by the way for k's third birthday she has made the following requests:
1) a school bus (we think this means a play structure like the one on the preschool playground)
2) dinner with masee and tom and cutie cat
3) pizza and chocolate cake
4) happy birthday song
i think we can manage 2-4. if anyone feels excited enough to find a refrigerator box and paint it like a school bus, it would be great!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
mid-summer feels like fall
there is an old commercial from my childhood -- crazy eddie's christmas in july sale that seems apropos here. it was 60 degrees midmorning and the wind was chilly.
r woke up excited to see his new school expo. and k was reluctant to go to school and cried when i dropped her off. r loved the school as we explored the classrooms and playgrounds. we spent some time in an empty kindergarten classroom so he could become familiar with the objects and level of stimuli. we looked at the markers and drawing instruments, the words on the wall, the calendar, the puzzles and games, and the artwork. he was definitely excited. his favorite items were the electric pencil sharpener and the star wars puzzle. the playground was amazing and only the chilly weather made us come inside sooner than we would have liked.
after school there was only mom and kids -- they mostly ate their dinner and we got to swim class late. everyone felt better after watching r swim and the kids received muffin tops as their evening treat.
some books were read, teeth were brushed, and children snuggled.
let's hope for a quiet evening.
also thanks to masee for lending a hand at the last minute after my impromptu medical procedure!
r woke up excited to see his new school expo. and k was reluctant to go to school and cried when i dropped her off. r loved the school as we explored the classrooms and playgrounds. we spent some time in an empty kindergarten classroom so he could become familiar with the objects and level of stimuli. we looked at the markers and drawing instruments, the words on the wall, the calendar, the puzzles and games, and the artwork. he was definitely excited. his favorite items were the electric pencil sharpener and the star wars puzzle. the playground was amazing and only the chilly weather made us come inside sooner than we would have liked.
after school there was only mom and kids -- they mostly ate their dinner and we got to swim class late. everyone felt better after watching r swim and the kids received muffin tops as their evening treat.
some books were read, teeth were brushed, and children snuggled.
let's hope for a quiet evening.
also thanks to masee for lending a hand at the last minute after my impromptu medical procedure!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
end of a weekend.
more conversation highlights:
K: mommy, do clouds have homes in the sky? what do clouds eat?
K: why don't cats and dogs have hands? why do they have paws?
----
Dad: here is a reflector that we found on the ground. we thought you might want it.
R: dad, i was going to ask you about reflectors when you came home today.
----
it was a good weekend. today we went to the pride parade. the kids enjoyed it. r and k wore dresses -- if you can't wear a dress to pride, where can you where one? k loved the music and the bubbles. r liked collecting the candy that he will never eat. it soon became too hot and we had to leave. but it was a wonderful hour of watching different parts of glbt communities sashay by.
then it was off to REI to buy shoes/sandals. the kids get sandy and wet all summer long and need their quick and easy sandals. after an exhausting shop, we replenished with milkshakes, quesadillas, sausage, popcorn and magic school bus dvds. dad went grocery shopping and mom tried to fight off a headache.
then it was dinner and water play with sarah. books with parents and lots of snuggling.
this is a short week -- only 4 days of school and then the fourth of july. the summer is zooming by.
i need a spell that slows down time...
K: mommy, do clouds have homes in the sky? what do clouds eat?
K: why don't cats and dogs have hands? why do they have paws?
----
Dad: here is a reflector that we found on the ground. we thought you might want it.
R: dad, i was going to ask you about reflectors when you came home today.
----
it was a good weekend. today we went to the pride parade. the kids enjoyed it. r and k wore dresses -- if you can't wear a dress to pride, where can you where one? k loved the music and the bubbles. r liked collecting the candy that he will never eat. it soon became too hot and we had to leave. but it was a wonderful hour of watching different parts of glbt communities sashay by.
then it was off to REI to buy shoes/sandals. the kids get sandy and wet all summer long and need their quick and easy sandals. after an exhausting shop, we replenished with milkshakes, quesadillas, sausage, popcorn and magic school bus dvds. dad went grocery shopping and mom tried to fight off a headache.
then it was dinner and water play with sarah. books with parents and lots of snuggling.
this is a short week -- only 4 days of school and then the fourth of july. the summer is zooming by.
i need a spell that slows down time...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
welcome baby coppola -- happy birth day
our best friend marie had her baby today. after a very long labor (she started thursday night), she gave birth to a baby girl (22 inches and 8 lbs 11 oz). marie demonstrated great endurance and stamina. she had some assistance with some pitocin and an epidural. eventually the baby was born after three hours of pushing. the baby took in some meconium and stopped breathing for a short while. marie says that the baby is doing well now but will be monitored for the next 48 hours.
on the more local front, r and k were with dad today as i had to attend a conference. the report from all parties was that there was delicious bacon, lots of playing with cutie cat, water rockets, ice cream with masee, and some cooperative sibling play.
some highlights of recent conversations--
K: i don't like mooses. i saw some flying in our back yard.
R: Harry Potter and I have a lot in common. We both are boys and are starting a new school in the fall.
on the more local front, r and k were with dad today as i had to attend a conference. the report from all parties was that there was delicious bacon, lots of playing with cutie cat, water rockets, ice cream with masee, and some cooperative sibling play.
some highlights of recent conversations--
K: i don't like mooses. i saw some flying in our back yard.
