Preparing for Christmas...

A month or so ago, my friend Ellen asked me to contribute to a piece she was asked to write about the holidays - and how to make them happier for special needs kids.  Ellen blogs about her son, Max, over at Love That Max - and is one of the best writers I know. So after I turned around to see who was behind me and thought "Me?  Really?  You want ME to contribute to YOUR article?"  I said YES and was super-duper flattered.  I was happy to write about how I quickly realized that Christmas morning was less about ME and my visions... and more about Gavin and his.   You can read the piece, which also includes several other wonderful bloggers and special needs Moms,  by clicking HERE.

I love Christmas.  If Christmas fell in the Spring, I'd love it even more.  But I don't hold the cold, cold weather against Christmas - I really don't.  One of my favorite parts of the holiday is getting photo cards from our friends and families.  Each card we get is more beautiful than the last - and it's SO much fun to see how the families grow and change.

I have our collection of Christmas cards on the side of our refrigerator year round.  Sometimes I randomly grab them and look through them - amazed at how WE have changed!  I thought I'd share all of them with you (except this year's which will show up here on Christmas day!) - from our first card before kids to last year's card just after my Dad died.

Oh, and one last thing before the photo parade.

A little while ago I was in the playroom with the boys trying on new clothes I had picked up for them.  The last thing I tried on Gavin was the Superman shirt he was given yesterday by Miss Sara.  I stood him up to pull the shirt down and see how it looked... and he walked away from me.  He walked clear across the playroom by himself.  I started cheering - Brian started cheering - and when Gavin dropped to the floor, he turned around to look at us with the biggest smile.  It was just the three of us, so I have no video proof!!  But something tells me this is going to be our new normal.  What a wonderful Christmas this is turning out to be.  And hopefully a glimpse into a happy, healthy, positive 2013 for our family.  Hey - it can't get worse, right?  It's only forward and UP from here!!

2006 - we practiced parenting with our little dog, Lucy, and a foster dog named Bailey.  Bailey was just like the dog, Marley from "Marley and Me" - crazy.  He was afraid of hardwood, so we had runners all through the first floor.  He was also afraid of storms and ended up tripping me on the stairs while I was pregnant with Gavin.  It was an awful fall.  That was the end of Bailey.  We found a new home for him where he got lots of individual attention.

2007 - This was the year Santa brought us a son!  The photo with Santa was our first outing with him after a month in the NICU and before he got sick.  He was so tiny that Santa was afraid to hold him!  That's one of my favorite pictures ever.

2008 - I am very pregnant with Brian in that picture!  We were so excited to tell Gavin he was going to be a big brother when he was only six months old.  As you can see, he jumped on the research so he could be the best big brother ever.  And, as you know, he is.  Since I was due close to Christmas, I sent out these cards early - Brian was born December 16th of that year!

2009 - We had such a fun first year with Brian!!  We also had a great year with Sarah Racine, who helped us with the boys.  She took all three of these photos for me!  Ed happened to be dressed up for a meeting one day and before I let him leave the house I ran upstairs and threw that dress on.  If you saw the black socks I was wearing, you'd laugh as hard as Sarah and I did that day.

This card, from 2010, involved Sarah, too!  It was such a HUGE moment to see Gavin sitting by himself on that step.  She was hiding on the side - just in case he tipped.  But he never did!!  This was also the year we lost Darcy.  I was so grateful for the outpouring of love and support we received during that time.  Truly.

2011 - Our first professional family portrait!  My friend, Julie, came over not long after my Father died to take these.  I was so thankful.  The big news last year was that Gavin was standing!

On the back of the card I showed that off - and incorporated my Dad with his favorite saying, "Keep the Faith."

What will be the theme of THIS year's card?

Stay tuned............

She Goes To Wegmans...

This came home in Brian's backpack today.  An interview his speech therapist, Miss Maggie, did with him.  I cried.  And laughed.  And later when I read it again?  Cried and laughed again.  I was also very relieved that Brian did not reveal to his teachers what my REAL favorite TV show is.  Whew.

I'd love to know what was going on in that little head of his when he answered.  (Like why my eyes are black?!?!?  Creepy!)  My favorite is "My mom is the greatest because she goes to Wegmans."  For some reason, Brian is obsessed with Wegmans!  Well, come to think of it...I am, too.  And the "she goes upstairs" comment cracked me up.  That has to be one of two things.  I tend to make bedtime pretty fun...so maybe it's that?  Or it could be that I keep my iPad (with Angry Birds on it) upstairs and sometimes as a treat I'll bring it down for him to use.  Hopefully he loves me more for fun stories and hugs at bedtime!!!

