The Point Is...

I officially started Acupuncture this weekend. The whole experience so far has been fascinating. Saturday was my first appointment and if I had gone in a skeptic (which I wasn't) I would have come out a believer.

The first thing she did was examine my tongue and my pulse. She said with authority, "Your digestive system is slow." She was right. Then, she did a "Kinesiology" muscle test. She asked me to lie on my back and hold my dominant arm (my right) straight up in the air. I had to rub my palms together (something to do with magnetic energy) and then she had me hold vials that represented different hormones in my left hand which was back at my side on the table. With each individual vial, she would test the strength of my right arm. For example, I held "Progesterone" - and she tried to push my right arm down to the table. She couldn't...I had the strength to resist. That meant that my progesterone was balanced in my body. She tested my Estrogen...and I had no strength to hold my arm up. That meant that my Estrogen level wasn't balanced. Fascinating stuff, eh? After checking which hormones weren't balanced, she knew how she needed to treat me.

First I turned over on my stomach and she performed a percussion type massage down my back on either side of my spine...and then down each leg. This was to increase the blood flow to the meridians. It's so interesting to me to look at this chart and see that there are points all over your body that correspond to everything and anything that ails you!

After my massage, I turned over on my back again and it was time for the needles. I closed my eyes...not for fear or queasiness, but to take advantage of the forced down time! I was on vacation! I barely felt anything as they were going in - there were only a couple that I was "aware of", but they didn't hurt. Dr. Kang left the room and told me to take a nap for thirty minutes.

I had needles in my scalp, my ears, all across my belly, my hands and my feet. When she came back, she removed all the needles and we repeated the muscle test as I held each vial once again. This time my strength was the same for all of them! She wasn't able to push my arm down for ANY of the hormone vials. I just find that so interesting. You can't fake that!

I'm scheduled to see her twice a week leading up to my embryo transfer - and then we'll play it by ear after that. I had an appointment this morning and one again this Thursday. I'll keep you posted on my progress! I really wish my Dad was here...he loved this kind of alternative medicine. *sigh*

In other news, Gavin and Brian have been doing great! This weekend we tried to work on some potty training. Brian still has no desire to pee or poop on the toilet...but he does love the experience! And Gavin actually pooped for me on the toilet - but he really has no awareness of what he's actually doing. I basically am using Gavin to get Brian interested...if I'm being honest. One thing Gavin DOES love about the whole potty thing is washing his hands. And this weekend we had a first. Gavin stepped up onto the stool to get to the sink all by himself...

...and then stayed there splashing in the stream of water for quite some time! I was more excited about that than anything! Check out the video footage...and remember, always enter the loo with your camera AND your magazine. That's how WE roll around here.

Miss Stephanie came by this morning for a bonus Occupational Therapy session with Gavin. They started off with some practice self feeding. He wasn't feeling it today, unfortunately.

So we moved over to the table where he worked on his newest rock star skill - taking individual blocks out of a container. We are so proud of him for this (it's been something we've been working on for a few years!!). But no one is as proud as Gavin is of himself. The photos prove that!

I made a big decision today. The boys are moving to new rooms in the house. I won't bore you with my long and complicated reasoning (it seems silly - but I agonized over this!). Brian is going to be moving into what was Gavin's nursery - and was going to be Darcy's nursery. Gavin is going to move to Brian's current room which will be stripped and re-painted for him to match his new bed. And Gavin's current room (with the big Apple trees and birds on the wall) will stay as is and hopefully be a nursery for a new baby (um, please God?).

So now, the new "room motif" decisions begin. Bring on the ideas...I'm listening!!