Do You See What I See?

It is 5:30 on Saturday evening.  I'm sitting at our kitchen table, staring out our massive picture window in our dining room.  I've been sitting here since 5 o'clock, when I suddenly realized it was still light outside.  I see pretty white snow, thick solid icicles hanging from the gutters, willow trees, a massive field, and cars passing to and from on the 4-lane highway that runs past our house, each with white and red twinkling lights.

If you were sitting here with me, would you see the same things? 

I would venture to say no.

Not all of us see eye to eye. 

AJ's life is filled with countless professionals.  Physicians, Therapists, Teachers, and More.  Almost sounds like a store title.  Pick one from this aisle of expertise.  Complete with tags declaring a guarantee that aisle 2's ideas won't line up with aisle 5's.  And lets not even start on the the other departments.

And here I stand, with a shopping cart, ready to fill it with anything and everything to help my little man succeed in life.  How do I choose between whats just icky, processed generic fit-into-a-mold information and natural, certified organic information? 

I suppose it would be safe to assume that my shopping cart would be where everything melds together and ends up looking as beautiful as Sunday Dinner.  The truth is that sometimes I'd rather just be a 5-year-old with one foot on the base and my hands steering the cart...as I zoom through the store of professionals not stopping to look back.

All these different hands, different opinions, different backgrounds of expertise.  All with the best of intentions.  A big kettle of brew and I'm standing with a giant spoon.....

I've struggled over the past few weeks to inform, condense, and make sense of our recent happenings.  Which means a lack of blog posts. After telling my husband I was having trouble with posting on the blog, his answer was this:

"Life is grand. We're going to Hawaii in 4 days. End of story."

Quite a post, hey?

Our house has been on the market for a month already.  Of course there is drama surrounding that...of course. 

Last week I received a call regarding AJ's transportation to school that completely threw me for a loop...and made us do some serious thinking.  AJ's made it through two winter ear infections, and is still walking despite his continuing growth spurt.  A recent follow-up with his CP doctor allowed me to look at things from the "CP side" of AJ's life.  It was a refreshing and eye-opening visit.  It was another appointment where I left in tears.  GOOD tears, knowing he is in the best of hands and that she's truly in his corner. 

I've been busy prepping for our vacation, which is finally upon us.  Printing detailed instructions, packing, and doing last minute errands.  We are so excited to spend time, just the two of us.  While we are gone, AJ will be partyin' it up with Grandma Cindy. 

AJ's doing ok at school.  We've had some bumps in the road recently.  His therapy sessions are either fantabulously great or horrible.  There has been no middle ground to speak of.  We're beginning to think about his next IEP, which will be in the Spring.  AJ's tall enough to get off the toilet by himself-which is really freaky when you're not expecting him to come around the corner.  He can sign "open" and is emerging with "push".  He's holding his arms up and vocalizing for "up".  He's doing this waving thing...although I'm not sure what it is for certain.  I'd like to think its waving.

He's displaying a not so great behavior of taking his implant off...and pulling his glasses off.  Which means he's maturing, but the behavior is not so welcome.  We're looking at adding a therapy to his schedule and doing a disco-shuffle with all of his therapies.  I'm not sure how this is going to work out yet.

Like I said, big shopping cart and giant spoon.

But you know what? 

We're going to Hawaii in 4 days...