year as well, resulting in high test scores. her hard work is admirable. i am so proud of her.<br />
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this was her cell project, which she made out of a cookie cake and lots of good candy! she made a 100 on this project.<br />
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sometimes, fun at our house actually involves science. we had a fun day sunday doing a few science experiments. the first one was a volcano kit from discovery kids which was an absolute bomb. didn't work at all and was a complete waste of money. then we went on to do some rain clouds out of shaving cream with food-colored rain coming through. and our all-time favorite that involves milk, soap, and food coloring. none of these experiments are hard to do and the girls absolutely love doing it! now i see why bill nye was such a hit. science can be cool.<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-59326408829030196262015-04-22T13:11:00.001-07:002015-04-22T13:11:49.117-07:00wordless wednesday<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ajnsv7vZPFU/VTgAeCArRlI/AAAAAAAAGi0/9dcz2UgyOqw/s640/blogger-image--1706317084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ajnsv7vZPFU/VTgAeCArRlI/AAAAAAAAGi0/9dcz2UgyOqw/s640/blogger-image--1706317084.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WUf_Gic_7w0/VTgAg8lq4_I/AAAAAAAAGi8/Juhyfgxe75I/s640/blogger-image-362779572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WUf_Gic_7w0/VTgAg8lq4_I/AAAAAAAAGi8/Juhyfgxe75I/s640/blogger-image-362779572.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AAMvPFLp4y0/VTgAbX6eXoI/AAAAAAAAGis/YzhvWBLBnGU/s640/blogger-image--1134768324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AAMvPFLp4y0/VTgAbX6eXoI/AAAAAAAAGis/YzhvWBLBnGU/s640/blogger-image--1134768324.jpg"></a></div>traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-9329920435544622292015-04-16T08:08:00.001-07:002015-04-16T08:08:26.603-07:00cabin life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
we were lucky enough to spend a few days of our spring break at this little, lovely cabin in north caroline and enjoy this beautiful view. it did take me a couple of hours to get used to the view as we were so high. i mean the driveway at this house had its own guardrail. that speaks volumes of it's elevation, right! the little cabin was the perfect size for all 11 of us, as we were with phil's parents and sister's family.</div>
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we all wanted to see this little white house one more time before it is torn down. it is super old, full of mold, and covered in asbestos but it also holds many fun, loving memories for phil's family. this little house was built by the girl's grandfather's grandfather. so you can imagine the years of history that fill those walls. though the girls won't remember it much, phil sure will and i am sure will miss it immensely.</div>
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one of the best things about this little house is the land it is on. it is surrounded by lots of big, beautiful trees, scenic views, and even has a little river across the street. it was fun seeing the kids be kids up here... running around barefoot, throwing rocks, walking in the river, jumping over the river, and all that good stuff that mountain life allows kids to do. i never expected to see hadley barefoot and walking into a creek full of mud while holding her dress up to keep it from getting wet. i also never expected the kids to be interested in seeing a decapitated copper head but they surprised me yet again. apparently they do love being one with nature. that is of course unless the wasps and bees were out, then they ran as if zombies were chasing them.</div>
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(note the bare feet here)</div>
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we are all lucky that my husband is an awesome cook. we had several good meals while here. dinner time was a fun time with all of us sitting around one big table, swapping stories and laughs, and just enjoying our time together.</div>
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(a serious game of candy land going on here)</div>
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this porch has amazing views. it was a lovely place to sit in the morning, rock, and watch the sun rise. hadley and mafra were enjoying the cool temps while playing on their iPads. who needs a view like that when there are games to be played.</div>
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i adore seeing all the kids play together. they are so lucky to have one another. despite little fights that may take place here or there, or sharing that may not want to happen, they love each other and really have fun together. they had a huge bucket of legos to play with and kept them busy for quite a while. another perk to this little cabin was a nice outside play/seating area. the adults were able to sit around the table or fire place, sipping on spritzers (our drink of choice which is fresca and white wine over ice) while the kids could run around, play, and work off some energy. it made for a few perfect evenings.</div>
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hadley was kind enough to take this picture right before we left. you can totally see what a beautiful place this is. look at that amazing blue sky! hope we do this trip again.</div>
