July 26th, 2005

Ok...I'm sitting here fuming right now and I have to vent for a moment...when are people going to learn that it's not funny to make fun of kids with disabilities?? Mocking, mimicking and "going Rainman" are not amusing to me. Am I being overly-sensitive? Some may say "yes"...I say absolutely not. When someone makes a crack about ANY child with a disability, that someone is making a crack about my son. The thought of anyone making fun of Jakob, to his face or behind his back, sends me over the edge. I can't handle it. I do believe that "political correctness" as a whole is out of control...but one area that you can never be too politically correct is when it comes to kids. Leave them alone. Let them be happy. Celebrate their differences...don't laugh at them. It's a horribly mean thing to do...

I'm breathing...I'll be fine in a minute...

Jakob and I are both on a clumsy kick. If there's an injury to be had, one of us will have it. In the past week, Jakob has fallen down the stairs, hit his head several times in several different places, slipped down a step ladder, cut his big toe and his leg and he has a few mysterious bruises. Poor kid. He's a mess. The weird part of all of this bad luck is that it's a good thing...the reason he's getting hurt so much is he's becoming more adventurous and brave. He's trying things that he's never tried before and that part of it is awesome. We're just entering all these unchartered waters and I've had to start "hovering" again so I can protect him from himself. Considering all the recent bumps and bruises, I need to step it up a couple of notches.

I'm looking at bikes for the little booger. After months of coaxing, he's starting to ride the bike at physical therapy. I'm a Schwinn girl...always have been. I just have to figure out what size to get and where I can buy it. One thing I know for sure...I don't wanna have to put it together...

Last night, Jakob and I had some real "Jakob/Mommy time". He makes me laugh more than anyone ever has. His fascination with the hose continues...he watered the steps on his swingset, the deck and several different spots on the lawn. He concentates so hard on what he's doing...very intense. I think we may very well have a little gardener on our hands. I'm working on getting him to water the plants...we're getting there. He gladly fills up the watering cans and dumps them over...just gotta get him to dump them over on the flowers. He's picking things up really quickly so I don't think it's going to be too tough. I just love it...I'm giggling right now just picturing him tugging on that hose...trying so hard to get it to reach the little bird bath in the back of the yard by the swing...the water bill is gonna be insane but I don't care.

Our back yard is definitely a place where kids get dirty...and wet. I've warned parents in Pleasantville that if their kids come to my house, they'll probably be leaving a mess...wet and covered in grass, dirt, sand, bubble juice and whatever else they can find. I remember being a kid...if I was filthy, I was having fun. If I was having fun, I was happy. I have a new sign for the house, it says "A Happy Childhood Lasts Forever"...

I really am about done with back yard projects...I mean it. (At least done for summer, I may come up with something to do in the fall...at least cornstalks and mums and pumpkins...) I have one more thing to finish. I have to plant some willows and I've started a little art project. I'm venturing into a territory that I know very little about...painting. Artsy-fartsy painting. I have some pavers and I'm painting numbers and pictures on them to make hopscotch. Jakob loves his numbers so I've decided to incorporate some in the landscaping. It should be interesting...

I'm suffering from an all-over burn-out. My brain isn't functioning as it should. I'm having a difficult time focusing. It's been too long since I've had a vacation. Thank goodness we're taking next week off. Hopefully I'll be able to pull it back together so I can get some things accomplished. Organizing some things is on my list of things to do but hanging with Jakob is my #1 priority. I miss him.

He's been in a big boy bed for about two weeks now and the transition has been going ok...he does love the freedom. Last night was sweet. I put him down with a video on. He was talking up a storm and laughing like crazy...even after the video was over. Then I started to hear some banging...so I had to go check it out. He was rolling his sippy cup off the front end of the bed (the bed is shaped like a car so he was rolling it off the hood). I tried to explain to him that it was time to go to sleep but he wasn't hearing it (it was 10:50)...so I put another video on and climbed into the bed with him. He'd sit with me for a minute, then he'd get up and read a book. He'd snuggle up with me, then go play with a toy. This went on for at least a half an hour. He finally crapped out around 11:45 with his legs wrapped around mine. It wasn't easy sneaking out of his room...it's a good thing I didn't fall asleep with him, I never would've woken up for work.

There's just so much happening right now...

For the first time, Jakob took off all his clothes and his diaper. He was standing there naked with the shower door open. He used to hate the shower, now he loves it and wants to go in it all the time.

He was playing in the basement with some of the neighborhood kids and they swear he said "no".

At OT, he wrote his name for the first time. He did really good with "o" and "b"!

We've finished all the tests with the DAN doctor...drawing blood was not fun. Poor little guy, it was pretty traumatic. The results will be back right about the time he goes back to school.

Kenny's niece who teaches grade school special ed is coming to stay with us for a couple weeks to help out...she's great and Jakob loves her. It will be so nice having her around.

Someone from Applied Behavioral Services is coming to the house this week to observe Jakob so she she can set up an at-home ABA program for him. We're gonna try to have something in place in the next couple of weeks.

I feel like I'm forgetting something...I probably am. Maybe I'll remember later...

Oh! I got it...since I know better than to even bring up getting a cleaning lady, I've started hiring out kids in the neighborhood to do little things around the house for me...I'm getting my birds fed 3 times per week for 5 bucks...it's a start...

It seems I have a good start on a bunch of things...now I just need to finish. I sure would like to feel like I got some things accomplished. My vacation won't exactly feel like a trip to Bora Bora but it sure will be nice.

-Jenn