Dear Noah: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Wow we have been super busy....my head is spinning with how quickly the time is passing. You have been out of school already for winter break 2 weeks and it seems only yesterday it was starting!

Time goes by so fast. We have been busy here at home...doing holiday things...and visting family and friends. We have had sleepovers and play dates...You have really enjoyed yourself and have been so very happy.

Over this break you had time to play with your cousins....which has thrilled YOU..especially since both cousins are very close to your age.

We also celebrated your 12th birthday! SO hard to believe you are already 12 years old and growing up so fast!


We celebrated Grandma C.'s 88th birthday yesterday and now will be welcoming in the new year with my uncle and your cousin. I think.

We have enjoyed ourselves immensely this winter break and all the holidays and joy and family, friends, and loved ones.

Noah and I want to wish you all a very happy, healthy, prosperous, and blessed new year!

Dear Noah....HUGE milestone...you are now 100% officially toilet trained....

and right before you turn 12 years old. I never thought in a million years it would take this long to get you to this point and to be honest I was starting to wonder if you would ever completely be able to do all your wiping yourself anywhere outside of home. Here at home you are and have been 100% toilet trained since age 9 years. BUT anywhere outside or away from home you still needed my help from time to time. Well..I started working with you the last month on this and telling you...you could do it....and how...and you needed to try because you did not want to go into being a teenager and still having your MOM come into the bathroom to help you wipe up!

I am so PROUD of you and happy because the other day at grandma C's house you came running on the way to the bathroom..asked for the wipes we brought...and ran to the bathroom all by yourself and DID EVERYTHING IN THERE ALL BY YOURSELF!!!!!!!!! No calling for me to come help you...nothing. YOU DID IT. FINALLY! I KNOW you had to be happy and proud too. I praised you up and down....and I just am amazed..once again...in your own time...you finally do something all on your own.

So for all those other parents out there who think their autistic child will never be able to handle all toileting on their own...don't give up hope. IT can be possible.....be patient....do your best with them.....they may just one day surprise you. AND some may need help forever...but I still alwys kept hope in Noah...and I am thankful he finally is able to do this all on his own!

YIPPEEE for you Noah. I love you and am so very proud of you....something everyone else probably takes for granted or has had their kids accomplish at 2 or 3 years of age...you too now have finally succeeded!

ALL MY LOVE always!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah.....I can tell by the reduced postings that things are going better here!

School wise I mean ..for sure. The stress level and drama we had with you attending a public school is just not present in our lives anymore. There is still some pressure feelings sometimes when it seems we have a lot of required things to accomplish...but we plug along and get it done. I still sometimes wonder and wish I just homeschooled you by myself straight out like I did in Colorado...picking what I wanted to teach you in the way I WANTED to do it....and not via any online virtual school..and sometimes when we are pressured to get work done I am tempted to try it all that way again...but online school is also good and has many benefits as well as making sure you are taught what you need to learn according to the state's standards. BUT then I have to wonder WHO really determines what you should learn and why...and by doing all these required things I am sometimes not left with enough time on my own to teach you things I WANT you to learn. So I have to come up with a better schedule or something...maybe incorporating both into the day or some on weekends or some solution.

But as far as the daily drama of life in school I do not miss that. You are much happier and less stressed. I am less stressed. I heard some kids about your age in the public library on Monday and they were back in the kid section that is set up for kids to meet in and play games and read, etc...and they were talking so inappropriately. All had come over from school...talking OUT LOUD about being HORNY and "go sit in the corner to get raped" and all this other stuff. I am so THANKFUL you are not being exposed to that crap on a daily basis and to be honest I thought someone in the library should have told those kids to tone it down a bit.

Wow....maybe I am an old fuddy duddy but I don't care. Right is right and appropriate is appropriate and that was not it.

MY SURGERY has been put on hold...I am hoping I won't need it.....time will tell...but I want to go through all options before having a surgery I may not need.

We had a good Thanksgiving....and here it is time to get ready for Christmas already! We will finish decorating the tree this weekend.

Today Opie got stuck under your bed again...he crawled up into the outer cover of the boxspring mattress..there he was stuck in the material but not in any big hurry to get back out once I lifted the mattress up. We have since blocked all areas he could get under your bed again.

Snowing here today...very chilly outside...and very much looking more like winter!

I love you lots.....really do....to the moon and back again Noah..forever.

OH...almost forgot. You have been designing your apartment and houses....I will have to post pics later. You designed a very nice small 1 bedroom place above a 3 car garage you said you could live in...and then designed a slightly larger place....over a 4 car garage. You seem to want to live above a garage one day....and not one necessarily attached to any house I own!

Then you designed a home.....and it is very nice too. I am very amazed when I see all you can do designing homes and making floor plans. I suggested you make a book about this! You said you had not even thought about that before.

So ...I say SO a lot don't I?

LOVE YOU!

Mom
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah...you are missing your dad....

You woke up today and came out acting very funny...like you either did not feel well or were extremely sad. When I finally went through a complete listing of all your body parts and asking you if they hurt and you replying no..I finally asked you if you were sad. You started to cry and said you were and it was because you really wanted to see your dad. You miss him a lot I will have to have some surgery coming up and I think he is trying to time his next visit with that so he can be here for you during that time to help out which will be great. You are only hoping if that happens he stays longer than a couple of days. You need some serious time with him one-on-one.

