Mother's Day 2013

This was a weird one... Usually we get together with my family and make a day of it. This year however my parents were in Arizona for the funeral of my father's best friend. So it was a somber time and even though it was about moms I felt less than excited. My mother was sweet enough to think ahead and get my present ready before going out of town, bless her. I am officially up to my ears in Tardis stuff! Thank you Mom!! She amazing these past eight years especially, being Nana to the boys and my biggest support system in all that we have gone through. I loved her before but I know that I took her for granted most of my life and its from becoming a mother myself that I have truly seen how much I admire her and how she is always there for her children and grandchildren whenever we need her (sometimes I have to tell her to take time for herself, it's okay!!) I love you mom...

Basically it was me and the boys hanging around my parent's house (house sitting while they are away) though we made a to-go run at Cafe' Brazil to break up the day. The night before my bestie came over and we made her own Gram Olive's Banana Bread, and I pretty much lived off of it til it was gone (yep, its gone!). Cyrus helped us make it for a few minutes, then he spent the rest of the time playing in the flour over the sink "practicing" measuring it. I should have taken a picture of that, it was so cute and he loved making a colossal mess in the sink. Lol I will have to take a picture of them soon to post to make up for my lacking in Mother's Day photos. :) 

I am so very lucky to be the mother of my two little rascals, and having them in my life has been the best thing that ever happened to me. A couple of miracles these boys, who have turned out to be such characters who make me laugh, cry, scream and shout, and fill my heart in a way that I didn't know existed. It is because of them that I am able to celebrate this day. Thank you boys, I love you both with all my heart... 

Love and Logic Take Me Away...

I don't know how many people know about Love and Logic, but it changed my life so much so that a couple of years ago I got a tattoo about it. The hard part is keeping up with the philosophy... Allowing the boys to choose their consequences rather than picking the one I want them to have, being consistent (SO hard!), and using as few words as possible so the lesson isn't lost in the lecture.
Today in particular I am having a hard time with the L&L style and am really trying not to revert back to the yelling and screaming because even though they are successful in the short run, in the long run however it is quite counterproductive. Sometimes I need a refresher course, especially after they have spent the weekend away. And today is one of those days...

My Love & Logic tattoo, see two "Ls" in the heart?

Sad Baseball Perspective

So yesterday Mother Nature decided that Texas was not yet ready for its normal hot and icky May days, and brought in record lows to keep us all on our toes. As a result, Cyrus' baseball game was cancelled due to... extreme cold? I can hear all the out of state people laughing over this... yeah I kinda did too, but I wasn't interested in coaching in the cold windy weather so... The part that saddens me is how excited Cyrus was that baseball was cancelled. :( He has had a hard time enjoying baseball due to his ADHD. He gets frustrated after about 30 minutes of practice and asks to go home repeatedly during the games, throws tantrums in the dugout and sometimes on the field. We even got a special prescription of his meds to help him during practices and games (which regularly cut into our strict dinner and bedtime routine). So its likely that he wont be playing next season, but this has gone over so much  more than the karate classes we tried last year. The season ends in a month so we will stick it out and then I will talk to him about what he wants to do about next season. On a side note, I have LOVED being one of the coaches on the team, and I will be sad when/if that ends.

Look What I found...

• It's my old blog from forever ago!! Its been literally years since I posted last, and things are very different these days, but I am happy to say things have never been better! We are all happy and doing well. The boys and I live a mile down the road from where I grew up near Dallas and so we get to spend time with Nana and Grandpa often. Their dad lives about 20 min away and sees them every other weekend and attends their school events and such. It was a hard road those first years following the divorce but like I said, things have never been better. :) So I thought I would start my blogging up again and since this old thing is still here, might as well use it! Collin and Cyrus are doing great! They are 8 years old (wow!), in the 2nd grade and just have the most amazing personalities. They are so different! They even attend different schools to accommodate for each of their needs (many cheers for the buses that pick them up and bring them home).
  

  

  At Cyrus' baseball team pictures while Collin is dressed up in his Doctor Who suit.

  
  

  
  

  Collin

  
  

  

  The Doctor is showing off his Sonic Screwdriver.

