A Public Service Announcement from Sarah

As most of you know, we had quite a scare with Zachary this week. He decided to eat some poisonous beans off of a vine/bush in our backyard. These beans are called Rosary Peas (also known as: crab's eye, and jequerity beans.) they are highly toxic and are mostly found in subtropical states. If chewed, just one can cause death in an adult. There is no known antidote to the poison they release if chewed or cracked open. They grow on a vine that attaches itself to other bushes and plants.

This is what the actual Pea/bean looks like;

Argh!

I think I'm going fully insane this week. The boys have been off school for spring break and, considering it's Friday, I think we're all going a little stir crazy and are getting on each others nerves. Zach is being super clingy today, he keeps getting behind me on the couch so I'll lean back against him and squish him (he loves the pressure I think.). In the process of sitting back there, he's scratching and pulling hair and being generally forcefull.

Nate is being Mr. Question. It's "Mom, can I play on the computer", " no Nate you cant right now" then five minutes later (if that) it's the same question again.

Jon is being relatively good, just a few minor incedences with him. Mainly about not listening or not paying attention, which is the usual for him.

Nate and Jon did get a little treat yesterday though, my Mother in law took them to see the movie Nim's Island, and then to McDonalds for a late lunch. I know they really enjoyed it. Zach napped most of the time they were gone, so I enjoyed it a bit too.

I need to find something for Jonathan to do all summer. I'm not too keen about him staying home and just playing outside all day for a few months. I think I'll call the Y and see what summer program they have.

Update on Zachary

Seeing as his birthday is coming up next month, we had to update his IFSP (individual family support plan). It was over a year since his last update, and they basically just updated it to ensure he will get continued speech therapy and will get an Occupational therapy evaluation before he goes into the school system program.

The plan goes like this, he will continue getting his speech at his school until his birthday, the same place that he's getting his speech therapy from will evaluate him for occupational therapy. Once his 3rd birthday passes, hopefully the OT evaluation will be done, and we will start "in house/office" visits.

I also had the chance to visit the classroom they are recommending for him for next year. It's an ASD classroom with less than 10 kids in it, they are all about integrating what therapists are working on with them into the childrens daily curriculum. They're also very into self sufficiency wich is nice too. I was able to chat with the teacher a bit, and she seems so wonderful, there's also a paraprofessional in the classroom too so the child teacher ratio is very small in that classroom. I think one of the reasons I was so enamored with the teacher is that she herself has a child with ASD, and seems very knowledgeable as to parenting challenges, etc.

I'm still waiting on a call from the school system program regarding when our meeting will be to determine placement for sure (we're almost 100% sure it will be the classroom I visited) and determine the services he will get in school as well as setting up is first IEP.

He asked a question!!

Something cool that Zach did this evening. He was pointing to my ears and saying ears (we're working with him on learning the parts of the face, he has mouth and nose down, but usually calls our eyes "ears".) which was good in itself, then he asked something that sounded like a question. He was messing with my earrings and kept saying "wacolisach?" Scott looked at me with a shocked look on his face and said " I think he's asking what color your earrings are!" So I look at Zach in the face and ask him "what color are my earrings?" He looks really happy, and I tell him they are pink and blue, and he repeated what I said. It was so cool to hear him ask a question, even cooler that it was Scott who figured it out and not me.

The big 3-0!

Whelp, I turn 30 tommorow. Not phased by it at all, odd as that is. I figure I have bigger things to worry about than my age, that and it's merely a number. Don't have any plans other than having cake and ice cream with the boys and Scott tomorrow evening, I know that will be the highlight of my day too. I know how those boys like the sweet treats.

The three things I'm most proud of doing in my 30 years are my boys. I love them with all my heart and soul and would be lost without them. I have been truly blessed to have a wonderful husband too, I should add.