Just A Number

To some people numbers mean everything. It can mean the difference between success or failure. They can be used to define young milestones in life...like the Terrible Two's or the Trying Threes. They can be used to define older milestones in life...like Over The Hill or The Golden Years. Numbers are used everyday in our lives to help mark the beginning or end of something.

To a teenager the numbers 16, 18 and 21 mean the beginning of EVERYTHING, and to those in their early 20's the numbers 30, 40 and so on, can mean the end of EVERYTHING as they know it.

I've been very fortunate. My age has never really meant anything to me...okay, okay so maybe 21 did, but I'm not going to get into THAT part of past right now!! :) What I mean is, age doesn't bother me. I remember turning 30 and not feeling that dread that everyone leads you to believe you'll feel so that you'll forever tell everyone your 29. I celebrated the day with an awesome surprise party and loved every minute of it, but didn't shed a tear because I left my 20's behind.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend in college about our future...you know the one...who are we going to marry, how many kids are we going to have, where are we going to live, what is it we will be doing "x" amount of years from now. I can honestly say that none of what I thought was going to happen actually happened the way I thought it would. It has become something even better.

I had said that I wanted to be married in my 20's to the man who would be my best friend through every thing...and I have.

I had said that regardless of how many children I had, I wanted to be done by the age of 35...and technically I have conceived all 6 of my kids before the age of 35.

I had said that I wanted to remain in New Hampshire or at least New England...and although Manchester isn't exactly where I wanted to be IN the state, I'm happy to call it my home.

And I had said that in "x" amount of years I wanted to be able to look back on my 20's and smile with fond memories, not sadness for youth lost. I'm happy to say I can.

I am happy to say that I will be 35 years old tomorrow and even though my first 35 years have had their shares of trials and tribulations I wouldn't trade any of it because without them I wouldn't be where I am today...happily married 10 years to my best friend, raising 5 little ones while expecting our 6th, and experiencing all the joys that only a 3o-something year old can enjoy!

First Time For Everything

So seven years and five kids later, we had our first ER visit. Yes, you read that right. We've never been to the ER for any of our kids until now. You may say to yourself, "they've had kids up in the hospital right?" and the answer is yes. However, they were all admitted to the hospital through the pediatric office. Never once from us going to the ER and then being admitted.

I knew it was bound to happen at some point, I just didn't know what the details of it would be. You know, the who or the why. As a matter of fact on the morning of said incident, which was last Thursday I recall saying to Eli, that he would be the first one to end up in the ER because of his ability to stand on any edge of anything at anytime! And he's fast too. Without hesitation, he ends up on the chair within moments of someone vacating it. In any case, that wasn't the reason or the child that ended up in the ER.

Nope it wasn't Ethan or Joshua or Rebekah...so that leaves Caleb. Yes, our resident garbage picker. (Eli tends to help in the quest to pull out the most disgusting bit of trash they can find) In any case I had just finished up a snack with the kids and noticed that Eli needed a diaper change. When I was finished with Eli's diaper change I brought it into the bathroom to be rinsed and thrown into the diaper pail. (We use cloth diapers) As I was in the bathroom I heard Rebekah yell out that Caleb had a can in his hand. Which I interpreted to mean that he had been in the garbage can again. So, I didn't rush to check on him. When I came out of the bathroom, much to my surprise, I actually saw a tin can attached to Caleb's right hand!

Let me back up a moment. We used to recycle everything. However, over the last several months our garbage men have been less than consistent about remembering to pick it up on trash day. I think it's because we are on a dead end. Needless to say, trying to convince my husband, who already thinks recycling is a waste of time, to continue this senseless act when he repeatedly has to bring it back in and try again the next week, was becoming more and more difficult. It came to the point that he just began putting it in with the regular trash anyway, so we just stopped separating it and throwing it back into the regular trash. Forward to Thursday...I had opened a can of garbanzo beans, (chickpeas) to toast up for the kids snack. They absolutely devour them and it's so easy to do. I didn't detach the lid from the can as I used the lid to help drain the liquid out so I could rinse them before putting them in the toasting pan. After I emptied the beans, I pushed the lid down into the can and tossed it into the trash. Well, when Caleb found the can he attempted to lift the lid up and caught his finger between the lid and the wall of the can...ouch...so when I attempted to remove the can his finger got sliced open.