  
  

  

  Two Silver Medals in The Special Olympics for the 50 Meter Dash and
    The Standing Long Jump.

  Collin is doing really well with his CP; his most difficult task involves speech, but he is averaging 3 word sentences these days and even got discharged from PT last summer!! He still gets OT after school and vision services during school, but otherwise is a typical little geeky boy. He loves to play dress up- popular costumes include Police Officer, Grandpa, Hunter and lately his character is The Doctor from Doctor Who (I am completely to blame for this, as my love for the show borders on obsession). He is very clever and has a great sense of humor. :) This past month he participated in the Special Olympics (see pic above) and won two Silver Medals for the 50 meter dash and the standing long jump!! Who would have thought that this little boy would be walking much less running, but let me tell you he earned that silver against four other boys who were much bigger than him. Right now he wants to learn how to play golf.
  
  Cyrus
  
  
  

  

  There's that charming smile...

  

  Practicing his moves for baseball.

  
  
  Cyrus is just a big bundle of energy and emotion.  He loves the ladies, and has a crush on Miley Cyrus right now (upon hearing of her break up with a boyfriend over the radio recently, he screamed from the back seat "Now's my chance!!"). He is in a special program for children with behavioral and sensory issues, which he has been excelling in this year. Its a small class of about eight students with three teachers, and over the course of his elementary school "career" he will slowly start to integrated back into the regular classroom. He has serious ADHD,  Sensory Integration Disorder, and is blind in his left eye but it hasn't slowed him down one bit! :) His VP shunt has been doing great *knock on wood* and he wears a helmet at all times when playing baseball. He loves creating things with legos and hunts down aliens and mine craft creatures called Creepers and Endermen. 
  
  
  

  

  Happy St. Patrick's Day 2013

  
  As far as myself, well, I went back to school at Toni & Guy Academy and got my cosmetology license. I am now self employed doing hair. :) It allows me the freedom to be home with my boys and I love it! I am very happy with how my career is going and my schedule with my family. So there is my little catch up spiel. LOL I have high hopes for 2013...

School Pics- 5 Years Old

Collin; they have to work to keep his super thick glasses
from reflecting. He has gotten thicker ones
since this photo was taken too.
-10.5 and -15 for those who are prescription savvy.

Cyrus, who has officially discovered his "picture smile" :P
Oh he is a charmer too; lady killer at 5,
what are we in for later?

Returning to the Blog

Wow, over a year. It has been too long since I was blogging, and now that the boys and I are moving to Denver, its time to start up again. Things are a changin' here and I am going to need to start updating all my family and friends with the goings-ons of Collin and Cyrus.

We are moving January 1st, and the clock is ticking! So much to do, but at least the important stuff is almost completed. Only one doctor left to set up an appointment with and set up evals with the home health therapists. We have been very blessed with our doctors and therapists here in Dallas/Ft Worth, and I will always praise Cook Children's Hospital for the amazing job they did for my boys (I am particularly sad to be leaving Collin's speech therapist, she has been superb!).

And for the future, I am excited about our new home away from home, The Children's Hospital of Denver, which, like Cooks, is also one of the best in the nation. Last year I visited the hospital when I was visiting my friend (and soon to be roommate) and it is an awesome campus.

It is going to be a difficult transition as the boys have lived over half of their lives now in Nana & Grandpa's house, so I am mentally preparing for that first month to be rough (as are the other people that we will be living with). Luckily my cousin and her five year old son live about ten minutes away and I am so jazzed about hanging out with her and seeing all the boys together. Getting them set up with things to do and people to hang around with is going to be very important in how quickly they adjust.

Tonight Nana & Grandpa had some quality time with the boys out looking at Christmas lights. They had a blast and will probably be doing that a few more times before the holidays are over. It has been stressful on everyone, this sudden move immediately after the holidays, and this new year is going to be unlike any other. So hold on to your hats people, off we go!

They grow up so fast

I just had to share these... The boys are in a public school preschol program for children with disabilites, and one of the perks is that we get school pictures taken. :) How can you not love these faces?

Cyrus is probably saying "Cheese!" :) Adorable!

Its just the best picture of Collin I could have hoped for!