R: Harry Potter and I have a lot in common. We both are boys and are starting a new school in the fall.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
happy birthday uncle tom
finally a long awaited day arrived -- the celebration of uncle tom's bday. woo hoo.
friday night, sarah came over and played with the kids. they had had disappointing days at school (though it did not show when we picked them up). both cabooses and engineers (younger and older preschoolers) had a big (but close) field trip planned for the pool. when they arrived all dressed in swimgear with towels and safety discussions tucked away into the nooks and crannies of their brains, they found the gate LOCKED. the pool was overchlorinated and was closed by park officials. the kids recovered well enough. we brought them home and they sat down to eat dinner. they both sat down for a yummy meal of spanokopita, faux chicken patties, french bread, and parrano cheese when sarah arrived. while k was not happy with this, she did adjust eventually. r was excited. he likes hanging out with her. and all three seem so relaxed and happy together. when we came home, the base 10 math manipulatives (counting blocks) were strewn across the living room and there were little feet scampering upstairs. with a few more books from mom and sarah, both kids settled into bed and fell asleep.
saturday morning is sleep in morning and now that we know that we will NOT be getting up for school at 5 am to get r to school by 7:30, we can not feel too guilty about getting downstairs until 9 every once in awhile. so today, it was an 8 am rise with a snuggle in the family bed until 9 am. we got out breakfast made and everyone dressed to head out to creative kidstuff. today was the day that the toy store hosts its annual make our own fish t-shirts. this art form is known as gyotaku -- it involves painting fish and other marine life with paint and then pressing it to the material. in this case, it involves the kids painting a frozen fish with fabric paint and pressing it on a tshirt for uncle tom. both made shirts for themselves and then worked on uncle tom's together. we made them last year as well and we really enjoy them. our next stop was the pool at the park! since it was 85 degrees -- hot and sunny -- we decided that time with the ho-chens (mira, auggie, jeff, and karen) would be a good way to break in summer. children splashed, teeth chattered, sand was moved from one place to another, water dynamics were tested, and many smiles abounded. august looks much better; his eczema is improving. lunch was a grumpy affair as children were suboptimally compliant (we discussed suboptimal in the car today). afterwards the much awaited rokenbok remote controlled vehicles were set up. children moved construction vehicles around the living room with varied levels of interest and skill. with no naps and some frayed nerves, there were some flare ups along the way. let's just say no one received a cooperation star. r played some more trucks, k did a clifford puzzle, r drew in his mad arts book (yeah). then everyone got in the tub. some body parts were cleaned, others weren't. finally it was time to get dressed for the much hyped birthday event. k wanted to wear "party clothes" and chose a dress. r wanted "pretty clothes" too and complained that none of his clothes were fancy enough. he requested to wear a dress. so we gave him an orange one. it was simple orange gingham with a green gingham trim and a simple orange flower on it. he liked it very much and was sure that everyone would say that he looked ready for a party and looked beautiful. he just glowed.
we made it to dinner at punch and the kids ate almost 2 and a half pizzas between them. it was quite funny. it was nice to see tom and seema after so long. k enjoyed having uncle tom blow on her pizza but not on her. r and k snagged masee's bracelets and proudly dangled them from their arms. after a massive feast, we headed home. since it was nice and we were waiting for masee and tom to come over, we let the kids ride the bike. lots of neighbors were out (since it is finally summer). it was a nice evening. finally uncle tom blew out his candles, the kids gave uncle tom his shirt and card, and dad tricked tom about him present. the kids stayed up way way past their bed time. but tom and seema helped get them ready. finally they crashed and fell asleep. tomorrow is father's day and more festivities await.
all in all a good day.
friday night, sarah came over and played with the kids. they had had disappointing days at school (though it did not show when we picked them up). both cabooses and engineers (younger and older preschoolers) had a big (but close) field trip planned for the pool. when they arrived all dressed in swimgear with towels and safety discussions tucked away into the nooks and crannies of their brains, they found the gate LOCKED. the pool was overchlorinated and was closed by park officials. the kids recovered well enough. we brought them home and they sat down to eat dinner. they both sat down for a yummy meal of spanokopita, faux chicken patties, french bread, and parrano cheese when sarah arrived. while k was not happy with this, she did adjust eventually. r was excited. he likes hanging out with her. and all three seem so relaxed and happy together. when we came home, the base 10 math manipulatives (counting blocks) were strewn across the living room and there were little feet scampering upstairs. with a few more books from mom and sarah, both kids settled into bed and fell asleep.
