Day FOUR??!!

The Kindergarten Honeymoon is over. Already. Bubble burst. Glow gone. Now we're in it.  I'll digress a few days....

Day one went spectacularly. When I picked Christian up, he said, "That was a really fun day, Mom!"  I was glowing from ear to ear.

Day two: Also spectacular. When I picked him up, the very first thing he said was, "I got a key today, Mom!!" A key is a reward for good behavior. Three keys equals a trip to the treasure box.  I was a proud Momma. Then, he asked if he could have a playdate with his new friend from school.  I thought, Why not? He's bonding with someone already, let's foster that. And we left with promises of asking about a playdate the next day.

Day three: Amazingness continues with the acquisition of another key. Christian got to ask the Mom of his new friend if he could come over for a playdate and she said yes. We arranged a playdate for after school of day four.


Day four: I clean house after dropping Christian off at school. I make snacks. I get excited about a new friend for Christian and a fun playdate.  The school day wraps up and I head to the school to pick Christian up.  As I walk in, a smile playing across my lips, Christian's Kindergarten teacher briskly slides in front of me. I'm not kidding here- it was like the side sliding move in the Electric Slide line dance. It was startling. Her side kick teacher/ henchwoman slides in next to her.

She begins: Hi. I need to talk to you, before you get Christian.
Me: Okay...
She: We had a little incident today. Well...two incidents, really.
Me: Oh...o...kay...
She: Well, one of the other teachers found Christian peeing on a bush during recess.
Me: (The sound of my jaw hitting the floor.)
She: The teacher asked him if he knew where the bathroom was. (Hope bubbled up: Oooh,ooh..good question!! It's a new school-maybe he didn't know where the bathroom was.)
He said yes.
Me: Oh. Ummmm...I don't really know what to say.  He doesn't usually pee on bushes.
She: (She leans in conspiratorially) Well, to be honest we've seen this before, it's usually not a big deal and I don't think it will happen again.
Me: (Relaxing, just a little bit)
She: Unfortunately there was another issue. I guess Christian and Dash were excited about having a playdate today.
Me: (Tensing, just a little)
She: Well, the boys told us that they decided to start their playdate early and when the bell rang at recess, they decided to hide instead of come back to class.  We were pretty freaked out. Nothing like this has ever happened and we were alarmed to find two Kindergarten boys missing. We found them and when we brought them back to class, we told them that unfortunately they would probably not be able to have their playdate today and the choice they made was not a very good choice. They don't believe that their playdate may be canceled though. We hope that you can help us to reinforce that this is not acceptable behavior and that it will have consequences.
Me: Oh- There. will. be. no. playdate. (If I weren't so white, I would have waggled my neck on this one.)

I catch a glimpse of the other Mom, who is looking at me with huge eyes, like Can you believe this?? I look at her: Right? No playdate?  She says, Right. No playdate!!

The teachers seemed to visibly sigh from relief. I get it- I think half of the conversation is really about how we'll respond as parents. Are we going to follow through and discipline our kids? Or, are we the kinds of parents that are going to let things slide, thereby producing the year long trouble makers in the class?

I'll sum up the rest. There was crying when Christian realized the playdate really wasn't going to happen. There was "quiet time" to think about his choices when we got home. And there was a chart made as a way for him to begin earning back his playdate.



I got crafty with the chart. I channeled my inner anger into the damn best chart I could make, as if a chart would completely irradicate Day NUMBER FOUR of Kindergarten.

The good news is Christian seems excited about the chart and what he can earn. The bad news is I think most teachers at the school now know of my kid as the disappearing-from-class-peeing-on-a-bush kid. Great. Thanks Christian. I sincerely appreciate it. Day FOUR???? Seriously???

The next day, I walked into the school office with a check. I figured now was a better time than most to make a "donation".

Kindergarten

My firstborn started Kindergarten today. I sit here trying not to cry as I type out those words. I'm getting choked up not only because of how the time flies, but because I have a profound feeling of pride. You have to be a brave little guy to walk into Kindergarten, head held high, ready to leave Mom, Dad, and baby Brother behind for the day. And that is just what he did.