I was able to thank Miss Maggie this afternoon when she was here for Gavin's feeding therapy.  It went...well, I'll let Gavin's facial expression tell you:

Maggie tried to feed him some Pirate's Booty, bites of cheese and banana pieces...but he just wasn't into it.  Partly because his allergies keep him so congested and it's hard to eat...and partly because, well, he hates eating solid food.

I've always said that feeding is the hardest - it will be the last thing we conquer, I bet.  I'd even be willing to bet that he'll be walking and talking before he is on a total solid diet.  For now that's very okay with me.  A home made pureed diet is preferable to a permanent tube any day in my book.

After she left, we continued to try for a little bit...and Brian joined his brother at the table for a snack.

I recently bought a new cup for Gavin after seeing it on an episode of one of our favorite shows, "Shark Tank."  It's called the Lollacup and was designed by a couple with two young children.  

I loved that the cup had two big handles.  But the big selling feature was that they weighted the straw.  So when the child tilts the cup, the straw stays in the liquid - ensuring that the child gets every last drop of milk.

Like anything new...it has been a hard sell on Gavin.  He's a creature of habit and he loves his favorite sippy cup.  Problem is, he bites through the straws of those cups and we're constantly replacing them.  And, there's that pesky problem of leftover liquid that his straw can't reach.  One day it will "click" and the Lollacup will be his new favorite thing.  Fingers crossed!!

Update on our ladybugs that continue to FASCINATE us!!!

This is a perfect photo to show you three of the stages they go through in "Ladybug Land."  If you look at the grey area, the bug on the right is still a pupae.  (Click the photo to make it big!) He is attached strongly to the plastic and stays very still for days. I swore they were all dead during this phase!  Then suddenly you blink and there's a yellow coating all over their body (like the bug in the middle).  It's almost like a cocoon and I think that's when they grow their wings.   You blink again and POOF!  You see a ladybug!  It has been such a cool experience.

Speaking of cool experiences!  My friend, Ellen, from the wildly popular blog Love That Max asked me and a few other mommy bloggers to co-host a live talk with her this Friday on "The Motherhood."  I was so honored.  She had just recently asked me to write a guest post on her blog so I'm totally full of myself to get a second 'nod' from the Queen of Mommy bloggers (in my humble opinion) - I just LOVE her.

I am quite nervous - I hope I'm able to keep up with a text chat type of forum.  And I don't want to disappoint Ellen - she's ma' fave!!  Stop by for the chat if you can!  I am pretty sure you can observe the mayhem if you don't want to participate.  Just don't tease me afterward if I put my keyboard in my mouth.  Get it - like put my foot in my mouth?  I'm working on my 'text-chat' humor.  I know...keep working.

Consider this your formal invitation:

What:

A live, all-text Talk on The Motherhood, called Managing the OMG Moments as Parents of Special Needs Kids. We'll talk about the challenges, feelings of isolation, advocating for our kids, interactions with friends and family and anything else that’s affecting your life these days.  Come share your stories, approaches and ideas, and we'll do our best to support each other.

When:

Friday, May 18, at 1 p.m. ET.  We will chat for 30 minutes!

 

Where:

On The Motherhood, right here - http://bit.ly/K04T0h

 

Who: 

The all-text chat will be hosted by the amazing Ellen Seidman of Love That Max.  Co-hosting are these wonderful women:

Dana, Uncommon Sense, http://niederfamily.blogspot.com/

Hallie, Visions of Johanna, http://hallielevinesklar.com/

Jennifer, Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, http://thinkingautismguide.blogspot.com/

That's me ---->  Kate, Chasing Rainbows, http://www.kateleong.com/

Katy, Bird on the Street, http://birdonthestreet.com/

Lisa, Autism Wonderland, http://www.autismwonderland.com/

Shasta, Outrageous Fortune, http://www.outrageousfortune.net/

Sunday, Extreme Parenthood, http://www.extremeparenthood.com/

This Is How I Do It...

If you're like me, you read a wonderful, funny and touching blog called "Love That Max". Recognize this cute little guy and his Mom?

The blog is written by Ellen Seidman, Max's Mom and a highly acclaimed writer. Ellen's someone I look up to as a Mom, a writer...and a friend.

When she asked me to write a guest post for her blog - part of a series called "This is How I Do It" - I was so honored!! This is my second guest post for her. The first one was about Gavin's nutrition regimen. So...I'm pretty much famous at this point. I'm considering charging for autographs from now on. I'll let you know. In the meantime, check out Ellen's blog and my guest post below! But I send you with a warning...it is inevitable that you, too, will Love That Max.

This Is How I Do It!