New boarders at the house! 15 Aug 2011

We have a new critter staying in the house. His name is Hamish MacBeth MacLeod.

 

We have been expecting him for a little while, but he had to be older & my sister Tess had to bringing him from Ulysses, KS where his family reside with our cousin's Kim & Mark McGaughey.

 
This would be us having potty training issues.
 
The cat toy is very popular & saves my feet from being bitten! He can chew the top & there are two balls he tries to get. Very funny.

 
There are just some pairs that can't be explained! :)
 
Nothing like a dog to bring two oppossing forces together!
 
Reading time.

We also have a friend of the family's snake staying with us as well. He is like Tangled, a Corn Snake, Okatee & his name is Peach Tea.

 

He was in the bowl when I re-filled it & decided to stay for a swim!

On a sad note, I have lost my snake Druid. I do not know what happened but he died 16 Aug 2011 & I miss his funny little face very much. He was to be the mate to my Flicker girl.
 
  I love & miss you Druid. Mom

If you think you've had a bad day..... 28 July 2011

Today I ran into a building. I don't know that the building was doing anything offensive. In fact it is one of my favorite buildings. I have never attempted to harm a building before nor do I plan on doing so again. It was not what I had planned that morning when my daughter & I got up & decided that we would go get frappes & muffins.

We were going to Las Cruces to spend the day with her brother. It wasn't our normal trip since I was required to go as her father was visiting & this was the only way Connor could see him. I had to be present. Spending a day with my ex is not my idea of fun. Seeing or speaking to him or texting for that matter is not my idea of fun. So, when Faith & I were both awake before the alarm, we decided to go. Next time. I am getting donuts.

I placed my order, minus the muffins that were still cooking. It wasn't until the young man was handing me the cups that I realized that I forgot to state that they were frappes. I was getting flavored coffee. I handed him my card, told him to recharge me. I pulled around behind the car that was waiting on me. After getting the order done again the young man suggested I just come on in while he was making them. My daughter was happy as I rarely go inside.

Then it happened. I went to park. I ran over (the small - not normal size) cement stop, insteading of stopping. I can hear the scraping under the car & Faith yelling "Mama," in an odd tone & slamming on my brakes as I was driving into the side of the building. I immediately backed out, scraping again & parked.

The guy comes running out of the building to see what happened. Faith is okay, but shook. I am shook & feel wobbly. I have no explaination.

Would you believe I forgot my cellphone? I used their phone to call my sister, the insurance lady, who I am sure loved me at 6 in the morning, & police. The young mad inside was jolly & kind. He gave us orange juice & told us it would be okay. He said this wasn't anything.....I wonder what he's done....

I can only say that I am grateful that noone was hurt. My daughter is still shook when it comes to my driving, which is fine. This is the first accident I have ever caused. It is weird.
 

 
***It wasn't until some time later & waking daily to sort through it all that, that I stopped taking a migraine medication that I think may have had something to do with the accident.

1st week of school - 16 Aug 2011

Faith had a hair appointment at her Grandma's "hair lady" before school started this week.

 

 

All ready to go now!

Faith had a really excellent week.

"You know how it is some times when you think someone is nice & they aren't? And you think they are mean & turn out not to be?"

"That some times happens," I replied.

"Well that happened & I really like Mrs. Stanbrough."

She was all lit up & happy. I was was very happy for her & glad that I asked for the teacher even though she didn't want me to.

Ian has had a bit more of a struggle. He isn't overly keen on the teacher he is with for most of the day. Due to his electives he didn't get the math teacher we both hoped for & ended up with the home teacher for yet another class.

He loves his PE though & seems to like the Consumer Science class. That class is like what we called Home Ec, but this one is focused on the food industry & weather they would like a career in it, but she also goes into other basic home ec skills.

Right now he is "interviewing" his grandmother posthemusly! That is no easy trick to pull off, for either of us! It is to help them find out some information about their family. Luckily, I have helped out in this area & hope we can do this.

Connor had a wonderful week he said. He began on Monday in Las Cruces, where we started Tues. here. He is very happy about it, which is great. His birthday is in a few weeks & he will be baking a cake at school & he is extremely excited.

***Connor has had a difficult time lately (July). He regressed during a respite where his foster parent went to visit their daughter. He & his foster brother were not placed in the home his foster mother told them to place them in & it went badly. FTC rules were not followed, the kids weren't made to do things they should have & in the end a disagreement was allowed to escalate to a physical fight between the foster brothers. It wasn't until that point that Connor was placed with the family Carol first told them to put the boys with.

Unfortunately, by this time, Connor's foster brother was not allowed to come back into the home. It was wrong & sad for everyone. The young man was good for Connor & a good kid. I liked him. And Carol & Chet have had a difficult time getting Connor readjusted, which had not happened before. It was a big mess.

Connor will also be getting re-tested through the school soon. Some of the testing he had done over the summer resulted in their belief that he is diagnosed wrong. They believe he is mildly retarded & Autistic. If he gets dx'd with the Autism he can get his DD-waiver. This waiver will be good as it will give him the ability to live in a group home & have job assistance so he can live as normal a life as possible. This is what Carol is currently working towards for my son. :) I only hope she can get it.