We took our first day of school pictures out in the front yard, as we have since he started preschool.  The trusted best friend, "Leo", was there for moral support, he was already complaining about how heavy his backpack is and despite my best efforts, he's starting the year with a kind of botched up haircut. Oh well. It's a rite of passage, right?



Charles threw caution to the wind and joined us, even though it meant getting to work late. Christian was so excited to show him around his new school!



I had a tough time getting to sleep last night. I made a list so I wouldn't forget anything and checked my alarm clock about 22 times to make sure it was going to go off in the morning. Everything went smoothly at first- lunch box was made, potluck breakfast item was prepared, Christian got himself dressed without complaint, Elijah drank his milk (second day in a row with no morning bottle!! He's drinking it from his sippy cup!), both boys ate their breakfasts. I even had time to do more with my hair than the standard ponytail. It was only as we were walking out the door, that all hell broke loose. Elijah had a major diaper blowout. Apparently we are out of wipes, or the babysitter has moved them to where I cannot find any. Charles walked past a glass beverage dispenser and somehow knocked it off the table, where it broke into a thousand little pieces. Sigh. Real life.

We made it to school on time, regardless, parked a block away and walked in. The Kindergarten classes have a potluck breakfast the first day of school to help ease the transition.  It was great! We had a chance to meet the other kids in Christian class, talk to some of the other families, and get some yummy breakfast treats before starting the day.  Two kids that Christian went to preschool with are in his class, and we are all so grateful for it.  It's nice to have a little bit of comfort in knowing a couple of people.  After breakfast, the kids played in the play yard, while the parents looked on.  Eventually, Christian's teacher called for all of the kids to line up in rows to get walked to their classrooms.  Christian was the last in line and the tallest in his class.  We said goodbye and I watched him walk in to the classroom. He didn't even look back.  I managed to hold it together until I couldn't see him anymore and then...waterworks. It was so nice to have my hubby there to cry on his shoulder...even though I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy.

Kindergarten has started and all I can think is, Here we go.  The start of the formal school years.  I'm proud and stunned and excited and nervous all at the same time. Some day, I want Christian to know how I felt about this day. I can't really tell him about it all now, and even if I did I don't think he could fully grasp it. This is what I would want him to know:

Dear Christian,
     Today you started Kindergarten and I can't hold back my feelings of pride. You were so excited and so confident today. There is not much more in this world that I would want for you, except to live your life excitedly, confidently and kindly. I chose this school for you, because I know you will be getting a good education, academically, but more importantly, I know you will learn to be considerate, compassionate and kind because you will be in classes filled with children of all abilities. There are a lot of things I want you to be able to have when you become an adult. Of course I want you to be smart and educated because I know that will create a lot of opportunities for you. But, more than that, I want you to be comfortable in your skin and I want you to be a kind person who accepts and sees people for who they are. I feel so lucky to be your Mom, Sweetie. I thank God every day for you, and I just feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of your journey in life. I love you....to the moon and back and to the moon and back again. I can't wait to pick you up and I hope you can tell me all about your first day in Kindergarten.
With all my love,
Mom

Thank God It's "Friday"

We are IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To the "Friday School", that is. I nicknamed our #1 elementary school of choice the "Friday School" because after a whirlwind tour of 4 other elementary schools, the school we toured last- on a Friday- became our #1 pick by a landslide.  I know I got a little crazy and a little anxious about the whole process. I'm sure I have friends with older kids who thought I was too wrapped up in choosing a Kindergarten. But, here's the thing:
1) The neighborhood we live in has terrible, TERRIBLE home schools. Under-enrolled, severely budget challenged, minimal to no parental support- in time or money, and test scores we won't even discuss.
2) The Friday school is a K-8 program. All of the other schools we toured were K-5, which meant that I would have to go through this process all over again unless we moved to a better neighborhood. (When we bought our house, we assumed that in at least 5-8 year's time we would have upgraded to a better neighborhood with better schools. Yet, here we still are. I know a lot of people around the country are in similar positions. It is mind-boggling how much money we have to make to stay in our 1300 sq foot house in the Los Angeles area.
3) The Friday school has a theme of Inclusion. The school's philosophy is that ALL children, regardless of learning style and ability, work together in an inclusive environment. Children of all different abilities, from the gifted to those with special needs, learn in the same classroom. And I love the way they actually accomplish this. My oldest son, Christian, will grow up where inclusion is the norm, not the exception, and Elijah will grow up in an environment I don't have to fight every step of the way to have him included in regular classrooms.

