Yesterday in one of Little I's classes at our homeschool co-op, he and his friends were making pictures of their houses. Then, the sweet teacher wrote down what the children said about the things that go on in their houses.
Here's what Little I said:
I like to play games at my house. I like to play with my brother and sister. I love them. I like to play with NoBo. My mom and dad like to go into their room and play. I also like to play by myself. I also like to eat candy.
Hopefully you got a good laugh out of that. I know I did.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Creativity Required
Clearly there are challenges in parenting a child with developmental delays. Our most recent challenge has taken a lot of creativity on our part to overcome.
Although NoBo is almost 3, developmentally is about 15 months old. Because we are unable to reason with him at this point, keeping him in bed has become quite a chore.
He started climbing out of his crib, so we put him in the Pack 'n Play, because he couldn't climb out of it. Because his adoption is not complete yet, he is still in the custody of DHS, who doesn't approve of a child sleeping in a Pack 'n Play.
So, we borrowed a crib tent from a friend. It worked great for a time, then he put a hole in the netting. I sewed the netting back together, but then he just spent his time in bed trying to put the hole back in it.
So...back to the Pack 'n Play, until I walked in on morning #3 to catch him as he was diving, head-first, out of it. The only thing we could think to do was to cover his Pack 'n Play with the crib mattress. It worked, but Cowboy was a nervous wreck about NoBo somehow having the strength to move the mattress so that it would fall on him.
After much thought, my sweet husband came up with this
I sewed a piece of fabric to fit nicely over the top of the crib. Then, I sewed button holes all around the outside of it. Next, I attached velcro to ribbons. Finally, I put the ribbons through the button holes and looped them around the slats of the crib.
What's so great about it?
1. NoBo would have to remove 6-7 consecutive ribbons in order to free himself from his crib.
2. NoBo can't stand in his crib, which has actually helped him go to sleep faster.
3. The video monitor can get a much better shot of him than it could with the netting from the crib tent.
4. The crib nicely fits under Little I's top bunk. Eventually, when he's developmentally ready for a big bed, we will remove the crib and place the bottom bunk there again.
Although NoBo is almost 3, developmentally is about 15 months old. Because we are unable to reason with him at this point, keeping him in bed has become quite a chore.
He started climbing out of his crib, so we put him in the Pack 'n Play, because he couldn't climb out of it. Because his adoption is not complete yet, he is still in the custody of DHS, who doesn't approve of a child sleeping in a Pack 'n Play.
So, we borrowed a crib tent from a friend. It worked great for a time, then he put a hole in the netting. I sewed the netting back together, but then he just spent his time in bed trying to put the hole back in it.
So...back to the Pack 'n Play, until I walked in on morning #3 to catch him as he was diving, head-first, out of it. The only thing we could think to do was to cover his Pack 'n Play with the crib mattress. It worked, but Cowboy was a nervous wreck about NoBo somehow having the strength to move the mattress so that it would fall on him.
After much thought, my sweet husband came up with this
I sewed a piece of fabric to fit nicely over the top of the crib. Then, I sewed button holes all around the outside of it. Next, I attached velcro to ribbons. Finally, I put the ribbons through the button holes and looped them around the slats of the crib.
What's so great about it?
1. NoBo would have to remove 6-7 consecutive ribbons in order to free himself from his crib.
2. NoBo can't stand in his crib, which has actually helped him go to sleep faster.
3. The video monitor can get a much better shot of him than it could with the netting from the crib tent.
4. The crib nicely fits under Little I's top bunk. Eventually, when he's developmentally ready for a big bed, we will remove the crib and place the bottom bunk there again.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thankful Thursday
It's been ages since I've done a Thankful Thursday post. It's not that I haven't been thankful. It's that I've been overwhelmed!!! So...in random order (because my life is full of random order)...this week I am thankful for...
1. My crockpot. She has served me well everyday this week. (Monday=beans, Tuesday=baked potatoes, Wednesday=pork chops, today=chicken for tacos)
2. Lost things found. Specifically, C-Man's math book found last night. We haven't even started on math this school year because we couldn't find it. Lucky kid, he's doing math today!
3. A confirmed mission trip to Uganda over Spring Break for me. I will be sharing Christ's love with some beautiful orphans.
4. The life of George Mueller. WOW! Everywhere I turn his story is there. What an amazing example of truly relying on God for EVERYTHING!
5. LOTS of laundry detergent purchased with coupons for very little out-of-pocket! I'm guessing it will be Christmas or so before I need more laundry detergent.
6. Wonderful students in my classes for this school year.
7. The anticipation of having Cowboy to myself in 2 weeks! No children, just us. In Washington, DC. CANNOT wait!
8. Cowboy never being a babysitter. I heard on a talk radio show the other day how some moms say, "My husband is babysitting the kids tonight." Wow!!! What a foreign thought to me. I'm so grateful that we are a partnership in this whole parenting thing.
9. God's mercy as he cleans out the crud in my life and I become more aware of my need to completely rely on Him.
10. The adoption that is in the works for some of our dear friends. This will mean when we get together for 4th of July & New Year's Eve, we won't have the youngest kids by far. (Nor will we be the only family that is colorful).
Counting my blessings today,
Jenn
1. My crockpot. She has served me well everyday this week. (Monday=beans, Tuesday=baked potatoes, Wednesday=pork chops, today=chicken for tacos)
2. Lost things found. Specifically, C-Man's math book found last night. We haven't even started on math this school year because we couldn't find it. Lucky kid, he's doing math today!
3. A confirmed mission trip to Uganda over Spring Break for me. I will be sharing Christ's love with some beautiful orphans.
4. The life of George Mueller. WOW! Everywhere I turn his story is there. What an amazing example of truly relying on God for EVERYTHING!
5. LOTS of laundry detergent purchased with coupons for very little out-of-pocket! I'm guessing it will be Christmas or so before I need more laundry detergent.
6. Wonderful students in my classes for this school year.
7. The anticipation of having Cowboy to myself in 2 weeks! No children, just us. In Washington, DC. CANNOT wait!
8. Cowboy never being a babysitter. I heard on a talk radio show the other day how some moms say, "My husband is babysitting the kids tonight." Wow!!! What a foreign thought to me. I'm so grateful that we are a partnership in this whole parenting thing.
9. God's mercy as he cleans out the crud in my life and I become more aware of my need to completely rely on Him.
10. The adoption that is in the works for some of our dear friends. This will mean when we get together for 4th of July & New Year's Eve, we won't have the youngest kids by far. (Nor will we be the only family that is colorful).
Counting my blessings today,
Jenn
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