We had to travel to Columbus the other day so I could see a surgeon...and on our way back we stopped at a combo KFC/Long John Silvers and they had a special parking place for classic old cars and beside it an old gas station and drive in speakers. We had to take a pic of you. We had a nice day together away from school and work and we actually got a lot accomplished since we began our day so early!

Otherwise Noah I love you so much. Hopefully you will get to see your dad and have a wonderful visit before you know it!

LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.....Dayton PhilharMONSTER concert and TRICK OR TREAT!

SO Saturday I took you to the Dayton Schuster Center for the first time to attend the Dayton Philharmonic concert they put on for Halloween...the PHILHARMONSTER concert. I got us seats in the front row! You could actually lean on the stage we were so close. The place was so beautiful....and we will definitely be going back for other concerts or shows. There were many levels of balconies...and the very top of the ceiling led to an open area that looked as if you were gazing out onto the stars. SO beautiful!

You went trick-or-treating with your cousin Audrey that evening ....you went as Avatar the Last Airbender from the cartoon series...and she has a Victorian dead bride......you had a good time but everyone tired out fast this year.

We eventually got back here to finish watching the Ohio State football game....where they beat Minnesota 52 to 10!

Lots to do...so I am keeping this short. I love you...tonight you want to make it movie night! I think you said you wanted to watch Polar Express because it was the time of year you wanted to start watching Christmas movies!

LOVE YOU NOAH!

Mommy XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....our hometown DID have a tornado confirmed...

no wonder we felt such hard winds driving home....and rain....we were probably driving on the outskirts of it all like you thought.

Dear Noah: Your stress test was normal!

THESE photos do not do the clouds and black skies justice. They skies were very black at one point..something you only see in movies....eerie and scary!

(excerpt from our day)

We had to go to Children's Medical Center today for Noah to have some tests done. I did not want to go knowing it was supposed to be bad weather...even before we left the conditions were perfect for tornadoes...very warm and windy...our skies up here were almost black when we left but cleared in the Dayton area. Then coming back I wanted to come straight home to beat the storm but Noah was hungry. We stopped in Englewood at Perkins...it was not bad there BUT the farther we drove the worst it got. We hit approached our exit to take us the next 20 plus miles home and it was BLACK skies with unbelievable clouds and rain was starting and the winds! We turned on WHIO radio and tornado warnings were all around us. We did not know what to do. I called dad...he was just waking up from a nap so did not even know the conditions...I wanted to ask him if our area was bad and if so I figured we would make a pit stop at their house...but he had not heard. I kept listening to the radio and we decided to try going on North. BIG MISTAKE...the winds about blew me off the road numerous times...the rain was blowing across the road and car in WAVES...WAVES I tell you WAVES......it looked like we were riding on an ocean....and it sounded like something under my car was grinding. Noah took videoclips till he got too scared....the inside of the car sounded so loud.....the wind was unbelievable. We were almost near another small town and I decided we better pull off. A semi had almost hit us coming into our lane...no one could see.....I reached a little dairy bar restaurant right before you go into town....everyone was pulling off there....and I should have recorded that...the wind blew the car all around....the wind...I cannot say enough about the sound and the rain....and poor Noah crying and crying saying he did not want to die.....he just wanted to go home...etc...it was sooooooo nerve wracking. I kept the radio on....it seemed to chill a bit....and we started to leave...passed police cars and ambulance.....and the TORNADO SIREN RIGHT THERE BESIDE US WENT OFF......Noah was really scared then. I had no where to go take shelter.....and thought about a few places....but it looked a little clearer closer to our hometown area so we kept going....we were both praying...just wanted to not break down or have to get in a ditch off the St. Rt we were on.....almost to the town before our exit. Thought about going to my grandma's ...all the power seemed out up there....and there appeared to be a funnel cloud...so we kept heading North even though our town also had a tornado warning too.....so scary....SO scary.....I told Noah I did not know how he would ever be a storm chaser if he got that scared and cried....he said he would not mind if but from a SAFE distance. We were in the middle surrounded by tornado warnings to each direction we drove or came from...and again...the winds...sound of the wind and the rain....unbelievable. I told Noah next time he had to listen to me and when I said we were coming HOME we were coming straight HOME to beat a storm and not go through this again!

LOTS of damage in our area and many other cities around us. They have so far confirmed 6 tornado touch downs in surrounding areas....it was a very active weather day!

Noah and I were so thankful to be home. He was so afraid he was going to die. He was crying so much and was so very upset in the car. He kept telling me all the facts about fall tornadoes and how dangerous they are...and how they are rain wrapped like these were and you could not see them...until they were on top of you...and we needed to be taking shelter immediately. We had no where to take shelter...so I kept driving. Once home he was upset because our closet in the hallway is not accessible at the present time...our tornado safe zone. I told him I would clear it out fast or we could sit in the hallway. What a hectic day and evening.

Today the winds were still blowing but NOTHING like yesterday. I am thankful we could stay home today and chill.....we both needed to recover from that nerve wracking event!

Giving thanks we made it home and all was okay with us and my family and friends and others in the surrounding areas were not injured.

I love you Noah!

I was proud of your efforts on the stress test. You did much better than I thought you could do!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......License to Wed???

