A Beautiful Mind Update: Our First Preassessment Visit

On Tuesday, we met with one of the therapists at the clinic that we will be bringing LBB throughout his Autism Evaluation. We are blessed to have good insurance that covers a fairly decent chunk of "preassessment appointments." Since we were told it would be 2 to 4 months before we could get LBB in for his actual evaluation/diagnosis, we get to meet with different therapists between now and then to learn exactly what the Autism Spectrum is, what we can do to help him through his rough times, and they are able to get a feel for what issues he has been having.

The therapist we met with was awesome. She was kind and made what was actually pretty stressful thing not so stressful. And we walked away with some good things...after hearing all of the things that have been going on with LBB, she is going to try to get him into his evaluation sooner than 2 months. We are on the list to accept any cancellations. We are attending a workshop in August that explains the in's and out's of ASD and different ideas to help LBB. And then, she decided that she would "load him up" on consultations between now and his evaluation. (Thank goodness it is billed as a bundle price. lol.) He will be going to:

*Feeding Therapy Consultation---to help build his special diet and help us to learn how to introduce foods successfully to him and his VERY picky appetite. (Sensory issues stink. lol.)

*Visual Consultation---to help us teach him to communicate and understand using pictures because he just can't find the words to tell us what he needs, and most times he just doesn't understand when we ask him or tell him something, even if we repeat 18 gazillion times what we said.

*Occupational Therapy Consultation---to help with his daily routine and to learn coping skills to do the basic things he needs for daily life (like toothbrushing and all that stuff.)

*Speech Therapy Consultation---to help figure out WHERE he should be speech wise, work on his regression of speech, and help him to use actual words instead of words he made up for things.

She also suggested that we talk to our pediatrician about getting melatonin for his sleep issues. I need to research it a bit more, but from the people we've spoken to that have used it for their kids said it helped immensely.

Since the appointment, we switched rooms around, made the dining room his playroom (and used a perfectly sized spot behind the living room for the dining room). We once again have the Master Bedroom, and LBB now has the smaller room, which is much cozier, has a relaxing paint color on one of the walls, and is only filled with books, non-stimulant toys, his bed, and his comfy Pottery Barn chair. We have his Sit N' Spin in his room (which he uses when he is feeling overwhelmed) and a convenient "FEELINGS" poster that we are constantly talking about and referring to. Overall, just that change alone has helped him a bit...he is waking up happy at least, and that is a humongous achievement.

So that's the news. :) I better go because I hear LBB "helping" Daddy rehook the Wii up to the TV...and by helping it sounds more like things are getting tossed around where they shouldn't be. :)

9 Things I've Learned in 1 Week of Healthy Living

Dear Sweet Hubby and I have adopted a healthy lifestyle, and we've made it through the past week pretty well. We've had a few stumbles but we know that is natural, so we have kept on with our new eating and exercise routine. (Although to be completely honest, I've been doing better exercise-wise than he has. lol.) So, here's some things I've learned this week:

1. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the deal. Before this week, I'd hear that and say "What. Ever." :) But the day I skipped breakfast I shoved 6 gluten free chocolate chip cookies in my mouth before noon. Yep. Breakfast is worth it. 
2. Life without caffeine stinks...the first few days. And there will be stumbling days. I was doing great, until yesterday, when an unexpected call from Dear Sweet Hubby that he needed to be picked up because his brakes went out on the way to work set the "caffeine-monster" to work on my head. :) I wasn't even stressed, but by the time I picked Dear Sweet Hubby up, I had a caffeine-craving from heck. I got a Dr. Pepper. And paid for it. Blech. At least my body isn't in cahoots with my brain on this. :)
3. Trying new foods is essential. I thought I din't like strawberries. Then I tried one while cutting them up for LBB. And bam...I was surprised by how much I actually liked them. Maybe it's me being less picky. Maybe it's me knowing that without candy, my sweet options are pretty limited if I only eat apples. But either way, it's for the best. Fruit is GOOD. Candy is not. :) 
4. Being healthy takes time. Lots more than grabbing a Dr. Pepper and a bag of chips for breakfast. There is meal planning for every day of the week. Making breakfast and lunch when I used to skip them eats up time. And that whole "exercise" thing? I am terrible at slotting time for myself during the day...I let LBB eat up a lot of it. But, it's been rewarding to take 5 minutes before bed to sneak in a few more situps. And throughout the day, I sneak in little things to tone up while I'm doing other things.
5. When you take out the nasty food, you find great substitutions. We loved Dr. Pepper. But...the ingredients label is nothing short of scary. I can't believe I've been dumping that many chemicals into my body. However, just saying we were done with it doesn't make that soda craving go away. So, we figured out a great compromise. Natural soda! Reading the ingredients doesn't make your cringe, and goodness, it is good. We have tried two brands so far...the first one I can't remember the name of (but it was super delicious), and this brand: Boylan Soda. Oh. My. Goodness. Yum. Sure, its a bit pricey, but we decided that Friday night we would get to have an all-natural soda as a treat. So, we buy one 4 pack a payday and still spend WAY less than we did on Dr. Pepper.
6. My dad is right: Hydrate, hydrate hydrate. Water is literally my new best friend. I start feeling a headache? Water. A little worn out? Water. Hungry but craving cruddy food? Water. It's been working so well so far. 
7. Eating healthy gets a bit expensive. I totally should've started this on a payday that wasn't so tight money wise, but I'm glad we did, and I suppose that the money we spent on soda can just go to regular, good food. It evens out, mostly. :)
8. We have decided to reserve eating out for vacations only (and even then we plan on getting food at the grocery store for sandwiches and whatnot.) But here's the funny thing...Burger King's wafting aroma of delicious burgers is never more tantalizing than when you are swearing off fast food. :)
9. Once you read one ingredient label, you become obsessed with all the others. And then, you become shocked at the junk we put into our bodies without even thinking twice. Our new motto: Simple ingredients, delicious food, better life. :)

