Thursday, January 31, 2013

Quirky kids and Therapy

Ok, my seasonal depression has kicked in full force. Come on warmer weather! I'm tired of all the sick germs! I think the only thing I talk about with friends is our sick kids. It's depressing! Luke has now had the flu twice - the same strand both times. I have some how (thank the Lord) stayed well through all the sicknesses here. Mamas don't have time to be sick!

I think the biggest thing around here lately is Landry's eating and her therapy. It's been so refreshing to get some help and to become more educated on her "condition". Funny thing is, if I would've heard about a kid having this "oral aversion" when Luke was 18 months old, I would've thought it was bogus. I would've thought the parents were just unhealthy eaters and pushovers. Is that wrong? Maybe.  I'm just being honest. 
I remember writing on here a few years ago about Luke being "quirky". He heard background noises (air conditioners, refrigerators, cars driving by), hated loud noises, never played in a sandbox because of the way it felt, asked me to cut tags off his clothes, didn't like walking in the grass barefoot, didn't like his hands dirty, hated having his hair washed in the bathtub because he didn't like water in his face or around his ears.... The list could go on. Come to find out, his sensory processing was heightened, and it caused him lots of anxiety. His triggers were more towards his touch and hearing senses. We loved him through it, and he's outgrown most of it. Like this last summer, he finally went under the water in the swimming pool and didn't freak out.  -- Come to find out, Landry has the same sensitivities, but hers are mainly oral. The therapy is needed in her case because it has affected her growth and nutritional status. She might out grow most of it, but we can't wait and count on that to happen.
Some people have had the reaction I would've had if I had never experienced what life is like with a child like Landry. I get vibes from people like "She's just picky, and she gets by with it." So, let me tell ya! It's much more than picky eating. Landry has narrowed down her "yes" foods to about 8 things. None of these things include age appropriate table food. She eats chex cereal, full fat greek yogurt, oatmeal with cream, most chips and crackers, some fruits, baby food packets, and she picks the cheese off of pizza. That's it. Nothing else. She was nursed for a year, and she never took a bottle or a pacifier of any kind. She doesn't drink milk, pediasure, chocolate milk, soy milk... just juice and water. She was around the 50th percentile for her size at 9 months, and at her checkup at 16 months, she had fallen to the 14th percentile in her weight and height.
So, the therapy is very interesting and enlightening for me. Right now, the plan is for her to go for 6 months, one time a week, and we work on different things at home between appointments. Just to get calories in Landry and quit fighting her, I finally did surrender to just giving her the "yes" foods. This was good for a while because it eased the tension of meal times. So, this week, we are working on incorporating her "no" foods into one meal time per day. For example, at supper time, she gets maybe 1/2 of a slice of pizza, but then she gets what we're eating, too. If she attempts to eat what we're eating (even if she spits it out), she gets rewarded with more pizza. We have done this a few times, and if she gets the food to her mouth, it always comes out. Now, I know how to reward her for doing this. If she is uncooperative, we get her down and get calories in her a little while later. Getting her down doesn't hurt her feelings though, because she would rather not eat than eating her "no" foods. It's baby steps we're working on! Next week, I'll be getting a special brush for her. I'll "brush" her arms, hands, cheeks, around her mouth, and inside her mouth four times a day. It is supposed to help desensitize her. -- At therapy, they're just still building rapport. This last time, she ate her usual lunch up there (greek yogurt, chex cereal, and a fruit cup).  Next week, she'll have the same thing, but we're bringing chicken nuggets to work on. She loves going, and if you've ever seen an OT "gym", you'd know why! Tons of toys and activities. She cries to leave.... a good problem!

My little guy is starting preschool in the fall! The days are just inching closer, and it's stinging me a little! I know he's ready... He'd go today if I'd let him. But, I'm just not looking forward to it.. I love having both of my kids home! I feel so lucky to have had the chance to just love on him here and not miss a thing. Don't get me wrong... I'd take a job some days! But, it's been a joy 99% of the time. And, I'm getting to pass him off to my sister-in-law, Stephanie. She'll be his teacher. How lucky am I!? Yep, pretty dang lucky. Baby steps. Ha.


