What I Call A Party

Hod had his birthday on Sunday.  He is currently really into the British comedy Miranda.  It is a hoot.  Seriously, I love it.  Miranda Hart is a fun lady.

Anyway, he wanted to have a Miranda party.  I spent a lot of time looking around for ideas on the internet, and apparently there aren't nearly enough people who are as obsessed as Hod.  Seriously, I could only find one party and no offence to them, but they were lame.

Luckily Hod had a few ideas, and his ideas got my mind going.  I found some fun screen shots, put them around the house, and we had a party!

We started with dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.  There is a short 10 second clip in the show of Miranda having an eating contest with her best friend.  They are racing to eat spaghetti and meatball with chop sticks.  YUM!  Hod has skills, I have no skills, but one of our friends gave him a run for his money, and it was fun to watch them.  After we had a winner I switched to a fork.  I have a severe lack of chop sticks skills.

Next we took a little break and watched a few episodes of the show.  Following, we got our craft skills on and made some fruit friends and vegta-palls.  At one point Miranda is feeling alone and friendless, so she makes friends out of various fruits and vegetables.  So of course we did it too!

Our final event of the night was a "biscuit blizzard!"  This activity consists of putting small pieces of cookies on the table, and using a blow dryer to try and get them in your mouth.  It is harder than it looks!  The girls thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Our night was small and simple, but we loved it.

Here are some of the screen shots I put around the house.









I put this next one on the book case.


Along with birthday cake, we also had donuts.



By our biscuit blizzard station. (Only we are Muggles, so it didn't move.)


By the birthday cake.


It really was a fun night.  Happy Birthday Hod!

Invisible Needs

This picture has almost nothing to do with this post.  It is just one of my favorite pictures of #1.

I don't actually think people read this blog anymore.  That is fine.  I just need a space to express some feelings.

#1 has Sensory Processing Disorder.  She was diagnosed in the state of Oklahoma, and she was considered special needs.

We have moved to another state and here she isn't considered special needs.

But she is still the same kid.  She still has the same struggles.  And I work with her on things every day.  It is a constant effort to try to get her to function well with her surroundings.

I have a few friends with visibly special needs kids.  I have heard them talk about how hard it is when their kids don't make friends or when they are left out.   Occasionally they will have people who make a special effort to reach out, but most often they are just left out.  Hearing this has always made me sad and we try hard to include other children.

I have a child with invisible special needs.  The most common things I am told when I tell adults about my kid are, "She is just fine."  "She acts like other kids her age"  "It is just a behavior problem and she just needs a little discipline."

She does struggle with behavior.  She is often like the other kids her age.  She is often just fine.  But if you really watch, she is a little bit different.  Adults don't really notice unless she is having a meltdown.  But kids notice.  And they don't like it.

For a while now I have noticed that she has struggles in social situations.  When struggles start then she tends to whine a lot.  Then other kids start to avoid her.  But she didn't notice this was happening.  We have been working really hard on not whining.  She doesn't always remember though.

Last week she was sad because some of her friends didn't want to play with her.  We had a long talk about whining and I told her that they didn't want to play with her because she whined.  We have been working SO hard at staying calm and being happy with friends.  She is finally starting to improve.

Along with all of this, she is pretty head strong.  She doesn't like to be bossed around.  There are 2 little girls that we play with sometimes and #1 thinks they are SO great! These girls are both in situations where they don't have to share.  One is the youngest child, so her siblings are at school all day, thus she has free reign over her toys.  The other is the only girl in her family, so she is used to not having to share any of the girly toys.  She also mothers her little brother and bosses him around.  He plays along.  I have watched these girls look at #1 and run away from her.  If they don't do that then they are bossing her around and then are unkind when she doesn't do what they want.

Today we were in a social situation and #1 kept playing with the lights.  Every time she would turn off the lights these other girls would run over to turn them back on.  I told #1 she needed to stop or we would have to go home.  She didn't stop so we left.  She cried the entire way home.  Once we got home and she calmed down a bit we had a talk.  She asked me why the other girls didn't want to play with her.  She told me that she turned off the lights because then the other girls would come over and turn them back on.  She thought they were finally playing.

Today, I held my special needs child and cried with her as we both felt sad.  #1 is "typical" enough that she knows when people aren't being nice to her.  She is special needs enough to not know how to handle situations.  (And she is only 4)  She looks normal enough that parents don't encourage the extra kindness often given to children with visible needs.

Her perfect world was shattered today.  She now knows that she is different.  And her heart is broken.

As a mom, my heart is broken too.

A New Way To Walk

Walker number two is here!

#1 was a late walker.  I think we were almost stretching it when I called her a walker at 17 months.  But I wanted to fudge it because I really didn't want her to have to be in therapy.  (And now she is in therapy anyway, and I love it.)