At the ER, they put some dermabond on it to try and help stop the bleeding as they really didn't want to put a stitch in it. You try keeping a band aid on a very active 18 month old. Every time it came off, either by him or one of his siblings it would reopen and bleed heavily. So, we went back to the ER on Monday, and he had 3 or 4 stitches put in. He was AMAZING. They numbed it topically first and then gave him an injection and he didn't flinch. Didn't make a peep until the very end because she had to do it twice. The stitches wouldn't stay in the first time around. He just sat in my lap with his blue bear lovey, a pacifier in his mouth and just watched. The nurses couldn't believe how well behaved he was. I laughed as I thought to myself how different things would be had it been Joshua in my lap instead...he probably would have needed a tranquilizer and some restraints!

In any case, we go back in a week to have the stitches removed. He seems no worse for having gone through it, and only gets clingy and whiny when it has been touched or bumped...understandably! The kids get a kick out of the fact that his stitches are blue and wanted to know if Eli would get green ones should he need stitches at some point. Funny how ingrained the whole color coding thing has become for them. Anyway, that's now our first ER story...

It Had To Be Done

It did. It was bound to happen anyway. Originally, I wanted to wait until the summer...you know give them their summer look, but it needed to be done. I did try to something else first, but there is only so much you can do with scissors and a squirmy child.

Yes, we gave the boys their buzz cuts. I tried to trim them like the hairdresser does, unfortunately I don't have her speed. So, after a few failed attempts at a "trim", we decided to get out the clippers and buzz away. Eli took to it no problem...didn't even budge. Caleb, wasn't as impressed and wanted the whole thing to be done with ASAP!

Caleb before his buzz cut!

Elijah before his buzz cut!

If you thought it was tough to tell them apart before...hehehe...I can still see the differences, but that's because I'm Mom! It was really hard to cut their hair so short. I never had that problem with the other two boys. I was ready to do it, and they were both much younger when I did. Even though I'm having another baby, I just couldn't help but be attached to that baby look the long hair gave them. They are bound to grow up at some point...might as well make it easier for me to keep them clean while they do it!!

Playing Outside

Since I am the mother of 5 children all under the age of 7...and now pregnant with #6...it is difficult for me to take my children outside to play. One reason is because of the layout of our home and yard. It isn't easy to watch them from the house or get back inside without traveling down the driveway. The second reason is because my two oldest are special needs children who due to some of their developmental issues, can't be trusted to stay safe or keep the others safe. With winter time it is even more impossible for me to get them outside as the twins are still too little for me to help them out while trying to keep an eye on the older three.

So, it was with great joy that the snow came yesterday because Daddy was home!! The kids were beside themselves with glee as we layered them up to get them ready for their outdoor adventure. They managed to stay outside for about 2 hours, with Daddy checking their hands and faces every now and then to make sure they were still warm. It was my job to take care of the little ones and make hot chocolate when they came back inside. Which they gladly sucked down with a candy cane!

What a great day!

Pediatricians

This month we did the unthinkable...we switched pediatricians. Our original pediatrician was recommended to us when we were newly pregnant by my sister-in-law, and after what we went through with Ethan's birth and complications that followed, we were quite happy with our choice. It has been within the last year or so, that I've noticed one if not both of us have changed and now take different paths when it comes to the care and health of my children.

Some of you may know, I'm pretty much anti-vaccine, anti-medications...with exceptions. Ethan and Joshua had every vaccine known to man according to the timeline provided in 2002-2006. It wasn't until we started down the road of celiac disease, autism and developmental delays that I took a step back and started to research and ask a lot of questions. I never really questioned the doctor before because I believed she always had not only the best interests of my children at hand, but that she was a heck of a lot smarter than I was with regards to medicine.

