Cardinal Cuteness

Getting his new duds.

AJ's Buddy, AJ, Daddy

 Shaking hands with the coach.

Running home.

 What is this thing on my hand?  

{And why is it pink?}

Snack Time.

Throwing.

I'm Done.

 Hiya Mom!

Tuesday's 10

1. AJ is tall enough to reach the middle of the kitchen countertops and is tall enough to climb out of the hammock swing on his own.  I'm trimming his fingernails around every 5 days.  Growth.spurt.

2. AJ negotiated a curb/step all on his own the other day, without any assistance.  I total free-step.  It.was.amazing.  It was all in normal walking stride too.

3. Check out Mr. Mini-Golf:

4. AJ begins summer school next week.  I am POSITIVE he will be all smiles when we pull up to his school and may just leap out of the car. He'll have summer school 3 days a week until the end of July.  While I had moments at the end of this school year of really missing him during the day, I sorta, kinda, do dread summer.  AJ is not that kid who sings "schooooool's for the summerrrrrrrrrrr" on the last day.  He loves school.  While we do our best to include fun activities here at home, its just not the same environment.  I can't seem to cram in as much as they do at school.  He's at that age where home is boring.   Outside is fun, the park is fun, anywhere but home is f.u.n.  So I am thankful he'll be getting a taste of school, and he'll have the chance to carry-over some skills from last year.  Of course, he had a huge learning explosion at the end of the year.  Always.  That kid.

5. Totally random thought-I have 7 laundry baskets.  Seven.  Why do I have seven laundry baskets?  Why do I need that many?

6. AJ partcipated in a local challenger baseball league in the beginning of June.  So many amazing parents, amazing kids, and amazing volunteers.  The league was started by a member of our very own Milwaukee Brewers, Marcus Hanel, and his wife.  When I called to inquire about the program and sign AJ up, I had no idea that I was speaking to an MLB player's wife!  The program really is wonderful.

(Pictures coming-for some reason Blogger won't upload for me right now)

7. I'm hoping we'll have some consistent summer weather soon.  It is supposed to be beautiful this weekend.  We're having a rummage.  I haven't done a rummage in, oh 5 years, so this should be interesting.  

8. AJ's 3rd hippotherapy riding session was cancelled yesterday-due to the weather.  That is 3 in-a-row we've missed.  I really, really, really hope he can ride next week.  It is a very good thing I signed him up for more than 1 session!

9. I am trying my hardest to get through a book a friend gave me.  Even though the book is barely an inch thick, I'm stuck.  Same goes for a yogi book another friend shared with me.  Why can't I get through any of these?!   

10.  I'm a bit hesitant in posting this, since we're still kinda waiting to see when the other shoe drops.  And, we're pinching ourselves to make sure this is really happening.  Jeremy unexpectedly lost his job a few weeks ago.  He was offered and accepted a new position for a large company that has a large presence here in the Milwaukee area.  We are SO thankful.  In addition, we found a new home in Waukesha.  We *should* be moving early August.  The best part?  Well, ok, it truly isn't the best part of this all.  What makes me excited?  The house is 10 minutes from AJ's school.  10 minutes!  We're hoping once we are moved and settled, we'll be able to relax.  Just a little. That would be nice.

Character

While starting our final sort through/packing, I stumbled upon this book from my first year in college.

I have no idea how my brain comprehended the contents.  Seriously.  I saved the book because it was used my in favorite college course, Foundations of Education, and reminds me of my favorite professor.  And, all my notes on the inside and back covers make me feel smart.

The first page I turned to boasted this note I had written in the margin:

"No one should display bad character in anything that they do"

Am I displaying poor or bad character as a special needs mom?  Am I setting a bad example?

The title SuperMom was given without my consent.  I do not remember signing a release allowing that title to be used in reference to me, myself, and I.  I was not given a kick-ass costume when AJ was placed in my arms. No sequins, leather, or push-up anything.  I don't need push-up anything, by the way. No costume, no super powers.  My costume usually consists of undone hair, whatever clothes are clean (and most likely have some issue or another), flip flops, or tennis shoes.

And yet I feel like I have a responsibility to fill that role, without even thinking about it.  I've devoted this blog to the ultimate truth about life with a multiple special needs child.  Most of my posts have been borderline depressing.  C'mon.  You were thinking the same thing.  I can't change the truth peeps.

