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| Summer 2013 |
Well to start the year off we put our house on the market in Febuary to prepare to move to Springfield where Trevor started working in October 2012. Our house sold in 4 days!! Four days!! Expecting to have more time, we hadn't looked at any new houses yet. But we were able to find a lovely home in a quiet neighborhood with a fenced backyard and close to the school we wanted. Perks, it had a neighborhood community pool across the street. the boys
Moving day approached fast, then got moved up a day due to an impending snowstorm. With the help of friends, we were able to get everything clean and moved. The next day we did get snow, the last day of March! And that wasn't even the last snow of the season! We got snow in May! And the crazy snow for the year didn't stop there.
It's been hard to be further from our family and friends who love us and our kids like their own, but we are working on making new friends and expanding our love.
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| Boys 2013 |
Starting a new school was emotional for me. I had grown close to the people at the boys' school in Monett, they had been helping our family ever since the boys came home from the hospital. Now I was going to have to trust strangers with my babies AND Nick was going to have to go alone to the school across town for a couple months since there was not room for both of them at the end of the school year. As much as I hated this I didn't want him to miss school where he received much needed therapy. To allow for a smoother transition I let Nick ride the bus, and he loved it!
After the summer break they both got to go to the school near our home. They were placed in the same class, but after the teachers and ourselves noticed a severe decline in Ethan's behavior we moved Ethan to a new class. This made a world of difference in his attitude.
Ms. Tracy (Nic's teacher) got to know him so well. When we went in for an IEP meeting , the info she had collected on him explained him so well. She knew his quirks, what set him off and how to reel him back in. She paid attention to his sensory needs and just loves him. Mrs. Tracy is wonderful. The paras in the class are Mrs. Mary Kay (she's sweet) and Mrs. Jackie (she's quiet) and sometimes Miss Sam, whom Nic loves!
Ms. Tammy (Ethan's teacher) has done a great job to help him feel helpful and make good choices. He comes home with a paper he gets to stamp when he makes good choices. Mrs. Kim (the para) also works well with him in class.
Therapy mom
Over the summer Nic started Occupational Therapy (OT) at the clinic and now we have added Speech/Lanuguage Therapy (SLP). Therapy makes a BIG difference in his ability to cope and his behavior. He has a total of 4 hours of therapy spread over 3 days each week. Since we left the NICU here 4 years ago, I never though I would be back so often once again. His OT is Ms. Kathy and his SLP is Mr. Stacy, he loved them both so much. His favorite part about going though is that he gets to ride the elevator. The challenge is entertaining Ethan while Nic is "playing" with the therapists. We will explore the hospital, or go down to a waiting room where it is quiet and he will do a puzzle or color together.
In December we took Nic to a new doctor to see if they could help us pinpoint Nicolas "issues". We had suspected Autism for a while, but over the summer and fall we became more concerned at what we were seeing. And then we read the book "The Reason I Jump" (a book written by a 13 year old kid with autism) and then we had no doubt that autism is what fit Nic. The doctor confirmed that in December. This will open up many doors for Nicolas in treatment and support for our family. I will write more about this in a future post.
October brought a new beginning to Trevor's sister Jessica. She met someone new, and he is now a part of our family, permanently. Byron had made Jessica so happy and is a great model for 5 year old Lucas. They make such a cute family.
Personal Note: It was fun to go dress shopping with Jessica and see her pick out her dream dress. Audrey, Haley and I threw her a shower that was awesome if I don't say so myself, and then we had an even awesome-er after party...
Nicolas
His vocabulary is booming and he's expressing himself in more original sentences. He learned how to ride a trike this summer, loves books, can count to 10, recite all his ABC's (X is his favorite letter). He is learning some pretend play with his trains (his favorite toy for the past few months). Nicolas likes: Riding the elevator, trains, the "X sign" at the train crossings, bridges, going to therapy at the clinic, music (Ellie Golding, Imagine Dragons, One Republic was this year's favorites) and watching "Calab" videos a.k.a. - Bible Lessons for kids.
Ethan
He can write his name, dress himself all by himself, including button his shirt, ride a bike with training wheels, hit a t-ball and best of all... Graduated out of diapers. His likes: coloring, doing puzzles, playing Super Mario 3D, dancing (this kids has some moves I am not sure where he got them from).
Other highlights: All congregations of Jehovah's witnesses were invited to the Watchtower Annual meeting via video and received new Bibles, Trevor an I got away for a couple nights in St. Louis to see One Republic in concert. I got to go to Vegas for work, took a plane for the first time... all by myself.
1 comment:
I love your family Your children are so special to us. I'm so glad you have started your blog again. With you living so much farther away I can keep up with those little cuties. Love you girl.
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