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Raining

The girls are outside on the deck watching it rain. They are completely mesmerized by it, like it's something they have never seen before. Give it another couple weeks and it will be all they see.

I took a really long time to update this and a lot has changed. We just bought a new house and are in the process of doing upgrades. The house needed new carpet, paint, cabinets, lighting fixtures, etc. Since Jon and I are not very handy we flew in my dad for 10 days to help. He's been over there last last 4 days helping. It's really kind of amazing how far they have gotten already. As we speak (as I type) they are over there right now painted the foyer. Jon is on a lift that they rented about 15 above the floor. Yikes! :)

Madeline starts school next Tuesday. Mornings this year. Should be interested. I've never had to get myself and two kids ready and out the door at a specific time each morning. We'll see how it goes. I really like her teacher this year, Madeline already knows her so they won't be starting from scratch which is good. I don't have to give her the 15 minute run down. She's well aware of the situation and gets really excited when Madeline meets her goals.

Madeline turned 5 a couple weeks ago. WOW, that is crazy. I can't believe she's 5. It's weird because I was positive when we first got a diagnosis that she would be perfectly fine by 5. I read stories of women who "recovered" their kids in less than a year. Obviously every kiddo is different and we have to take each day as it comes. I'm really hopeful for this year. I really think we are starting to get the right combo of therapy and school down for her.

Kids are asking for a bath now so I'll post some pics of Madeline's 5th birthday at the Fun Forest at Seattle center. Madeline loved it!

Oh, I see

They didn't have her paperwork and no where on the check in sheet did it mention she had autism. Seems like something they might have put down on the form for the teachers. Idiots!!! I've gone and voiced my opinion, either they figure something out or I get a full refund. I'm so disappointed, I thought this is what those camps were for. Then I spoke with a friend that works there and she never sent her son to those camps. Would have been nice to know before I signed her up.

Days like this

Today was Madelines first experience with Day Camp. The children's therapy center out here runs camps throughout the summer. All are for kids of all needs and abilities. I signed Madeline up for Gymnastics camp this week and Science camp next week. I was sure she would love both. Today I dropped her off and I wasn't really sure. It didn't feel like they had a handle on it. Since I had talked to other parents that take their kids I was sure it was fine. Then they called me a half hour later to ask me for tips on getting Madeline to participate. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I've been trying to find tips on getting Madeline to participate for 2 and a half years. That's your job as a teacher of children with special needs. Get her interested. I guess she found their fish tank and was completely mezmorized by it. So I told them to cover it up at recess time so when she came back in it would be out of sight. Dang! I thought this was going to be so good for her. When I picked her up they said she did better but still wanted to wander a little. DUH!

I have to take her back to the therapy center in a few for OT so I'll have a chance to figure out what the heck they are doing over there. These camps are expensive and I don't want her wandering or watching fish for 3 hours. UGH!

Summertime!

I'm trying to get caught up. I just did my scrapbook for 2008! We're only 7 months into 2009 so that's not too bad. Luckily I do it the easy way by using shutterfly and having the images turned into books. They turn out really nice and it's a lot easier than cutting and pasting. Cleaner too!

I spend last week at Whidbey Island with the Bugni's. It was a great time. We just wished we would have booked a longer stay. We lucked out with the weather but not with the crabbing. Madeline loves the water and spent most of the time with her feet in it or in the sand. PJ brought a boat this time so both the girls got to go for boat rides. They also really liked the ferry ride over. Madeline kept saying "we're swimming in the ocean", which is basically scripted from a television show where they go swimming in the ocean but she used it appropriately so I can't complain.

We just got her started on a new drug called bethanecol. New to her, not new in general. Hopefully it will get her tummy moving. She's been pretty miserable lately. http://www.autismcoach.com/Cod_Liver_Oil.htm

School is out, well kinda. she's still very busy. She has preschool and OT on Mondays, ABA on Tuesdays and Speech on Fridays. I also got her signed up for 3 summer camps. Gymnastics, Ooey Gooey science and Champ Camp. They are all offered by our local childrens therapy center and can accomodate kids of all abilities. I think she'll love Gymnastics. Abby gets to go to Creepy Creatures camp too. That means I'll have three hours, three days in a row all to myself. I might have to actually get my hair cut, or go to the dentist!!

I've been meeting with a few of the mom's from Madeline's preschool a few times a week. Just at local parks for playing. It's nice to have a group of friends that know what daily life is like in my house. They are all great and I'm really glad I found them. It actually turns out that one of them is related to Jon's family is a weird sort of a way. Basically her aunt married Jon's Dad's first cousin. So she has a bunch of cousins that are Brunaugh's. Not a common name so we figured it out. Weird.

Here are some new pics.