When #2 had all of her hip problems I figured she would be jumping on the therapy train.  I mean, really, she couldn't roll over until after 9 months.  However, once she started rolling, everything just took off!  She loves walking, and now often chooses to walk instead of crawl.  She can walk the entire length of our apartment (assuming she doesn't trip on any of the toys along the way).  She is still doing the stiff legged walk, but it is SO cute!

I often call #2 Zoots, and we have been very vocally encouraging as she is walking.  Now when she walks, #1 often gets excited and says, "Good Walk, Zoot!"  I love it.

#1 likes to mimic #2.  She follows her around copying the stiff legged walk.  I love that they are finally being friends and enjoying each other.  Sisters are awesome.

And, just in case the title made you think of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-7ZJjLy5D8

Glass

I've been taking beginning glass blowing for almost three months. It is one of the coolest things I've ever done. I haven't taken many pictures of my stuff, but here are two of my favorites. 

The rose plate I made in January. It is hard to tell from the picture, but the rose is actually 3D. It started out as a clear flat square and I added the color and dimension.

The small pitcher started out as molten glass at about 2000° F. I shaped the main part (with tools and blowing), and then added the base, handle, and the glass wrapped around it. It took about 30 minutes. It is the piece I am the proudest of.

I love my class!

I also love my husband.

So Many Pictures!

I recently posted a photo of #2 on Facebook and I was informed that she was unrecognizable. I guess I don't post enough pictures... So, here is a catch up of our last 4 months in photos.  They are all pretty random.

Cute smiles in December 

This is at a museum here.  Hod and #1 being cute.  (Click picture to enlarge... I think...) 

When we put #1's hat on her, she used to freeze like she wasn't allowed to move in the hat. 

#1 on Christmas Morning 

Hod and #2 on Christmas Morning 

#2 smiling for a picture to send Daddy. 

Hod asked me to send a picture of myself, but told me "No faces".   I thought I was funny. 

 #1 playing with her new blocks.

#1 watching a little TV with a super messy chocolate mouth. 

#1 loves to hide under the sink. 

Just being a cute girl. 

Morning "huggles" with daddy. 

I just think she is cute when she sleeps. 

Daddy made breakfast.  #1 was a really big fan. 

 She is wearing one of my hats, and was so excited.

 Just riding the car in her princess crown.

#2's Birthday.  She loved her cake. 

#2 loves to put things on her head.  She is so proud when she succeeds. 

Family Pajama Movie Party! 

 Hod's car died, so we bought a van, and now he drives my car.  #2 is getting so big!

 She climbed up all by herself!

I pulled out my old drumsticks one day.  #1 thought they were the coolest thing ever.  I may have another drummer in the family! 

Coloring with my ginormous pen. 

We cut her hair, and she looks so grown up!

Also, #1 is becoming quite the little singer.  If there is music, she is singing along.  When she doesn't know the words she just mumbles.  It is adorable.

Oh, and one more story.  I wish I had a picture of this.  Last night we had put the girls in bed, and #2 started SCREAMING.  That is out of character for her, so I went to check on her.  She stood at the side of her crib, (the side facing the wall) and had a blanket on her head so she couldn't see.  I have no idea what was going on, but I laughed really hard, and then helped calm her down.

And that is our life!

Accountability

This is not a happy post.  As soon as I can find the pictures, I will post details about our amazing Disneyland trip.  That was awesome.  Today's post?  Not as fun.

Hod has been sick for months.  But it was winter, and we all kept getting sick, so I didn't think too much about it.  But when there was a lot of pain with the coughing, I decided he needed to be checked out.

He went to an urgent care where they took blood, gave him a breathing treatment, took x-rays and sent us on our way.  The doctor thought it was just pneumonia, but said he would call us the next day if the x-rays showed anything.

The radiologist looked at the x-rays and saw a nodule in his left lung.  The doctor called us and told Hod to go to his primary doctor to get a CT scan referral.

There is a medical school close to us, and they are Hod's primary doctor.  He went, they redid everything, and the student doctor said that he could see something on the x-ray.  He had to get it all cleared by the attending physician, but he was pretty sure that we would be getting a CT scan.  This was on Monday.

They didn't call, and they didn't call.  On Friday, Hod started calling them.  But the attending was always busy.  She just didn't have time to look at the x-rays.  Hod called every day for a week.  He was very polite, but finally asked the receptionist what was going on.  She had been very kind, and instead of leaving another message went directly to the attending physician.  A few hours later she called him back.  With an annoyed tone, she told Hod that it was just a fissure and he should be fine.  Except he wasn't fine... he was in a lot of pain.

We thought about just letting it go, but we were confused.  We had one real doctor, a student doctor, and two radiologists who all agreed.  Then one attending physician who wouldn't look at the x-rays and seemed to just say whatever to get Hod to stop calling.

We decided we needed to get another opinion, and once we had two certified doctors that agreed we would go with their answer.

So, after seeing another doctor, and he looked at the previous x-rays, he agreed with the first doctor, that we needed to get a CT scan.

That took time to schedule, and Hod had that on Monday.