I fell asleep on the sofa the other night with the TV on and woke up finding you on the love seat watching a movie...when I asked you what it was it was called LICENSE TO WED...with Robin Williams in it...and you were enthralled...told me you had already gotten up and checked it out on Wikipedia. I was stunned...you seemed to not only like the movie but were intent on it and stayed up to watch the entire movie.

You are all about girls and love and things to do with love right now..so sweet.

You were looking at yourself in the full length mirror the other night after getting washed off and into some pajamas...you were sliding your hands up and down your belly and said it looked like waves.....rolling in and out...like a Tsunami! I about lost it laughing so hard...you did too.

Your personality and humor is really growing...as are YOU physically...you are really shooting up right now. I told you we both need to start working out together for exercise to tone up........get your coordination improved and muscles developing.

I love you a lot...we have had a lot of fun together recently....and today we went to mom and dad's for a birthday celebration.

LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK AGAIN....and again and again..forever I will!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah...a song dedicated to you ...

Since you are all about IN MY ROOM lately for everything and it is all I can do to get you OUT of your room..I dedicate a song to you....



I LOVE you Noah.....in or out of your room.....

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah....you designed a Sonic Chatroom movie

it is actually a pretty cool storyline and you came up with the words and ideas all on your own. I think you had seen some similar things on You Tube and decided to make your own. I am pretty impressed with all the work you did and the text you added and pics you added all on your own and the flow of it all. Great job for your first one....you told me you included a LOVE triangle which I thought was pretty cute...I asked you if you KNEW what a LOVE TRIANGLE was and you very clearly and matter-of-factly told me!

We watched old Supermarket Sweep episodes on You Tube together in your room last night....had a ball. We both miss that show. You pronounced bologna BOW-LOG-NA instead of BALONEY which I found so funny....we busted out laughing big time on that!

Anyway...here is the movie you made!



I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah....you and I both love scientific notations!

We have been working in math and pre-algebra.....order of operations...and scientific notations...some very long math problems at times...and today we had such fun working out scientific notations and order of operation problems! I actually asked you if you ever thought you would have been working on such long math problems like that one day and not only working on them but KNOWING how to figure out the answers!?? You shook your head no.....but we laughed and WANTED to keep going and figuring out the answers to the problems! I am so thankful!

You are also doing so much better with comprehension of things you read...inferences....etc. I am so impressed with how much you know...and some of the answers on language arts and literature you disagreed with me and YOU GOT THEM CORRECT! HA! How about that! You are doing very well and I love you very much Noah Wesley!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds for us both!

I love you!

Mommy

xoxoxo

Dear Noah....trip to the new ER last night....

well you were talking online to your dad last night....and came out crying saying you had something weird happen...a bad pain in your head.....felt like a blood vessel burst you said. You were afraid you had "brain damage" or a "brain tumor." WHERE you have even heard those things or come up with those ideas is beyond me. ANYWAY....because of the way you described it and the fact you have never had pain like this before...I ended up taking you to the ER. They think (like I did) that it may be related to being on the computer TOO MUCH at one time and your eyes...etc....so we need to take you next to an eye doctor. You passed your vision test fine last night...but I know you have issues with the muscles in your eyes. So that will be next up on your list.

I had my routine annual physical today so you stayed with your grandma and grandpa L while I was gone...when I got back you came running out and hugged me and said, "I missed you!" That made me feel good because to be honest I did not really think you would miss me. BUT this was the FIRST TIME you have really stayed somewhere like that for a couple of hours without me being around....or you with your cousin...etc. You played on the Wii and visited with grandpa and grandma...we then stopped at grandma C's house on our way back home.

I had your 3-year meeting today with your teachers to determine your current needs pertaining to your IEP coming up in October/November. That went well. We think we will be able to drop the OT from your list this year and just continue the ST and I will work on things here at home.

It is rainy outside today and very very chilly....since you were in the ER last night and we had to get up early today you only had 6-1/2 hours of sleep and are super super tired. You will hit the bed early tonight!

I LOVE YOU NOAH and am proud of all the work you have been doing in school and just how you are personally as a young man. You lost a tooth today which is good...it is one you have been working on for awhile now.

Today you had Chick-Fil-A for lunch....McDonalds for breakfast...I guess an official "eat out day" for you! Those tear my intestinal system up...I can't do it...which is actually a good thing.

Well...more later...you are doing great...you scored MUCH HIGHER on your Scantron tests recently....so you are improving on reading and math...and in fact...were ABOVE the state/district levels for both!

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK AGAIN AND FOREVER NOAH WESLEY!

Mommy xoxoxoxo

Dear Noah....school is going....

We are plugging along in school this year. Not much new news to report. Last night we stayed up until 3:00 a.m. watching movies..way too late.

I love you...you are growing up fast.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....The Great Darke County Fair....

well we decided to go to the county fair yesterday afternoon and early evening. We had a great time...did a lot of walking though and it was a little hotter than you thought it would be...you got super hot and tired pretty fast. We scoped out where everything was to be prepared next time we go back. We saw SOME of the animals and exhibits....still need to see the chicken house.....and rabbits....and rest of the pigs. You saw a cute and very friendly cat in the horse barn. He was a sweetie...and must belong to someone there because he had a collar on. We will be going back and forth a few times during fair week. School officially starts for you on Wednesday too...so it will be weird this week I think for both of us.