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-36233303102479357142015-04-15T11:57:00.000-07:002015-04-15T11:57:05.250-07:00ten birthdays laterwelcome to double digits, caroline.<br />
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how did my first baby just turn 10? why does time continue to go by so quickly when it comes to my kids? i have seen her go from crying baby to silly toddler to independent, big kid to what she is now, which is an amazingly smart and thoughtful young lady. i can tell you that i had hopes and dreams for her from the minute she was born and she has surpassed so many of those already. she has created new hopes and dreams of her own and i love having the opportunity to share in those with her. caroline is beyond words. how so much kindness, love, concern, genuine thoughtfulness and intelligence can be wrapped up in to one long-legged, smiling girl is beyond me. i am just so proud of her and enjoy seeing her grow in to the amazing person she already is.<br />
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(zehn is german for 10... thanks, grandma, for the shirt!)</div>
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Caroline at the age of 10:</div>
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<li>is true to herself, knows what she likes, and goes with it</li>
<li>is in the 4th grade</li>
<li>is doing an amazing job at her new school and works hard for the good grades she get</li>
<li>is a string bean... tall and skinny</li>
<li>wears a size 4 shoe</li>
<li>is on a competition gymnastics team</li>
<li>is learning german and to play the viola</li>
<li>favorite shows are lab rats, jesse, and girl meets world</li>
<li>still loves taylor swift</li>
<li>loves to eat sushi</li>
<li>is learning to sew from her grandma</li>
<li>beats the boys at a basketball game called knockout</li>
<li>is a writer... to include songs and fictional short stories</li>
<li>is an avid reader</li>
<li>cleans her own room and is always helpful w chores</li>
<li>is a big marvel fan, with her favorites being capt america and iron man</li>
<li>is super stylish</li>
<li>great at doing her hair</li>
<li>always has rubber bands around her wrist "just in case"</li>
<li>sleeps w a retainer in</li>
<li>plays with ever after high dolls</li>
<li>makes her own oatmeal </li>
<li>drinks hot tea</li>
<li>still the best big sister ever</li>
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we celebrated her birthday with a dinner out with some school friends at a sushi restaurant.</div>
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i am so lucky to be her mom.</div>
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phil is so lucky to be her dad.</div>
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and hadley... well she just has no idea how good she's got it thanks to lb.</div>
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-7420384229771948512015-01-29T06:44:00.000-08:002015-01-29T06:44:56.234-08:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-72150891064978207902015-01-21T12:40:00.002-08:002015-01-21T12:40:50.355-08:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-15301267226490014372015-01-14T12:39:00.001-08:002015-01-14T12:39:15.114-08:00wordless wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-18337983330699662252015-01-13T09:01:00.002-08:002015-01-13T09:01:23.293-08:00two-gether<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
there are days when hadley instigates and caroline feeds in to it. there are days when hadley wants everything caroline has and believe it or not, caroline doesn't want to share. there are times when these two sisters just seem to bump heads over everything. neither can get their way with the other and neither wants to give in. sharing just doesn't sound like much fun. the other is just annoying. one wants to play and the other wants to watch tv. some days it just doesn't work out and they do not get along. such normal behavior for sisters.</div>
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the bright side is that there are other days. days when they absolutely adore each other. days when hadley wants caroline's anything and caroline willingly gives it to her. times when hadley idolizes her big sister and does exactly as caroline directs her to. moments when they are playing school and one gladly accepts the teacher position and the other the student. days when one builds up, the other knocks down, and no one gets upset. those are the days that make me smile the biggest. those are the moments when i realize why it was such an amazing thing for caroline to get a little sister. when i see how lucky hadley is to have such a thoughtful big sister to learn from. the days when they get along as sisters are the happiest days ever. </div>
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i love how hadley has caroline to look up to and how caroline has hadley to smile upon.</div>
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even if they just play side by side, it is still a sweet moment because they are together. these two are amazing independently but are extraordinary together.</div>
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during the good and the bad, these two will always have each other.</div>
<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-73233202247852423392015-01-07T11:48:00.000-08:002015-01-07T11:48:51.062-08:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-78533059932024423352015-01-06T10:15:00.001-08:002015-01-06T10:15:14.272-08:00new year, new posts, old newson wednesday, november 12th, 2014, caroline broke her ankle after landing wrong coming down from a box jump. at gymnastics, of course. 2014 was full of injuries. i would be so happy if 2015 was full of good health for my kids.<br />