This past week, while full of challenges, had been very "freeing." We fell better (for the most part, minus this lack-of-caffeine-induced sleepiness) and feel more active. I couldn't be happier that we have decided to live healthier...I want to pass on good life habits to LBB and if he sees us shoving junk and drinking chemical water, what is he going to do as he grows up? 

What have been your "healthy-living" challenges and rewards?

Adventure

A month or so ago I wrote about how Dear Sweet Hubby and I were re-prioritizing. And we're on a pretty good start...we are selling what we don't need, donating what people don't buy, and have done a pretty good job of not buying things we DON'T need.

And I will admit...while it hasn't been the easiest to accomplish, and while we still have a looooonnnnggg way to go, simplifying and refocusing has been exhilarating.

We have so many material possessions that are, in essence, suffocating us.

We eat unhealthy, processed foods that are, in essence, killing us.

We have big goals. Attack our debt. Sell what we don't need. Eat whole and good food as we were made to.

And in the long haul, we have big goals to travel and explore the world around us, near and far. I want to teach LBB that there is so much more to life than the complex existence that society deems as necessary. I want us to explore, dream, and create. I want us to walk in other people's shoes and see how other people live.

I want to embrace our gypsy souls.

My feet yearn to walk new paths.
My heart calls out for new adventure.
My mind begs to take in new sights and learn new things.

Sometimes I think that since we are a little, middle class family that we should be satisfied with living through the daily grind. Sometimes I think that since I am a loving, stay at home mommy that I should be satisfied with going about our normal routine.

And while I love our life. And I love being at home and doing fun projects...I want there to be more. I want to do more with my two guys. I want us to explore. I want us to discover. I don't want our homeschooling to be confined to a classroom. I want LBB to see the world as his classroom.

Strangely enough, I hear Belle from Beauty and the Beast singing in my head right now: "I want much more than this provincial life, I want adventure in the great wide somewhere."

:)

I'm blessed by God to have a hubby who feels the same as me. He's just as excited to start our journey as I am. :) And while it will take lots of work, and a substantial amount of time, to get to the point where we want to be (debt free and able to adventure when, how, and where we want) we will get there. :) 

Thanks again for listening to some more "adventure ramble" from me. It's been a pretty big part of life right now...and something that I don't plan on having go away anytime soon. I want to start blogging our efforts to live life to the fullest...at first, the simplifying and downsizing of accumulated crap, sharing some world cuisine recipes that we are eager to try...and hopefully, in the near future, sharing our trips and adventures. :)

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

This post has been in my heart for a week or so now.

Well, actually, I suppose I could truthfully say for a year or so. :)

And I still go back and forth on the timing of writing this, but deep down I feel like we are beginning a new journey in our family life, so it seems right to "let it out" now. :)

The difficult thing about all this is knowing that LBB is super awesome and wonderful, but then not knowing why he was acting the way he was. A year ago, little flags started popping up that began to make us wonder. And worry. But mostly wonder...

"What is processing through our sweet boy's little noggin?"

LBB is incredibly smart. I'm not saying that to boast, I'm saying that to make sure that everyone knows exactly how proud we are of him and how cherished he is. I know I shouldn't have to say that, but part of me feels the need to "disclose" on things. I've got to get over that. He's so smart that when he dropped his flashlight and the pieces went flying all over the place, he decided that since Mommy and Daddy had written the flashlight off as broken, that he would have to fix it. And fix it he did. Our 2 year old grabbed all the pieces and reassembled his flashlight, then proudly said "I fix." His mind is super technical like that...now I totally understand why he can whip through a puzzle in seconds.