Landry likes lotion, too. I guess I should've listed it a "yes" food. Haha



We got to go see George Strait. Lots of special songs were played a brought back memories for my sweet friend, but she got through it! Proud of her!




Heeeyyyyy!



Cousins!



Good morning!



Landry's crazy hair gets even worse on the trampoline. :)



My kids would live outside if I let them!






Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Christmas 2012

Of course, the holidays went by way too fast! I am seeing Christmas get better every year with our kids though. The idea of Santa and our elf just put a spark in our house, and we loved it! Luke was sad for Christmas to be over, but we assured him that Jesus has a birthday every year just like he does.

Luke went to the John Deere house with Heath a few weeks before Christmas and saw a "mote control spray rig" he wanted. Heath didn't realize what Luke had seen until he was back in there a few days later. So, we had Luke (actually Heath) draw a picture for Elfie to take to Santa to make sure Santa knew what he wanted. Luke insisted for Landry to get a "mote control owl", so Elfie took that one to Santa, too. We got the spray rig for Luke, and the kids ended up getting a trampoline from Santa. Whenever people would ask Luke what he asked Santa for for Christmas, his standard answer was that "mote control spray rig"... So, then by Christmas Day, Luke couldn't distinguish who brought what, but Heath was sure to remind him that he was the one who give him the spray rig. Ha.

Landry had fun with Christmas, too. She squealed every morning finding Elfie with Luke. When people would come over, she'd run to the elf, hollering and pointing at her, showing them where she was. She quickly caught on to the phrase "ho, ho, ho!", and she said it any time she saw anything Christmas related - lights, trees, Santa, etc. She got into opening presents more than Luke did at this age.. probably because she caught on from watching him. 

The weekend before Christmas, Heath's cousin, Hank, made it to state in football. Georgetown played Denton Guyer at the Cowboys Stadium, so we went to Dallas for the weekend to watch him play. We were in Georgetown back in September to watch Hank play, but the game ended up being post-poned because of a rain delay, and we had to miss it. Georgetown didn't win, but it was an exciting game. We were glad to get to go and support him at state... even if it meant making our holiday week a little more hectic! Oh! And we expected to find Elfie up to a little mischief while we were gone over the weekend,  but when we walked in to find her, we were all shocked to find she had toilet papered our ENTIRE house on the inside (with my parents' help, I'm sure). It was insane. I think it was 4 rolls, and I'm pretty sure each roll was still in tact. It was flowing in and out of ceiling fan blades, around the tree, strung from room to room. It was insane. It was kind of fun though, for us all to be so surprised!
So, we were in Dallas Friday through Sunday, we had the Gresham Christmas on Monday, my family's Christmas on Tuesday, and we had another get together on Wednesday with Doug, Sissy, and the boys. 

The day after Christmas, Heath went back to plowing at Olton. He got sick on New Year's Day with the flu, then Landry got it, then Luke got it. Needless to say, I am spent on playing nurse! The kids are still a bit yucky, but I think they'll be back to normal by the weekend. I think I have slept 10 hours in the last 3 nights. Some of that super mom post-delivery stamina would've been nice these last few days!

So, Happy Christmas (Luke) and Ho, Ho, Ho!

Hank - #39





Christmas at Guggy and Kakee's -





Luke got radios like what Daddy and Guggy use on the farm. He was excited!







Drawings for Santa (Good job, Daddy.)




Christmas morning at our house - I mainly took video! 




Christmas at Mimi and Papa's - I feel short on pictures, but we were missing a few! Jordan traveled with the Baylor football team to San Diego for their bowl game. He was gone the whole week of Christmas. Rachel and the girls stayed in Tyler while he was gone. She wasn't able to go with Jordan since Ruby had been so sick just a few weeks before. Dustin was working, too. We missed them! Hopefully we can all be together again next year.




Papa always asks Luke if he's ready to go fishing. Luke's answer is always, "No. I don't have a fishin' pole." So, Papa got him his fishing pole, and now he's ready!