Just because.....

I haven't taken any pictures of Jaemin in awhile and he changes so much at this age, so, just because, here are some pictures that are definitely his sunny personality.

Well...

Speech therapy is a go and they recommend 30 minutes a week.  So while it's more than a mild speech problem it's not terrible either.  They said most kids wouldn't quite qualify under state standards, but because Jaemin had SO many sound issues he did qualify. 

He didn't qualify for occupational therapy.  The results came back that he has more than sensory processing disorder tendencies and some fine motor area problems, because he doesn't also have gross motor problems or some other major area, he doesn't qualify for therapy by state standards.  But, if he doesn't progress in these areas they will reevaluate down the road.  Until then the OT can give us some pointers on things we can try at home and we're hoping the speech therapy may help his sensory if he is able to communicate with us better.  They figured his audible speech at about 50%.  I'm pretty happy with it all at this point.  He has an IEP for one year, but he never has to requalify.  At the end of 2012 they will just decide if he has progressed enough to go out or continue.  He may even have to go to speech during the summer, but they will decide that in May depending on how he retains what he learns these next few months.  He should start next week.  I'm not happy my child has a delay, but so happy that after 1 1/2 years of pursuing an answer we have a possibility and people who see the same things we do.

On a side note, looks like our family gets to go to a Cardinal game!  The kids are super excited.  I had written the Cardinals to let them know how rude their employees were after we waited in line for almost 2 hours in 25 degree temps and they apologized and are sending all 7 of us to a game in June.  It's probably going to be bleacher or nose bleed seats, but that's all we can ever afford anyways, so we're good with it!  Woohoo!

YAY! Progress!

I have to go to school for a meeting tomorrow.  They're setting up an IEP (individualized education plan) for Jaemin.  He qualified for speech!  While that's not going to take care of all of his issues, we've been chasing providers and trying to get help for over 1 1/2 years.  After a couple of evaluations, filling out questionnaires and having an outside entity evaluate the school's findings they determined my baby boy needs speech therapy.  I feel like maybe, there's a chance it will help him catch up in other ways.  His social/emotional development should be aided by this.  He's already improved, some, in this area, but I'm hoping this will help him further.   I don't yet know if he's qualifying for occupational therapy with the school.  As much as the therapist wanted to get him in, it's harder to qualify for.  When I talk to the head of special services tomorrow I should find out everything.  And if he doesn't qualify for OT now we can have him reevaluated later.  The great thing is he's only 3 1/2 and won't go to school for 2 1/2 years.  That means 2 1/2 years with the right services to help him catch up to his peers.

While I have my reservations and don't want to believe that all of his quirks will subside with this, it's better than nothing and it's still a chance at it for my Jaemin.  He'll love getting to go to school anyways.  He'll feel so big.

Cardinal Fans?

I won't go into major detail, but I took our kids to a Cardinal Caravan meeting and, while the players were great, Mike Shannon and the administrative lady that was with them had no class at all.  They were accusatory that we brought things we didn't, etc.  Another person I know was told she couldn't even go on-stage with her 4 year old.  They decided they didn't want parents going through the line at all.  Uhhh really.  You expect parents just to send their kids through when, while the child might be a fan, they're still too young to know how to go about getting an autograph.  Really rude!  I felt bad for the players.  They weren't allowed to talk or say anything to the kids as they walked through. Only Chase really realized what all was going on and it's sad that an 11 year old could be a lost fan all because of the way two people conducted themselves.

However, in the end, the kids that were with me, got autographs of David Freese, Jaime Garcia, Shelby Miller, Kerry Robinson and John Costello.  Now, remember we already had Kerry Robinson's autograph from a couple of years before a game.  However, Mr. Chase dropped his hat in Alabama this summer and someone stole it.  So, he now has Kerry Robinson's autograph again, along with the others.  Since Chelsi and the other kids didn't need Kerry's I asked Kerry to sign Jaemin's hat, so he graciously did and then gave it to John Costello to sign too.  They weren't being watched as closely by the classless lady, so they didn't mind.

Chase also wanted Fred Bird's autograph, so we stopped for that.  We all did decide that 1 hour and 45 minutes in 25 degree weather wasn't worth the hassle we were given for autographs and will never do this again. 

My pretty project....so happy.

