We made it!! Jenna's birthday party was on Saturday...and as the person who planned the majority of it, and organized, and corralled, and bribed 8 girls and 2 boys...I am not so humbly going to proclaim that it was a huge hit!!
So, I went with the picnic theme that Jenna requested. At first I was leary, because I hadn't ever thought about that kind of party. But once I got going, I LOVED it!! I swear it planned itself :) (HA! No, it did not!! I did that :) hmm..nope, not humble)
In advance of the party, I bought a different coloured sand pail for each guest, and stuck on their names with foam stickers. Also, when each Mom RSVP'd, I made sure to ask what their child's favourite sandwich was. So, come lunch time, I gathered each guest's bucket, and inside I added their personal favourite sandwich, a Kool-Aid Jammer, and an Oreo Cakester. Two of the girls were convinced that I'm psychic because I knew what kind of sandwich they ate :) hehehe
After lunch I let them run wild for a bit while the gorwnups cleaned up, and then called them all back to decorate their buckets. I found the Coolest foam sticker at Micheals (Wal-mart has them too, but I had a coupon for Micheals)...They were bugs and grass, and fish shapes, in pale, girly colours, and Gingham!! What says picnic more than Gingham!? I thought so too :)
Once the buckets were decorated, I used each one as the loot 'bags' for each guest :) I know the foam stickers won't hold up in the sand...but it was a good idea at the time :)
I found some different games to play rather than the regular musical chairs etc..since we were at a park without electricity :) We played shoe scramble, where there are two piles of shoes, and you have to race to each pile, but on your own shoes, and then race back. SO funny!! Especially the shoes on the wrong feet!!
Then there was Balloon scramble. Hilarity. Each guest was blindfolded, and then we set out balloons (with marbles inside so they wouldn't blow away. The girls had to crawl across the grass, find a balloon, and the first one to pop it was the winner. It was so funny watching the girls go off in the wrong directions!
We did the classic Egg and spoon race too...but honestly, I thought it was a bit boring. I'll have to think up a variation before I use that game again :)
Then there was Going on a Picnic. Not a game really, just something fun to calm them down, and to pass the time. We brought Apples, Banana's, Cake, Doritos, Eggs, Fries, Grapes, Hot Dogs, Ice cream, Jello, Kites, and Melissa's Mom to our picnic. After that I lost their interest. But it was cute watching them help each other out with remembering what comes next, and what starts with the next letter :)
Then came the Bite Test. I suggest spreading out A LOT with this. Sarah got knocked over :( So, what happens is, each kid gets a napkin, that gets weighed down (we used rocks from the beach). The kids race to the napkins and then have to pick them up with only their Teeth!! No hands or they're disqualified :) Funny to watch them try to pick up the napkins with their teeth :)
After that it was cake and presents, so of the girls went in the lake, until it started to thunder, so we got them out quick.
All in all it was a BLAST!! I loved it. It's right up there with the Tea Party we had when Jenna turned 5. How I hope these parties are leaving lasting memories for my kids :)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Party Party Party!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Update on Mason
So, since Mason was about a year old, I have wondered about his speech. I let it slide a few more months, listening to what people say about boys being slower. He got a few more sounds, and I let it go a bit longer. Then at about 18-20 months he was calling us Mommy and Daddy. None of this mama and dada stuff for him! I thought perhaps he needs to wait to say the word when he knows he's got it perfect?? Then I noticed other people were having a harder and harder time understanding him, and I was interpreting for him SO much more than I should be for a 2 year old.
I did some research, and he didn't seem to hit any of the markers for concerns about speech. He could put two words together, was Very receptive (he was shaking his head yes and no appropriately at 8 months old!!), seemed to understand what we were saying to him and so on.
And then the crying. wouldn't. stop. I thought for a rather long time that he had some form of Autism. He wasn't speaking, the constant crying, I thought he was stimming when he was trying to calm himself, he was SO attached to me, didn't play well...and sooo much more. I talked to my doctor about my concerns about his speech and behaviour, and he gave me the number for the Preschool Speech and Language program. It's run for free (through OHIP) at our local hospital. So, I called them, and they sent out a 12 page assessment form to fill out. Daunting to say the least. They also require a hearing test.
So, we did the hearing test. And he failed it. I knew, sitting in the little room with him that he had failed. He wasn't hearing some things at all. it was so sad. But at least it gave me a reason for his speech issues!! Something to cling to for a little while. He didn't follow my instructions because he couldn't hear me! Of course! He didn't come back when I called him because he couldn't hear me! look at that. It was silly of me to hang onto that. I feel bad about that. So, back to my doctor with the results of the Audiologist. My doctor wouldn't do anything about a possible wax buildup in his ears because Mason was too young, and he didn't want to cause damage. So, we got a referral to an ENT. for 2 1/2 months later.
