It’s hard watching people lose everything they own in these natural disasters. Even more so as a mother and with a child who has different needs.
I’ve chose to donate to specific places that I know are on the ground there.
Diapers and wipes for babies.
Those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Eicher Family
I know there are countless other places that are truly out on foot helping others. Tim has a cousin (plus his wife and their girls who are almost 3 and 1) who had to evacuate their home and luckily her parents are nearby to stay with.
Hard to imagine your life being disrupted so forcefully. Hoping the city can rebuild and bounce back - I’m sure they will!
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Hannah & Preschool: Part 3
Monday was a busy Hannah day - all for good.
At 8am we had our final Help Me Grow appointment with our coordinator and PT - the two we’ve spent the most time with. They’ve helped Hannah since she was an infant! We gave the two women a Hannah Banana shirt and a note thanking them that had photos of Hannah growing up.
I teared up a bit saying farewell. Hopefully not the last time we see them - I promised to update them with how Hannah does in preschool.
Which was our next appointment - 11:15 at the preschool to go over Hannah’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
In the room with Tim and I were the school psychologist, director, two Help Me Grow reps, the ST (the PT and OT could not make it) and Hannah’s teacher, Ms. Booth who seems super sweet.
Her IEP is fairly straightforward - preschool level development. PT includes learning to jump and managing stairs up and down without holding an adult’s hand. ST includes two-word phrases and expressive communication. OT includes following through with tasks like a 4-5 piece puzzle.
Ms. Booth took us to her classroom where we saw Hannah’s name on a cubbie. That’s when I nearly started crying - ! Reality is setting in.
Because Hannah is on an IEP, she is allowed to be picked up and dropped off by the bus at our sitter’s house (this was not an option for Nora in Kindergarten). This is incredibly helpful because I’m not sure with all the schedules we could have done anything else. She will be picked up at 8:50am and dropped off at 11:48am. I wonder how tired my little boot will be??
She’ll ride a full size bus which has 5-point harnesses in. I believe an aide rides the bus to assist kids who need help. If I remember correctly, even a typical kid has trouble getting up those huge bus steps!
I’ll come in late to work that morning to see Hannah onto the bus. I’m already anticipating bawling my eyes out - my baby!
At 8am we had our final Help Me Grow appointment with our coordinator and PT - the two we’ve spent the most time with. They’ve helped Hannah since she was an infant! We gave the two women a Hannah Banana shirt and a note thanking them that had photos of Hannah growing up.
I teared up a bit saying farewell. Hopefully not the last time we see them - I promised to update them with how Hannah does in preschool.
Which was our next appointment - 11:15 at the preschool to go over Hannah’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
In the room with Tim and I were the school psychologist, director, two Help Me Grow reps, the ST (the PT and OT could not make it) and Hannah’s teacher, Ms. Booth who seems super sweet.
Her IEP is fairly straightforward - preschool level development. PT includes learning to jump and managing stairs up and down without holding an adult’s hand. ST includes two-word phrases and expressive communication. OT includes following through with tasks like a 4-5 piece puzzle.
Ms. Booth took us to her classroom where we saw Hannah’s name on a cubbie. That’s when I nearly started crying - ! Reality is setting in.
Because Hannah is on an IEP, she is allowed to be picked up and dropped off by the bus at our sitter’s house (this was not an option for Nora in Kindergarten). This is incredibly helpful because I’m not sure with all the schedules we could have done anything else. She will be picked up at 8:50am and dropped off at 11:48am. I wonder how tired my little boot will be??
She’ll ride a full size bus which has 5-point harnesses in. I believe an aide rides the bus to assist kids who need help. If I remember correctly, even a typical kid has trouble getting up those huge bus steps!
I’ll come in late to work that morning to see Hannah onto the bus. I’m already anticipating bawling my eyes out - my baby!
Friday, August 18, 2017
KINDERGARTEN!
*Blink*
Kindergarten! I think we are just as excited as Nora. She loved preschool and with a broader curriculum, she’s loving it.