Enter a sickly 3 yr. old with failure to thrive and mom (me) strongly urging the doctor to test him for Celiac Disease based on the advice of a good friend who knows the disease. The first test came back negative and so I pushed for further testing as my research, (and my instincts) told me that this was what he had. After another test, it was concluded that he did indeed have the indicators for Celiac and that it only needed to be confirmed with an endoscopy, which it was! The pediatrician was beside herself and every visit for the next year or so would constantly apologize for having missed the diagnosis. My confidence in my abilities as a mother grew as the years went by and I had a couple more kiddos. Ethan and Joshua were getting diagnosed with various disorders and other illnesses mostly due to my resilience in having it looked into. That and my mindset with Bekah had changed altogether as far as vaccinations went. The pediatrician wasn't thrilled with what I wanted, however she agreed that we could do an altered vaccine schedule for her. I made it clear that I wouldn't be doing every vaccine under the sun this time.

Now enter the twins...and more research. The decision to do an even more altered vaccine schedule, followed by little to no meds, unless otherwise necessary, began to tear at the already fragile relationship I had with the kids doctor. I noticed more irritation from her with my decisions, as well as with the questions that I would ask. My questions generally went unanswered, and everything else took a "lets wait and see" approach more often than not. Not to mention a few comments that came from her regarding my decision to refuse the chicken pox and MMR vaccines...for Bekah and the twins.

It was only after having referred a friend to her that my decision to leave became clear. The way she treated my friend completely caught me by surprise as she was very rude and offensive to this first time mom. It opened my eyes as to what I really needed from my kids doctor. I need someone who is willing to work WITH ME to help treat and care for them. A doctor who refuses to take the parents insight, instincts or other suggestions for treatment and care is a doctor who, in my opinion, is much to full of themselves. The doctor only sees that child for the 7.8 minutes they are in the exam room...the parent sees them 24/7. I need a doctor who can ask me if there is anything else they can do for me and really mean it, not have their hand on the door knob and their foot half way out the door as they are asking the question. I also want a doctor who is willing to try less invasive treatments before jumping to their script pad to write out the latest and greatest medication with a list of side effects a mile long.

Well, I found one. AND I love her!! We've had a nasty case of conjunctivitis and upper respiratory viruses that we just couldn't seem to shake. Poor Eli, really couldn't shake it and come to find out he had not only recurring conjunctivitis but a double ear infection as well! So his poor body just couldn't get rid of one virus without the other one taking over. He was already on eye drops for his eyes, but the doctor then recommended that we put garlic oil in his ears for the infection and give him elderberry syrup to help fight off the rest of the virus that was in his system. WOW! So, I came home and made the garlic oil as she specified and three times a day with three drops in each ear treated his ears for the past week. He also received 1/2 tsp. of the elderberry syrup twice a day and the eye drops in his eyes. He had his follow up visit today and everything looks great!!

Now, I have the recipe to make my own elderberry syrup as we will need a lot to keep all five kids, myself and my hubby protected from all of those viruses circulating right now. And being pregnant, homemade elderberry syrup is considered extremely safe for pregnant and lactating moms!

My advice to any new moms or soon to be moms: find a pediatrician that is willing to work WITH you not FOR you. They have to be there for you, that's part of their job, but unless they are willing to listen and truly care about what you have to say with regards to the treatment of your children, it isn't worth it. The health of your children is ultimately YOUR responsibility! Furthermore, trust in yourself. We live in an age where we have so much information at our fingertips. Yes, sometimes there is too much info. and sometimes it can lead us down an unacceptable path, but that's where a partnership with your doctor comes in to place. God gave you these children to grow, teach, care for and love...make sure your doctor knows that too!

Happy 3rd Birthday Rebekah!!

What a beautiful little girl!

In a land of trucks, trains, and other various boy stuff, it's so refreshing to have a little girl to dress up and play with. Don't get me wrong...she knows how to get dirty with her brothers...but she is still so very different from them. She can sit for extended periods of time doing an activity. She is usually pretty neat when she colors or works on projects, (unless convinced to go "outside the lines" by her brothers). And she does know how to play quietly...until her brothers come along and push her buttons!

