Dear Noah...

MOM here.....TODAY is YOUR birthday party...nothing special really.....just having relatives over for cake and ice cream....but you are very excited and I just want to say I love you and am very proud of you and all your amazing progress!

and for all out there in blog land........Noah, Opie and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY NOAH!!!!!!!! (more later)

Dear Noah......you are so flexible!

When I walk past your room every day I can pretty much be sure I will see you sitting like this with one foot under your chin/cheek supporting it like a hand would. In fact when I first started noticing this I did not think it was your foot but DID think it was your hand. You are super flexible and will remain so your entire life.

I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Noah and cousin Audrey dancing to Snow Miser song...

Christmas Day and after 2007

Noah woke up super early.....checking around to see what Santa brought him. He got what was on his list.....and he was very happy. He ended up with his new camera.......and a football......and the memory card to go along with his new camera. I got him some books about toilets which he was ecstatic about......and even a little miniature bathroom play set....he LOVES that. He got even more at his grandma and grandpa's house from everyone there and his aunties...too many photos to post but I will tomorrow...because Blogger is not wanting to upload them now and I need to get to bed.

I also have some cute clips if Noah and his cousin Audrey dancing around.....so adorable. AND some photographs of them.....I will post later. I am tired and it is way past my bedtime! Hope your holiday was a happy, safe one!

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY, JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!

a little something from me and Noah to you and yours:

Dear Noah....."school's out for winter and you have a fever"

I wonder what you think about...



We went to see Grandma C. last night and were surprised to also see Grandma L. there visiting. So we had a very nice visit and stayed for supper.

You had a great last day of school for the year and the Christmas party was a success. You were so excited about the fact that you got to eat 2 fruit roll ups. You gave your parapro a photo-card with your school picture in it and when I asked you what you wanted to write inside it you said "I love you very much?" asking me if that was okay. I told you I thought that would be very sweet to write in the card so you did. Of course she also adores you and was totally thrilled with the card and present you picked out for her.

Life is so very sweet and I am so grateful for so much. Today you have a fever of around 102 degrees though it might be a little higher as you cannot really hold a thermometer in your mouth very well yet. The fact that you have a fever is ironically timed with an article I read this morning where these doctors have been given GRANT money to do research on autistic children's behavior "changing" when they have a fever. Well duh......I think everyone's behavior changes during a time of fever. However, without being able to offer up SPECIFICS they tried to say that the behaviors changed more than just what would normally change with children having a fever. Whatever that means. I do know when you have a fever you are very subdued and quiet and do not usually display any of your normal quirky tendencies. However, I think that applies to us all. No real big news there as far a I am concerned.

So today you have a fever which did not surprise me as I know you have had sinus issues again. You also said your throat was a little sore which I am sure is from postnasal drip. So it will likely be a PJ Day for you today with lots of symptomatic care and treatments from mommy dearest. I promise to try to NOT nag you! haha

I also read another horrific story about some autistic teens living in a group home who received 77 and 20+ skin shock treatments from the staff there because someone called in ordering it via the phone and the idiots working there provided the treatments without verifying jack shit about the caller apparently because the call ended up being a prank. DO NOT EVEN GET me started on what I think about that fiasco. I am happy to hear 7 employees from that facility were apparently fired. Has anyone seen what shock therapy does to anyone over a period of time? This is not the shock therapy that you are probably thinking of. It is "skin" shock therapy but still. They say the shocks feel like bee stings.

SO okay.....imagine getting stung by a bee 77 times in a row.....one right after the other. HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOU FEEL AND REACT? It amazes me anyone with half a brain would think that would actually CALM ANYONE down and not make them end up having bad behavior long-term. It is very much like poking at an animal in a cage....over time the animal becomes very mean.....mainly due to its own defense mechanisms kicking in. They learn to not trust ANYONE around them. They live with huge levels of anxiety because they never know what is coming up next or when. Apparently these kids were awakened from SLEEP in the middle of the night to get their "treatments" and I use that word LIGHTLY. AND they said they were using it as PUNISHMENT for the teens not doing something correctly earlier that day or the day prior. Holy shit.....you have to correct children immediately when they do something wrong especially with autistic kids....NOT hours or days later! You have to replace the negative behavior with POSITIVE behavior. I do not see ANYTHING positive in this mode of therapy.

I am so thankful Noah you are not in any group home and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to leave their child in a home like that although apparently some say it has helped their children be able to "get by" in our world.

Of course we all hear horrific stories about nursing homes too and children being abused in foster care, etc. I really want to focus on the positives but sometimes it can be very difficult to do so.