Based on having two parents who work outside the home, we thankfully received all-day Kindergarten and tacked on Extended Day AM & PM. This means we drop her off around 7:30am in the cafeteria to play and eat breakfast. She knows Liam, a friend/neighbor which helps. It opens at 6:30 am! When we brought her at 7:30, there were at least 10 kids already. I’m thankful the schools offer this for parents who aren’t able to stick around for the bus schedule.
We’re already starting the nutrition talks. She wanted Jell-O and chocolate milk for breakfast (this and the PM snack are included in fees). I told her that’s fine, but not every day. We need to make good food choices so we don’t get cavities or upset stomachs - !
She has a full day of
W/Thu/Fri are Phys Ed, Art, and Music.
I plan to join the PTA - involvement seems important to me... I think I can manage a meeting a month. 7pm meetings are a touch tricky just because we cram a lot in between 6-7:30pm at our house once we get home.
She bounds home happy to tell us about her day. So far the morning have been great - she’s so excited she gets dressed before she leaves her room - that’s a big deal!
None of it has made me emotional, really. I’m not one who gets emotional over the baby days. I enjoy watching my girls grow and develop. However, our sitter made a book of photos of Nora from about when Hannah was born (2 1/2) to now... After flipping through it, I did get a little choked up. That relationship is four years old and that transition is hard. We have so must trust built between our families and Alison truly cares for our girls.
I’m glad Hannah will continue at least another year under Alison’s care. She’s a vital part of our village!
Kindergarten! I think we are just as excited as Nora. She loved preschool and with a broader curriculum, she’s loving it.
Based on having two parents who work outside the home, we thankfully received all-day Kindergarten and tacked on Extended Day AM & PM. This means we drop her off around 7:30am in the cafeteria to play and eat breakfast. She knows Liam, a friend/neighbor which helps. It opens at 6:30 am! When we brought her at 7:30, there were at least 10 kids already. I’m thankful the schools offer this for parents who aren’t able to stick around for the bus schedule.
We’re already starting the nutrition talks. She wanted Jell-O and chocolate milk for breakfast (this and the PM snack are included in fees). I told her that’s fine, but not every day. We need to make good food choices so we don’t get cavities or upset stomachs - !
She has a full day of
W/Thu/Fri are Phys Ed, Art, and Music.
I plan to join the PTA - involvement seems important to me... I think I can manage a meeting a month. 7pm meetings are a touch tricky just because we cram a lot in between 6-7:30pm at our house once we get home.
She bounds home happy to tell us about her day. So far the morning have been great - she’s so excited she gets dressed before she leaves her room - that’s a big deal!
None of it has made me emotional, really. I’m not one who gets emotional over the baby days. I enjoy watching my girls grow and develop. However, our sitter made a book of photos of Nora from about when Hannah was born (2 1/2) to now... After flipping through it, I did get a little choked up. That relationship is four years old and that transition is hard. We have so must trust built between our families and Alison truly cares for our girls.
I’m glad Hannah will continue at least another year under Alison’s care. She’s a vital part of our village!
 |
| Age 5! |
 |
| Mom has no say in her attire or accessories! : ) |
 |
| Watch out for runny-nosed pirates! |
Hannah & Preschool: Part 2
*I never posted Part 1 - it was essentially the preschool Psychologist coming to our home to get general information and let me know the process of how to get an IEP and the steps we’d be taking to evaluate Hannah.
This morning we took Hannah to the preschool to be observed. We sat in a classroom while the school psychologist asked us questions - mostly behavioral/communication. There was a teacher, an OT, PT and ST in the room to play with Hannah while they observed her, took notes and asked questions.
It was a good hour - Hannah loved playing with them all and checking out the room.
They all enjoyed her. Hannah waved bye and asked for hugs. The teacher even said, “We may have to fight over this one,” - as if she wanted to keep Hannah in her class : ) (Hannah does not have a teacher assigned yet)
So we are excited but nervous. Hannah will love school! It’s just hard to see my little nugget out of her safety bubble; home and the babysitter! Thankfully we know many other parents whose kids with Ds attended and loved it. One little girl has already been attending and Hannah has a friend, Joe, who is her age and enrolling, too. So we’re glad we have our network!