She is sweet, kind, cuddly and so very loving. She is quick to give hugs and kisses, and knows that her smile will work wonders in tough spots. Her giggle lights up the room so that you can't help but smile or giggle yourself. She is already a very compassionate and empathic "mommy" to her younger brothers and her baby dolls. She loves to wear pink and purple and her favorite things are Tinkerbell and My Little Ponies.

She couldn't be more girly if she tried and thanks to her "Child Wranglers" (our nickname for our mother's helpers), she becomes pinker and girlier by the week!

Thank you for being that little pink thing in a sea of blue!

We love you!

Happy New Year!!

(Our New Year Gang L to R: Ethan, Caleb Joshua, Jack, Amara, Bekah, Elijah, and Josie)

Okay, so I haven't posted a Happy Birthday to Bekah yet...but we are celebrating her birthday on Sunday. It's tough to do a birthday in between two of the biggest holidays of the year when they both land on Fridays!

Anyway, Happy New Year! May 2010 bring to you all the happiness, joy and love we know it will bring to us... :)

Happy 7th (Wow) Birthday Ethan!!

Seven years old. That magic age...the age of reason. It's where they aren't young enough to be your baby anymore, and they still aren't old enough to be away from you for too long. We can't believe we have a 7 year old!

Ethan, you have become an amazing person to us. Your ability to love beyond all reason, to accept so much on faith, and take everything in stride is a gift. We can't imagine you any other way. Sure, you've had your ups and downs...some of those downs have been quite difficult. But, the ups...well those have simply been delightful. We love you more and more each day...and after 7 years of loving you we look forward to the next 7 knowing full well how much more our love for you will grow. We love you with all of our heart and soul my love, and hope you had a splendid birthday this year!

Ethan decided he wanted to try his hand at bowling this year for his birthday! We went up the street to King's Bowling Lanes because it has candle pin bowling. Ethan, Joshua, Rebekah and Jack had a blast rolling those balls down the alley! What a sight to see. Ethan was beside himself with excitement and enjoyment!

Santa Picture

It only took a couple of bribes to get everyone to look up. It took many more bribes to get Joshua to even show his face!

Just A Few Minutes...

...is all it takes to get this!

I Know...

I promised pictures, updates etc...and I haven't really done it. In my defense...to say I'm busy would be a serious understatement! It would take me several moments to type up the list of things I've been responsible for lately...and I really don't have the time. So, at the very least...I attempted to make some changes to the blog and have at least updated some pictures. I'm not even sure I have that many followers anymore. I know it's been tough for me to follow my list of blogs...and I used to be quite the "blog stalker". So, to those of you who have been checking in to see if there are any new updates, I'm sorry to disappoint. For those of you who are gluten free and have been looking for new information...I have included a widget for a gluten free search engine down on the right hand side of the blog. You can type in any kind of product and it will pull up a list of gluten free choices for you. It's pretty handy for just about anyone...even those of us who have been doing this for awhile now!

So, please check back again. I don't know when I'll be able to update with more pictures, but I will do my best! If I don't get on again soon...have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

Does a Heart Good

We do a monthly trip to Trader Joes in Tyngsboro once a month to stalk up on many non perishables as well as fruits and vegetables. Feeding nine people, five of them children, can cost a lot of money, but with their prices we usually manage to walk out of there with lots of food to last about a month, for little money...(when I say little I mean anywhere between $300-$400).

On this trip, my parents followed me and my crew done to Tyngsboro. All of the kiddos were asleep except for Ethan, so my Dad stayed in the van with them while Ethan, my Mom and myself went in to do the shopping. Ethan, as some of you know, can be quite chatty. Most of the people we come in contact with end up learning more about our family than necessary. In any case, the employees loved him and thought he was very smart, funny and cute. While we were checking out, (our two overloaded carriages), Ethan was talking about all of the people that live in our house. When the cashier was done ringing everything up he excused himself and said he would be back in a moment so Ethan continued talking to the gentleman who was bagging our food. The cashier came back with a bouquet of flowers for me telling me lots of nice things that made me feel all warm and fuzzy, and Ethan was very excited about the flowers. So, I asked him what we should do with them when we got home, and here is how the conversation went:

Ethan: We need to put them in a vase because flowers like to eat water and soil.
Me: Well, once they are cut they only need water. When they are growing, then they need both water and soil.
Ethan: Okay Mommy. Will they last forever?
Me: Honey, does anything last forever?
Ethan: No Mommy.......Well, except for God's love!