I love you.....hope my knee and back holds out for walking some more!

Mommy

XOXOXO

Dear Noah.....new Tupperware snack containers.....

We ran some errands on Monday...and I had taken a small old-style Tupperware snack container with us with a few M&Ms in it for you to snack on until we picked up something for you to eat for lunch. AFTER we ordered the food at the drive-thru at Chik-Fil-A I had tucked that empty container into one of the snacks that held the food. I never usually do that and told myself while doing it I would have to remember to REMOVE the item before we tossed the sacks into the trash.

You had been playing with the empty container sticking it onto your elbow and making a sucking sound...and later on that day (long after we were on our way home and the trash was in the trash can back at a Walmart many miles away)...you suddenly asked where that container was. It was THEN I realized I had probably accidentally tossed it. You cried and got so sad about this. I have to admit I am the same way when accidentally tossing anything...and if it had not been that far away yes I would have turned around and retrieved an item that belonged to us...as I am just weird like that and want our things belonging to us to be with us and not in the trash. Gee I have probably spread my weirdness onto you in some small ways.

Anyway...I reminded you we have FOUR of those snack containers but the remaining THREE for some reason did not seem to be enough for you...you were suddenly worried you may never have them again and wanted to find out if we could get more. When you find something you like...you tend to want to stock up or get MANY of that same item so you will always have it. Holy cow you do get that from me!

SO once home I did manage to get online at Tupperware's website and found they DO still sell those snack containers and I ordered another set of 4....this time with all yellow lids...but no matter you said....you felt reassured you would again have ENOUGH no matter what. End of story except those little containers were almost 20.00 by the time I added on shipping and tax! It would probably have been cheaper to turn the car around and go back and fetch the one from the trash!

So...all is well in your world again...and I am thankful....

I love you....school will be starting full time for you soon. We have already been working on finishing up American History.

OH...today I went into your room looking for something and you really are to the point where you do not want me messing with anything on your desk...which looks messy to me and filled but you have apparently in some semblance of order in your head and you don't want it messed with. I reminded you once we clean your room and reorganize it...it will be likely your desk top will be cleaned off....(I am sure only to be covered again one day by the masses of little happy meal toys and cars and such you seem to collect all the time and stack up all around you). BUT this greatly upset you...me just even touching those items really bothered you. YOU did not want anything disturbed or moved...you followed me around putting everything back just like it had been. Yeah.....rearranging your room will be interesting.

The neighbors have been moving stuff into a truck and coming and going all day. You came out crying worried they were moving and you might not ever get to see Emma and Brianna ever again....I have no idea yet what exactly is going on....hopefully they will be staying though and all will be well.

All my love forever,

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah........summer is almost over......school is about to start

We have 1 more unit to finish in American History before school officially starts for you this year and we will be able to do that easily. I am hopeful and prayerful that this year will go smoothly and be easy for you and as stressfree as possible.

A couple of weeks ago after coming back from the store and running errands once we got home instead of helping me bring in sacks of groceries or at least opening the door for me in between my trips carrying stuff in (which I am trying to teach you to do) you ran off as usual to your room leaving me in your dust. I got angry and raised my voice to you (which I know does not work well with you but I lost it a bit anyway) and you of course reacted very poorly to that. You came out crying and practically screaming yourself. In fact...you did SCREAM a loud ear piercing scream as you came at me trying to hit me. When I held back your hands you then tried to kick me in the stomach. WOW...you have not had any episodes like this in years but it was amazing how quickly I remembered trying times like this for you in the past.

I finally got you calmed down...I calmed down....you were so upset...so was I. You ran and grabbed a note pad and pencil and wrote me a long apology. This is what the note said:

HUGE APOLOGY. I am sorry about what I done. I never meant for that to happen. It just slipped out of me. Forgive me pretty pretty please. I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!

Well we had a long talk. I explained what I was trying to teach you and the fact that you are approaching 12 years of age and are more than old enough to start helping me with some things around here such as bringing in groceries or opening the door and closing it behind me so I can carry in armfuls of stuff. You were crying still...and I think were afraid I was mad or did not love you anymore or something. I explained how you cannot act the way you did....not to that extent..and especially not try to hit someone when angry. AND all the whys....and reminded you how you normally work through things...and calm down first and use words now to express your issues. I also apologized for raising my voice to you but also said I should not have to yell to get you to listen to me and to help...etc. We both apologized....worked through the entire episode.

You then told me you had written down some of your "thoughts" on the back of the apology note. When I turned it over it said:

P.S. Also, I am sorry for acting like Shadow the Hedgehog. He loses his temper as much as I did.

and under that was this disturbing statement:

Thoughts I'm gonna commit suicide.

WHAT???????? Where did that come from? I asked you why you felt that way? You said you were so ashamed of how you acted and were afraid I guess I would no longer love you because of your behavior so that made you not want to live. I told you I would love you no matter what. I may not like things you do sometimes in your life but I still love you...you are my son....so many people would miss you if you did anything to hurt yourself...how much we all love you...etc. I also said I love you like God loves us...we mess up all the time but ask for forgiveness and forgive and forget and go on....so we can move forward. That this is how we sometimes learn important lessons in life..etc. I felt HORRIBLE that you felt so badly about things and how you had acted and really wanted you to know it was okay you messed up. I reminded you I messed up as well by losing my temper too. What a mess. I also pointed out how your life is a GIFT from GOD and you should never try to end it...especially if you want to get to heaven one day.

