So what is really in a name? I was talking with some friends about names today. We were also talking about some of the crazy names are given today. I mentioned all our children were given names based off the meanings, and then the middle name came from family history.
Looking back when we named the children, and now, their names do fit their personalities.
Celidah- Talented one. Celidah really is talented and things come very easily to her. Marie –Bitter this does not fit her as she such a sweet and loving child.
Jade- Precious. Elizabeth- My God is bountiful. God has truly blessed us with such a wonderful and precious child. Nine years ago, I had no idea such a beautiful gem could be hiding behind a diagnosis of autism. Nine years ago the list of never’s for this child was longer than she was tall. Yet today if she could stand before those doctors, they would be stunned with the original diagnosis.
Corbyn- watcher. Alexander- defender of men. This child is truly one who learns through watching before doing. He needs to figure out in his mind how to accomplish the task before starting. This tactic has proven to be an asset with his platelet disorder. Especially with the more complex sports or activities, he tries (but is not supposed to be doing). ITP is an interesting and complex platelet disorder for a child to have. Throw in the refractive nature of his and it throws in some unique twists and turns.
Jairon-enlightened. Arthur- noble, courageous. When Jairon learns skills he remembers them. He loves learning from the scriptures and re-telling what he learned in church. He can hear these stories and remember them forever. He reads a book and remembers the smallest details. Science is his favorite subject in school and again the smallest details stick with him.
Zachariah- Jehovah has remembered. Creighton- From the farm by the creek. Zach is one of my most active children but never forgets prayers and helps me remember family home evening and scripture study. Between him and his youngest sister we are doing better with these. He has some of the most memorable comments helping me to remember. For example one day he just came up to me telling me “Mom you are not being a good mom! How can I ever be a prophet if we do not read the scriptures or pray everyday? You need to do better!” He then just walked away and returned to his playing as if nothing had happened.
Chantelle- To sing. Rose- flower or fame. This child has gone through so much yet is always so happy. She is always singing. Sometimes her sisters say she is singing in her sleep. For her to go through everything she has, her lung issues, surgeries, many doctor appointments and still be so happy is such a blessing.
To think 5 yrs ago, when bringing her home from the NICU for the first time, we were warned that she may have severe cognitive delay issues and possibly other issues she has really been blessed.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Day!
What a wonderful day we had today! We started the day with a movie and the kids helping to get ready to cook. About 11 this morning the cooking began. The girls started the pumpkin custard, then we stat down and watched a movie while wating for the next step.
Once the movie was over started the ham. With another movie playing we talked about how the rest of the cooking was going to play out. The younger kids did not understand why the cooking had to be staggered. Finally, the ham was able to placed in the oven and the next timer set. This time we played some games to distract the kids for a couple hours. After the bread was started and in the oven we could move onto the next set of steps. From this point the cooking steps would begin to move much faster.
At last it was time for Chantelle to join me in the kitchen to help with the stuffing. She was thrilled to measure the water into a bowl, dropped the butter into the bowl, dumped the stuffing mix into the bowl. her face lit up as she dumped more and stired everything together. With the stuffing in the baking pan and in the oven she happily jumped out of the kitchen to go play.
Next, Zach was thrilled to help with the mashed potatoes. Once again opening and mixing was delightful. Jairon helped with the gravy and was thrilled to learn this year we would be using my gravy dish made from the volcanic ash when Mt St Helens exploded in 1980.
Corbyn helped with the candied yams. He helped to make the syrup to pour over the yams. Carefully measuring and mixing the ingredients was so much fun for him. I poured the hot syrup over the yams and placed the pan into the oven for him.
Finally, with everything else ready to go and the ham down to the last 10 minutes Jade was thrilled to make the glaze to cover the ham. Once the ham was glazed we placed the ham back in the oven turned the heat up and set the table.
With the table cloth in place, dishes in place the kids were thrilled to have the opportunity to pull my gold plated silverware out of the special wooden box. The silverware I only let them use for special occasians.
Dinner this year was special for the kids because everyone had a special task they got to help with from cooking to setting to cleaning up from. This also helped me. I am still getting over my bronchitis and get worn down very easy. They loved being able to help, I loved not having to do as much yet everything got done.
With all the all the extra help the kisd gave it was really a wonderful and fun day with the kids.
Tomorrow we are going to stay home where it is warm, watch movies, make Christmas decorations, and enjoy each other.
Once the movie was over started the ham. With another movie playing we talked about how the rest of the cooking was going to play out. The younger kids did not understand why the cooking had to be staggered. Finally, the ham was able to placed in the oven and the next timer set. This time we played some games to distract the kids for a couple hours. After the bread was started and in the oven we could move onto the next set of steps. From this point the cooking steps would begin to move much faster.
At last it was time for Chantelle to join me in the kitchen to help with the stuffing. She was thrilled to measure the water into a bowl, dropped the butter into the bowl, dumped the stuffing mix into the bowl. her face lit up as she dumped more and stired everything together. With the stuffing in the baking pan and in the oven she happily jumped out of the kitchen to go play.
Next, Zach was thrilled to help with the mashed potatoes. Once again opening and mixing was delightful. Jairon helped with the gravy and was thrilled to learn this year we would be using my gravy dish made from the volcanic ash when Mt St Helens exploded in 1980.
Corbyn helped with the candied yams. He helped to make the syrup to pour over the yams. Carefully measuring and mixing the ingredients was so much fun for him. I poured the hot syrup over the yams and placed the pan into the oven for him.
Finally, with everything else ready to go and the ham down to the last 10 minutes Jade was thrilled to make the glaze to cover the ham. Once the ham was glazed we placed the ham back in the oven turned the heat up and set the table.