On Aug 28th, we’ll say goodbye to Help Me Grow - I will bawl. They have been with us since nearly Day One and I’ve leaned a lot on them. Early Intervention is “only” for three years.
That afternoon we’ll go to the preschool and write out Hannah’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
So many changes!
This morning we took Hannah to the preschool to be observed. We sat in a classroom while the school psychologist asked us questions - mostly behavioral/communication. There was a teacher, an OT, PT and ST in the room to play with Hannah while they observed her, took notes and asked questions.
It was a good hour - Hannah loved playing with them all and checking out the room.
They all enjoyed her. Hannah waved bye and asked for hugs. The teacher even said, “We may have to fight over this one,” - as if she wanted to keep Hannah in her class : ) (Hannah does not have a teacher assigned yet)
So we are excited but nervous. Hannah will love school! It’s just hard to see my little nugget out of her safety bubble; home and the babysitter! Thankfully we know many other parents whose kids with Ds attended and loved it. One little girl has already been attending and Hannah has a friend, Joe, who is her age and enrolling, too. So we’re glad we have our network!
On Aug 28th, we’ll say goodbye to Help Me Grow - I will bawl. They have been with us since nearly Day One and I’ve leaned a lot on them. Early Intervention is “only” for three years.
That afternoon we’ll go to the preschool and write out Hannah’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
So many changes!
Thursday, August 17, 2017
The Grown Ups
There’s been a lot of news around Down syndrome lately. I’ll post more on that later because it will be a big soapbox - ! However, I’m looking forward to this documentary on PBS:
The Grown Ups
I’m surrounded by cute and fun toddlers with Ds, but don’t have much exposure to school-age kids or even adults. The closest I’ve come is reading into Paul Daugherty’s life.
This will be a great documentary to get a look into the lives of adults with Ds and their aspirations vs. laws and rules that stifle them.
The Grown Ups
I’m surrounded by cute and fun toddlers with Ds, but don’t have much exposure to school-age kids or even adults. The closest I’ve come is reading into Paul Daugherty’s life.
This will be a great documentary to get a look into the lives of adults with Ds and their aspirations vs. laws and rules that stifle them.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Nitpicking
Of all that is holy in this world, I never, never, ever wanted to deal with lice. Now I have. I lived - barely.
*This is a long saga, so get comfortable.
Last Tuesday evening - just as we’re getting back into the swing of routine after our busy two weeks, Nora was laying her head on my lap and I randomly combed my hand through the back of her head. I saw them. Them. Lice. Absolutely minuscule bugs chilling in my child’s hair. And eggs.
I pride myself on a clean house. Bugs don’t really bother me. Bugs in my child’s hair freak me the hell out. I knew not to freak out in front of Nora so I silently screamed at Tim and he ran out to get a lice kit. Specifically, we got Nix Ultra - which claims to kill both lice AND nits (eggs).
We didn’t even think or question and immediately doused Hannah’s head first - only because it was already her bedtime. I found about 5 (now dead) lice on her head. No nits. I kept Nora in the kitchen and threw a tarp down ( I didn’t know what I was doing ). Doused her head with the treatment and waited the 10 minutes while frantically texting a college friend who had been through this twice.
Once Hannah was asleep, Tim started stripping beds, throwing stuffed animals in garbage bags (either wash them or seal them for 3 weeks). Vacuuming furniture, spraying mattresses...
The directions said to next shampoo. Then we got to combing. Each swipe of the comb had some dead lice. I was horrified. HOW could I have let this slip by - and for how long??