How great is that?? My heart just about exploded out of my chest. I was so proud of him and told him so. The cashier and bagger were speechless with eyes and mouths wide open. Then the bagger leaned down and said to Ethan, "We could all learn a lesson from you!" Ethan just smiled. What a great moment!

John Deere Expo Pix

These pictures were from the John Deere Expo in Kensington NH. It is held every year in August, and we have made it there the past 3 years. The kids LOVE it. They don't have a ton of stuff to do, but what they do have is just enough for our kids!

The twins had a great time riding around in the double stroller!

Yes, I color coordinated for the occasion.

He looks comfy doesn't he? It's been taken under consideration as a new bed for him!

She is just so darn cute and little!

This was by far their favorite part. Yes, that is Bekah driving! She did an incredible job, and Josh was nice enough to give her a turn. They switched off and on. Ethan on the other hand, was perfectly happy doing his own thing!

We Are Still Here!

So, it's been about a month since I last posted. A lot has happened that has not only kept me away from the blog, but just kept me so busy, that finding the time to type something out is near impossible.

Here are some of the things that have kept us so busy: a John Deere Expo, a gluten free BBQ with our ROCK support group, my parents moving in, a birthday party for the twins, apple picking, the Deerfield Fair, day trips up north to see the foliage, plus many hours of driving to and from various therapies and doctors appointments for Ethan and Joshua, as well as teaching Ethan first grade! Yup, we've been busy. With the volumes of pictures I have it would be impossible for me to pick out a few to post here to show you where we've been and what we've done. That and the fact that I just don't have time to wait around for blogger to download the darn things!! :)

When I can, I promise to post some pictures...hey maybe tonight...we'll see. In any case, we are still here and going...just busier than ever.

Haircuts

Well, my babies will be turning one in just a few days...time has certainly gone by way too fast. I suppose it was bound to happen, it's just one of those things. But, unlike my other children, I've been having a tough time with some of the milestones the twins have been hitting. One of which is the infamous haircut. My oldest two boys had a lot of hair, especially Joshua. He needed a haircut at 9 mos. because it was getting into his eyes! Poor Rebekah still doesn't have enough hair to truly cut, but even she has now had two haircuts. So, it was only a matter of time before the twins would be receiving their very first as well.

I think I've put it off because I knew that once they had those little baby hairs clipped, they would look like "big boys" or toddlers and I wasn't sure I was ready to let go of my "babies" just yet. But, they are growing up, and I can't resist those cute little boy faces anymore than the cute little baby faces...so clip-clip!

I am very fortunate to have such an awesome hairstylist. Donna has been cutting my hair since my wedding day! I say fortunate, because she was willing to come to my house yesterday to cut my hair, so that's why we figured we'd take advantage and have her do the twins and Bekah as well.

Caleb before his trim...

Caleb after his trim...he wasn't too happy with the whole experience. I think he wanted to be the one using the scissors!!

Elijah before his trim...

Elijah after his trim...very happy little guy. He had no problem with the haircut. As a matter of fact he continued to eat his veggie bootie during the whole process!

Results

We received Ethan's CAT results at the end of last week. It was a pretty quick turnaround. We are proud to say that our big guy did awesome. He scored average to above average all the way around. His lowest score was a 5 (on a 1-9 scale; 1-3 below average, 4-6 average, and 7-9 above average) and that was on comprehension. We weren't surprised because comprehension can be a difficult task for children with Asperger. The problem with comprehension is that if the topic doesn't interest them, they simply tune it out. If the stories on the tests were about John Deere or Thomas, I'm sure he would have paid closer attention to the story, but still may have struggled with the concepts the story was presenting. Since the story's were about cats outside and breakfast foods cooking in the kitchen, he didn't even hear the stories much less be able to answer a question about it.

