Reason # 3,481... The Half Hug...

Reason # 3,481... The Half Hug...

Evenings are usually a weird balance of manic and structure around here...

By the time I pick the kiddos up from Aftercare and Daycare there is a rush of stuff that needs to be done before bedtime...

Afterschool Activities, Homework, Dinner, BathTime, Bed Time...

It's alot to fit into a 2 or 3 hour window...

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are proving especially hard this year...

Tuesdays are her rehearsal night for her Dance Company.  I have promised her that, as long as she completes her homework, she can continue this...

Wednesdays are our Church Night- She has Bible Study or Praise Team.  Again, I have promised her that, as long as she completes her homework, she can continue this...

Both of these nights put us way out of our routine and we don't even get home for dinner until our normal bedtime...

It has been a challenge over the last few weeks to get home and eat and get ready for bed and for all of us to be nice to each other, because we're hungry and tired and out of routine... But, we're getting it done...

After Company Rehearsal tonight, I asked the kids to get their drinks and sit at the table while I got dinner ready...

I'm standing in front of the stove and I feel this tiny arm reach gently and quietly and quickly around me... And then it was gone...

I was amused at first and asked..."Bean!!!  What was that??? A half hug???"

She replied... "I know we're in a hurry... I'm going to the table with my drink..."

WHOA!!!!!!! WAIT!!!!! STOP!!!!!

We will NEVER be too busy or preoccupied in this house to give FULL HUGS!!!!  The next 10 minutes were filled with the AWESOME, AMAZING, SOUL FULFILLING HUGS that should NEVER be taken for granted...

I know that no one reads these silly notes of mine.... But, if even one person does read this, take the time to HUG and make that HUG SPECIAL... The person that you are giving the hug to is receiving more gifts than you will ever know...

Reasons # 1,218 and 3,474

I am, self-admittedly, a Disney Dork...

No... I'm NOT one of those Middle-Aged-Women-Who-Wear-Overalls-Or-Denim-Jackets-With-Winnie-The-Pooh-Or-TinkerBell-Embroidered-On-Them...

Yes... I AM a person who LOVES Main Street USA-Watching Parades-Seeing Princesses Make All Little Girls Feel Special-Seeing Princesses Make All Little Boys Feel Special-Seeing The Delight On The Face Of A Child High Fiving Mickey Mouse-Knowing In This Minute That The Innocence Prevails Over Ke$ha OrThe Latest Tween Star Bumping And Grinding-Watching Fireworks Over The Castle-Seeing Kiddos Light Up At Quincy As Much As SuperHeros-Dressing Up In Costumes-Cast Members Who Always Know The Extra Special Thing To Do Even If It Is As Simple As A Sticker Or Sharing A Secret Magic Kingdom Secret...

And, yes, I love the special moments and memories...

It's a simple as listening to my sweet, speech-delayed boy re-enact a scene from Fantasmic with huge enthusiasm, including incredible sound effects...

It's my almost tween girl being so excited that she drew a picture for Mickey Mouse and can't wait to give it to him because she believes that it will be just as special for him...

It's my beautiful girl dancing with the Radio Disney Crew with energy and no sense of being self conscious... Being a Rock Star...

It's my boy being so exhausted from happiness that he passes out before his head can hit the pillow...

It's all of the moments of just being silly and laughing and being excited and carefree...

It's nice to spend time away from Speech Therapy and Dr Appointments and Testing and Work and School and Schedules and, well, Just All Of It...

You can call me indulgent... I don't care...

In my mind, I'm already planning our next excursion... Where the Memories Begin...

"A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes... If You Keep Believing the Dream that You Wish Will Come True.."

Thank you Walt...

Reason # 1,210

John John Speak...

My awesome, beautiful, speech-delayed boy has his own language sometimes...

Lately, I've noticed his wonderfully unique way of naming movies or tv shows  that he wants to watch...

'Baby'
'Choo Choo'
'Dance'
'Intin'
'Drop It'
'Princess'
'Monkey'

To the untrained ear, these are very silly, random phrases or babbles... but, I love that I can determine what he wants...

Can you guess???

Baby = Justin Bieber 'Never Say Never'
Choo Choo = Chugginton on the Disney Channel
Dance = Ellies Dance Recital Videos
Intin = The Little Einsteins
Drop It = Rio
Princess = Beauty and the Beast
Monkey = The Lion King

I so love this boy!!!!

Reason # 3,464

I'm not sure which note that I want to write for 3,464... I have two... So I will write two completely unrelated notes in one...
First, I want to write about an incredible person who has touched Beans Life...
Mr. Mike... I've only had the pleasure of meeting him this week, but I've heard such wonderful things about him for a long time...
Mr. Mike works in the cafeteria at Beans school.  He has taken an incredible interest in her and is always asking her to teach him signs.  He is engaged and interested and exactly the kind of person that I want in Beans life.  I found out tonight that he is transferring to another school for a promotion.
I am so proud of him and his wonderful opportunity, but, I am sad that Bean will lose this beautiful soul who encourages her personality...
Second, I want to talk about 'self-soothing'...
This has always been an issue for Bean...
When she melts down, she melts down hard with very little chance of return...
Tonight she reminded me of something... I don't know why it felt so profound tonight, but it brought back a rush of emotions...
When Bean is coming out of a meltdown and needs soothing, she does this thing....
She puts her nose to my nose and runs it gently up to my forehead...  I put my nose to hers and run it gently up to her forehead...
It's so primitive and gentle and silly....
But, it's a very clear sign that she is back to herself...
I so love this girl...
Reason # 3,464

Reason # 3,462

Our Third Sleep Study, and she thinks that she is a pro...
But, tonight was the first time that she opened up and asked the Tech questions...
1,000,005 questions...
Why does this probe go there?  What does it do?  Why do you plug it into that hole?  How does that work?  What does that mean?  What if I "? insert ?", what will happen?  What about this probe?
She asked valid questions about how the brain works and how the equipment works...
It was brilliant!
When she was told that she would have a pin stick in the morning, she equated it to 'Ms Jennifer' and how she does her diabetes tests...
She was so brave and so smart...
The tech told me that she asked the best questions and offered the best answers of any child that he had tested...
So proud....
She made us laugh, and come up with appropriate answers...
And it made me sad...
How is it that this kiddo, that is sooooo smart and so curious, can't write out a sentence at school?  She can't spell out words and can't  come up with stories with words that are provided to her?  She cannot, despite all of her efforts, make her handwriting legible, but she can master scientific ideas?
I know that my girl will go far and succeed, but I fear that the road that she has to face in school is only going to stifle her...
She has been tested and tested, at my request, but no learning disabilites have been caught...
But, I know that they are there....
There is no way that a girl that is this smart, who is so perceptive, can be considered "failing"...
In the long run, she is going to teach us so much... I don't care what the scholastic tests tell us...
She is a brilliant little mind, and she will be keeping us on our toes for many years to come...
Reason # 3,462...