In early June, Olivia, who is watched by our sitter, unknowingly brought lice into our sitter’s home from camp. When we returned from vacation, end of June, our sitter said they had battled lice in their own hair. So I thought it was resolved. Shame on me for not even checking Nora! Not only was Nora infested, but we gave it to the sitter and her daughter again : (
Tuesday night I combed through Nora’s hair from about 8:30pm until she fell asleep on the living room floor at 11:15pm and I finished up in tears of exhaustion and lower back pain at 11:45pm. Then we vacuumed the floor and I tried to go to sleep at 12:30am. And of course Hannah wakes up at 1:30am. She went back to sleep and I think I finally calmed my head by 2:30am. Only to have Hannah wake up at 5:30am.
Needless to say I was a zombie on Wednesday. Tim and I took off work to keep combing through Nora’s hair and clean the house. I did two more comb-throughs of her Wednesday and continued to find a few nits.
Thursday the girls went back to the sitter and Thursday night I still found nits. The reason I’m the only one checking her head is because the combs in those kits are nearly worthless and Tim doesn’t have long fingernails. Those combs do not pull nits off hair strands - I was finding and pulling by hand! *Nits don’t just flake off in your hand - they stick to the hair stand, so you have to scrape it down/off the strand with your fingernail - or a professional comb.
My nerves had had enough and the weight of just ME finding and ridding all the nits was too much. I made an appointment at Lice Slayers on Friday at 4pm - the earliest we could get in.
It was in an old building, one employee was there and the space was very nice and simple - resembled a salon which I appreciated - made for a more comfortable experience.
Hannah’s head was clear, thank heavens. Nora still had nits and the employee proceeded the the treatment. First, she used what looked like an old vacuum with a brush head and spot-heated Nora’s head. Not sure how this is any better than just using a hair dryer at home... ?
AirAlle
Then she sprayed Nora’s hair down with some cream and got to combing - she used this comb that I thankfully ordered on Amazon. I saw other professionals use this comb and I watched her rake Nora’s entire head and that thing found all the tiny hiding nits!
Terminator Nit Comb
She ended spraying Nora’s head with a mint oil mixture and a shower cap - we were to wash her hair with Dawn when we got home. I felt a huge weight off my shoulders having a professional do a deeper dive on Nora. I don’t care that it cost $165 - worth it for my sanity. We have to keep checking Nora every 4 days for the next two weeks.
I’m anxious for my comb to arrive. I also purchased Fairy Tales Repel Spray as a preventative measure as school starts. From what I’ve read, lice are clinical proven to stay away from mint oil. Now that I can pause and think, I won’t use chemical OTC kits again - if we have another occurrence! It seems natural oils have their way with lice. The technician said many lice are becoming resistant to pesticides and chemicals - of course.
I did a check on Nora last night and she appears to be free. Once my comb arrives, I’ll do two thorough comb-throughs and hope we never have to deal with this again... !
Tim and I still appear to be clear. I use hair product every day and anecdotally have heard that will keep lice away. A teacher I know was told to wear product in his hair every day simply to ward off any lice threat - !
Hindsight is 20/20. I’m still mad at myself for not checking Nora’s head back when we learned the sitter had dealt with it. I also know to be more preventative - teach Nora “If it touches our hair, don’t share.” Do regular checks and use preventative products when a lice alert happens!
NOW I know the true meaning of “nitpicking” and will never use that word without shuddering again.
Professional Help:
The Lice Slayers
Simplicety
Lice Doctors
*This is a long saga, so get comfortable.
Last Tuesday evening - just as we’re getting back into the swing of routine after our busy two weeks, Nora was laying her head on my lap and I randomly combed my hand through the back of her head. I saw them. Them. Lice. Absolutely minuscule bugs chilling in my child’s hair. And eggs.
I pride myself on a clean house. Bugs don’t really bother me. Bugs in my child’s hair freak me the hell out. I knew not to freak out in front of Nora so I silently screamed at Tim and he ran out to get a lice kit. Specifically, we got Nix Ultra - which claims to kill both lice AND nits (eggs).
We didn’t even think or question and immediately doused Hannah’s head first - only because it was already her bedtime. I found about 5 (now dead) lice on her head. No nits. I kept Nora in the kitchen and threw a tarp down ( I didn’t know what I was doing ). Doused her head with the treatment and waited the 10 minutes while frantically texting a college friend who had been through this twice.
