Tidbits

Savannah - My brain is sick and sleepy.  I need go to the doctor.



S - Why are you packing the girls' lunches?

Me- Because there is a two hour delay and they will be at school during lunch time.

S - Does that mean I have to eat dinner at school?



S - Lila is your music girl and I am your artist.  When I grow up, I will teach you how to make beautiful crafts Mommy.


Told to me by a parent of one of Savannah's classmates. . .

My son tells me that Savannah is the only kid in the class that hasn't gotten into trouble or yelled at.  (I seriously doubt there is a lot of yelling going on in the Friends school)

Two of Hearts

Lila's First Dance Class

This girl is so musical and inclined to dance that both her daddy and I thought it almost NECESSARY to enroll her in a dance class. We figured it would fuel her musical talents.

To my surprise, Miss Grace broke down with big and blue, teary eyes during her first 15 minutes of the class. Not to worry, she found a friend and grabbed her hand (even though they were supposed to be dancing in personal space). Luckily, Miss Laura picked up on Lila's need for hand holding and had the girls form a circle while completing the Freeze Dance. Soon, Lila Grace was all smiles, vocal, and participatory as ever. I was very proud! She woke up the next morning asking to put on her dance outfit so she could go to, "Dance school with Miss Laura."

Fly Eagles Fly. . .

Guess who came home from her first Eagles Day at school singing the Eagles fight song? Lila has no clue who the Eagles are, but might be able to identify a football. Nonetheless, she enjoyed hanging out in Savannah's old Eagles wear - purchased by their very generous Papa

Snow, You Either Love It or Hate It

That pretty much sums up my girls.  As most know, we  had record snowfall this December.  It gave us an opportunity to bundle the girls (not my favorite) and try them out in the snow. Lila, as mentioned before, loved it. She spends at least 80% of her time eating a snowball out of her cupped hands. Savannah is rambunctious and much more of a willing participant with regard to sledding and general craziness. Adeline, well, as usual, she is a different story.

So how does a child with sensory issues register snow? Only they know but I am guessing it falls under the, "This is rocking my sensory world," category. Snow will most likely be an uphill challenge for Adeline. Not only is snow a different sound and texture under her feet which also puts her more off balance than usual, it is accompanied by cold temps and wind (most of the time). The moment Adeline heard we were going to go out and play in the snow (let's not even tell her that I held her out of her school Christmas party so we could work in a family snow day) she would exclaim, "I don't like snow, I don't want it!" Bundle her we did even though she fought the snow pants and growled the entire time I was dressing her. Once outside, she didn't want let down and would only not freak out if she was standing on the solid ground of the garage floor. We did eventually get her to emerge. Adeline loves snowmen and I was determined to make one with all three of my girls. I should note that the snow was fine and powdery so there I was with a watering can watering down the snow so we could pack it and roll it. Once we had a decent size snow ball I asked Adeline to help me pat it. She slowly walked out of the garage but remained on the side walk. She finally gave in once the head was on and I was still prodding her to help pat the snow. Gingerly she stepped across the snow (three or four feet across the yard) and reached out and said, "Pat, pat, pat" while she patted the snowman down. As long as she was focused on the carrot nose, or getting the buttons to stay on, she did okay. And, as usual, once in the environment for ten or minutes, her stress level dropped. That is not to say she wants to play in the snow ever again. Adeline will be the first to tell you that she wants to stay inside.

I wish with all my heart, that she could enjoy these experiences like her other two sisters. It takes all of my encouragement and creativity and Adeline's determination and courage in order for her to participate in such activities. Nothing is ever easy for The Belle. . . or so it seems.

(don't be mislead by her happy demeanor in the pictures.  It took A LOT of effort to get her to smile!)