We have been on the wait list since May. We started as #14, moved to #9 by June and then to #1 in July. I called on Tuesday just to get a feel for if the school thought a spot might open up before school began. The secretary said it was possible but she couldn't say for sure. She said they would be working on the wait list in the afternoon. 50 minutes later I received a congratulatory email, letting us know that Christian had received a spot. (*I know I make this sound simple, but the objects are larger than they appear. I have not gone into detail about the many phone calls that I made to the school in between being #14 and the last phone call. Let's just say, I didn't need to give them my son's last name when I called to inquire this last time around.)

I screamed. I scared my children. Then I bounced around and grabbed the phone to formally ACCEPT. It is an answered prayer.

On Tuesday, the day after we got word of Christian's acceptance, we brought the enrollment forms into the office. I asked if I could walk Christian around the campus and the secretary told me that she would have someone give us a formal tour. Our formal tour included  a parent volunteer and an almost 3rd grader who happened to come into the school office with her Mom. The 3rd grader- Giselle- was happy to show Christian around and talked about which class she had been in, in Kindergarten and who her teacher was.

In one classroom we entered, there was a therapy ball of sorts- kind of like a Pilates or therapy ball, except it's shaped like a peanut.  Christian sat on it and asked what it was.  Giselle said, "Oh, that was James'.  He has special needs and sometimes he would use it to bounce on or lay on."  The parent volunteer said, "That's right, because some kids learn a little differently, right?"  Giselle replied calmly, "Uh huh. James loves to surf and he LOVES the water. He doesn't talk, but he has a picture board, and sometimes if he wants to play with you, he'll bring you a picture of what he wants to play with and gives it to the person he wants to play with. Then, sometimes the teachers will let you take a break from your schoolwork to play with him."  I wanted to cry. On the spot.  I was so touched by how she was just relaying the story about a classmate- a friend who is a little different. Her tone was almost admiring. It wasn't dismissive. It wasn't pitiful. She knew this kid James. And he was just....James. James, who learns a little different, communicates a little differently and loves to surf.

I adore this school for Christian. I truly think it will be a good fit. The bigger picture is that this school is priceless for Elijah. No fighting the school district on whether or not he'll be fully included in typically developing classrooms. No wondering if he'll have a full enough experience with his typical peers, or they with him. When Elijah gets to Elementary school age, he will work alongside his typically developing peers and luckily these peers will get to know HIM. He has a shot at not being seen as different or weird or stupid. These are the things that kids (like I was) think when they haven't been exposed to children of all abilities. It's uncomfortable and it breeds ignorance.

This week has been absolutely stellar! I was able to take a deep breath from all of the school anxiety and fully enjoy what this week held. It held FUN.

After our amazing school tour and a quick dip at the local pool to take the edge off the heat, I dropped Elijah at my parents' house so that Christian and I could have an official Mother-Son date.  I had tickets to the El Capitan movie theatre in Hollywood to see "Brave" and decided we should travel in style.  We drove to the Universal City Metro station and hopped on the subway for one exit,  and then walked across the street to see the movie.  The El Capitan isn't just any movie theatre. It's a historic movie theatre in Hollywood that mixes live entertainment with movie magic to create an experience unlike any other. The coolest thing about it? When I was dancing professionally, I worked there many times. Luckily, I still have friends dancing in the shows there and we were fortunate enough to see them perform before our movie.  I was all smiles. Christian was literally bouncing up and down in his seat from the live entertainment excitement. The train ride was a thrill, Christian loved the movie and it was all in all, the best Mother-Son date we've had to...well, date.

