Halfway

Here is where we stand halfway through 2014...not too shabby :)

Hawk Family 2014 Bucket List 

1.  go camping
2.  participate in a race
3.  erin contribute financially
4.  potty train reagan
5.  teach logan how to pedal a bike
6.  1 vacation within the state of Texas
7.  1 vacation outside of Texas
8.  print 2012 & 2013 family photo books
9.  do the 52 week money challenge
10.  build a garden

 

Method of Madness

Below is a list of typical "is your child ready for potty training?" questions:

• Is your child aware of the difference between being wet and being dry? 
• Can he stay dry for at least two hours at a time? 
• Can he sense when he needs to urinate or have a bowel movement?
• Is he capable of reaching the toilet or potty in time (perhaps with your help)?
• Can he undress and dress himself or is he ready to learn?
• Is he motivated at some level to take this next step? 

The only one that we can slightly answer yes to is -can he undress himself.  He is just now perfecting pushing his pants down.  Otherwise, according to this list - Logan isn't ready.  But he will be 4 1/2 years old tomorrow.  He has one year until kindergarten. He needs to be ready to at least start to try to use the potty.  From everything we have read about potty training developmentally delayed and autistic children, potty training can take anywhere from a month to a year.  We need all the time we can get.  

I can't fathom potty training for a year.... 

We are doing the naked all day, every 15-30mins on the potty, follow him around all day long & pump him full of liquid method.  Sweet treats for successes & clean up your own accidents. Pile of presents ready for a poo in the potty...

Day two done.
Not any better and not any worse than day one.

Started this today

& there is no turning back.  

Day one of potty training Logan wasn't awful but it wasn't great.  The morning was better than the afternoon & the afternoon was better than the evening.

Logan after his first ever success in the potty!!!

Here's to hoping each day gets a little easier.

Foto Friday

It's been a short week - but a looooong one.  Amazed how 6 days away from the kiddos can refresh me so much that I forget how to get through a normal day.  We've been spending the week re-adjusting & doing a whole lotta nothing.

thank.goodness.its.friday

BACK!

5 nights & 6 days.  Which computes to 1 billion pictures.

We flew into Vegas last Thursday stayed the night then rented a car to drive through Death Valley up to Mammoth Lakes, CA for a wedding.  Then back to Vegas & now we're home.

It was not only an awesome vacation and break from the kids it was a great experience.  Vegas+RoadTrip+Wedding.  

Here is a glimpse of our trip full of mostly selfies. When you don't have the kiddos it seems the most logical way to take the pictures :)  HOWEVER  we did tote along our nice camera, tri-pod and handy-dandy remote - and used it A LOT!

Enjoy!  (to see these and all the rest of the pictures click here)

Vegas! Day 1: Arrival

Classic selfie in the mirror

More traditional selfie in-front of random Vegas hotel

Day 2: Driving to Mammoth Lakes - through Death Valley

It was hothot.  We got a reading of 111 - but I swear it was hotter than that.  Dry & hot.

This is right around when there was a sign on the road telling us to turn our A/C off to prevent overheating?!! There were several things about that sign that made me nervous - but we made it :)

View coming out of Death Valley.  Post-Card'esque from here on out.

We arrived!!! Our cabin for the next 2 nights

Rehearsal Dinner Time which involved a 20min drive up a mountain to catch a ride further up the mountain via a gonadal...pretty cool

The gondola ride back down - double fisting with my sis-in-law :)

Day 3: Wedding Day!  

A few pre-wedding day activities - campground breakfast, family pics and kayaking with the boys :)

Oh to be young and silly.  Brodie jumping into the VERY chilly water!!

Getting set up for the wedding

Having a little fun with the tri-pod and remote before the wedding :)

Wedding Time!

Reception Time - annnnnd thats where the pictures stopped for the night ;) 10pm-2am on the dance floor we were.  A Moscow Mule might be my new favorite drink, although when you drink that many of them it could be a first and last situation.  We'll see....

Day 4: Post wedding day. Driving back to Vegas - eeek.  Looooong Day :/

   I ?  We? were hungover and we had at least a 5.5 hr drive, this time around Death Valley (the drive through would have been 8hrs).  In retrospect I'm not sure which I would have rather had - an 8hr drive through a hothot desert or a 5hr drive through a super duper twisty topsy turvy road that at one time turned into one lane.  I was a little seasick to say the least.

But we made it & even managed to get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner :)

Day 5: Last full day

Our plan was to spend alllll day at the pool - check.  9am-5pm :)

Dinner & a little gambling filled the evening

 Was this the picture that Kevin won $1.50 or $45?!!

Bye Bye Vegas.