In any case, he did so well and we are so proud of him. When we told him his results he smiled and said, "I'm so proud of myself!" We had told him that when he finished Kindergarten we would celebrate with a cake of his choice. So, he chose chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to check out the new gluten free mixes from Betty Crocker. They have four mixes out; Devil's Food Cake, Yellow Cake, Cookie Mix, and Brownie Mix. We had already had the brownie mix due to Ethan's OT using that as a cooking activity during one of his sessions...they were yummy! Well, let me tell you...the Devil's Food Cake was pretty awesome as well. That topped with my homemade gluten free, dairy free vanilla frosting and the kids were all pretty excited as they inhaled not one but two cupcakes each! We even let the babies try some...ya, ya I know they haven't had their first birthday yet...but some rules are made to be broken right?? :)

Anyway, we are now looking forward to his first grade books coming in the mail tomorrow and have the school room all set up and ready to go. Mike and I organized each child's activity/school basket so that it's easy enough to know where each child's work is. We will be doing preschool for Joshua and Rebekah as well. It should be an interesting year, and I'm looking forward to watching my children grow in their learning!

Just A Swim

Walking into the bathroom yesterday I noticed the sink was a quarter of the way filled with water. Floating in the water were two bath toys...an orange fish and a duck decorated with the British Flag colors (courtesy of our relatives in Ireland). Knowing who had been in the bathroom prior to myself, I began calling for Joshua.

When he came to the bathroom door, I pointed to the sink and asked him if he did it. "Yes, Momma" was his reply. I asked him why and quite seriously he said to me, "They just wanted to take a swim Momma!" ...and then he smiled!

It Is Done...

Hooray! Today is the day that Ethan finished his CAT Exam for Kindergarten! It was a pleasant experience to watch my little guy answer questions that I thought might be tough for him. It was also reassuring that everything I've been able to do...or not do...over the course of the last two years helped him accomplish this goal. Even more so, the curriculum through Seton for Kindergarten far surpassed the questions that were within the 6 tests he had to complete. Again reassuring me that we've made the right decision for him.

Now, we just wait for the results and order the materials he needs for 1st Grade!! WOW! I have a first grader...very exciting. He has asked for chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting to celebrate...no problem...we'll just mix up a batch and throw them in the van...with this heat I'm sure it's just as hot as the oven in there!!!

Awesome Parents!

You know how you can look back on something and whatever it was that struck you as odd finally makes sense to you??

Well...as most of you know Ethan is tiny for his age. He will be 7 years old in December, but his body size measures at around a 4 1/2 to 5 year old. In any case, the child really has no waist, and if it weren't for the fact that he needs the length in his pants, he could easily walk around in a size 2T to 3T without fear of them being too tight. As a matter of fact, we have been able to put him in his brothers 3T shorts this summer when his two pairs of size 5 have been dirty. (They are the ones with the adjustable waist which is the only reason why they fit him!)

It just dawned on me, as I was hanging up some of the wet laundry to dry, what was wrong with Ethan's outfit on Sunday. I had mentioned to Mike that Ethan's pants looked a little weird, but it was usually when I was in the middle of something and I never got around to checking out why. He wore them all day, never complained once about how they fit, I just thought they looked weird...maybe too small. I didn't think anything of it...until just now...when I hung up a pair of 6-9 MONTH PANTS, that it all became so clear...

You guessed it...no wonder he looked weird...he was wearing 6-9 month pants as shorts!! And we didn't even realize it until 5 days later...that's AWESOME!! :)

Who Are The Animals In Your Neighborhood...

Well, for being on the West Side of Manchvegas we've seen our fair share of wildlife this summer.

First we have evidence of a rather large moose taking a leisurely stroll through our backyard and over our fence. Our neighbor actually saw the moose, but we had hoof prints and moose hair all over the yard and stuck to the fence.

Second we've had a woodchuck sitting around on the rock wall now for the past several mornings. We think he took a liking to Mike's Jeep mats that have been airing out back there.

And now...a baby skunk.

Isn't he cute???

(I was using Mike's camera which has an awesome zoom control...because I was about 15 feet away!)

And then he spotted me!!