Walking up to the station...









I got Christian home late, tucked into bed, and was thankful that my parents had agreed to take Elijah overnight so that I wouldn't have to drive back late to get him.  Come morning, I was aching to see my baby boy, though.

When I went to pick up Elijah, I got the usual report: He ate a good dinner, slept well but woke up early, and had fun. Oh yeah, and he was walking by himself with the push toy. .................Come again?........ My Mom was surprised when I said, "What??!! He's never done that before!", so we immediately pulled out the push toy, stood him in front of it, and...




He did that over and over and even stood up (holding the toy) without assistance from us.  Our house has a lot of wood floors, so the push toy is faster and harder to control on the wood.  I am impressed that he has even started mastering the push toy at our house in the areas where we have throw rugs, or with some assistance from me to keep the toy from shooting out from underneath him. I also love that when the toy starts getting too close to a wall or a piece of furniture, he stops, changes the direction of the toy and then starts walking again. My little smarty pants.

The glow of knowing where my kids will go to school put this whole week on a great note. Our days were colored with an extra dose of happiness and the schedule of swim lessons, playdates, pool hangs, subway and movie adventures and even a girls' night out peppered my work week in the best possible way. We would have made it work if the "Friday school" hadn't worked out, but now I can take a breath knowing that it did.

Thank God It's "Friday"!! :) 

I Don't Care That People Think My Kid Is "Happy"

There is a stereotype for individuals who have Down syndrome. It goes something like this, "People with Down syndrome are always happy." In some of the first real information you can find online about Down syndrome, there is a great article entitled, "Myths and Truths (about Down syndrome)" and if you haven't read it, you can check it out here.  About this "Happiness" problem, the National Down syndrome Society says:

"Myth: People with Down syndrome are always happy.

Truth: People with Down syndrome have feelings just like everyone else in the population. They experience the full range of emotions. They respond to positive expressions of friendship and they are hurt and upset by inconsiderate behavior."

Here's the thing:  I think that when people say that people with Ds are always happy, they don't literally mean ALWAYS. I think many people have positive experiences with people who have Down syndrome. I think stereotypes exist because there is some element of truth. I think that my son, Elijah's general demeanor is more "happy" than anything else. I'm not saying he doesn't cry or get upset or act stubborn or throw things or pull people's hair (mostly mine). He does all of those things. A LOT. 

Call me crazy, but I refuse to get upset or feel like my child is being marginalized because people say he's...gasp...Happy. 

We're a sensitive bunch, those of us who have a child with special needs. We need to advocate just a little harder, we need to toughen up just a little bit more, and we hurt when our children aren't seen for everything they are or when their "disabilities" are recognized first. However, there are a band wagon of parents who are so quick to respond to any kind of indication that people think their child with Ds might be especially happy.  One example is from a blog that I LOVE. You can read the post I'm referring to here. The writer shares an experience from when she was pregnant with her first child. The baby had 3 "markers" in an ultrasound that were consistent with Down syndrome. She found herself kind of excited.  Turns out, her baby was not born with Down syndrome and while she felt some relief that he wouldn't face those kinds of challenges, she was also disappointed. She was disappointed because her experiences with people, and children in particular, with Down syndrome had been so positive and life affirming. In the comments section of her post, many parents of children with Down syndrome were quick to jump at the chance to correct her, and say that (and I paraphrase) People with Ds are not always happy, they have a range of emotions, and to describe them as such is a burden that is unfair for them to carry.  Are. you. kidding. me. ?????  

I want to break down the barriers that say that my kid is limited. I want to break down the barriers that say that my kid is stupid. I want to break down the barriers that say that my kid is a drain on society. I want to break down the barriers that say that my kid is unworthy of life. THESE are the things that I think are both hurtful and untrue.  I'm not going to waste any breath or time on destroying the myth that my kid is always happy.  Because I think if you asked anyone who said this, they would clarify their statement to say that the statement "being happy all of the time", isn't meant to imply that this person doesn't experience a whole range of other emotions. 

