hide-n-(sensory)-seeking

There is an intersection where reading, and researching, and attempting, and, tweaking, and innovating, and failing all sputter out, and you find yourself just waiting. This can be a seriously annoying and anxiety inducing time. Kind of like when you've been on a long drive and the baby is asleep, but as soon as you stop at that first red light, you are overcome with anxiety because the change in movement and sound is likely going to wake the baby who can't wake up because you're not there yet!! On the flip side, it can also be really refreshing. Like when the kids all fall asleep on a car trip, and the only sounds are those of music or adult conversation, and while you know that it's temporary and they will soon wake up and create chaos once again, right here and now in this moment all you have to do is drive. We are in that place. We are currently waiting. For several things. For evaluations, on waiting lists, for cooler weather, for answers, for therapy, for call...

 This is a great video that explains it very well:  

Way back around November or December I found a weighted exercise ball on clearance at Wal-Mart. I was excited for several reasons. One being that it was weighted. That meant no out of control bouncing of the ball around our house. Second I was there to buy one anyway, so to find a weighted one on sale was icing on the cake! I think I paid about eight dollars, it had obvious damage to the box, but all the parts were inside, and I think they just weren't stocking it anymore.   Anyway, this ball gets some major use in our house. All of the kids use it. They do the usual sitting and bouncing, but they also surf off of it, and use it as a chair during frustrating school assignments. I have sat on it many times bouncing a fussy Kitty Kat, sometimes nursing at the same time, even putting her to sleep that way on occasion. I have also just bounced on it when I'm feeling stressed, or to read to the kids, and many other times. Zak can balance on the ball on his kn...

The thunder is rumbling outside. It's a good description of what's going on inside my head, and stomach as well. All of my thoughts are swirling like those storm clouds. Slamming into each other and sending pulses through my consciousness like bolts of electricity. And then settling into a rumble until the next wave of anxiety crashes into my heart again. Kit's evaluation is tomorrow (of course you're reading this today, so it's today). I am really uneasy. I'm anxious. I'm scared. I am so afraid of another person looking at me like I'm crazy or "over-concerned". I cringe at the thought of hearing the words "she's just a baby, let's wait and see"... again. My stomach turns at the thought that these women could potentially leave my home tomorrow knowing full well that my baby has real, evident issues, but not enough to qualify for their help. How much worse does she have to get before she gets better?! My tea...

  This weeks theme:   SEA SHORE SORT        Supplies:   sea shells   decorative glass beads   craft fuzzy balls   craft feathers   foam sticker fish   small plastic containers for scooping, sorting, dumping, etc.   feel free to add anything that you might find on a beach, this was just what we had already, so the whole thing cost $0!   Tip: If your kiddos need a new twist on it, this one can easily be changed up by adding water, just like at the beach!   And bonus, no sunscreen needed!!                            

First off, I have to share these adorable pictures! A few nights ago Kit was having an especially hard evening. She was over-tired, over-stimulated, brokenhearted that the kids had abandoned her to go to bed, really just one big, cranky, teary mess. So Daddy strapped on her sandals (which totally complemented her pjs), and took her outside for a change of scenery and some swinging time. It was the perfect cure! She  was much happier right away and after a little while she nodded off. What a clever Daddy!                Then Sunday he took her out to play while the kids and I tried to whip the house back into shape, but her early morning caught up with her. We may need to get another one of these for inside the house!     She never lets go, and didn't even drop her strawberry :) Okay, on Friday, I explained Zak's diagnosis , and I'm back now to explain what it has to do with Kit.   ...

I'm sorry for kind of disappearing for a few days. It has been a busy, and at times overwhelming couple of weeks. I think I will be able to get back to my regular weekly features starting next week, but today I'll share what kind of derailed me, but at the same time got us going in the right direction. And to my family and friends, please don't be angry with me for not telling each of you in person, I've barely had energy to function. I certainly don't mean anything ill-spirited. By sharing it here, I can give everyone a much more thorough explanation one time, rather than a hit-and-miss explanation twenty plus times.   ***       Approximately eight or nine months ago, I was busy filling out every symptom questionnaire I could find on everything from ADHD, to Giftedness, to Autism, and finally Sensory Processing Disorder. It was this last category that with question after question I saw my children of concern ...

This is a variation of  pie dough play that I wrote about awhile ago. This will keep Kit busy for maybe five to ten minutes by herself. It's not long, but sometimes it's enough to let me get the pasta drained, or take something out of the oven, or sweep.   Supplies:   1/2 or 1 whole roll of refrigerated pie dough. (The dough softens and is easier to mold and stays together better when it warms up a little.)   Wax paper (or a cutting board, just for ease of clean up, optional)   Cookie cutters   Roll out the dough, demonstrate if nessasary, and let your kiddo enjoy!   When they are done, any dough that didn't go in the mouth can be collected and saved for later in a sandwich baggie.   Have a happy Monday everyone!                    

I know I'm supposed to be publishing a Fix-it Friday today, and I will be. I'm working on it. I'm trying. I promise. I'm trying to reassure myself, not you so much. I'm trying to tell myself to be patient. That it's ok that I don't get everything done that I want to because I'm busy. That there are a million different things pulling me in every direction. That everybody has something they need, and they all need it RIGHT NOW!!! Zak can't focus on his schoolwork because he is too busy thinking about cleaning out Victor's truck which if he doesn't get done TODAY means that he will not get as much when his dad goes to pay him for his monthly bundle of chores but of course he can't clean out the truck until he finishes his schoolwork which is editing a story about spiders which means he of course has to tell me the story about thinking he saw a black widow in the slide at the park so of course he didn't go down the slide which re...

Welcome to Wordy Wednesday!   Today's subject:   OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY     This is really only a brief and general introduction to occupational therapy. This type of therapy is very helpful for individuals with a broad range of diagnoses.   We tend to think of occupational therapy as primarily for adults who have perhaps had a stroke or accident that has resulted in a loss of the use of certain skills. It plays a vital role for certain children however, since this may be where a child learns and strengthens his life skills, which center around play, balance, body awareness, gross and fine motor development.   Most of us take these skills for granted, yet there is a large number of kids who struggle with some of the most basic daily tasks such as putting on or taking off clothes, brushing teeth, holding a pencil, all the way up to climbing or descending stairs, sitting, or tolerating th...

Look who fell asleep on her own!   In her own bed     As most of you know we have been working on getting Kit to sleep in her own bed. To catch up if you missed, you can do it here .   It only took lots and lots of reading/snuggling/wrestling with Daddy. And several twisty nursing sessions where she was sideways, or nearly upside down, and her leg constantly flipping back and forth!   I finally couldn't take it any more. I put her on her bed and told her she could go ni-night there or with Daddy. She settled into her bed. Pulled her pillow up over her, and fell asleep reading her book.   Hip. Hip. Hooray!      

 We bought our house almost a year and a half ago. Right away we threw ourselves into making the necessary repairs and upgrades to make our home cozy and fully functional (AKA air conditioned). We gave ourselves a deadline - the end of 2012, to finish all our projects. Why? Because that was the only way to ensure that everything got done.   Well we came really close to meeting that deadline. The only real project left to do is hang all the trim that is stacked in, guess where, our bedroom. Of course! Isn't that where everybody keeps their yet to be hung trim? Neatly wrapped in a bed sheet so that it doesn't migrate across the floor like a giant wooden sea urchin?   I digress. The point is we accomplished a lot last year, and around this time last year we were in a race. A race against heat and humidity.   Inside the house our A/C guys were racing to install a central unit before they spontaneously combusted in our attic as the temperature steadil...