saturday morning is sleep in morning and now that we know that we will NOT be getting up for school at 5 am to get r to school by 7:30, we can not feel too guilty about getting downstairs until 9 every once in awhile. so today, it was an 8 am rise with a snuggle in the family bed until 9 am. we got out breakfast made and everyone dressed to head out to creative kidstuff. today was the day that the toy store hosts its annual make our own fish t-shirts. this art form is known as gyotaku -- it involves painting fish and other marine life with paint and then pressing it to the material. in this case, it involves the kids painting a frozen fish with fabric paint and pressing it on a tshirt for uncle tom. both made shirts for themselves and then worked on uncle tom's together. we made them last year as well and we really enjoy them. our next stop was the pool at the park! since it was 85 degrees -- hot and sunny -- we decided that time with the ho-chens (mira, auggie, jeff, and karen) would be a good way to break in summer. children splashed, teeth chattered, sand was moved from one place to another, water dynamics were tested, and many smiles abounded. august looks much better; his eczema is improving. lunch was a grumpy affair as children were suboptimally compliant (we discussed suboptimal in the car today). afterwards the much awaited rokenbok remote controlled vehicles were set up. children moved construction vehicles around the living room with varied levels of interest and skill. with no naps and some frayed nerves, there were some flare ups along the way. let's just say no one received a cooperation star. r played some more trucks, k did a clifford puzzle, r drew in his mad arts book (yeah). then everyone got in the tub. some body parts were cleaned, others weren't. finally it was time to get dressed for the much hyped birthday event. k wanted to wear "party clothes" and chose a dress. r wanted "pretty clothes" too and complained that none of his clothes were fancy enough. he requested to wear a dress. so we gave him an orange one. it was simple orange gingham with a green gingham trim and a simple orange flower on it. he liked it very much and was sure that everyone would say that he looked ready for a party and looked beautiful. he just glowed.
we made it to dinner at punch and the kids ate almost 2 and a half pizzas between them. it was quite funny. it was nice to see tom and seema after so long. k enjoyed having uncle tom blow on her pizza but not on her. r and k snagged masee's bracelets and proudly dangled them from their arms. after a massive feast, we headed home. since it was nice and we were waiting for masee and tom to come over, we let the kids ride the bike. lots of neighbors were out (since it is finally summer). it was a nice evening. finally uncle tom blew out his candles, the kids gave uncle tom his shirt and card, and dad tricked tom about him present. the kids stayed up way way past their bed time. but tom and seema helped get them ready. finally they crashed and fell asleep. tomorrow is father's day and more festivities await.
all in all a good day.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
from winter to summer in 60 seconds
we had a week of spring and now it is summer.
rakesh told me that our father's heart looks good. in preparation for the minor surgery next week, he had an ekg with results suggesting everything is normal and healthy. i have not had a chance to talk with him, but this seems to indicate that everything is proceeding well for the surgery.
r had a good swimming class. he is a terrific fish.
k is adjusting to preschool. she is very sweet.
the best news is that we secured a spot at EXPO for the fall! this was our first choice school and we did not know if we would get in at all. it is in st paul and we think it will be perfect for ro.
we also liked the after school program we saw this week. so some things are looking good.
rakesh told me that our father's heart looks good. in preparation for the minor surgery next week, he had an ekg with results suggesting everything is normal and healthy. i have not had a chance to talk with him, but this seems to indicate that everything is proceeding well for the surgery.
r had a good swimming class. he is a terrific fish.
k is adjusting to preschool. she is very sweet.
the best news is that we secured a spot at EXPO for the fall! this was our first choice school and we did not know if we would get in at all. it is in st paul and we think it will be perfect for ro.
we also liked the after school program we saw this week. so some things are looking good.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
fun weekend
here are the highlights:
saturday: everyone slept late. what a luxury! mom managed to spend it on the sofa. dad in bed with k, and ro all on his own until 9:15 am. after taking an hour to get dressed, we all headed out to breakfast. k and r devoured bacon, eggs, and hash browns, all but ignoring the pancake. go figure. both enjoyed the blueberry muffin as well. dad pretended to be argus which was pretty darn amusing for the kids. the kids were amused and shared their bacon with him. we went off to a playground next. both are clearly getting stronger. r is working really hard on balance and coordination with some assistance. in the afternoon, k and r ran around inside making forts out of sofa pillows while dad worked outside in the afternoon sun. we joined dad outside after it was cooler. r and k practiced riding on the bicycle. r had another fall but did so well. i must admit there was a bittersweet and proud moment when i stood on the sidewalk watching him bike away down the block. i stared at his retreating back and felt incredibly mixed. the evening went more or less smoothly as the kids ate their dinner with sarah and then did art projects with her. they were wonderfully content when we got home. k insisted that she could not fall asleep and was asleep in 10 minutes. her coughing woke her up repeatedly.
sunday: cooperation by the kids earned them a hike today. so while we all slept in, the day was focused on getting everyone out the door and to interstate state park up near taylor's falls for hiking. we made it there on the late side. r really enjoyed the potholes (rock formations), old lava flows, and rock climbers. he practiced his own rock climbing which is really good for his core strength and coordination. k enjoyed seeing the river and hiking as well. everyone enjoyed milkshakes afterwards. k was in an experimental mood and was testing the uses of straws. apparently blowing through them is quite fascinating, especially when there is milkshake in the straw. mom's face and dad's car were good targets. dinner was quiet as kids watched blues clues and ate a great deal of pizza. the adults ate our first CSA farm salad of the year. yummy fresh lettuce. bath time was good and children fell asleep soon after. k is still coughing at night and requires some assistance returning to sleep. all in all a good weekend. maybe next weekend we can celebrate uncle tom's bday!