So the question remains-am I displaying bad character?  

Should I be putting on the smiley face for one and all?

A friend called me stoic the other day.  I was shocked.  Not an adjective I would matched with myself.   I cry.  I BAWL.  I lose it.  I cry so hard I can't breathe.  I get emotional.  It happens when I least expect it.  I equate it to being punched in the face a hundred times.  Eventually, you get knocked out and fall to the ground.  Sometimes, I'm so numb I can't breathe, much less cry.  The crying comes a few minutes or hours later.  People are programmed to respond to positivity.  I've learned to spin some sort of positivity to spare the person the akwardness and to spare me wanting to rip them to shreds for not understanding.  It's almost as if "AJ's doing so great!" is supposed to erase all the difficulties we are in the midst of right now.  It doesn't. As much as I truly wish it did, it doesn't.

So. Bad character?

Nah.  Maybe I'm just a bad-ass Mama-Jama who speaks the truth.  The whole truth.

Thursday's 10

1. On a whim, I gave AJ apple wedges the other day.  Not only did he eat them, he DEVOURED them.  Talk about a huge feeding goal-CRUSHED.  I'm not sure what type of apple they were (the apple dippers from McDonalds) but he loved them.  They were a bit sour, but strong, so of course he loved them!  We've since seen him devour granny smith apple wedges-YAY!

2. AJ had another round of botox in his left leg last week.  We'll see.  When we saw his CP doctor, I was delighted that he turned to her right away when she greeted him and made immediate eye contact. Considering she called him "socially akward" during our last appointment, I'd say that is progress.

3. We spent Memorial Day with Grandma & Grandpa in Iowa.  We had a blast and even went to the waterpark!

4. I am not sure how, but in an effort to make our lives less stressful we've somehow managed to make it more stressful.  How does that work?  

5. How in the world is it June?  I'm not kidding.  AJ has less than a week of school left.  I'm doing a little panic dance, not sure how I'm going to keep AJ stimulated over the summer.  Despite having summer school, therapies, baseball, and hippotherapy on the docket, I'm still super nervous he's going to regress.  After all, this has been our result the past two summers.

6. I scored a brand new backpack for AJ for kindergarten next year...for $4. Plaid Cuteness.  So excited.

7. Along with that excitement re: #6  is a whole lot of fear and uncertainty.  I'm on the fence as to whether or not the fear and anxiety is all new people, new routine related or fear and anxiety over my son's cognitive delays and his inability to communicate.  A multiple choice question in which the answer may very well be D: all of the above.

8. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our niece-little baby faces make everything sweeter.

9. Yesterday, our realtor walked us through that dream Victorian I've been salivating over since AJ began preschool.  It was amazing.  Completely impractical, out of our league, and in dire need of a huge renovation, but it was beautiful to walk through.  He brought a little sunshine to our morning.

10.  Over the weekend, we unexpectedly lost our sweet, sweet Sunny.  He was our yellow labrador/great dane mix and lived 10 full years.  We boarded the dogs, which we haven't done in years.  We received a call late Saturday night stating they suspected a case of bloat.  What is bloat?  We granted permission for Sunny to be taken to the emergency animal hospital.  They confirmed it was bloat.  We made the decision to have him put down.  We are so thankful to the amazing staff at the boarding campus.  They caught his symptoms right away, and stayed with him until he crossed the bridge to doggie heaven.  They also made sure our other dog, Rocky, was loved and well taken care of until we returned from our vacation. 

It was weird when I only had one dog in the car.  Weird to have two dog beds with only one dog.  Weird when I turned around to scold Sunny for being too anxious to clean up after AJ eats his breakfast...and he wasn't there. It is quiet.  It is odd.

Rocky was super tired when we picked him up, which is no surprise since the dogs play outside 4-6 hours a day there.  He seems fine, eating, playing, and back to the normal routine.  What is freaky is how calm he is.  He's always been the calmer of the two, and ah-hem the better trained dog since we got him as a pup, but WOW.  He was feeding off of Sunny's hyperness.  Yesterday we left him alone for the first time and he was just fine. 

On Tuesday I picked up a clay disc with Sunny's pawprint pressed into it.  Tears.  

We miss you Sunny Dog...