Update on Us, Since I Don't Do much of That Anymore

Steve:

He just finished the local production of Willy Wonka. He wasn't any particular part, but he was in the background and helped with the scenery and props. He got to pull Augustus Gloop through the pipe. We took the boys to see the play and both boys were excited to see Daddy. Cam even got to see it twice, once with us and once with his school class. Steve loved it, and I think it made him happier. I don't want him to NOT be happy, so I have decided to not fight him on his plays.

He's still working hard for our family. I love him so much.

Cameron:

He's in the DACC class at a new school. Most of his old friends are back, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. His one friend is not always nice, and I worry that he might follow her example. Thankfully, he's still a sweet boy who is always concerned about others.

He's doing fairly well on his Ritalin and since we started giving him a small dose at bedtime, he hasn't had the screaming/fearful problems that he's had in the past.

He's still doing speech therapy and occupational therapy, and seems to be doing well at both.

His new love is Skyping with a friend on a weekly basis. We have missed a few times, but when we do get the opportunity he just laughs and laughs. (Mostly the conversations between the two 10 year old boys consists of farting noises and covering the camera. Such goobers!)

Jacob:

This little boy is VERY busy. His favorite thing to do is push buttons. He tries to push the buttons on the computer, microwave, tv...anything that has buttons and is at his height.

Jake also LOVES playing outside. Lately we've had a few blizzards blow through, and that hasn't stopped his love of being outdoors. Grandma has outfitted both boys with snow pants, waterproof gloves, hats and boots. They love to help shovel the sidewalks, although, Jake puts more ON the sidewalk than was there to begin with. We even got him his own shovel, one that is JUST his size.

Jake is also a little talker. He repeats almost anything he hears, which has led us many times to the bad word discussion. (Not just from hearing those words from the tv...*blush*) He LOVES to say prayers and if given the opportunity will bless "gamma" over and over. Needless to say, Grandma LOVES his prayers.

Jake has also been having some coughing/breathing issues. I've taken him to the doctor's office TWICE to see if there's anything we can do. After discussing it with the doctor, he thinks that Jake might have asthma. It seems to make sense, but we're taking a wait-and-see approach right now. I can control his cough for the most part, except when he's sleeping. Then he coughs so hard he can't breathe or sleep. It's been a rough few weeks, but I think we're coming out of it.

One more fun update on Jake: He's now sleeping in his big-boy bed! I let him try it out one night, and he's LOVED it. We only have problems with him sleeping there when Big Brother Cameron gets grumpy with him and yells and cries. Jake's learned that sleeping on the big-boy bed allows him the opportunity to come to mom and dad's bed in the middle of the night. I always wake up when he comes in, but I'm so tired and lazy that I just bring him into our bed to sleep. Steve wakes up and wonders how Jake got there.

Me:

I've been crafty. I've learned a basic stitch in crocheting. I never knew that I would love to crochet like I am, but I do and I've made 4 scarfs in 3 weeks. I want to learn more and more. It's almost a sickness, but a good one.

I've been working on a new parenting program with the boys. It's supposed to be a seven week program, but I hurried through it (because it was a "free program" where you pay them, and once you send back the completed survey you get your money back....I needed my money back, so I hurried) and learned a LOT. The program is the Total Transformation and I'm here to tell you that it WORKS!

One night, the boys were fighting, and my usual response is to yell up the stairs for them to be quiet and go to sleep. This night I was actually listening to one of the lessons and I decided to put it into effect. I called Cameron down to me, since he seemed to be the most distressed, and I asked him what was going on. He then complained that Jake was hitting the metal bars on the bed and keeping him awake. So I asked him what he could do about it. I reminded him that Jake might not stop, what could he do the next time Jake beats on the bars. He said, "Ignore him." I said that his idea was great and to try it. Then I talked to Jake. I told him that it wasn't acceptable to bother his brother. I sent them off to bed. I heard more noise, so I got up and went upstairs. I turned on the light, and told Cameron, "Remember, you were going to ignore him." Then to Jake, "Hitting the bed is not acceptable. Stop it now." Then I turned and walked downstairs. No fighting, no negotiating....nothing. There wasn't another PEEP out of that bedroom for the rest of the night.

I was in shock. Are you telling me that this technique WORKED!? On MY boys!? Oh, my goodness, I must do more.

It's fantastic. It teaches parents how to help their children take accountability for their actions and how to solve their own problems. Seriously, it works and I LOVE it.

Our family is doing well. Steve and I have gotten our Christmas shopping done (for the most part, a few small-ish things left, but really, we've got the boys covered and our other big ones as well!) The boys are excited for Christmas, and I'm debating about putting up the tree right now. I know I will HAVE to put it up eventually, but I'm not in the same hurry I used to be in years past. I've learned that our house needs a successful Christmas by not having presents under the tree until Christmas Eve. So I haven't wrapped the presents or put up the tree. Lack of motivation is to blame, I think.

So there's our family update. It's been a busy last month, and we're excited for December and all the fun things to come.