saturday: everyone slept late. what a luxury! mom managed to spend it on the sofa. dad in bed with k, and ro all on his own until 9:15 am. after taking an hour to get dressed, we all headed out to breakfast. k and r devoured bacon, eggs, and hash browns, all but ignoring the pancake. go figure. both enjoyed the blueberry muffin as well. dad pretended to be argus which was pretty darn amusing for the kids. the kids were amused and shared their bacon with him. we went off to a playground next. both are clearly getting stronger. r is working really hard on balance and coordination with some assistance. in the afternoon, k and r ran around inside making forts out of sofa pillows while dad worked outside in the afternoon sun. we joined dad outside after it was cooler. r and k practiced riding on the bicycle. r had another fall but did so well. i must admit there was a bittersweet and proud moment when i stood on the sidewalk watching him bike away down the block. i stared at his retreating back and felt incredibly mixed. the evening went more or less smoothly as the kids ate their dinner with sarah and then did art projects with her. they were wonderfully content when we got home. k insisted that she could not fall asleep and was asleep in 10 minutes. her coughing woke her up repeatedly.
sunday: cooperation by the kids earned them a hike today. so while we all slept in, the day was focused on getting everyone out the door and to interstate state park up near taylor's falls for hiking. we made it there on the late side. r really enjoyed the potholes (rock formations), old lava flows, and rock climbers. he practiced his own rock climbing which is really good for his core strength and coordination. k enjoyed seeing the river and hiking as well. everyone enjoyed milkshakes afterwards. k was in an experimental mood and was testing the uses of straws. apparently blowing through them is quite fascinating, especially when there is milkshake in the straw. mom's face and dad's car were good targets. dinner was quiet as kids watched blues clues and ate a great deal of pizza. the adults ate our first CSA farm salad of the year. yummy fresh lettuce. bath time was good and children fell asleep soon after. k is still coughing at night and requires some assistance returning to sleep. all in all a good weekend. maybe next weekend we can celebrate uncle tom's bday!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
more photos
yes -- those are swimming goggles.
r, k, and i have colds. so we are all a little tired.
here are some photos to entertain you until i have more energy
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
happy birthday uncle tom!
MON: yesterday was k's first full day in preschool. she cried and cried when i dropped her off. but i was told later that she recovered quickly. it is clear that she enjoys being there with her friends and plays happily with them. when i picked her up, however, she and one of her favorite teachers lily looked like two peas in a pod. not only do they have similar hair color and cuts, but both were wearing dark blue jackets with their hoods on and with hands stuck in pockets. it was truly adorable. i guess k's affinity for lily runs deep. (this is the CCW whose laminated photo she carried around when she was a toddler.)
pick up was not exactly smooth yesterday. dad went to the grocery store while i brought the kids home. r and k could not make it into the house without incidents. k wet herself and as usual took off her shoes in the car. r smashed his finger on a rock despite being told to leave the pile alone. both did recover and i kept my cool.
r and dad have started reading charlie and chocolate factory. they are enjoying their reading time immensely. r's eyes are as big as saucers when he hears the story. it's sweet and very clear that he has some of the same narrative bug that mom has. i loved and still do love books with magic in them. he too enjoys a good story. wait until he can read them to himself!
k is infatuated with the book "there are cats in this book" by viviane schwarz. it is adorable for preschoolers and people who love cats. k is both.
there were several renditions of happy birthday to uncle tom by ms. k who did not get to see her uncle but declared "my birthday is next. then grandma sue. then rohan. and then daddy." birthdays are a serious business to our daughter.
TUE: it was agreed upon that dad would ride his bike to work two times a week. (i too am supposed to get exercise soon.) tuesday was his first scheduled ride. as our alarm clock has been dutifully set to 6:30 pm, we have been waking up rather puzzled and late this week. but dad got his gear on and waited patiently for his kids. as it turns out, i think, dad is not able to resist reading charlie and the chocolate factory either as he was present for quite a long time this morning. soon after, everyone headed out. the kids and i in the car escorting dad to the greenway. we then sped along the streets talking about dad's progress though we could not see him.
both kids are excited about bicycling as r has a new bicycle and k is eager to try it out as well.
at school, there was a shorter version of monday's crying by k. but discussions of going to the park quieted her quickly in the room. r went off to join his friends with few backward glances.
pick up did not go as smoothly. i came early and still had trouble working with both. k wet herself on the playground. r did not want to go potty and played in the foyer. it just took a long time to leave.
at home nobody wanted to eat dinner. r kept touching things that he was not supposed to. it just seemed that he couldn't control stuff. we could see the signs but could not change the behavior. i had purchased some shrinky dinks (robot shaped) to practice his fine motor control. when he finally got to them after dinner, it seemed like he was not interested in the coloring at all. it is a bad cycle. he does not like it; we want him to do it. we take it away when he does not and then he does not want to. yikes what a set up to fail. i have to think through this. i thought robots would be fun.
but i also think it is something about his mood/behavior/brainspace this evening. he had difficulty listening at swimming class. he is in the first level and kept getting off his step into the water when it was not his turn. the water is deep and despite the swallowing of water and the inability to touch bottom, dad reports that r did this repeatedly. ok. we can see the problems with the evening. he is contrite, but there is something else we are missing. is he just willful? does he not heed our directions because he does not understand consequence? because the consequences are not taking away things he wants? is it about discipline or ability, neither or both?
i just googled "preschooler no interest in writing or drawing" and found the blog of a homeschooling mom of a child with autism. so many times, what i type in to find resources for r, i get autism. of course, everyone writes about autism so there is a lot out there. and of course, we have been told several times he is not on the spectrum. and i admit that when i read these descriptions from parents, when i recognize r in them, it is always ambivalent. what am i to do with this but keep trying to pursue these resources under the radar. as part of our OT goals, we have decided to focus on handwriting and gross motor bike riding. but i can see that if he has poor hand strength and trouble crossing the midline, these are going to continue to cause problems. moreover, how are we going to deal with the school systems? and how do we raise him without continuing to change him or demoralize him. i wonder if we should home school him but then i realize i do not manage now. so then what?