A HUGE, couldn't have done it without you, Thank You - to Isa & Uncle Timmy (aka SuperParents) for taking care of and loving Logan & Reagan while we were gone.  Makes it easier to leave when you know your kiddos are in good hands.

We are back now.  Kiddos are thinking about being sick :/  They missed us - but I don't know how much...haha.  Today Reagan and I had this coversation

Reagan: after naps maybe you and Daddy could go on a trip

Me: we just got back, why would you want us to leave again?  

Reagan: so I can go to Isa's house and sleep in Olivias bed

lol.

Glad to be back.

Stay tuned...

This is us. RIGHT NOW.

In Vegas.  At a pool.  Having beer.  Talking.  People Watching. 

This is what day one of a 6 day kiddo free vacation looks like.

Day(s) 2,3,4 will be a road-trip to California to celebrate a cousins wedding and days 4.5, 5, and 6 will be spent back in Vegas.

Thank you to Isa & Uncle Timmy, Grandma & Grandpa for loving our kiddos enough to take them in and help while we are gone.

BRB ;)

Pics to pass your Tuesday

Do you notice the time on the monitor? 7:06. AM!!!! Logan is still sleeping. YEssssss :)

Reagan requested a puppy dog at Wendy's storytime today :)

Does running through the sprinklers count as a bath?

WhatWhat? Is that a suitcase? Are we going on a trip?! 

stay tuned....

Chatty Cathy

She asks who I'm calling & if I say Grandma or Isa she wants to talk ....and sometimes Isa will put Olivia on the phone.... Reagan gets mega jazzed for those conversations with Olivia. After Reagan's initial cheesin out phase - I can pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.  They are talking about what they did, what they are doing and what they are going to have for lunch :)  

Two tiny girls chatting on the phone.  It's just the beginning...

1st Texas Houseiversary

This day last year .... we moved into our house!!!

July 14, 2013

My 6 favorite things about living in Texas (so far):

1. Our house
2. Living close to family
3. The weather - I'm one of the crazys that likes walking outside at 9pm and feeling the 80 degree air
4. Our neighbors & neighborhood
5. They sell wine & beer in the grocery stores
6. That my bathing suit collection is now larger than my coat collection :o

My 6 Least favorite things about living in Texas (so far):

1. The bugs - I've never been more afraid of ants in my life!
2. The traffic & crazy drivers
3. Kevin's commute to work
4. Putting sunscreen on the kiddos alllll the time
5. My crazy hair got a wee bit more wild with the humidity
6. Close to family is great but it's made me greedy for more.  Get everyone out here! That & I still dream of the house that has a lazy river pool that connects all our families houses

Foto Friday

"I draw a car Mommy"  - Reagan

T.G.i.F

Gene Analysis Results

If you remember way back when (late December 2013) Logan, Kevin & I all had blood drawn to be sent out for a complete gene analysis.  Well those results just came back as of June 27th.  I got a call on June 30th.

Logan has a mutation in the DYNC1H1 gene.

Kevin & I do NOT carry this mutation.  This gene in Logan is known as a De Novo Mutation - meaning   a genetic mutation that neither parent possessed or transmitted.  However Logan did inherit a gene variation (gene GRIA3)  from me that has "unknown significance"  this is different than a mutation.  And not to be focused on.

We have an appointment with a Genetic Counselor in mid August but we did have appointment already scheduled with our Neurologist last week.  We picked his brain but he could only give us minimal information so here is our take on what he said:

This gene mutation is what caused the Ventriculomegaly. 

 The job of this gene is to transport proteins and is a big part of neuronal migration.  This gene assists with the development of the brain - it helps move things where they are suppose to go.  When there is a malfunction, the space still gets filled.  In Logan's case - his ventricles dilated & his corpus collosum is undersized.

Other facts to be known about this gene:

• this gene is known to result in intellectual disability
• prominent lower extremity weakness
• sensory deficits 
• muscle atrophy - hypotonia

.......check, check & check - this is Logan.......

This is the answer we have been waiting for.  This is what makes Logan tick....  a bad shuffle in his otherwise perfect genes. 

There is absolutely nothing we can do about it.  

We had/have a huge list of questions.  More geared for the Genetic Counselor but nonetheless we asked some - one in particular that will, unfortunately, be seared in my(our) hearts forever:

Me:  "What are the chances of Logan passing this along to his future kids" 
Doctor: "I don't think Logan will have kids" 
Me:  heart dropped
Me: "What makes you say that"  
Doctor: "Because of his intellectual capacity"

Done with you Doctor Ian Butler. 

We walked out without making a follow up appointment.  Someone clearly poked him with the pessimist stick one too many times.  Either that or he's never met parents like Kevin & I.  

This kid will go places - we will make sure of it.