Naomi will be 3 in two weeks!
This also means that she's been having daily seizures for over half her life now.
She started having seizures at 17 months, if you'd have told me then she'd still be seizing daily I'd have wondered how we were gonna make it. But we have made it. One day at a time. The days just roll on.
Developmentally her speech is pretty much still where it was back them. Her large motor skills have improved. Her fine motor skills aren't used as much. She doesn't use crayons much because of her constant mouthing of items.
It would be nice to take back the time we lost to Depakote and Topamax. Both caused some cognitive delays, some of which she's coming out of slowly.
She is sick AGAIN. The bonus is she sleeps better when she is sick! She slept from 8 -6 am this morning! YIPEEEE! Of course she did roll out of the bed at midnight and cry for a tiny amount of time. But fell back to sleep totally unscathed. She didn't have one mark on her from falling and she fell between the bed and the wall. There must have been just enough room for her! She was wrapped up in a plush blanket and it must have padded the fall also.
Waiting on another snow to pass by! We had grass for a while but it snowed again on Thursday and covered everything back up.
I AM SO SICK OF WINTER!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Still Thinking
I'm still thinking about Freedom Writers. I had some time to think, Naomi slept until 4 and of course I woke up much earlier waiting for her to wake up!
When I watched this movie, about kids in gangs in Long Beach CA, I thought it had no relevance to my safely lived life. It also made me think though that it is kind of like Bill's childhood. Groups of kids hanging out on street corners. Listening to his mom get beat up, hiding under his bed hoping he's not next. Worrying she won't be alive when he had to leave his room in the morning. Going to bed hungry every night and not having a full belly until he visited his Grandparents.
He picked up work as a child, he said he worked from at least age 9, walking all over town, dragging his lawn mower, mowing grass for anyone. For all his work he'd hand over his money and his mom would buy him a soda and a candy bar. He had all the chores at home. He was the oldest boy of 7 kids. He'd help anyone do anything just trying to learn a new skill. He laid cinder blocks under trailers, worked in a coal mine, like a crawl on your belly or scrape your back mine. He still has a scar from where a roof bolt hit his shoulder. For some reason after him they decided they'd been too hard on him and took it easy on the next 4 kids. Which just made his load heavier. Instead of chores being shared by 4 boys it was only him. I think his mom was probably overwhelmed with 7 kids and didn't know any better, truly. His step dad was about 19 when he inherited 4 step kids and then had 3 of his own and he had a bad temper and drank too much.
There was a show on ABC the other night called Children of the Mountains. Bill said he didn't have to watch it he lived it. But I am curious about the show. Bill and my Dad are both from West Virginia, different counties though. Both have some terrible childhood stories.
Bill was raised not far from the Eastern Kentucky counties in this show. I see on the website lots of people are sending in money for funds for these kids. All I've go to say, without watching the individual families is this. These are people who generally have never had any money to manage. If they're given say $10,000 that's going to seem like enough to last a lifetime. They'll probably spend it in no time too. The kids do deserve a hand out of their situation. But do they want to leave? Even Bill used to go home every weekend for years after he left. There's some kind of draw back to the mountains. My Dad too! My Dad was in Vietnam for 2 tours of duty. He said before he left other Marines warned him of the living conditions over there. He got there and thought "this isn't so bad" it was actually better than what he had at home! (SIDE NOTE: My grandparents had an outhouse built over a stream. 14 kids used that. I pity who ever lived down stream! YUK!)
To really help these kids the change needs to start from the inside. They need to be taken out of their situations and shown there is a better way. Just like in Freedom Writers. If you think kids are hungry and poor everywhere, living the same as you, how would you even know to want different. If you come from a community as tiny as that how are they going to adapt to college campus life?
My Dad's family settled in Fayette County WV (Virginia then) prior to 1850. They used to be a self supporting people. Farmed, kept a garden, sold their goods, canned and put up food. Really had a hard life. But they worked were proud and took care of their own. Some where along the line there was a big change. Too many people still live out in the mountains where there aren't many jobs. No real way to support a family. Instead of driving to work they simply file for welfare. This is a bit of a generalization. I do have cousins that drive an hour or more for work and also some who've gone to college to get an education so they can earn a living in the area they are living. But I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say they're the minority.