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it was the end of class. i would guess no more than 5 minutes till quitting time. hadley and i were watching caroline from the waiting area. i turned to talk to hadley, then looked back at caroline, whose back was now towards me and she was on the ground facing her teacher. i thought they were having a conversation but i was way off. when caroline looked back at me, i could see her face was bright red and covered in tears. i ran to her with my heartbeat racing. she was grasping her ankle in pain and rocking back n forth. we tried to get her to ice it as the waterfall of tears streamed down both cheeks. she would not stand on it and i knew it was broken. believe me when i say her ankle looked all sorts of funky. i carried her to the car (all 60 lbs) and we went right to urgent care. i wish i didn't feel so familiar with broken bones. i wish it was something she had never experienced.<br />
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she was a trooper though. two days after her fall we went to see a pediatric ortho who confirmed it was broken. caroline was most upset not at the fact that she would have a cast for three weeks but it meant having a cast over thanksgiving break down in st. simons. what a bummer. she cried tears of a broken heart for the things she would have to miss out on... walks, runs, and bike rides. tradition for us at st. simons.<br />
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how cool was her cast though. stripes? yes, please! and the man putting the cast on was the kindest, full of life man. he went on to tell us how his 8 mod old daughter was currently in cancer treatment for wilms cancer. i was amazed at his positive attitude during such a difficult time. put the cast in to perspective for sure.</div>
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we still enjoyed our vacation. she even attempted to ride a bike on the driveway. it was short lived.</div>
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three weeks later she was cast free. another mark on caroline's timeline of injuries.</div>
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as the new year starts, i am still going to catch up on things that happened in the last few months. i don't want to forget some moments, as this blog acts as a memory book for me, the husband, and the kids.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>hello, 2015. </i></span>i hope you are full of fun and good health for both caroline and hadley.</div>
<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-14229730912292213442014-09-10T18:53:00.001-07:002014-09-10T18:53:57.975-07:00wordless wednesday<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AaxCRh1DOqY/VBEAqwoNFXI/AAAAAAAAGXc/f7Vtsd01Zx8/s640/blogger-image--329706972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AaxCRh1DOqY/VBEAqwoNFXI/AAAAAAAAGXc/f7Vtsd01Zx8/s640/blogger-image--329706972.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eiVnnmJ1il4/VBEAtAnLpcI/AAAAAAAAGXk/K3am1IKLSBE/s640/blogger-image--1187989989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eiVnnmJ1il4/VBEAtAnLpcI/AAAAAAAAGXk/K3am1IKLSBE/s640/blogger-image--1187989989.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Gov9TmQh06A/VBEAoabbG_I/AAAAAAAAGXU/EbDFiCUXkAs/s640/blogger-image--632022192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Gov9TmQh06A/VBEAoabbG_I/AAAAAAAAGXU/EbDFiCUXkAs/s640/blogger-image--632022192.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NkNYoj8d_Rk/VBEAmNn2geI/AAAAAAAAGXM/_RQDq8P2vz8/s640/blogger-image--1327905006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NkNYoj8d_Rk/VBEAmNn2geI/AAAAAAAAGXM/_RQDq8P2vz8/s640/blogger-image--1327905006.jpg"></a></div>traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-80910301547557300822014-08-27T10:52:00.001-07:002014-08-27T10:53:59.581-07:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-25239771830112056702014-08-25T08:34:00.002-07:002014-08-25T08:34:34.469-07:00our home salonhadley.<br />
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she makes me laugh.<br />
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yesterday caroline was the always-sweet-big-sister that bought hadley a surprise with her own money. it was a pink hairstyling set. hadley was super excited for us to try out the comb, brush, curlers, and hair dryer. so i set up a stool for her to sit on at our pretend salon.<br />
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me: "hadley, come downstairs to my salon and i will fix your hair for you," i say as i am pointing to the stool in front of me.<br />
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hadley: "and anyway mom, my hair isn't even <i>broken</i>."<br />
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that made me laugh.traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-66679044979523337932014-08-21T12:50:00.001-07:002014-08-21T12:50:43.821-07:00our life ordinary... the caroline sessionjust an update on the girls (individually because together made this post too long) at this point in their lives, on this thursday, aug 21st.<br />
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by the way, august is flying by. only a few days till september. it was a quick month.<br />