Once Hannah was asleep, Tim started stripping beds, throwing stuffed animals in garbage bags (either wash them or seal them for 3 weeks). Vacuuming furniture, spraying mattresses...
The directions said to next shampoo. Then we got to combing. Each swipe of the comb had some dead lice. I was horrified. HOW could I have let this slip by - and for how long??
 |
| Armed. |
 |
| Give me a flipping break - that Mom ain’t smiling, dummies! |
In early June, Olivia, who is watched by our sitter, unknowingly brought lice into our sitter’s home from camp. When we returned from vacation, end of June, our sitter said they had battled lice in their own hair. So I thought it was resolved. Shame on me for not even checking Nora! Not only was Nora infested, but we gave it to the sitter and her daughter again : (
Tuesday night I combed through Nora’s hair from about 8:30pm until she fell asleep on the living room floor at 11:15pm and I finished up in tears of exhaustion and lower back pain at 11:45pm. Then we vacuumed the floor and I tried to go to sleep at 12:30am. And of course Hannah wakes up at 1:30am. She went back to sleep and I think I finally calmed my head by 2:30am. Only to have Hannah wake up at 5:30am.
Needless to say I was a zombie on Wednesday. Tim and I took off work to keep combing through Nora’s hair and clean the house. I did two more comb-throughs of her Wednesday and continued to find a few nits.
Thursday the girls went back to the sitter and Thursday night I still found nits. The reason I’m the only one checking her head is because the combs in those kits are nearly worthless and Tim doesn’t have long fingernails. Those combs do not pull nits off hair strands - I was finding and pulling by hand! *Nits don’t just flake off in your hand - they stick to the hair stand, so you have to scrape it down/off the strand with your fingernail - or a professional comb.
My nerves had had enough and the weight of just ME finding and ridding all the nits was too much. I made an appointment at Lice Slayers on Friday at 4pm - the earliest we could get in.
It was in an old building, one employee was there and the space was very nice and simple - resembled a salon which I appreciated - made for a more comfortable experience.
Hannah’s head was clear, thank heavens. Nora still had nits and the employee proceeded the the treatment. First, she used what looked like an old vacuum with a brush head and spot-heated Nora’s head. Not sure how this is any better than just using a hair dryer at home... ?
AirAlle
Then she sprayed Nora’s hair down with some cream and got to combing - she used this comb that I thankfully ordered on Amazon. I saw other professionals use this comb and I watched her rake Nora’s entire head and that thing found all the tiny hiding nits!
Terminator Nit Comb
She ended spraying Nora’s head with a mint oil mixture and a shower cap - we were to wash her hair with Dawn when we got home. I felt a huge weight off my shoulders having a professional do a deeper dive on Nora. I don’t care that it cost $165 - worth it for my sanity. We have to keep checking Nora every 4 days for the next two weeks.
I’m anxious for my comb to arrive. I also purchased Fairy Tales Repel Spray as a preventative measure as school starts. From what I’ve read, lice are clinical proven to stay away from mint oil. Now that I can pause and think, I won’t use chemical OTC kits again - if we have another occurrence! It seems natural oils have their way with lice. The technician said many lice are becoming resistant to pesticides and chemicals - of course.
I did a check on Nora last night and she appears to be free. Once my comb arrives, I’ll do two thorough comb-throughs and hope we never have to deal with this again... !
Tim and I still appear to be clear. I use hair product every day and anecdotally have heard that will keep lice away. A teacher I know was told to wear product in his hair every day simply to ward off any lice threat - !
Hindsight is 20/20. I’m still mad at myself for not checking Nora’s head back when we learned the sitter had dealt with it. I also know to be more preventative - teach Nora “If it touches our hair, don’t share.” Do regular checks and use preventative products when a lice alert happens!
NOW I know the true meaning of “nitpicking” and will never use that word without shuddering again.
Professional Help:
The Lice Slayers
Simplicety
Lice Doctors
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