We had such a long talk....you cried a lot...got a horrible headache...and I felt like a really crappy mom for a long time.

BUT we worked through it all. You said there were TWO times in your life that were horrible that you would remember forever...one was this night..and the other a night where you apparently told me you would kill me if I did not quit acting the way I was about correcting (YELLING) at OPIE our cat. AGAIN because it upset you so much and so fast and you did not know how to contain all your anxiousness and express your feelings fast enough. I told you I really did not even remember that statement anymore...and I really don't. KIND of do but not really....hopefully also like GOD will do for us....I am not keeping any running tally of our mistakes Noah....yours or mine. We have to both try to forgive ourselves as well as each other when we mess up.

We are less than perfect...but we can continue to try to be the best we can be for each other. We are a team. We are in this together for the long haul...we have to work together to make this a success.

sigh........tensions....anxiety......hopefully relieved. I have allowed you some extra sleepovers in my room for reassurance. You are spending so much time in your room these last days of summer. Trying to get you OUT of the room is almost impossible unless we go somewhere.

BUT I LOVE YOU...so very much. Always have...always will....

mom
XOXOXO

Dear Noah......young love...

when I was talking to the neighbor the other day (where those 2 little girls used to live that you liked to play with so well...Emma and Brianna)...I found out the woman who lives there is THEIR GRANDMOTHER! When I came in later and told you this...you were so happy you nearly cried. You loved Brianna and Emma so much and missed them when they were moving away a couple of years ago...and you had no idea where they moved to so lost touch. You were SHOCKED you said and so happy....you could not wait until they came back over to visit their grandma so you could once again see Brianna! You said you would probably CRY when you saw her you were going to be so happy to see her again and you had missed her so much...and now you are thinking you might tell her you LOVE HER...that she was your ONE TRUE LOVE.....

I hope and pray all that goes well...for you...your tender heart does not ever deserve to be hurt or broken. Here the 2 little girls over playing with the neighbor boy that one night WAS EMMA and BRIANNA! We just did not know it and you and I were inside and had gone to the drive in that night I think. So you missed them! You had even said earlier to me you thought you heard their voices...but you often hear little girl voices and think it is them. Here this time IT WAS them!

So you are anxiously awaiting a day when they come back to visit...or are hoping they come back to visit...so you can pop over by the fence and talk and visit and maybe even play with them!

You are sweet. The other morning when you woke up....I always ask you if you had any dreams. YOu said you did but were afraid to tell me. You said you had a dream ABOUT BRIANNA! AND you were MAKING OUT WITH HER! (JUST KISSING)...but...you giggled like a schoolgirl! hahaha....

oh my....life and all it holds is truly opening up for you and only just beginning.

I love you so much Noah! School will be starting in like 3 weeks!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah....DENTIST day!

You had your 6-month check up today. Your 12-year molars are all coming in. Two are pretty much in all the way just about. You only have 4 baby teeth remaining to come out yet...and 2 of those are nearly out. You still have ZERO cavities which is great! You are doing so much better with seeing the dentist and handling cleanings and everything. I really want to thank the Children's Medical Center's dentist department for just taking so much extra time with you to make sure you are able to handle things well and have a good experience. Your teeth look super nice after the cleaning too!

On the way home we stopped by to see Grandma C. We have not seen her for over 3 weeks as she has been away staying with my cousin after her final surgery following breast cancer. It was good to see her. We really missed her.

Today was a good day. We had lunch at Cracker Barrel. The weather was much nicer today. Not nearly as muggy or hot. It would be a great night for the drive in! BUT I work in the morning and while there is a movie I would like to see...it is not really for you.

Well...I don't have any pics from today. I did not take my camera. YOU DID take your camera and filmed the elevators and bathrooms at the hospital.

I love you lots Noah! I am proud of you and how well you did at the dentist office. I am also so happy you have had ZERO cavities! So when you get that gunk on your teeth...even though it might look bad...it really does protect your teeth from cavities!

LOVE YOU LOTS!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dragons Delight!

My sister invited us all to go to a Dayton Dragons game and watch it up on the Club Deck in a SUITE room. WOW...that is the way to go and watch a game! We had 10 seats outside the suite room with ceiling fans overhead....and an entire room with television, bar and 3 stools, a couch and 2 rocker recliners and fridge inside. Sink, towels, snacks. It was a great night and even though the Dragons lost you had a great time visiting too with family and your cousins!

I cannot believe August is just around the corner. It won't be long and school will be back in session and our routines will begin again!

I love you! I am so glad we got to go to the game Thursday night and we had such a great time!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah...Pow Wow, the Great Wolf Lodge, 4th of July and birthdays

We went to a Pow Wow on June 19 at Sun Watch Village. It was really hot that day and you got overheated but we managed. It was interesting but not nearly as large as we had expected it to be or what we are used to seeing in Colorado.