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<i>caroline</i>-<br />
she started her new school! and i have to say it is going so, so well. so much better than i anticipated. i am so thankful that she is a brave, social kid. i really think after the first five minutes in her new homeroom at her new school with all new students that she was at home. i love and admire that about her. i don't do near as well with change as she does. luckily her teachers are all wonderful and haven't bombarded her with too much homework yet. i'd say an average of 30 minutes so far. and for a school known for a lot of homework, we aren't complaining. german, it is going great. i love hearing her learn a new language. it isn't the softest language so we get a kick out of some of the sounds and words. though it hit me in the car yesterday when she was saying these words that i didn't know what they meant, that we are going to be in trouble come high school when she is able to have complete conversations with her friends and we will not have a clue as to what she is saying. hmmm... maybe german is in my future, too. i should mention that one new thing that took caroline by surprise at her new school is a male teacher. her homeroom teacher is a man and she has never had a man teacher before. it was pretty funny just how surprised she seemed... <i>maybe not in a good way though.</i><br />
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i am not being unrealistic here about the school year. i know it is going to get much tougher. i know the homework will get longer. i know the tests will get more difficult. i know the tears will come. i also know that this kid is equipped to handle it. she is up for the challenge. her competitive nature can be a curse, but a blessing as well.<br />
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and <span style="font-size: large;">no uniform</span>! it is working out so well for her. i love my sporty, stylish girl who is not afraid to mix skirts, with sweatshirts, with necklaces, with sneakers. she is fashionable. picking out her clothes the night before is really a great process so far that we really have to stick with. unlike last year, caroline wakes up at 6:20am now (last year was like 6:45), goes in the bathroom to get ready, then comes downstairs to eat breakfast. she does better knowing how much free time she has left after she is all ready. last year she took too much time watching a show while eating breakfast, leaving herself 10 minutes to frantically get ready. i like this way much better. less yelling and crying is always a better thing.<br />
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she also started team gymnastics at a new gym (did i mention she doesn't shudder with change). her last gym did not have team. the gym before that did not have hours conducive of working parents. so this new gym has the best of both worlds... later start times, weekend classes, and a team. this is the same gym that hadley takes gymnastics at on saturday mornings. caroline's gym schedule is wed & sat for 2 hours per class. they work these girls.... running, ab exercises, rope climbing. it isn't just jumps, balance, and twirls! it is real strength and endurance training, as well as the basics. last night was her first class and she was very exhausted. can't wait to see her start competing.<br />
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that is it on lb. as if that isn't enough.<br />
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<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-65299039252561848272014-08-21T12:50:00.000-07:002014-08-21T12:50:37.940-07:00our life ordinary... the hadley session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
hadley. hadley. hadley.</div>
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let me start off by saying that hadley recently decided to change her own name. i called her by her name last week, hadley gray. she quickly blurted out to me that her name is "hadley mae fortune." uhmmm.... what? i have no idea, none at all, where she got <i>mae</i> from? it isn't like she didn't know her name was gray. she knew. she just decided on her own accord that mae is a more suitable name for herself i guess. i just went with it. as a parent has to do.</div>
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so hadley had a bit of a rough week two weeks ago. i think she caught whatever bug is going around that is cough and congestion. unfortunately when this girl gets a cough.... she gets a COUGH. it keeps her up. it lasts for weeks. it involves multiple breathing treatments. fortunately this time around though it did not involve any hospital visits. that is always a treat. she is on the mend now and sleeping better at least. her cough reappears when she is too active but it is impossible to tell the girl to slow down. not in her vocabulary.</div>
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what else is going on with hads? on a positive note, the girl is wearing socks! what the what! socks you say. she surely is. so proud of her for yet another thing that she worked hard at with therapy and brushing, and was able to change. she is a force to be reckoned with. spd has nothing on her. she does what she wants to do when she wants to do it. that is just how this kid works. after having endured weeks of smelly feet, which was the direct result of princess light-up sneakers without socks, i think she just couldn't take it anymore. we went to target, she picked out "sport socks" as she calls them, and she wore them. and has worn them all week long. </div>