But there are things that are concerning, and while I am not going to dive into them right now (when we find out more concrete things, I will be more than happy to share so maybe we can help someone else), we finally hit a breaking point last week. I just couldn't figure out what to do anymore to help him when he was feeling a little "crazy." After a year of debating and trying to figure out if he was a normal toddler or if this was something more, we finally made an appointment. And this time, with a new pediatrician.

And this new pediatrician? A blessing in disguise. She listened. She made notes. She observed. And most importantly, she didn't make her decision based on the 20 minutes that he was sitting in her office. She took everything into consideration. We had a hunch that what we thought was a very good possibility, but we aren't professionals. So when she said:

"I am going to give you a referral. I have a pretty good feeling he will fall on the Autism Spectrum."

We weren't surprised. While LBB is verbal, he is technically behind other kids his age. And there is a whole list of other things that are flags, not to mention that she also thinks he will be diagnosed with Sensory Processing issues as well. (That one is pretty much a given...spend 1 hour with our sweet boy and you'll be convinced of it too.)

So I was so unsure of writing this...do I wait until we have a full, accurate diagnosis? There is the chance that he doesn't fall on the spectrum. There is a chance that he is the average, normal toddler. But the fact that there is a big chance that he will be on the spectrum is what pushed me to write this. Deep down, I feel like he will be...my heart has already embraced that. It feels like the piece of the puzzle we've been missing. If he isn't, well, then my gut instincts were wrong, but at least I know I cared enough to find out. And if he is, well, then, we are lucky that we noticed early, because early intervention is best. :)

The thing is, whether he is or isn't, God made him with a purpose. God created him to be just the way he is meant to be. And while that's no excuse for when he misbehaves, it does make me realize that he is very unique, and that I am very blessed to be Mommy to such a sweet, caring, creative, intelligent little boy. There is a path for him that God wants him to take...he  may not be your average kid, but that's ok. :) Life with him has taught me to appreciate things and see life differently.

He is fearfully and wonderfully made, and I praise God for that. We are very blessed. Everyday with LBB is an exciting journey. I'll keep our story updated...he will be having preassessment appointments at the clinic that we were referred to while we wait for his actual evaluation (it's a 2 to 4 month waiting list...yikes.) This is the beginning of a new journey for us. Sometimes it's overwhelming, and it is definitely full of new challenges, but I wouldn't trade any of our daily life for the world. :)

I COULD apologize...

...for my obvious lack of posting.

But I won't. :)

Simply because, well, I've been LIVING. Less time writing about life, and more time enjoying it. Less time trying to figure out if I should keep this private or public, and more time focusing on what this blog is actually about.

Life.

I love my little blog. I love that it is here when I want to write. Here when I want to share. And here when I just need a place to put my thoughts. But, I have finally learned that if a day, week, or even month goes by without me writing...well, that's ok. :)

Dear Sweet Hubby and I are refocusing. We're refocusing all of that energy that we've been putting into previous priorities and switching things up a bit. We've had a revelation, and it's been life changing.

There's a spark in each and every one of us. Somedays, it's easy to suffocate that spark. It's easy to just go about your daily life, ignoring the very thing that drives you as a person. And then somedays, you feel that spark  ignite again. You feel alive.

You feel like you are doing what you are meant to be doing.

Dear Sweet Hubby and I have wandering souls. Lucky for us we found each other, and now our souls get to wander together. And, lucky for us (I think), LBB has that same wandering spirit that we have. We aren't content to just "be." There is more that we want to do. More we want to see.

We're realizing that even with our wandering souls, it's ok to have a "ground base." A place to call "home." And we embrace everything about our home. For the longest time, we've beat ourselves up over our decision to stay in an apartment. We felt like the responsible thing was to buy a home. Have a white picket fence. A big furry dog that jumped for joy whenever we walked in the door.

We thought that was our dream.

But it wasn't OUR dream. It was society's dream.

We have finally realized, after 2 years of trying to have a second blessing, that we are meant to only have our one. Our one and only blessing...and a blessing beyond measure. LBB fills our days with so much more joy than I could ever have imagined...and to be quite frank, I don't want to have to spread that focus around. :) It's a decision that we hold very dear, because it is very personal. We've heard some fairly rude comments since we made the decision, but that's ok. We thought it was our dream to have a large family.

But it wasn't OUR dream. It was society's dream.

Finally realizing what we actually wanted in life has ignited that spark in our soul again.

We finally made a decision that balances practical, real life with our wandering soul.

We've spent far too much time trying to figure out whether or not our decisions were based on what we wanted, or what society deemed as what we wanted.

I thought because I stay at home and homeschool that I needed to have more than one child. I thought that because we are nearing our 30's and "grown up" that I needed to own a home.