 I don't get it. In this case, as a community, I think we could all take a collective breath on this one.  Would it be offensive to say, "Comedians are always funny."?  Are the comedians of the world going to come out en force to correct us that they have a full range of emotions and there are definitely times where they are not funny. Umm...don't think so. 

I plan on advocating for my children whenever necessary. Maybe I do wear the proverbial "rose colored glasses" when it comes to people's intent with their words. It's possible. However, for now, I really don't care that people think my kid is happy.

And here he is...not specifically being "happy", but content none the less...

Summer is a State of Mind

He's wearing his glasses again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







I can't completely explain it, other than with a concerted effort and the help of our therapists, we persisted in making Elijah keep the glasses on his face.  It took us holding his hands down, lots of distraction and a calm demeanor when he managed to get them off. Rinse and Repeat. I think that once he got over the fact that the glasses were resting on his face, that he may have actually realized, Hey! I can see pretty good! Because day by day, he resisted them less and less. Now, he's wearing them more than he's taking them off. They are the first thing he goes for if he's frustrated, and I have to be careful with my reactions to it so that it doesn't become a game.  It's a huge win. His prescription is pretty strong (he's near-sighted, so he has difficulty with his distance vision) and I'm noticing a subtle difference primarily in his depth perception.  When he stacks blocks without his glasses, he tends to "overshoot" the block and then has to pull back to adjust the block so that it balances on the other.  With his glasses, it's a much more direct placement.  I'm hoping we're into a new phase that includes regular use of his glasses, but as I'm learning: Just as you think you have one thing figured out with your kid, something changes. It's about being patient and flexible, right?

I haven't been keeping up with my blogging much this summer, and here are some of the best reasons why:
           










We took a mini-trip to Palm Springs to hang with our close friends, Larissa and Adam, and so that I could attend a National Dance Competition that some of my Ballet Students were competing in. It was such a necessary break from our regular schedule to just hang out in the pool, read great novels, cook, and eat and drink! It was only a two day getaway, but for us, it was great!

The boys and I have been finding things to do that we often don't have time for during the regular school year. We explored a wonderful children's museum, called Kidspace, located in Pasadena.  It's a great, interactive museum that you could happily spend all day exploring the many things to play in and with.


Kidspace 


Emerging from the "ant hole"...


Exploring and resting (being a trooper during what is normally nap time!)


The river. Kids can climb right in, tromp through it and splash to their hearts content (or until another kid gets mad...)

Christian has taken a huge interest in space lately, and been begging me to hang some planets and stars from his bedroom ceiling. So, I grabbed some styrofoam balls we had left over from an event I'd done and made our own planets!  We found the glow in the dark stars and moon that will make our ceiling display complete, at the Kidspace museum's gift shop!



I'm also taking full license of summer to enjoy some great novels.  I love to read and when it's a great book, I FIND time for it.  I zipped through 3 novels in the last few weeks, because they were THAT good! I've also created a little extra time for my yoga practice again.  It changes my life when I do it. I find I am so much more patient and have more energy for just "playing" with my little guys.  There has been some time with girlfriends and some playdates here and there.  Oh yeah- and the never ending To-Do list for a new division of my Event Design business.  I am SO excited about some additions we're creating in my business, but until it's all ready I can't share the details.  I'll be shouting from the rooftops when it's ready though- I have such high hopes!!

I have also had a very fulfilling year with my teaching job.  I choreographed my first ballet competition piece this year.  The girls scored well and have grown an enormous amount.  I am so proud and am ready to give them more challenges next year.  We're coming up on a short break from the dance studio, but I'm smiling in anticipation of all the new experiences coming down the line.

Me and my girls, in their costumes for "Tchaikovsky Sweet" (Performed to the Sugarplum Fairy music from "The Nutcracker". Get my play on words?? Hahaha - a little kitschy, but I love it...) 

