Answer Me This: July 27 (and Shaking Out the Crickets)

I know, I know, my keys have been ridiculously silent most of this month. There has been sooo much going on around our house, and I just haven't taken the time for myself to find quiet(ish) moments in the office for writing. Most of my browing is done on my iPad Mini, but I don't find the touch keyboard, or even my bluetooth keyboard, comfortable enough for my poor hands to do an extensive amount of typing. (More on those hands in another post.)

The biggest changes are that Fidget has finally started both OT and ABA therapy this month! Our OT is through our state's early intervention program, so he is approved for an hour a week in-home at no cost to us. (Thank you, taxpayers!) However, we had a substantial amount of time pass between when he was approved to add OT to his existing services - initially we started with just speech while we were waiting for his diagnosis - so the past two weeks she has come for both our regular weekly session and a make-up session. She had good things to say about some of the things we are already doing for him, and has lots of helpful advice for other things we can implement. She made the comment that he may be the most sensory-seeking child she has ever worked with, which is a bit mind boggling if I imagine how many kids she's likely worked with, but at the same time it's very affirming that my perception of the extremes of his behavior were not inflated...he really is this intense! When we've met new therapists of any discipline, my best way of describing him can be summed up in one word: more. More movement, more light, more sound, more touch, more flavor, more texture, etc. We've always done as much with and for him as we can, but at least I feel understood in being overwhelmed trying to meet his insatiable need for input. 

On the ABA front, his current permanent schedule only has him with 7 hours per week, but they are constantly calling to offer us more hours when they have availability, and we accept those hours as much as possible. A couple weeks ago he had I think 21 hours of ABA; the goal is to work him up to about 35 hours per week. When we reach that full schedule, it will mean therapy twice a day, six days a week! It's overwhelming to think of him working so hard, but I know that all the current research shows that the more intense the therapy at this age, the better the long-term results. And we're already seeing noticeable improvement just over the last four weeks, so it gives me a lot of hope that we're on the right track. And in all of his therapies it is very play based, so to him it's like his therapy team means a constant stream of grown-up friends coming to play just with him! We're having almost all of his sessions in home for now, but hopefully in time we can add more time at the center so that he can get some group therapy as well. It's rather bittersweet to know that his fall he would have been eligible to start at the preschool in our church parish, which Sunshine attended for three years, but I know it's not the right fit for him, and the biggest factor in all of our educational decisions thus far has been what is the best choice for THIS child at THIS time. I can't say what either of them will need in the future, but I am confident that in this moment we are giving them each what they need.

Our adventurer

And speaking of Sunshine, she had her first trip to resident camp this month! It was nice, our camp offers a half week session for the youngest girls, so she and a friend from her Daisy troop went for three days, two nights. Came home missing a few possessions, but nothing that can't be replaced; and she came home with lots of great memories. She's already asking about going for a full week next summer!

More on what we've been up to later; for tonight I will leave you with this week's installment of Answer Me This, sponsored by catholicallyear.com!

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1. What’s your favorite thing on YouTube?

It's sad, of the time I spend on YouTube, very little of it is watching things for myself! That doesn't mean I don't find it beneficial though! Over the years we've been able to pull up favorite shows for the kids during difficult moments. Sunshine and I pray our weekly rosary along with YouTube videos. And lately, she and I have been watching a lot of Rainbow Loom tutorials.

2. Who taught you to drive?

Believe it or not, but Papa Bear mostly did! I took driver's ed in high school, but the instructor I had was rather harsh and actually gave me a lot of anxiety about being behind the wheel. Then I attended college out of state, and had free access to an excellent public transit system, so the whole time I lived in Pittsburgh I never had a license. I finally got my license when I was 23, several months after moving back home. My parents took me out some, but it was mostly Papa Bear who helped me feel comfortable about driving. And lucky me, I need to basically do driver's ed again, to work with a therapist to "officially" learn how to use my hand controls and get my license back. Ya know, in my spare time....

3. What’s your favorite thing to cook?

I'd have to say my mom's recipe for skillet lasagna. It's practically how I won Papa Bear over! Before I got my license, he would pick me up from nursing school once a week, and many weeks he would already have stopped and picked up all of my ingredients on his way to get me. And it makes a large quantity, so it's great for having leftovers. I'll have to revamp it a bit to make it friendly for Fidget's GFCF diet (more on that soon too), but it's def. got a special place in our relationship.

Recipe:

Brown one pound of ground meat of choice with one diced onion and some minced garlic, drain and return to pan. Add two jars spaghetti sauce (any flavor, I find the chunky sauces work nicely) and stir, once it starts bubbling stir in one bag UNCOOKED medium egg noodles. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook approx 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, add parmesan cheese, basil, and oregano to one large container small curd cottage cheese. When noodles are just slightly underdone, stir in half of cheese mixture. Spread remaining cheese mixture over the top, recover and cook approx 5 more minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

**My apologies that I've made it so many times that I don't know exact measurements or times anymore. I just cook by sight and flavor!

4. Are you a hugger or a non-hugger? Why?

This is the south, I am def. a hugger! In all seriousness though, I think physical touch is so important for our stress and mental health. Magazines may write constant articles on a couple's intimate relations, but I think little things like hugging and holding hands are even more important. And a hug can say so many things to so many different people in our lives: parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends, etc. Great meaning can be conveyed without uttering a single word.

5. Where do you pray best?

The view from my side porch toward the front yard.

Here at home, I like to pray outdoors. We have a small side porch off our master bedroom (emergency egress for me in my chair in case of fire) that is shaded by a tree, and with the house next to us on that side vacant for almost the whole time we've lived here, it is typically very quiet and peaceful. I may have to find a new happy place once they finish renovating it and a new family moves in! And while the opportunity doesn't present itself often, I love to pray in Eucharistic Adoration.

My paternal grandparents

6. When is the last time you saw/spoke to your grandparents?

Hmm, let's see.... Unfortunately, I never knew either of my mom's parents; her dad died before I was even expected, and her mom died when I was just a newborn. My Grandpap (Dad's dad) died in March 1992, about a month before I turned 12, so I hadn't seen or spoken to him since the summer before. My Grandma passed when I was 19, on Dec 23, 1999; I had just seen her at Thanksgiving and don't recall if I talked to her in between or not. For many years Papa Bear's maternal grandmother - the only surviving grandparent for either of us - was my surrogate grandma, she loved all of us who married in as if we were her own. She passed in September 2011, while I was pregnant with Fidget.