But, I'm realizing that this is not society's life I'm living. This is mine. And if after lots of prayer, and lots of thought, we finally came to the conclusion that the decisions we have made are the right ones, than I know that we made the right decision.

We are simplifying life. We are getting rid of so many of the material possessions that take over our lives. We are, quite simply, going back to the basics. We are letting go of society's version of what we should be.

In the end, it's the stories that matter. It's the nights of watching LBB kayak with his Daddy. It's the evening walks with dear friends. It's the hikes we take, and the fun adventures we share.

It's getting rid of the unnecessary material possessions and the worldly debt. It's making goals to see new places. Help people in need. That's what matters. That is what I want my life to be. I want to feel that spark I felt when I thought I could see anything in the world...because we can. I want to show LBB that there is something more to life that just the daily grind. More to life than what we have. I want him to embrace his "spark"...the spark that drives him to be the funny, energetic, adventurous, and unique little guy that he is.

It's time for me to start embracing everything that I hold dear. It is time for me to focus on those things. And, if sometimes this blog gets ignored, you know why now. :) We're busy living. We're busy adventuring.

We're busy creating our story. Thanks for reading my very lengthy, very rambly post today. :)

(Check out this TEVA ad. I saw it the other day and it gave me goosebumps because it is everything I've been feeling lately.)

It's Like You Snap Your Fingers...

...and BAM!

LBB grows some more.

And I'm not talking just size wise (although he is now growing like a weed. Just a few months ago he began wearing a 2T...now he's already in a 3T. So much for my "prepared" clothes shopping I did last month.) He's growing "smarts" wise too.

He suddenly picked up beat boxing. You know, like DJ's do? He'll sit there, make all these cool beat-box noises, move his hands around while he does it, and once in a while makes little "wiki wiki" noises. It's the most adorable thing in the world. (But I'll warn you...there's a LOT of spit involved.)

When he's watching Blue's Clues, he is now able to copy EVERY. Single. Thing that Steve does while he sings the Blue's Clues song. He "writes" in his notebook (his hand), does the hand waves, thinks in his thinking chair...it's just insane. A month ago week ago, he wasn't even able to do any of that stuff.

He is chattering like it's nobody's business now (when he wants to, of course.) He likes to tell stories about the ducks he sees, the bike rides he takes, and because he is seriously the sweetest kid in the world, regularly asks "Alright?" if you so much as sneeze, cough, or hiccup. :)

He says sorry. He is working on hugging instead of hitting. He is laughing. Learning. Doing arts and crafts. And "counting" along with us.

I don't know when it happened. Just 2 weeks ago, I was certain that he might be having some issues. And now, not so much. Now we are having a blast watching as his intelligence just blossoms.

Something I Usually Wouldn't Share

Not many people know about this, but about a year ago, I had the nice treat to get tested for breast cancer. I found a lump, had a mini-freak out, and after a very God-blessed moment, got tested and had the results back within 4 days. There's nothing more frightening than not knowing. Nothing more nerve-wracking than kissing your child at bedtime and not knowing what would happen.

Thankfully, the results came back benign. But what I do have is called a Fibroadenoma. And it likes to linger around...apparently this annoying "benign tumor" feels it's ok to just stay with me. I check everyday for changes, but I still worry. The chances of it turning into anything bad is pretty slim, but, if you know me, you know I usually go worst case scenario. :)

However, I've been doing some research, trying to figure out some natural ways to get this thing to either go away or get smaller. Removal is an option, but it's not a guarantee that another one won't form. My nurse said her daughter was about to have her 3rd surgery to remove a fibroadenoma, and quite frankly, I'm not a big enough fan of hospitals and knives to go through that unless I have to. That core biopsy was enough, thank you very much.

One thing I have found is a change in diet. That means a BIG cutdown on caffeine and chocolate (I type this as I just finished a Reese's Peanut Butter cup and have been sipping a Dr. Pepper.) But, currently I can guzzle down about 4 Dr. Peppers a day (yikes), so even just one is cutting back alot. :) Another key diet factor is MORE fiber, MORE fruits and veggies, and LESS meat. So, after having a serious talk with Dear Sweet Hubby yesterday, we are going to dramatically cut back on the meat we consume in our home...1 night of red meat, 1 night of chicken. And the rest? Vegetarian. (With a few fish nights thrown in.)

This means I have to change my whole way of food thinking. I hate veggies. I only like apples. And, to make the diet even more interesting, we have to keep everything g-free for LBB. :) So, this is a whole new journey into cooking and nutrition. I have to rethink everything I know cooking wise.

But.

I know I have to. I know why it's important. And I know that, while it is a big change, it will be a good change.

So, all that being said, if you have a GREAT vegetarian recipe, please share it in the comments section!!!! I can use all the help I can get!