Well...it's nearly noon and we're all still in our PJ's. Might be time to get dressed and pretend that we'll be getting something done.  It's funny, because I don't technically get a "Summer Break". I own my own business, so there really is no season that coordinates with vacation time.  But, I think Summer, for me, is more of an Attitude than a season.  It's allowing those mornings of PJs til noon or later without guilt, making time for swimming and reading, yoga and playing....balancing the important work tasks with down time that is chock full of quality time. So, my blogging may be intermittent for a few more weeks until we settle back into a more regular schedule that includes a new Kindergarten schedule for Christian and a new Preschool (Mommy and Me) schedule for Elijah.  For now, I'm owning Summer.

It's a State of Mind. :)

New Beginnings

"They grow up too fast"..."Time flies"..."Savor the moment": All things that people who have traveled the road before you say in regards to raising kids. All true. And yet, no amount of "savoring the moments" will actually slow down time. They do grow up fast. Last week we celebrated Christian's graduation from preschool. We were barely off the premises before he asked if he was going to Kindergarten next. I responded with a tearful Yes, only to realize that he literally wanted to go to Kindergarten RIGHT THEN. As in, let's get in the car and go!


 Christian with the director of his preschool; Christian and teachers, Kathy & Colleen

The 2012 graduating class celebrated with a special Graduation Field Trip & Picnic. The kids got to ride in a school bus all by themselves (with teacher escorts, of course!) while the (non-petrified) parents drove separately to meet them all at the park.  When the kids walked out of their classrooms in their matching class t-shirts, holding hands and ready to board the bus, they looked so small. I started welling up over the fact that even though my firstborn is already 5, and the "big boy" in our household, he is still a little guy- super excited about a bus ride with his friends and super, super, super (in his words) excited about a new beginning at Kindergarten this year.



I've been assessing where "I'm at" over this last week, and the conclusion I've drawn is that I'm feeling truly happy. I have a slightly reduced work schedule now through to August, which means more quality time with my boys. I have a fabulous group of friends and family, who I am finding a decent balance of time spent with. I'm fairly "angst free" right now, and it feels great. This mood leaves much to be enjoyed, and puts me into a spirit of gratitude for the new beginnings we're about to embark upon. Plus, it's summer! I get almost equally excited about each new season, yet I always find myself caught off guard by the anticipation and excitement of hot, lazier days, during which our biggest decisions revolve around  Sprinklers or Slip and Slide? Watermelon or Strawberries?  Swim Lessons for just one or both boys? Mini Vacation or Staycation?







New Beginnings are often a source of anxiety as much as they are of excitement, and the changes we're looking forward to are no exception. This year, I'm embracing it with a smile and a solid knowing in my heart: We're good.  We're happy.

From Here to There

I'm heavy with thoughts today. It's been a week full of doctor appointments and check ups with Elijah. The first was a visit to the Orthopedist to see about getting Elijah some "braces" to keep him from relying on his hypermobility (extreme flexibility) in standing. (Basically, in a kneeling position, instead of putting one foot underneath himself and then standing up, he just grabs onto something and rolls right over the top of his feet.) He'll eventually learn to do it right, but this is the goal of early intervention-approach the learning of skills from a variety of angles and hope for a benefit.  I definitely see that there is a benefit. It is not a direct relation, though. It's not as if 5 therapies a week gets one result while 15 therapies a week would get a much better result.  It doesn't seem to work quite like that, but I definitely see an improvement. The Orthopedist was nice enough, and he's even just finished treating my nephew for a broken toe, but he flat out said that he doesn't believe that physical therapy does any good and that braces for Elijah won't make any difference. Our physical therapist was with us on this appointment and she was pissed. Ultimately, he gave us what we wanted, which was the referral for the braces, but he was clear in his stance. It was pretty maddening. Last I checked, medical school is training them to practice medicine, not study a control group of people who have had early intervention vs those who have not.  As a Mother, I have one goal: advocate and help my kids. I would SO much rather err on the side of trying something that didn't help, than to err on the side of not trying when something really could have helped. The Orthopedist also x-rayed Elijah's neck for an uncommon condition that causes instability in the neck and spine and would require surgery to fix.  He was very sure Elijah wasn't going to have that, but did an x-ray just to be sure. 10 minutes later, after he read the x-ray, he popped back into the room to tell us the x-rays were clear for that condition.  He repeated that it was a really uncommon condition and it was unlikely that he would have had that. I looked straight at him and said, "Yeah, well it was 1 in 770 that I was going to have a baby with Down syndrome and it happened. I really don't rely on "uncommon" anymore." Smiley face.