Saw this on some blogs and Pinterest and HAD to do it.  We had some scrap lumber that was already stained this, non-matching, color.  I got a paint pen and ruler and went to town following the instructions online. Then, we made it fit for our house.  I got out the old baby books for all of the kids and wrote down all of their past measurements.  I will surely take more care to measure them all on their birthdays now that I have somewhere to put them.  It was sort of fun seeing such close or far away measurements on some of the kids.  And it's never put away.  It's always out for all to see as a household decoration....even better!  What did it cost me?  Well, a bottle of black paint around the edges (I had it, but maybe $2) and a paint pen that cost $2.  Woohoo!  I love it!  Something similarish at Pottery Barn for $59. 

Can working moms be good moms?

Yes.  We are not worse moms than a stay at home mom.  I know they are working moms too, but we get the responsibility, and no it's not always by choice, to work on someone else's clock all day long and come home to work some more.  And I'm not even talking about anything related to taking care of the kids.  But, being a working mom, outside of the home, doesn't mean someone else is raising your kids.  It doesn't mean you have no time for your kids.  It doesn't mean your a disconnected mom.  In fact, for a lot of us, I think we just find other ways of accomplishing it all and finding our own niche for our family.

For our family, it's having a good husband and dad and raising our kids to be independent kids that don't expect to have the best of everything and can wait for what they need even.  We get each other.  We work it out so that all the chores get done without making someone feel overwhelmed; no house cleaners or cooks afforded here.  While working part time I found out I didn't have any more time then I did when I was working full time, but stressed much more about paying our bills.  Forget luxury, we were living off our savings for that year.  So, when I went back to work it was with a new outlook.  I was not going to stress about the small stuff.  Just get done what had to and make sure I spent what time I could with the kids and didn't dwell on it and punish myself and let myself feel bad when I knew I had done everything I possibly could to the absolute best of my ability.  When I'm at work I give them my all.  When I'm at home I leave work and give my family my all.

That doesn't mean that family doesn't encroach on work.  I mean come on...I'm a mom.  If Cole calls and says 'mom, coach says I need to go to the doctor or I can't wrestle', I get off the phone, get him in somewhere and one of us gets him in right away.  And yes, this happened....twice.  I spend many hours in the car with the kids which is a great time to talk to them.  They can't get away from you.  I love doctors appointments, orthodontics, etc.  It's one-on-one time with them.  I spend at least 1/2 hour driving them to or from the location with their undivided attention.

I made a vow when I came back full time that I would still watch my leave time, but not be such a miser with it.  I've worked there for 15 years always saving it for an emergency.  And while that served me well so I could take maternity leave 5 times, take off with Cole for his heart and appendectomy and Brian for some of his hospital stay, it's time.  I promised myself that if the kids had school stuff and wanted me there I would be there.  That's how I got to go to Chelsi's awards, Jaemin's Christmas party and hopefully Cole's 1st round of district wrestling.  I'm trying to enjoy every bit of my life to the fullest while remaining responsible to my family.  I take my time to cuddle the kids at night, sit on the floor of the kitchen to have little talks with Kaelin about growing up and just let down my guard and have fun with all of them.

Doesn't mean mom's a pushover though.  I will still give reminders about gradually dropping grades, being mean to each other and disrespectful or forgetting your chores or obligations.  I'm still their mom, not their friend.   But, I have to say the last few months, even with icky stuff that goes on at work I've been happier.  It's an outlook to some extent.  It's thinking and believing that this year is a new start and a great year.  Mom's can do it all, depending on how they view things and allocate their time.  Even some stay-at-home moms don't allocate their time to their children.  No group is perfect.  It's still a personal decision and choice on the detail of what you do with every second.  Make every second count and enjoy them and yourself on the ride.

Thank God we have almost 14 months!

To find Cole a car.  I'd love to have his actual car for when he gets his permit in 2 months, but at the rate of my pickiness and budget constraints we may never find something.  I'd really like something safe...with airbags.  At least his birth year would be great.  And, oh yeah, around $2,000?

I'm sure there are folks that read this thinking yeah, your kid doesn't need their own car.  But, you have to understand there is NO transit here, so if he ever gets a job he will need it.  Then, if he doesn't wreck it like most kids do their first one, it will become Chase's.  I have a feeling we're going to possibly have to spend a little more for something we trust (who cares what it really looks like, for the most part).  Yikes that's going to hurt and seriously encroach on going to Korea.  But, what choice do you have....go to Korea......or have a safe car for my new driver?  No brainer!  Wish me luck in my year long endeavor.