Lift-off

In case you're wondering how the new trampoline has been received...





Pure childhood joy. Thanks grandmas and grandpas for the spectacular gift!

And yes, it is 60 degrees and sunny today. Sorry all you Midwestern friends and family (it was -52 AIR TEMP near my parents' house the other morning).

The business of an IEP

This morning Brian and I had a long meeting with Connor's support team at school: school psychologist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, special ed teacher and kindergarten teacher. Because of his autism diagnosis, he has an IEP (individual education program); the IEP has to be updated every 3 years to determine whether he still qualifies for the services he is receiving. His last IEP was done 3 years ago when he got his pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) diagnosis, before the autism diagnosis came. And here we are 3 years later doing another one. For the past 3 years he has been receiving speech, OT and special ed services through the preschool and now kindergarten setting.

For the past couple of months he's been going through lots of testing/evaluations/observations to see where things are. The meeting this morning was to share the findings with us, and to answer 2 questions: 1. Does Connor continue to meet eligibility requirements for special education services? 2. Because Connor is turning 6 (!) in the Spring, does he qualify for a school-aged disability?

The answer to both questions ended up being "Yes." But there are going to be some changes to his IEP. He no longer will receive speech (which inititally was his biggest focus) and OT (this has been a lesser service with just some basic support). He has been receiving some sort of speech therapy since he was 2, so that's 3 1/2 years! He is in essence "graduating" from speech - his speech teacher is going to do a little graduation event for him. The team actually considered not qualifying him for any services, but feel there is enough evidence to show that he would continue to benefit from ongoing speical ed support. So now, he will only receive special ed support, to address the one area that continues to be challening for our Connor: socialization. The resolution from the team at today's meeting is, "Connor is eligible for special education services for autism, in the areas of self-direction with independence and self-advocacy. Recommended services are social skills group weekly and in-class support for independence strategies."

I am so happy with their assessment - I have wanted him in a social skills group, but the one at Children's is way $$$. I think this will be sooooooo good for him. A quick little vent: I just have to say, I sometimes get annoyed at the bad rap public school gets these days. Of course there are some that probably deserve it, but I have had a fantastic experience with his school. From the top down, he has received excellent support tailored exactly to his needs. The principal and his entire team are "on it." I think we have found a situation that works as it should: principal, teacher and support staff working with us, the parents, to help Connor succeed and do the very best he can. I am so grateful for this.

His care team did share thoughts that have followed Connor since he was very first diagnosed: he is extremely mild and very high-functioning, in some ways not exhibiting typical autism behaviors, but it some ways, exemplifying some autistic tendencies to a T. He's always been a difficult diagnosis because of this, which ultimately is good, because he really has some huge strenghts, but then also some big weaknesses. Our philosophy as his parents always has been to use those strenghts to fill in his weaknesses. Once given the right tools, Connor is always capable of achieving huge things. In this, we try to be more "pushers" than "enablers" so to speak. But his little mind is just so interesting, and doesn't connect the dots or develop "typical" behaviors and tendencies like minds generally do.

The school psychologist made a most interesting point in trying to determine whether or not Connor will continue to qualify for services. She said if this was 20 years ago or so and they were going solely on does he need help to be academically competent, then NO, he would not qualify. But because things have progressed and they now look at the whole student, including these other factors like socialization, he does in fact qualify. Thank goodness this thought has come along! Because school really is about so much more than just ABCs and 123s.

From his testing, his congnitive abilities continue to be a huge strength. He continually has been testing above grade level in math and reading (in vocabulary, his syntactic understanding was described as "superior"). His struggles are writing, and again, socialization. But his team feels rather strongly that if he continues on the path he's on, there's a good chance he might not even have an IEP in the future.

So there we have it! A slightly new direction in his education plan, which I think ultimatley shows that he has made some huge progess. And we have no doubt that he will continue to make big strides. I am so grateful to be this little boy's mom.

Things that make me smile

Sometimes it's the simplest things that bring joy. A few things from the past few days that made me smile:

1. After my Primary activity yesterday morning (get-to-know-your-teacher breakfast, I am over quarterly activities), I was exhausted and still needed to menu plan and go grocery shopping. When I got home Brian had already menu planned for the whole week, did the list, and even organized it by department. I am so tired of menu planning, any break is welcome!