Our next appointment this week was with the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. I wanted to have Elijah's ears checked again, as he didn't pass his last hearing test and had fluid in his inner ear. I wanted to see if we should be exploring having tubes put in his ears or if it had resolved itself. We waited an hour to see this doctor.  While waiting, 3 patients walked in the door: an adult woman with Down syndrome, another adult woman who had a typical appearance but seemed intellectually disabled in some way, and a man who also seemed intellectually disabled and who had clearly had some sort of ear operation (he had large doughnut shaped protectors over his ears.) I'll be honest in saying that it was a little scary.  Granted, of the 3, the woman with Down syndrome seemed the most engaged with her surroundings. However, she was the mental image I had always had of people with Down syndrome- tongue hanging out and clearly...different. It may have just been my imagination, but Elijah was looking right at her and only her. She kept commenting, "Look at that baby. That's a cute baby. Look at that baby." Elijah does look more like a baby than most 2 year olds, but there were 3 little kids sitting right next to this woman and she never commented on them at all. I kinda wanted to cry. I don't know this woman, and maybe she has had a really good life, but it didn't "look" like how I ever imagined a child of mine living a life.

  Last up in the doctor line-up this week, was the Opthamologist. I like this doctor. We have been to him before and he was the one who prescribed glasses for Elijah to help with his near sightedness. Insert the giant sigh. Elijah will. not. wear. his. glasses. He will not wear them Sam I am. He will not wear them with a hat. He will not wear them on a cat. He will not wear them up or down. He will not wear them if I frown. But, we went in for a check up anyway today. It was my secret hope that maybe he had outgrown the prescription and that he hadn't been keeping the glasses on because he wasn't seeing well...yeah...NO. He's still just as near sighted as before. The doctor gave us a new prescription and I said, "He will not keep the glasses on- not even for one minute. I don't know what to do." The doctor said, "It's tough, but in Elijah's case, the glasses would really make a huge difference in how he could relate to his world." What I heard was: "If you were a better Mother, then you could get him to wear his glasses." But, I know that no amount of Mother of the Year awards would change this right now. The best I can do is keep trying with the glasses and hope that eventually, developmentally, he'll be ready to wear them. Pretty much wanted to cry anyway.

Charles and I took the boys to a concert in the park this weekend. It was a wonderful night- the weather was amazing, the music fantastic and Christian and Elijah were soaking up every moment. At one point, I stood up and started dancing with Elijah. He has this full-out belly laugh anytime we dance.  It is the full and complete definition of JOY. I've never had an opportunity to witness something quite so contagious and pure. The park concert was no exception. Elijah had a ball! A little while later, a woman came up to me and said, "I wanted to tell you what a gift it was to see you dancing with your son.  We were enjoying the park before that, but that just made our night. That was pure joy!" I agree with her. I am just lucky to be the one that gets to dance with him and benefit from the joy of watching him belly laugh...




I had to throw in a photo of my sweetie, Charles, too. I was having a blast with a new 50mm lens I got and couldn't resist getting some love shots of my boys...


Christian "graduates" from preschool tomorrow. I don't know how I'm going to do with that. He is growing up so fast, couldn't possibly be more excited about the idea of Kindergarten, and is becoming more and more independent with each passing day.

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere. Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! Oh my! What a lot of funny things go by. Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." -Dr. Seuss