geez it is complex and tough
k and i did other things this evening. she tried out her brother's bike. she can pedal well but the seat is too high for her currently. and our tricycle is just plain frustrating to all kids. she and i gardened and then sat in the tub together as well to rinse off. in the garden, she used her garden tools and gloves to help dig holes for the plants in the containers. she also made "a big hole for the ants to live in" in the window box. k spent much of her time trying out her "tools;" we also found a robin's egg. k was holding it in her palm and then dropped it. it did break and there was a tiny egg yolk on the grass. we saved the shell to take to school tomorrow. i wonder if it fell with the tree cutting.
not a great evening for the kids. not awful. but less relaxed and successful than the weekend. sigh. back to the drawing board.
pick up was not exactly smooth yesterday. dad went to the grocery store while i brought the kids home. r and k could not make it into the house without incidents. k wet herself and as usual took off her shoes in the car. r smashed his finger on a rock despite being told to leave the pile alone. both did recover and i kept my cool.
r and dad have started reading charlie and chocolate factory. they are enjoying their reading time immensely. r's eyes are as big as saucers when he hears the story. it's sweet and very clear that he has some of the same narrative bug that mom has. i loved and still do love books with magic in them. he too enjoys a good story. wait until he can read them to himself!
k is infatuated with the book "there are cats in this book" by viviane schwarz. it is adorable for preschoolers and people who love cats. k is both.
there were several renditions of happy birthday to uncle tom by ms. k who did not get to see her uncle but declared "my birthday is next. then grandma sue. then rohan. and then daddy." birthdays are a serious business to our daughter.
TUE: it was agreed upon that dad would ride his bike to work two times a week. (i too am supposed to get exercise soon.) tuesday was his first scheduled ride. as our alarm clock has been dutifully set to 6:30 pm, we have been waking up rather puzzled and late this week. but dad got his gear on and waited patiently for his kids. as it turns out, i think, dad is not able to resist reading charlie and the chocolate factory either as he was present for quite a long time this morning. soon after, everyone headed out. the kids and i in the car escorting dad to the greenway. we then sped along the streets talking about dad's progress though we could not see him.
both kids are excited about bicycling as r has a new bicycle and k is eager to try it out as well.
at school, there was a shorter version of monday's crying by k. but discussions of going to the park quieted her quickly in the room. r went off to join his friends with few backward glances.
pick up did not go as smoothly. i came early and still had trouble working with both. k wet herself on the playground. r did not want to go potty and played in the foyer. it just took a long time to leave.
at home nobody wanted to eat dinner. r kept touching things that he was not supposed to. it just seemed that he couldn't control stuff. we could see the signs but could not change the behavior. i had purchased some shrinky dinks (robot shaped) to practice his fine motor control. when he finally got to them after dinner, it seemed like he was not interested in the coloring at all. it is a bad cycle. he does not like it; we want him to do it. we take it away when he does not and then he does not want to. yikes what a set up to fail. i have to think through this. i thought robots would be fun.
but i also think it is something about his mood/behavior/brainspace this evening. he had difficulty listening at swimming class. he is in the first level and kept getting off his step into the water when it was not his turn. the water is deep and despite the swallowing of water and the inability to touch bottom, dad reports that r did this repeatedly. ok. we can see the problems with the evening. he is contrite, but there is something else we are missing. is he just willful? does he not heed our directions because he does not understand consequence? because the consequences are not taking away things he wants? is it about discipline or ability, neither or both?
i just googled "preschooler no interest in writing or drawing" and found the blog of a homeschooling mom of a child with autism. so many times, what i type in to find resources for r, i get autism. of course, everyone writes about autism so there is a lot out there. and of course, we have been told several times he is not on the spectrum. and i admit that when i read these descriptions from parents, when i recognize r in them, it is always ambivalent. what am i to do with this but keep trying to pursue these resources under the radar. as part of our OT goals, we have decided to focus on handwriting and gross motor bike riding. but i can see that if he has poor hand strength and trouble crossing the midline, these are going to continue to cause problems. moreover, how are we going to deal with the school systems? and how do we raise him without continuing to change him or demoralize him. i wonder if we should home school him but then i realize i do not manage now. so then what?
geez it is complex and tough
k and i did other things this evening. she tried out her brother's bike. she can pedal well but the seat is too high for her currently. and our tricycle is just plain frustrating to all kids. she and i gardened and then sat in the tub together as well to rinse off. in the garden, she used her garden tools and gloves to help dig holes for the plants in the containers. she also made "a big hole for the ants to live in" in the window box. k spent much of her time trying out her "tools;" we also found a robin's egg. k was holding it in her palm and then dropped it. it did break and there was a tiny egg yolk on the grass. we saved the shell to take to school tomorrow. i wonder if it fell with the tree cutting.
not a great evening for the kids. not awful. but less relaxed and successful than the weekend. sigh. back to the drawing board.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
successful weekend
slowing things down and not having any major family emergencies certainly has its plus sides. the weekend overall was quite pleasant and we enjoyed the time together.