2. Projects. I love creating things, it is such a feeling of fulfillment and a nice distraction. I just haven't had a lot of time for crafting the past couple months with all I've had on my plate. But I did make a few things over the weekend.

These scrapbook-paper covered wooden C and L for the boys' room. Loving these papers, now need some shelves for their room:

For Isabel's room, I took a Styrofoam ball, cut it in half, and covered it with pink felt flowers, fastened to the ball with silver brads. Felt is fun, I'm trying to find other uses for it. How cute is this?


Also for Isabel's room: In a box in the basement I found this old painted wooden box I got from Bath and Body Works when I was in college (so about 13 years ago or so):
I repainted it, stenciled a paisley on it, and found these whimsical floral stems, which have different beads and these shiny ovals on them:
And I loved the way that Christmas-y tin star fit into my mantel, so I decided to make a permanent one.

3. Target = love. I get lost in Target. I am smitten with two new lines, Fresh Picks and Sweet Set (Valentine's stuff). I bought two of the placemats, and totally want some plates, cups and more. Swoon.


4. I won a blog giveaway contest on Monique's blog, so exciting! I never win stuff. The prize is a blog makeover and cute Valentine's stuff. So watch for my new look soon! Thanks Monique!

5. Two words: American Idol. The only show I really make time for. I am so hoping for a great season, the last couple of have been a bit lackluster.

Have a good week! My huge project that has consumed me the past couple of months is due tomorrow, and I think the stress level is about to subside significantly. My heart will be so happy.

Here's to the heart

Come to find out - after beating together for 34 years - that I've got me one free-spirited heart.

I had a physical this morning, and mentioned to the nurse that I've been having lots of heart issues lately, as in my heart goes crazy beating sometimes and I feel like I'm going to pass out. This has happened very infrequently for as long as I can remember, but so seldom I haven't really thought much of it. Lately, though, it's been happening a lot - like numerous times a day. When we were walking around in Estes Park after our sleigh ride last month it happened, and I darn near hit the pavement.

So the nurse does an EKG, after which the doctor comes and tells me I clearly have sinus arrhythmia - an irregular heartbeat.

"Basically," she says, "your heart does whatever it wants to. Sometimes it'll be going along, and then just forget to beat, and then make up for it."

She then tells me because my pulse rate is so slow it is barely normal (60, when 60 to 80 is normal) and my blood pressure is so low (98 over 68) that it probably affects me even more than the average person. She then "reassures" me by saying, "don't worry, you're not going to walk out of here and drop dead of a heart attack."

Um, thanks?

She showed me the EKG, and there it was, instead of nice, pretty regular blips, mine were all over the place. Who knew? It explains a lot though.

I then asked her if it is related to the sinus tachycardia I was diagnosed with during my pregnancies (extremely fast heartrate during all 3 of my pregnancies - 128 resting, made me feel miserable every day) and she said likely, something about pregnancy hormones maybe causing a fast heartbeat instead of irregular.

She referred me to a cardiologist, but I'm not interested in being on heart medication if I don't absolutely have to. If it continues to worsen, I might have to reconsider. But not for now. My friend just told me her sister has an irregular heartbeat and has to stand on her head when it gets bad. Somehow, that doesn't seem like an option for me. But if I am feeling desperate...

So there you have it. I have a heart that does whatever it wants to. So you know how people advise you to "follow your heart?" I just might do that! "What's this, Melissa, you've refurnished your entire home? And a whole new wardrobe?" I can say, "I was just following my heart!"

This heart, turns out from talking to my mom today, was given to me by my dad, who also has an irregular heartbeat. I slightly remembered knowing that. He ended up having a heart procedure several years ago b/c his got so bad (I so thought that was for something else! Sisters, can you back me on this???)

The doctor also said my heart has likely been so much worse lately b/c of stress. One more item of proof to add to my "Brian, I really need a day at the spa" case!

One more thing: I got a flu shot in one arm and a tetanus shot in the other arm. The flu shot hurts WAY WORSE.

There. I feel better now.

Cough, cough

When I look to the west out my back windows, I usually see mountains. Unless the weather is bad. Or unless the mountains are burning up. As I looked west today, I saw this:

I called Brian at work and asked if the winds were really that bad because there was a dust storm happening. Then he told me that was in fact a fire. Yikes. That AND the winds were really bad. We have had a flippin' windy couple of weeks, like even occasional hurricane-force winds. Seriously bad.