These poor children of the mountains are poor. They don't have enough food. They've probably never seen a dentist, rarely see a doctor. But there is a mind set their parents have. They don't even KNOW to want for more. Not that they have to wish for riches. But to have the basics! To ensure your child has a better chance than you did. To go out and do for themselves and not just wait until someone gives them something. The really poor do get food stamps so why are the kids so hungry. When I hear them complain about their kids being hungry while a cigarette hangs out of their mouth that really drives me bonkers! I've seen too many of these families come home from the grocery with too little milk and too much soda. Soda like you wouldn't believe!
I have no answers for these people. I'm glad there are churches helping, but that's the same thing. The kids who really need supplies from the church won't get them because their parents can't even sober up and leave to go get something for free.
On ABC's website about the kids it says toothlessness, depression, prescription drug use etc.. is a major problem in the area. They're leaving out domestic and sexual abuse. Both are way too common in that area and probably contribute to the depression and drug abuse. I wonder if they mentioned teen pregnancy? Or the drop out rate? Illiteracy?
UGHHHH this all drives me nuts!
.
When I watched this movie, about kids in gangs in Long Beach CA, I thought it had no relevance to my safely lived life. It also made me think though that it is kind of like Bill's childhood. Groups of kids hanging out on street corners. Listening to his mom get beat up, hiding under his bed hoping he's not next. Worrying she won't be alive when he had to leave his room in the morning. Going to bed hungry every night and not having a full belly until he visited his Grandparents.
He picked up work as a child, he said he worked from at least age 9, walking all over town, dragging his lawn mower, mowing grass for anyone. For all his work he'd hand over his money and his mom would buy him a soda and a candy bar. He had all the chores at home. He was the oldest boy of 7 kids. He'd help anyone do anything just trying to learn a new skill. He laid cinder blocks under trailers, worked in a coal mine, like a crawl on your belly or scrape your back mine. He still has a scar from where a roof bolt hit his shoulder. For some reason after him they decided they'd been too hard on him and took it easy on the next 4 kids. Which just made his load heavier. Instead of chores being shared by 4 boys it was only him. I think his mom was probably overwhelmed with 7 kids and didn't know any better, truly. His step dad was about 19 when he inherited 4 step kids and then had 3 of his own and he had a bad temper and drank too much.
There was a show on ABC the other night called Children of the Mountains. Bill said he didn't have to watch it he lived it. But I am curious about the show. Bill and my Dad are both from West Virginia, different counties though. Both have some terrible childhood stories.
Bill was raised not far from the Eastern Kentucky counties in this show. I see on the website lots of people are sending in money for funds for these kids. All I've go to say, without watching the individual families is this. These are people who generally have never had any money to manage. If they're given say $10,000 that's going to seem like enough to last a lifetime. They'll probably spend it in no time too. The kids do deserve a hand out of their situation. But do they want to leave? Even Bill used to go home every weekend for years after he left. There's some kind of draw back to the mountains. My Dad too! My Dad was in Vietnam for 2 tours of duty. He said before he left other Marines warned him of the living conditions over there. He got there and thought "this isn't so bad" it was actually better than what he had at home! (SIDE NOTE: My grandparents had an outhouse built over a stream. 14 kids used that. I pity who ever lived down stream! YUK!)
To really help these kids the change needs to start from the inside. They need to be taken out of their situations and shown there is a better way. Just like in Freedom Writers. If you think kids are hungry and poor everywhere, living the same as you, how would you even know to want different. If you come from a community as tiny as that how are they going to adapt to college campus life?
My Dad's family settled in Fayette County WV (Virginia then) prior to 1850. They used to be a self supporting people. Farmed, kept a garden, sold their goods, canned and put up food. Really had a hard life. But they worked were proud and took care of their own. Some where along the line there was a big change. Too many people still live out in the mountains where there aren't many jobs. No real way to support a family. Instead of driving to work they simply file for welfare. This is a bit of a generalization. I do have cousins that drive an hour or more for work and also some who've gone to college to get an education so they can earn a living in the area they are living. But I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say they're the minority.
These poor children of the mountains are poor. They don't have enough food. They've probably never seen a dentist, rarely see a doctor. But there is a mind set their parents have. They don't even KNOW to want for more. Not that they have to wish for riches. But to have the basics! To ensure your child has a better chance than you did. To go out and do for themselves and not just wait until someone gives them something. The really poor do get food stamps so why are the kids so hungry. When I hear them complain about their kids being hungry while a cigarette hangs out of their mouth that really drives me bonkers! I've seen too many of these families come home from the grocery with too little milk and too much soda. Soda like you wouldn't believe!