We were invited by my sister Becky to go on a trip with her and my other sister and her daughter and my nephew to the Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate her retirement! She is retiring super young. We went...and the Great Wolf Lodge is all it brags itself up to be! You had a great time in the wave pool in their inside water park! You spent all your time there except when sleeping or getting ready to eat or use the bathroom! We found a cool Christmas shop on the way and bought some amazing ornaments!











AND of course a big highlight for you was the ability to ride the elevator since we had a 4th floor room and to check out all their bathrooms and film them!




This past weekend we spent the 4th of July at my parents to celebrate the 4th as well as my birthday along with a belated birthday celebration for my sister Melissa. We had such fun. You got a Wendy's kid's meal and it had jokes and these crazy nose glasses inside. Of course we all had to try them on for size and have our pics taken. You looked so cute....like a little bug!



We have been busy having fun this summer and you have been spending a lot of time reading in your room and playing games. We are squeezing in a little bit of school as well to keep things fresh for this coming fall. I can only hope I am helping you to make some wonderful memories to recall when you get older. I love you so very much Noah!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......another visit to the Drive-In!

We went to the drive-in last night. WOW the weather was perfect for it. It was in the high 60s.....NO humidity! JUST PERFECT clear beautiful night! Stars in the sky overhead....

We saw Toy Story 3..and it was really good. I love how you really get into the movies now and laugh and giggle at the funny parts. You can sit very well now for the most part for an entire movie. We had a great time. Of course your highlight would have been if I allowed you to go FILM the toilets in the bathroom....but we did not even go to the bathroom at the Drive-In last night.

My birthday is fast approaching along with the 4th of July. We have some summertime activities planned and I guess we better get BUSY doing them....not much summer left! It is going by so quickly!

I love you Noah..so much. Thanks for going to the Drive-In with me and enjoying it as much as I do! We also saw some amazing trailers for upcoming movies...such as Legend of the Guardians and Smurf'd! They look awesome! Especially that first one!

Well..I need to get back to work!

LOVE YOU LOTS!

Mommy

Dear Noah.......summertime.......

What can I say? We have been busy....I am reorganizing the house....getting ready to paint soon. You are spending lots of time on the computer and we have been taking trips. You are wanting to go swimming but so far it has been a super muggy and stormy start to summer!

This past weekend we had a Father's Day celebration along with your aunt's birthday celebration combined....we had a great visit and enjoyed the visit. Today we saw grandma C...also enjoyed that visit.

We are finishing up some American History in school....and I cannot believe July is almost here already!

Not much else to report for now. I love you!

Mommy

Dear Noah.....hair cut time

We decided you were ready for a hair cut. You even decided that you would be willing to go to our local GREAT CLIPS to get a trim...since your hair was soooo long and needed to be professionally brought up to date...as far as length goes. You look good with long or short hair but too short and you look a little sick. SO the professionals can do a better job than I can at cutting your hair just right.

Here is how you look now!




Meanwhile we are finishing up your school year. I just got the results of your Scantron test in the spring. NOT the state testing scores yet...but to see how you were progressing. You are above the advanced for reading and above target for math...so this is all good news. You have shown appropriate progress improving in both math and reading since the fall of last year. This also means I am doing my job as your teacher.

Anyway...you have a conference today with OVHA teachers...last one for this year. Need to make you some lunch first.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy

Dear Noah...you and I had a great weekend!

You had cousin Audrey come spend the night Saturday. We ended up going to see Shrek and Iron Man 2 at the Drive In. I treated you and Audrey to spending the night in a motel. To be honest if it were your choice...that probably would have been all you wanted to do. You cried about leaving the hotel...cried the next day wanting to go back to the hotel....that was all I heard over and over till last night.

BUT we had a great time. You and Audrey played at a couple of McDonald's play areas...as it seemed that was all you both wanted to eat. YUCKO for me and my taste.

Otherwise....we are moving into your last week of school already! HARD to believe! We have worked really hard to wrap things up for the end of the year but I do have a few things planned for us to continue to work on through the summer to keep things fresh in your mind.

This should be a good week.....love you lots my little young man!

Mommy

Dear Noah.....Busy busy days of May!

Wow I seem to be forgetting to log into Blogger these days and make updates to this diary. I apologize. We have been so busy! The school year is rapidly winding down and I am trying to get all your loose ends tied up so we will only have 1 main subject to play catch up on over the summer along with me continuing to work with you on handwriting skills and typing skills and some other things I have planned. AND continued field trips. I plan to make this next year for you one of the better ones with school and I hope and pray it goes well for you.

We made it to the state mandated testing and the site was the best one we have been to yet. We will definitely choose that again in future years! You think you did pretty well...saying you felt you did an A or B or 85 to 95% on each subject tested on. I won't know the scores until probably right before school is out or shortly thereafter.

We had a cookout for Mother's Day and invited all the moms and grandmas over along with your aunties and cousins and uncles. You really had a great time! You were a big ham and liked to pose for anyone wanting to take your picture! It was that day I realized how much you are growing up!

Later that same night we decided to go to the drive in. Iron Man 2 and How To Train Your Dragon were playing. We both really enjoyed the movies and it was then I realized you understand so much more about even hidden innuendos and meanings in some of the things people say like in the movies. You laughed a LOT during both movies and found many APPROPRIATE things funny that were yes...meant to be funny! It dawned on me then that you are finally GETTING it in many areas of life where you had a struggle before! This was a HUGE moment for me. I also really enjoy being in your company and doing things with you. I love going places with you and enjoy all the things we talk about. I can only hope and pray you never grow tired of me! I know sometimes you lose patience with me already.