on sunday we continued our (mostly) annual tradition of visiting auntie hot hot and mr. springfield for grand old days. last year grand old days was a wonderful experience where we watched a parade, grilled with our friends, and went to shoot water balloons at each other with giant slingshots. this year there was about a 50 degree difference and the highway was still closed. we caught the very tail end of the parade but had a grand old time with our friends nevertheless. we truly appreciate how much auntie hot hot and mr. s tolerate us. today we swallowed up some pancakes, brats, veggies burgers, chips and salsa, and brownies. yum yum.
on the way home, the adults had headaches and k fell asleep. at home, r worked on phonics. dad made dinner, k snoozed and snuggled. afterwards, the boys went outside and r worked on his biking. he had a tumble and some scrapes. but he did get back on his steed (hear that masee). we had a nice dinner of frittata, bacon, and corn. the kids took a bath with dad while i cleaned the bathroom. everyone was clean, happy, and cozy. nice to have our kids back.
on sunday we continued our (mostly) annual tradition of visiting auntie hot hot and mr. springfield for grand old days. last year grand old days was a wonderful experience where we watched a parade, grilled with our friends, and went to shoot water balloons at each other with giant slingshots. this year there was about a 50 degree difference and the highway was still closed. we caught the very tail end of the parade but had a grand old time with our friends nevertheless. we truly appreciate how much auntie hot hot and mr. s tolerate us. today we swallowed up some pancakes, brats, veggies burgers, chips and salsa, and brownies. yum yum.
on the way home, the adults had headaches and k fell asleep. at home, r worked on phonics. dad made dinner, k snoozed and snuggled. afterwards, the boys went outside and r worked on his biking. he had a tumble and some scrapes. but he did get back on his steed (hear that masee). we had a nice dinner of frittata, bacon, and corn. the kids took a bath with dad while i cleaned the bathroom. everyone was clean, happy, and cozy. nice to have our kids back.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
it's about the journey, not just the destination
there are days that start and end well with a lot of griping in between. this was not one of those days. it was the opposite.
r and the clothes situation is getting worse rather than better. as we try to stop hovering over, doing it for, or nagging him while he dresses, it is getting worse. we have simplified the process as much as possible and it is still getting worse. mornings and bedtimes are just perplexing. he will sit in the recliner in his room for a half hour by himself just doing nothing. it is just down right puzzling why he doesn't want to get dressed in 5 minutes and get on with something else. inevitably this puts us in a crabby mood because it should not be so hard to put on your clothes and shoes.
today we was the last swimming class at the yw. because of r's clothing we were all about 10 minutes late. it was cold and rainy as well. but we were pretty chipper in going to class. k enjoys the water and r really is comfortable. however, i have not been thrilled with the classes as i feel they do not give enough attention and challenge to the kids. they seem playful but less skill oriented than i would like. in light of this, we are going to try a different swimming school, one that oddly enough happens to be in a mall. we went last week for a test run and were impressed with the style of teaching and the emphasis on mastering skills. while i may not want my education system to teach to the test, for swimming, i do want my kids to love the water and master the technical aspects of swimming safely and strongly. i think the FOSS lessons might be very helpful in this way. we did not stay a long time in swimming because r was shivering in the pool and k was not as interested as usual. so after some warm showers, we headed out to our next event -- a birthday party for one of r's friends on the st paul campus.
what should have been a simple expedition took over 45 minutes as an entire stretch of the interstate was closed as well as the appropriate exit on another highway. after the 3rd detour, dad and i were enjoying ourselves. we did finally reach our destination where the kids enjoyed some bowling, pizza, cake, and running around with friends.
afterwards we decided to go run an errand that took us to suburbs far far away. we went to coon rapids (don't ask why) to buy a bike for r. as part of our OT goals for the summer, we have decided that handwriting, swimming , and biking are the three activities that we would focus on to help r get stronger and prepare for kindergarten. so he got his first bike. on the way home, both kids were asleep and we stopped for some groceries.
the afternoon brought some snack time, blues clues, and dad working on the pond in the cold cold rain. k called her nani to discuss the weather, her bowling, and swimming class. after the popcorn and entertainment, r and k joined dad outside. k came back because it was cold and played while i cleaned and made dinner. r and dad came in cold and wet. the kids sat down to a dinner of rice, saag paneer, and tofu pot pie. while dad and i also had bakri (a flat indian bread) and malai kofta. dinner was wonderful. k asked at one point if her brother was eating saag paneer. and when we answered yes, she requested some. so she ate saag paneer and rice. r ate that along with the malai kofta. k also dipped her bakri into the saag paneer and ate it. it was a delight. r very much enjoys it when we hide the paneer in the saag and he has to search for it. he asked me to hide it and then say in a mocking voice "you will never find it now. ha ha ha." this went on for quite a while until both of them ate the entire package! k then proceeded to use tissues and her water to "clean" the table. it was a nice meal.
afterwards we did some art work and got the kids upstairs to bed. we hit the clothing wall again. r chose not to dress himself for about 20-30 minutes and thus missed his reading time 2 nights in a row. he finally did dress when he was told that he would not achieve his cooperation star for the day. dad and i do not understand why this is so difficult. it is not a nice way to end the day. k, on the other hand, was quite happy in the evening. she brushed her teeth, read her books, and was happily tucked in.