I have no answers for these people. I'm glad there are churches helping, but that's the same thing. The kids who really need supplies from the church won't get them because their parents can't even sober up and leave to go get something for free.
On ABC's website about the kids it says toothlessness, depression, prescription drug use etc.. is a major problem in the area. They're leaving out domestic and sexual abuse. Both are way too common in that area and probably contribute to the depression and drug abuse. I wonder if they mentioned teen pregnancy? Or the drop out rate? Illiteracy?
UGHHHH this all drives me nuts!
.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I finally watched something besides cartoons!
I finally got to watch something I wanted to watch! No it wasn't Indiana Jones, yet again. We did have to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark last night as our "dinner movie".
I rented several movies from the library. Today I watched Freedom Writer's. I loved it! Even though it took me from 4 until 7:30 to watch the whole thing! I have to stop and start over and over. I have to stop to answer a question for Isaiah. I have to stop to change a diaper, or measure a meal and feed Naomi. I never get through anything without interruption!
It was a very moving film! I love true stories!
It was set in Long Beach, California. I went to school with a boy who moved to Ohio from Long Beach when we were in the 6th grade. I remember thinking Long Beach! Wow! Imagining palm trees etc... From the way his life was before he came to our school, I'm guessing he'd have lived in a less than desirable neighborhood and I thought how different his life could have been!
One other reason I had so much trouble being interrupted.. my husband was in lock down at work. Someone found a "bag of white powder in a container from China" and no one knew what it was. Hazmat came, they called the FBI, threatened to arrest anyone who tried to leave. The guy who found it tore it open and dipped his finger in it and tasted it.(what a genius!) Apparently it was oyster shell calcium. It's put in the container to absorb moisture. Like the little packets they put in shoes and purses. Usually it's in a fabric, sort of like a bean bag. This time it was in sealed plastic. My husband was kept at work 4 extra hours!
I rented several movies from the library. Today I watched Freedom Writer's. I loved it! Even though it took me from 4 until 7:30 to watch the whole thing! I have to stop and start over and over. I have to stop to answer a question for Isaiah. I have to stop to change a diaper, or measure a meal and feed Naomi. I never get through anything without interruption!
It was a very moving film! I love true stories!
It was set in Long Beach, California. I went to school with a boy who moved to Ohio from Long Beach when we were in the 6th grade. I remember thinking Long Beach! Wow! Imagining palm trees etc... From the way his life was before he came to our school, I'm guessing he'd have lived in a less than desirable neighborhood and I thought how different his life could have been!
One other reason I had so much trouble being interrupted.. my husband was in lock down at work. Someone found a "bag of white powder in a container from China" and no one knew what it was. Hazmat came, they called the FBI, threatened to arrest anyone who tried to leave. The guy who found it tore it open and dipped his finger in it and tasted it.(what a genius!) Apparently it was oyster shell calcium. It's put in the container to absorb moisture. Like the little packets they put in shoes and purses. Usually it's in a fabric, sort of like a bean bag. This time it was in sealed plastic. My husband was kept at work 4 extra hours!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Disgusting!
I know i JUST put up a post but then Dr. Phil came on, which I usually don't watch. (he's gotten a little on the "shock" factor side of talk shows)
This show was about Bill's worst nightmare! The girls dressing sexy. Like 12 or 14 year old girls. It's disgusting. I see these girls want to dress sexy but they're not old enough to have jobs so who buys the shorty shorts and skirts? I mean seriously!
My neighbor worked as a nurse in an ER for years and she told me once you'd be sickened by the things they see come in. Young girls, under 10 in thong underwear! I mean seriously! What is the need of that? Pantylines? Are 7 year olds worried about pantie lines! I don't think so! Girls do not worry about what their underwear looks like until there's someone else seeing them!
I saw a 12 year old once in those mini shorts. Someone said "my goodness she has long legs" and someone else said "of course they look long, she has no pants on!" The thing about those shorts was they were from Hollister, and they don't make kids clothes, so they expected an adult woman to fit into those!
I just don't get this giving in to buying them stuff because they constantly ask for it. That would just make me madder and I'd end up taking something away instead of giving it.
I don't know if I was a total anomaly but when I was young I was never "boy crazy". I just always thought, I don't want tied to a male right now. I always knew that one day I'd be married forever and it wouldn't be to anyone in my school so why bother with them!
Before I had Naomi ,Bill said about having a girl "what if she has my blond hair and your big boobs!? You may as well just shoot me when she turns 14!"
