Marker Mischief and Locked Doors

I keep making a list to update this blog and I keep not getting around to it.  Part of the reason is because I was working on Kirsten’s photos from Reagan’s adoption finalization.  I really loved how the photos turned out, but there is no way I’m ever interested in being a photographer for a living.  Now I know why they cost so much!

Last week Charlotte seemed awfully cranky.  I happened to look inside her mouth and noticed her throat on the right side was super swollen…like freakishly swollen.  I asked Chris to take her to the doctor the next day and he did after she had therapy.  The doctor said her right tonsil was inflamed, but for no obvious reason and that her right ear was slightly red, so a possible ear infection beginning.  She got some antibiotics and seems to be feeling much better.  She’ll have to back to the doctor either this week or next.

Guess what else?  Charlotte is starting to put words together!!  She says ‘Hi towt’ and ‘hi dah-ee’ and ‘hi momma’.  She also says ‘bye <insert name>’ as well!  So cute and we are so excited with her progress.  No if only we can get her to just use a word to begin with instead of shrieking at us!  I can’t take the high pitched shrieking anymore.

So now for some recent adventures with a stay-at-home-dad!

I bought some new dry erase markers for the white board.  They are double tipped markers, so a different color on each side.  We’ve also quit using the bungee cords for the table.  You can see where this is going.

While Chris was using the bathroom, Cooper pushed a chair over and pulled every marker down, one by one.  When they dropped on the floor Charlotte proceeded to take all the tops of the markers.  Cooper scrambled down and by the time Chris came back they had scribbled all over the floor, walls, couch pillows, and themselves.  That’s some good teamwork!  (The only reason he knew how they did it is because he watched them do it again later.  Thank goodness for dry erase markers because it came off really easily, except for the pillows.)

Chris was out in the garage getting some lunch and quickly checking on the drying paint on the bed he’s building.  He tried to get back inside, but Cooper, who has learned to lock and unlock doors, had turned the deadbolt on Chris!  Unfortunately Chris also parks in front of the garage doors (which flip out instead of roll up), so he had to crack open the garage door and roll out.  Then when he checked the front door, Cooper had also locked that!  He went to the sliding door on the patio and again Cooper had locked the door!  Chris coaxed him into unlocking the door, but Cooper was standing there laughing and smiling at him thinking it was the best game ever!

Happy Anniversary!

Today Chris and I have been together for 11 years!  No photo montage this year, but you can enjoy last year’s:

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Learning to get dressed

Charlotte had to take a week off from therapy because she was sick.  She is back at it this week and doing well.  The first week with the new schedule was tough, especially because during the 2 hour therapy, she has 4 different sessions with 3 different therapists (one person does the first and last session).  This means she has to deal with transition, which is something she really, really struggles with. 

The first week she had a complete melt down for at least 10 min when they changed therapists and activities.  This week she did really well with the transitions and only fussed for a minute or so.  This is really great because we’ve been working hard at home on transitions. 

We prepare her by describing what we will be doing next (the idea of next was something we also had to teach her because she would fuh-reak out if we mentioned that we would be taking a bath next, but she really wanted to read for example).  If she gets upset, we take a moment to help her calm down by giving her hugs and cuddles and showing empathy (I know you’re sad, but we can still have fun when you’re ready).  We also give her lots and lots of choices (the shoes she wears, jacket on or off, help from mommy or doing it herself, etc). 

They’ve noticed that she is doing much better at spontaneously mimicking sounds and actions by both children and adults.  She has to work on going up and down stairs by taking one stair, foot to foot rather than stopping on each stair with both feet.  (Part of her problem is that she is so short!)  She also has to work on starting with the opposite leg she is most comfortable with (to help even out her sides a bit more).

She is working on following directions and then making her own choices.  First an adult shows two activities while she observes, then she gets to choose which activity they do.  She is starting to understand that concept much better.  Helping her understand choices was a difficult task for us.  We use to ask her ‘Choose one plate, the blue one or the pink one.’  She would always point to the one she did NOT want and then get upset for giving her the wrong plate.  We had to rephrase the question to ‘Show me which plate is Charlotte’s plate’ for her to understand.  This has helped her learn how to choose an item/activity.

She is also starting to make a lot of strides socially.  She plays well with other children, is beginning to seek their attention involve them in activities, she shares willingly by offering toys or sharing when asked, and she also spontaneously signs ‘mine’.  This is a big deal because she is really starting to learn to communicate her needs with signs and words, rather than just throwing a tantrum.

The last area we are working on is learning how to get dressed and undressed.  Charlotte used to do this all the time.  Remember this and this and this and this and this?  In July 2009 when we really started having concerns about Charlotte’s development because she just seemed to stop doing so many things (especially with her speech), I don’t think we realized that she forgot how to get dressed/undressed.  We just assumed she lost interest.  It wasn’t until they did the occupational assessment in February 2010 that we realized she didn’t know how to get dressed or undressed anymore.

She’s a quick study!  She can get dressed and undressed mostly without assistance, but we make her practice all the time.  We’ve noticed that something requires even a tiny bit of effort and she can’t do it in one try, she gives up  and either moves onto something else or begins to throw a tantrum.  We are trying to teach her patience and perseverance.

(Okay so after that really long update about Charlotte, I’m getting to the funny part of this post.)  Since you know we have almost twins, the things we work on with Charlotte, we also end up working on with Cooper too.  Although I would prefer not to teach Cooper to get undressed (especially since he has an affinity for being naked and pooping on the floor), it’s not reasonable to make Charlotte practice and not Cooper (also because it seems to motivate Charlotte if Cooper is doing it).  I’d say Cooper has nearly mastered it.  He was dressed in his normal clothing, shorts and a t-shirt.  Chris was not paying attention and a few minutes later, this is what Cooper was wearing:

Change of Plans

Our move plans have changed.  In short we will no longer be taking an international assignment.  We are considering many other options, including a move back to Denver.  I still have a few different options for career within my company, but it’s also a good time to make a move to another company without leaving too much on the table (reputation, pension, etc).  I think we’ll just take a wait and see approach.

I spoke with the hiring managers and they point blank asked if I was willing to work 10-12 hour days.  I was honest and direct and told them that I was not interested, nor willing to work those kind of hours.  They tried to reorganize to reduce the work hour expectation, but were unsuccessful.  They offered me an alternative engineering job if I was still interested in working overseas.  That job did not interest me, nor allow me to grow my skill set, so I turned it down as well.

I’m disappointed that we won’t get this amazing opportunity, but I’m really okay with my decision.  I value time with my husband and my children.  Although I love my career, I will never choose my job over my children.  I will also never choose money over family or career growth.  I know this about myself and that’s how I know I made the right decision.

New Blogs I read

I started reading a couple new blogs.  Jen recommended one of them to me.  It’s about a stay at home dad with his 4 children, two of who are boy/girl twins.  Although I couldn’t be more different in parenting style when it comes to discipline (in fact it makes me cringe to read how they discipline), I still enjoy reading his adventures.  I think he is a pretty good writer and I feel like it gives a me a view into what Chris deals with everyday.  (I’ve begged him to start a blog…but it’s just not for him.)

The other blog is simply amazing.  The birth story is what drew me in.  It is by far the BEST birth story I have ever read.  Her photos are stunning and her writing takes my breath away.  Kelle Hampton is incredibly talented.

And of course, Knock Off Wood.  I’m just so impressed!  And, the best part?  I talked Chris into building this bed for the guest bedroom.  He aims to have it complete just in time for Mikael and Che to come visit on March 22nd!