i forgot to mention last night that she was telling me about her day. she discussed how the preschoolers went to the big park. she liked it a lot and wants to take her family there: masee, tom, re-re, cutie cat, rohan, mommy and daddy.
maybe if it gets warm enough, r can just go naked all the time. k would definitely like that.
r and the clothes situation is getting worse rather than better. as we try to stop hovering over, doing it for, or nagging him while he dresses, it is getting worse. we have simplified the process as much as possible and it is still getting worse. mornings and bedtimes are just perplexing. he will sit in the recliner in his room for a half hour by himself just doing nothing. it is just down right puzzling why he doesn't want to get dressed in 5 minutes and get on with something else. inevitably this puts us in a crabby mood because it should not be so hard to put on your clothes and shoes.
today we was the last swimming class at the yw. because of r's clothing we were all about 10 minutes late. it was cold and rainy as well. but we were pretty chipper in going to class. k enjoys the water and r really is comfortable. however, i have not been thrilled with the classes as i feel they do not give enough attention and challenge to the kids. they seem playful but less skill oriented than i would like. in light of this, we are going to try a different swimming school, one that oddly enough happens to be in a mall. we went last week for a test run and were impressed with the style of teaching and the emphasis on mastering skills. while i may not want my education system to teach to the test, for swimming, i do want my kids to love the water and master the technical aspects of swimming safely and strongly. i think the FOSS lessons might be very helpful in this way. we did not stay a long time in swimming because r was shivering in the pool and k was not as interested as usual. so after some warm showers, we headed out to our next event -- a birthday party for one of r's friends on the st paul campus.
what should have been a simple expedition took over 45 minutes as an entire stretch of the interstate was closed as well as the appropriate exit on another highway. after the 3rd detour, dad and i were enjoying ourselves. we did finally reach our destination where the kids enjoyed some bowling, pizza, cake, and running around with friends.
afterwards we decided to go run an errand that took us to suburbs far far away. we went to coon rapids (don't ask why) to buy a bike for r. as part of our OT goals for the summer, we have decided that handwriting, swimming , and biking are the three activities that we would focus on to help r get stronger and prepare for kindergarten. so he got his first bike. on the way home, both kids were asleep and we stopped for some groceries.
the afternoon brought some snack time, blues clues, and dad working on the pond in the cold cold rain. k called her nani to discuss the weather, her bowling, and swimming class. after the popcorn and entertainment, r and k joined dad outside. k came back because it was cold and played while i cleaned and made dinner. r and dad came in cold and wet. the kids sat down to a dinner of rice, saag paneer, and tofu pot pie. while dad and i also had bakri (a flat indian bread) and malai kofta. dinner was wonderful. k asked at one point if her brother was eating saag paneer. and when we answered yes, she requested some. so she ate saag paneer and rice. r ate that along with the malai kofta. k also dipped her bakri into the saag paneer and ate it. it was a delight. r very much enjoys it when we hide the paneer in the saag and he has to search for it. he asked me to hide it and then say in a mocking voice "you will never find it now. ha ha ha." this went on for quite a while until both of them ate the entire package! k then proceeded to use tissues and her water to "clean" the table. it was a nice meal.
afterwards we did some art work and got the kids upstairs to bed. we hit the clothing wall again. r chose not to dress himself for about 20-30 minutes and thus missed his reading time 2 nights in a row. he finally did dress when he was told that he would not achieve his cooperation star for the day. dad and i do not understand why this is so difficult. it is not a nice way to end the day. k, on the other hand, was quite happy in the evening. she brushed her teeth, read her books, and was happily tucked in.
i forgot to mention last night that she was telling me about her day. she discussed how the preschoolers went to the big park. she liked it a lot and wants to take her family there: masee, tom, re-re, cutie cat, rohan, mommy and daddy.
maybe if it gets warm enough, r can just go naked all the time. k would definitely like that.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
long time coming
I know that I have not written in a long time. It has been a whirlwind of chaos and adventures for the last 6 weeks.
Just a quick run through of major events.
Hawaii
I went to hawaii for a conference. it was wonderful. the kids had a great time with grandma sue and james who came to minneapolis to help and play. both kids had trips to the zoo, lots fun with the extra attention, and lots of love. i enjoyed my conference, saw friends, gave a talk, met obama's brother in law, and went snorkeling.
Harvard
the teaching at harvard was a wonderful semester. somehow students at harvard have trouble finishing in a timely manner. i adored the students in both classes. they were wonderful. and my grader was a dynamo. can't wait to see her again. the travel was taking a toll on the kids and dad by the end. but i am so happy that i did it. thank you everyone -- nathan, dave, dad, seema, sarah, tom, and the kids for making it possible for me to pursue this opportunity.
K is for Kind
one night, since dad was working and uncle jeff was out of town, auntie karen and i gathered 4 kids together in her home. it was very interesting to see k around baby august. she was incredibly curious and gentle. she had trouble sitting in her seat during her dinner and got up every few minutes to go check on him. at one point, she gently rubbed her hand on his head. it was very endearing. her ability to socialize and empathize is so clear. she is going to be a preschooler next week. i am so so sad. i will miss her toddlerhood and bungalow C. the teachers there rock. they helped her become the indep
May Day
we celebrated may day with several thousand of our fellow minnesotans. the may day parade and ceremony is an annual tradition in our household. i believe it is the 16th one i have attended. sponsored by the heart of the beast puppet and mask theater, the celebration is a glorious hippy event intertwining the labor and vernal aspects of may day. hence we enjoyed the arrival of spring and marked the importance of labor organizing and the rights of workers. not a bad way to spend a sunday afternoon. dad made costumes for the kids. r and k chose to be jellyfish. hence we made a few headpieces that transformed our children into jellyfish.