He'll have an ulcer before she turns 16! He still refers to my friends 16 year old as a "baby girl"!
KIDS!
This show was about Bill's worst nightmare! The girls dressing sexy. Like 12 or 14 year old girls. It's disgusting. I see these girls want to dress sexy but they're not old enough to have jobs so who buys the shorty shorts and skirts? I mean seriously!
My neighbor worked as a nurse in an ER for years and she told me once you'd be sickened by the things they see come in. Young girls, under 10 in thong underwear! I mean seriously! What is the need of that? Pantylines? Are 7 year olds worried about pantie lines! I don't think so! Girls do not worry about what their underwear looks like until there's someone else seeing them!
I saw a 12 year old once in those mini shorts. Someone said "my goodness she has long legs" and someone else said "of course they look long, she has no pants on!" The thing about those shorts was they were from Hollister, and they don't make kids clothes, so they expected an adult woman to fit into those!
I just don't get this giving in to buying them stuff because they constantly ask for it. That would just make me madder and I'd end up taking something away instead of giving it.
I don't know if I was a total anomaly but when I was young I was never "boy crazy". I just always thought, I don't want tied to a male right now. I always knew that one day I'd be married forever and it wouldn't be to anyone in my school so why bother with them!
Before I had Naomi ,Bill said about having a girl "what if she has my blond hair and your big boobs!? You may as well just shoot me when she turns 14!"
He'll have an ulcer before she turns 16! He still refers to my friends 16 year old as a "baby girl"!
KIDS!
Another Sleepless Night
Thank you to Lisa's mother in law Susan for leaving a comment of how she can relate to my sleepless nights. After I read her comment I looked at her site and a photo of her then had to go back and read to see if she'd written sister in law or mother in law! She looked very young to me!
Anyways, it was another of those 1 a.m mornings. Naomi was content to stay in bed with me going between laying her head down on my belly, and sitting up on her knees jumping in the bed. She was just so happy! Clapping her hands, flapping her arms in her excited way and just giggling like crazy. I have to pick her up a couple times and just hug her because it's just so cute! But not at 1 a.m.! I may have to stick some suction cups to her hands and feet tomorrow and stick her to the front door!
For some reason when she wakes in the middle of the night like that she doesn't have any seizures! Not a one! After she falls back asleep, and every time she wakes from a nap she has a cluster. At night though she just wakes happy and stays happy! I think another 2 year molar is coming in! That will make 2, the one that I first noticed Dec 7 still isn't all the way up! I'm going to talk to my dentist on Thursday and see if he feels I should take her to a pediatric dentist or he may even take a look at her. He'll need one of those hands on a stick like they use at the dog shelter to test the temperament of the animals! She can BITE!
On a totally unrelated note: I'm dying to know if Lisa got her daughter new sparkly red shoes for Valentines!
Anyways, it was another of those 1 a.m mornings. Naomi was content to stay in bed with me going between laying her head down on my belly, and sitting up on her knees jumping in the bed. She was just so happy! Clapping her hands, flapping her arms in her excited way and just giggling like crazy. I have to pick her up a couple times and just hug her because it's just so cute! But not at 1 a.m.! I may have to stick some suction cups to her hands and feet tomorrow and stick her to the front door!
For some reason when she wakes in the middle of the night like that she doesn't have any seizures! Not a one! After she falls back asleep, and every time she wakes from a nap she has a cluster. At night though she just wakes happy and stays happy! I think another 2 year molar is coming in! That will make 2, the one that I first noticed Dec 7 still isn't all the way up! I'm going to talk to my dentist on Thursday and see if he feels I should take her to a pediatric dentist or he may even take a look at her. He'll need one of those hands on a stick like they use at the dog shelter to test the temperament of the animals! She can BITE!
On a totally unrelated note: I'm dying to know if Lisa got her daughter new sparkly red shoes for Valentines!
Friday, February 13, 2009
My Invention
Remember these Garfield's?
I started thinking about these because I was Googling sleep problems in kids. They said light therapy can help but it's too cold outside to be out for long so I thought... HEY! If I could put suction cups on Naomi's hands and feet and stick her to the window like Garfield I'd be all set!
Anything for a good nights sleep!
I started thinking about these because I was Googling sleep problems in kids. They said light therapy can help but it's too cold outside to be out for long so I thought... HEY! If I could put suction cups on Naomi's hands and feet and stick her to the window like Garfield I'd be all set!
Anything for a good nights sleep!
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