Open House

Yesterday was open house at Joe's school. He seemed to do well, a lot better than I anticipated! He met his teacher, walked around his classroom and even got his first homework assignment!!! So all that's left to do now is drop him off at the bus stop 7:40 Tuesday morning, which is a lot easier typed than done. I know I will be an emotional mess! I'm anxious to see how he does too, my kids have always had trouble with separation anxiety. I am determined to hold my composure until after he boards the bus, after that I'm sure I'll have a minor breakdown! I can't believe my baby is starting school!!!

Joe in his classroom

Julianna and the bracelet she made in therapy, she was sooo proud of it!

New Swing = Happy Girl

Allie @ 2 months of age in her old swing that we had to retire.

And our happy girl in her brand new sing.After surviving all of Julianna's babyhood and 1/2 of Allie's the swing died. Julianna slept the first 3 months in that swing and Allie has slept every night of her life in it. So 8 hours a day times 9 months is a lot on a swing and we don't blame it for giving up! We went out last night and got Allie a new one...and the most exciting feature on this new model, it plugs into an outlet! No more batteries!!! We have spent over $300 in batteries since Allie has been born and I know what you're thinking...why didn't you get rechargeable batteries? Well we did but they never charged strong enough to keep my 17 pound beauty swinging all night long. I am looking forward to the day Allie sleeps FLAT...all my babies slept elevated the first 9 months by their choice not mine!

Happy 6 Months Allie

Allie on her birthday

And here she is today, 6 months later

It's been 6 months since we welcomed Allie into our life. It's so cliche to say but I honestly don't remember life before her. She is now 17lbs 3oz and 25 inches long. A big jump from the little 6lbs 11oz bundle we bought home. She is She is rolling all over the place, eating baby food, holding her own bottle, sitting on her own (for almost 20 seconds at a time), "talking" up a storm in her own language, lol, reaches out for me to pick her up and has 2 teeth with a third coming in. And the biggie....sleeping through the night!!! I thought that day would never come!

The Latest 411

So...after I BIG break from blogging, I'm back! I blogged Julianna's whole first year and then stopped. After Allie was born I tried to get back in the swing of things as far as blogging is concerned and couldn't do it. But, since Joe has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome I feel inspired to blog again.


As stated above Joe was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome about 2 weeks ago. Joe is an absolute text book case of Asperger's so I'm just going to paste the "What is it?" and "Symptoms of" so you get a better idea.

Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder in which people have severe difficulties understanding how to interact socially. People with Asperger's syndrome have some traits of autism, especially weak social skills and a preference for sameness and routine. But unlike those with autism, children with Asperger's syndrome usually start to talk around 2 years of age (the age at which speech normally develops). They have normal to above-normal intelligence. Both conditions belong to the group of disorders called pervasive developmental disorders. As many as 3 out of every 10,000 people have Asperger's syndrome.

Children with Asperger's syndrome typically develop a good to excellent vocabulary, although they usually lack the social instincts and practical skills needed when relating to others. They may not recognize verbal and nonverbal cues or understand social norms, such as taking turns talking or grasping the concept of personal space. They may have difficulties with accent, tone, and pitch, which can make their speech sometimes odd or difficult to understand. And they may have difficulty expressing their own feelings and perceiving others' feelings. Children with Asperger's typically make efforts to establish friendships, but they may have difficulty making friends because of their social awkwardness. Children with Asperger's syndrome often have limited and very focused interests. They are often most comfortable with fixed routines and dislike change. They may lack coordination, exhibit unusual facial expressions, body postures, and gestures, and be somewhat clumsy. Many children with Asperger's syndrome also have trouble with fine motor skills, such as handwriting.

So...that's what we're working with. We are waiting for a referral to see a psychotherapist and will know a lot more then. Thankfully we believe Joey is a high functioning case. He will attend school and be in regular classes, he will just need in a little more help in certain areas. I am worried about him making friends and being teased...I'm just taking things one day at a time and dealing with problems as they arise.

As far as the girls. They are doing great. Julianna is thriving in therapy and is almost done. This will definitely be her last 6 month session. She was just tested and is above age level for her vocabulary, the girl is a talker! She still is a Dora fan but lately Charlotte's Web is her favorite. Julianna will come bobbing down the hallway..."I want to watch the pig", at least twice a day. Allie is your typical 5 1/2 month old. She spends her days, swing, "talking" and eating...what a life!