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look how cute she is in her socks. the sneakers are cute as well but only lasted one day. she hasn't put those things on since.</div>
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not sure why every time the camera comes out, this face does too? she prefers herself with a funny face i guess. again, i'm just rolling with it. hadley is hadley.<br />
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we discovered a new food last week that hadley likes. subs. how strange a food for very picky toddler to like but she does. she ate the entire thing up. bread, turkey, lettuce, mayo, oil, and vinegar. all of it. ate it up. even caroline was impressed with hadley's decision to eat a sub.<br />
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i mentioned in the caroline session that hadley does gymnastics. she takes it on saturday mornings and it is perfect for her. it is kind of "hard work" like her OT therapist recommends. she does lots of climbing, jumping, hanging, swinging, and stretching. it is a lot of fun for her. she has really taken to her coach, Coach Ryan. one day he wasn't there and hadley didn't even participate in the class. i think she is kind of the opposite of caroline with change, in that she doesn't really care for it.<br />
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so that is the update on hadley. making more and more strides each week, even if that week is a terrible week full of tantrums, yelling, kicking, crying, and hitting. she isn't perfect. she has bad days. she has really bad days. she can still always bring a smile to our faces.<br />
<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-66291321884499277282014-08-20T12:34:00.001-07:002014-08-20T12:36:28.065-07:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-19238202666914457262014-08-13T18:31:00.001-07:002014-08-14T13:08:07.681-07:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-3562858592712168382014-07-31T15:01:00.001-07:002014-08-20T12:37:04.497-07:00wordless.... thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-25271928546655357082014-07-23T18:33:00.001-07:002014-07-24T08:08:25.640-07:00wordless wednesday<br />
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-62624091371186375962014-07-23T12:22:00.002-07:002014-07-23T12:22:30.635-07:00back to backpacks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
we are counting down the days until caroline starts her new school. 19 in fact. summer has gone by so quickly. i am not complaining. i prefer the fall time, when schedules are routine, it gets darker earlier, and the flying bugs go away.</div>
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caroline and i are going school shopping next week with her cousins. as you can imagine, we are super excited about school shopping this year because the new school does not have a uniform. how awesome is that. this is a first for caroline. clothes purchased can now be colors other than navy, white, and red! she can wear jeans, tees, and active wear if she wants. so fun. can't wait to see what she ends up getting. though i have a feeling it will be mostly active wear. wish i could get jeans on the girl.</div>
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i took a peek online at backpacks just to get an idea of what's out there.</div>
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my favs for caroline are:</div>
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1.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6zog4CLeMI/U9ADVfj_8CI/AAAAAAAAGS0/OfQBixtfOCI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-22+at+2.10.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6zog4CLeMI/U9ADVfj_8CI/AAAAAAAAGS0/OfQBixtfOCI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-22+at+2.10.18+PM.png" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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5.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgvTSYyrlfk/U9ADTlq4wXI/AAAAAAAAGSU/ElcJ7rVK6XY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-22+at+10.39.31+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgvTSYyrlfk/U9ADTlq4wXI/AAAAAAAAGSU/ElcJ7rVK6XY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-22+at+10.39.31+AM.png" height="320" width="244" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=980070022&vid=1&locale=en_US&kwid=1&sem=false&sdReferer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gap.com%2Fproducts%2Fbackpacks-for-girls.jsp">camo gap</a> 2. <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=32580206&cp=4406646.4413993.12922070.4418830">polka dot under armour</a> 3. <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=32680586&lmdn=Brand&cp=4406646.4413993.12922070.4418830">purple patagonia</a></div>
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4. <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19937926&lmdn=Brand&cp=4406646.4413993.12922070.4418830">striped orange roxy</a> 5. <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19937916&lmdn=Brand&cp=4406646.4413993.12922070.4418830">striped pink roxy</a> 6. <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=33398466&lmdn=Brand&cp=4406646.4413993.12922070.4418830">blue quicksilver</a></div>
