It's Halloween but it won't start lookin Halloween over here until Grandma & Grandpa, Isa & the kiddos are here, the four cousins are are running around like mad on a sugar high & I'm a glass of wine (or 2) in.

Reagan is going to be a Princess.  At least thats what she says she's going to dress up as.  But at 6pm when we are getting dressed I guarantee their will be a fit.  SuperMoma has a ladybug, ghost and butterfly back up ready and waiting.- because I know my daughter.

Logan is going to be a cowboy because he has boots and a hat and the rest is easy peasy.  There are no back ups for Logan because I know my son & he will be totally jazzed to be a cowboy.

So until tomorrow when the Halloween sugar high settles here are some never seen before phone pics of our last 2 weeks.  

These things never work like I want them to:

Picnic at the park:

Smoothies and Mickey post nap:

Sunny Cornhole with Mommy:

Big helpin:

Grandmas Pumpkin Pie & lots of Cool Whip :

 LOL. This one makes me laugh.  Grandma & Logan must have had a lot of carrots to not need their glasses after dinner:

Crazy sock day at school.  Mommy went for the crazy classy:

All American fun:

A day with Mason-Man

I've been trying to get this kid over to play with Reagan on Wednesday (when he doesn't have school) for the loonnngest time.  Finally Isa let us have him :)

We all had ALOT fun - maybe enough fun that he'll want to come back another day.



Their favorite part of the day? When they asked to go out back when it was pouring & I said OK.  They danced in the rain outback for an hour.  Cause in Texas you can dance naked in the rain on October 30th.

Come back soon Mason.

Sleep

Just about everyday last week I rocked Logan to sleep for his nap.  Maybe because we all had a tough week and were a little restless falling asleep, maybe because we put the box spring back under his mattress and some days he doesn't want to put the effort into climbing back up into his bed, maybe because Moma was needing a little sleepy babe in my arms ...whatever it was, it was nice & surprisingly every time it took less than 10mins before he was fast asleep - the kid loves being rocked.  

And I love rocking him to sleep.

Foto Friday

All the Little People & all of us.

TGiF

October 23, 2013

The day Logan was diagnosed with Autism.

The Childhood Autism Rating Scale -2 was used to determine where he stood on the spectrum  (click HERE to read more of what the test involved) Logan scored a 43.5.  The range goes from 15 (not autistic) - 60 (severely autistic), a score of 30+ puts you on the Autism Spectrum. 

We are still digesting all that happened yesterday.  I can't even begin to gather all of our thoughts - we are still in the whirlwind of our 2hr appointment. 

For the past, almost 4 years we've been trying to figure out just what makes Logan tick -yesterday a Doctor told us that answer - it just doesn't feel like what I thought it would feel like.  

We are sad, confused, questioning.  Autism is such a broad and subjective diagnoses and because of that, it's hard to accept.

I've always become emotionally numb in times when emotion should probably run rampant.  But I know that day will sneak up on me when I least expect it & I'll cry not because Logan has Autism but because life is unfair...

until that day

We've got a long list of to-do's per the doctors request - more blood & urine tests, an EEG, possibly another MRI, follow up visits, books to read, forms to fill out, calls to make.....this is real, this is happening, did our lives just change yesterday at 4pm? 

It may have - but Logan is still the same little boy he has always been, he hasn't changed. We haven't changed.


Be strong.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow at 2pm Logan has his second Autism Evaluation.  If you remember, the first one he had when he was 28 months old & scored one point off of being put on the spectrum.  (May 2012 Autism Evaluation Write-Up)

Deep down I don't feel like Logan is autistic.  I don't know any other autistic toddlers/kids but I know socializing, communication and eye contact are often red flags - and while Logan doesn't excel in any of those areas - they are all there.
 
Big day for him(us) tomorrow think happy thoughts for us.  Happy that we will finally have a diagnoses or happy that he isn't Autistic.  Anything that helps us help him makes us happy.  

Speaking of Happy.....
Guess what came home in his bookbag today?!!!