During this time of year when we all start to reflect on days gone by and times ahead, I really am so grateful for so very much. I am so thankful Noah we finally found a school and staff who are really working well with you to make your school experience a success. They do not give up on you and I am thrilled with that. Your parapro loves you and cares for you like I would and I cannot ever say enough about that....ALL answers to my prayers and expressed concerns I had before you started school. Our GOD is powerful and great. Our universe has abundant resources to give if we only ask and believe it and imagine it as already real. AND then most of all be "grateful."

I love you Noah.....and I am very thankful you are my little boy.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah.....your last day of school for this year ...

is today! You are very excited because you will have a Christmas party today and one of the snacks will be fruit roll ups and you cannot wait to eat one. I guess eating something at school during regular class time makes it a lot more special? haha

Anyway.....when I picked you up yesterday after a tremendously good day for you at school, I took you to Kentucky Fried Chicken to eat INSIDE the restaurant and you were thrilled.

While "visiting" across from you eating (as I did not get anything).....we talked and talked. You told me that your male teacher asked you what you wanted for Christmas...and I guess you mentioned your list. I guess somewhere along the way you must have mentioned you might be concerned you had not been "good enough" to earn those presents from Santa. SO what did the male teacher do? He whipped out his cell phone and across the table from you CALLED SANTA! haha He apparently proceeded to tell Santa how GOOD you have been and how well you have done this year so far. You were ecstatic about the fact that this would greatly increase your odds at receiving those presents!

You are such a sweetie....and so deliciously innocent. Making memories to treasure forever.

Which reminds me of a flip side to all this goodness. At Kroger's the other night at the check out line you got your fingers squished in the shopping cart.....and I was asking you if you were alright and what do you say back to me? "QUIT NAGGING!" "Nagging?", I asked. "NAGGING!?", I implored. I explained how I was trying to be NICE and CONCERNED about your possible injuries to your fingers.....and that was most certainly NOT nagging.

So Noah....this is your mother.....nagging you about loving you.....

I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you so very much Noah.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah...."we have had incredible snow"...

Sorry for our absence the last few days. Been busy with school and working full time now and getting ready for Christmas and...and....and.....

It started snowing Saturday and continued through Sunday.....we have at least 12 inches out there. Here are a couple of pics....











I will post a movie clip later......

BUT.....Noah watches a lot of videos on You Tube and there was one of a tornado in Miami back in 1997 and they used the song The Tide Is High by Blondie as the background music.....well.....Noah has been going around singing that a lot lately...so I told him they probably had it on SingSnap and he could use my account and record it and we could post it which he did. He is a doll......he sang a few others after this one.....but....he loves this song and I think he did pretty well. Here it is:

Dear Noah.....indoor recess....

I found out yesterday when the weather is bad and all the kids have to stay inside due to the bad weather...they have them stay in their respective classrooms. Okay..I thought that sounded okay...but I also thought the teacher or a teacher was present monitoring the kids.

NO. Apparently NOT. During recess INDOORS there are NO teachers within each individual classroom monitoring anything. There are TWO patrolling monitors who are responsible for checking on all the kids in the entire school. We are talking a few hundred. MANY classrooms. ALL 3rd and 4th graders. SOME special needs children too.

I could not believe there were no teachers within the classrooms during this period of time. We have already determined you are lacking in the social skills area and need work in that area. This means someone needs to be present at all times with you during social activities such as RECESS to make sure you do the right thing.....if not they can redirect you.....because in order for you to learn appropriate behavior.....it is repetition of the appropriate behaviors.....being drilled into your mind to call upon later and into your routines. I cannot believe the school thinks ANY 3rd graders and 4th graders are okay on their own during this entire time and could settle any issues that might come up.

I personally think this is a time bomb waiting to explode. I voiced my concerns to the principal today via email. I have not yet heard back from her. I imagine they are understaffed or something but crap. We drop our children off to school with the understanding that they will be watching them and monitoring them and keeping them safe during that time. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE when the adults are not even present during indoor recess?

YOU Noah are supposed to be getting social skills training and they could take advantage of these opportunities to work on this during recess.....but are they? Apparently not. It is not possible if a teacher or aide or instructor is not present.

Noah, you can wander off. How do they know you will not do that when an adult is not present? Your parapro is apparently one of the patrolling monitors whose responsibility it is to monitor all the classrooms and children within the entire school.

It takes seconds for a situation to turn into a major meltdown or problem for you sometimes if the right circumstances develop. WHAT will happen with no adult supervision present?

I can understand strengthening the children's independence and responsibility and trust but this is insane.