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7. <a href="http://www.pbteen.com/products/zio-ziegler-color-pattern-backpack/?pkey=cshop-backpacks&">multicolor pb teen</a> 8. <a href="http://www.landsend.com/products/solid-featherlight-large-backpack/id_254886?sku_0=::R4M">blue lands end</a> 9. <a href="http://www.vans.com/shop/denim-stars-realm-backpack-washed-denim-blue-stars">chambray vans</a></div>
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what i like and what caroline likes usually ends up being two completely different things these days. i will definitely share what she ends up with and we can see if it is anything close to my ideas above.</div>
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<br />traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-7288468403468589752014-07-19T18:04:00.001-07:002014-07-19T18:12:00.440-07:00feets in sneaksnot sure if it had to do with OT, or it was just the right time, or possibly because it was her own idea... whatever the reason, hadley wore sneakers all day today. sneakers! on both feet. rubber soles. velcro fasteners. a princess and lights. she wore it all. <div> </div><div>she asked me this morning for light up shoes like lauren (school friend) has. i said, "sure, we can get some today," thinking she'd either change her mind or forget. two hours later she asked again. so off to stride rite we went. i had no idea where else to get overpriced shoes w lights on them. as soon as we walked in i asked the sales clerk for the sneakers with lights. then i saw hadley point, without hesitation, to a belle pair. she tried them on and didn't take them off for the next five hours. she wore them out of the store. not her flip flops. </div><div><br></div><div>tomorrow will be the real test. i still have the receipt. today could have been a complete fluke but I really hope not. </div><div><br></div><div>people don't usually think twice about a child in sneakers. that's probably the most common, most popular shoe for all kids. as you know though, that's not the case in our house. so our kid wearing the normal childhood shoe is huge. such a great shoe for her to run free in, as a child does. a shoe that is so much safer on a playground to climb in. a shoe that is great for playing soccer in. and to her, it's just a shoe now that doesn't shake, is tight thanks to velcro, and happily sports fun lights when she takes steps. </div><div>it's just so exciting. </div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nzOWYK1oVZg/U8sVY4cO_4I/AAAAAAAAGRk/iWec3CfI43k/s640/blogger-image-1801698375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nzOWYK1oVZg/U8sVY4cO_4I/AAAAAAAAGRk/iWec3CfI43k/s640/blogger-image-1801698375.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">she didn't know i was taking her picture here or she probably would have removed the sneakers. with her, if you point anything out even in a positive way, she'll usually remove or undo whatever you're commenting on. so we've learned to not do this with her. it's very hard sometimes.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jfat-Ycyk2k/U8sVbqL5BFI/AAAAAAAAGRs/YlElNDpxlc0/s640/blogger-image--1014010528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jfat-Ycyk2k/U8sVbqL5BFI/AAAAAAAAGRs/YlElNDpxlc0/s640/blogger-image--1014010528.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OuYHXVpnj8E/U8sVWIEbAhI/AAAAAAAAGRc/FD9wyvIzPAE/s640/blogger-image--786521239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OuYHXVpnj8E/U8sVWIEbAhI/AAAAAAAAGRc/FD9wyvIzPAE/s640/blogger-image--786521239.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">we were headed out to a friend's 50th birthday party and she was still wearing her new sneakers. you can kind of see one poking out from under her dress. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">we will see what's to come of the sneaks on her feets ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">i will keep everyone posted </div>traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-2191450549324246142014-07-16T06:58:00.001-07:002014-07-16T17:40:59.258-07:00wordless wednesday<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J6sKcvMz8gA/U8aE_hw-FYI/AAAAAAAAGQ4/GQPZXB7peXQ/s640/blogger-image-1888983665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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our weekend was a super busy one that involved a lot of activity. on saturday, the girls and i hiked at the old roswell mill with my sister, brother-in-law, and their two kids. it was a beautiful but very exhausting hike. we've actually never hiked before but definitely want to do it again. i <i>need</i> to do it again and more often because there is nothing like physical work to smack you upside the head and tell you just how out of shape you are. and by you, i mean me. i am so out of shape. i was sweating nonstop and breathing pretty hard, and i don't think i saw caroline sweat or look tired even once. it was pretty sad actually. note to self- you need to exercise more! saturday evening we had my sister-in-law and her two kids over for some playtime. on sunday, the husband and the girls rode bikes at a park nearby our house. seeing how i don't have a bike, i was voted off that ship so i ran instead. i tried to keep up but that didn't last long because as mentioned before, I AM OUT OF SHAPE. after that, we swam. so a lot of activity indeed.<br />