Photo Friday - 5 Aug 2011

Peek-a-Boo from Flicker!

Can snakes fly?  Serina can! Faith made her a little plane. Isn't it cute?

Heelloo! (Scrawny)

One rain soaked little Muffin!

And a rain soaked big Boy!

This would be the hazardous boy's leg. Nothing new there, except this week he was in a knee brace!

This is for those who ever wondered (or feared) what could be between a matress & a boxspring!

Ian's Beginning 1997......A Work in Progress

At my birth

My brother Connor, my dad, Grandma (Ruth), Aunt Tess (Tonya), Joseph (my second cousin) were there.

The next day

My great aunt Joey & great uncle Robert who said I was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. My Grandpa (Tony) & Grandma, Aunt Tess, Dad, & Connor.

My mom & I got:   flowers, candy & balloons, a plant from A Joey, yaffa blocks, & undershirts. An outfit & socks from Grandma Harrison in Iowa. And my Great Grandpa Stick in Ness City, KS send us money.

My memorable firsts

Could lift head after he was born!

First smile December 1997

Clasps hands together 1 month

Laughed when tickled 2 months

First rolled over March 1998

First laughed February 1998

First tooth  mid June 1998

Crawled a  little June 10, 1998

Sat up June 10, 1998

Pulls up to stand June 20, 1998

Walked with help a little in June 1998

Makes serious faces when talking July 1998

Talking Junly 1998

"Mmmm" for food" July/Aug 1998

Tooth 3 & 4 on bottom coming in Aug 4, 1998

Walked alone Sept 10, 1998

Drank from cup May 16, 1998 (iced-tea at cousin Todd's graduation party)

Claps hands Sept 1998

First cold:   with my brother Connor on May 9, 1998.

I get bigger & bigger

    Date                                            height                                          weight

 6 Dec 1997                                   22 inches                                  9 lbs  5.2 oz
    Jan  1998                                                                                        13 lbs
    Mar 1998                                   24 7/8 in                                      16 lbs
24 June 1998    6 1/2 mo               27.8 in                                                                          

24 June 1998 (6 1/2 mo)               27.8 in                                         19 lbs 9 oz
Sept 1998                                                                                          23 lbs
                                                                                                (my brother is 26 lbs!)



Oatmeal baby cereal & banana baby food are your favorite food.

Your favorite is your daddy's eagle windchime when I am changing your diaper....and some "un-favorites" diaper changes - you can't hold still! Never! (28 Sept 1998!)

A word about me from Mom....

You are my Special Second boy! (I knew you were a boy & I am especially glad about that!) You smile already & are a very good baby. You only cry when you are hungry & you potty a lot!

I wish you all the best in this harsh world that I bore you into. I pray God watches over you & your brother, Connor, & helps you grow into good men. I hope you both have good hearts like your father & hope we can be good parents to you. Remember we love you, always. I will write more as we learn more about each other. Your mother, Sonya Marie. December, 13, 1997 10:29 pnm

You are growing so fast & doing things so quickly. You are so happy. You hate sitting in your "seat". We have a crib you can lay in, in the front room because you like to look about. I love you very much & so thankful that you are such a patient baby with me! Thank you. I Love You. Mommy. April 3, 1998 12:53 pnm

May 13, 1998 to May 19, 1998 - You went on your first roadtrip with Grandma (Ruth), mommy & brother, Connor to Kansas.

June 11, 1998 - 6 months old. You are growing so very quickly. You chatter a lot, can crawl a few "knees" at a time, sat up without holding yourself yesterday. You wear size 4 diapers; the same size as Connor! You are the cutest, friendliest baby & you are so happy. You love your daddy & me, but especially your big (21 month) brother, Connor.

You are growing so big & fast. You "talk" so serious, with such a serious look on your face. You play with Connor & crawl with food sticking out of your mouth. One day you stopped, took out a chicken nugget, talked seriously, put it back & crawled on. August, 4, 1998 1:35 pnm

August 1998 - We went to Kansas to find a house & on Sept 7, 1998 after my dad got out of the military we went to Kansas to live.



9th Grade for Connor - 5 Aug 2011

Connor's foster mother, Carol, was still concerned about him starting school so she arranged a meeting with the vice principal. (This school is so big that there are several. This is so scarey to me!) She also called for an emergency IEP.

She had the meeting this morning with the vice-pricipal. Carol said she was impressed. The lady had answers & was knowledegable.

Now Connor will be in a self-contained class all day. He will be met at the bus & taken to the bus. His teacher will be his case manager. He will have basic math, reading, etc. (No extras for the first couple of months. There are spec ed art etc he can take later.)

Lunch is picked up & then taken back to the classroom. If Connor should find a friend in the general population, which I believe he has already, then they will let him eat lunch with them & see how it goes.

Carol & Connor will meet the teacher next Friday.

As for the Emergency IEP it will be next week. It is to include Connor's behavior issues & social skills so they have to deal with them in school & so he cannot be expelled.

It is also because they did not finish including the testing that was done at the end of school last year & about his Autism testing. They will file for the DD Waiver after the Autism testing.

God Bless Carol! God Love my Son!