Adeline's Christmas Program 2009

How do I describe my feelings I was having before Adeline's program?  Looking back, my expectations were very low and my overall thought process was negative.  It is funny. . . I wasn't expecting Adeline to shine but fully expected Lila to shine like a star during her Christmas program.  It isn't a sign of anything more than knowing what they like and in which environments each girl thrives.  Well this time, I was very wrong.  I have been over Lila's potty woes during her program which leaves me here to describe Adeline's amazing performance.

I should set the stage so that my low expectations make sense.  The entire school participated in the program which made for a VERY crowed sanctuary and shoulder to shoulder line up of students.  Adeline, to my knowledge, has never been in the sanctuary that is adorned with beautiful stained glass and high ceilings both of which are noticed by Adeline instantly when walking into a room.  Being touched by the student next to her is a constant agitation - she just isn't a big fan of touch from anyone other than her parents.  The cameras constantly flashing can send her into a daze.  What I most expected was for her to melt down when lined up with the children at the front of room - too crowded and unfamiliar.  Yes, this is the perfect recipe for a sensory overload for a child like Adeline.

Adeline walked into the sanctuary holding Mrs. Stueve's hand.  I was sure Mrs. Stueve would never be able to remove herself from Adeline's death grip.  My vision had Adeline sitting in her teacher's lap the entire program, if she wasn't in mine.  Surprisingly, Mrs. Stueve showed her where to stand and Adeline let go - this even surprised Mrs. Stueve.

The music started and it was clear Adeline was taking in her surroundings and a bit overwhelmed by all that she saw. Here she is during her first song. (all the clips are >30 seconds)


After a few songs, something clicked. It was almost tangible. She smiled, made eye contact with her teacher and started having fun. I almost fell out of my pew.

They ended the program with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

Tears fell from eyes as I stood in awe. My little one pound miracle was nothing short of NORMAL. She did better than some of her peers. I understand that performing or not performing has no correlation with intelligence etc. but this was a moment. Adeline is rarely typical in these settings but on this day she was. Why? I don't know, but my hope is that it is one more baby step toward finding herself comfortable in the world that surrounds her. She focused on the music, learned the words and actions to the songs, and performed for a room full of strangers. For a little girl that couldn't handle another baby's cry, a leaf blowing across the driveway, the sound of a vacuum, or being put down in a crowded space, this is PROGRESS.

Back to the Grind

I am in disbelief.  Our vacation is over.  We tucked the girls in early and tried to get them mentally prepared for school tomorrow. I have been trying to prepare myself as well but continue to ignore reality.

We had the most fantastic two weeks. I enjoyed my family immensly. The girls were fun and for the most part well behaved. They really took to each other's company, something they aren't given for hours on end during the school day. It was fun watching them discover new games to play with one another. Lila and Adeline's communication between each other increased dramatically. It saddens me when I think of the few times they are given to just play together when school is in session. Everything must adhere to our strict schedule which, for the most part, doesn't allow for unstructured down time. How does this happen to children who are just three and six?

So here we are, trying to dig ourselves out of our vacation schedule where we all slept in, watched, "Curious George," in bed each morning, and paid little if any attention to a clock. School will be a rude awakening tomorrow. I keep telling myself that school is essential to all three girls and their development. This is followed by my convincing myself that they enjoy school and would miss it if it wasn't a part of their lives. I have a tough time believing either statement when looking back over the past two weeks. We were all so happy, loving, and silly. Don't get me wrong, there was still plenty of, "Are you going to play nice?, Can you say that nicely?, or Please don't be cranky", but the overriding emotion was joy.

I guess I am going to go with our philosophy of Christmas. We tell Savannah that Christmas wouldn't be special if it was everyday. In turn, we would most likely tire of one another and hit a "family wall" if our vacation at home was endless. For now, I am thankful that we had two full weeks of all seven of us under one roof - yep, that includes Grammy and Papa who help to keep things fun while showering the girls with undivided attention.

I will sign off with the warning that some or all of us may be walking around dazed, sad, and/or confused tomorrow and may sport a similar face to that of Miss Lila Grace below. It is only because we would all rather be snuggled up together at home with nothing better to do than just be.