Headed Out...

I am headed out for a night away with my friend Erin and her son.  Destination...

Image from Google

We're going to Crested Butte.

I can't wait!  We haven't gone anywhere overnight since the big trip to Disneyworld, so it's time.

I wish Gunner and Em were here to enjoy it.

I still have to finish packing, clean out the car, get gas, and hope that the GPS knows the way.

I'm sure I'll take lots of pictures, and we are hoping that we can find some snow and get some sledding in, which means an additional 50 pounds of clothing and equipment. 

By the time you read this, hopefully we are on the road.  A road trip with a 2 year old, 4 year old, and an Abs.  It will be an adventure...

Junior & Potty Training

Those words shouldn't even go in the same title, as they just aren't happening.

The doctor told me to lay off, and I have been.  We went back to pullups and I haven't really pressed the issue.

Preschool doesn't feel the same way, and they put a lot of pressure on him.  One teacher in particular, who has to be all of 19, is on his case to potty train.  Bottom line......Junior can't stand her, and I don't push that either.

Well the lead teacher decided that my sweet boy needed to have a behavioral therapist come to observe him.

My response?  Bring.it.on.  I know he's stubborn (like his dad).

She came to observe him, and brought along three interns.

What did they find????  NADA.  She said he was so excited about learning, was inquisitive, curious, and even though he was wiggly, it was well within the typical range.  She said that he had already created techniques to control himself, which she doesn't see a lot of at 4 years old--i.e. putting his hands in his pockets to keep from taking something or sitting on his hands during circle time.  She thought he exhibited characteristics of a gifted child, and that she thought the pace of the preschool was probably too slow for him.  (I agree that I could probably find a better preschool other than the free one through the school district, but when your kiddo isn't potty trained, they aren't an option. Sigh.)

The behavioral therapist could not find anything wrong with him other than he was not potty trained, and that this one particular teacher had gotten into a power struggle with him over it, and it made it worse.

They (the teachers) insisted something was up.  They sent her in to observe again.  Once again, rave reviews, and now the behavioral therapist is in love with my boy.

So what's the end result?  She did suggest play therapy to get him to work on the potty training.  I looked at her like she must be smoking something if she thought I had time for another appointment with all of Abbie's stuff going on.  She is now coming to the house and working around my schedule.

Heck, if they can get him potty trained, I am all for it.  Goodness knows we have tried everything else, so maybe they can get through to him.  Plus the behavioral therapist is great, and I really like her.

Wish them luck, and wish me a diaper free time for the first time in about 13 years.

Gunner

I'm missing this guy. A lot.

Em goes to Japan

I figured I better set a post for tomorrow before Abs did something else I had to blog about.

Last Saturday I took my mom and Em to Denver to fly out on their Japanese adventure.  We stopped to feed the hungry lions, and my mom realized that she had forgotten her purse with their passports, id, tickets, etc.

We drove an hour and a half back, and thankfully my mom had her car and made the return trip and did the extended parking, because it was after 9 pm and I was pooped!  Abs and Junior wouldn't have made it much longer in the car either.

Now Em is safely in Japan, and from the sounds of it having the time of her life.  They immersed themselves in the teen scene the first two days, and have now started their cultural tour of Japan and will even spend 5 days in Okinawa.  I'm totally jealous!

What an amazing experience for her!  I also got some pictures of her eating with chopsticks, and she claims it is her strong fingers from texting that allow her to use them correctly.

I can't wait to hear more about her trip and see all the pictures.  Maybe one day I will make it over there!

Where do you shop?

For Abbie, I shop at the thrift stores, or only on deep clearance.  Why????

Last week it was a pair of jeans colored in black marker.

Today she got a "snag" and then there was a strong wind.  Glad I wasn't around for that.

Just to make sure you aren't seeing things...

I might take the suggestion of Annemarie and make her wear them for an entire week.  She informed me that she was sure her Grandma could fix them.

She was horrified that I made her wear them to OT tonight.  The two other parents that I sit with for an hour and a half, had never seen anything like it.  Welcome to my world.

I honestly wasn't surprised or shocked.

Tuesday she wore a pair of leggings with little "jewels" down each side of the leg.  She returned home with plain black leggings.  Knowing her, she was probably trying to convince the other kids that they were worth something and was trying to sell them.

One day she will do great things....one day she will do great things...one day she will do great things.....one day she will do great things...

Conversation with Abs

I hope everyone voted today.

Like I said on fb "Gunner has spent years away from us to make sure that other people could vote in their own countries, why wouldn't I take the time to vote in my country where I am safe?"

I took Junior with me to vote.  We stood in line while he whined "I don't want to go boating".  When he saw the voting booths though, he was hooked.  He asked for a ballot, so one of the workers gave him a piece of paper and he went to town.

He was making a "boating map".  To think that Tricare won't pay for speech for him.

Ummm...yes, that would be a pullup on the kiddo.  Don't judge!

Anyway, on the way home from Interactive Metrenome tonight we were listening to talk radio for election coverage.  (Sidenote, it was like my dad was in the car with me as Abs was whooping and hollering as they gave results.)

Then they broke in with some other news, and they started talking about a study related to men and women and depression.  Basically the results said that women are more depressed than men.

Abs:  They act like that is surprising.
Me who had been half listening:  What's surprising?
Abs:  That women are more depressed than women.
Me:  Why is that?
Abs:  They should be, they do more.
Me:  What do you mean do more? Daddy does a lot.
Abs:  Well they have to stay home and take care of the house and kids.  Let's be honest mommy, you do a lot of work.
Me:  You say it like it's a bad thing.
Abs:  Not bad at all, I think of it like we are back in the olden days.
Me:  Well times have changed, and lots of people work, and I think that they are talking about women in general, not stay at home moms.
Abs:  Well I'm just saying that I'd be depressed if I stayed home and had kids like you.

Great.

I questioned her more, and she admitted that she felt bad that I spent so much time taking her to appointments.  She told me "I'm glad you do it and all, but I wish you didn't have to and I was normal".

My heart broke.  We had a long talk on the way home (heck, it's a 40 minute drive), while she and her brother slurped down milkshakes.  We got home and I tucked her into bed and she told me "I'm lucky".

Then I hugged her, kissed her, and turned out the light.

Then I put up the three baby gates.  Normal is all relative.  I'll keep my normal.

I'm Still Alive!

With the introduction of Interactive Metronome into our schedule, we are never home.  Ever.

Add in Crossfit 4 times a week, orthodontist appointments, preschool dropoffs, occupational therapy appointments, and everything else under the sun, and we are home even less.

I decided that I was going to blog every day in November.  I've got a lot I need to say!  A lot of changes taking place.  Em is off traipsing around Japan for just over two weeks, so I am trying to keep Abs and Junior occupied.  Actually I spend my time lugging a box of toys to Ab's appointments so that Junior is kept occupied.

Tonight we went to see the play "If you give a cat a cookie".  The tickets were free, and they have free activities for the kids before the play starts.  Please tell me why I see this one lady from the FRG at all these functions, and every single time the kids are acting like wild animals.  I assured her that they only acted like this for her, even though they have no clue who she is and they probably didn't even notice that I was talking to someone.  Ugh.

The play was great, and they were both enthralled with the performance and participated as it was requested.

Gunner has dropped his retirement papers.  Do you know what this means?  If you do, please share as no one seems to be able to point him in the right direction of what is to happen next.  I totally forgot that he was in the reserves for years before I met him, so he has that time in addition to the 20 years of active duty.  He's done.  Well he will be by this time next year...actually sooner.

If you have any input on retirement, please let me know so we know what to expect!  Thanks!