The kids and I drove into town, and saw the foothills on fire. Creepy.

The fires are burning in the foothills between Boulder and Longmont, and it smells like smoke in our house. My eyes are burning and my throat feels scratchy. Yuck. But that is nothing compared to those poor people losing their homes and being evacuated! Praying the fires get contained soon.

Oh, Isabel

This mind...
...is an interesting place. I swear day by day Isabel becomes wackier and more creative. She is bursting with creativity. Her favorite things - hands down - are anything having to do with music, dancing and art. And she has an imagination that is wildly vivid. She makes up elaborate stories all the time, and even makes up her own languages. I sometimes can't believe that she just turned 3. I had to record some of the recent Isabel doozies...

- While jumping on the new trampoline, she pronounced, "this is the best trampoline I have ever felt!"

- One day Isabel had said something hilarious, and I rhetorically asked her, "oh Isabel, where did you come from?" Without missing a beat, she replied, "oh, I'm from Africa!" She has since repeatedly said this. She has gone on to elaborate this story about how she and I were both in Africa, in the jungle, looking at animals in the sunlight and we found each other. And she tells it so convincingly.

- She asked me the other day, "mom, are dance lessons good or bad?" I said, "well, what do you think?" She said, "I think they're good. Dancing ... is incredible."

- She recently went through a phase where every time a song came on the radio, she would ask me who the singer was, whether the singer was a boy or a girl, what the song title was, what the words in the song were, and whether the singer liked chicken.

- I was showing her that Christmas star decor I had made, and asked her if she thought it was pretty. She said yes, and then went on to tell me it has 5 angles, and 5 points, and triangles have 3 angles, squares have 4, and circles have none because they don't have any sides. OK, then.

-The other day she told me she was a coyote and she wanted me to throw pretend rocks at her to scare her away (this has happened for real, can you tell we live on the plains?) and she went around yipping.

- She loves the stage. She has repeatedly asked me if she can do another dance recital soon, and tells me she can't wait for the next one. And last week she was standing on top of a long, flat storage container, pretending it was her stage. She'd do a song and dance number, get off, and say into her microphone, "who should we hear from next? I know - how about MEEEEEEeeeeeeee!!!" And then she'd get back up and do it all again.

And my favorite:

One day she and I were in the living room. I got up and went into the kitchen, at which point she says to me, "mom, it smells like you in here." I said, "oh, what do I smell like?" She replied, "um, like trash."

For the record, I am fairly sure this last one isn't true. Oh, my crazy daughter. I love you.

Wrapping up the old and bringing in the new (furniture!)

Happy New Year everyone! Having a good New Year's? We went to dinner yesterday evening with some good friends and then came back to our house for dessert and games. Today Brian did his annual chili/bowl games open house, where he makes a big pot of chili and invites friends over for a quick bowl of chili or an entire bowl game or anything in between. It's always a fun way to start the year.

We also started the day with another death- Whitey has now left us. We are not doing well here with the fish thing. Brownish seems to be holding his own, so we'll see.

Brian's work ended the year on a bang, with the sudden firing of Mike Shanahan as the Broncos head coach and GM. Being at that press conference was the quite the experience, he reports.

In other news, the kiddos experienced the great bed shift. Up until Saturday, Connor had been in a twin bed, Isabel in the crib, and Lucas in the pack and play. As you can imagine, this was desperately requiring a change. Now Connor sleeps here (why is he crossing his eyes...?) and is happy as can possibly be:

And Isabel sleeps here:
Yay, she is finally using the quilt I made! She is in need of a headboard, I am still deciding what I want to do. And I found pink, blue, white and brown striped sheets that match the quilt well, happy day!

That leaves Lucas to now sleep in the crib, a much-needed improvement.

And I got myself a little something, too. I've had my eye on these bookcases for months, to flank the TV stand we got in the summer:
I am having fun filling them (they are rather empty in the picture). I just have to say - books grouped by color are bee-ooo-teee-fulll. I am strategically leaving the bottom shelves open for now 'til Lucas ends his empty-the-bookshelf stage. And yes, I am aware that we have a rather small TV, and I am totally OK with it.

Here's to all that 2009 has to offer, hopefully much that is good and joyous.