I am anxious to see how we can all fix this as I think this is a HUGE problem. I doubt many if any other parent is aware that their child is also not being monitored in their classrooms during indoor recess.

Where the crap are the teachers? When I was in school we were NEVER left for an entire indoor recess alone. Our teachers spent that time in the classroom with us.

I hope and pray someone changes some things and BIG TIME. This is NOT acceptable to me.

Today Noah you got out 1 hour early from school so we went to the library and the park. Then back home. You had a great day. Everyone loved your new hair cut.

AND I love you too.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah........your third and very SHORT hair cut....

We stopped by to get your hair cut today after school. We decided to go a little shorter this time around....just to see what you looked like and how you would like it. As fast as your hair grows we can try many different cuts to see what you like best. You are cute no matter the cut I think......but maybe we will leave a little more on your head next time round. I am not sure.

Here is what you looked like before:




and NOW:




yes.....it is very very short.......




but you are still so cute and adorable.....and your eyes and eyelashes are even more noticeable now than they already were before! AND you and I both love to sit around and feel your head.......yes.....I love to rub really short hair....

I love you Noah!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....a surprise visit from your daddy...

Your daddy decided to fly in for the weekend and surprise you. He arrived late Saturday night/early Sunday morning so he could be here when you woke up Sunday. You were very surprised when you walked out into the living room and saw him on the couch. You had a very nice visit, going out to eat at restaurants (one of your all-time favorite past-times) and playing on your computer as well as shopping and playing with the cat. You also went ahead and had your Christmas with him since he will be out of the country over the holidays. You were so excited to find out he got you several of the old atlases you had asked for.

You told me the next day "Mommy, when I open my eyes after my surgery in June I want daddy to be there to hand me the 1990, 1980, 1976 and 1970 atlases." I told you to write all this down which you apparently did and then you also apparently already gave this list to your father.

The visit was short and when it came time to leave you became a bit sad.....but recovered quickly when I tried to redirect your focus onto more positive things.

I love you Noah. I will do my best to fill up your life with lots of love and positive people and experiences so you won't have time to feel sad very often if ever.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Noah and "yellow snow"

Dear Noah...Yellow Snow....

You had another SNOW DAY AND DAY OFF FROM school as they closed Friday due to another snowstorm that passed through our county. Yesterday you spent time outside playing in the snow making snow angels and other things. We even sculpted snow onto the side of brick walls outside the house.

You also lost another tooth yesterday and you did it all by yourself! You even said you were very proud of yourself for that!

CLIPS will be coming soon.......

SNOW DAY- December 5, 2007....first day school closed due to the snow!

Noah was still not feeling well and running a fever so I was thankful they closed the school. They started out on a 2-hour delay but then ended up closing the school. Today Noah is a bit better....no fever....but the school is already on a 2-hour delay and it is like F-R-I-G-I-D at 7 degrees with an expected HIGH of 28 degrees. ..so I will probably keep him home one more day and send him tomorrow. He is happy about that because he can play on his computer he said. In a way I hope they close the schools today due to the extreme temps.

Anyway....it was beautiful snowing yesterday......here is another clip for those who long for snow but are not getting any filmed from my bathroom window! We ended up getting about 6-8 inches of snow when it was all over and done with. This clip reminds me of a snowglobe!

Dear Noah........you don't feel well....

Last night you suddenly complained about your right ear hurting...so much so that you cried and put on your jammies and decided on your own at 8:00 p.m. you were ready for bed. I put drops in your ears and gave you some nasal decongestant. You woke up numerous times throughout the night to go to the restroom....and I figured this morning you would be tired. You said not too bad and you acted okay.....saying your ear felt better and did not hurt and it was slowly opening up more. To me you felt like you had no fever. I was going to keep you home but you decided you wanted to go. You did all your homework this morning you did not do last evening. Then off you went.

About an hour later the school called.....saying they found you asleep in class. At the nurse's office you kept saying you were tired but your ear was okay today. They checked your ear and it was red and had some fluid behind the right tympanic membrane. You also had a mild fever. SO back home you came.

I still have to get my work done but will. Not much more to do really. AND then we will have to take you to the After Hours Urgent Care Clinic here in town later to get you some medicine. I could not get you in to see your doctor and that is too far away anyway. I really need to find us doctors right here in town.

I love you.....hope you feel better real soon!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....

nothing new to report. You have been busy ALL day filming movies with your trains. You never even got out of your pajamas.

It has been sleeting off and on.....and very cold. Only around 20 with wind chill of about 10.

SNUGGLE UP TIGHT my little man....I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXOX