Mack, Mommy, Coffee and Cookies

Grace gets a lot of my attention...it's a given. We spend a lot of time on the road to therapies as well as working together on things at home. Some things and people get neglected. Mack is one of them. Yesterday, I droped the girls off at the house to spend a few minutes with my sister-in-law while Mack and I went to Starbucks. He was a little unsure about the situation but settled right in with his huge cookie and chocolate milk. We talked about school and acted silly. It was so nice and we'll have to do it more often.

These photos were taken with my camera phone and are a bit blurry but I think his smile says it all.

Miss Iowa is Coming!!

I'm so excited!! Abbey Curran, Miss Iowa, is coming to ACCDAT's (Conductive Education of Dallas) spring luncheon fundraiser in February! She has cerebral palsy and is the perfect speaker to have for the theme of the lunch..."A Hope for A Brighter Tomorrow". Let me know if you want tickets.

Watch her on the Ellen show.

Playing Beauty Shop

Sophie insisted on fixing Grace's hair today. There was a lot of brushing and teasing of the hair and Grace just keep saying "I'm helping Sohie". She was so sweet and patient.  It didn't turn out half bad.

I'm So Not Ready For This!

I need to what?  I need to be preparing my children for "that talk"! Really?!  My children are 3!!

Last week at bible study (Bad Girls of the Bible...very cool study), someone mentioned how we are living in a sex saturated society and that we, as mothers, need to begin teaching our children at an early age about sex.  The point was...our children will start learning about it from others at a very early age and we should be the one to talk with our children...we should be their loving authority on the issue.  I totally agree but I had no idea that kindergartners could be talking about this stuff.  One mother even mentioned that her five year old came home saying that a 5 year old friend watches her 16 year old brother have sex.  What!!!!!  That scares the crap out of me!!!

Well, all righty then.  In true Type A form (yes, I used to be really Type A...I've mellowed a lot) I started seeking assistance in this area.  Yes, I had been discussing body parts with my kids, using the medical terms, but I did not think I would need to consider anything further than that for, let's say....10 more years!!!  It is so upsetting to me and angers me that we have to take the innocence of our children away so early in order to help preserve their virtues...in order to lay a foundation before their friend Sally Jo tells them about sex in the first grade.  Oh yes, it happens!!!   

This morning I attended a lecture conducted by Mary Flo Ridley

entitled "Shaping Your Child's Sexual Character". It was really help and I highly recommend that you see her speak or order her DVDs if you can.  She had some great advice on how to begin structuring a foundation with your children on the subject which will enable you to have those talks when you need to.  Okay NiNi, please don't be freaking out...I am not about to have the "sex talk"  with my three years olds but Abe and I are definitely forming a plan to get to that point some day.  Oh dear Lord...help us!!

Riding in Circles

Mack and Sophie are extremely active and are many times running circles around the house.  Grace will say "I want to run" or "I want to chase Mack" and I try to accommodate her the best I can.  She wants to mix it up with her brother and sister so badly.  Last week while waiting for daddy to come home so we could go to Neighborhood Night Out, I put Grace in her tricycle and pushed her behind Mack and Sophie.  Sophie insisted on pushing...here are few photos.   The first picture is Sophie in the fire truck at Neighborhood Night Out.

Sorry there has been no blogging of substance for me for awhile...I'm exhausted.

Pumpkins

I love Autumn!  It's my favorite time of year.  Here are some photos from a pumpkin patch with our friend Sydney. 

Mommy's Books

Sophie insists on reading "Mommy's books".  This is what I found her reading last night.  Hmmm, wonder what she thinks.  I prefer the Great Gatsby myself.

Here Is the Link to Watch ACCDAT on the News

Click here to watch the story about A Child Can Do All Things (Conductive Education of Dallas) on the news.  Grace is in pink with white bow...look quick :)  Great story!

Let Me Read You A Story

Grace's First Day At Mainstream Preschool

Yesterday was Grace's first day at Northway Christian Day School with Mack and Sophia.  She was going to start on Wednesday but was a little under the weather that day so yesterday was the big day.  The conductor from ACCDAT was meeting us there at 9:30 to show the teacher things about proper seating, walking and such. I was pretty excited about the day and had everything I thought we would need...walker, stool, stroller, suction hand grip for the table, lunches etc.