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we did manage to get in a few sensory activities at home as well (i am counting the hiking and swimming as sensory work). the girls played with whipped cream on cookie sheets. in the past we have done this with shaving cream but thought the edible part of whipped cream would add some fun. hads took her time warming up to it. at first only putting her left pointer finger tip into it. then two fingers, still only the tips. then she tasted it and tasted it and tasted it some more. this was a first for her. she usually squeals at the site of whipped cream but i guess because she played with it first, it changed her view. now maybe we can start getting it on our milkshakes again? finally, hadley was able to get two whole hands in the mess. she wasn't crazy about it at all but she did it. it always helps when her big sister is involved and having fun, too.<br />
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i told caroline to "<i>smell</i>" the whipped cream. she fell for it! </div>
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they are so fun together</div>
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traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5501631627418679583.post-51950420734841926012014-07-11T12:42:00.000-07:002014-07-11T20:21:29.129-07:00all in a dayso i've been delaying a post about this for a while because i just didn't know where to start, how to write it, or what to say. every time i thought of a way to start out writing, it just didn't happen.<br>
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i am just going to type and see what comes out.<br>
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at hadley's 3 year well visit with her pediatrician i brought up my two concerns with hadley, which were her clothing issues (<a href="http://pinkandchocolatemilk.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-groundhog-kind-of-morning.html">read about that here</a>) and how she still puts everything in her mouth. both of which were issues in there own right. the clothing since she definitely doesn't dress weather appropriate and the mouth thing was a worry because i didn't want to see her choke on anything. she was putting toys, rubber bands, jewelry, coins, fingers, feet, etc in her mouth still, like a baby would. i didn't think that was the norm for a 3 year old. her ped recommended we get hadley evaluated by an occupational therapist. easy enough.<br>
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her first OT evaluation was 2 hours long. basically they had me fill out lots of questionnaires on had's behavior and they watched hadley do an array of activities from playing with beans, to finger painting, climbing, riding, and walking. all to see what she could do, how she did it, and what was her reaction when doing certain activities. her evaluation resulted in had's diagnosis of sensory processing disorder. i can say i was and i wasn't surprised by this. i really thought hads had issues with those two areas but kind of just thought that was all there was to it. once they said sensory processing, it kind of made sense. as i started to read up on it, i could see that she really fit into the category. a lot of the things that i just chalked up to being toddler behavior or hadley quirks were really indicative of this sensory issue.<br>
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obviously all of her issues with clothes, shoes, and "moutheness"(great new word) are a result of this and were of no surprise. how she doesn't like to feel certain textures on her skin, not liking clothes or her shoes to "shake," as she calls it, and not liking the way any bumps or strings feel in her socks are all issues of hads. as are pushing her pant legs and coat sleeves up. all of these things i could see how they put her into the spd category. it was things like walking on her tip toes, picking her nose till it bleeds(which she does nightly to put herself to sleep), not letting us kiss her, not being overly touchy-feely with us, bothered by certain smells (sadly, she was quick to tell me to look the other way in the morning because i smelled. nice, right), not liking loud noises and covering her ears with her hands in reaction to it, being a picky eater, not liking her hair brushed or styled in anyway that involved clips or bands, chewing on everything, forcefully and randomly crashing into me, hanging on me, and quick to tantrum when something is just "off" in her eyes are all things that hads does that are in line with spd as well. i am not sure why i did not put that together sooner.<br>
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hadley is about 4 sessions into her occupational therapy. we are learning a lot. we immediately started the wilbarger brushing therapy at home. of course her therapist taught us how to do this because i had absolutely no idea what to do. we were supposed to brush her arms, legs, and back every 2 hours and immediately follow that up with joint compressions. joint compressions could be done manually or simply by having her jump up and down. however, seeing how the husband and i both work full-time, we would brush hadley in the morning and then twice in the evening. we did try to stick to the every 2 hours of brushing on the weekend. we did it like this for the first two weeks. now we try to remember to do it a few times a day or even once a day when we are terribly forgetful parents. hadley really enjoys this brushing technique. i think it both soothes her and gives her the sensation her body craves. i am hopeful that this method will eventually improve hadley's clothing issues, which still exist. i don't expect immediate results but do see some positive changes already in her.<br>
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hadley is a sensory seeker so her OT involves a lot of heavy work like pushing heavy items(bin w beans in it), pulling herself on a scooter using her arms, bear crawls, crab crawls, rope climbs, and lots of jumping(floor or trampoline). all of these things give her body a sense of pressure on her joints that it seems to crave. her OT suggests hadley do these types of things everyday, aiming for at least one big stint of heavy work for 10 minutes. some days we hit the mark, others not so much. it just isn't ingrained yet and i don't naturally think to make my 3 year old girl do heavy work. then her behavior shows me otherwise. when she is quick to be mean or to have a tantrum, it is then i realize that she hasn't done any.<br>
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we are in the process of trying to get our playroom set up so that it is a place where hadley and caroline both get to play and have fun, but also suggests heavy play for hadley. we have a ball pit, slide, sensory table (which is a water table with dry pasta in it right now), and a ball to bounce on. my next additions to the room will be a swing and some scooters. i think in the end the room will be encouraging of active play, which both girls benefit from.<br>
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here is the thing though. i am nervous about sensory issues. i don't want my kid, who already has so many health issues, to have anything else major on her plate. i don't want her to have any long term issues with learning, making friends, or even eating. i don't want any other diagnosis to come along with this one because so many of the blogs i have come across show children with spd who also have either or both autism or adhd. i am selfishly praying that hadley's only other hurdle on top of her asthma and reflux is the spd. and i am holding out that OT will take care of a lot of these issues. maybe that isn't fair of me to say i don't want spd or anything else of the like since i know so many other families deal with so much more, but when it is my kid i am talking about, i don't want her to deal with anything. i want life, and all that entails, to come easy to her. i want to be able to understand her and what she thinks and feels. i don't want to have to guess like we do now with her asthma. if there are going to be issues, i prefer clear, concrete ones that have clear, concrete solutions. anything outside of that is just hard. <br>
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i don't think hadley's sensory issues let her stand out in a crowd. i think you'd have to spend a certain amount of time with her to see them but they are there and make things tough. one minute she is happy and laughing, the next she is full on tantrum and not very consolable. we really have a hard time distinguishing what is just basic 3 year old toddler behavior vs the spd thing. i do remember three being the hardest age with caroline when she was little so it does act as a good reminder that this age is generally tough.<br>
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i am a little overwhelmed by it all. i really want to set my kids up for success. here is why i am overwhelmed though... because there is just so much that you have to do and be great at for your kids to be their best. so normally on any given day as a parent i would have to encourage imaginative play, work with them on basics like numbers and letters, sing and read to them, paint, color, draw, write, glue, cut, trace, etc. that is a lot. now on top of that let's throw in hard work... so pushing, pulling, jumping, running, crawling, and climbing. and the brushing. also the normal daily things all kids have to do like eat, sleep, and basic hygiene. are there even enough hours in the day? how on earth am i going to accomplish this all in one day for two children? i am already drowning a bit and so, of course, fear i will fail the girls. and the worry. there is lots of that. i worry about caroline again. hadley requires more attention but caroline craves attention. i don't want her to ever feel left out or overlooked. man, this parenting stuff is the toughest thing ever. how do some moms make it look so easy. i can't hide it. it shows in my grey hair and wrinkles that i am overwhelmed.<br>
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but once i take a deep breath and step out of my pity party, i can somewhat see everything as a big picture type thing. i realize i just have to do the best i can for both girls one day at a time. that is the reality i need to live in. that is how the girls will both be successful as individuals.<br>
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back to hadley and spd, it stinks. wish it wasn't there. we are going to keep her with OT as long as we can, we will do heavy work with her at home, and we will wait and watch to see continued growth with and for her. we sure love this girl a lot, when she is happy, mean, funny, sad, angry, silly, whatever. she is an amazing package and we are so blessed to have her.<br>
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here is a first. may not look like much to your average eye, but to my eye i see a girl who is wearing two braids in her hair for he very first time ever. baby steps. yes, please!<br>
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<br>traceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10526987659812690090noreply@blogger.com1