In the 6 weeks since the first set of x-rays, and in the 3 weeks since the second, another nodule has formed.

Hod's doctor has been doing a lot of research for us, so we can know what to do now.  The second nodule is right on one of his lymph-nodes, so now time is very important.  We have to catch this before it spreads.  The next step is a biopsy, and they are trying to schedule it for tomorrow.

The Doctor is pretty hopeful.  As of now, there is nothing in his blood.  And he only has 2 growths.  Normally with lung cancer it is much more advanced before it is discovered.  But he is pretty sure this is lymphoma.

We are trying to be hopeful, but we have both lost family members to lymphoma.  My sister L3 lost her husband to lymphoma almost 15 years ago.  I saw her strength as they worked together to fight it, but sadly it didn't work.  I think of her and wonder if I have that strength.  I hope I can be as great as she was.

But I guess we are still waiting on a biopsy, so maybe all of the worrying is just a waste of time.

Hod has never smoked.  Ever.  But we are looking at the possibility of lung cancer.  All smokers need to quit.  They aren't just hurting themselves.  I want to shake every smoker I know and beg them to stop.  But instead I'm sitting here, crying on and off, and researching lung cancer treatments.

I just wish someone would be accountable and that could make it go away.  Maybe the coworkers who smoke around Hod all the time.  Maybe our last apartment complex that puts smokers on the bottom floor and if you complain about smoke they show up with a roll of duct tape to try to seal off your floor.  Maybe the attending physician who wrote this off as nothing back when there was only one nodule.  Just someone so we didn't have to be sitting here worrying.  I want someone to admit this was their fault and for them to fix it.  But that's not the way it works.

So, there are the details.  Hopefully in a while this will all just be an unpleasant memory as Hod and I sit on the couch and cuddle.

Proper Response?

Lately #1 has been unwilling to say her prayers.

The entire house has been sick and dealing with stuff, so there have been a lot of priesthood blessings.

I was sitting on the couch doing homework while the girls played. #1 climbed behind me, and put her hands on my head. Suddenly I realized what she was saying, and it was remarkably like the prayers we encourage her to say at night.

I have no response to that.

Yesterday

Yesterday at 7:45 #1 woke me up.  This is a perfectly normal time for her.  I got her out of her room, and brought her to the bed.  She saw Hod and sweetly said, "Daddy shcleeping! Bed, Huggles!"  I've always told her that I love to snuggle with her after she wakes up.  She calls them huggles, and I think it is the cutest thing ever!

A few minutes later #2 woke up.  I could hear her giggling and playing, so she soon joined our morning "huggle" fest.  I was feeling really good as #2 had slept through the night, and #1 had only woken up once.

The previous evening Hod's car wouldn't start so he had to get a ride home from work.  This meant we had to figure out how to get his car back to our house while it was still warm outside.  (Sometimes it just doesn't start in the cold.  It isn't the battery, and it doesn't happen every time.  As soon as it warms up the car is fine.)

I started a batch of laundry, and we ran to the store as a family so Hod could take my car to work (After he drove his car home on his lunch break.).  As we were checking out the cashier dropped a gallon of milk that splattered all over.  #2 got a cute splash on her face.  We all laughed as she looked confused about what had happened.  As the adults were laughing #1 joined in with her own little forced laugh.  She didn't get the joke, but she wanted to be included.  After all of the adults finished laughing she continued on, then became confused that we had stopped laughing.  Ha, kids are cute.

I took Hod to work, and drove home.  #2 started falling asleep on our drive.  She is so cute when she sleeps in the car.  She falls asleep with her arms on the edges of the car seat much like you would imagine an evil King sitting on his throne looking down on his subjects.

We got home, I unloaded the car, handed #1 the box of crackers we bought for her to carry, handed #2 the new sippy cups we bought her, and had to ballance a box of muffins between her head and my chin as I carried her into the house.  We got inside, and I walked into the kitchen to put things down.  I heard a splash splashing behind me.  #1 was splashing in a huge puddle on the floor.

How did that get there????

Turns out the drain leaving our apartment from the washing machine was frozen.  When the washer drained, the water had to go somewhere.  We ended up with water all over our kitchen floor, and a funky, not really square, but I don't know how else to describe it shaped wet carpet spot about 8x8 feet.  I grabbed a towel to try to mop it up, and quickly realized I didn't have enough towels to fix this, and then if I used all of my towels I couldn't wash them anyway.  So I called the office.

They said the would send someone right over.  I built a barricade to try to keep #1 confined and waited.

HA!  Using chairs to keep a 2 year old in one place?  Funny.

They sent people over, thawed out the drain, shop-vac-ed some of the water, and left us with a huge carpet drying fan.

We spent the day playing in the fan and getting wet on the carpet.  It was very cold, but the girls didn't seem to notice.

#2 learned how to climb up small rises when there is the promise of food to motivate her.  Take away the food and she is somehow incapable.  Silly girl.

Just an average day at our house!