With the table cloth in place, dishes in place the kids were thrilled to have the opportunity to pull my gold plated silverware out of the special wooden box. The silverware I only let them use for special occasians.
Dinner this year was special for the kids because everyone had a special task they got to help with from cooking to setting to cleaning up from. This also helped me. I am still getting over my bronchitis and get worn down very easy. They loved being able to help, I loved not having to do as much yet everything got done.
With all the all the extra help the kisd gave it was really a wonderful and fun day with the kids.
Tomorrow we are going to stay home where it is warm, watch movies, make Christmas decorations, and enjoy each other.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Special Mail for the kids today
The disc was in the VCR right away.
They were expecting to just hear the voice of their father reading the book
However, as soon as he appeared on the screen they all started to scream with joy as daddy was not only holding the same book they just opened but was sitting there reading it on the TV screen.
The looks of joy as the kids were not only sitting but were jumping around the room. Suddenly, the kids were silently flipping through the pages as daddy read the book to them.
It was not long before our dog also realized that daddy was on the TV talking. Confused she could not understand why he was talking and sitting there but not responding to her. She starting licking the screen and was barking at him as well.
Oh the Places You Go
All the Way from Afghanistan!!!
Setting up the Christmas Tree
time to watch Polar Express
Found More Halloween Pictures!
Halloween party and parade of costumes
Cardboard stick figure daddy. The kids favorite halloween creation this year!
cakewalk time
time to trick or treat
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Autism, OCD, Birthday Presents, and Dying Curiousity
What is a child to do when she is just about to have a birthday and KNOWS that birthday presents are being snuck into a bedroom to be hidden. Combine this combination to a child with Autism and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and one just HAS to know what is hidden where.
Well, this is exactly what happened and the drive to know has created not only tears but disapointment and the loss of a suprise. Not only is the suprise gone but now the birthday girl knows she has a special gift, what that special gift is, and it is eating at her that she can't touch or see it until her birthday party. The thrill of the suprise is also gone for the big sister who worked SO hard to find the perfect gift.
We have now had several conversations about what it means to have autism (again) and now autism combined with OCD. We have also had to talk about what OCD is, why this was NOT brought up before now, and why this is something to learn to manage as it is just a part of of who our wonderful daughter is and what makes her so unique.
How do you explain to children that just because they are made different does not mean they are broken, or wrong, or unwanted, or have no potential. Everyone thought Einstein or Hellen Keller would amount to nothing. If you expect nothing from your child they give you nothing. If you expect the world, they give you world.
Children with autism and OCD are very much like remote control toys. Some are only wired to move in one direction. Others in two directions. While others a few more directions, then some can move in any direction imaginable. Does this mean the toys moving only forward are broken and therefore should be discarded?
Of course not. We learn to adjust our dreams and dream new dreams for our wonderful children. We learn to teach our children that everyone who desires can become an Einstein. Our job is to find the one thing that our children excel at and help them continue to move forward a little more each day.
While for the normal or neurotypical child the smaller world the child with autism fits into is difficult to understand, they with time will learn to help their sibling continue to move forward as well. These worlds will clash many times throughout their lives. These children will become adults one day. Yet, their childhood experiences hopefully will teach everyone the coping and communication neccessary to break down the barriers when the worlds do clash.
Well, this is exactly what happened and the drive to know has created not only tears but disapointment and the loss of a suprise. Not only is the suprise gone but now the birthday girl knows she has a special gift, what that special gift is, and it is eating at her that she can't touch or see it until her birthday party. The thrill of the suprise is also gone for the big sister who worked SO hard to find the perfect gift.
We have now had several conversations about what it means to have autism (again) and now autism combined with OCD. We have also had to talk about what OCD is, why this was NOT brought up before now, and why this is something to learn to manage as it is just a part of of who our wonderful daughter is and what makes her so unique.
How do you explain to children that just because they are made different does not mean they are broken, or wrong, or unwanted, or have no potential. Everyone thought Einstein or Hellen Keller would amount to nothing. If you expect nothing from your child they give you nothing. If you expect the world, they give you world.
Children with autism and OCD are very much like remote control toys. Some are only wired to move in one direction. Others in two directions. While others a few more directions, then some can move in any direction imaginable. Does this mean the toys moving only forward are broken and therefore should be discarded?
Of course not. We learn to adjust our dreams and dream new dreams for our wonderful children. We learn to teach our children that everyone who desires can become an Einstein. Our job is to find the one thing that our children excel at and help them continue to move forward a little more each day.
While for the normal or neurotypical child the smaller world the child with autism fits into is difficult to understand, they with time will learn to help their sibling continue to move forward as well. These worlds will clash many times throughout their lives. These children will become adults one day. Yet, their childhood experiences hopefully will teach everyone the coping and communication neccessary to break down the barriers when the worlds do clash.
Halloween 2010
I just realized I never posted about the kids Halloween adventures this year. We went as stick figures. I do not have many pictures at the moment as my laptop with all the pictures has been dropped and broken and I am waiting until I can get it in to be fixed. I am PRAYING the pictures are still there when it comes back...
The kids had fun trick-or-treating this year. Everytime someone asked them what they were they had a silly little chant they created and said together.
Were so cool!
Stick figures rule!
Neon by day!
Glow by night!
The best part was the fact that their outfits were glowing at night.
After the military party we left for the the church Halloween party. The kids had fun and were so excited to brng their stick figure dad they had created. They worked so hard to make their posterboard dad, so he could go trick or treating with them.
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