Best LifeTouch photo, ever!!!!!

high five LifeTouch, I underestimated you.

Docs

As I predicted everything checked out normal with Logan in regards to his excessive thirst and urination. Just a thirsty boy and when you drink a lot, guess what happens?!

Ended the visit with a pair of flu shots - which explains the frowns. 

Daily Dose of Sunshine

Tara, my sister's friend - has a blog.  We know each other via our common connection(s) - Andrea & kids & blogger.  I feel almost like I won a prestigious award when I read her blog the other day and saw that not only did she give me a "Sunshine Award" but she gave me compliments that boosted my spirit 10 fold.  

Thank You.

I blog stalk you & your beautiful family as well.  Click here to see A-Z Family

I will answer the questions she has asked and then pay it forward by nominating more people - because it feels good to be recognized by family & friends and maybe even strangers.

Asked by Tara, answered by Me:

1. Indoors or Outdoors
Outdoors

2. Favorite Store to Shop for YOU
If I were rich - Anthropologie. If I were super classy Banana Republic.  Since I'm neither - mostly Old Navy & Target.

3. Favorite Date Night Activity
I'm not comfortable answering this question on my blog that my parents & family read ;)

4. Favorite Kid Activity
Playing with dry noodles or going exploring.

5. Current Passion
Cooking & Eating healthy 

6. Favorite Book - for you? for kids?
Me - any book that makes me cry.  Currently reading "Never Let Me Go" undecided about it just yet.  For the kids - My Dog Rosie is their favorite.

7. Can't leave home without - or purse must have?
Phone, Wallet, Snacks & Diapers ... in that order

8. Nap or no nap?
Naps for the kids.  No Naps for me.

9. Favorite food to prepare?
Which probably equates to my favorite food to eat which equals any Mexican.  Kevin never messes with me when I'm making Nachos - he knows I make a mean Nacho.

10. Wine, beer or liquor?
If you know me for 5 mins you know the answer to this. WithoutadoubtVino.  I think I just made a bumper sticker.

My nominees because they are the first 3 blogs I check EVERY morning (aside from my sister - Andrea, who has already been nominated) and because of the reasons I explain below:

Kate at Sweet Southern Comfort - because she's a new yet old high school friend that I think if lived closer we'd be even better friends and that's bittersweet. Move to Texas instead of building a new house!!! The house across the street is For Sale, it has a pool ?!!

Lyndsay at Lyndsay & Kurt - because their daughter, Harper is super cute.  Lyndsay is crafty and takes amazing pictures, Kurt is handy and together they are another one of those families that I wished lived closer.

Jenn at Bipolar Mom Life -  because she has a beautiful family and what she's doing in regards to her own personal well being & life is crazy beautiful.  Keep doin what you're doin lady - it's wonderfully passionate.

If you've been nominated by me - my questions are yours ;) Answer them & nominate.
Pay it forward people - it feels good.

The Rules

1. Include the award logo in your post.

2. Link to the person who nominated you.

3. Answer ten questions about yourself.

4. Nominate 3 bloggers to receive the award.

5. Pose ten questions to your nominees.

Sunday Funday

Look at this little gem of a park we found - we went for a mini hike, played, ate...  Kiddos (and Mommy & Daddy?!) had tons-o-fun.

Maybe too much fun?!!!  Cause not only did little Miss no napper, nap - but when Mommy went to go get her cause Grandma & Grandpa were here for dinner she decided to continue to sleep for another 30mins in my arms.  Thanks Moma/Grandma for taking this picture of us - the opportunities to snap pictures of my babies sleeping in my arms are few and far between.  Love this one :)

A LOVEly weekend

and it's not even over yet :o

Friday marked our 5 year anniversary - naturally we planned at a weekend full of love & laughter.  I took a million pictures as usual - but have chosen only one picture for each event and you can see the rest of the pics at your leisure if you follow the link at the bottom :)

Logan had a character parade at school.  He dressed as a Dinosaur in his homemade, gotta love Pinterest, costume his crafty Moma made :)

We drove down to see Daddy's work for the first time and had lunch with him :)

