Camping, Leashes, and Socialization.

Last week our family went on our much-anticipated family reunion trip to Montana.  This was more than 9-months in the works and was intended to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of my husband's parents.

Extended family drove as much as 20+ hours to be a part of the week-long event which took place in a massive KOA completed with log cabins, RV spaces, and tent sites.

KC and I had discussed, and fretted over how Jacob would react to being in the woods with so much family, away from his structured activities at home, and anything familiar.  I'd recently discovered that Jake was a runner, who doesn't look back and won't stop until something stops him, or he runs into a literal wall.  The thought of him roaming freely in nature without walls to stop him terrified me.

Despite my apprehension, we made it to Montana and pitched our tents.  On day 1, Jacob ran from me twice.  And I'm talking down the gravel road, up the hill, and nearly to the bathrooms before I caught up to him and drug him home.  It's a good thing there were no cars driving around.  Then, it was a matter of, "Jacob, don't touch."  "Jacob, give me the knife."  "Jacob, don't throw rocks at the cars."  "Jacob, don't turn the spigot on full-blast and splash everyone around you."  "Jacob, sticks aren't for poking people."....  You get the picture.

The fist few days were exhausting.  Then I got sick.  I was cramping something fierce, and they seemed to be getting worse with each passing day.  I was taking every chance I could get to lay down, hoping the pain would pass and leaving the stresses of Jacob to the rest of the family.

After one particular break, I re-emerged to be informed that Jake had gotten through the electric fence designed to keep the wildlife out of the KOA and one of our family members had to go under it to retrieve him.  Wow.  Just, Wow.

So, out came the leash.  I had already spent the last 4 1/2 years promising myself I wouldn't become that parent.  You know, the one who has their kid on a leash in public places like an animal or a pet.  I, surely, could find a way to keep Jacob safely within arms reach, right? Nope.  There comes a time when a person must accept the fact that she is wrong, and realize that sometimes it is better to keep your child from being electrocuted than worrying about whether or not they look like a dog on a leash.

Surprisingly, I discovered that Jake liked the harness too.  He'd bring it to me in the morning and have me put it on him.  Sometimes, I'd follow him around, and others I'd let it dangle like a tail trailing behind him.  That darned harness was a lifesaver.  I'm not going to lie.  I'd do it again.

The other epiphany I had while camping was realizing I haven't been socializing Jake as well as I should be.  How incredibly easy is it to just say, "Nope. Let's just stay home today." Or to have the older kids stay with Jake and Courtney while I go out and run errands.  But keeping Jake locked up in our home - whether intentional or not, isn't doing that little boy and favors.  How will he learn social boundaries, how not to touch everything around him, or even how to socialize properly with strangers if he never has opportunities to have those experiences?

We had chances throughout the week to explain to his cousins that he is different and why he is different.  It was an opportunity to educate, enlighten, and show them that though he is different, Jake is still very much the same and likes to play just like every other little kid.

In spite of being sick and having to eventually go to the emergency room, I feel as if the trip was a good one.  I learned a lot, and Jake (I hope) learned a lot and was able to enjoy the experience with his extended family and loved one.  It certainly was an adventure no matter how you look at it!

Tea Anyone? Spending Quality Time With My Daugher

Tea Anyone?

I'm the kind of person who likes to show of lots and lots and LOTS of photos of her kids. Yes, I am one of THOSE moms. Not because I'm bragging that my kid passed kindergarten, or because they made a 'poopie' in the toiled. Though, to be fair, I am a mom with a special needs son, so I make no guarantees. I'm just saying. You've been warned.

I adore my kids. And I find it hilarious that my younger set (6 and 4) is so similar to my older set (19 and 15). Courtney is m y 6-year old and she is the quintessential girlie-girl. If it's pink and sparkles she's game. So it was no surprise when high-pitched sequels and giggles ensued after she found out I was testing a pink and flower themed tea set. So, to torture her giddy little heart, I made her wait until I could take a picture of her with her new toy.  Sorry, the picture isn't the best because she wasn't willing to sit still long enough for me to get good pictures.  

I happened to get this particular teaset for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion. However, this is not the first time I've had this tea set- and the first set I paid full price for – and LOVED. So this tea set was a no-brainer. I knew I'd like it before I got it.

Why do I like this tea set. Several reasons.

1. They are made of sturdy metal. If I stepped on those things because a kiddo left them on the carpet, it wouldn't dent or crush. And it's not the cheap plastic you normally find that fades or cracks if you look at it funny.
2. The design is stinking adorable. Hot pink and flowers. How much better does it get for a little girl?
3. There's enough for a true party. You get 4 plates (about 4” in size) 4 tea plates, 4 tea cups, and a little teapot complete with a top.

The only think you need to be aware of is that they are not designed to actually hold liquids. Since they're assembled using rivets, they aren't water-tight. But that's OK. Less clean-up work for you when the party is over!

The only thing that would keep me from giving the Tea set an A+ is the inability to hold actual liquids. But its report card is a solid A nonetheless. I'd highly recommend this tea party kit. And I'd certainly buy it again.  

Clumsy Children = Childproofing....Again

In a matter of ten days, Jacob has wound up with a goose egg on his forehead the size of a golfball, and Courtney has has two major falls.  Now she's got bruises all over her arms and face.  It looks like she's being abused at home. Her bruises are so bad that I had to e-mail her teacher and let her know what was wrong and ask her to keep an eye out for more clumsiness at school to figure out if she's just clumsy or if I need to have a doctor check her out (inner-ear infection,maybe?).  Gah!

I've come to the point where I'm considering baby-proofing my home for my 6-year-old and my 4-year old!  OK, there's no way to Jacob-proof a home.  But I'm hoping to minimize the damage before Child Services gets called in. 

That's how the babyproofing foam edges came into play.

The picture to the left is how it came (with double sided tape) and the picture on the right is the edging on our table (I'm considering adding it to the wrought iron railing, but black on black doesn't make a good picture, does it!)

I was pretty impressed with this stuff because of how impact resistant it was and how easy it was to install.  Since it was a soft foam, I knew if Jacob hit it full-speed, he wouldn't end up with another giant goose egg.  Plus the tape, meant I wouldn't have to keep re-installing it every time Jake decided to pull it off and use it as a weapon against Courtney (or any other member of the family!)   - OK, at least it slowed him down a bit!

Granted, there aren't enough foam edging in the world to compensate for Courtney falling down the stairs again, but if I can prevent even one more bruise from happening, it will be worth it!

Hopefully these drastic measures won't be necessary for long, and both my children will regain their equilibrium soon!