Jobs/Work
stressful. but we are surviving.
East Coast trip
We took the kids to NY/NJ and Boston for a week. it was a great trip. the highlights include: grandma sue and james, museum of natural history, indian restaurant, train ride to boston, ham, pizza, uncle dave and uncle nathan, walks for ice cream, the children's museum, breakfast with aunt annie/uncle sam/june, breakfast with uncle jeff (no argus), staying in a hotel, eating pastries, and running around the wharf. all in all a good trip.
Hospital Beds
R had an infection in his hip joint. luckily it was viral and not bacterial. nonetheless, two very surprised parents and one preschooler managed to spend the night at the hospital making sure everyone was safe. thanks to seema, rakesh, and tom for making it easy to manage. r spent at least an hour and a half total playing with the motorized hospital bed. while there we figured out that r has abnormal blood test results. so he might have my thalassemia. in case it is anemia, we will try the multivitamin. but our dr says that r will have funny blood tests.
Anger Management
R has learned a few choice words - on sunday when he was angry, he said "F*$% it" and today he said "Damn it." when asked where he learned these words, he replied "you daddy." gulp.
Tantrums
lots of them. everyone is recovering from all of the above. we need quiet and recovery time. k keeps hitting. R keeps screaming. it was a rough weekend. patience is very thin sometimes. we are trying some things the behav ped suggested: he wears his school clothes to bed; he gets to recover on his own; etc. we shall see if they work. he needs less hovering, but he also needs to listen more. on the other hand, r is working on understanding the big bang as a point of singularity. he is most definitely an odd kid. he reminds me of calvin of calvin and hobbes.
More pictures to come
Just a quick run through of major events.
Hawaii
I went to hawaii for a conference. it was wonderful. the kids had a great time with grandma sue and james who came to minneapolis to help and play. both kids had trips to the zoo, lots fun with the extra attention, and lots of love. i enjoyed my conference, saw friends, gave a talk, met obama's brother in law, and went snorkeling.
Harvard
the teaching at harvard was a wonderful semester. somehow students at harvard have trouble finishing in a timely manner. i adored the students in both classes. they were wonderful. and my grader was a dynamo. can't wait to see her again. the travel was taking a toll on the kids and dad by the end. but i am so happy that i did it. thank you everyone -- nathan, dave, dad, seema, sarah, tom, and the kids for making it possible for me to pursue this opportunity.
K is for Kind
one night, since dad was working and uncle jeff was out of town, auntie karen and i gathered 4 kids together in her home. it was very interesting to see k around baby august. she was incredibly curious and gentle. she had trouble sitting in her seat during her dinner and got up every few minutes to go check on him. at one point, she gently rubbed her hand on his head. it was very endearing. her ability to socialize and empathize is so clear. she is going to be a preschooler next week. i am so so sad. i will miss her toddlerhood and bungalow C. the teachers there rock. they helped her become the indep
May Day
we celebrated may day with several thousand of our fellow minnesotans. the may day parade and ceremony is an annual tradition in our household. i believe it is the 16th one i have attended. sponsored by the heart of the beast puppet and mask theater, the celebration is a glorious hippy event intertwining the labor and vernal aspects of may day. hence we enjoyed the arrival of spring and marked the importance of labor organizing and the rights of workers. not a bad way to spend a sunday afternoon. dad made costumes for the kids. r and k chose to be jellyfish. hence we made a few headpieces that transformed our children into jellyfish.
Jobs/Work
stressful. but we are surviving.
East Coast trip
We took the kids to NY/NJ and Boston for a week. it was a great trip. the highlights include: grandma sue and james, museum of natural history, indian restaurant, train ride to boston, ham, pizza, uncle dave and uncle nathan, walks for ice cream, the children's museum, breakfast with aunt annie/uncle sam/june, breakfast with uncle jeff (no argus), staying in a hotel, eating pastries, and running around the wharf. all in all a good trip.
Hospital Beds
R had an infection in his hip joint. luckily it was viral and not bacterial. nonetheless, two very surprised parents and one preschooler managed to spend the night at the hospital making sure everyone was safe. thanks to seema, rakesh, and tom for making it easy to manage. r spent at least an hour and a half total playing with the motorized hospital bed. while there we figured out that r has abnormal blood test results. so he might have my thalassemia. in case it is anemia, we will try the multivitamin. but our dr says that r will have funny blood tests.
Anger Management
R has learned a few choice words - on sunday when he was angry, he said "F*$% it" and today he said "Damn it." when asked where he learned these words, he replied "you daddy." gulp.
Tantrums
lots of them. everyone is recovering from all of the above. we need quiet and recovery time. k keeps hitting. R keeps screaming. it was a rough weekend. patience is very thin sometimes. we are trying some things the behav ped suggested: he wears his school clothes to bed; he gets to recover on his own; etc. we shall see if they work. he needs less hovering, but he also needs to listen more. on the other hand, r is working on understanding the big bang as a point of singularity. he is most definitely an odd kid. he reminds me of calvin of calvin and hobbes.
More pictures to come
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