Life has been ...
what would be the right word?
hectic?
crazy?
chaotic?
overwhelming?
all of the above?
I'll start with a Maddox update.
He is doing fantastic! We started his in-home intervention program about a month ago. It's been great and he's been responding really well. He's learned 2 signs (more, all done) and has said 3 words (mama, ears, eye). Overall he just seems more aware of what's going on around him and it's easier to snap him out of his self-stimulation behaviors. We are all really excited about his progress.
On the flip side of that, it's also been a hard adjustment. Our program is 30 hours a week. That means teachers in and out 6 days a week, 5 hours a day. That's 6 different teachers and 3 different supervisors coming and going all day long. It's having strangers in your house, playing with your kid and teaching you how to be a different kind of parent. It's panicking over getting Maddox down for a nap immediately after his morning session so he will be cooperative for his afternoon session. It's trying to find something to keep Mia busy so she doesn't drive everyone crazy. It's hearing Maddox whine and complain and cry on the days he just gets tired of it all. It's worrying that I'm not there enough. It's guilt that I'm asking too much of my mom because she takes all of this on 4 days a week. It's getting up early on Saturday to make sure we're all awake and decently dressed before someone knocks on the door. It's constantly going and going and going...
I think this transition has really been hardest on Mia.
Because Maddox is so small, everything is done through play. They play with toys, blow bubbles, play outside, read books, sing songs. To Mia it looks like Maddox just got 9 new playmates and she wants to be in the middle of everything. Some of the teachers are really good at involving her for certain activities but she is such a distraction. She wants all of the attention on her and interrupts constantly so we try our best to keep her out of their way. It is so hard to keep telling her no all day. All of this has resulted in some acting out behaviors at home and at school. She is going waaayyyy overboard to get attention. She also hates to see Maddox upset and she gets really agitated when Maddox is protesting a lot and will burst into the room and do whatever it is they are trying to get him to do. We've tried explaining it to her by telling her that Maddox is having a hard time learning and we need help to teach him. He's too small to go to school like she does so his teachers have to come to our house and when they are there it is his school time just like when she goes to school it's her school time. She understands that but it doesn't stop her from being jealous and sneaking into the room with them the second we turn our backs.
On top of juggling all of this I still work 4 days a week. There has been some stressful things going on at work too which just adds to the list of things I have to worry about. And it's December. So our schedule has been even more packed with Christmas program rehearsals, parties, dinners, church events, making gifts and shopping.
And no, I haven't forgotten my poor husband. I try to make some time to take care of him too. Sometimes I even manage to get the house clean. And I even remember to pay bills once in a while.
Whew! No wonder I fall into bed exhausted at night.
I really need a vacation from my life!
But for now, I'll settle for a bubble bath and a locked bathroom door.