We got there a little early so that Grace could walk into her classroom and get situated before all the other kids arrived. As soon as got everyone out of the van and ready to walk to the building, I got very sick to my stomach. How was this going to go? Was this going to work? Grace is the only child with a disability at the school...could they handle it? Would it be too much of a disruption for the other children? I kind of started panicking a bit. It was taking us a little longer than I had hoped to get to the building...Sophie was tripping off the backpacks (she must carry everyone's), Grace had her walker and Mack kept trying to help her with the walker. It was a bit crazy and other parents and children started arriving. They would all pass us with a "good morning" and a smile as we struggled to make it to the door. I felt like we really stuck out. I finally pick Grace up and went it. I let her walk down the hall to her class. It seemed as if everyone in the school was expecting her and all the teachers and aides greeted her.

The morning went okay. Grace cried a bit and we worked with Timi (the conductor at ACCDAT and Ms Scott making sure we had everything she would need. I love her teacher and I can tell she wants to do what is best for Grace. In fact, she called me today wanting to see how I felt everything went. I told her it was going to be an adjustment for everyone involved but I thought it was going to be great. We'll see how next week goes.

Finally...ACCDAT on TV

I just received the word that the clip about A Child Can Do All Things (Conductive Education of Dallas) will air on NBC Channel 5 news this evening, Friday Oct. 3 at 5:00.

NBC will also put the clip on their website www.nbc5i.com.

Playground Blues

There is nothing like a trip to the park to make me feel isolated...alone...different.

There is a nice little park with a great toddler playground near our house. We go there often. I like going early in the morning, right after breakfast, because there are not many other people there...we are many times by ourselves when we first get there. This morning we had the place to ourselves for a little while and then another mother with a typically developing child arrived. We chat...about kids, about UT (her dog's name is Major, my son's name is Mack...Major Applewhite, Mack Brown, etc). Grace is in the swing, Mack and Sophie are on the slide. Everything seems normal, until Grace wants out of the swing and wants to walk the stairs. I like it when she wants to walk the stairs...it's a great exercise for her. I have to hold her. We walk up and down the stairs many times. The conversation wanes. Another mom and "normal" child arrive. We all chat. Then Grace wants her walker. (Yes, I can get the triple stroller, the walker and my coffee to the park all by myself...I'm good :) The moms with the normal kids talk amongst themselves. As Grace and I pass by with the walker I hear..."There is this girl at Kindermusik who is 14 months and can't walk yet..." I begin to hate them. I want to be normal. I want to be talking with other moms while my kids are running around. I don't want them to avoid watching Grace. I want them to ask about her. I want to be included.

I started thinking about the times Graces is in CE. We go everyday during camp times. I am around people like us. I seem to be able to avoid depression. I'm not alone.

I hate the park sometimes.

Just Do It

I am often asked "How do you do it with triplets?"  I'm not always sure what exactly the questioner is wanting to know...what exactly is IT?  Anyway, I usually say something like "Oh, we just do it.  It can be hard but it's a lot of fun."...and I leave it at that.

All I know is just that...we just do it.  And I don't often do it well.  Like the other day...It's mid afternoon and I walk into the kitchen.  I notice "End" is flashing on the microwave.  Hmmm, I think...haven't cooked anything recently?  I open the door and there sits my coffee that I picked up from Starbucks at 7:00 THAT MORNING!!!  My days are often like that.  I feel like "End" is flashing in my brain...just get through the day.  Don't get me wrong...we do have a lot of fun but some days we are feeling the Terrible Threes times 3.

ps...do you know how many pics I had to take of the microwave before I got one with the "End" showing...remember it's flashing.  And why was I doing this...I LOSING MY MIND...that's why.  

Coloring and Ice Cream

Grace and Sophie are sick today and have stayed home from school.  I really think it's primarily allergies but we're just playing it safe.  I love watching the girls play together.  The dynamic is so different when you throw Mack in the mix.  The actually play without tackling and don't have to run in circles all day.  We are having a relaxing morning....just the 3 of us.  My kids recently acquired their cousins' kitchen and they love it.  This morning Sophie had to cook some ice cream so they could eat it while they color.  She handed some to Grace and received a very polite "thank you Sophia" (yes, she is the only one that calls her Sophia) and they both sat down to color.  Grace is drawing spiders and Sophie is drawing birds.  My brilliant little girls :)

ps...Shelly, I'm so so sorry about the picnic table.  I promise I'll replace it.