I read a story to you by Steven Hawking on time travel that you found fascinating. You still want to build a time machine.

Summer is almost here and we are thinking about putting up a bigger pool this year. It may be silly cause I don't think you used the one we had last year all that much. BUT I am thinking about it. I may save the money though and use it instead for something else.

We BOUGHT the house we have been living in for the last 4 years. The landlord gave us a great deal on a land contract. So we are planning on making a few changes around here over time. You are very excited about Opie being allowed to be in the house now.

Anyway...I need to get off here. Lots to do. It is Sunday and I am sure we will want to do a lot before the day is over.

I LOVE YOU NOAH!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

P.S. The Mother's Day card you gave me that you picked out yourself made me cry it was so nice and then even nicer to read the personalized message you put at the bottom about how you really do love me. That made my year. SMOOCHES!

CHILDREN's TYLENOL, MOTRIN, ZYRTEC and BENADRYL being recalled....

you can go here to check the sections for each...click on the category you want...and read the lists....you will see LOT NUMBERS to the right of each list of each item recalled.

MED RECALL DETAILS

Dear Noah....state mandated tests.....and used book store shopping!

This week is state mandated testing.....for reading, math and science. You have reading and math done...Friday will be science. You feel you have done really well so far. Today on math it did not even take you 1 hour to answer all the questions. I think you came out in like 45 minutes or so...and there were like 46 questions. So you did pretty well I think.

The weather has been super nice. Monday after testing we went to Cracker Barrel to eat. You had breakfast and must have been super hungry as you had almost 2 pancakes, 1 bowl of cheerios and some of my chicken! You have been trying some new things recently....and have discovered you like them! SO slowly you are broadening what you can eat...or are at least more willing to give something new a try!

We have been super busy here. We are in the process now of probably buying the house we have been renting for the past 4 years. We have had an oven/fire and water heater leak and they have all been replaced now. We have had some new piping put in for the water heater. NOW your school computer is not working so they are sending out a new one and we will be returning this one. To say that things have been a little hectic around here is an understatement!

You are growing up. You have been so very helpful lately and I appreciate that. Today we stopped by the secondhand book store on our way home in town. You have been anxiously awaiting a trip back there...why? Because you love to go to the ROMANCE novel section and in private (meaning you want me OUT of that same room)...you like to pull the books out one by one off the shelf to see the covers! Yes...you are liking the women more and more all the time!

You are so funny...and have developed quite a sense of humor and are really understanding more and more innuendos all the time. I am looking forward to finishing this year out in school with you...and finishing organizing the house and having an even better year with you for school next year!

We have some exciting things planned this summer. We have been and will continue to be pretty busy!

I love you my little YOUNG man!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah...oven on fire and Easter approaching!

Well last Saturday morning we had a fire ...the oven caught on fire while I was trying to make you party mix before you woke up. You had specifically requested I make it before you got up so you could have some for breakfast. TO make a very long story short...the oven malfunctioned and caught fire....I had to actually call the fire department out to put the fire out...and carry the oven outside. Needless to say I got you outside right away...and your party mix was ruined. We are still waiting on our replacement oven...it is supposed to be delivered on Monday. I am so thankful the fire did not get any worse than just the oven and part of the wall behind the oven had a little smoke damage. Otherwise the smoke in the house was thick and smelled really bad..but it also did not leave any damage. We are very fortunate!

You had been working on your tooth that was stuck and jammed that the dentist wanted to do surgery on. You got it OUT the other night..you were so excited about it. I am so thankful! You were more excited to see the next morning what the tooth fairy left you...a Hot Wheels collectors book you had been wanting and a note! We are all happy about these teeth coming out..it will save you a lot trauma going under anesthetic and surgery in the hospital for 3 teeth...2 of which you have since removed on your own. You have always been this way....we just have to give you a little extra time and you end up doing things like this on your own.

Now you are excited about upcoming Easter and seeing your cousin Audrey again. We went to her house on Tuesday evening to follow her over to her school to listen to her play in a recorder concert she was in. I was impressed with how you are growing up and behaved so much better than you would have in the past. You can now sit pretty well for a good 1/2 hour to 1 hour. You did something similar in church on Christmas Eve.

Well..I have lots to do. Grandma C. is letting us borrow a toaster oven and electric skillet or we would not really be able to cook at all!

I LOVE YOU NOAH WESLEY!!!!!!!!!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

p.s...we have discovered you can give excellent POUNDING back massages with your clenched fists. Wow...your hands are just the right size and you can really lay into my back and shoulders. It feels so wonderful..haha

We hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Easter!

some happy thoughts today.......

Sunday I wanted to attend the viewing of my parents' neighbor who had passed away and I had known pretty much my entire life. While this was sad..it did bring me to spend the day with my sister, her daughter, and my mom and dad. It caused me to think back on a lot of old memories of days gone by with my family and all I was thankful for. It made me value time and being alive even more than I have been.

We had a very nice visit. Noah was with me. The weather ended up being much nicer than the forecast had predicted and we got invited to stay for a cookout for supper. We had so much fun....and a very nice visit. The kids and I did some sidewalk chalk......and just being together, remembering memories and creating new ones....besides the fabulous food we ate and the fun doing all the sidewalk chalk art....it all made me incredibly happy.

Noah has lost one of the 3 teeth he needs to...and is working on that one that is really stuck. It is about ready to come out which is great news so he can avoid surgery and being put under anesthetic and having a lot of things done to his mouth that would also be costly and probably not really necessary.

Noah is VERY excited because his cousin Audrey and his aunt Melissa are to come spend the day Sunday with us. Spring break is next week already...state testing is coming up in April...and it wont' be long and school will be out for summer again already! SO hard to believe how fast time is passing by.

We had some incredibly nice days for awhile..but the ice and snow came back last night...not too much but enough to cause the local schools to close. Today will be an easy day of school for us here at home.

I love you Noah! You make me very happy!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah........school on the go......

Yesterday since it was so nice outside and I got my work done on time for a change I decided to load us up in the car, drive to Union City, Indiana and park and work on schoolwork while we waited for trains to come through town. We had some time before your speech therapy appointment and I figured what a better way to sit and do school work, enjoy the outdoors and take you railfanning all at the same time. We got to see 2 trains in less than 30 minutes.....one was really short...the other really long.

Needless to say you were thrilled and of course you are ready to do it all again!

I love you....

Mommy
xoxox




SHORT TRAIN



The REALLY LONG ONE!

Movie clip of those train sets inside luggage....

Dear Noah.........fun at the train show and birthday party....

Sunday morning you and I got up at a decent time...had breakfast from McDonalds and then went to the model train show over at the fairgrounds. This is something we do every year though we missed last year. We had a great time this year and you were specifically looking for a specific train engine to buy and sure enough the last table of trains we looked at...had the train engine you wanted. AND a car to go with it. The man selling them marked them down for us...giving us BOTH for only 25.00. You were thrilled.






I am always on the lookout for something off the norm...unique....new. While there I came across a display of "N" scale train displays where a man from Englewood takes guitar cases and old luggage, guts them out and then puts very elaborate train displays INSIDE the cases! WOW...these were amazing and so unique. They take up a small space, are quick to set up and play with or look at, and are portable! AND use recycled items! I had a long talk with the elderly gentleman about that....and he got out a photo album showing me how he made these sets. A most amazing story. Here are some of his displays. The guitar case one was my favorite...having an old 50s style theme including Jukebox...and the restaurant inside featured dancers inside the restaurant that were actually moving around and dancing to the music. It was just amazing. I asked for his business card...asked if he made any of these for custom orders...but he prefers sticking to this for a hobby. GREAT new innovative idea however, and great money maker and someone doing this would be in business forever!












Here the man I spoke with (noted above) was the PRESIDENT of Dayton N Track, Don Kriegbaum and he has many things he is involved in....here is a link to one of his websites:

Dayton NTRACK

Then we went to pick up grandma C. to take her with us to your other grandma and grandpa's house for a double birthday party..one for your cousin Audrey and one for your aunt Becky. We had a great time there...a very nice visit. I made your aunt a unique gift this year. I had always wanted to make her an 'activity box" as when she was little and then got older she said one of her best gifts was always those activity boxes you would give to kids or rainy day boxes. I figured I could make a unique one for her...and finally decided to do it. I went to Webb's Antique Mall and found an old small overnight antique luggage box...and then decoupaged old photos of Becky and the family and special memories on the outside and inside of the case and then filled it with old kid toys, antiques, and some gifts for her today. I think she liked it...I had fun making it.


THINK this was a forced smile here.....haha








Audrey's Cake





Becky's cookie



Mom slaving away in the kitchen making spaghetti


The TWILIGHT theme for the party






One of the items inside Becky's luggage...this reminded me of the fish you win in those bags at the county fair.





I also made a very special Twilight Diary for Miss Audrey.....where I took a regular lock and key diary and altered it.....adding in pics from the movie Twilight to it..especially Edward Cullen as she loves him.....and I forgot to actually take pics of the actual results. It was pretty cool...nearly every page had photos glued into it...with room left for writing. I also added quotes, trinkets, keys, special items for different holidays and days...leaving room for her to add more. I had fun making it and think I have a couple of others who are interested in getting something similar.



I wish I had a picture of it...or a few...but I forgot to snap some of it for some weird reason. Maybe Audrey and her mom can snap a few. I do have one of her opening it and smiling so big. THAT was what I had hoped for. She loved it and then actually wrote in it before I left that day...locked it and HID it she said. I am happy.....that was the exact reaction I was hoping for.



Anyway....cake and ice cream were good. Becky had a big decorated chocolate chip cookie for her birthday instead of a cake. You just had 2 helpings of strawberry ice cream.

Then we stopped and visited with grandma C. for a bit before coming home. All in all we had a great day. The weather has been super nice too.....sunny and much warmer. We are all getting antsy for spring now.

Today I want to take a drive...it is too nice to stay inside....but you are talking with your dad and aunt Mary on the computer for a bit. SO we will have to go later or another day. I thought we could buzz over to Versailles, OH and catch some trains zipping through town!

I love you lots Noah!

Mommy
XOXOXOX