Then stole Daddy from work to play at the bounce house, Monkey Joes :)

Packed Logan and Reagan's bag for a sleepover party at Grandma & Grandpas house :)

Had a drink with Grandma & Grandpa and then kissed our kiddos good-bye for the night :)

Came home and got back into the ole' wedding gown, looked at the wedding album and celebrated 5 years :)

 
Woke up at 8:45! Drank coffee in bed and enjoyed a quiet house :)

Made it back to Grandma & Grandpas for lunch and naps and then stopped at the Pumpkin Patch before heading home :)  

Not sure if there would have been anything that would have made the weekend better.  It was perfect.

Happy Anniversary to us.

More pictures
October 2013

Gettin' Chilly!

Mid October sounds like a good time for the weather to start getting chilly to me.  Zippy hoodies all around were needed at the bus stop this morning. 

Hood up per Reagans request.

On a side note

I got another call from the school nurse yesterday.  She called because all of Logan's teachers have expressed concern? with Logans excessive thirst and multiple heavy, wet wet diapers every morning.  I guess he goes through something like 3 diapers from the hours of 7:45-10:45?!! Crazy talk.  Anywho - I have always known Logan to be a very thirsty boy.  I think I've mentioned it here on the blog several times.  He drinks 3 times the liquid Reagan does.  I never thought anything of it.  If anything it has always made me worry that Reagan wasn't getting enough liquid.

Turns out the nurse and all of Logans teachers think it's something that we should talk with our doctor about.  And it just so happens both Logan and Reagan need their flu shots ... so Monday we go to the doctor.  Only thing excessive thirst and urination means according to google is Diabetes.  

I highly doubt that is the case.  Logan is a very active, oral boy.  He is probably legitimately thirsty from moving around so much and probably enjoys the input he receives when he drinks.  That's Doctor Hawk's guess.  But we'll go to rule everything else out on Monday.

"Push me too high Moma!!"

This is Logan napping right now

one comfy kid:

Snapshots of the weekend.

Foto Friday

They might be snotty and sick but they are still silly & cute.

The babes are not feeling well and I know so because of the large quantity of snot pouring out of their noses and because my little miss no napper is actually napping and because my almost 4 year old boy let me rock him till he was snoring :)

Sleep and feel better cause it's been a long week and it's FRIDAY !!!

Texas House: Playroom

Next up - the playroom.  Had to squeeze these pictures in during naptime cause it hardly ever looks this neat and tidy ;)

Here is the before:

And here it is now.  It's super practical. It fit our old Ikea couch & all their toys.  What more does a playroom need?! 


Of course if money were no object then one day I would like a new, smaller couch - a cute pinstripe sleeper sofa - pretty sure Ikea has one of those.  I'd like to paint the walls ...don't know what color, but there is so much brown in our house gets me a little dumpy feeling.  We already know what kind of art we want flanking the TV.  But it's a playroom - it's low on the priority list of things to do.

Texas House 2013 Pictures

Fun Run!

Today was Logan's Fun Run at school!  It was his & my first fundraiser for the school and each student was asked to get pledges from around the world.  Each dollar amount would be multiplied by how many laps the student could run.  Thank you to those of you that supported Logan & his school cause hold your breath......

Logan did 16 laps?!!!

Here are some pics of Reagan getting ready to go watch Logan race and of Logan at the run - enjoy :)

I got Reagan dressed in the outfit she picked and came downstairs to finish getting myself ready.  This is her when, after a few minutes she shouted downstairs to me, "MomaMOMA! I ready to go to school"  She had put her necklaces on and packed not one but two purses :)  She was SO SUPER excited to go to Logan's school.

Logan, ready to race!!

 Waterbreak

8 laps down!

16 laps was his max - his teacher ended up carrying him for the last lap - But that meant he could come sit with me & Reagan and watch all the other students finish the Fun Run. (That's Mrs. Zirilli, Logan's teacher sitting next to him)

High Five Buddy - Mommy only thought you would be able to make it 1 or 2 laps - how wrong I was :)