All this time, a lot of people were still telling me he was just a bit slow, and to give him time, blah blah blah :) A mother knows though, usually :) I knew my little boy was having trouble, and if he could just Tell me what he wanted, the crying would stop!!! That was the hardest time in my life I think. Waking up every morning to the crying, and hearing it all day until he fell asleep at night.
So, I filled out the speech assessment, and then kinda sat on it for awhile. I think I went into a bit of the denial everyone else was pushing at me. Finally, I mailed it in. And finally, Al got on board with me.
The ball started rolling. Not just lightly along, but at full speed down the hill!! He was accepted into the Preschool speech program. But there's a waiting list of 10-14 months!! What bullshit that is let me tell you!
So, Al was at our doctor's for something unrelated, and got talking to him about Mason. Our Dr wrote out a prescription for speech therapy, and gave Al a referral to a Speech Clinic!! And the BEST part is that the Therapy is covered by Al's work benefits!! And because it's a prescribed treatment, we don't even have to pay the 20% like most other things!!
So, last Wednesday I called The Speech Clinic to see what kind of openings I could get for him in the summer. The woman told me that she had TWO openings the next DAY!! Crazy! I couldn't do that, but she also had a spot on Saturday, so I snapped that up!
I took him in for the assessment, and he definitely has speech delays. Fairly significant delays, but not devastating ones. Everything is correctable with time. I am soooo relieved.
His issues are that he drops consonants. So for example, when he says Daddy, it comes out like Daa-ee. Aidan sounds like Ian. Chocolate is Wok-wit. He's not using the letters S, L and R. and B's and P's are being used inconsistently. He's substituting vowels all over the place, and he's trying to get his words out so fast, that we're only catching the last word in the sentence. So, lots to work on, but at least now we know!!! He'll go to speech therapy every other week. I am so relieved.
So, back to his hearing problems!! He had his appointment with the ENT today. And although the news wasn't great, it certainly could have been worse. Mason has enlarged adenoids. And they will need to be removed. They are blocking the fluid from draining, making everything he hears sound as though he's hearing it underwater. Makes perfect sense!! He'll also get tubes in his ears to help clear the way for the drainage. He gave Mason another hearing test, and it DOES NOT look like he has hearing loss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm soooo relieved about that!!!!
So, to sum up this novel!! He needs Speech therapy. And he needs surgery for his adenoids and tubes in his ears. I can't imagine what kind of kid he will be when we're all done with this!! I can't wait to find out :)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Not Typical.
I have a cold. A wicked, raging head cold. I woke up at 2 this morning, feeling like my throat was attacked by an army of razor blades, and couldn't get back to sleep for the coughing and wheezing. So came downstairs, had a freezie, had another freezie, had a bowl of ice cream (which finally gave me some relief, and read for over an hour before I was finally able to fall asleep again. and now...duuuuuuude. I feel like I'm dying. Which isn't much of an option when you have 3 kids AND do daycare. **Note to self, find another mom to unload kids on for days like this LOL**
So, the point of this all is to admit that I am not at all a typical woman when I get sick. I would love to join the mothers that complain that their husband's world stands still when they get sick, but when Mom gets sick?? oh no, the world keeps spinning, and they drag their swollen throbbing sinuses around the house keeping peace and order no matter the expense to their health and well being. That they risked tearing incisions after major surgeries to make sure lunches were lovingly packed and tied with pretty ribbons. That they just threw a wee band aid on and took the garbage out one piece at a time to make sure it got to the curb in time, no matter that they lost sleep over the fact. nope. That is SO not me.
I turn into a big whiny priss. I don't want to do a damn thing. The dishes pile up. The laundry piles up. The children's faces are only washed half heartedly, if at all. I wear old clothes, and my hair is a disaster. And I don't give a hoot. I just want to curl up with a good, cheesy book, a giant feather duvet, and a box of Kleenex (or actually Puffs with lotion...could you go get me some from the store, k thanks.). And so help me God, do NOT ask me to move until I am well again. But feel free to bring me soup, and tea, and chocolate, and anything else you think I might want :)
I am such a man when I am sick. And I like it.
Going back to my blanket, and children's stories for the kids now.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Read Alvin's Blog!!
Because I said so. And it's great. And I said so.
http://phoenixbodystyling.blogspot.com/
